Books

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I found out that it's quite hard to find an engaging Sherlock Holmes book. Most authors use SH only as a platform for the introduction of their own Mary/Marty Sues and twist Holmes and Watson into a pretzel to fit them their OCs (Laurie R. King, I'm looking at you) or they make Holmes a bastard and Watson an idiot (like Val Andrews did in "The Torment of Sherlock Holmes").

But I love books that focus on Holmes and Watson's relationship or show it in a very unusual, intriguing way. So far, the best books I've come across are Anthony Horowitz's "The House of Silk" - a wonderful, wonderful example of what Holmes and Watson's friendship should be like! - and Neil Gaiman's "A Study in Emerald" - which made me crave to find out more about Holmes and Watson of that world!

So, would you be so kind, my dear fellows, and rec me a book you particularly liked? A book that you felt showed Holmes and Watson's friendship in a wonderful light? An author who really "got" Holmes and Watson?

Comments

[protectorgf.livejournal.com]

Larry Millet "ice palace murders." He does add in a few characters, and he does send Holmes and Watson to America in most of the series. But the interaction between Holmes and Watson is priceless, and the mystery is intriguing.

If you want something shorter and sweeter try Carole Bugge's "The Star of India." good little, exciting adventure.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Thank you!

I know that the addition of OCs is a natural thing, something to be expected and I don't mind it at all as far as the story focuses on Holmes and Watson and they stay true to themselves :)

[love-bug-54.livejournal.com]

Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye: Best. Pastiche. Ever. It's not the first pastiche about Jack the Ripper by any means, but it's certainly the best. She has the relationship down very well, the mystery is engaging, and you don't figure it all out by page three. Best of all, she has come closer to ACD's style than any other writer I've read.

[tafizgurl.livejournal.com]

Very good book!

[genagirl.livejournal.com]

I agree! I loved this one so much I even wrote Faye a fan letter!

[protectorgf.livejournal.com]

Seconded!!!

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I haven't heard of this book before, so thank you for rec'ing it to me :) *puts it on a wishlist*

[ponygirl72.livejournal.com]

The Seven Percent Solution (http://www.amazon.com/Seven---Cent-Solution-Reminiscences-Paperback/dp/0393311198/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329829760&sr=8-2) by Nicholas Meyer. Yes, it was also a movie (which wasn't great, but wasn't horrible either), but the book has a couple of really intense moments of Holmes/Watson friendship.

The premise is a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it affair; I happen to love it and think it makes a scary amount of sense, canonically. Meyer has two other novels-- The Canary Trainer and The West End Horror. The West End Horror is okay, but nothing special. I haven't read The Canary Trainer, but I'd be interested if anyone else has and can offer an opinion on it.

[tafizgurl.livejournal.com]

Sherlock Holmes meets The Phantom of the Opera while playing violin for (and fiddling around with) The Woman.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I noticed a movie by the same name on Amazon UK but the reviews didn't exactly favor it...

[ellex42.livejournal.com]

I haven't read The Canary Trainer in years, but from what I recall, it's pretty good.

[ponygirl72.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Perhaps I'll pick up a copy and check it out one of these days. :-)

[jenna_marianne]

In light of this comment, "and Neil Gaiman's "A Study in Emerald" - which made me crave to find out more about Holmes and Watson of that world!" would you also be interested in fics that tie into Gaiman's "A Study in Emerald"?

If so:
The Queen's Guard by lavvyan: In the caves of Afghanistan, John died once already. But in a world ruled by creatures more terrible than divine, death isn't always permanent, and when a half-human stranger stumbles into his life, John has to decide what he hates more: the Royal bloodline, or that peculiar heart which won't let him die... (gen)

A Study in Midnight by M_Leigh: In a world dominated by an alien monarchy, criminals Sherlock Holmes and John Watson work to take down the royal establishment while detective James Moriarty and his associate Sebastian Moran try to track them down. Also featuring by Irene Adler and Roderick Maclean, who did in fact exist. AU based on Neil Gaiman's phenomenal short story "A Study in Emerald." (Holmes/Watson)

[ETA: oh, and there's some other fics tagged for A Study in Emerald on AO3, though I've only read the above referenced ones]

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Thank you so, so much! I didn't know there were fics to A Study in Emerald!

[jenna_marianne]

Welcome! I didn't even know about Study in Emerald until I read the notes on Lavvyan's story. Then I had to track it down & Gaiman kinda blew my mind.

[miss-variety.livejournal.com]

If you like angst and slash then I recommend 'My Dearest Holmes' by Rohase Piercy, she keeps them both in character whilst also steering them towards a relationship. Its beautiful but also very sad.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I think I have this one... somewhere... maybe XP

[autumnatmidnite.livejournal.com]

The Red Demon (the only Larry Millet SH pastiche I liked - he uses a male Mary Sue in the rest of his novels, and the voices in the others seemed painfully "off" to me.)

My Dearest Holmes by Rohase Piercy
If you're amenable to slash, this is one to look into. Her voices are close to immaculate and there's a nice little mystery, too.

The Mammoth Book of New SH Adventures A compilation of short stories, but no extraneous characters throughout and most were actually readable and very, very good mysteries.

More Holmes For The Holidays Another collection of short stories, but they were all unusually well done for short pastiches.

SH And The Titanic Tragedy by William Seil
I'm reading this now, and am about halfway through. So far, no blatant Mary Sues, although Irene Adler's daughter is one of the main characters. So far, she's tolerable, and I think the author is staying away from making her a love interest, so that's always reassuring.

I also came across another lesser known pastiche in a book lot recently - Night Watch by Stephen Kendrick. Supposed to introduce Holmes to Father Brown, but IDK yet if it's going to be Marty-Stu ish. Does look interesting tho, so thought it was worth a mention.

Whatever you do, tho... Revenge of the Hound. Dear god. It was abysmal. Stay away with a 10 ft pole. Holmes and Watson didn't seem to like each other very much and there was all this Watson/Wife#IDEK crap going on :/

[katikat.livejournal.com]

LOL! Thank you for the warning, the thing with Revenge of the Hound. I would've been so pissed if I paid for it and then found it so cringeworthy.

And also thank you so much for the recs! I haven't read any of these.

[gaedhal.livejournal.com]

Nicholas Meyers' "Seven Percent Solution" is still my favorite.

I've also read and liked "My Dearest Holmes."

I really loved the first couple of Mary Russell books -- "Monstrous
Regiment of Women" was my favorite -- but as they went on I
thought they became almost intolerable.

[protectorgf.livejournal.com]

Mostly coz she doesn't use the Holmes potential. I mean he's right there for goodness sakes, but she's reduced him to puttering about in the later ones (okay he is retired, but come on!)

"Beekeeper's apprentice" is my favorite of the Mary Russell, and "O Jerusalem" is a close second. And even if you're a purist, those two shouldn't bother you. Its very much a matter of Holmes, taking on and teaching a young girl.

[katikat.livejournal.com]

I just can't get over Mary "Mary Sue" Russell, sorry. I mean, the author had to apologize for how she treated Watson in her books when so many readers complained - author, when you have to apologize for how you treat other people's creations, you're doing it wrong! I can't read books that treat Watson like a bumbling fool.