# Fiction authors writing more novels based on same events from another character's perspective **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014 "2018-02-17T19:03:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/1 "2018-02-17T19:03:42Z")
I notice some fiction authors not only love to revisit a particular universe of theirs over and over, but they love to re-visit the same events, only thru the eyes of a different character. Usually that character was present and participating in the original story, but now events occur through their viewpoint. Generally new scenes are added, new adventures only hinted at before are expanded upon. David Eddings did this a lot with his works, particularly in his **Belgariad** universe. John Scalzi does in **Zoe’s Story** , part of his “Old Man’s War” universe. Can you name other authors who do this? And what do you think of it? While I find it can nicely flesh out an author’s world for me, I don’t find that many stories so compelling that I think it’s worthwhile to visit every corner of that world, looking for gold nuggets amongst the dross (JRRT’s works excepted, of course!) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/2 "2018-02-17T19:12:54Z")
I would have thought that the biggest example of this would be Orson Scott Card, re-writing _Ender’s Game_ from several other perspectives (Bean, Ender’s siblings, etc.). I assume that you’re not referring to storylines which only tangentially intersect, like Turin’s brief meeting with Beren. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/3 "2018-02-17T19:27:11Z")
Yes, the first things that come to mind for me are _Ender’s Game_ and _Ender’s Shadow_. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/4 "2018-02-17T19:47:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I would have thought that the biggest example of this would be Orson Scott Card, re-writing _Ender’s Game_ from several other perspectives (Bean, Ender’s siblings, etc.). Ah yes, Card is endlessly pretelling/retelling his most popular work from multiple perspectives. I got burnt out on them rather quickly. I notice he doesn’t revisit the world or characters he created in _Speaker for the Dead_, or _xenocide_ or _Children of the mind_. I found those novels more interesting, frankly. > [@Chronos](#): > > I assume that you’re not referring to storylines which only tangentially intersect, like Turin’s brief meeting with Beren. But of course! Two separate characters who only briefly crossed paths, that had a particular poignancy for me, knowing it came about under the curse of the Noldor. But I still could have appreciated a JRRT story told from Maeglin’s perspective. Or Fëanor’s. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/5 "2018-02-17T19:58:48Z")
I did think about those two books written by Steven King, one as himself and one as Richard Bachman. But I’m not sure if they would fit the criteria (having not read them again since the initial publication.) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/6 "2018-02-17T20:09:24Z")
Another one: \*Interview With the Vampire \*and _The Vampire Lestat_ largely overlapped, Rashamoning each other. ---
**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/7 "2018-02-17T20:14:38Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I notice some fiction authors Qadgop, have you read The Martian? The Breach trilogy? Footfall? Wool by Hugh Howey? 14 by Peter Clines? I just decided to rattle off the top of my head some of the best science fiction novels I have read over the last 3 decades. The Martian is #1 for me, because it’s more like science fact porn in a way. Breach is amazing because it has a story that builds into a broader universe. Wool does as well, and so does 14 by Peter Clines. And Footfall is just good fun. Maybe my tastes are different than yours, but no need to complain about rehash novels, there are plenty of original works for you to read. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/8 "2018-02-17T20:19:39Z")
Glen Cook’s Black Company series has a few novels with major events being retold through other character’s perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/9 "2018-02-17T20:30:37Z")
Robertson Davies’ [Deptford Trilogy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Deptford_Trilogy) and Susan Howatch’s [Starbridge series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Howatch#The_Starbridge_series) are examples of series of novels that are told from the viewpoints of different characters but that have some overlap in their settings, characters, and events. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/10 "2018-02-17T20:35:52Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I notice some fiction authors not only love to revisit a particular universe of theirs over and over, but they love to re-visit the same events, only thru the eyes of a different character. Usually that character was present and participating in the original story, but now events occur through their viewpoint. Generally new scenes are added, new adventures only hinted at before are expanded upon. > > David Eddings did this a lot with his works, particularly in his **Belgariad** universe. John Scalzi does in **Zoe’s Story** , part of his “Old Man’s War” universe. > > Can you name other authors who do this? And what do you think of it? While I find it can nicely flesh out an author’s world for me, I don’t find that many stories so compelling that I think it’s worthwhile to visit every corner of that world, looking for gold nuggets amongst the dross (JRRT’s works excepted, of course!) Piers Anthony does that in his Incarnations of Immortality series. Several of the later books show what incidents from previous books look like from the POV of a different character. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/11 "2018-02-17T20:41:00Z")
Are you looking only for scifi/fantasy books? If not, William Faulkner pretty much made a career of this. I’m not sure if he ever fully retold the same story start to finish from two characters" perspectives, but a lot of the same events figure into multiple novels, where they impact different characters to varying degrees. ETA: In Faulkner’s case I enjoy it because a major theme in his work is the long, painful fallout of the Old South, so having characters retell and relitigate everything is central to the books. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/12 "2018-02-17T20:42:59Z")
David Duncan’s “Kings Blades” series often tell the same stories from different perspectives – in at least one case, _changing the result_. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/13 "2018-02-17T20:53:17Z")
IIRC, Anne McCaffrey’s Harper Hall Trilogy showed some events from the original Dragonriders of Pern novels from the point of view of some teens on the periphery. _Moreta, Dragonrider of Pern_ expands on an event that’s referred to in the original trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/14 "2018-02-17T21:42:49Z")
> [@SamuelA](#): > > Maybe my tastes are different than yours, but no need to complain about rehash novels, there are plenty of original works for you to read. Thanks, but I’ve no shortage of new stuff to read, and I’ve also read over half the books on your list. Some of them decades ago. 😉 No, I’m interested in discussing the phenomenon of what you call _rehash novels_, in any genre. So I’m enjoying the discussion so far. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/15 "2018-02-17T21:59:42Z")
Nm, misunderstood the OP’s specification of novels by the **same** author revisiting previous novels’ events. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/16 "2018-02-17T22:12:52Z")
Frances Hodgson Burnett rewrote _A Lady of Quality_ from the POV of the male main character, _His Grace of Osmonde_. I’m glad she enjoyed herself and glad that she wasn’t shy about indulging her authorial whims, because sometimes the results were spectacular, but this isn’t one of those times. If she’d polished _A Lady of Quality_ I think it would be standard canon right next to Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. _His Grace of Osmonde_ is just boring. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/17 "2018-02-17T22:39:23Z")
If you wanted to consider the books of the New Testament as works of literature, you could certainly make the case that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the retelling of the same events from the perspective of each participant. Some of the books of the Apocrypha, like the [Gospel of James](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_James) are, well, apocryphal accounts of the same events. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/18 "2018-02-17T22:47:16Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > If you wanted to consider the books of the New Testament as works of literature, you could certainly make the case that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the retelling of the same events from the perspective of each participant. Some of the books of the Apocrypha, like the [Gospel of James](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_James) are, well, apocryphal accounts of the same events. I’m pretty sure that’s not the kind of thing the OP is talking about, because they’re not by the same author. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/19 "2018-02-17T22:54:59Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’m pretty sure that’s not the kind of thing the OP is talking about, because they’re not by the same author. That will teach me to try and be clever without reading properly first. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014/20 "2018-02-17T22:57:56Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I’m pretty sure that’s not the kind of thing the OP is talking about, because they’re not by the same author. Unless, of course, you believe they’re divinely inspired and not the real authors. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fiction-authors-writing-more-novels-based-on-same-events-from-another-characters-perspective/809014.md?page=2)