"The Girl in the Spider's Web" Reaction

There is another Lisbeth Salander novel coming out. There are a few ‘howevers’, however….

However, it is not written by Stieg Larsson but by somebody else.

However, according to The Globe and Mail, “…is a wholly original work and not associated with the partly completed novel that Larsson was writing at the time of his death.” So, this new book is completely original (except for background, characters etc already established in the initial trilogy) and is continuation of events in the progression of the story, but not a continuation of what Stieg Larsson was working on, or envisioned.

I read and enjoyed the initial trilogy. Of course I would like to read more – by Stieg Larsson, or at the least, his outline of the rest of the series. As with the Bourne books, I am only interested in the initial three, written by the original author. It seems that the new writers are using the initial novels characters, titles, and author’s name as a way to ‘channel’ some fame and finances their way. I am not questioning the quality of the work, but more of the method. If this new Salander novel is, in fact, the partially unwritten novel by Larsson, completed and published, I may be less against its release. Or, if he did in fact have a total of books envisioned, if they were based on his outlines or something. Using somebody else’s characters and mythos seems, I hate to say it, lazy, and close to fan-fiction, even if it is commissioned officially by the estate.

On the other side of the coin, let’s look at J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien in regards to releasing material after the initial author has passed away. Please note, that in the books that Christopher was involved in, his role was one of an editor. He took what material already existed by his father, and edited it into a book, a novel, a collection, etc..whatever the book may be. But his ‘intervention’ with the text and manuscripts has always been minimal.

My fear, is that the new Salander novels will be like the post- Ludlum Bournes, or anything that has Tom Clancy’s name slapped on it that he did not write - nowhere near as good as the originals.