It’s not over until it’s over…and in the case of enduring franchises, this can mean never. Eventually, readers will reach “the end.” Moviegoers will watch the credits. Many franchises will have sequels, prequels, in between bonus stories, spin offs, and even remakes, but, eventually, all good things must come to an end.
For those who have read the same book for the thirtieth time, or watched the (likely terrible remake) to continue experiencing the magic, there are other avenues. There are different ways to enjoy a fictional world, and various avenues to do so. Even if your time with your favourite characters has come to an end, there’s no reason to leave the world itself—particularly if it’s large, colourful, and unique.
Ways to remain within the world, and to learn more about it, include companion books by the authors themselves, fan websites which compile accurate information, and even YouTube.
Video version available:
1) YouTubers
When people don’t have time to scour the internet for news on their favourite series, YouTubers can condense the information into easily digestible videos which not only deliver the information quickly, but with flashy pictures which will help to cement the info in your mind.
Like their blogging counterparts, YouTubers will discuss their favourite scenes from books, where certain spells might fail, or deconstruct the entire plot of a series for the purposes of amusement, criticism, and, in rare instances, praise. If you’re looking for a refresher on what happened in a story, but don’t have the time or inclination to read it again, a brief video can offer you reminders—as well as prompt you to think about the work from a new perspective.
Some creators simply want to talk about the story itself, happily sharing information you might have missed. This information is technically in the work itself but, due to the story being busy, or to our brains only being able to retain so much information, these facts either become forgotten or overlooked entirely. A YouTuber, for example, might do a video listing all of the known animals which a Wizard can have for their Patronus. A YouTuber might do a video on all of the Greek figures or biblical archetypes which play a role in the Chronicles of Narnia. Some might even offer a video on character backstories for those who only saw the movie version: an example of this would be someone explaining where the White Witch Jadis comes from for those film adherents not in the know on The Magician’s Nephew. The title would probably be catchy too: 5 Facts People Don’t Know About Narnia’s White Witch or The True Backstory Behind the “Queen” of Narnia are all videos which can flesh out the story, accurately, for those who haven’t read the books in twenty years, or for those who are curious but too broke to buy the books.
Am I going to make those videos now? Honestly, since I wrote that sentence, I’m considering it (and I’ll include links below when, and if, I do)!
2) Companion Books & Guides
These books often fall into the category of what I like to call “nonfiction fiction.” For authors that go all out, the books will be written as though all the information they offer is factually accurate; the author may write under a character’s pseudonym, taking on a textbook style when delivering the information, as well as referencing characters from the story’s world as though they were real people.
A classic example would be the various companion books written for Harry Potter, which include Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and even The Tales of Beetle the Bard. The last book is a collection of fairy tales written within a collection of fantasy novels; alongside the stories by “Beetle” are essays by Dumbledore, who offers his commentary on the works the way a writer in real life might offer insight on Cinderella. This added layer makes the short stories, and the world to which they belong, all the more real in a sense—as well as providing a few more moments with Dumbledore, allowing us to connect with him as a person who sometimes takes a break from fighting Death Eaters to write literary articles. In essence, we are given a chance to see who the character is outside of the story.
Other authors take a more detached approach. When listing family trees or character backstories, they write the book as though the subject matter is fictitious. While this doesn’t sound as magical at first, this approach allows the author to add their own experience to the mix. An author may say she wrote book three as a result of being inspired by Nordic myths, or may relate a scene from the book to an experience she faced in real life.
Some books are a mixture. Twilight’s Official Illustrated Guide features character backstories, family trees, and more details on the Volturi—along with facts about the author herself, including the music which inspired her writing and how she had the idea for Twilight in the first place.
Many of the largest fantasy universes have these companion guides, including George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, Cassandra Claire’s Shadowhunter world, and Erin Hunter’s Warriors series. These books go into family histories, backstories, origin tales, and more, fleshing out the worlds in their own ways.
3) Author Websites
Author websites can act as digital versions to companion novels, though many still feel information introduced this way can’t always be seen as “official,” particularly if it’s shared in a casual comment or off the cuff blog.
Pottermore (now called Wizarding World) is a website which offers articles on the founding of the Ministry, the names of other wizarding schools and how they were founded, and other information about Hogwarts which the author was unable to squeeze into the books.
Though many of these are fun, such as the article which introduces the concept of an enchanted book that places a future student’s name down from infancy, others generated controversy.
Lines are also blurred on where an author’s website begins and where it ends. Many didn’t like the idea Rowling presented when she mentioned that wizards used to relieve themselves on the spot—if the info is offered in a tweet, on a platform the author doesn’t even own, is it really “canon?”
Info offered on such websites might also be less polished; the website still belongs to the author and is therefore less likely to go through the same rigorous editing process as an officially published book would.
Nevertheless, such websites can offer a more direct connection between the author and the reader, as well as a way for fans to access additional information without having to shell out twenty dollars or more for the book version.
4) Fandom Websites
If the author doesn’t have their own website, fans will often take the trouble to create their own. The most popular websites will make a point of checking for accuracy and forming communities which can answer questions on anything from what a certain spell can do, to how a fan might feel about the latest additions to canon. Many will even compile information from the books, such as a character’s backstory or birthday, what all the different creatures are, timelines of events, and so on, their sites acting as unofficial guide books.
In cases where websites are especially accurate, the original authors of the works have even been known to check the sites as a means of fact checking themselves! Sometimes authors have as much trouble keeping all the information straight as their fans do!
Examples of fan websites include The Leaky Cauldron and The Twilight Lexicon.
If a franchise doesn’t have it’s own website, there’s still a website which covers all fandoms. It’s simply called “Fandom,” and it offers answers to any questions a viewer might have about a world, compiling it all in one place. It will tell you why some lightsabers are purple, how many races of Elf there actually are in Tamriel, and what creatures exist in Narnia. Covering books, film, television, and even video games, it’s an information resource for those dedicated to learning all they can about their favourite fantastical world.
It shares information from lesser known spin off books, older games newer players might have missed, and content even the most die hard fans may have overlooked. It’s especially useful for worlds like Star Wars; with it’s plethora of novels, comics, and films, no fan is going to have time to consume everything. By exploring this website, I learned facts about my favourite series which had me jumping up and down in excitement because I had no idea and this is so cool!
Whether it be through the writers themselves or fellow fans, printed media or online, there are a number of ways to not only continue engaging with our favourite worlds, but to learn more about them. If remembering that Narnian centaurs have two stomachs in order to digest both human and horse food is important to you, these resources will prove invaluable.
Where do you go to find information on your favourite worlds? Do you love it when an author gives you more information, or do you hate it? I’d love to know.