Fan fiction exploded into the spotlight thanks to E.L. James’ ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ which started out as a fan fiction based on Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ series. What started on Fanfiction.net spread to Tumblr, then took root in the publishing world. Films were also not immune. The Idea of You, starring Anne Hathaway, was even marketed as being based on a Harry Styles fan fiction.
But what exactly is fan-fiction?
Fan-fiction was never meant to be mainstream. Based on existing work, fans construct their own narratives around their favourite characters or relationships (affectionately known as ‘ships’). But fanfic is not just about the shipping; it permits infinite possibilities as creativity knows no bounds, helping a generation of readers come of age.
Fan fic has, historically, been imperfect, and unpublished; it purposely subverts the original text, pairing new characters together, or rewriting a story – sometimes veering or fully careering into the *spicy*.
The past few years have seen a decided turning point – fanfic is no longer a guilty pleasure; it’s a growing genre.
This year will see the release of three ‘romantasy’ (romance/fantasy) novels that had their origins in fanfiction surrounding ‘Dramione’ – the pairing of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter series. Spoiler alert: Hermione and Draco don’t end up together, or even have a relationship in Harry Potter, but that hasn’t stopped the stories!
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First up, out now, is The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley, the first book in the ‘Dearly Beloathed’ series. Although an original text, Knightley has been writing fanfiction for decades, leaning heavily on the ‘enemies to lovers’ trope inspired by the ‘Dramione’ relationship.
Centred on a Woman in STEM, Knightley’s novel is a razor-sharp, sarcastic, slow burn, a little bit of *spice* - the most young-adult friendly of the three! The story follows Aurienne, a principled scientist who is bribed by Osric, an assassin, trying to save the life of Osric Mordaunt, a member of the Fyren Order of assassins. Reluctantly, the two are forced to collaborate, much to Aurienne’s dismay. |
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Lastly, out now is ‘Alchemised’ by SenLinYu, a widely anticipated behemoth of a debut novel. Based on SenLinYu’s Manacled, SenLinYu’s debut novel revolves around a woman in a war-torn world who suffers from memory loss.
The biggest warning about Alchemised is that it’s just over 1,000 pages, so buckle in and enjoy the ride! Surprise, surprise, there’s a movie deal in the pipeline, so things are just getting started.
Dive in and buy your copy today, and don’t forget, B+ members get more with B+ Rewards. |
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