Awesome prequels?

When they are done wrong, prequels to books and/or movies just plain stink to high heaven. Still that does not mean they are all bad. Prequels to popular novels can be especially good.

Case in point: In 1973 Michael Shaara published his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Killer Angels.  This Civil War novel told the story of the battle of Gettysburg via a cross-section of real-life historical figures such as Robert E. Lee, Joshua Chamberlain, and others. Fast forward to 1996 when a prequel entitled Gods and Generals appeared in bookstores and libraries. Written by Michael’s son Jeff, it set the stage for The Killer Angels.   

Not only did the likes of Lee and Chamberlain return in its pages, Jeff also utilized a historical character just for Gods: The legendary Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson. A man whose name had been mentioned by the Confederate characters in The Killer Angels, Jeff’s brilliant depiction of him explained why his absence at Gettysburg was so bemoaned by them. Had he been present, the South just might have won.

Jeff’s novel has more to recommend it than history come alive. He also displays the same storytelling flair his father did in his prose. All in all, Gods and Generals is one of the best literary prequels ever. 

It is still a shame that prequels usually turn out mediocre. As Gods and Generals demonstrates, when done right they are not only good but downright awesome. Still, perhaps Jeff Shaara’s debut novel is unique in this regard. After all, it is not spun out of whole cloth like most novels are but spun from threads of actual people and events. If a writer tries to give a fictional saga he created more backstory after a blockbuster debut, how far can he or she go before running out of gas? Which leads to the question: Have you ever read an awesome prequel to a bestselling novel?

Article image courtesy Hennepin County Library.