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teanutter's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it! Fun, diverse & yet still true to the SH theme
fredicia's review
4.0
Fanfiction is amazing and you should never, never underestimate its ability to impress, despite its oddity and quirks. Think about it. Are you more likely to stay up until four in the morning for a good novel, or a AU about Shelock the barista and John the reluctant med student (I mean, if you could only read one, cause sometimes I'll speed read both.)?
Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. There are thousands upon thousands of stories regarding this legendary pair, among those numbers 3 popular tv shows and a box office hit. Whichever direction the creators take them, they can all agree on one thing: Our brilliant and eccentric detective will always find his brave and loyal doctor, and they will be blessed with a friendship to be envious of. In many ways, we own what we know about this dynamic duo to the revisionists, the writers that tireless try to create something new from something old.
Some features of this anthology include:
Circus AU
Fem!lock
Fourth wall? What fourth wall?
Johnlock
Ghost stories and unsolvable mysteries (yes, even for Sherlock)
Assassination attempts
Elvis
A genius Mrs. Husdon
Time travel
and good ol' deduction from the world's most famous consultant.
Seriously though, if you're a fan of any Holmes works, read this. These are some superbly clever tales professional authors have put together for your enjoyment.
***Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. There are thousands upon thousands of stories regarding this legendary pair, among those numbers 3 popular tv shows and a box office hit. Whichever direction the creators take them, they can all agree on one thing: Our brilliant and eccentric detective will always find his brave and loyal doctor, and they will be blessed with a friendship to be envious of. In many ways, we own what we know about this dynamic duo to the revisionists, the writers that tireless try to create something new from something old.
Some features of this anthology include:
Circus AU
Fem!lock
Fourth wall? What fourth wall?
Johnlock
Ghost stories and unsolvable mysteries (yes, even for Sherlock)
Assassination attempts
Elvis
A genius Mrs. Husdon
Time travel
and good ol' deduction from the world's most famous consultant.
Seriously though, if you're a fan of any Holmes works, read this. These are some superbly clever tales professional authors have put together for your enjoyment.
***Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
northernfleabag's review against another edition
4.0
One or two stories didn't quite hit the mark for me but, overall, a very enjoyable collection of Holmesian pastiches - well worth the time and money.
ruthie_the_librarian's review
3.0
I didn't read all the stories, and had only really picked it up to read JE Cohen's story which I loved. The others I read were good - it's an interesting, fun idea.
macbean221b's review
4.0
I received TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONE BAKER STREETS as an ARC through netgalley.com.
3.5 STARS
I have a confession to make (unless you already know me, in which case, this is common knowledge): I take Sherlock Holmes pretty seriously. Possibly more seriously than it's strictly healthy to take a fictional character. But he's been part of my life since I was very very small, and has shaped my entertainment choices and my personality fairly considerably. I started reading TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONE BAKER STREETS at the introduction, and almost instantly had mixed feelings. David Thomas Moore, he editor of the anthology, has some very different opinions than I do, which I thought might mean I wouldn't care for his selections. But I should have thought of the introduction as a whole, rather than its parts, because the authors in this collection delivered exactly what Moore promised at the end of his intro:
"They've all found incredible ways to shed new light on old characters, to show you sides of the great detective and his indefatigable companion that their fusty reputations made obscure. Fun, clever, haunting, sad, scary, strange and weird, here are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson as they never were...and really are."
I still don't agree with that 100%. But it does make me go back and agree with his opening statement, which is that Sherlock Holmes owes a lot to the revisionists. And as a fanfic reader/writer, this pleases me.
TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONE BAKER STREETS includes fourteen stories of Holmes, not quite as he is in the canon. This includes different place settings, different time settings, different genders, different occupations, et cetera. As with almost any anthology, not every story was a hit, in my book. But enough of them were that I would recommend this to Holmes fans who aren't strict purists. Your mileage may vary, but the stories that stood out the most for me were:
- "The Lantern Men." This one is a ghost story, of sorts. It presents Holmes as an architect and Watson as a builder. They've been friends since childhood, and enjoy doing some sleuthing together on the side. The professions fit them, I think, and gave a little insight into their characters, and the ending sent a chill up my spine and left a sad ache in my chest, and that's one of my favorite feelings.
- "The Small World of 221B." This story led my brain in a couple of different directions before the puzzle pieces snapped together for me, and when they did, I found the resulting picture rather delightful. I'll just say, an anthology of Holmes stories is not the only one this story would add some fun to.
- "The Final Conjuring." In which a magician in a fantasy realm conjures "the Sherlock," who is "a demon of investigation." I think I'm going to start calling Holmes this all the time, even out of the context of this story. It also fits into the canon in a place that I found very clever, and a lot of fun.
- "The Innocent Icarus." Imagine a world where most people are born with some kind of mutation/superpower. Herculeans, like Watson, have great strength and/or are impervious to injury. Cassandras, like Mycroft (and Mrs. Hudson, to a lesser degree) can see the future. Icaruses (Icari?) can fly. And so on and so forth. And in this world, imagine Sherlock Holmes ... has none of these things. Sherlock Holmes is what's known as a Typical. I found this concept of basically turning the original canon on its head and having Sherlock's ordinariness be what makes him stand out absolutely fascinating.
There were stories that I flat-out didn't like--one that seemed to just cut off instead of having an ending, and another where (SPOILER) Watson murdered Sherlock, for example--but they were far outnumbered by the stories that I enjoyed.
3.5 STARS
I have a confession to make (unless you already know me, in which case, this is common knowledge): I take Sherlock Holmes pretty seriously. Possibly more seriously than it's strictly healthy to take a fictional character. But he's been part of my life since I was very very small, and has shaped my entertainment choices and my personality fairly considerably. I started reading TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONE BAKER STREETS at the introduction, and almost instantly had mixed feelings. David Thomas Moore, he editor of the anthology, has some very different opinions than I do, which I thought might mean I wouldn't care for his selections. But I should have thought of the introduction as a whole, rather than its parts, because the authors in this collection delivered exactly what Moore promised at the end of his intro:
"They've all found incredible ways to shed new light on old characters, to show you sides of the great detective and his indefatigable companion that their fusty reputations made obscure. Fun, clever, haunting, sad, scary, strange and weird, here are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson as they never were...and really are."
I still don't agree with that 100%. But it does make me go back and agree with his opening statement, which is that Sherlock Holmes owes a lot to the revisionists. And as a fanfic reader/writer, this pleases me.
TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-ONE BAKER STREETS includes fourteen stories of Holmes, not quite as he is in the canon. This includes different place settings, different time settings, different genders, different occupations, et cetera. As with almost any anthology, not every story was a hit, in my book. But enough of them were that I would recommend this to Holmes fans who aren't strict purists. Your mileage may vary, but the stories that stood out the most for me were:
- "The Lantern Men." This one is a ghost story, of sorts. It presents Holmes as an architect and Watson as a builder. They've been friends since childhood, and enjoy doing some sleuthing together on the side. The professions fit them, I think, and gave a little insight into their characters, and the ending sent a chill up my spine and left a sad ache in my chest, and that's one of my favorite feelings.
- "The Small World of 221B." This story led my brain in a couple of different directions before the puzzle pieces snapped together for me, and when they did, I found the resulting picture rather delightful. I'll just say, an anthology of Holmes stories is not the only one this story would add some fun to.
- "The Final Conjuring." In which a magician in a fantasy realm conjures "the Sherlock," who is "a demon of investigation." I think I'm going to start calling Holmes this all the time, even out of the context of this story. It also fits into the canon in a place that I found very clever, and a lot of fun.
- "The Innocent Icarus." Imagine a world where most people are born with some kind of mutation/superpower. Herculeans, like Watson, have great strength and/or are impervious to injury. Cassandras, like Mycroft (and Mrs. Hudson, to a lesser degree) can see the future. Icaruses (Icari?) can fly. And so on and so forth. And in this world, imagine Sherlock Holmes ... has none of these things. Sherlock Holmes is what's known as a Typical. I found this concept of basically turning the original canon on its head and having Sherlock's ordinariness be what makes him stand out absolutely fascinating.
There were stories that I flat-out didn't like--one that seemed to just cut off instead of having an ending, and another where (SPOILER) Watson murdered Sherlock, for example--but they were far outnumbered by the stories that I enjoyed.
bookishbitespdx's review
3.0
I would really give this a 3.5 if I could. There were some stories I really liked and others that I had to slog through. My favorite stories ( in no particular order) are : all the single ladies, parallels, the innocent Icarus, and the small world of 221B. It was fun to see all of the different Holmes/Watson dynamics and the different settings that each was placed into.
thiefofcamorr's review
5.0
This anthology contains many short stories of the well known duo Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, but most show them as they’ve never or rarely been seen before. We see them in futurist tales with amazing technology, we see the occult left unexplained and our favourite characters shaky, and we see them in simply hard positions to be in – coming to the realisation that though they’re fantastic, sometimes they make decisions or there are results from what makes them brilliant that can be pretty horrible.
Throughout though, we see two best friends who complete each other in all kinds of times, situations and variances – whether they’re suddenly American or Watson is now female – and what strives through all to be the common factor – they belong together and they are what make each other fantastic.
This is an excellent anthology that shows just that.
“A Scandal in Hobohemia” by Jamie Wyman
More about the dynamic of the characters meeting than the case itself, we see a slightly different version of Holmes, Watson, Mrs Hudson (and possibly Irene?) in an American travelling carnival – complete with fortune-telling mystics and dwarves.
This opening piece is pretty dang excellent at throwing you into what kind of anthology this is going to be – our Holmes and Watson as we haven’t seen them before. They’re not on cozy Baker Street in their well-worned time and cobblestones, but they’re still the characters we know and love.
Also, in this piece Watson is also now a person of colour which adds an interesting dynamic thanks to the time it’s set in. I like that it ends before the case is solved – with Holmes ensnaring Watson into his new role – I mean, really, in this context, what else matters?
“Black Alice” by Kelly Hale
A young girl is accused not only of killing her beloved but also of using witchcraft. Holmes and Watson are called in as a favour, as Watson knows people of the village who think kindly of the poor girl, so she gains a bonus investigator thanks to the memory of her mum’s talent at dumplings.
This shows the Holmes we’re more used to – able to take one look at a situation before he’s practically smirking and throwing accusations around seemingly from nowhere, but of course utterly spot on and able to back it all up with a mile of evidence.
“The Adventure of the Speckled Bandana” by J. E. Cohen
Set in America in the 70s, this still somehow works. Probably because Holmes is still as punchable as he’s always been, getting Watson to try deduct a clue and then being such a smart-arse about it.
This is the kind of Holmes and Watson short I enjoy – a rushed trip for a mystery emergency, and the slow unveiling of the facts. I also like that while it’s not strictly said who it’s all about, you’re able to work it out pretty early on, and then there’s fairly gentle confirmation at the very end.
This was written with a deft hand, and it was quite enjoyable.
“The Rich Man’s Hand” by Joan De La Haye
Here the occult comes into play and we also see Lestrade make his first appearance, though he’s shown in his rougher and more dismissive way. We also see Watson snap at him a few times! Regardless they work together to determine that the body that’s turned up is the leftovers of a brutal murder that was seemingly for key pieces of the body parts – for what Holmes suspects is a magic spell or three – to gain great wealth, hence the title.
This of course means they have to deal with the person who has magical ability, so things are going to get a bit dangerous. This is where I was left waiting for the big reveal at the end – like, in the original shorts we often had the occult come into it, but then there was always a sensible reason for what had happened. Hrm.
“The Lantern Men” by Kaaron Warren
Ahh, Kaaron! Aussie and presenting us a story complete with utes – brilliant! I love Kaaron’s writing, she has an excellent, beautiful way with words and is able to easily lead you on a journey where you simply glide by, simply able to appreciate the technique.
In this, Holmes is an architect and Watson a builder, and I love the idea of Watson being on his way to being a doctor but then an unplanned pregnancy meaning he has to change carriers into something that pays immediately – how’s that for present day and realism, what with his whole ‘three-continents-Watson’ branding and all.
This one was quite creepy, as Kaaron is so talented with, and I loved the underlying threats that small country towns seem to carry in rougher areas. Love it!
“A Woman’s Place” by Emma Newman
I love futuristic fiction. Throw in a female Watson and a tale all about Mrs Hudson and I’m hooked! The writing in this one is quite sharp and nifty, keeping you turning the page eagerly for more.
How Newman handles Mrs Hudson though is really quite excellent. I won’t say anymore than I enjoyed it immensely, and the last paragraph certainly had a bit of lip-biting element to it. I would love to see this expanded into a novel!
“A Study in Scarborough” by Guy Adams
In a collection of excellent short stories let it be pointed out that this is one of the better ones – take a moment to reflect how good it must be. This is another different twist on the Holmes and Watson we know and love – modern and actual people, who are actually comedic actors portraying themselves as a Victorian detective and doctor. We see a man called Arthur Doyle come to interview the now 85-year-old Watson about his career and reflect on how he came to meet Holmes, move in with him, start a career, meet Mary Morston and so on.
It takes a nasty twist at the end which is quite effective – there’s something about reading horrible things that keeps you engaged, isn’t there? Adams is an excellent author. This is such an elegantly handled piece that just leaves you thinking ‘wow!’
“The Small World of 221B” by Ian Edginton
Another slightly spooky tale of the occult, where Watson travels to a small town to be best man at Stamford’s wedding. He suffers a hellish headache on arrival and the holly Stamford muses how odd that is – the same thing happened to him when he first arrived also! Everyone’s attire seems incredibly outdated also, and then there’s the issue that certain world events seem impossible to the towns people – entire wars have passed them by, of which they’ve never even heard of.
In this short there’s a character sure to take some by surprise – it certainly did me, though I think there are slight clues as to what’s about to happen. It’s expertly handled and even from there takes another turn into something even stranger and more fantastic. This is another short that left me thinking ‘wow!’
“The Final Conjuration” by Adrian Tchaikovsky
This one, unfortunately, just didn’t grab me. Bit disappointing after two brilliant stories!
“The Innocent Icarus” by James Lovegrove
Set in a world where powers exist for some, and some are left known as ‘Typical’, (as opposed to those known as ‘Cassandras’ (as in a mystic/precog), Icarus (power of flight), Hercules (strength), Archilles (bullets bounce off them and nothing can move them if they plant their feet, and what Watson is in this tale), and so on. Holmes is a Typical in this but doesn’t let that phase him, unlike certain others.
In this tale someone is staging murders to look like that of certain abilities in order to frame certain people who are closest to the victim. It takes Holmes and his mind along with Watson and his Archilles ability to protect Holmes from certain harm to figure it all out. This is another tale I’d love to see extended into a full novel.
“Half There/All There” by Glen Mehn
Another gritty, dark and gloomy tale, another set in America. This is now a world of drugs with seemingly everyone taking and we see Sherlock and John as they just meet and move in together.
This is a story I’d like to see expanded upon, perhaps in a novella, to explain the world and see more of it in general.
“All the Single Ladies” by Gini Koch
Another set in America, this time on school grounds where Watson is the doctor, and meets (a female) Holmes who is assisting the police with a matter that involves students from the same school.
This one is quite good with multiple suspects and a neat way of tying in Mrs Hudson and others, though we have Straude instead of Lestrade (unless Straude is another detective from the books that’s slipped my mind). This has the element of danger in a realistic, modern way. Really quite well done!
“The Patchwork Killer” by Kasey Lansdale
Another that failed to grab me, as it didn’t feature Watson and Holmes directly in their duo form.
“Parallels” by Jenni Hill
Another ‘not really Holmes and Watson’ tale as instead they’re teenage girls called Charlotte and Joan, but one’s still a brilliant sulky detective and one writes (all that’s said about her). This is all about fanfiction with Sherlock and John being famous literary characters brought back to the limelight thanks to recent adaptions.
This one is quite cute, but otherwise quite lacking in Sherlock Holmes and John Watson – more of a celebration of the friendships and fandom that comes from it. I too met my partner through Sherlock fandom so I’m willing to let this one by, but otherwise would have preferred the anthology to only contain the actual characters. This was still quite good, though.
~
I would recommend this anthology to anyone who likes any version of Sherlock Holmes – whether you will only read the originals or watch Jeremy Brett, or even if you’re constantly locked in online battles debating whether BBC Sherlock is better/worse than America’s Elementary. This anthology is for any Sherlock Holmes fan; there’s something here for everyone, and the writing is just that damn good.
Thank you to Rebellion for offering me a copy to review.
To read this review at my site and others like it, please click here
Throughout though, we see two best friends who complete each other in all kinds of times, situations and variances – whether they’re suddenly American or Watson is now female – and what strives through all to be the common factor – they belong together and they are what make each other fantastic.
This is an excellent anthology that shows just that.
“A Scandal in Hobohemia” by Jamie Wyman
More about the dynamic of the characters meeting than the case itself, we see a slightly different version of Holmes, Watson, Mrs Hudson (and possibly Irene?) in an American travelling carnival – complete with fortune-telling mystics and dwarves.
This opening piece is pretty dang excellent at throwing you into what kind of anthology this is going to be – our Holmes and Watson as we haven’t seen them before. They’re not on cozy Baker Street in their well-worned time and cobblestones, but they’re still the characters we know and love.
Also, in this piece Watson is also now a person of colour which adds an interesting dynamic thanks to the time it’s set in. I like that it ends before the case is solved – with Holmes ensnaring Watson into his new role – I mean, really, in this context, what else matters?
“Black Alice” by Kelly Hale
A young girl is accused not only of killing her beloved but also of using witchcraft. Holmes and Watson are called in as a favour, as Watson knows people of the village who think kindly of the poor girl, so she gains a bonus investigator thanks to the memory of her mum’s talent at dumplings.
This shows the Holmes we’re more used to – able to take one look at a situation before he’s practically smirking and throwing accusations around seemingly from nowhere, but of course utterly spot on and able to back it all up with a mile of evidence.
“The Adventure of the Speckled Bandana” by J. E. Cohen
Set in America in the 70s, this still somehow works. Probably because Holmes is still as punchable as he’s always been, getting Watson to try deduct a clue and then being such a smart-arse about it.
This is the kind of Holmes and Watson short I enjoy – a rushed trip for a mystery emergency, and the slow unveiling of the facts. I also like that while it’s not strictly said who it’s all about, you’re able to work it out pretty early on, and then there’s fairly gentle confirmation at the very end.
This was written with a deft hand, and it was quite enjoyable.
“The Rich Man’s Hand” by Joan De La Haye
Here the occult comes into play and we also see Lestrade make his first appearance, though he’s shown in his rougher and more dismissive way. We also see Watson snap at him a few times! Regardless they work together to determine that the body that’s turned up is the leftovers of a brutal murder that was seemingly for key pieces of the body parts – for what Holmes suspects is a magic spell or three – to gain great wealth, hence the title.
This of course means they have to deal with the person who has magical ability, so things are going to get a bit dangerous. This is where I was left waiting for the big reveal at the end – like, in the original shorts we often had the occult come into it, but then there was always a sensible reason for what had happened. Hrm.
“The Lantern Men” by Kaaron Warren
Ahh, Kaaron! Aussie and presenting us a story complete with utes – brilliant! I love Kaaron’s writing, she has an excellent, beautiful way with words and is able to easily lead you on a journey where you simply glide by, simply able to appreciate the technique.
In this, Holmes is an architect and Watson a builder, and I love the idea of Watson being on his way to being a doctor but then an unplanned pregnancy meaning he has to change carriers into something that pays immediately – how’s that for present day and realism, what with his whole ‘three-continents-Watson’ branding and all.
This one was quite creepy, as Kaaron is so talented with, and I loved the underlying threats that small country towns seem to carry in rougher areas. Love it!
“A Woman’s Place” by Emma Newman
I love futuristic fiction. Throw in a female Watson and a tale all about Mrs Hudson and I’m hooked! The writing in this one is quite sharp and nifty, keeping you turning the page eagerly for more.
How Newman handles Mrs Hudson though is really quite excellent. I won’t say anymore than I enjoyed it immensely, and the last paragraph certainly had a bit of lip-biting element to it. I would love to see this expanded into a novel!
“A Study in Scarborough” by Guy Adams
In a collection of excellent short stories let it be pointed out that this is one of the better ones – take a moment to reflect how good it must be. This is another different twist on the Holmes and Watson we know and love – modern and actual people, who are actually comedic actors portraying themselves as a Victorian detective and doctor. We see a man called Arthur Doyle come to interview the now 85-year-old Watson about his career and reflect on how he came to meet Holmes, move in with him, start a career, meet Mary Morston and so on.
It takes a nasty twist at the end which is quite effective – there’s something about reading horrible things that keeps you engaged, isn’t there? Adams is an excellent author. This is such an elegantly handled piece that just leaves you thinking ‘wow!’
“The Small World of 221B” by Ian Edginton
Another slightly spooky tale of the occult, where Watson travels to a small town to be best man at Stamford’s wedding. He suffers a hellish headache on arrival and the holly Stamford muses how odd that is – the same thing happened to him when he first arrived also! Everyone’s attire seems incredibly outdated also, and then there’s the issue that certain world events seem impossible to the towns people – entire wars have passed them by, of which they’ve never even heard of.
In this short there’s a character sure to take some by surprise – it certainly did me, though I think there are slight clues as to what’s about to happen. It’s expertly handled and even from there takes another turn into something even stranger and more fantastic. This is another short that left me thinking ‘wow!’
“The Final Conjuration” by Adrian Tchaikovsky
This one, unfortunately, just didn’t grab me. Bit disappointing after two brilliant stories!
“The Innocent Icarus” by James Lovegrove
Set in a world where powers exist for some, and some are left known as ‘Typical’, (as opposed to those known as ‘Cassandras’ (as in a mystic/precog), Icarus (power of flight), Hercules (strength), Archilles (bullets bounce off them and nothing can move them if they plant their feet, and what Watson is in this tale), and so on. Holmes is a Typical in this but doesn’t let that phase him, unlike certain others.
In this tale someone is staging murders to look like that of certain abilities in order to frame certain people who are closest to the victim. It takes Holmes and his mind along with Watson and his Archilles ability to protect Holmes from certain harm to figure it all out. This is another tale I’d love to see extended into a full novel.
“Half There/All There” by Glen Mehn
Another gritty, dark and gloomy tale, another set in America. This is now a world of drugs with seemingly everyone taking and we see Sherlock and John as they just meet and move in together.
This is a story I’d like to see expanded upon, perhaps in a novella, to explain the world and see more of it in general.
“All the Single Ladies” by Gini Koch
Another set in America, this time on school grounds where Watson is the doctor, and meets (a female) Holmes who is assisting the police with a matter that involves students from the same school.
This one is quite good with multiple suspects and a neat way of tying in Mrs Hudson and others, though we have Straude instead of Lestrade (unless Straude is another detective from the books that’s slipped my mind). This has the element of danger in a realistic, modern way. Really quite well done!
“The Patchwork Killer” by Kasey Lansdale
Another that failed to grab me, as it didn’t feature Watson and Holmes directly in their duo form.
“Parallels” by Jenni Hill
Another ‘not really Holmes and Watson’ tale as instead they’re teenage girls called Charlotte and Joan, but one’s still a brilliant sulky detective and one writes (all that’s said about her). This is all about fanfiction with Sherlock and John being famous literary characters brought back to the limelight thanks to recent adaptions.
This one is quite cute, but otherwise quite lacking in Sherlock Holmes and John Watson – more of a celebration of the friendships and fandom that comes from it. I too met my partner through Sherlock fandom so I’m willing to let this one by, but otherwise would have preferred the anthology to only contain the actual characters. This was still quite good, though.
~
I would recommend this anthology to anyone who likes any version of Sherlock Holmes – whether you will only read the originals or watch Jeremy Brett, or even if you’re constantly locked in online battles debating whether BBC Sherlock is better/worse than America’s Elementary. This anthology is for any Sherlock Holmes fan; there’s something here for everyone, and the writing is just that damn good.
Thank you to Rebellion for offering me a copy to review.
To read this review at my site and others like it, please click here
tardisgirl's review
5.0
I adore this book, and quite frankly would be up for further stories about most of the alternative Holmeses and Watsons.
jenn_reads's review
I've tried this anthology a few times and DNF every time. The quality of stories is inconsistent and it has a hard time grabbing my interest.
alexvb's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
3.9 / 5 Average Rating.
This was given to me as an ARC courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This anthology starts pretty rough with hits and misses taking turns, but the second half of this anthology is SOLID! My top favourite stories were: A Woman's Place by Emma Newman, A study in Scarborough by Guy Adams, The Final Conjuration by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Parallels by Jenni Hill, and The Rich Man's Hand by Karon Warren.
And I fully intend to read more from and look into: Emma Newman, Karen Warren, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Jenni Hill, Ian Edginton, and James Lovegrove.
Individual Thoughts:
A Scandal in Hobohemia by Jamie Wyman 2.5/5 : this story ended JUST as it was getting good which is said. I liked the carnival setting and the diversity of characters and personalities. But, there were one or two words related to race that I wasn't sure were appropriate or not.
Black Alice by Kelly Hale 3/5 : I really liked the writing and how accurately she wrote Sherlock's speech. The story jumped a little too fast, I think just a bit more development in unlocking the truth would've been better. But I enjoyed this one! Oh, but there were so not nice things about fat people in this one.
The Adventure of the Speckled Bandana by J.E.Cohen 4/5 : I really liked how they captured Watson's voice in this one. The mystery reveal wasn't the smoothest, especially if you don't know the pop culture of the time but if you do, then it does leave enough hints for you to figure it out and makes the ending was nice even though the reveal is never specifically announced. The American setting was interesting.
The Rich Man's Hand by Karon Warren 4/5 : this one is my favourite so far! The writing was easy, the pacing was just right, just my style. I liked how the crime was presented. I liked the banter between Watson and Sherlock in this one. The story progressed well and the mystery and details were explained well. I liked the magical element too!
A Woman's Place by Emma Newman 5/5 : This one was the best yet. A plot and B plot were both compelling and the twist at the end was great. I loved every second of this and I really liked the pace and the writing too! Oh and genderbending watson and making her gay? YES!!! I LOVED IT!
A study in Scarborough by Guy Adams 5/5 : I admit, it took me a bit to get into. I didn't like the radio script at first but once we got into the meat, I loved it!! And the three twists at the end and the uncovering of secrets were GREAT. I loved it! I'll be keeping an eye on this author too.
A Small World of 221b by Ian Edginton 4/5 : I enjoyed this. It really does go weird very quickly. I really enjoyed the first crossover but the conclusion and twist was not to my taste. I enjoyed the writing style too.
The Final Conjuration by Adrian Tchaikovsky 4.5/5 : This was a delight! It was so nice to get a completely different story half way through the anthology. I was already hooked by the setting, the characters and the twist on Sherlock. I feel in love with the writing style and the word choice greatly! While the ending was a little confusing and rushed, I thoroughly enjoyed it!! I'll be reading more from them!
The Innocent Icarus by James Lovegrove 4/5 : I fell into the style and atmosphere of this story straight away. It was true to Victorian Sherlock. The language was so "Sherlock". The Category twist confused me for most of the story but I got it by the end, and I liked the twist and how it fit into the mystery. I really enjoyed this one. It felt so Sherlocky.
Half There / All There by Glen Mehn 3/5 : Finally a gay sherlock! Finally a story with a mix of characters in gender, sexuality and race! However, I feel the later half of the story was totally rushed and I feel like ive missed a chunk of info about what happened with Adler and Valerie.
All the Single Ladies by Gini Koch 4/5 : I liked seeing a sassy female sherlock. I also liked the mystery and set up. You could predict the who dunnit but it wasn't too obvious and it was plausible so I really liked it.
The Patchwork Killer by Kasey Lansdale 3/5 : The opening was kind of confusing and I don't think enough was laid out for the reader to find the culprit. But I loved the tech side and the M.O was very interesting. It was so kind of future Sherlock and Watson offspring setting which was interesting too.
Parallels by Jenni Hill 5/5 : Omg Sherlock fanfic within a Sherlock alt story?! Yes!! Gimme! I love how meta it was. The author explains in enough depth about fanfic so none readers understand what it is, but for people who love fanfic (which I assume is a lot of the anthology's readers) it feels little overkill on the explanation. And it felt a little outdated e.g. "The pointed at the feedback section at the bottom of the webpage" but again, this could just be an explanation for the fanfic newbies. It was so cute!! The ending was the cutest and felt pretty realistic for high school life. While this was very, very loose Sherlock, i love how it was incorporated and I am a sucker for fanfic stuff.
This was given to me as an ARC courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This anthology starts pretty rough with hits and misses taking turns, but the second half of this anthology is SOLID! My top favourite stories were: A Woman's Place by Emma Newman, A study in Scarborough by Guy Adams, The Final Conjuration by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Parallels by Jenni Hill, and The Rich Man's Hand by Karon Warren.
And I fully intend to read more from and look into: Emma Newman, Karen Warren, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Jenni Hill, Ian Edginton, and James Lovegrove.
Individual Thoughts:
A Scandal in Hobohemia by Jamie Wyman 2.5/5 : this story ended JUST as it was getting good which is said. I liked the carnival setting and the diversity of characters and personalities. But, there were one or two words related to race that I wasn't sure were appropriate or not.
Black Alice by Kelly Hale 3/5 : I really liked the writing and how accurately she wrote Sherlock's speech. The story jumped a little too fast, I think just a bit more development in unlocking the truth would've been better. But I enjoyed this one! Oh, but there were so not nice things about fat people in this one.
The Adventure of the Speckled Bandana by J.E.Cohen 4/5 : I really liked how they captured Watson's voice in this one. The mystery reveal wasn't the smoothest, especially if you don't know the pop culture of the time but if you do, then it does leave enough hints for you to figure it out and makes the ending was nice even though the reveal is never specifically announced. The American setting was interesting.
The Rich Man's Hand by Karon Warren 4/5 : this one is my favourite so far! The writing was easy, the pacing was just right, just my style. I liked how the crime was presented. I liked the banter between Watson and Sherlock in this one. The story progressed well and the mystery and details were explained well. I liked the magical element too!
A Woman's Place by Emma Newman 5/5 : This one was the best yet. A plot and B plot were both compelling and the twist at the end was great. I loved every second of this and I really liked the pace and the writing too! Oh and genderbending watson and making her gay? YES!!! I LOVED IT!
A study in Scarborough by Guy Adams 5/5 : I admit, it took me a bit to get into. I didn't like the radio script at first but once we got into the meat, I loved it!! And the three twists at the end and the uncovering of secrets were GREAT. I loved it! I'll be keeping an eye on this author too.
A Small World of 221b by Ian Edginton 4/5 : I enjoyed this. It really does go weird very quickly. I really enjoyed the first crossover but the conclusion and twist was not to my taste. I enjoyed the writing style too.
The Final Conjuration by Adrian Tchaikovsky 4.5/5 : This was a delight! It was so nice to get a completely different story half way through the anthology. I was already hooked by the setting, the characters and the twist on Sherlock. I feel in love with the writing style and the word choice greatly! While the ending was a little confusing and rushed, I thoroughly enjoyed it!! I'll be reading more from them!
The Innocent Icarus by James Lovegrove 4/5 : I fell into the style and atmosphere of this story straight away. It was true to Victorian Sherlock. The language was so "Sherlock". The Category twist confused me for most of the story but I got it by the end, and I liked the twist and how it fit into the mystery. I really enjoyed this one. It felt so Sherlocky.
Half There / All There by Glen Mehn 3/5 : Finally a gay sherlock! Finally a story with a mix of characters in gender, sexuality and race! However, I feel the later half of the story was totally rushed and I feel like ive missed a chunk of info about what happened with Adler and Valerie.
All the Single Ladies by Gini Koch 4/5 : I liked seeing a sassy female sherlock. I also liked the mystery and set up. You could predict the who dunnit but it wasn't too obvious and it was plausible so I really liked it.
The Patchwork Killer by Kasey Lansdale 3/5 : The opening was kind of confusing and I don't think enough was laid out for the reader to find the culprit. But I loved the tech side and the M.O was very interesting. It was so kind of future Sherlock and Watson offspring setting which was interesting too.
Parallels by Jenni Hill 5/5 : Omg Sherlock fanfic within a Sherlock alt story?! Yes!! Gimme! I love how meta it was. The author explains in enough depth about fanfic so none readers understand what it is, but for people who love fanfic (which I assume is a lot of the anthology's readers) it feels little overkill on the explanation. And it felt a little outdated e.g. "The pointed at the feedback section at the bottom of the webpage" but again, this could just be an explanation for the fanfic newbies. It was so cute!! The ending was the cutest and felt pretty realistic for high school life. While this was very, very loose Sherlock, i love how it was incorporated and I am a sucker for fanfic stuff.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia and Racism