In a spectacle reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, John David California, author of 60 Years Later Coming Through the Rye, and his publishers have been served with court orders to stop the American launch of the book after it has already become available in the United Kingdom.

California says he was inspired to write a stand-alone follow-up of Catcher in the Rye after he was entranced by the battered copy he found in an abandoned Cambodian hut. The book sees a 76-year-old Holden Caulfield escape from his nursing home and take a bus through New York all the while reminicing his adult life.

JD Salinger, the author of the original seminal work, instructed his lawyers to seek legal action against California and his publishers, Windupbird Publishing. Salinger’s lawyers, associated with both his United States’ and United Kingdom’s literary agents, have requested copies of the disputed book. According to the suit filed, the right to create a sequel or use the character of Holden Caulfield lies with The Rye‘s creator and 60 Years is in no way a comment upon or parody or criticism of the original.

Fredrik Colting of Sweden-based publisher Nicotext, owner of Windupbird Publishing, says not to be worried about the suit. According to him, the action is ludricrous. 60 Years is written in similar style as The Rye, but style is not copyrightable and words and imagination belongs to everyone.

Owner and founder of Windupbird Publishing, Carl-Johan Gadd says not to be in the least bit worried. He has instructed California from the start not to include direct references and the main character is not called Holden Caulfield. He is only referred to a Mr C., which leaves no reference for Salinger’s lawyers to use.