The Moor

Rating:
Summary: Most Satisfying Since "Beekeeper"
Review: While "The Moor" is not up to "Beekeeper's Apprentice"'s promise, I still pity Ms. King. It's the crowning irony of her career that when an author writes a book this good, she will inevitably not please everyone. Fans of the Holmes-Russell detecting duo will cry foul over this mystery's lukewarm punch. Fans of the emotionally satisfying Holmes-Russell courtship and marriage will sift "The Moor" for bodice-ripping scenes--in vain. And fans of the Sherlock Holmes Canon will yell automatically, but we who love her books them anyway.

Still, it's one of her best, and for the same reasons all her Mary Russell books--even the weak ones--are good. Dartmoor unfolds before us as a kind of moral proving ground, a Presence. We are introduced to Sabine Baring-Gould in the winter of his prolific life, and to his house, which is another Presence--ramshackle, book-lined, with the smell of dinner wafting through to the dusty library. Ms. King knows what she likes, and delivers: innumerable fires in the grate, banked up against the storm outside, and chairs drawn up to the fire-irons, and the tea-things close to hand. She knows Holmes looks must fetching slumped in a fireside chair at 2 a.m., his fingers steepled as he ruminates a difficult case with Mary.

And she knows that what her fans really want is not merely a cold-blooded mystery nor an incongruous bodice-ripper, but for her characters to be true to the real adult people they so obviously are, and to love each other. Which they do, in spades. Holmes' unspoken devotion to Baring-Gould was nicely understated. And King's most romantic scene in the Beekeeper books occurs as Mary, in slightly over her head while sleuthing, paces the floor for Holmes' return. A deftly written moment, and one that makes me wonder how some readers could have so completely misunderstood what Laurie King was trying to say about the integrity of erotic love and emotional bonds.

Alas, "The Moor" was over too soon, and I was left immersed in an atmosphere of old books, old hymns, the power of the moor, and the passing of something grand and beautiful. Not bad, for a historical mystery.

Rating:
Summary: I Was . . .
Review: .. bowled over by the first book, "The Beekeeper's Apprentice," but found this one, "The Moor," somewhat of a disapointment. The author explains everything in TO MUCH detail, and spends too much time telling everything that Mary is reading; it, quite frankly, gets boring, and the only reason I read on was to find out what the coach was really made of, and because I like Holmes, and anything to do with him I read.

The plot would have been good, but there was not enough action and too much wanderings on the Moor. I almost found myself skipping over paragraphs in order to find something exciting. The ending was good and well-written, but the story moved along too slowly.

If this would have been my first reading of this series instead of my second, I doubt I would get the next book. I also find the fact that Holmes married absolutely inconcievable, especially to a woman less than half his age; Conan Doyle, I'm sure, would have had something to say about that. Holmes thought marriage was a rather stupid thing to do and said so more than once ("Watson has deserted me for a wife" . .).

Plus, the language in this was rather shocking as well. In the first novel there was only a few bad words; in this work, they are abundent and shocking. So if you want to read a good Sherlock Holmes novel by someone other than the great Doyle himself, read "The Beekeeper's Apprentice."

Rating:
Summary: Take your time to enjoy this
Review: In the fourth book of the Russell - Holmes series Laurie R. King
presents us with a novel that echoes the time and pace of the surroundings - the moor. As many reviewers noted, the pace is slow. Time is spent on atmosphere, character development, and in subltle humor that will not be to the taste of everyone. I liked this book better than books two and three in the series, but that might have been because I was in the mood for more leisurely pursuits than when I read the other two. I think Ms. King handled the challenge of returning to the scene of perhaps Holmes' most famous case, in a deft and successful way, but don't read this immediately after watching an Indiana Jones movie. Put the kettle on to boil, let the tea steep, and take your time.

Rating:
Summary: Most Satisfying Since "Beekeeper"
Review: While "The Moor" is not up to "Beekeeper's Apprentice"'s promise, I still pity Ms. King. It's the crowning irony of her career that when an author writes a book this good, she will inevitably not please everyone. Fans of the Holmes-Russell detecting duo will cry foul over this mystery's lukewarm punch. Fans of the emotionally satisfying Holmes-Russell courtship and marriage will sift "The Moor" for bodice-ripping scenes--in vain. And fans of the Sherlock Holmes Canon will yell automatically, but we who love her books them anyway.

Still, it's one of her best, and for the same reasons all her Mary Russell books--even the weak ones--are good. Dartmoor unfolds before us as a kind of moral proving ground, a Presence. We are introduced to Sabine Baring-Gould in the winter of his prolific life, and to his house, which is another Presence--ramshackle, book-lined, with the smell of dinner wafting through to the dusty library. Ms. King knows what she likes, and delivers: innumerable fires in the grate, banked up against the storm outside, and chairs drawn up to the fire-irons, and the tea-things close to hand. She knows Holmes looks must fetching slumped in a fireside chair at 2 a.m., his fingers steepled as he ruminates a difficult case with Mary.

And she knows that what her fans really want is not merely a cold-blooded mystery nor an incongruous bodice-ripper, but for her characters to be true to the real adult people they so obviously are, and to love each other. Which they do, in spades. Holmes' unspoken devotion to Baring-Gould was nicely understated. And King's most romantic scene in the Beekeeper books occurs as Mary, in slightly over her head while sleuthing, paces the floor for Holmes' return. A deftly written moment, and one that makes me wonder how some readers could have so completely misunderstood what Laurie King was trying to say about the integrity of erotic love and emotional bonds.

Alas, "The Moor" was over too soon, and I was left immersed in an atmosphere of old books, old hymns, the power of the moor, and the passing of something grand and beautiful. Not bad, for a historical mystery.

Rating:
Summary: Rhymes with "Bore"
Review: Ms. King's Mary Russell series started out with a bang when she revived Sherlock Holmes in THE BEEKEEPER'S APPRENTICE. Sadly, it's been downhill ever since, with only her third effort, A LETTER OF MARY, showing some spark of the first. THE MOOR isn't likely to win many new fans, either, with it's limp plotting that takes an ice age to get rolling. Basically, King has concocted a lame sequel to Doyle's masterwork, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, but without the characters, pace, or sense of danger which bind the original into such a ripping yarn. Example: You know King is in trouble when her biggest clue - presented to us half-way through the book - is Tiggy the Wounded Hedgehog. Mary Russell - the series heroine and Holmes' much, much younger bride (a development which I still find ridiculous) has become a sulky, hot headed shrew. Worse is the way that King has turned Holmes - when she bothers to include him - into a whimp, to the point that one can imagine her have him gleefully changing nappies when the inevitible Sherlock, Jr.(or Little Mary Russell Holmes) comes along. Holmes fans looking for the real thrill of adventure would be better off with Lary Millett's gripping Watson pastiches - SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE RED DEMON and SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE ICE PALACE MURDERS - than slogging through this uninspired MOOR.

Rating:
Summary: "The Moor" is a disappointment
Review: I had anticipated a story with suspense, spooky, erie scenes involving the moor. At least, I was hoping for some supernatural scenes, even if they would be eventually explained away later as some phosphorescent paint splashed onto a dog's face, or whatever. What I read was a story about a constantly bored Mary, and a boring story line. All the books I read are subjected to my own rating system from stupid or 0 to E for excellent. I almost did not want to finish this book, which would have meant a "0" rating, but I gave it a Fair rating, instead, partially because I love all Holmes stories. I was tempted to give it a "stupid" ratine, but I could not. In brief, there was almost no suspense, very little mystery, and a total lack of the power of Holmes' presence. So a fair rating was probably too high for this disappointing story.

Rating:
Summary: Read During a Thunderstorm
Review: I'm rather surprised by the several negative reviews of The Moor. Certainly, it is a little different from the other Mary Russell novels, but I found it to be so enjoyable, only falling short of The Beekeeper's Apprentice. The pace moves like a little stroll in the park, and it's thoroughly pleasant. Mary Russell is, as always, a charming character, and I really enjoyed Holmes and Russell's quiet, rather loving interactions in this novel. The stately character of Sabine Baring-Gould (an extraordinary person in his real life also) overlooking Russell and Holmes in their treks across the moor also adds a lot to the novel, some sense of old English nostalgia. His presense as an old, sometimes difficult, friend also allows for further character development of the two primary characters. Sure, the mystery does take a backseat in the novel. With two dominant characters like Russell and Holmes, it seems there's little room left for plot, but that is how every Mary Russell novel seems to me. It's not a bad thing. Overall, I truly enjoyed The Moor. It's another excellent read in the series and is just a wonderful novel for light afternoon reading. I can't wait to read the next Mary Russell novel.

Rating:
Summary: A reader from New York City
Review: This book is awfully slow going and pretty boring. The author spends most of her time describing things like her opinions, her surroundings, and the books she reads to fill in the time because even she is often bored. Unlike Conan Doyle's THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, the sense of mystery and tension just isn't in THE MOOR. Naturally, things pick up at the very end, but after trudging through some 400 pages to get there I mostly felt relief that the story was finally over.

Rating:
Summary: A Mediocre Installment in an Excellent Series
Review: I love Laurie King's Russell/Holmes mystery series. Taking us chronologically beyond where Doyle left off, she pairs Sherlock Holmes with Mary Russell, an intelligent, witty young Jewish theologian who captures the attention of both his mind and his heart. To properly experience the series (and comprehensibly follow the development of the complex relationship between the protagonists), you must read the books in order: "Beekeeper's Apprentice", "Monstrous Regiment of Women", "Letter of Mary", and then "The Moor."

That said, "The Moor" is acceptable as a mystery novel, and hints at further character development for Holmes. For the most part, sadly, it lacks the friendly verbal sparring between Holmes and Russell which is what makes the other books so delightful.

Do read it, if only as a link through to the next in the series. Do not, however, read it before you've read its prequels.

Rating:
Summary: weakest of the excellent Mary Russell series
Review: This is the fourth book by Laurie King about Mary Russell and her partner, Sherlock Holmes. King is a superb writer and she captures the eeriness of the English moor, but I was a bit disappointed with this novel, and give it a lower rating than the first three books in the series.

This is a good book -- with interesting characters and circumstances -- but the pacing is very sloooooow, the mystery is not terribly interesting and, most egregious of all, the dialogue between Russell and Holmes, usually the high point of this great series, never sparkles. Perhaps others are disappointed at the lack of detail concerning the couple's romantic life; I am more interested in their intellectual communion, and that is sorely missing here. I also noticed a fair number of typographical errors for the first time in the series, suggesting lazy or hurried writing, or perhaps a lack of editorial assistance. Perhaps Ms. King should take a rest between novels? It's a shame that this book does not live up to expectations, being a continuation (of sorts) of Holmes' greatest adventure. The mood of the moor and Baskerville Hall are great, the many characters are well written, but unfortunately the spark is not here. Still a fun read for fans, but not as good as the three previous efforts. I will continue to follow the series, but will probably buy them used.