(no subject)

[prepare4trouble]

Okay, here's something I don't get. Dan Brown, the author of The Da Vinci code, is being sued by the authors of the book "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail". Now, I've not read The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, so I can't really comment with any authority, but doesn't this seem a little odd to people? Putting aside the fact that the didn't decide to sue until now, just before the film release, which has got to make you wonder if they are just after a slice of the profits, have they not realised that the Da Vinci Code is fiction? The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail is non-fiction, it claims that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had a child, Dan Brown took this idea wrote a story in which this happened.

Now, if the Da Vinci Code had been a work of non-fiction saying the same things as The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, the authors would obviously have a case, and if The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail had been meant to be a story the same would apply, but it isn't. I don't see how someone can write a book about something that they claim to be fact, and then get annoyed when someone uses the ideas from it. Would the person (or family of the person) who first theorised about the Big Bang have a case against every book and TV show that has mentioned it? What about String theory? Evolution?! How would that work? Would every author have to avoid writing about anything that has ever been the subject of a non-fiction book in case they are sued? It would be unworkable.

I'm fascinated to see how this case goes, if they win, I want to know whether they'll try to block book sales and the film's release, or take a share of the money it makes. My guess would be for the money. Of course, I don't see how they have a chance of winning. Maybe I should read their book and see if I understand their problem better, but on the other hand, maybe part of the reason they are suing is to get more people to buy their book...

Comments

[lil-banik-slave.livejournal.com]

I never thought about it that way. Wow, guess that means any story about Aliens from another planet is out of the picture.

*LOL* I didn't even realise this case was happening (I Need to keep up with the news more) but I too am interested in seeing how it turns out.

[prepare4trouble.livejournal.com]

I first heard about it a few weeks ago, but today was the first day in court. Unless I'm missing some vital piece of info, this whole thing is just too bizarre. One online news page said the case'll focus on how much of another person's research it is acceptable to use, which is fair enough, but I don't think it really applies here.

The BBC news had a laughable graphic showing the two books and writing in huge letters over each front cover the things that are similar. They didn't even point out that HBHG is not fiction, it was just like "In HBHG x happens, in DVC x also happens", like one story plagiarised another. It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.