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Sherlock Holmes Gaslight
Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes
David Stuart Davies, Lyndsay Faye, Nancy Holder, Mark A. Latham, James Lovegrove, Mark Morris, Charles Prepolec, Josh Reynolds, Angela Slatter, Kevin P. Thornton, and Stephen Volk.
"The editors have put together some fantastically high-quality Sherlock Holmes stories which fully take advantage of the anthology’s gothic theme, including stories that provide moments of genuine horror, frank interrogations of the nature of gothic fiction and Sherlock Holmes as a character, and some genuinely unnerving endings. If only all Sherlock Holmes anthologies could be of this quality." - Adam Selby-Martin
"The editors have put together some fantastically high-quality Sherlock Holmes stories which fully take advantage of the anthology’s gothic theme, including stories that provide moments of genuine horror, frank interrogations of the nature of gothic fiction and Sherlock Holmes as a character, and some genuinely unnerving endings. If only all Sherlock Holmes anthologies could be of this quality." - Adam Selby-Martin
284 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2018
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July 31, 2019This book being the fourth volume in the series consisting of:
"Gaslight Grimoire: Fantastic Tales of Sherlock Holmes"
"Gaslight Grotesque: Nightmare Tales of Sherlock Holmes"
"Gaslight Arcanum: Uncanny Tales of Sherlock Holmes"
"Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes"
The contents of this book is:
001 - "It is not the Cold Which Makes Me Shiver" by Charles Prepolec
009 - "‘The Cuckoo's Hour" by Mark A. Latham
041 - "The Spirit Of Death" by David Stuart Davies
057 - "Father Of the Man" by Stephen Volk
097 - "The Strange Case Of DR. Sacker and Mr. Hope" by James Lovegrove
122 - "‘The Ignoble Sportsmen" by Josh Reynolds
142- "‘The Strange Adventure Of Mary Holder" by Nancy Holder
163 - "The Lizard Lady Of Pemberton Grange" by Mark Morris
192 - "The Magic Of Africa" by Kevin P. Thornton
206 - "A Matter Of Light" by Angela Slatter
229 - "The Song Of A Want" by Lyndsay Faye
261 - About the Editors
263 - About the Cover Artist
Cover by Dave Elsey
"Gaslight Grimoire: Fantastic Tales of Sherlock Holmes"
"Gaslight Grotesque: Nightmare Tales of Sherlock Holmes"
"Gaslight Arcanum: Uncanny Tales of Sherlock Holmes"
"Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes"
The contents of this book is:
001 - "It is not the Cold Which Makes Me Shiver" by Charles Prepolec
009 - "‘The Cuckoo's Hour" by Mark A. Latham
041 - "The Spirit Of Death" by David Stuart Davies
057 - "Father Of the Man" by Stephen Volk
097 - "The Strange Case Of DR. Sacker and Mr. Hope" by James Lovegrove
122 - "‘The Ignoble Sportsmen" by Josh Reynolds
142- "‘The Strange Adventure Of Mary Holder" by Nancy Holder
163 - "The Lizard Lady Of Pemberton Grange" by Mark Morris
192 - "The Magic Of Africa" by Kevin P. Thornton
206 - "A Matter Of Light" by Angela Slatter
229 - "The Song Of A Want" by Lyndsay Faye
261 - About the Editors
263 - About the Cover Artist
Cover by Dave Elsey
November 3, 2022
The 'Gaslight' series brought out by Edge has been a creepy delight. This one, the fourth entry in the series, does a commendable job in upholding the standard that had been set by its predecessors.
Like every other anthology, there were a few 'Meh' types. But there were also some which impressed me to the jaw-dropping level. Those were~
1. 'Father of the Man' by Stephen Volk;
2. 'The Ignoble Sportsmen' by Josh Reynolds;
3. 'A Matter of Light' by Angela Slatter;
4. 'The Song of Want' by Lyndsay Faye.
These are works that compel us to get hold of more works written by the authors, especially such works where the Great Detective goes down those mean streets, while fog surrounds everything.
Recommended.
Like every other anthology, there were a few 'Meh' types. But there were also some which impressed me to the jaw-dropping level. Those were~
1. 'Father of the Man' by Stephen Volk;
2. 'The Ignoble Sportsmen' by Josh Reynolds;
3. 'A Matter of Light' by Angela Slatter;
4. 'The Song of Want' by Lyndsay Faye.
These are works that compel us to get hold of more works written by the authors, especially such works where the Great Detective goes down those mean streets, while fog surrounds everything.
Recommended.
October 13, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an ebook ARC of this book via a giveaway at Librarything.
Gaslight Gothic is a collection of ten stories that combine Sherlock Holmes with gothic literature, in terms of style and characters. Poe makes an appearance in one story as does Hyde for example. Most of the stories are more gothic in style and plot than borrowing characters.
As in the majority, if not all, short story collections, the stories are a mixed bag. Many of the them follow the conceit of having Watson write the stories. In “The Strange Adventure of Mary Holder”, Nancy Holder nails Watson’s voice the best. In many ways, she also captures the character of Holmes the best. “The Cuckoo’s Hour” by Mark A. Latham is also a strong contender for best story in the collection. It does remind the reader of the Holmes stories that take place on a country estate. James Lovegrove’s use a well-known gothic tale works extremely well.
The use of Holmes and the gothic novel does seem to fill a hole in the Sherlock Holmes oeuvre that I didn’t know needed filling.
Gaslight Gothic is a collection of ten stories that combine Sherlock Holmes with gothic literature, in terms of style and characters. Poe makes an appearance in one story as does Hyde for example. Most of the stories are more gothic in style and plot than borrowing characters.
As in the majority, if not all, short story collections, the stories are a mixed bag. Many of the them follow the conceit of having Watson write the stories. In “The Strange Adventure of Mary Holder”, Nancy Holder nails Watson’s voice the best. In many ways, she also captures the character of Holmes the best. “The Cuckoo’s Hour” by Mark A. Latham is also a strong contender for best story in the collection. It does remind the reader of the Holmes stories that take place on a country estate. James Lovegrove’s use a well-known gothic tale works extremely well.
The use of Holmes and the gothic novel does seem to fill a hole in the Sherlock Holmes oeuvre that I didn’t know needed filling.
July 13, 2018
Has there been a fictional literary character that has appeared in more television series, films, radio plays, novels and short stories than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creation, the detective Sherlock Holmes? Back in 2012 no less an institution than Guiness World Records certified that the great sleuth had been portrayed in some 254 depictions in film and television alone, and that number must surely have reached 300 in the span of a further six years. But that impressive record is easily dwarfed by the number of literary tales that Holmes has been a character in: thousands of short stories, novellas and novels have been written since Doyle finished writing the canonical Holmes stories, and will surely continue on into the distant future, such is the enduring popularity of Holmes, Watson and their supporting cast of characters. The variety of depictions, portrayals and angles to be seen in the endless pastiches of Holmes is almost endless – he has been male, female, an alien, a vampire, he has investigated murders, occult mysteries, fought the minions of the elder gods, travelled through space and time, been set in the modern day, the distant future and the distant past and a million other variations. Are there any truly original depictions left for the character? I honestly don’t know – I’m not sure if there’s been a Holmes operetta as of writing – but I would suspect not. As such, I find when reading pastiches of Sherlock Holmes that it is best to try and ignore the originality of the tale, and instead focus on its inherent quality; it is almost inevitable that the approach taken will have been done before, either broadly or specifically, and therefore I judge it based on how much I enjoyed the tale itself.
I always enjoy a well-told and well-written Holmes pastiche, and on my bookshelves (both physical and virtual) I have dozens of novels and anthologies centered on the occupant of 221B Baker Street. Therefore when EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing announced that they were publishing Gaslight Gothic – Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes, I was one of the first to request an advanced review copy to review. The fourth entry in the Gaslightseries published by EDGE, as the title suggests this collection of short stories focuses on providing a Gothic theme, which meshes well with the existing Holmes canon. In fact, as the introduction by editor Charles Prepolec highlights, this very much returns to the origins of the Holmes canon, as many of Conan Doyle’s original stories are thematically rooted in gothic imagery and the gothic tradition; Prepolec cites the ‘dual nature’ of Conan Doyle, a man who relied on scientific deduction to clear wrongful convictions in court, yet also fervently believed in Spiritualism and faeries, and this duality can often be found in the Holmes stories that he wrote. As a side note, I’d like to state that this is yet another excellent introductory chapter from an EDGE publication, very similar in quality to the one found in By The Light of Camelot which I also recently reviewed. The majority of introductions I read in anthologies seem to do little more than list the authors found in the collection, and summarise their stories; but these introductions actually help prepare you for what you are about to read, highlighting the themes and focus to be found in the stories, and the background for why the editors and publisher took the decision to produce the title.
As with the other EDGE publications I’ve reviewed, Gaslight Gothic has a fantastic piece of cover art, this time by Dave Elsey. The smog-covered streets of London lurk in the background as a sallow-faced and distinctly unhealthy-looking Holmes lights a match for his pipe, and a distinctly Ripper-like figure lurks behind him, wickedly-sharp knife in hand and a bizarre metallic contraption covering the lower-half of his face. It’s a piece that perfectly sums up the gothic theme of the anthology, and another cover of such high quality that I’d love to have a copy framed on my study wall. Moving onto the contents of the anthology, it contains a total of ten short stories; and although that’s a relatively low number compared to other anthologies, they are distinctly longer than an average short story, not to mention all maintaining a consistently high quality of writing. The opening story by Mark A. Latham, The Cuckoo’s Hour, is not only a strong opening story and one of the best in the anthology, but also one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories I’ve ever come across. Latham seems to have an innate understanding of the Holmes canon and characters, as well as how to write gothic fiction, to the extent that there are times when the story feels less like a pastiche and more like a piece of fiction Conan Doyle might have written in his later, more spiritual years. It’s effective as both a detective story and a piece of quiet horror, and features an ending that is genuinely unnerving, both in terms of its implications and the subtle way that Latham introduces such a twist. Father of the Man by Stephen Volk is another excellent read, one of the longest in the collection and also the most intriguing in its concept: portraying a younger Holmes, it posits the idea that Holmes was mentored as a detective and investigator by Edgar Allan Poe, one of the originators of the gothic fiction genre; Poe did not die in mysterious circumstances in America, but instead fled to France under an assumed identity and worked as an investigating detective, taking Holmes under his wing. It’s actually an original and interesting idea, and one that Volk takes full advantage of, rapidly developing a believable relationship between mentor and mentee, and skilfully weaving a plot that sees Poe’s previous life come back to haunt him. There’s some great characterisation, particularly in regards to Poe, and some incredibly tense scenes when Poe and Holmes are forced to re-enact one of Poe’s famous stories in order to try and resolve the situation they find themselves in. It’s a universe that is full of potential, and I would very much like to see more stories set in it.
It’s always a good sign when you see James Lovegrove attached to an anthology, and even moreso when it’s a Sherlock Holmes anthology. Mr. Lovegrove has written a number of Holmes novels and short stories and they have always been immensely enjoyable. In particular, he has been one of the few authors to try and bring back the ‘original’ Watson from the early Holmes canon, rather than the later simpleton; the Watsons to be found in his tales are always proactive rather than passive, fiercely independent and actually intelligent, rather than the canine-like ‘faithful companion’ that seems to be the default for most Holmes pastiches. He has also begun writing a series of novels that pits Holmes against the Lovecraftian Elder Gods and his story for this anthology, The Strange Case of Dr Sacker and Mr Hope, has a similarly occult, cosmic horror angle; taking inspiration from Conan Doyle’s original names for Holmes and Watson, he effortlessly weaves a bizarre, dream-like and hugely enjoyable tale that focuses on the conflicting dual natures of Holmes as a character, and what the consequences might be if one were allowed to reign supreme over the other. It has an ending that completely fooled me, taking Holmes and Watson down a very dark path that reminded me of Neil Gaiman’s A Study in Emerald, and is another stand-out story in the anthology.
Josh Reynolds is one of my favourite authors, particularly when it comes to cosmic horror and occult detective tales; his Royal Occultist series of novels and short stories is by far the best occult detective to have been created in the 21st Century, and he has a way of mixing the ‘normal’ and the occult that always makes his stories memorable. The Ignoble Sportsmen is no exception, drenched in gothic and occult imagery, and despite featuring a blood-chilling and terrifying antagonist, Reynold’s skill as an author is such that he is able to make this monster genuinely sympathetic in some ways, tying into the theme from certain of the canon Holmes stories that there are times when justice must be served externally, outside of normal means, if the law itself cannot impose sufficient penalties. The Magic of Africa is a short but darkly amusing tale by Kevin P. Thornton that takes a seemingly impossible murder and provides multiple solutions – the first a ‘normal’ Holmesian solution involving disgruntled antagonists and some seemingly-impressive acrobatics; and then a second, occult solution that is only witnessed by a single character, and which highlights the foolishness of attempting to fit impossible facts into any plausible narrative.
A Matter of Light by Angela Slatter is another interesting story in the anthology, and is perhaps the one that gave me the most to think about in terms of Holmes and Watson as characters. Featuring another occult detective, the character Kit Caswell (who I understand has featured in other works by the author), it’s a brilliant and multi-faceted story that really deserves multiple readings to fully comprehend everything to be found in its relatively short word-count. On the first reading, it’s a clever and inventive murder-mystery that makes use of social taboos that Conan Doyle would not have dared stray into in his canon writings, albeit with an overt occult angle at the end. But further readings highlight the difficulties that a female detective (occult or otherwise) would have encountered had they attempted to follow in Holmes’ footsteps; and in particular, Slatter uses this angle to throw light on some of the far less savoury aspects of Holmes as a character, particularly that much-lauded aspect of his ‘chivalry’ towards women which would obviously be seen in a much different light by the women themselves. Finally, The Song of Want by Lyndsay Faye is an excellent closing story which takes a grim and often uncompromising look at the backstories of the Baker Street Irregulars; although portrayed in the canon stories as a cheerful group of urchins employed by Holmes for various menial tasks, Faye immediately pulls the rug out from under the reader by portraying the harsh and unsentimental realities of how the ‘Irregulars’ would have lived when not working for Holmes. The story itself is a subtle and deeply unsettling one, particularly as it involves an antagonist who becomes involved with some of the Irregulars, and there are some fantastically ambiguous conclusions to be drawn from its last few pages.
In conclusion, Gaslight Gothic is another impressive publication from EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, and also a credit to the editors. They have put together some fantastically high-quality Sherlock Holmes stories which fully take advantage of the anthology’s gothic theme, including stories that provide moments of genuine horror, frank interrogations of the nature of gothic fiction and Sherlock Holmes as a character, and some genuinely unnerving endings. If only all Sherlock Holmes anthologies could be of this quality
I always enjoy a well-told and well-written Holmes pastiche, and on my bookshelves (both physical and virtual) I have dozens of novels and anthologies centered on the occupant of 221B Baker Street. Therefore when EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing announced that they were publishing Gaslight Gothic – Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes, I was one of the first to request an advanced review copy to review. The fourth entry in the Gaslightseries published by EDGE, as the title suggests this collection of short stories focuses on providing a Gothic theme, which meshes well with the existing Holmes canon. In fact, as the introduction by editor Charles Prepolec highlights, this very much returns to the origins of the Holmes canon, as many of Conan Doyle’s original stories are thematically rooted in gothic imagery and the gothic tradition; Prepolec cites the ‘dual nature’ of Conan Doyle, a man who relied on scientific deduction to clear wrongful convictions in court, yet also fervently believed in Spiritualism and faeries, and this duality can often be found in the Holmes stories that he wrote. As a side note, I’d like to state that this is yet another excellent introductory chapter from an EDGE publication, very similar in quality to the one found in By The Light of Camelot which I also recently reviewed. The majority of introductions I read in anthologies seem to do little more than list the authors found in the collection, and summarise their stories; but these introductions actually help prepare you for what you are about to read, highlighting the themes and focus to be found in the stories, and the background for why the editors and publisher took the decision to produce the title.
As with the other EDGE publications I’ve reviewed, Gaslight Gothic has a fantastic piece of cover art, this time by Dave Elsey. The smog-covered streets of London lurk in the background as a sallow-faced and distinctly unhealthy-looking Holmes lights a match for his pipe, and a distinctly Ripper-like figure lurks behind him, wickedly-sharp knife in hand and a bizarre metallic contraption covering the lower-half of his face. It’s a piece that perfectly sums up the gothic theme of the anthology, and another cover of such high quality that I’d love to have a copy framed on my study wall. Moving onto the contents of the anthology, it contains a total of ten short stories; and although that’s a relatively low number compared to other anthologies, they are distinctly longer than an average short story, not to mention all maintaining a consistently high quality of writing. The opening story by Mark A. Latham, The Cuckoo’s Hour, is not only a strong opening story and one of the best in the anthology, but also one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories I’ve ever come across. Latham seems to have an innate understanding of the Holmes canon and characters, as well as how to write gothic fiction, to the extent that there are times when the story feels less like a pastiche and more like a piece of fiction Conan Doyle might have written in his later, more spiritual years. It’s effective as both a detective story and a piece of quiet horror, and features an ending that is genuinely unnerving, both in terms of its implications and the subtle way that Latham introduces such a twist. Father of the Man by Stephen Volk is another excellent read, one of the longest in the collection and also the most intriguing in its concept: portraying a younger Holmes, it posits the idea that Holmes was mentored as a detective and investigator by Edgar Allan Poe, one of the originators of the gothic fiction genre; Poe did not die in mysterious circumstances in America, but instead fled to France under an assumed identity and worked as an investigating detective, taking Holmes under his wing. It’s actually an original and interesting idea, and one that Volk takes full advantage of, rapidly developing a believable relationship between mentor and mentee, and skilfully weaving a plot that sees Poe’s previous life come back to haunt him. There’s some great characterisation, particularly in regards to Poe, and some incredibly tense scenes when Poe and Holmes are forced to re-enact one of Poe’s famous stories in order to try and resolve the situation they find themselves in. It’s a universe that is full of potential, and I would very much like to see more stories set in it.
It’s always a good sign when you see James Lovegrove attached to an anthology, and even moreso when it’s a Sherlock Holmes anthology. Mr. Lovegrove has written a number of Holmes novels and short stories and they have always been immensely enjoyable. In particular, he has been one of the few authors to try and bring back the ‘original’ Watson from the early Holmes canon, rather than the later simpleton; the Watsons to be found in his tales are always proactive rather than passive, fiercely independent and actually intelligent, rather than the canine-like ‘faithful companion’ that seems to be the default for most Holmes pastiches. He has also begun writing a series of novels that pits Holmes against the Lovecraftian Elder Gods and his story for this anthology, The Strange Case of Dr Sacker and Mr Hope, has a similarly occult, cosmic horror angle; taking inspiration from Conan Doyle’s original names for Holmes and Watson, he effortlessly weaves a bizarre, dream-like and hugely enjoyable tale that focuses on the conflicting dual natures of Holmes as a character, and what the consequences might be if one were allowed to reign supreme over the other. It has an ending that completely fooled me, taking Holmes and Watson down a very dark path that reminded me of Neil Gaiman’s A Study in Emerald, and is another stand-out story in the anthology.
Josh Reynolds is one of my favourite authors, particularly when it comes to cosmic horror and occult detective tales; his Royal Occultist series of novels and short stories is by far the best occult detective to have been created in the 21st Century, and he has a way of mixing the ‘normal’ and the occult that always makes his stories memorable. The Ignoble Sportsmen is no exception, drenched in gothic and occult imagery, and despite featuring a blood-chilling and terrifying antagonist, Reynold’s skill as an author is such that he is able to make this monster genuinely sympathetic in some ways, tying into the theme from certain of the canon Holmes stories that there are times when justice must be served externally, outside of normal means, if the law itself cannot impose sufficient penalties. The Magic of Africa is a short but darkly amusing tale by Kevin P. Thornton that takes a seemingly impossible murder and provides multiple solutions – the first a ‘normal’ Holmesian solution involving disgruntled antagonists and some seemingly-impressive acrobatics; and then a second, occult solution that is only witnessed by a single character, and which highlights the foolishness of attempting to fit impossible facts into any plausible narrative.
A Matter of Light by Angela Slatter is another interesting story in the anthology, and is perhaps the one that gave me the most to think about in terms of Holmes and Watson as characters. Featuring another occult detective, the character Kit Caswell (who I understand has featured in other works by the author), it’s a brilliant and multi-faceted story that really deserves multiple readings to fully comprehend everything to be found in its relatively short word-count. On the first reading, it’s a clever and inventive murder-mystery that makes use of social taboos that Conan Doyle would not have dared stray into in his canon writings, albeit with an overt occult angle at the end. But further readings highlight the difficulties that a female detective (occult or otherwise) would have encountered had they attempted to follow in Holmes’ footsteps; and in particular, Slatter uses this angle to throw light on some of the far less savoury aspects of Holmes as a character, particularly that much-lauded aspect of his ‘chivalry’ towards women which would obviously be seen in a much different light by the women themselves. Finally, The Song of Want by Lyndsay Faye is an excellent closing story which takes a grim and often uncompromising look at the backstories of the Baker Street Irregulars; although portrayed in the canon stories as a cheerful group of urchins employed by Holmes for various menial tasks, Faye immediately pulls the rug out from under the reader by portraying the harsh and unsentimental realities of how the ‘Irregulars’ would have lived when not working for Holmes. The story itself is a subtle and deeply unsettling one, particularly as it involves an antagonist who becomes involved with some of the Irregulars, and there are some fantastically ambiguous conclusions to be drawn from its last few pages.
In conclusion, Gaslight Gothic is another impressive publication from EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, and also a credit to the editors. They have put together some fantastically high-quality Sherlock Holmes stories which fully take advantage of the anthology’s gothic theme, including stories that provide moments of genuine horror, frank interrogations of the nature of gothic fiction and Sherlock Holmes as a character, and some genuinely unnerving endings. If only all Sherlock Holmes anthologies could be of this quality
January 8, 2022
I have put off reading "Gaslight series" forever, and I really don't know why had I done that. Those are fantastic, amongst the best holmesian anthologies I've ever read. Sure, as in any anthology, there are both superb and somewhat-weak stories, but overall, they suit very well together and it is a pleasure to read.
Continuing in the vein of supernatural stories, Holmes is once again facing adversaries outside of his comfort zone of cold logic. This time, the binding theme is Gothic romance.
Continuing in the vein of supernatural stories, Holmes is once again facing adversaries outside of his comfort zone of cold logic. This time, the binding theme is Gothic romance.
October 8, 2018
A collection of ten Sherlock Holmes stories of varying standard but the one that stood out for me was “Father of the Man by Stephen Volk" apart from being a good well-written and interesting story it contained the characters of Edgar Allan Poe and Auguste Dupin.
Received an ARC from LibraryThing
Received an ARC from LibraryThing
January 29, 2019
The fourth anthology volume of Gaslight Sherlock Holmes stories is simply delicious.
The standard of the stories is very high. Usually in every anthology you get at least one story that falls flat. It's a tribute to J. R. Campbell and Charles Prepolec that every story is a winner.
"Gaslight Gothic" combines the fog shrouded mysteries of Sherlock Holmes with the sort of plots that the likes of M. R. James and William Hope Hodgson excelled at.
As I said, every story is a winner, but three really stood out for me:
The Cuckoo's Hour, by Mark A. Latham
The Strange Case of Dr Sacker and Mr Hope, by James Lovegrove
The Strange Adventure of Mary Holder, by Nancy Holder.
All three stories were creepy to an extremely high level.
"Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes" now has a place in my permanent Sherlock Holmes collection, alongside my editions of the canon and one or two others.
Highly recommended.
The standard of the stories is very high. Usually in every anthology you get at least one story that falls flat. It's a tribute to J. R. Campbell and Charles Prepolec that every story is a winner.
"Gaslight Gothic" combines the fog shrouded mysteries of Sherlock Holmes with the sort of plots that the likes of M. R. James and William Hope Hodgson excelled at.
As I said, every story is a winner, but three really stood out for me:
The Cuckoo's Hour, by Mark A. Latham
The Strange Case of Dr Sacker and Mr Hope, by James Lovegrove
The Strange Adventure of Mary Holder, by Nancy Holder.
All three stories were creepy to an extremely high level.
"Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes" now has a place in my permanent Sherlock Holmes collection, alongside my editions of the canon and one or two others.
Highly recommended.
February 3, 2023
I had such high hopes for this one after the initial story (The Cuckoo's Hour), but it turned out that one was a diamond studded golden needle in a dung heap. I got so frustrated that I completely skipped the last story (Song of Want) and have no intention of given it or any of those stories I dnfed a second try.
In Detail:
1. The Cuckoo's Hour. 4-4.5/5
A very solid and enjoyable read, albeit riddled with factual errors (one could write them off to the supernatural, maybe, but there's no hint of that in the story). A young woman asks Holmes to solve a riddle in the estate of her late uncle, after the disappearance of a relative, who also attempted solving the riddles set up within the house's walls and gain the hidden inheritance. The solution makes sense and hints aren't grossly withheld from the reader. The supernatural element might feel a little tagged on, but unlike other stories in this collection, it doesn't feel haphazardly and forced.
2. The Spirit of Death. 2.5/5
Solid again, but felt it would have fared better if longer, with a few more twists and turns.
This one concerns murder by telekinesis or something akin to astral projection, perhaps. Interesting premise, rushed execution.
3. Father of the Man. -/5
Skipped this one. Pre-Canon story, something something, Edgar Allan Poe, Jack the Ripper. Didn't managed to pique my interest, so no rating for this one.
4. Dr Sacker & Mr Hope. 0/5
Oh, how I hate, hate, hate stories that mistake dark/creepy with cynical. As the title suggests this takes inspiration from Jekyll&Hyde, and as a lot of stories that think dark equals cynical the bad guys win and it's presented as something good? What? If I'd want the glorification of brutal crime investors, I'd read modern crime or something. Really, this was where the whole collection started going down the drain.
5. The Ignoble Sportsmen. 2.5/5
It was a good idea and competently executed, but it is a story that would have fared better with a mundane solutions. There's an episode of Murdoch Mysteries with this premise that does that, much prefer that one.
6. The Strange Case of Mary Holder 0.5/5
Started of well enough, looking back at the fate of a canonical character, but dear Heavens does is deteriorate rapidly. It's as if the author didn't know what she wanted to do with the story to begin with, and then remembered this was supposed to be somehow supernatural after finishing things close to deadline, and haphazardly shoehorned something in about the canonical character somehow being pure evil and needs to be killed and... what? No, thanks.
7. The Lizard Lady of Pemberton Grange 0/5
This one is just bad. Again it has an interesting start, but what follows is 'All the things on a 'how not to write a good mystery' list', to put it mildly. The plot is cluttered and erratic, information is withheld from the reader for the sake of it, and to a degree that didn't happen in canon. Sure, Holmes sometimes withheld information (or maybe Watson did for the sake of suspense), but what's going on here is best put an asspull. At least we didn't get actual lizard people as solution, 'cause good gracious the implications and present undertones and all are bad enough.
8. Magic of Africa 1.5/5
This one was on the -eh- side. Not too bad itself, would have likely earned a 3 or 3.5, if not for two factors: 1. The tagged one supernatural bit that was unnecessary, again feeling as if the author remembered that it's ought to be there last minute, and 2. The framing of this case being so strange and meaningful that Watson arranged for it not to see the public eye until over a hundred years later. The case does not live up to that, at all. Canonical there have been cases with the same caveat, but Conan Doyle at least delivered on cases that could easily have some massive impact. This one... not so much.
9. A Matter of Light. 0/5
This one broke me. I dnfed it about two or three pages in, when it became clear we are dealing with an author who is not only having Holmes clash with her own OC, but said OC is so much better than Holmes, and certainly not like other girls, and generally so much better, oh and Holmes hates women, and OC will clearly teach him better (she does, I did check the end of the story). No f*cking thank you. Look, a lot of writers start out with this idea of 'good characters', but many learn that, no, this kind of overpowered infallibility is no good for a good story. If characters that are *just better than everyone else' only ever fail cause drama and wordcount demand it, there's not much of a tale to be told. It's the ups and downs that come naturally that make a character good. (I ought to stop rambling, but damn...)
10. Song of Want. -/5
Didn't read this one.
Yes, all in all extremely frustrating and disappointing. There's some great Holmes vs the Supernatural stories out there, but it seems the Gaslight series doesn't hold (m)any of them.
Someone wrote in a review of a different instalment of the series how a lot of stories feel as if the authors are more focused on the deadline than on spinning and weaving a good tale, and yes, this absolutely seems to be the case.
Unfortunately.
In Detail:
1. The Cuckoo's Hour. 4-4.5/5
A very solid and enjoyable read, albeit riddled with factual errors (one could write them off to the supernatural, maybe, but there's no hint of that in the story). A young woman asks Holmes to solve a riddle in the estate of her late uncle, after the disappearance of a relative, who also attempted solving the riddles set up within the house's walls and gain the hidden inheritance. The solution makes sense and hints aren't grossly withheld from the reader. The supernatural element might feel a little tagged on, but unlike other stories in this collection, it doesn't feel haphazardly and forced.
2. The Spirit of Death. 2.5/5
Solid again, but felt it would have fared better if longer, with a few more twists and turns.
This one concerns murder by telekinesis or something akin to astral projection, perhaps. Interesting premise, rushed execution.
3. Father of the Man. -/5
Skipped this one. Pre-Canon story, something something, Edgar Allan Poe, Jack the Ripper. Didn't managed to pique my interest, so no rating for this one.
4. Dr Sacker & Mr Hope. 0/5
Oh, how I hate, hate, hate stories that mistake dark/creepy with cynical. As the title suggests this takes inspiration from Jekyll&Hyde, and as a lot of stories that think dark equals cynical the bad guys win and it's presented as something good? What? If I'd want the glorification of brutal crime investors, I'd read modern crime or something. Really, this was where the whole collection started going down the drain.
5. The Ignoble Sportsmen. 2.5/5
It was a good idea and competently executed, but it is a story that would have fared better with a mundane solutions. There's an episode of Murdoch Mysteries with this premise that does that, much prefer that one.
6. The Strange Case of Mary Holder 0.5/5
Started of well enough, looking back at the fate of a canonical character, but dear Heavens does is deteriorate rapidly. It's as if the author didn't know what she wanted to do with the story to begin with, and then remembered this was supposed to be somehow supernatural after finishing things close to deadline, and haphazardly shoehorned something in about the canonical character somehow being pure evil and needs to be killed and... what? No, thanks.
7. The Lizard Lady of Pemberton Grange 0/5
This one is just bad. Again it has an interesting start, but what follows is 'All the things on a 'how not to write a good mystery' list', to put it mildly. The plot is cluttered and erratic, information is withheld from the reader for the sake of it, and to a degree that didn't happen in canon. Sure, Holmes sometimes withheld information (or maybe Watson did for the sake of suspense), but what's going on here is best put an asspull. At least we didn't get actual lizard people as solution, 'cause good gracious the implications and present undertones and all are bad enough.
8. Magic of Africa 1.5/5
This one was on the -eh- side. Not too bad itself, would have likely earned a 3 or 3.5, if not for two factors: 1. The tagged one supernatural bit that was unnecessary, again feeling as if the author remembered that it's ought to be there last minute, and 2. The framing of this case being so strange and meaningful that Watson arranged for it not to see the public eye until over a hundred years later. The case does not live up to that, at all. Canonical there have been cases with the same caveat, but Conan Doyle at least delivered on cases that could easily have some massive impact. This one... not so much.
9. A Matter of Light. 0/5
This one broke me. I dnfed it about two or three pages in, when it became clear we are dealing with an author who is not only having Holmes clash with her own OC, but said OC is so much better than Holmes, and certainly not like other girls, and generally so much better, oh and Holmes hates women, and OC will clearly teach him better (she does, I did check the end of the story). No f*cking thank you. Look, a lot of writers start out with this idea of 'good characters', but many learn that, no, this kind of overpowered infallibility is no good for a good story. If characters that are *just better than everyone else' only ever fail cause drama and wordcount demand it, there's not much of a tale to be told. It's the ups and downs that come naturally that make a character good. (I ought to stop rambling, but damn...)
10. Song of Want. -/5
Didn't read this one.
Yes, all in all extremely frustrating and disappointing. There's some great Holmes vs the Supernatural stories out there, but it seems the Gaslight series doesn't hold (m)any of them.
Someone wrote in a review of a different instalment of the series how a lot of stories feel as if the authors are more focused on the deadline than on spinning and weaving a good tale, and yes, this absolutely seems to be the case.
Unfortunately.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2018
A volume dedicated to the supernatural adventures of Sherlock Holmes seems like a contradiction in terms. Holmes is course the arch rationalist who can be relied upon to comprehensively debunk ghosts, vampires, devil dogs and other manifestations of the uncanny. In fairness, editor Charles Prepolec’s introductory essay does a good job of planting Holmes squarely in the gothic tradition and makes a persuasive case for the great detective taking on the eerie and unearthly.
Sadly much of the essay’s good work is undone by the quality of the stories. Two in particular are atrociously written: Mark A Latham’s “The Cuckoo’s Hour” descends into incomprehensible wibbling about secret tunnels, hidden doors, clocks that strike thirteen that leaves the reader enervated and ultimately underwhelmed by the final supposedly horrific pay off. Angela Slatter’s “A Matter of Light” is even worse, a miserable attempt to insert the author’s own Mary Sue character into what reads like a bad “Twilight” fanfic. Shockingly bad.
None of the other stories approach the sheer ineptitude of Latham and Slatter’s but there’s often an irritating gimmicky quality to them e.g. walk ons by created by other authors. Thus we have Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll showing up in “The Strange Case of Dr Sacker and Mr Hope” and Edgar Alan Poe’s Dupin in “Father of the Man”. Poe himself also appears as it’s revealed that he and Dupin are in fact one and the same! He and Holmes team up to catch a globe trotting serial killer who turns out to be...wait for it…Jack the Ripper! Despite chucking in everything but the kitchen sink author Stephen Volk strangelyfails to explain what Holmes is hanging about with someone he is on record as regarding as a “very inferior fellow.”
Other stories start out promisingly but fizzle out in welter of unconvincing exposition. “The Strange Case of Mary Holder” by Nancy Holder (presumably no relation) is a case in point. An intriguing set up bogs down in unconvincing magical flummery whose workings are dictated by the exigencies of the plot. There’s also the outing of the true villain of the piece which, while not entirely unexpected, is presented to the reader as a fait accompli with no real evidence to back it up, they’re a creature of “unimaginable evil” and that’s it.
Of the better stories Lyndsay Faye’s “The Song of a Want” scores points for its social realist depiction of one of the children who became The Baker Street irregulars. He assists Holmes in the investigation of genuinely bizarre and unsettling crime. I can’t help feeling that Holmes’s adopted nom de guerre of Scott Williamson smacks slightly of a tin ear on Faye’s part though.
Best story of the lot is “The Lizard Lady of Pemberton Grange” by Mark Morris which is a fine attempt at reproducing Conan Doyle’s style and plotting. It’s a rather gory affair but there’s nothing eerie or eldritch about it. The motivations of the villains are utterly human, and realistically banal. Ironic that this should be the standout tale in a volume devoted to pitting Holmes against the “weird, supernatural and the uncanny”.
Sadly much of the essay’s good work is undone by the quality of the stories. Two in particular are atrociously written: Mark A Latham’s “The Cuckoo’s Hour” descends into incomprehensible wibbling about secret tunnels, hidden doors, clocks that strike thirteen that leaves the reader enervated and ultimately underwhelmed by the final supposedly horrific pay off. Angela Slatter’s “A Matter of Light” is even worse, a miserable attempt to insert the author’s own Mary Sue character into what reads like a bad “Twilight” fanfic. Shockingly bad.
None of the other stories approach the sheer ineptitude of Latham and Slatter’s but there’s often an irritating gimmicky quality to them e.g. walk ons by created by other authors. Thus we have Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll showing up in “The Strange Case of Dr Sacker and Mr Hope” and Edgar Alan Poe’s Dupin in “Father of the Man”. Poe himself also appears as it’s revealed that he and Dupin are in fact one and the same! He and Holmes team up to catch a globe trotting serial killer who turns out to be...wait for it…Jack the Ripper! Despite chucking in everything but the kitchen sink author Stephen Volk strangelyfails to explain what Holmes is hanging about with someone he is on record as regarding as a “very inferior fellow.”
Other stories start out promisingly but fizzle out in welter of unconvincing exposition. “The Strange Case of Mary Holder” by Nancy Holder (presumably no relation) is a case in point. An intriguing set up bogs down in unconvincing magical flummery whose workings are dictated by the exigencies of the plot. There’s also the outing of the true villain of the piece which, while not entirely unexpected, is presented to the reader as a fait accompli with no real evidence to back it up, they’re a creature of “unimaginable evil” and that’s it.
Of the better stories Lyndsay Faye’s “The Song of a Want” scores points for its social realist depiction of one of the children who became The Baker Street irregulars. He assists Holmes in the investigation of genuinely bizarre and unsettling crime. I can’t help feeling that Holmes’s adopted nom de guerre of Scott Williamson smacks slightly of a tin ear on Faye’s part though.
Best story of the lot is “The Lizard Lady of Pemberton Grange” by Mark Morris which is a fine attempt at reproducing Conan Doyle’s style and plotting. It’s a rather gory affair but there’s nothing eerie or eldritch about it. The motivations of the villains are utterly human, and realistically banal. Ironic that this should be the standout tale in a volume devoted to pitting Holmes against the “weird, supernatural and the uncanny”.
December 9, 2018
I will say right off the bat, I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program, and I'm grateful to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
This was a really interesting collection of mysteries, all different enough to not feel like the same material over and over again, and yet definitely feeling connected and in touch with the gothic theme. I think my favorite story was the first one, but each one was interesting in its own way, and each story was sort of bite-sized enough that I raced through this book. If you love gothic, and/or Sherlock Holmes, you'll definitely want to pick this up.
This was a really interesting collection of mysteries, all different enough to not feel like the same material over and over again, and yet definitely feeling connected and in touch with the gothic theme. I think my favorite story was the first one, but each one was interesting in its own way, and each story was sort of bite-sized enough that I raced through this book. If you love gothic, and/or Sherlock Holmes, you'll definitely want to pick this up.
December 24, 2018
This is a compilation of newly written Sherlock tales, which, as the title indicates, hae a gothic slant. And not just gothic, but supernatural gothic. In the various stories we have Elder Gods, Edger Allen Poe, Mr. Hyde, African little people, and lots more. As in any anthology there are good tales and ones not so good; the one with the African is one of the not so good, and I can’t say I liked “A Matter of Light”. But on average the tales are interesting and even creepy. I’ll give it four stars.
July 3, 2019
If you like your Sherlock Holmes stories dark and creepy, with a strong pinch of macabre, this is the book for you. Within the Canon, Arthur Conan Doyle wrote several horror stories: Hound, The Veiled Lodger, and The Lion's Mane among others. This anthology picks up where ACD left off and pushes the envelope from speculation to possibility. Best read in daylight before the shadows fall, this is by turns gripping, spine-chilling and thought-provoking. Open your mind...
December 6, 2018
Holmes Short Stories
All good stories ... all are a little more toward the strange and bizarre than Holmes usually likes but us readers like for our heroes to get involved with the strange and even supernatural at times ...
All good stories ... all are a little more toward the strange and bizarre than Holmes usually likes but us readers like for our heroes to get involved with the strange and even supernatural at times ...
May 3, 2019
I picked this up from book recommendations by email.
I like gothic stories and admittedly never steered towards Sherlock Holmes till this anthology.
A great set of stories from general crimes to outright weird. I’ve picked up a book of one author off the back of this.
I like gothic stories and admittedly never steered towards Sherlock Holmes till this anthology.
A great set of stories from general crimes to outright weird. I’ve picked up a book of one author off the back of this.
February 19, 2019
A BOX OF CHOCOLATES IT IS....
Hello, most were good. Some not so good. Some were really good. I was entertained through most of the book. Thanks.
Hello, most were good. Some not so good. Some were really good. I was entertained through most of the book. Thanks.
March 30, 2019
Great stories
I had a lot of fun reading this. New stories of the great detective, some more improbable than others. Stand out were salutes to The House Of Wax, and Dr Jeckyll.
I had a lot of fun reading this. New stories of the great detective, some more improbable than others. Stand out were salutes to The House Of Wax, and Dr Jeckyll.
May 20, 2019
Imagination by the barrel
Wonderful stories! I've always been a big fan of Mr. Holmes and these authors know what they're about. The game's afoot!!
Wonderful stories! I've always been a big fan of Mr. Holmes and these authors know what they're about. The game's afoot!!
October 7, 2018
GASLIGHT GOTHIC: STRANGE TALES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES edited by J.R. Campbell and Charles Prepolec is the 4th in a series of anthologies “pitting the supreme rationalist, Sherlock Holmes, against the weird, the supernatural and the uncanny.”
I read an E-Eook edition published by EDGE-Lite (an imprint of Hades Publications, Inc.) Calgary, Alberta.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review, as part of LibraryThing’s Early Review Program.
The anthology includes an Introduction by Charles Prepolec and10 stories written by Mark A. Latham, David Stuart Davies, Stephen Volk, James Lovegrove, Josh Reynolds, Nancy Holder, Mark Morris, Kevin P. Thornton, Angela Slatter and Lyndsay Faye.
This particular title, STRANGE TALES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES is very unusual; very clever; at times weaving in the supernatural; very ‘gothic’; and very suspenseful with detailed characters and plots. The authors very masterfully intertwine familiar characters, locations and situations with a gothic form.
The Introduction gives us a very good explanation of the stories’ gothic atmosphere. They take “thematic cues from the legacy of late Victorian gothic fiction, the breeding ground for what we now consider modern horror” and match them seamlessly with the Sherlock Holmes character.
I particularly liked “Father of the man” because of the reference to and appearance of author, Edgar Allan Poe.
If you like Sherlock Holmes, you will like this book.
I read an E-Eook edition published by EDGE-Lite (an imprint of Hades Publications, Inc.) Calgary, Alberta.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review, as part of LibraryThing’s Early Review Program.
The anthology includes an Introduction by Charles Prepolec and10 stories written by Mark A. Latham, David Stuart Davies, Stephen Volk, James Lovegrove, Josh Reynolds, Nancy Holder, Mark Morris, Kevin P. Thornton, Angela Slatter and Lyndsay Faye.
This particular title, STRANGE TALES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES is very unusual; very clever; at times weaving in the supernatural; very ‘gothic’; and very suspenseful with detailed characters and plots. The authors very masterfully intertwine familiar characters, locations and situations with a gothic form.
The Introduction gives us a very good explanation of the stories’ gothic atmosphere. They take “thematic cues from the legacy of late Victorian gothic fiction, the breeding ground for what we now consider modern horror” and match them seamlessly with the Sherlock Holmes character.
I particularly liked “Father of the man” because of the reference to and appearance of author, Edgar Allan Poe.
If you like Sherlock Holmes, you will like this book.
November 28, 2018
The Best in Gothic and Holmes - disclaimer, I received a free copy in exchange for an honest early review. This is just that, LOVED the book.
Holmes comes alive with each of these terrific short stories. The authors remain true to their personal writing style, all the while breathing life into both the Gothic experience and Holmes himself. Excellent story selections by the editor. I’ve my favorite stories of course - but I think I’ll not prejudice anyone that buys the book. Enjoy them all.
Do not skip the introduction by Charles Prepolec. Sometimes I glance over intros if only because they do not grab me – so on to the story I go. This time I happily read every word. Prepolec took the basic intro format and turned it into a clever learning experience that actually does help you understand what the book intends, why it exists at all. Better still, it perfectly sets the Gothic stage. Sit back, hit play on a hauntingly beautiful violin piece, and lose yourself in another time and place.
Holmes comes alive with each of these terrific short stories. The authors remain true to their personal writing style, all the while breathing life into both the Gothic experience and Holmes himself. Excellent story selections by the editor. I’ve my favorite stories of course - but I think I’ll not prejudice anyone that buys the book. Enjoy them all.
Do not skip the introduction by Charles Prepolec. Sometimes I glance over intros if only because they do not grab me – so on to the story I go. This time I happily read every word. Prepolec took the basic intro format and turned it into a clever learning experience that actually does help you understand what the book intends, why it exists at all. Better still, it perfectly sets the Gothic stage. Sit back, hit play on a hauntingly beautiful violin piece, and lose yourself in another time and place.
June 16, 2019
Note: I started reading this because I am preparing to set up to run one-shots using the Trail of Cthulhu system and was looking for plot ideas. The first story is promising that way, and I'll update once I'm through.
Update after finishing: Most of the stories have elements that could be used in a ToC scenario, but are not sufficient in themselves without a lot of extras added in. As for the quality of the stories, they're mostly middle of the road with a few standouts (The Ignoble Sportsmen, The Lizard Lady, The Song of a Want), and a few duds.
Introduction by Charles Prepolec - I confess that I mostly skipped this, except for skimming a few paragraphs here and there. I opened the book to read stories, not people talking about stories.
The Cuckoo’s Hour by Mark A. Latham [3 stars, 4 ToCA] - Kind of meh story with some cool mechanisms, but I can definitely work with the basic idea as a one-shot plot. Given Holmes' tendency to ignore information not immediately relevant to understanding human behavior, his immediate recognition of the myth is suspect. UPDATE: After adapting this to an RPG scenario, I have more problems with it: (1) Bronze statues are not made in such a way that a person falling into a vat would result in a statue (text says "brass", but every time I looked for brass statue making, I instead found bronze); (2) The staircase arrangement makes no sense. If that's the only way down, it's ridiculously inconvenient to get raw materials into the foundry, and the stairs would have to be ridiculously reinforced. So... yeah. Still made a good scenario based on it, but had to do a lot of fixing.
The Spirit of Death by David Stuart Davies [3 stars, 1 ToCA] - Enjoyable yarn, with a more direct use of the paranormal than the first. Too short to work as a full one-shot adventure, sadly, but the concept and villain are borrowable.
Father of the Man by Stephen Volk [3 Stars, 1 ToCA] - Interesting but did we really need Holmes to be connected both to Edgar Allan Poe and Jack the Ripper? Not particularly adaptable to an RPG scenario, as there's too much tie to specific people and places and times.
The Strange Case of Dr. Sacker and Mr. Hope by James Lovegrove [3 stars, 1 ToCA] - * sigh * Another "Holmes meets X" one, much bleaker than the one above. It was well-written, and followed the premise to a logical conclusion, but was not to my taste.
The Ignoble Sportsmen by Josh Reynolds [4 stars, 4 ToCA] - Finally we're back to an actual mystery with paranormal elements. Very, very well written, too, nearly matching the original Conan Doyle in style. Minor quibble: It's clear in the original Conan Doyle tales that Holmes doesn't care whether a problem is mundane, only whether its solution is, so I would reword a paragraph near the beginning. Otherwise, fascinating tale with just the right amount of supernatural weirdness.
The Strange Adventure of Mary Holder by Nancy Holder [2 stars, 2 ToCA] - When this one forgot to do overwrought purple prose, the writing was decent, but the first few paragraphs were an utter chore to get through (and nothing like Watson's usual style), but the story ... put it this way: When I read in the author bio that this author also wrote for the Buffyverse, suddenly what the story was trying to do made sense. It didn't work, but at least I could see what was going on.
The Lizard Lady of Pemberton Grange by Mark Morris [4 stars, 3 ToCA] - Enjoyable tale that would fit just as well in a regular Holmes anthology (though the author's grasp of Watson's character is a bit off). There are details that could work well in an RPG scenario, but it would need padding out.
The Magic of Africa by Kevin P. Thornton [2.5 stars, 3 ToCA] - Tried a bit too hard for plausible deniability on the paranormal aspect, but still mostly entertaining. Another one with usable elements for ToC, but too short on its own.
A Matter of Light by Angela Slatter [2 stars, 2 ToCA] - If this did not attempt to feature Holmes, it might be 3 or 4 stars. However, it badly misuses Holmes, so as a Holmes story, it's not worth much. The problem is that Holmes would have noticed all the things that Kit Whatsis did. If he's present, they either need to be in friendly competition (because one household member called Holmes and one called Kit), or Holmes needs to be utterly incapacitated in some fashion. Better, still, if Holmes were unable to come at all, and so Watson called Kit instead. The mild supernatural element was both fairly obviously telegraphed, and utterly irrelevant to the story, though.
The Song of a Want by Lyndsay Faye [4 stars, 2 ToCA] - A Holmesian prequel, giving a case prior to Watson, and indicating how the "Baker Street Irregulars" got started. Enjoyable, though a bit odd. Nothing overtly supernatural (though arguments can be made for the timing of the disease after the "doctor" spoke to Meggie), but plenty of creepy stuff. To adapt for RPG, I would need to make those elements overt.
Update after finishing: Most of the stories have elements that could be used in a ToC scenario, but are not sufficient in themselves without a lot of extras added in. As for the quality of the stories, they're mostly middle of the road with a few standouts (The Ignoble Sportsmen, The Lizard Lady, The Song of a Want), and a few duds.
Introduction by Charles Prepolec - I confess that I mostly skipped this, except for skimming a few paragraphs here and there. I opened the book to read stories, not people talking about stories.
The Cuckoo’s Hour by Mark A. Latham [3 stars, 4 ToCA] - Kind of meh story with some cool mechanisms, but I can definitely work with the basic idea as a one-shot plot. Given Holmes' tendency to ignore information not immediately relevant to understanding human behavior, his immediate recognition of the myth is suspect. UPDATE: After adapting this to an RPG scenario, I have more problems with it: (1) Bronze statues are not made in such a way that a person falling into a vat would result in a statue (text says "brass", but every time I looked for brass statue making, I instead found bronze); (2) The staircase arrangement makes no sense. If that's the only way down, it's ridiculously inconvenient to get raw materials into the foundry, and the stairs would have to be ridiculously reinforced. So... yeah. Still made a good scenario based on it, but had to do a lot of fixing.
The Spirit of Death by David Stuart Davies [3 stars, 1 ToCA] - Enjoyable yarn, with a more direct use of the paranormal than the first. Too short to work as a full one-shot adventure, sadly, but the concept and villain are borrowable.
Father of the Man by Stephen Volk [3 Stars, 1 ToCA] - Interesting but did we really need Holmes to be connected both to Edgar Allan Poe and Jack the Ripper? Not particularly adaptable to an RPG scenario, as there's too much tie to specific people and places and times.
The Strange Case of Dr. Sacker and Mr. Hope by James Lovegrove [3 stars, 1 ToCA] - * sigh * Another "Holmes meets X" one, much bleaker than the one above. It was well-written, and followed the premise to a logical conclusion, but was not to my taste.
The Ignoble Sportsmen by Josh Reynolds [4 stars, 4 ToCA] - Finally we're back to an actual mystery with paranormal elements. Very, very well written, too, nearly matching the original Conan Doyle in style. Minor quibble: It's clear in the original Conan Doyle tales that Holmes doesn't care whether a problem is mundane, only whether its solution is, so I would reword a paragraph near the beginning. Otherwise, fascinating tale with just the right amount of supernatural weirdness.
The Strange Adventure of Mary Holder by Nancy Holder [2 stars, 2 ToCA] - When this one forgot to do overwrought purple prose, the writing was decent, but the first few paragraphs were an utter chore to get through (and nothing like Watson's usual style), but the story ... put it this way: When I read in the author bio that this author also wrote for the Buffyverse, suddenly what the story was trying to do made sense. It didn't work, but at least I could see what was going on.
The Lizard Lady of Pemberton Grange by Mark Morris [4 stars, 3 ToCA] - Enjoyable tale that would fit just as well in a regular Holmes anthology (though the author's grasp of Watson's character is a bit off). There are details that could work well in an RPG scenario, but it would need padding out.
The Magic of Africa by Kevin P. Thornton [2.5 stars, 3 ToCA] - Tried a bit too hard for plausible deniability on the paranormal aspect, but still mostly entertaining. Another one with usable elements for ToC, but too short on its own.
A Matter of Light by Angela Slatter [2 stars, 2 ToCA] - If this did not attempt to feature Holmes, it might be 3 or 4 stars. However, it badly misuses Holmes, so as a Holmes story, it's not worth much. The problem is that Holmes would have noticed all the things that Kit Whatsis did. If he's present, they either need to be in friendly competition (because one household member called Holmes and one called Kit), or Holmes needs to be utterly incapacitated in some fashion. Better, still, if Holmes were unable to come at all, and so Watson called Kit instead. The mild supernatural element was both fairly obviously telegraphed, and utterly irrelevant to the story, though.
The Song of a Want by Lyndsay Faye [4 stars, 2 ToCA] - A Holmesian prequel, giving a case prior to Watson, and indicating how the "Baker Street Irregulars" got started. Enjoyable, though a bit odd. Nothing overtly supernatural (though arguments can be made for the timing of the disease after the "doctor" spoke to Meggie), but plenty of creepy stuff. To adapt for RPG, I would need to make those elements overt.
December 12, 2023
Good but not great.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
