Total Loser Geek Post, Please Ignore

passed this on to me: "Fury Over O'Brian Book Plan": "The family of Patrick O'Brian, the author whose historical novels have sold millions of copies around the world, have expressed dismay over the publication of a fragment of the book he was working on when he died."

Fury over O'Brian book plan

London
May 20, 2004

The family of Patrick O'Brian, the author whose historical novels have sold millions of copies around the world, have expressed dismay over the publication of a fragment of the book he was working on when he died.

O'Brian wrote 20 novels about the seafaring adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend Stephen Maturin, a series which spawned the Oscar-winning film Master and Commander.

His last three chapters of work, to which he had not given a name, are due to be published under the title of XXI in Britain and 21 in North America, next year.

But the sole beneficiaries of O'Brian's estate, the six grandchildren of his second wife Mary, claim they were not consulted about the plans and believe the unfinished manuscript, which will be reproduced in facsimile, will be an insult to his memory.

Nikolai Tolstoy, O'Brian's stepson and father of four of the beneficiaries, said the book was at a "crude" stage and to publish it would be a "travesty" which the reclusive and perfectionist author would have loathed.

"It is crude and unfinished. He would have been dismayed and horrified."

O'Brian died aged 85 in January 2000. It is thought the manuscript was found among his belongings in the Dublin hotel where he died.

Its existence came as a surprise to his friends and fans because he had said after the publication of Blue at the Mizzen, the 20th book in the series, that he would write no more.

Both O'Brian's literary agent in Britain and his American publisher said they believed they were doing the best for his estate, his memory and for his hundreds of thousands of fans.

--Telegraph

And, okay, I need to fangrrl out for a minute. Sandi Holder's Doll Attic has a listing for a new Barbie and a new Ken doll coming in October: Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Barbie as Galadriel and, even better, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Ken as Legolas! "Based on Cate Blanchett's character in the first film of the fantastic Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Barbie as the Elf Queen Galadriel will be sure to dazzle fans of the film series, as well as all Barbie collectors alike," say the notes on the former, while for the latter, it's "Orlando Bloom portrays an agile and trustworthy Elf Warrior in this representation of Legolas from The Two Towers, the second film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We think you'll swoon over Ken as Legolas; we know we can't wait!" Both dolls will be from Mattel's Silver Label collection and will market for $39.95.