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Philip Jose Farmer
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The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Peerless Peer Paperback – June 21, 2011

by Philip Jose Farmer (Author), Win Scott Eckert (Afterword)
See all formats and editions
Holmes partners with Tarzan on a quest to catch a nefarious German spy and his weapon of dread in this “glorious” sci-fi mystery from a Hugo Award–winning SFWA Grand Master (Locus)
 
A night sky aerial engagement with a deadly Fokker aircraft nearly claims three brilliant lives . . . Meanwhile, Baker Street’s enigmatic mystery-solver, Sherlock Holmes, forms a historic alliance with Greystoke—the noble savage, peer of the realm, and lord of the jungle—bring down the hellish spy Von Bork!

This edition also contains a brand new afterword by Win Scott Eckert and a bonus preview of Kim Newman’s novel, Moriarty: The Hound of the D'Urbervilles.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Phil Farmer has the ability to look a reader straight in the eye, tongue in cheek, and outrageously pull that reader's leg out of true. And here he is doing it again with THE ADVENTURE OF THE PEERLESS PEER, in which he brings back the retired Sherlock Holmes and chronicler Dr. Watson in service to His Majesty's government during the first World War.”
— Science Fiction Review

“A glorious pastiche involving Holmes, Watson, Tarzan, Dr. Fell, Henry Merriville, and dozens of others.”
—Locus

“...one of the wildest and funniest burlesques published in the 1970s.”
—The El Paso Sunday Times

About the Author

Philip José Farmer was a multiple award-winning science fiction writer of 75 novels. He is best-known for his Wold Newton and Riverwold series. In 2001 he was awarded the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America grand master prize and a World Fantasy lifetime achievement award. He passed away in 2009.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Titan Books (June 21, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0857681206
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0857681201
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 0.54 x 8 inches

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Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
95 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book an enjoyable read with a good plot. However, some find the pacing poor and the writing style lacking. Opinions differ on the length, with some finding it too short while others consider it too long. While some praise the tongue-in-cheek writing style and clever dialogue, others feel the book reads like an underwritten piece.

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ReadabilityStory qualityLengthWriting stylePacing
10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it an interesting and enjoyable romp, with amusing parts. The story is described as a nice primer to ease into the Wild. While some reviewers mention that the book is not one of the best entries in the series, they consider it a good adventure and gentle satire.

"..."unedited" interactions of Holmes and Watson are also a lighter, more amusing read and it's fun to see the Great Detective boggle at the impending..." Read more

"The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series includes some excellent entries, but this is not one of them...." Read more

"...a wide range of fictional characters is so well researched and fun, that this story, which would bring the great detective and the jungle lord face..." Read more

"Liked this book. Have been looking for it for years. Not quite what I was expecting...." Read more

13 customers mention "Story quality"5 positive8 negative

Customers have different views on the story. Some find it engaging with an interesting plot and fast-paced writing. Others consider it boring and a poor retelling of Sherlock Holmes stories.

"...many of the Further Adventure novels and so far this one is the most boring. The author uses unnecessary words at times and the story is jumpy...." Read more

"...Holmes: The Adventure of the Peerless Peer is a fast paced, rip-roaring novel that explores the lives and settings of the Wold Newton Family and..." Read more

"...It is, unfortunately, a bad re-telling, in fact, more of a re-editing, of the stuff Farmer wrote about Tarzan and Doc Savage in his other novels...." Read more

"...P-J Farmer was not only a fine story teller, but really knew both the Sherlock Holmes and Tarzan histories...." Read more

6 customers mention "Length"2 positive4 negative

Customers have different views on the book's length. Some find it short, with the story being about half the book's length, while others think it's too short, with the story itself being barely 100 pages long.

"...The book was too short, in my opinion. I finished the novel wanting more, to be honest. It was that good...." Read more

"This is a short, fun pulp adventure featuring Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Tarzan...." Read more

"...For a start, there's hardly anything of it, as the 'story' itself is barely 100 pages long..." Read more

"...First, this is a very short work, much more of a short story than a novella. Second, it never seems to settle into a single style...." Read more

6 customers mention "Writing style"3 positive3 negative

Customers have different views on the writing style. Some find it tongue-in-cheek and taut, with clever dialogue and good drama. Others feel it reads like an underwritten piece, with unnecessary words and jumpy storytelling. Additionally, some readers find Holmes using swear words and Watson uttering sexual innuendos distasteful.

"...Adventure of the Peerless Peer is a lot of fun, and is written in a tongue and cheek style by Philip Jose Farmer...." Read more

"...The author uses unnecessary words at times and the story is jumpy. I see now why I got it for an incredible low price." Read more

"...I opened it with expectations of clever dialogue and good drama... What unwound expect from PJ Farmer...." Read more

"...Beyond that, it's distasteful to read Holmes using swear words, and Watson uttering sexual innuendos and marrying a girl less than half his age..." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"0 positive5 negative

Customers dislike the pacing and execution of the book. They find it unfinishable.

"...It's hard to express how awful the end result is...." Read more

"Great concept, mediocre execution...." Read more

"...It was so very awful that 1/3 of the way through I tossed the book into the charity box (probably not very charitable)...." Read more

"Very disappointed. I could only get through a few chapters before giving up. I’m a big fan of ERB and Sir Arthur and the story did neither proud...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nice
    Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed the story quite a bit, it's a nice little primer, too, to ease into the Wild Newton concept as I'm trying to do more and more of.

    The "unedited" interactions of Holmes and Watson are also a lighter, more amusing read and it's fun to see the Great Detective boggle at the impending rise of the next age of Pulp Heroes.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Sherlock Holmes - Tarzan Mash-up
    Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Imagine Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson working for British intelligence during WW I and traveling to African in an attempt to recover a stolen formula which could turn sauerkraut into a weapon. Add Tarzan and a lost civilization. If these plot elements are appealing, then read The Peerless Pier. If not avoid it like the plague.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Noni
    3.0 out of 5 stars The Peerless Peer
    Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I have read many of the Further Adventure novels and so far this one is the most boring. The author uses unnecessary words at times and the story is jumpy. I see now why I got it for an incredible low price.
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  • Lucas Garrett
    5.0 out of 5 stars A rip-roaring fun adventure for any fan of Farmer, and crossover fiction in general...
    Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    When I found out that The Adventure of the Peerless Peer was being released by Titan Books it cemented my love for that publisher. Specifically, because the Peerless Peer had been out-of-print for a number of years by this time. To say that I enjoyed this book would be a monumental understatement. I absolutely loved it. Especially, the way that Philip Jose Farmer characterized Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, John Watson, Lord Greystoke, and two deliberately disguised characters by the names, Wentworth and Kentov. For any fan of The Spider and/or The Shadow, the cameos by these two men will be an absolute treat, as well as their interactions with Holmes and Watson during a mission to stop a German agent and mastermind from doing severe damage to the Allies' war effort during World War I. I was nearly in stitches, laughing many times during the aerial trips made by Holmes and Watson with the aid of the aforementioned gentlemen. To speak about it would give it away. Let's just say that Farmer is my kind of comedic writer, and his timing is flawless. If there was one thing I wish Farmer could have changed, it would have to be the length. The book was too short, in my opinion. I finished the novel wanting more, to be honest. It was that good. Maybe, one day, someone will follow up with a sequel to the Peerless Peer. I have a feeling that Holmes and Watson met Lord Greystoke a few more times between the First and Second World Wars. And to see an uneasy reunion of sorts between Holmes, Watson, Wentworth, and Kentov would be a dream come true for this fan. Titan Books' The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Peerless Peer is a fast paced, rip-roaring novel that explores the lives and settings of the Wold Newton Family and Universe during World War I. For any fan of crossover fiction, Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Allan Quatermain, The Spider, and The Shadow, this book is for you.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • stuart1776
    1.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your money...
    Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series includes some excellent entries, but this is not one of them. The type of books in the FAOSH series tends to fall into three categories: old, previously published but now out of print stories restored to print; stories where the author shoe-horns their own characters into a Holmes story; then ones who stick to Holmes and Watson's Victorian era. The Peerless Peer falls into the first two characters, in that Farmer's story was originally published back in the mid-1970s, and is basically an extended advert for all the other pulp characters he wrote about in his other work.

    It's hard to express how awful the end result is. For a start, there's hardly anything of it, as the 'story' itself is barely 100 pages long (even when padded out with extraneous 'bonus' material and an afterword by another writer who worked with Farmer and who simply spends another ten pages pushing more of Farmer's other work). It's so flimsy that it's padded out with a 30 page preview of another Titan Holmes story, and 15 pages (!!) of ads for other books in the FAOSH series.

    Beyond that, it's distasteful to read Holmes using swear words, and Watson uttering sexual innuendos and marrying a girl less than half his age (put at 64 years here). The 'plot' such as it is, has Holmes 'deducing' the true identity of Lord Greystoke, often based upon 'clues' drawn from Farmer's other books on Tarzan. The blurb on the jacked claims it's tongue in cheek, but it's so poor that it just descends into farce. Just awful.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • JA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sherlock Holmes Meets Tarzan
    Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, G-8, The Shadow, all members of Philip Jose Farmer's Wold Newton Family. All in this novella. While on a mission for the crown, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson encounter some wild individuals, as they track a thief who has stolen England's secret weapon against the Germans.

    The Adventure of the Peerless Peer is a lot of fun, and is written in a tongue and cheek style by Philip Jose Farmer. I would put the tone at somewhere between his stories in Weird Heroes (Great-Heart Silver and Savage Shadow) and his authorized Tarzan and Doc Savage novels, The Dark Heart of Time and Escape From Loki respectively.

    Farmer has a lot of fun, especially when the pair end up in Africa, face to face with the legendary Ape Man. Together the three of them visit a lost land that H. Rider Haggard wrote about.

    I think the tongue in cheek style Farmer employed, adds to the fun of the story. He kind of lets that slip a bit once they reach Africa and encounter Tarzan. Once Tarzan shows up the story gets closer to the tone of serious pastiche.

    Highly recommended for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Wold Newton, and of course Philip Jose Farmer.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Demos Sachlas
    3.0 out of 5 stars A companion novella to "Tarzan Alive", also by Farmer
    Reviewed in Canada on June 4, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I finally got around to reading "The Peerless Peer" and enjoyed it a fair bit. Seems as though Farmer may not have nailed Sherlock and Watson, judging from comments written by Holmes aficionados. His characterization of Tarzan was close, but not perfect, either.

    For those of you wondering where this story fits in the Sherlock and Tarzan timelines, it involves a villain from one of the last Sherlock Holmes adventures "His Last Bow" set in 1914, and occurs following the seventh Tarzan novel "Tarzan the Untamed".

    Farmer had already written "Tarzan Alive!" (1972) when he wrote this story, in which he imagines a fictional biography for Tarzan based on the conceit that Burroughs based his novels on an actual person, linking him to many other pulp fiction characters, in what would become the Wold Newton universe.

    For me, the funnest part was imagining Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, and Alexander Skarsgard as the characters in the story, based on their recent portrayals in the movies. Definitely not for everyone, but if you enjoyed "The Peerless Peer", be sure to check out Farmer's "Tarzan Alive".
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  • Katherine M. Griffis (Greenberg)
    2.0 out of 5 stars Lost in a Jungle of Cliche Characters, But Lacking a Plot: Don't Bother...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 22, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I find it hard to put down Sherlock Homes' pastiches, as I am a former Baker Street Irregular, but, without a doubt, this one was really awful. It's bad enough knowing that Holmes and Watson will be meeting up with Tarzan (I could handle this, as this is clearly explained in the summary), but no, they also had to throw in others, such as Doc Savage, Allen Quatermain, and worst of all, Lamont Cranston (spoiler alert: a plane crashes into a Zeppelin all the while Cranston screams: "Kill! Kill! Kill!" Why? No one knows).

    This amount of fol-de-rol showed me that the basis of the story was very thin, and it was: in fact, I doubt there was much of a plot to begin with, and I really can't see where it was resolved. A confusing pastiche and worth a pass.
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  • Matt
    2.0 out of 5 stars Some writer one likes, and then...
    Reviewed in Japan on August 1, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    As an avid SH fan I try new 'further adventures' books and then revert to the originals. This is the 8th in the series and my least favourite one. When writers try to make a thriller to look like a SH book the risks are high. This one was just too far removed from the writing styles that fit the SH genre. Sorry.
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  • neil gunn
    1.0 out of 5 stars Don't bother with this book!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 9, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I am a great admirer of the works of Arthur Conan Doyle and had read all the Sherlock Holmes many times. I was very disappointed in this book and feel that the author should restrict himself to fantasy! The language used was totally inappropriate and the idea of portraying Holmes & Watson as 2 ageing superheroes was completely laughable
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  • Mrs. Kathleen A. Pond
    2.0 out of 5 stars why did i read this?????
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I am a great fan of Sherlock holmes and I am also a great fan of Tarzan, DONT READ THIS IF YOU LIKE THEN TOO its awfull
    Report

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