The Professor Challenger series, Book 1 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Public Domain Books Fiction, Adventure/Sci-Fi Themes: Classics, Dinosaurs, Lost Worlds ****+
Description
Malone, a hapless reporter, has been - yet again - spurned by his love Gladys. She yearns for a hero to hitch her wagon to, that she may bask in his reflected glory.
For the sake of her hand, he heads to his editor and requests the most dangerous, most challenging assignment on the books... little realizing how his life is about to
change.
Professor Challenger, recently returned from South America, shocked England with his claims of finding prehistoric monsters on a remote plateau in the Amazon Basin.
Without sufficient proof for his wild claims, he is quickly labeled a liar and a braggart - slanderous allegations that lead the hot-blooded man to blows with his
detractors, not to mention the few reporters brave enough to approach him. Into the lion's den Malone marches. Unexpectedly, he comes away convinced of the professor's
claims... and, when a return expedition is proposed, to prove or disprove Challenger's tale once and for all, Malone finds himself volunteering.
Hostile natives, poisonous snakes, uncharted swamps, impassable cliffs... all before even reaching the plateau, where even greater dangers await the expedition. The love
of Gladys may well be the death of him.
Review
One of the landmark "lost world" adventure tales, Doyle's story weathers the years well. Surrounded by singular characters and moving at a brisk pace, The Lost
World takes readers into the heart of the Amazon, to a world that, even today, remains a scientific enigma... if a significantly more threatened enigma than it
was in the author's day. Naturally, the rumors of dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasties prove only too true - and, like many such relics, they're all too eager to
snack on these new, pale-skinned little treats that so obligingly wander into their domain. By today's standards, of course, Doyle's dinosaurs seem dated, but they
nonetheless retain a certain sense-of-wonder fascination, as does his "lost world." I also wouldn't vouch for the scientific accuracy or plausibility of Malone's
adventures, but this is an adventure yarn, not a science journal; it's no coincidence that the story is viewed through the eyes of the layman Malone rather than
Challenger or the other members of the expedition. Touches of humor underlay the action, with the larger-than-life characters clashing even amid mortal danger. It
earned an extra half-star by hooking me into staying up late to finish reading it. (I also just finished reading an exceptionally disappointing book, which I admit may
skew my perceptions slightly.)
A Sherlock Holmes novel, Book 1 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Public Domain Books Fiction, Mystery Themes: Classics ****
Description
In the late 1800's, the war veteran Dr. Watson returns from service in Afghanistan, weak from illness and injury in the field of battle. To stretch his limited pension
enough to remain in London, he must find a roommate... but his friends are few and far between in this city. Via an old acquaintance, he meets up with a stranger who faces
a similar monetary problem.
Sherlock Holmes is the most confounding puzzle of a man Watson has ever encountered. A keen student of criminal sciences, he nevertheless confesses ignorance (or rather
apathy) about such simple subjects as basic astronomy. Moody, reclusive, with odd acquaintances who call at odd hours, Holmes baffles the doctor more with every passing
day, never even confessing how it is he makes his modest living. Soon enough, Watson finds out that Holmes fancies himself a "consulting detective," as he is drawn on the
great man's coat-tails into the investigation of a most remarkable murder.
Review
The debut of one of history's most famous characters, and certainly its most famous detective, starts off strong, if often wordy in the way of most 19th-century fiction
(at least, in my experience.) Holmes is an enigmatic genius, whose thought processes can only be relayed through the more approachable, more human mind of Dr. Watson, who
is less a sidekick than a fawning stenographer to record the man's exploits and praise his analytical brilliance. This sort of lopsided relationship may have been typical
for the era, when subservience to ones betters (by rank, prosperity, or intellect) was standard social practice, but grates subtly on modern sensibilities; I personally
prefer, the more even relationship between Holmes and Watson in more recent interpretations. The mystery itself is practically resolved in the detective's mind from the
moment he walks into the crime scene; the rest of us must wait patiently through a long flashback to the early days of Mormon settlement in Utah before we begin to figure
out the characters and the motives behind the murders. I nearly trimmed it a half-star for deliberately drawing things out, and a few leaps of Holmsian logic that seemed
just a bit too wide for even his intellect to clear. All in all, given that I've had spotty luck with the classics, I was pleasantly surprised, if not fully enamored, with
this story.
A Sherlock Holmes novel, Book 2 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Public Domain Books Fiction, Mystery Themes: Classics ****
Description
The famed London detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend, Doctor John Watson, have investigated a great many mysteries large and small in their time together. Living
with the moody man, however, can try even a doctor's patience... especially when Sherlock turns to chemical stimulation when he cannot find any cases worthy of his
attention. When Miss Mary Morstan comes to them, Watson only hopes her problem can engage Sherlock's prodigious intellect more meaningfully than the vial of cocaine in
the desk drawer. Her tale puts the duo on the trail of a lost treasure, a long-ago betrayal, and a killer determined to settle old scores, no matter what - or who - gets
in their way.
Review
Once again, Doyle excels at painting interesting character portraits, granting nearly everyone a unique face and personality and history. Comparatively, the crime is
almost an afterthought. The investigation seems a trifle convoluted at times, though this may be due to my reading circumstances. (A project came up that interrupted my
reading for days at a time.) Watson, as usual, can only watch in wonderment and confusion as Holmes puts together the pieces, though the good doctor finds his own, very
personal reasons to pursue the culprit and see justice done. Unlike A Study in Scarlet, the book doesn't stop itself dead in its tracks for a prolonged flashback;
characters spend plenty of time relating their tragic histories, but not to the point of derailing the here-and-now of the investigation. Given my usual luck with
mysteries, I enjoyed it.
A Sherlock Holmes novel, Book 3 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Public Domain Books Fiction, Mystery Themes: Canids, Classics ****+
Description
The desolate moors of Devonshire are full of secrets: deadly mires, ancient tors, abandoned mines... and black curses. Long ago, the baronet Hugo Baskerville's evil
actions brought a curse upon the line that persists to this day, a curse embodied in a demonic hound. The latest victim, Sir Charles Baskerville, died in a state of utter
terror. Not a mark was left on the body... but a giant pawprint nearby told of the hound's return.
Sherlock Holmes is a rational man, giving little credence to legends and superstitions. When a friend of the late Sir Charles comes to call, he and Watson find themselves
drawn into the dark tale of the Baskerville curse. The last known heir to the ill-omened line is on his way to claim the family title and estate... and, already, there
are signs of danger. Sent to Baskerville Hall on Holmes's behalf, Watson struggles to untangle a knot of suspects and peculiarities, even as he hears strange cries from
the wild moorlands - cries like the voice of a demonic hound...
Review
A classic tale of suspense, it holds up fairly well. For once, Watson manages to hold his own in the investigation, even earning some rare praise from the great
detective for his efforts. Doyle again sketches several memorable characters, tying them to a mystery with many twists and turns and false trails that almost best Sherlock
Holmes himself. Even having seen more than one adaptation of this story, I found it a gripping read.
A Sherlock Holmes novel, Book 4 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Public Domain Books Fiction, Mystery Themes: Classics ***+
Description
A cryptic message from a long-time informant sends the great London detective Sherlock Holmes to rustic Birlstone, where a horrific murder has just occurred. But
something quite peculiar is going on in the household of the late John Douglas, the culmination of a decade-old vendetta from halfway around the world - a vendetta
aided and abetted by none other than Professor Moriarty himself.
Review
The last full-length Sherlock Holmes novel (at least, the last written by Doyle) was inspired by the infamous Molly Maguires, a secret society of immigrant coal workers
in America. Like other Holmes stories, this book establishes a number of singular characters and a perplexing puzzle for Holmes to unravel. Also like other Holmes stories,
it revels in long tangents into backstories. The tangents here seem unnecessarily long and repetitive, however; I'm quite sure they could have made their point with a
third less page count. The narration also deliberately withholds vital information, not just in the workings of Sherlock's inscrutable mind (which is usually something of
a black box until or unless he chooses to explain himself to his archivist, Doctor Watson.) The ending made the events, and the effort spent solving the mystery, seem
futile. While not a bad story by any means, I didn't find it as satisfying to read as previous Sherlock Holmes novels.
A Sherlock Holmes collection, Book 1 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Public Domain Books Fiction, Collection/Mystery Themes: Classics ****
Description
For several years, the London doctor and war veteran John Watson was privileged to be a companion and friend to Sherlock Holmes, the greatest detective of all time.
Following along on his investigations, he chronicled their various adventures - the scandalous, the dangerous, even the occasional minor diversion - in these
stories.
Review
After the character Sherlock Holmes proved wildly popular, Doyle featured him in several short stories beyond his novels. This, the first collection of those stories,
includes many titles made famous by various interpretations through the years. Sometimes Holmes seems a little too brilliant to be believable, and one story at least -
the infamous "Case of the Speckled Band" - simply could not happen in our universe, but even at their most implausible the characters remained interesting and singular.
Given my notoriously poor luck with anthologies, I gave it an extra half-star for not boring me to tears or making a mockery of its stated subject matter. I expect I'll be
reading more of Holmes in the future, especially as the originals have lapsed into public domain (and are therefore available free on my Kindle.)
(I've also greatly enjoyed the latest BBC revival of the character; the more stories I read, the more references I'm finding in the new Sherlock episodes.)
Series, Book 2 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Public Domain Books Fiction, Collection/Mystery Themes: Classics ***+
Description
In this second collection, Doctor Watson relates more stories of his escapades with the singular detective Sherlock Holmes, ranging from a glimpse at his earliest cases
to his fateful meeting with the criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty.
Review
Once more, while exposure to previous renditions no doubt colored my reading, I could still enjoy these tales for their original characters and the variety of crimes and
criminals. It lost half a star because a couple stories felt over-talky, with one being entirely related via flashback. I also felt there ought to have been a little more
build-up to a nemesis like Moriarty... especially one who proves so pivotal in Holmes' life and canon. (The fact that Doyle, likely for financial reason, bowed to public
demand and resurrected his seminal detective for more stories also takes some of the bite of "The Final Problem.") Still, I enjoyed it overall.
(My reaction to "The Final Problem," I suspect, is strongly tainted by the many movies and other interpretations that build up Moriarty as a long-running antagonist... most
notably the recent BBC Sherlock, whose second series finale blows Doyle's conclusion out of the water.)
A Sherlock Holmes collection, Book 3 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Public Domain Books Fiction, Colllection/Mystery Themes: Classics ***+
Description
For many years, the world - and Doctor Watson - believed they had seen the last of the great detective Sherlock Holmes. Then the widowed Watson finds himself with a
peculiar visitor... a man he believed had perished at the hand of his arch-enemy that fateful day at Reichenbach Fall. Many more adventures await the duo, dutifully
recorded by the good doctor.
Review
Thirteen more adventures with the intrepid, nearly-infallible Holmes mark Doyle's return to his iconic character, one he evidently resisted for some time before
popular demand (and the comparative failure of other endeavors) forced him back to Baker Street. The quality seems on par with previous installments, with singular
characters often outshining the plot and occasionally dizzying leaps of logic. By modern standards, they seem prone to telling more than showing how the mystery
unfolds, with long stretches of explanatory dialog taking the place of active investigation, but they still managed to hold my interest.
Skip to Content