‘Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters’ Is The Newest Jane Austen Horror Mash-up
Posted by Empress Eve | July 16th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Quirk Books announced today that the follow-up to their Jane Austen horror mash-up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies will be Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.
While Zombies was 85 percent of Austen’s original work, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters will contain 60 percent of Austen’s original novel, Sense and Sensibility, with the edition of all-new scenes of giant lobsters, rampaging octopi, two-headed sea serpents, swashbuckling pirates, and other seaworthy creatures written by Ben H. Winters.
Check out the book cover here at right; below are two black and white illustrations from the novel and a trailer for the book, along with a description of this unique twist on the classic tale. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, which will be released on September 15, 2009, is available for pre-order now.
Editor Jason Rekulak explains the choice of sea monsters for this highly anticipated literary mash-up:
“Several publishers are crashing Jane Austen vampire novels that will no doubt capitalize on the success of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. But I didn’t want to go out with the one-millionth vampire novel that’s going to be published this year. Sea Monsters allowed us to draw inspiration from so many rich and diverse sources — most obviously Jules Verne novels and Celtic mythology, but also Jaws, Lost, Pirates of the Caribbean, even SpongeBob Squarepants! I think the fans were counting on us to deliver something original, and I don’t think they will be disappointed.”
As our story opens, the Dashwood sisters are evicted from their childhood home and sent to live on a mysterious island full of savage creatures and dark secrets. While sensible Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferrars, her romantic sister Marianne is courted by both the handsome Willoughby and the hideous man-monster Colonel Brandon. Can the Dashwood sisters triumph over meddlesome matriarchs and unscrupulous rogues to find true love? Or will they fall prey to the tentacles that are forever snapping at their heels?
This masterful portrait of Regency England blends Jane Austen’s biting social commentary with ultraviolent depictions of biting sea monsters. It’s survival of the fittest—and only the swiftest swimmers will find true love!
Well, if the trailer’s anything to go by, it won’t have much of the original storyline left at all. It’ll probably still be hilarious, though. Can’t wait!
Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press
now.
