originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...You all know by now that Titan is the lead publisher in Sherlock Holmes fiction and that they also have another series that features an Victorian detective couple Newbury and Hobbes. However all these perspectives show the faces of the "good guys". What if there were books that showed, no, features one of the "bad guys". Well, look no further that the Professor Moriarty books by Michael Kurland, because as the name of the series implies they focus on professor Moriarty one nemesis of Sherlock Holmes! I always mention that I like to read the bad guy perspective in crime books, The Infernal Device is even better as you have one complete book that features on one!I do have to admit that I am not that familiar with Professor Moriarty's plays in the Sherlock universe only that he is portrayed as the bad guy. However the story of The Infernal Device picks up very normal where you see Moriarty sitting in his study receiving a package from his butler. This package isn't an ordinary one, it might look innocent but as soon as Moriarty wants to open it, it explodes and Moriarty doesn't get away unscathed. Soon after this the books changes place from England to Stamboul, not with the perspective of Moriarty however but with the focus on the American journalist Benjamin Barrett who was send by his newspaper to write a cover story on the testing of a new piece of engineering, the latest model of a submarine. This part starts of pretty well for Benjamin, but he soon finds himself into deep troubles. The fates of both Moriarty and Benjamin intertwined. Benjamin eventually finds himself in prison and saved by Moriarty. It soon comes to show that Moriarty doesn't act freely and he only saves Benjamin with a deal: in the coming two years, Benjamin has to work for Moriarty without any questions asked. The start of this collaboration stuttered a bit, in terms of that they both had to get used to each other, but as the book progresses you see that both Benjamin and Moriarty have a nice interplay. But there is still one thing going on, and that is the deal with the submarine and Moriarty's actual case, which is of the highest importance of The Empire. In order to catch the bad guy in this story, which isn't Moriarty but Trepoff, Moriarty has to make one unlikely alley to succeed. Namely he has to team up with none other than Sherlock Holmes, a very good acquaintance. But will there combined intellect be enough to catch Trepoff before he does the unthinkable?To be honest, this wasn't the type of story I had in mind with Moriarty in the lead I was more expecting a dangerous play between both Moriarty and Holmes. However this didn't take away that I didn't like the story of The Infernal Device, this is more or less a turn around of Moriarty's bad reputation where he is turning into the investigator. Moriarty was been called into action by the British Empire. So it's more that the Napoleon of crime has turned into the detective field... but has he truly? The Infernal Device is just the first book!As for the characters of The Infernal Device, Michael Kurland did a nice job. Of course you have the heavy presence of Moriarty, who first had a job teaching mathematics and now keeps busy with almost everything, well at least what ever catches his interest. But when he interest is piqued, he clearly knows all his business and can be just as sharp and witty and blunt as the other detectives from that era. But there is definitely something more going one behind Moriarty's character, something bigger and more darker. Where Sherlock's does everything pure out of interest and curiosity, there seems to be more behind everything that Moriarty does. I do hope his darker nature will be explored a bit more in the coming books! One sure fire addition to the book was Sherlock Holmes and we quickly learn that Moriarty and Sherlock have a past between them. Sherlock accuses him of being a criminal and will do everything to see Moriarty be put behind bars. Though as a reader you don't get to see what Moriarty had done in the past... so it is hard to judge on this fact but like I mentioned there seems to be more behind Moriarty's motives than what meets the eye. I also do think that this wasn't the last entry of Sherlock that we have seen where he tries to cross Moriarty and tries to unmask him. The last addition that takes quite a role in the story is Benjamin, the American report that Moriarty rescues from prison. Benjamin becomes in a sense the slave of Moriarty, though with a lot of free reign and ways for his own interpretation. I enjoyed reading about Benjamin a lot because as a main protagonist you have Moriarty very strict and stern and contrasting you have the loose and perhaps naive Benjamin who likes to go out an explore. And luckily not that many weeks have passed in this investigation so I think we will see Benjamin back as well. Added to these characters comes the household staff of Moriarty, a butler, a cook and cleaning lady that will put a definite smile on your face when you read about their personalities and quirky things. The characters are true to the stiffness of the London Victorian times and each have their own odd character traits that make a lot of fun to read about. As I have said above I did expect something different but The Infernal Device turned out to be a very fun read, it's a fast paces, clever and witty book featuring a great protagonist. I have to mention that The Infernal Device and other Professor Moriarty books are all re-issues as The Infernal Device was originally published in 1979. Though I wasn't that acquainted with Professor Moriarty, I do think that I have learned about him, somehow Michael Kurland does weave an interesting air around his character that readily invites you to continue reading more and more about him. Will he replace Sherlock in the long run for me? I don't know yet, I love Sherlock Holmes but Moriarty, if he lets he proposed evil side show more, does have a good chance. I really do have to recommend these books, they are a lot of fun to read and over in a heart-beat. Great stuff if you are into detectives and if not, then still pick it up!
I will admit that I picked up this book little knowing what I was letting myself in for, I knew that Titan were publishing new and original Sherlock Holmes stories and I had even read a few of them. However when I saw that they had released a series written from the perspective of Professor James Moriarty I was intrigued.Now even though this book has recently been published by Titan it has in fact been around for some time - the early 80s in fact and this is part of a 5 book series all independently set but still part of a series. The idea is that Professor Moiarty is a "consulting criminal" to Sherlock Holmes's "consulting detective".It is hard to tell more about this quite ingenious interpretation of such a well known yet poorly understood character. You see not only is there the mystery to solve and problem to be dealt with but you also get to learn more about the person who is Moriarty and the world in which he inhabits which i must admit is just if not more fascinating that they main plot line - after all for such a famous character I feel I know so little about him.The book itself is easy to read and very fast paced and as such very difficult to put down, so much so that I have already secured the rest of the series and will be seeing how the relationship with Sherlock progresses. As you can imagine some liberties have been taken but they are subtle and played down so they never interfere with either the story or the character development.So a surprisingly enjoyable book I am eager to get on to the next in the series.
What do You think about The Infernal Device (1981)?
This may sound blasphemous, but I do prefer Michael Kurland's Professor Moriarty over the nasty guy created by Anthony Horowitz, Steven Moffat, and a million other writers, including the great Sir ACD himself. He is, in every sense, as fascinating a character as the Great Detective, and if this adventure is any proof, smarter than Sherlock Holmes. I had met Kurland's Moriarty long ago, in one of the pastiche-collections edited by him, and had practically fallen in love with the dynamic relationship between Holmes and Moriarty created by Kurland. This novel, which is back in print courtesy the nice guys at Titan Books, only invigorated that love. Recommended.
—Riju Ganguly
