Reviews

Young Sherlock Holmes 1: Death Cloud by Andy Lane

caseysmith19's review against another edition

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4.0

The first of the Young Sherlock Holmes Trilogy shows Sherlock's beginning and how he thought and learnt around the age of 14. The book stays close to the storyline of the older and classic Sherlock books by Arthur Conan Doyle.
It becomes a witty, interesting and unpredictable story of a young boy who doesn't not do what he is told and indulges in the mysteries of the small disappointing house he is sent to one year when is mother becomes mysteriously ill and his father is sent to India.

vinitneo's review against another edition

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3.0

This book tries to show us what Sherlock was like before Arthur Conan Doyle first introduced him to the world. What sort of teenager was he? Where did he go to school, and who were his friends? Where and when did he learn the skills that he displayed later in life – the logical mind, the boxing and sword-fighting, the love of music and of playing the violin? What did he study at university? When (if ever) did he travel abroad? What scared him and who, if anyone, did he love?

Being the first book, I don't think .... read rest of the review - http://vinitneo.com/2012/01/death-cloud-by-andrew-lane-book-review/

beatniksafari's review against another edition

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3.0

I knew very little about the character of Sherlock Holmes before reading this book, besides that he solves mysteries and is highly analytical. While reading this story of Sherlock as a teenager, I probably missed a lot of inside references that would make sense to devoted Holmes fan. As it was, I found this an average mystery, with a few too many coincidences and over-the-top situations. More than once, I thought, "Oh, come on," as Sherlock once again narrowly escaped death. I did recommend the book to some of my middle school students who are fans of the Doyle books or the movie versions, but I do not see myself continuing with this series.

mhfarmer's review against another edition

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2.0

Recommended for middle grades and younger teens who like mysteries, as well as those kids who fly through all of the fantasy series and need something else to get into. I don't think I'd give this to older teens who are fans of the BBC show starring Benedict Cumberbatch, because this version of Sherlock just doesn't have the same fun eccentricity, but it is a solid plot.

madmads126's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

ipreferquiet's review against another edition

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3.0

While I appreciate the effort to explore the youth of Sherlock Holmes, this story was too far fetched and implausible at times.

jennifermreads's review against another edition

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3.0

If you are a Sherlock fan, aren’t you even a teensy interested in his childhood? How did he get those skills of deduction? Was he always a solitary soul? Who are Sherlock’s family? Death Cloud: Young Sherlock Holmes will give you glimpses of the answers to all these questions.

While spending the summer with his aunt and uncle, two of the local villagers die after displaying symptoms of the plague. Is a new plague outbreak forthcoming? Holmes investigates the deaths with the assistance of his tutor Amyus Crowe – and thus crosses the path of a villain as evil as the infamous Moriarty.

I am relatively new to the world of Sherlock Holmes. Yes, I knew of Sherlock but I had never read Sherlock. While the theatrical release of Robert Downey, Jr.’s movies piqued my interest, it was Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal as the legendary detective that pushed me to start reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. And, I am now addicted to all things Sherlock.

Andrew Lane’s introduction to a younger Sherlock provides an intriguing glimpse into what could have been the sleuth’s introduction to sleuthing and deduction. I read with eagerness, absorbing details about friends (he had friends?!? Before Watson?!), education, family (more than just Mycroft?!?), and, oh yes, murder, mayhem, and mystery.

I listened to the audio version of this book. I never found myself distracted or uncomfortable in how the story was being read to me. For someone who much prefers reading paper versions of books, not being distracted by the narrator is a BIG deal!

I will undoubtedly pick-up another edition in this series. At the same time, I'm also eager to dive into some of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's less talked about stories. The quest for all-things-Sherlock continues!

starryworlds's review against another edition

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3.0

I enjoyed this book because it gave me an insight into how Sherlock Holmes could have been like when he was younger even though I personally think he could have been different when he was younger to the way that he was portrayed in this book and I think the book could have been a lot better.
I love the twist that it was actually bees that were killing people rather than a disease and the way that Sherlock uncovered the Baron's plans.
However one of the bad things about this book is that Matty trusted Sherlock straight away whereas in the Victorian times, homeless people weren't trustful with people especially people who came from a rich background.
Reading this book, it has highlighted the fact that I need to read the Arthur Conan Doyle books because I just really want to read the original books now.

palomasstefani's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

opticflow's review against another edition

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4.0

Good lord, so earnest! Plucky young Sherlock looking up to big bro Mycroft, confused by girls and horses, and learning all those deductive skills from an American! The audacity. Ha ha.

But if you love SH canon this will not disappoint. Bees, hansom cabs, boxing, helpful urchins, Sherrinford Holmes, Mycroft's mysterious government job, solving a mystery at all costs, analyzing crime scene samples, and pining for someone to help organize and write down his thoughts? Yeah, that pretty much nails it.