Guest Post: From Sidekick to Main Character: Spin-offs, Side-quels, and Sequels
The Adventures of The Everyday Fangirl welcomes back author EG Manetti as a guest blogger to talk about how Sidekicks turn into Main Characters through spin offs, etc.
Take it away EG!
From Sidekick to Main Character: Spin-offs, Side-quels, and Sequels
In Henry V, the character Falstaff was so popular that Shakespeare wrote The Merry Wives of Windsor, bringing Falstaff back to the stage in one of literature’s best-known spin-offs. Since then, the spin-off has evolved into several recognized classifications including sequels and side-quels. The Lord of the Rings is one of the most famous modern sequels; a continuation of the story begun in The Hobbit. Side-quels, where a new storyline runs parallel to an existing storyline, are somewhat less common. Although Anne McCaffrey fans will recognize the Harpers of Pern series as a side-quel to the Dragon Riders of Pern.
Driving all spin-offs are characters and imagined realities so compelling the reader cannot get enough are the source of spin-off creation. In science-fiction romance (SFR) world-building is central to storytelling, and the ability to expand those worlds into spin-offs is almost unlimited. Among some of the successful SFR spin-offs that provide that ‘new and yet familiar’ pleasure are Cara Bristol’s Cyborg Force, Veronica Scott’s Badari Gladiators, and Susan Hayes’ The Drift: Haven Colony. Each author’s version of the far future and humanity’s role in the galaxy is unique and riveting. All deserve their spin-offs.
Cara Bristol’s Cyborg Force series is a classic sequel to her Men of Mettle series. The Men of Mettle are special forces soldiers who volunteered to become cyborgs and fight terrorists throughout the galaxy. In the follow-on Cyborg Force, the heroes are part of the same special forces group, but with an interrelated mission. I love heroic cyborgs and jumped on the sequels as soon as they came out.
In her Badari Gladiators series, Veronica Scott creates side-quels to her popular Badari Warriors. Bred by evil scientists to be super soldiers, the warriors join forces with captured humans to fight free of their captors. The gladiators are Badari warriors separated from their brethren and scattered to distant sectors where their enhanced abilities make them prized fighters in the arena. In the Badari Warrior series, the action revolves around one planet and the ongoing battle for freedom. In the gladiator stories, Ms. Scott gives full rein to her imagination, creating an array of fascinating planets and societies.
Susan Hayes’ The Drift: Haven Colony is a spin-off of her The Drift: Astek Station series. As part of the Astek Station series, a group of cyborgs were rescued from captivity and relocated to Haven Colony. While the Astek Station series continues, Haven Colony answers the question; what became of the cyborgs? Where the Astek Station novels are a mosaic of life on a space station, the Haven Colony books show the evolution of the colony making the spin-off unique.
Scheduled for publication in late September 2023, CHRYS: Thornscore, Volume 1 tells the story of one of those popular secondary characters.
Chrys
A hero of the battle for the Thirteenth System, Chrys was part of a small group that waged a stealth war against unspeakable evil for years. Battle weary, the enemy defeated, all he wants is to return to his interrupted career as a technologist and engineer at one of the Thirteen Systems’ mighty cartels. Instead, a mysterious bequest from the Master Scholar who trained him, calls Chrys home to distant Genji. Unable to delay critical technology development, he takes his engineering partner with him. It is not the first time he has worked side by side with Verity on a stellar transport, but as the voyage unfolds, he discovers a lovely woman in the place of his battle comrade.
Verity
Verity has harbored a hidden crush on Chrys for years. As much as she wants him to view her as a desirable woman, it is clear he considers her only a friend, battle comrade, and business associate. Assigned to assist him in developing technology critical to the colonization of the Thirteenth System, she is thrilled when it means traveling with him to Genji.
At the outer edge of the galaxy, on a backwater planet, Chrys discovers a legacy that will alter hisfuture while Verity fights for her dreams.
*** Excerpt ***
Chrys shifted his weight, feinting right. His grinning opponent kicked into the opening. Chrys grasped the flying calf with his left hand, and slammed his right into the smug warrior’s shoulder, tossing him on his ass.
With a sharp whistle, the training master called a halt. “Well done, Chrys.”
Leaping to his feet, Rigel frowned. “That was a brawler’s tactic, not one of a warrior.
Expression stern, the training master asked, “Unusual move. Where did you learn it?”
Chrys maintained his neutral expression. “From the free-traders. They employ a version of free-boxing.”
Rigel’s derisive laugh was echoed by several others. “Free-traders are no better than common brawlers.” He glanced at the training master. “I should cry foul.”
The master shook his head. “This is an expert class. Any move that does not risk maiming or use teeth is permitted.” He glanced toward Chrys. “It is the mark of an able combatant to mix martial disciplines for the greatest advantage.”
His laughter fading, Rigel made a show of gathering water and a towel before exiting.
As seigneur Marco’s protégé, Rigel equaled Chrys’ cartel rank. Rigel was also a warrior and distant kin to Monsignor Lucius, where Chrys was but a commoner. Rigel expected Chrys’ deference. The warrior had no idea what to do with Chrys’ bland courtesy. For truth, Chrys had yearned to lesson more than one smug warrior over the years, but this was the first opportunity since he achieved protégé status and could act on his impulse.
A soft laugh accompanied a hand settling on his bicep. Sky blue eyes filled with mischief gazed up at him. “You enjoyed that far too much.”
Verity. Average height, with her black curls and lustrous complexion, her doll-like appearance had caused more than one to underestimate her sharp mind and combat fierceness. The Iron Hammer engineering associate had been Chrys’ friend and ally since his fourth season as a Blooded Dagger apprentice. She is one of the few who can see through his carefully controlled expressions. “He insists on underestimating commoners. He did naught to aid Blythe, treating her as no more than a servitor.”
Verity’s expression dimmed. Along with all those of Thornscore, she mourned the death of a woman who died defending Lilian. “She was a mere apprentice, but she had two years of service with Seigneur Marco and Bright Star when Rigel joined the cartel. He had naught to offer and was too proud to learn aught from her. Could you strike harder the next time?”
“It would give me great pleasure.” Grabbing water and a towel, he inclined his head toward the door. “Another class will be coming.
Pre-order Links: https://egmanetti.com/thornscore/
The Twelve System Chronicles-Where duty and passion collide
EG Manetti has always enjoyed a vivid imagination and occasional scribbling. In 2010 she was struck by the inspiration for The Twelve Systems Chronicles. The draft of a single novel soon became three, and then more. In 2012, after several hundred thousand words, The Cartel: The Apprentice, Volume 1 was published, followed by six other volumes. A former information technology project manager, EG writes as often as possible, cooks exceptionally and gardens adequately. She resides in Florida with her beloved (and often confounded) husband and their severely OCD Jack Russell Terrier.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/egmanetti/
Twitter now known as X: https://twitter.com/egmanetti
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