The Singular Adventures of Mr. Sherlock Holmes

Rating:
Summary: Fun, but not the best
Review: PRO: The author avoids the trap of overloading his stories with gratuitous references to Holmes trivia (the opium syringe, the persian slipper, the coal scuttle, "the game's afoot!" etc.). Thanks to this, the stories read like genuine new Holmes stories and not cookie-cutter pastiches.

CON: However, to me the tone is not authentic. It sounds almost 20th Century American in places, although I understand the author is British. Holmes at times behaves in so un-Holmes-like a way as to suggest that an imposter has taken his place. He tends to be more uncooperative and disagreeable than the Holmes of the canon, and shows some curious intellectual and logical lapses in solving, or failing to solve, the mysteries. He occasionally does things, as in the last story, that Holmes simply wouldn't do.

The stories themselves present true problems (as opposed to being simply action stories featuring a character named Sherlock Holmes). However, the solutions tend to be a bit obvious in some of them.

I will happily read almost any pastiche, and I enjoyed these, but I'd place them no higher than the middle of the pack overall because of the inauthentic tone and sometimes unimaginative plots. (Of course Doyle sets a high standard.)

Rating:
Summary: Fun, but not the best
Review: PRO: The author avoids the trap of overloading his stories with gratuitous references to Holmes trivia (the opium syringe, the persian slipper, the coal scuttle, "the game's afoot!" etc.). Thanks to this, the stories read like genuine new Holmes stories and not cookie-cutter pastiches.

CON: However, to me the tone is not authentic. It sounds almost 20th Century American in places, although I understand the author is British. Holmes at times behaves in so un-Holmes-like a way as to suggest that an imposter has taken his place. He tends to be more uncooperative and disagreeable than the Holmes of the canon, and shows some curious intellectual and logical lapses in solving, or failing to solve, the mysteries. He occasionally does things, as in the last story, that Holmes simply wouldn't do.

The stories themselves present true problems (as opposed to being simply action stories featuring a character named Sherlock Holmes). However, the solutions tend to be a bit obvious in some of them.

I will happily read almost any pastiche, and I enjoyed these, but I'd place them no higher than the middle of the pack overall because of the inauthentic tone and sometimes unimaginative plots. (Of course Doyle sets a high standard.)

Rating:
Summary: Good going, my dear Stockwell!
Review: This book captures the heart and soul of Sherlock Holmes quite well except for the last story. There is no way that Holmes would deliberately expose Watson to such danger. Holmes often did not take Watson into his full confidence, simply because Watson was an astutely honest face that was poor at any form of deception. But as Sherlockians may recall in The Adventure of the Three Garridebs when the villian wounds Watson, Holmes coldly informs him that if Watson had been killed the villian would never have left the room alive. So having Holmes expose Watson to deadly danger and then be caviler about it is unthinkable. But the rest of the book is a solid four Sherlock stars! Good work! Write some more and pay more careful attention to detail. The Blade says stay sharp!

Rating:
Summary: True to original
Review: Well written pastiche in true Conan Doyle Style. Only criticism is what i consider to be a flaw in the 'alibi' tale - but I won't spoil it for you.... Highly recommended - go buy it!! +++

Rating:
Summary: Clever plots but poor writing...
Review: While most of the stories are based around clever plots and stories the tone and overall writing ruins any sense of authenticity.

The stories sound 20th century...since when do English gentlemen in Victorian times use words like "a lot"?? Also while tame by today's standards, many of the words (hell, damn) are used too frequently and would have been considered completely inappropriate during the late 1800's.

Some of the mysteries are not mysteries at all but odd stories about nothing in particular.

The writer should have followed the tone and style of the originals...