brideshead regained

On arriving home from work on Friday evening I noticed a small brown package on the first floor bannister. Framing the upper and lower segments of the box were the words amazon.co.uk. The package itself was slightly larger than a hardcover book. After excitidly tearing open the cardboard end panal I gently squeezed out my brand new copy of Brideshead Regained. Akanos published this unauthorized sequel to Waugh's landmark novel in 2003. Glancing through a number of reviews this book has garnered it is clear that while many enjoyed the sequel, some believe Michael Johnston's work represents a sort of literary blasphemy. But is it literary blasphemy? Being a fan of science fiction prompts me to take a slightly unconventional view of the matter. Johnson's book represents one possible future for the people who inhabit Waugh's original. There is of course an infinite number of possible futures for a particular set of characters in a novel. If Waugh himself had written a sequel in 1946, we, as readers, would have been confronted with another possible future. Let's take this one step further. Had Waugh developed a short sequel in 1946, scrapped his plans to publish the novella, and then approached the task afresh in 1966, he himself would have developed two very different sequels to Brideshead. So, I suppose I am not put off by Johnston's novel because I believe it sketches one possiblity of many. The significance and achievement of Brideshead Regained is that it represents an articulate and very convincing thread of continutiy to a novel, and cast of characters, cherished by many.

Brideshead Regained is available through amazon.co.uk or directly through the publisher at http://www.akanos.co.uk/.