Author: Kim Newman
Series: N/A
Published: 4 October 2011 by Titan Books
Length: 476 pages
Warnings: violence,
references to prostitution, 13+
Source: bought
Other info: Kim
has also written the Anno Dracula books, as well as other things
Summary : Imagine
the twisted evil twins of Holmes and Watson and you have the dangerous duo of
Prof. James Moriarty - wily, snake- like, fiercely intelligent,
unpredictable - and Colonel Sebastian 'Basher' Moran - violent,politically
incorrect, debauched. Together they run London crime, owning police and
criminals alike. Unravelling mysteries -- all for their own gain.
Review: Moriarty
and Moran-the criminal equivalent of Holmes and Watson. This collection of
short stories charts their running around London and the rest of England,
living with a woman who runs a brothel, and taking on their fair share of
cases.
Literary mashup galore in here! Obviously, the
Sherlock-verse is the major recipient of Kim's treatment, but there are
characters from many other Victorian stories. The titles are all plays on the
more-known Sherlock Holmes stories, and all feature
In the author's note, we're told that the first to be
written was A Shambles in Belgravia. In my opinion, this one was the best. The
opening line is my favourite in the whole novel: "To Professor Moriarty,
she is always that bitch." Compare this to the reverance that Sherlock
holds for the same woman, Irene Adler, and you should understand why this book
is amazing.
A Volume in Vermillion keeps introductions a rather neat
parallel to A Study in Scarlet, before putting Moran in his first spot of
trouble. I didn't really enjoy The Red Planet League. It just didn't hold my attention. The Hound
of the D'Urbervilles was good at bringing together various literary characters
from everywhere, as was The Adventure of the Six Maledictions. The Greek
Invertebrate is the best paced story, and The Problem of the Final Adventure
brings back characters from the previous stories. It also leaves Sherlock and
Moriarty's fates really, really ambiguous.
The stories are written as a set of diaries from Moran. The
writing style is very entertaining, with most of it about the case, but a lot
of interruptions pertaining to Mrs Halifax's girls and what Moran wants to do
with them.
Sebastian Moran is fully built up characterwise, and the
kind of guy that you might want to be friends with if you like people loud,
strong opinioned and a little mad. It's also good to see his character and his
attitudes to things develop with exposure to Moriarty.
Professor James Moriarty. Painted very well, much more
elaborately than Conan Doyle ever did. His attitudes are strange and
roundabout, and you can't always understand him. I really like what Newman has
done-given him two brothers also called James. The Moriarty family are all as
eccentric as eachother, but the Professor was my favourite of the three.
He's not my favourite character in the whole thing though.
That goes to Sophy, a Greek woman who joins Moriarty's family of crime and is a
really good actress. Close second is Irene Adler, who has remained as an opera
singer, albeit one that caused a man to kill himself after her performance. In
addition to these two women, there's a
large cast of criminals and clients making up the supporting cast.
Interestingly, Watson is quoted a couple of times as Moran gives his
uncomplimentary view on the same event, and Sherlock is reduced to being only
"The Thin Man".
Overall: Strength 5 tea to a book taking many things I
love and throwing them together.
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Nina xxx