MoriartyI love Sherlock Holmes pastiches and have read many, including Horowitz's The House of Silk. While many loved House, it was kind of meh for me. It involved me enough to want to finish, and yet didn't spark any real concern for the characters or deep interest in the plot.
In Horowitz's most recent novel, he asks the question: What if Moriarty had survived the Reichenbach Falls? After all, Sherlock Holmes did. In Horowitz's version, the story is narrated by Frederick Chase, an American Pinkerton agent. Chase arrives at the Falls and meets Athelney Jones, the Scotland Yard Inspector. Chase informs Jones that he believes an American crime boss had arranged to meet Moriarty and combine their resources. (And Devereux, the American, is supposed to be even more evil than Moriarty.)
Jones and Chase pursue this possibility, working together to find Devereux. Plenty of people die some gruesome deaths as the evil Devereux attempts his takeover of Moriarty's criminal machine.
Athelney Jones, who in the original stories by Doyle is a bit of a bumbler, has a different character in Horowitz's version. He is upright and sincere and his been working diligently to improve his skills by studying Holmes' methods.
Why didn't this appeal to me? Well, some of the plot did, yet something was lacking, something kept me from becoming completely immersed in the novel. The choppy style? The sense of being deliberately misdirected? The twist that was not altogether unexpected and felt too manipulative?
Some other Holmes' pastiches that I've liked better:
The Revenge of Moriarty and The Return of Moriarty by John Gardner -- Gardner is one of the best at this kind of thing. I need to read more of his work on Holmes.
Death on a Pale Horse by Donald Thomas -- Captain Moran is the villain with Holmes and Watson in pursuit.
The Revenant of Thraxton Hall: The Paranormal Casebooks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by Vaughn Entwhistle -- not too serious, but fun!
Library Copy.
Mystery/Sherlock Holmes. 2014. 304 pages.
I also read the Horowitz House of Silk novel and had mixed feelings. Part of me loved it and I think that's just basically the part that wants to revisit Holmes and Watson again. Also, I thought the writing style was quite good - but there is something about trying to write in someone else's style that I think is really difficult to pull off. Plus you have to remember that when Doyle wrote the books - he didn't have to think about every single phrase he wrote to see if it fit in. For this reason I tend to find that certain phrases seemed to modern. That sounds really nitpicky but it just pulls me out of the story or out of the mindset.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I thought House of Silk wasn't a good topic for a Holmes novel - it was definitely too modern. I couldn't conceive of Doyle every choosing such a story.
Lynn :D
As much as I enjoyed the original stories when I was young, I find myself even more engaged when an author like John Gardner gives his take on the characters. I agree that sometimes there is too much of a modern take in either language or plot, but I like the way some authors make the characters a little more dimensional.
DeleteOh, and another one I liked from years ago, The Seven Per Cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer.
I am sorry this one wasn't better for you, Jenclair. I haven't read too much Sherlock Holmes--one book by Doyle and one spin off type book that never really identified the protagonist as Holmes, but it was implied that's who it was. I love the Sherlock series on BBC. I've always been more of an Agatha Christie fan, but I don't know that I should say that not having given Holmes more of a chance. I should have a Christie vs. Holmes event. LOL
ReplyDeleteThat should be interesting: Christie vs. Holmes! I was a big fan of Agatha when I was younger, but I found that her biography was almost better than her mysteries! Wish I could remember the title of the biography I read, but it was too long ago, and there must be so many biographies of that fascinating woman.
DeleteI have been seeing this around but I am not sure if, or when, I will ever try it because I haven't read his first book about Holmes. Just one of those things!
ReplyDeleteHolmes and Watson are characters in House of Silk, but only rate a few mentions in Moriarty, which has different characters. Each functions as a stand alone. I didn't love the book, but others did. My recommendation would be to begin with the John Gardner books if you have an interest in Holmes. :)
DeleteI didn't like House of Silk and it looks like I probably wouldn't like this one either. I was hoping you were going to say this one was better. Oh well, there's other Holmes re-telling so it's not like there's not something else to try right? :)
ReplyDeleteI doubt I'll be reading more by Horowitz. And yes, there are plenty of others in this category to feed an interest in new takes on Holmes!
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