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A review by strikingthirteen
Gaslight Arcanum: Uncanny Tales of Sherlock Holmes by Kevin Cockle, Fred Saberhagen, Simon Clark, Stephen Volk, Charles Prepolec, Kim Newman, Tom English, Paul Kane, Christopher Fowler, Jeff Campbell, Lawrence C. Connolly, J.R. Campbell, Simon K. Unsworth, Tony Richards, William Meikle
3.0
The Comfort of the Seine - Stephen Volk (2/5): So really Holmes was a normal guy until he met up with the so totally not dead Edgar Allan Poe and learned his mad skills of deduction from him. That's basically it and I just didn't particularly like it.
The Adventure of Lucifer's Footprints - Christopher Fowler (3/5): Rather average mystery with the supernatural twist. Just sort of happened and then ended and then it's alluded that there's some great rift between Holmes and Watson because of their differing opinions but really it's just Holmes telling Watson that he can't believe this because he's a man of science. Hardly a rift.
The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes - Tom English (4/5): A book that makes even the most noble men do horrible things. It is fantastic and creepy and then Holmes actually needs to remove himself from England to get over (or reconcile) what happened. Loved that idea as an explanation for the Hiatus. there are also some lovely Holmes one liners here - commenting that the book must have flown up the chimney was snort worthy as well as his longing to put his bed on top of the huge hearth. I shall never be cold again! lol
The Color that Came to Chiswick - William Meikle (5/5): I love this one. Lovecraftian, pulpy, just damn odd. We have a creepy green substance that has turned up at a brewery. Is it intelligent? What happens to its victims is simply ghastly. Lovely spine chilling read
From the Tree of Time - Fred Saberhagen (2/5): Holmes and Dracula solve a mystery together. *shrug*
The Executioner - Lawrence C. Connolly (4.5/5): Holmes actually does die from the Fall and he is brought back by some obvious and not obvious all at once. Very well done and very faithful to both stories mentioned here. The conclusion with what became of Moriarty ends the story perfectly, and gives a more accountable reason for Holmes' three year absence.
A Country Death -Simon Kurt Unsworth (3.5/5): Holmes and another man are dead, bodies absolutely a mess. We find out exactly what Holmes was doing with the bees on the downs. Creepy is certainly the word.
Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game - Kevin Cockle (2/5): We're in the canadian arctic but really this is about how Holmes' powers really come from a zulu knife. That's about it, though I did like that watson got to be a crackshot in this one.
Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell - Simon Clark (5/5): come at once, the impossible is. The solution may seem easy enough but that glorious tension its just that. The real reason Holmes took the case as well is also very heartbreaking and well done.
The Greatest Mystery - Paul Kane (5/5): Murder suicide epidemic and Sherlock Holmes takes on death. Literally. Read this for that alone.
The house of blood - Tony Richards (1/5): immortal holmes in the modern day. Just too weird for me thw manitou made more sense.
The adventure of the six maledictions - Kim Newman (4/5): Moran and Moriarty get their hands on as many cursed objects as possible. Moran as the narrator is delicious. It is funny, creepy, and oh so well done.
The Adventure of Lucifer's Footprints - Christopher Fowler (3/5): Rather average mystery with the supernatural twist. Just sort of happened and then ended and then it's alluded that there's some great rift between Holmes and Watson because of their differing opinions but really it's just Holmes telling Watson that he can't believe this because he's a man of science. Hardly a rift.
The Deadly Sin of Sherlock Holmes - Tom English (4/5): A book that makes even the most noble men do horrible things. It is fantastic and creepy and then Holmes actually needs to remove himself from England to get over (or reconcile) what happened. Loved that idea as an explanation for the Hiatus. there are also some lovely Holmes one liners here - commenting that the book must have flown up the chimney was snort worthy as well as his longing to put his bed on top of the huge hearth. I shall never be cold again! lol
The Color that Came to Chiswick - William Meikle (5/5): I love this one. Lovecraftian, pulpy, just damn odd. We have a creepy green substance that has turned up at a brewery. Is it intelligent? What happens to its victims is simply ghastly. Lovely spine chilling read
From the Tree of Time - Fred Saberhagen (2/5): Holmes and Dracula solve a mystery together. *shrug*
The Executioner - Lawrence C. Connolly (4.5/5): Holmes actually does die from the Fall and he is brought back by some obvious and not obvious all at once. Very well done and very faithful to both stories mentioned here. The conclusion with what became of Moriarty ends the story perfectly, and gives a more accountable reason for Holmes' three year absence.
A Country Death -Simon Kurt Unsworth (3.5/5): Holmes and another man are dead, bodies absolutely a mess. We find out exactly what Holmes was doing with the bees on the downs. Creepy is certainly the word.
Sherlock Holmes and the Great Game - Kevin Cockle (2/5): We're in the canadian arctic but really this is about how Holmes' powers really come from a zulu knife. That's about it, though I did like that watson got to be a crackshot in this one.
Sherlock Holmes and the Diving Bell - Simon Clark (5/5): come at once, the impossible is. The solution may seem easy enough but that glorious tension its just that. The real reason Holmes took the case as well is also very heartbreaking and well done.
The Greatest Mystery - Paul Kane (5/5): Murder suicide epidemic and Sherlock Holmes takes on death. Literally. Read this for that alone.
The house of blood - Tony Richards (1/5): immortal holmes in the modern day. Just too weird for me thw manitou made more sense.
The adventure of the six maledictions - Kim Newman (4/5): Moran and Moriarty get their hands on as many cursed objects as possible. Moran as the narrator is delicious. It is funny, creepy, and oh so well done.