#narrative impact

Some books should not have sequels

Some books should stand alone. Once the story has been told, to revisit the characters would rob the narrative of the depth of meaning. For such stories, sequels spoil them by diluting what made the first one great.

A good example of the dilution of impact can be found in the BBC television series, Doctor Who. The episode “Blink” introduced the threat of the Weeping Angels. “Blink” ends with…