History FollowTheLeader / Literature

* The success of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' has created a market for many new YoungAdult {{Dystopia}} novels. To name a few: ''Literature/TheMazeRunner'' by James Dashner, ''ShipBreaker'' by Paolo Bacigalupi, The ''DustLands'' trilogy by Moira Young, ''Wither'' by Lauren [=DeStefano=]. Many of these also hold to ''Literature/TheHungerGames'''s structure: ActionGirl protagonist (with the notable exception of ''The Maze Runner'', which has a male main character), present-tense first-person narration and social commentary, with many of them, such as ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' by Veronica Roth and the ''LegendTrilogy'' by Marie Lu, often accused of ripping ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' off. In addition, many dystopian YA series have been released that have taken a LighterAndSofter, more romance-based approach, such as ''Literature/{{Delirium}}'', ''Literature/{{Matched}}'' and ''TheSelection''; these are often criticized for not utilizing their dystopian premises properly, neutering the edge of books like ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' and ''Literature/ChaosWalking'' and being watered-down dystopia for the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' audience.

* The success of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' has created a market for many new YoungAdult {{Dystopia}} novels. To name a few: ''Literature/TheMazeRunner'' by James Dashner, ''ShipBreaker'' by Paolo Bacigalupi, The ''DustLands'' trilogy by Moira Young, ''Wither'' by Lauren [=DeStefano=]. Many of these also hold to ''Literature/TheHungerGames'''s structure: ActionGirl protagonist, present-tense first-person narration and social commentary, with many of them, such as ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' by Veronica Roth and the ''LegendTrilogy'' by Marie Lu, often accused of ripping ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' off. In addition, many dystopian YA series have been released that have taken a LighterAndSofter, more romance-based approach, such as ''Literature/{{Delirium}}'', ''Literature/{{Matched}}'' and ''TheSelection''; these are often criticized for not utilizing their dystopian premises properly, neutering the edge of books like ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' and ''Literature/ChaosWalking'' and being watered-down dystopia for the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' audience.

** Many of these novels have covers featuring circular emblems reminiscent of the Mockingjay pin. While writers have no control over what the covers look like, these might be publishers' attempt to get the books popular so it still counts as this trope. For example: ''Literature/{{Divergent}}''[='s=] Dauntless symbol, the ''LegendTrilogy''[='s=] Republic logo, ''TheTesting''[='s=] coin or ''Literature/IAmNumberFour''[='=]s Loric number symbols. This has even spread to other genres in YA, such as fantasy: look at ''[[SevenRealms The Demon King]]'''s serpent flashpiece, ''Literature/SnowLikeAshes'''s chakram or the Charter Magic symbols found on the newer editions of the ''Literature/OldKingdom'' series.

** Many of these novels have covers featuring circular emblems reminiscent of the Mockingjay pin. While writers have no control over what the covers look like, these might be publishers' attempt to get the books popular so it still counts as this trope. For example: ''Literature/{{Divergent}}''[='s=] Dauntless symbol, the ''LegendTrilogy''[='s=] Republic logo, ''TheTesting''[='s=] coin or ''Literature/IAmNumberFour'''s Loric number symbols. This has even spread to other genres in YA, such as fantasy: look at ''[[SevenRealms The Demon King]]'''s serpent flashpiece, ''Literature/SnowLikeAshes'''s chakram or the Charter Magic symbols found on the newer editions of the ''Literature/OldKingdom'' series.

* The success of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' has created a market for many new YoungAdult {{Dystopia}} novels. To name a few: ''Literature/TheMazeRunner'' by James Dashner, ''ShipBreaker'' by Paolo Bacigalupi, The ''DustLands'' trilogy by Moira Young, ''Wither'' by Lauren [=DeStefano=]. Many of these also hold to ''Literature/TheHungerGames'''s structure: ActionGirl protagonist, present-tense first-person narration and social commentary, with many of them, such as ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' by Veronica Roth and the ''LegendTrilogy'' by Marie Lu, often accused of ripping ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' off. In addition, many dystopian YA series have been released that have taken a LighterAndSofter, more romance-based approach, such as ''Literature/{{Delirium}}'', ''Literature/{{Matched}}'' and ''TheSelection''; these are often criticized for not utilizing their dystopian premises properly, neutering the edge of books like ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' and ''ChaosWalking'' and being watered-down dystopia for the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' audience.

* The success of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' has created a market for many new YoungAdult {{Dystopia}} novels. To name a few: ''Literature/TheMazeRunner'' by James Dashner, ''ShipBreaker'' by Paolo Bacigalupi, The ''DustLands'' trilogy by Moira Young, ''Wither'' by Lauren [=DeStefano=]. Many of these also hold to ''Literature/TheHungerGames'''s structure: ActionGirl protagonist, present-tense first-person narration and social commentary, with many of them, such as ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' by Veronica Roth and the ''LegendTrilogy'' by Marie Lu, often accused of ripping ''TheHungerGames'' off. In addition, many dystopian YA series have been released that have taken a LighterAndSofter, more romance-based approach, such as ''Literature/{{Delirium}}'', ''Literature/{{Matched}}'' and ''TheSelection''; these are often criticized for not utilizing their dystopian premises properly, neutering the edge of books like ''TheHungerGames'' and ''ChaosWalking'' and being watered-down dystopia for the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' audience.

* Almost everybody knows of Creator/JohnMilton's ''Literature/ParadiseLost''. What many people don't know is that Dutch writer Joost van den Vondel published ''De Lucifer'', a play with the same basic plot, roughly four years before Milton even started writing his poem. While it's doubtful that Milton knew enough Dutch to fully understand the play, it's no stretch to say that he was inspired by the premise. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_B A shorter, anglo-saxon poem based on the same themes]] seems to be an actual blueprint of Milton's poem.

* Almost everybody knows of Creator/JohnMilton's ''Literature/ParadiseLost''. What many people don't know is that Dutch writer Joost van den Vondel published ''De Lucifer'', a play with the same basic plot, roughly four years before Milton even started writing his poem. While it's doubtful that Milton knew enough Dutch to fully understand the play, it's no stretch to say that he was inspired by the premise. A shorter, anglo-saxon poem based on the same themes seems to be an actual blueprint of Milton's poem.

* ''Literature/TheNeverendingStory'' owes a good lot of its plotline to the Ibsen play ''Theatre/PeerGynt'', especially in the second part of the novel.

* In 2009 ''Telegraph'' journalist Ian Hollingshead compiled ''Am I Alone In Thinking...? Unpublished Letters to [[UsefulNotes/BritishNewspapers the Daily Telegraph]]'', a collection of {{Sternly Worded Letter}}s from the paper's archives. This was successful enough that he compiled several follow-ups with similar titles. Then in 2017, Colin Schindler compiled ''I'm Sure I Speak For Many Others...: Unpublished letters to Creator/TheBBC'', which even duplicated the subtitle, even though it's not clear where letters to the BBC ''would'' be published.

** Swedish writer Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg wrote a book called ''Kaffe med rån'', [[DoubleEntendre which can mean both "Coffee with wafers" and "Coffee with robbery."]] The English translators gave it the title '' The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules,'' and in another example of this trope, gave its cover the same kind of design as Jonasson's novels. When she wrote a sequel, the English translation was named ''The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again!''

* While the whole fictional-story-written-as-a-journal/diary is nothing new, Jeff Kinney's ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid'' series has at least one major imitator: Rachel Renee Russell's ''Literature/DorkDiaries.'' Other humorous graphic novel/children's novel hybrid series that have followed in Greg Heffley's wake include ''Middle School'' (Creator/JamesPatterson), ''Tales of a Sixth Grade [[Franchise/TheMuppets Muppet]]'', ''Timmy Failure'' ([[ComicStrip/PearlsBeforeSwine Stephan Pastis]]), and '''two''' ''Franchise/StarWars''-inspired series in ''Origami Yoda'' and ''Jedi Academy''.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' has spawned various UrbanFantasy novels that featured a FirstPersonSmartass.

* The success of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' has created a market for many new YoungAdult {{Dystopia}} novels. To name a few: ''TheMazeRunner'' by James Dashner, ''ShipBreaker'' by Paolo Bacigalupi, The ''DustLands'' trilogy by Moira Young, ''Wither'' by Lauren [=DeStefano=]. Many of these also hold to ''Literature/TheHungerGames'''s structure: ActionGirl protagonist, present-tense first-person narration and social commentary, with many of them, such as ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' by Veronica Roth and the ''LegendTrilogy'' by Marie Lu, often accused of ripping ''TheHungerGames'' off. In addition, many dystopian YA series have been released that have taken a LighterAndSofter, more romance-based approach, such as ''Literature/{{Delirium}}'', ''Literature/{{Matched}}'' and ''TheSelection''; these are often criticized for not utilizing their dystopian premises properly, neutering the edge of books like ''TheHungerGames'' and ''ChaosWalking'' and being watered-down dystopia for the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' audience.
** Many of these novels have covers featuring circular emblems reminiscent of the Mockingjay pin. While writers have no control over what the covers look like, these might be publishers' attempt to get the books popular so it still counts as this trope. For example: ''Literature/{{Divergent}}''[='s=] Dauntless symbol, the ''LegendTrilogy''[='s=] Republic logo, ''TheTesting''[='s=] coin or ''IAmNumberFour''[='s=] Loric number symbols. This has even spread to other genres in YA, such as fantasy: look at ''[[SevenRealms The Demon King]]''s serpent flashpiece, ''SnowLikeAshes''[='s=] chakram or the Charter Magic symbols found on the newer editions of the OldKingdom series.

* During and after UsefulNotes/{{The90s}}, serial children's novels aimed at and starring elementary-school-age girls became wildly popular such as ''Literature/AmberBrown'', ''Ivy And Bean'', and ''Just Grace''. The Literature/JudyMoody series may be the start of this trend, since it established may of the cliches found in these books (a PluckyGirl protagonist between the ages of 8 and 10, a PunnyName, a school setting).

* During and after {{Main/The90s}}, serial children's novels aimed at and starring elementary-school-age girls became wildly popular such as ''Literature/AmberBrown'', ''Ivy And Bean'', and ''Just Grace''. The Literature/JudyMoody series may be the start of this trend, since it established may of the cliches found in these books (a PluckyGirl protagonist between the ages of 8 and 10, a PunnyName, a school setting).

* During and after {{The90s}}, serial children's novels aimed at and starring elementary-school-age girls became wildly popular such as ''Literature/AmberBrown'', ''IvyAndBean'', and ''JustGrace''. The Literature/JudyMoody series may be the start of this trend, since it established may of the cliches found in these books (a PluckyGirl protagonist between the ages of 8 and 10, a PunnyName, a school setting).

* During and after The90s, serial children's novels aimed at and starring elementary-school-age girls became wildly popular such as Literature/AmberBrown, Literature/IvyAndBean, and Literature/JustGrace. The Literature/JudyMoody series may be the start of this trend, since it established may of the cliches found in these books (a PluckyGirl protagonist between the ages of 8 and 10, a PunnyName, a school setting).

** Many of these novels have covers featuring circular emblems reminiscent of the Mockingjay pin. While writers have no control over what the covers look like, these might be publishers' attempt to get the books popular so it still counts as this trope. For example: ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'''s Dauntless symbol, the ''LegendTrilogy'''s Republic logo, ''TheTesting'''s coin or ''IAmNumberFour'''s Loric number symbols. This has even spread to other genres in YA, such as fantasy: look at ''[[SevenRealms The Demon King]]''s serpent flashpiece, ''SnowLikeAshes'''s chakram or the Charter Magic symbols found on the newer editions of the OldKingdom series.

* The incredible success of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has led to a glut of children's fantasy and, while it isn't the first WizardingSchool, [[TropeCodifier it is certainly the inspiration for many]]. ''Harry Potter''[='s=] success also persuaded authors and publishers to write longer and more complex young-adult literature. This is a very good example that [[TropesAreTools this isn't actually a bad thing]] -- the success of ''Harry Potter'' told authors and publishers that yes, young-adult literature can be enjoyed by a PeripheryDemographic of adults, and that adolescents ''do'' have enough of an attention span to read a DoorStopper novel if it interests them enough. The most notable examples include: ''Literature/TheInheritanceCycle'', ''PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'', ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'', ''Literature/TheBartimaeusTrilogy'', ''TheUnderlandChronicles'', ''RangersApprentice'', ''{{Graceling}}'', ''TheWardstoneChronicles'', ''TheKeysToTheKingdom'', ''TheHeirChronicles'', ''{{Fablehaven}}'', ''{{Inkheart}}'', ''TheSecretsOfTheImmortalNicholasFlamel'', ''{{Abarat}}'', ''TheSeaOfTrolls'', ''FarsalaTrilogy'', ''BooksOfPellinor'' and ''TheMortalInstruments''. [[note]]To put it in a bit of perspective, aside from a few examples like ''Literature/TheNeverendingStory'', young-adult novels were ''rarely'' above three hundred pages. Some publishers actually thought kids wouldn't have the attention span to read a book if it was over two hundred.[[/note]]

* The ''Mageworlds'' series are sci-fi novels which feature [[TheForce a mystical power that binds everything in the universe]], and can give those who wield it telepathy, telekinesis, psychic predictions, etc. The power has good and evil users (Adepts and Mages, respectively) who [[ElegantWeaponForAMoreCivilizedAge use melee weapons in a galaxy full of blasters]]--and frequently, the [[GoodColorsEvilColors Adepts' energy manifests as blue or green, with the Mages' being red.]] The main characters include a [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething princess/queen]], a [[LovableRogue free-trader/smuggler/space pirate]], and [[TheObiWan a very old, very wise mentor who is also secretly a user of the mystical power]]. It just might remind people of a very popular [[Franchise/StarWars film series]][[note]]the similarities grow stronger when you look at the generation prior to that of the main characters[[/note]]. It does manage to avoid sucking, though, and there are enough plot differences that it doesn't read like a SerialNumbersFiledOff kind of thing.

* Creator/JasperFforde pokes fun at this phenomenon in ''The Well of Lost Plots: A Literature/ThursdayNext Novel.'' While Thursday is exploring the Well of Lost Plots, where books and characters are created from scratch, a MrExposition explains to her that, when one character is written with a particularly forceful or distinctive personality, characters-to-be are affected by that and take on those traits. A side-effect of Daphne Du Maurier's ''Rebecca,'' for example, is that hundreds of impressionable characters imitated the creepy and possibly [[PsychoLesbian psychotic lesbian]] housekeeper of the story, which results in, for Jurisfiction, an army of Mrs. Danvers clones. At the end, he offers Thursday, "Can I interest you in a [[TheObiWan wise]] {{old|Master}} [[EccentricMentor mentor]] figure?"

* The incredible success of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has led to a glut of children's fantasy and, while it isn't the first WizardingSchool, [[TropeCodifier it is certainly the inspiration for many]]. ''Harry Potter''[='s=] success also persuaded authors and publishers to write longer and more complex young-adult literature. This is a very good example that [[TropesAreTools this isn't actually a bad thing]] -- the success of ''Harry Potter'' told authors and publishers that yes, young-adult literature can be enjoyed by a PeripheryDemographic of adults, and that adolescents ''do'' have enough of an attention span to read a DoorStopper novel if it interests them enough. The most notable examples include: ''TheInheritanceCycle'', ''PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'', ''ArtemisFowl'', ''TheBartimaeusTrilogy'', ''TheUnderlandChronicles'', ''RangersApprentice'', ''{{Graceling}}'', ''TheWardstoneChronicles'', ''TheKeysToTheKingdom'', ''TheHeirChronicles'', ''{{Fablehaven}}'', ''{{Inkheart}}'', ''TheSecretsOfTheImmortalNicholasFlamel'', ''{{Abarat}}'', ''TheSeaOfTrolls'', ''FarsalaTrilogy'', ''BooksOfPellinor'' and ''TheMortalInstruments''. [[note]]To put it in a bit of perspective, aside from a few examples like ''Literature/TheNeverendingStory'', young-adult novels were ''rarely'' above three hundred pages. Some publishers actually thought kids wouldn't have the attention span to read a book if it was over two hundred.[[/note]]

* The incredible success of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has led to a glut of children's fantasy and, while it isn't the first WizardingSchool, [[TropeCodifier it is certainly the inspiration for many]]. ''Harry Potter''[='s=] success also persuaded authors and publishers to write longer and more complex young-adult literature. This is a very good example that [[TropesAreTools this isn't actually a bad thing]] -- the success of ''Harry Potter'' told authors and publishers that yes, young-adult literature can be enjoyed by a PeripheryDemographic of adults, and that adolescents ''do'' have enough of an attention span to read a DoorStopper novel if it interests them enough.[[note]]To put it in a bit of perspective, aside from a few examples like ''Literature/TheNeverendingStory'', young-adult novels were ''rarely'' above three hundred pages. Some publishers actually thought kids wouldn't have the attention span to read a book if it was over two hundred. The most notable examples include: ''TheInheritanceCycle'', ''PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'', ''ArtemisFowl'', ''TheBartimaeusTrilogy'', ''TheUnderlandChronicles'', ''RangersAprentice'', ''{{Graceling}}'', ''TheWardstoneChronicles'', ''TheKeysToTheKingdom'', ''TheHeirChronicles'', ''{{Fablehaven}}'', ''{{Inkheart}}'', ''TheSecretsOfTheImmortalNicholasFlamel'', ''{{Abarat}}'', ''TheSeaOfTrolls'', ''TheFarsalaTrilogy'', ''TheBooksOfPellinor'' and ''TheMortalInstruments''. [[/note]]

* The incredible success of ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has led to a glut of children's fantasy and, while it isn't the first WizardingSchool, [[TropeCodifier it is certainly the inspiration for many]]. ''Harry Potter''[='s=] success also persuaded authors and publishers to write longer and more complex young-adult literature. This is a very good example that [[TropesAreTools this isn't actually a bad thing]] -- the success of ''Harry Potter'' told authors and publishers that yes, young-adult literature can be enjoyed by a PeripheryDemographic of adults, and that adolescents ''do'' have enough of an attention span to read a DoorStopper novel if it interests them enough.[[note]]To put it in a bit of perspective, aside from a few examples like ''Literature/TheNeverendingStory'', young-adult novels were ''rarely'' above three hundred pages. Some publishers actually thought kids wouldn't have the attention span to read a book if it was over two hundred.[[/note]]
** And of course, there have been people claiming that ''Literature/HarryPotter'' itself ripped off something else, though what exactly it is varies between the detractor. They include: the infamous ''Literature/TheLegendOfRahAndTheMuggles'', ''[[Literature/EarthseaTrilogy A Wizard of Earthsea]]'', Creator/JaneYolen's ''Literature/WizardsHall'', ''Literature/TomBrownsSchoolDays'', ''Literature/GrooshamGrange'' and even the SoBadItsGood movie ''Film/{{Troll}}''. And loads more. The irony here is that Creator/JKRowling couldn't have ripped off all of them at once, and it often tends to imply that ''they'' were instead ripping off ''each other''. While a WizardingSchool was never a new trope, there's nothing older than ''Harry Potter'' to which it's ''exactly'' similar.
* Related to the above, ''Literature/HarryPotter'' was also aided by ''Literature/TheInheritanceCycle'' in showing publishers that young adults actually do have the attention span to read long books, especially series with multiple installments that are themselves doorstoppers. While it and Harry Potter certainly weren't the first kids series (''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'' has been a favourite amongst children for years) it most definitely was ''not'' the last.

* The success of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' has created a market for many new YoungAdult {{Dystopia}} novels with female leads and an emphasis on romance. To name a few: ''Literature/LegendTrilogy'' by Marie Lu, ''Shatter Me'' by Tahereh Mafi, ''Literature/{{Matched}}'' by Ally Condie, ''Wither'' by Lauren [=DeStefano=], ''[[Literature/RazorlandTrilogy Enclave]]'' by Ann Aguirre, ''Under the Never Sky'' by Veronica Rossi, and ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' by Veronica Roth. Many of these also hold to ''Literature/TheHungerGames'''s structure: 16-year old ActionGirl protagonist, present-tense first-person narration, love interest (though a surprising lack of love triangles), and angst.
** Many of these novels have covers featuring circular emblems reminiscent of the Mockingjay pin. While writers have no control over what the covers look like, these might be publishers' attempt to get the books popular so it still counts as this trope.
** The success of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' has also benefited {{Dystopia}} YA books that were already written before/being written during ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', due to being republished in light of the genre's popularity. These include ''Literature/HouseOfTheScorpion'', the already-popular ''Literature/ChaosWalking'' and ''Literature/{{Unwind}}''.
** And then, of course, there's ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' itself, which a few bloggers have ripped on for being an apparent ''Literature/BattleRoyale'' ripoff. However, ''Battle Royale'' doesn't have [[Literature/LordOfTheFlies too]] [[Literature/TheRunningMan original]] [[Literature/TheLongWalk a premise]] either, and there are an equal amount of differences as there are similarities. Either way, the two series have got quite a FandomRivalry going on, with a quiet minority liking both. Oddly enough, the debate is almost never "which is better", but rather "is it a ripoff". ''Battle Royale'' fans tend to disrespect the series even more for having a love triangle and tend to regard ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' fans as being no different from the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' crowd.
* Though not as successful as ''Literature/TheHungerGames'', ''Literature/{{Graceling}}'', a well-acclaimed YA fantasy series, has inspired YoungAdult authors to hit the fantasy route rather than {{Dystopia}}. Some of the most popular ones is Leigh Bardugo's ''Shadow and Bone'', part of the Grisha Trilogy, the ''Seraphina'' series from Rachel Hartman, and possibly ''Falling Kingdoms'' by Morgan Rhodes.