Plagiarism
There's been a big fuss recently about a respected writer and university professor who has published a book which contains bits and pieces, so some reviewers claim, from a few other academic books. 'Plagiarism' was the cry and the author was royally ticked off. One magazine made a great song and dance about the wicked professor and how he should resign.
I shouldn't be surprised at this magazine's double standards but there, two weeks later, in the Reviews section, was a two page review of 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' with much praise for its author.
Now I regard this rubbish as published fan fiction though I'm told the proper name is a Mash novel. I don't care what name the publishers try to wrap it up in. It's blatant plagiarism, the stealing another writer's work. Of course choosing a writer who is long dead, but very popular, guarantees a sale with publishers who look for gimmicks and novelties to sell.
The two page review made no mention of stealing, plagiarism, or fan fiction. This was a novelty novel, so original and clever! I don't know how the reviewer had the impertinence to write that. It's a copy of Jane Austen's work with zombies - zombies I ask you! - thrown in. Nothing original about that, just a gimmicky publisher and a writer who would do anything to see his work published, even plagiarise if he can get away with it.
But it's about time reviewers made a stand and called the authors of this novel and others of its ilk to task for plagiarism, the outright theft of another writer's creation.
