Character evolution over story/novel series

[Diable Rouge]

So, the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle has had a lawsuit dismissed (correctly, in my opinion) over claims that the recent producers of Enola Holmes infringed copyright by making Sherlock Holmes "more emotional" than in the published canon, but supposedly in line with unpublished stories. Aside from the very fact that pathos and character traits would appear inherently uncopyrightable to begin with, a collection of the complete series demonstrates that Holmes evolves over the decades, and has arguably a completely different personality in the 1920s than he had in the Victorian era. For instance, in A Study In Scarlet, Watson records that the detective has no knowledge of politics, philosophy, or science (aside from forensics and botany), yet in later volumes, Holmes effectively becomes an omniscient human encyclopedia. Likewise, he becomes rather emotionally attached to Watson in the later years, and of course, Irene Adler, or "the woman" demonstrates that the deerstalked one was never solely an analytical thinking machine, while his noted cocaine habit completely vanishes after his resurrection from the Reichenbach Falls.

[Amor de Cosmos]

I was planning to do something similar on the post-Chandler Phillip Marlowe books, but I've still got a couple to read. When I've done so I'll return to this thread.

[ale]

What I have never got is why anyone would want to read a novel updated on a long standing fictional character by a contemporary author.

[Patrick Thistle]

It's fun tracking through a character as they evolve. One of the best in the Discworld series is Captain Sam Vimes. Quite clearly the author had a soft spot for him as he became the focus of the City Watch stories.

[Kevin S]

Later His Grace, The Duke of Ankh, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes, of course.

[Amor de Cosmos]

What I have never got is why anyone would want to read a novel updated on a long standing fictional character by a contemporary author.

It depends. In the case of the Marlowe books the three authors who've done updates on the character are well respected in the genre in their own right. They're clearly homages, rather than attempts to cash in, or otherwise exploit Chandler's reputation. From a reader's perspective it's interesting to see where, in one's own opinion, they succeed or fail. I'll get into this in detail down-thread when I've finished reading.

[Patrick Thistle]

Later His Grace, The Duke of Ankh, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes, of course.

Indeed. His various promotions against his wishes are quite funny in their own right.

Stretching this thread a bit, but the way the various Star Wars characters were developed in the follow-on novels starting with the trilogy by Timothy Zahn was quite interesting. (Well to me anyway what with being a Star Wars nerd)

[caja-dglh]

Rabbit in the Updike Rabbit novels evolved from being a bit of a dick into being an older bit of a dick.

[pebblethefish]

Later His Grace, The Duke of Ankh, Commander Sir Samuel Vimes, of course.

You missed out Blackboard Monitor

[Sporting]

What I have never got is why anyone would want to read a novel updated on a long standing fictional character by a contemporary author.

How about works such as Wide Sargasso Sea?

[Levin]

Campion is, I think, in contrast to the Christie style detective as he aged in real time.

Holmes pretty much just had the skills required for the plot didn't he? Although he did get old enough to retire but was that just for that one story?