News — Book Reviews

"Sherlock Holmes: The Scottish Question, or Sons of the Thistle by Mike Hogan  seems singularly appropriate to the year of the Scottish referendum, as it starts with the reported theft of the Coronation Stone from Westminster Abbey (but is it the real Stone of Destiny?), leading Holmes to uncover a plot by Scottish nationalists to destroy the Union. In the shadows, behind the plot, is a foreign power, whose aim goes beyond the dismantling of the United Kingdom. Terrorism, espionage, danger and hair’s-breadth escapes make The Scottish Question apolitical thriller rather than a detective story – and why not? There’s...

“This is a different book than most English speaking Sherlockians are accustomed to. First, it has been translated from Czech.  Next, it is a graphic version of SCAN, but it also includes SPEC as if it occurred intertwined with events in SCAN.  Finally, it also includes additional material.  In most cases, the additional material comes as a bit of a surprise.  The appearances of Dorian Grey and Mr. Hyde in SCAN may give some indication of the things in store for the reader. This book is the fourth in time-sequence of ten or eleven graphic novels produced by the author.  I am not sure how...

"Petr Kopl’s SHERLOCK HOLMES: A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA is an imaginative comic-book adaptation of more thanv one story, with spectacular full-color artwork and a preface by Ales Kolo-drubec. First published in Czech and now translated into English, it’s a welcome sample of Kopl’s ‘Victoria Regina’ series. He has an interestingvweb-site at <www.petrkopl.cz> (if your computer runs Google Translate you can pretend you’re fluent in Czech)” Peter Blau, September 2014. Scandal In Bohemia is available from this week through all good bookstores includingBook Depository (free shipping worldwide), Amazon USA, and Amazon UK.

"Another MX title is PROJECT TWO, TO ONE, BE: SHERLOCK HOLMES AND A HOUSE OF LIGHT, SHADOWS, AND VIEWS (2014; 162 pp.); edited by Carrie Carlson and Lynn Gale, it’s an anthology of tributes to Undershaw, with a foreward by Laurie R. King, and essays, photographs, and artwork by other supporters of the campaign to preserve Conan Doyle’s home.” Two, To One, Be is available from all good bookstores including   Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Waterstones UK, and for free shipping worldwide Book Depository .

"Due on 12 September is A Scandal in Bohemia, adapted as a graphic novel by the brilliant Czech illustrator Petr Kopl and translated (back) into English by Paul & Jana Simpson. Actually there are two adventures here, the other being ‘The Speckled Band’, and both serve to show Holmes that women can be just as courageous and intelligent as men – much to Watson’s satisfaction. The result is a feast for the eye and the imagination. The vivid, exciting text is enhanced by artwork that’s by turns deeply atmospheric and devastatingly funny – and often beautiful. This is a thoroughly classy production (MX Publishing;www.mxpublishing.co.uk). The original won the 2013 Fabula Rasa Czech Award for...