The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes (1998) - Plot & Excerpts
The stories were very interesting, and I enjoyed most of them. But, I don't know, I didn't find them very satisfying. Maybe I am not really a fan of short stories? Perhaps I'll enjoy the Sherlock Holmes novels more.There are twelve short stories in this collection. They are a selection of some of the interesting cases recorded by Dr. Watson which he and his friend Sherlock Holmes handled in the latter's career.A rough sketch of the stories (Spoiler alert!)A Scandal in BohemiaThe King of Bohemia is threatened with a scandal. He is about to be married to a royal personality, but the scandal may prevent that. The scandal is in the form of a... no, not a video recording, of course, but a picture. He is seen with a woman in the picture. The woman is Irene Adler, and she is very pretty and intelligent. The King apparently still has affections for her (He sometimes is heard saying, "What a woman! What a woman!"), but they cannot be married. Fortunately, Irene is in love with another man. They got married, and off they went to a secret place to escape from the King and get away from Sherlock Holmes. The photograph is a piece of insurance. No scandal will erupt as long as the King leaves her alone.The Red-Headed LeagueA bizarre case involving a fictitious company recruiting red-headed men. It is a ploy to draw one businessman from his shop, which is located near a bank. The villains are planning to rob it. Holmes discovers them just in time.A Case of IdentityA man disguises himself to trick his own stepdaughter into ensuring that she doesn't marry any other man. Holmes uncovers his real identity.The Boscombe Valley MysteryA man is murdered. Evidences point strongly to his son as the suspect. But upon closer inspection by Holmes, the real culprit happens to be the victim's neighbor and life-long enemy. It was discovered that the victim has actually been manipulating the culprit and exploiting them and their wealth. The culprit's last straw broke when the victim took an interest at the former's daughter.The Five Orange PipsTwo men are murdered. The crime has something to do with the K.K.K, but the perpetrators are not accosted. Holmes discovers their identity, but their ship, which was bound for America, mystery disappeared into the sea, never to be seen and heard from again.The Man With the Twisted LipA woman seeks Holmes's help in finding his missing husband. She last saw him in a very unlikely place -- in a building near an opium den. The only witness seems to be a beggar. Her husband is nowhere to be found. What remains is his clothes, and a blood stain inside the room where she last saw him. It turns out that the beggar and the husband are one. He has been pretending to be a mendicant because the earning was bigger than his regular job as a journalist.The Adventure of the Blue CarbuncleA man discovers a precious gem stone inside a geese. It turns out to be the blue carbuncle that was stolen from a royal personality. Holmes and Dr. Watson traces the events that led to the discovery of the geese in the hope of finding the person responsible for the theft.The Adventure of the Speckled BandA woman dies on the eve of her wedding. She saw something terrible inside her room in the middle of the night. Holmes's discovers the perpetrator as her stepfather. The Speckled Band is a large poisonous snake.The Adventure of the Engineer's ThumbAn engineer discovers a machine that reproduces fake coins. He is almost caught by the perpetrators and got nearly killed. He seeks Holmes's help in discovering the identity of the culprits. They were never caught, but their precious machinery got destroyed.The Adventure of the Noble BachelorA Duke asks Holmes's help after his new bride suddenly disappeared on the morning following their wedding. Holmes discovers that the woman actually took off with the man whom she swore her love to in the past.The Adventure of the Beryl CoronetThe Beryl Coronet is a National Treasure. It is stolen, and the man in charge of keeping and protecting it initially accused his son. But the real culprit is his neice. His son is actually the hero.The Adventure of the Copper BeechesThe Copper Beeches is the name of a large and unusual mansion. A lady is offered a job as a governess. The pay is too good to be true, but the terms are strange. The mansion has a secret in one of its wings. The owners' daughter is beeing kept there. She has a kind of fever, and the governess is being hired to unwittingly impersonate the daughter so that the latter's fiance may be driven away.Personal thoughtsSherlock Holmes is a very intelligent detective. His methods may be a bit unusual, but they are very effective. That is to say, they almost always work. He is very systematic in the way he investigates each of the cases that he encounters. He often starts by asking his clients to tell him their whole story. He observes them very carefully as they speak, taking mental notes about their appearance, clothing, and attitude. He gathers all the data from their narrative. Then, he forms hypotheses. Almost always, he gets it right, and the case is usually solved even before the client leaves Holmes's room! But he always tests his hypotheses physically, and the perpetrators are often caught and the mystery usually solved.But there's something funny about his reasoning sometimes. I sometimes think that he is making hasty generalizations. For example, in the Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, how is it possible to know so much about a person by merely analyzing his hat? How can he deduce that the man's wife doesn't love him anymore just because the hat appears dirty or unwashed? There could be many reasons for that. It could be that his wife is usually tired when he gets home, or that the man doesn't want her to touch his hat, and so on. If Holmes is wrong about that, or if he's prone to commit similar errors in reasoning, could that have affected his other cases?I liked most of the stories, but I found a couple to be a bit boring. It has something to do with Arthur Conan Doyle spending too much time describing details in the stories. I liked A Scandal in Bohemia best.
Well, what can I say? It's Sherlock Holmes. Even if you've never read any of Conan Doyle's stories (and shame on you!) you probably still know quite a bit about this figure that is one of the most iconic in literature and even know details of many of his cases. Prior to this more systematic read-through I had only actually read a few of the stories and much of my knowledge came from the (admittedly excellent) BBC TV series starring the late great Jeremy Brett (the best of all Holmes').These twelve stories represent the first of his continuing adventures published after the initial novels _A Study in Scarlet_ and _The Sign of Four_ (which I have yet to read). They are all uniformly entertaining and well-written, though some stood out to me, most notably "A Scandal in Bohemia" where Holmes is actually beaten, and not by a criminal nemesis like Moriarty, but by the brilliant Irene Adler; "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" which encompases unrequited love, outlaws on the frontier, and treacherous blackmailing; "The Five Orange Pips" which pits Holmes against the nefarious machinations of the KKK; "The Man with the Twisted Lip" one of the many cases which makes use of mistaken identity, and "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches" which portrays the also common theme of familial dysfunction and paternal greed.I was a little surprised to note a few things in my reading, one of which was the number of strong female characters Doyle made use of. From Irene Adler and Violet Hunter, who both impress Holmes with their intellignece, courage and ability, to the no nonsense Hatty Doran and Mrs. Toller. Next, I think Doyle may not have had much of a fondness for dogs given their characterisation in "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches" and (from what I gather at least) _The Hound of the Baskervilles_...maybe he was a cat guy? It was curious to see several references also made to Holmes' great physical strength...something I wasn't particularly aware of. I had mistakenly thought him to be primarily an intellectual hero. Finally it was a bit surprising to see the number of times that Holmes does not "get his man" and the criminals escape, perhaps to be punished by Fate, but this is not always the case. Somewhat tied in with this last point: Holmes seems content to let his fair share of criminals escape 'justice' so long as he sees the validity of their actions or believes in the sincerity of their contrition. He's simply interested in the puzzle (and crime merely gives it more zest), not really in meting out justice per se.Many plot elements seem to recur in these stories, but I don't know that this is a major detraction since the main draw of all of these tales is, of course, the unparalleled character of Holmes himself and the incredible deductive method he uses. Yes it's true, Holmes is a bit of a prick and he always likes to show off (though he'd never admit it). He is, however, nearly always right, so can you blame him for having a somewhat cool disdain for us mere mortals? He also has enough failings to make him interesting (whether it's his monomania when it comes to solving puzzles, his drug addiction, or his passive-aggressive need to be praised by his somewhat dim compatriot Dr. Watson). He was also made somewhat more sympathetic (to me at least) in his ironic disdain for many of the upper class people that become his clients (most notably the King of Bohemia and Lord Robert St. Simon who are at the receiving end a few choice bon mots) and his very real sympathy for the weak victims preyed upon by the strong and unscrupulous in his cases.Overall, Sherlock Holmes' adventures provide very enjoyable reading and one almost feels they are walking through the foggy streets of London, or across the blustery English countryside with him in these reminiscences of the good doctor. I should note here that I was listening to the free Librivox audio recording for this "read" as performed by Ruth Golding. She was an excellent narrator with good pace and excellent dramatic feeling. Her character of Holmes was quite good, but I must admit that I found Watson's 'voice' a little bit odd (I think this may have contributed above and beyond anything in the actual text to making him appear a bit of a simpleton), and some of the secondary characters followed suit. Overall though, a very enjoyable listen.
What do You think about The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes (1998)?
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes were the first Sherlock Holmes stories I ever read. I fell in love with the style and atmosphere of these stories, eight or so years ago, and never bothered to re-read until now. Having re-read, I see that there are key elements of the stories which slipped past my younger self.For instance, the fact that - for his time - Arthur Conan Doyle wrote in ways that were a touch more shocking. To us, he may still seem very dated, his moral codes part of his era. Yet the fact that he even hints at and writes female characters with roles not always dependent upon marriage (that he has independent women characters) is important. Irene Addler and some of his other female characters are much stronger than the female characters written around the same kind of era - hence hinting to me that Doyle had a much more open and critical mind than many around him. But of course, how else could he have created some of the most compelling mystery plots of all? And how else could he have created such an analytical and rational detective?Another issue that slipped past my younger self still are elements that appear to be dated. For instance the fact that assassins in one of the stories were the KKK (history has since changed their role for the worse). For another thing, that Holmes uses cocaine and also is seen in an opium den (whether he uses the drug is never clarified). Yet, I myself as a pre-teen, never realised that Holmes was using such drugs...That all said, the mysteries presented inside these short stories remain compelling and intricate. Perhaps some are solved far too easily or conveniently, but the world of fog, tobacco smoke and violin playing which is so occupied by Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend, John Watson, is one of fascination. For those characters alone you can read these stories, and for the artistic way in which Doyle - through Watson - depicts strange mysteries with some artistic prose.So, after a more recent reading, I still recommend these stories. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, out of any author I have read, seems to grasp logic better than anyone. Both mathematical/scientific logic and deductive logic are offered as valuable and rare, rarer than any crime committed by human characters. Which all goes to suggest that it is easier to commit atrocities, but harder to solve them.
—Jonathan
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the first short story collection I've read by Arthur Conan Doyle. I'm reading his Sherlock Holmes stories roughly in their publication order; I already have A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of Four under my belt.I really enjoyed the two novels I read by Doyle - but I think I enjoyed his short stories more. Short stories are a weird sort of format when you're used to novel length books. There is very little room for characterisation, and they tend to be very straightforward because of limited space. The Holmes stories are perfect for the format. Since I had already read the first two novels, I didn't need to get to know Holmes. What these stories focus on is adventures Watson and Holmes have, and they are crafted precisely so Holmes's deductions shine.I was very surprised that Conan Doyle added a measure of unpredictability by making Holmes fallible. Not every story in this collection has a happy ending, even though all of the ending give a certain measure of closure. Holmes doesn't always win, which makes the stories much more interesting to read. Though I did guess some of the endings, others were pleasant surprises. If you don't mind the short story format, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a fantastic collection. Many of the issues I had with the novels (pacing problems, racism, continuity errors) weren't nearly as prevalent in this book. Highly recommended for mystery fans that need something to read on their daily commute.
—Celine
Sherlock Holmes is one of the great characters of literature - who can resist the aloof arrogance and limitless self-satisfaction which stems from that intellectual superiority with which he squishes all the dodgy baronets and rum foreign coves that turn up in the mysteries presented to him by the clients who never fail, when recounting their tangled tales, to speak in perfect paragraphs full of precisely recollected speech in a style exactly like a Conan Doyle story? I love the love story between Holmes and Watson - they may or may not be closet cases, but yes it is rather interesting how in "The Man with the Twisted Lip" when Watson stumbles over Holmes in disguise in an opium den from where Watson is retrieving the erring husband of his wife's friend late one night, without a second thought, Watson packs the stoned husband into a cabriolet and sends him home whilst he goes off with Sherlock to spend the night – never mind what a fretting wife will be thinking! Watson is of course the Boswell to Sherlock's equally-eccentric Dr Johnson and just as the great doctor got rather aggravated at Bozzy at times and swatted him like a fly, so we get this rather grim pronouncement from Sherlock - they are discussing the accounts Watson writes and publishes of Sherlock's cases, the very accounts we have been reading in this book, yes, rather postmodern of Conan Doyle:"You have erred perhaps in attempting to put colour and life into each of your statements, instead of confining yourself to the task of placing upon record that severe reasoning from cause to effect which is really the only notable feature about the thing.""It seems that I have done you full justice in the matter," I remarked with some coldness, for I was repelled by the egotism which I had more than once observed to be a strong factor in my friend's singular character."No, it is not selfishness or conceit," said he, answering, as was his wont, my thoughts rather than my words. "If I claim full justice for my art, it is because it is an impersonal thing – a thing beyond myself. Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore it is upon the logic rather than upon the crime that you should dwell. You have degraded what should have been a course of lectures into a series of tales."That's telling him. But Sherlock, these are beautifully written tales! For instance, I love the pause which allows some conversation before the moment when the next agitated client twangs the Baker Street bell with another very unlikely tale. A pause where Sherlock makes some random, unexpected observations about London life or makes of tobacco or the problems of succession in Schleswig-Holstein. And then, in comes the client shaking an umbrella - Sir, a foreign gentleman cut off my thumb last night. Mr Holmes, my wife disappeared thirty minutes after we were married. Mr Holmes, they believe I killed my father. Sir, a person sent my father five orange pips through the mail, and he died shortly thereafter. Now I have received five orange pips through the mail.The unlikeliness of the mysteries and their resolutions are delightful in many ways. Sometimes it turns out no crime has been committed. Sometimes Sherlock turns out to be the criminal! He has to break a law to obtain justice. And he dishes out summary punishments too. Sometimes the police never get involved, often they're flat-footed stooges or simply noises off. The stories become the vehicle to make many comments on England and the English – here's one I liked. Holmes and Watson are driving out into the Surrey countryside on a beautiful Spring day :"You look at these scattered houses and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them and the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their isolation, and of the impunity with which crime may be committed there.""Good Heavens!" I said, "who would associate crime with these dear old homesteads?""They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief, Watson, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside."Always fascinating, glinting with intelligence, ascerbity and occasional indirect humour, and human affection, all these stories surpassed my dim memories of them and made me very happy that there are another four volumes to go.
—Paul Bryant
