BOOK: SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE TERROR OUT OF TIME

Sherlock Holmes and the Terror Out of Time
By Ralph E. Vaughan
First Published: 2001 - Gryphon Books 
ISBN: 1-58250-041-X
Price: $15 USD
Reviewed by Charles Prepolec

I confess to having a fondness for Sherlock Holmes cross-universe pastiches when handled with a bit of flair, so when I’d discovered that Gary Lovisi’s Gryphon Books was releasing a third Holmes/H.P. Lovecraft pastiche by Ralph E. Vaughan, I lost no time in ordering it. On arrival it went directly to the top of my ever-increasing pile of pastiches, such is my regard for Vaughan’s previous work Sherlock Holmes in the Adventure of the Ancient Gods (first published in Holmesian Federation #4) and to a lesser extent Sherlock Holmes in the Dreaming Detective (sorry, but I’ve never been terribly fond of HPL’s Dreamland based stories). After devouring the book in one sitting, I’m happy to say that my regard is still intact and my fondness for Vaughan’s approach to Holmes and HPL has increased once again.


Sherlock Holmes and the Terror Out of Time is far less of a blatant HPL inspired story than the overly dramatic title would lead one to believe. Although the plot is still pure undiluted Weird Tales-style pulp fiction, Vaughan has developed considerably from a stylistic viewpoint, not even once invoking the well worn name of Cthulu! His use of locations and descriptive phrasing is solid throughout. The dialogue is strong and faithful to the spirit of Conan Doyle and by putting Watson out of the way, Vaughan has managed to side step the usual pastiche pitfall of providing Watsonian-style narration and has opted instead to use a third person omniscient narrative. Holmes well-known disregard of the supernatural is effectively explained away, not damaging his credibility or rationality in the least.  My only serious annoyance is in the handling of Professor Challenger, who is strangely relegated to the role of Watson substitute and never quite lives up to the brash and impetuous character of The Lost World.


Beginning with an establishing prologue set in British pre-history, we jump quickly to Baker Street where the dying seaman, India Jack Neville, has dropped a package of unspeakable horror literally at the feet of Sherlock Holmes, Professor Challenger and Inspector Wilkins, interrupting their fascinating discourse on Darwinism. With the Macguffin safely in their hands and Watson away, Holmes and Challenger set out to unravel its secrets. What does this ugly idol have to do with the Ki’M’tollo sect of the Maldives? Could it be tied into attacks in the docklands by three giant serpent-like beasts? Holmes and Challenger, the detective and the scientist, are determined to find out! Their quest for knowledge takes them to the British Museum and puts them at odds with a mysterious dark magician named Laslo Bronislav, who is deemed so evil that even Aleister Crowley refers to him as “That Devil!” Aided by the late Professor Moriarty’s chief information man McBane, Bronislav is determined to retrieve the idol from Holmes at all costs. How do the dark magician’s plans tie-in to the Elder Gods? Can Holmes and Challenger defeat Bronislav and the voracious elder gods terrorizing London? What do you think? Of course they can, but the fun of the tale is in the telling!


Highly recommended for those who enjoy a fun pulp-fiction style adventure story! Not recommended for the Canonical purist, but if you’ve been considering trying something a little more on the outré side of Holmesian storytelling, this is a good choice!


Not sure if the original publication version is still available from Gryphon, or anywhere else for less than premium prices, but it is currently part of a new collection of stories by Ralph E. Vaughan available via Amazon.
 

BOOK: THE SHERLOCK HOLMES REPORT VOL. 1 - THE SIAM QUESTION

The Sherlock Holmes Report Volume 1: The Siam Question

By Timothy Francis Sheil

First published by Camden House 1999

603 pages

ISBN: 0953816001

Reviewed by Charles Prepolec

To begin, I must comment on the physical nature of the book itself. This is a rare and fine example of quality book design. Clearly a good deal of thought and attention was given to the overall form of this publication. A rather muted dark blue dustjacket covers a full leatherette binding with a gilt stamped floral design on the front panel. A very nice touch when compared to the usual publishers’ output; which generally exhibits the aesthetic creativity of a, less than well planned, cardboard box! More importantly the book is bound in such a manner that it can be laid flat without causing the binding to crack, a necessary feature as the book is over 600 pages in length and weighs in at about 4 1/2 pounds. I only mention all of this as it is so rare these days to see such thoughtfulness applied by the publishing trade. I am genuinely impressed with this Camden House publication, which incidentally was formed by the author.

 

The story itself is yet another pastiche that explores the doings of Sherlock Holmes during that intriguing period known as the Great Hiatus. Clearly the remarks made by Holmes to Watson, explaining his activities after his supposed death, offer a great temptation to the writer who wishes to legitimately place Holmes on foreign soil.

"I travelled for two years in Tibet, therefore, and amused myself by visiting Lhasa and spending some days with the head Lama. You may have read of the remarkable explorations of a Norwegian named Sigerson, but I am sure that it never occurred to you that you were receiving news of your friend. I then passed through Persia, looked in at Mecca, and paid a short but interesting visit to the Khalifa at Khartoum, the results of which I have communicated to the Foreign Office."

- The Empty House

That description is essentially the basis for the current volume and the forthcoming second volume as well, which is to be published as The Holmes Report Vol. 2 - The Egypt Question. A second quotation is also a contributor to the contents of the present volume. It is made by Mycroft Holmes:

"In the present state of Siam it is most awkward that I should be away from the office."

- The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans

It is this statement which gives the author (a resident of Thailand) an excuse to bring Siam into the narrative. A thin reason, but one that helps to authenticate the major plot points. Happily, it all hangs together rather well.

The story opens on April 6, 1894, the morning after Colonel Moran's botched attempt on Holmes' life. A letter is received from Moriarty's brother and Holmes is called in on a rather too grisly and graphically presented murder case. In the midst of all this, Mycroft calls Holmes and Watson in to a meeting. During the course of the meeting, it is revealed that Sherlock had spent his time during the hiatus, in the service of Her Majesty's Government, under specific directions from Mycroft. Fortunately for the reader, Holmes had a companion during his travels who kept extremely detailed journals of their doings. The companion was the French detective Francois Le Villard, who is casually mentioned in 'The Sign of Four' as having translated some of Holmes' monographs into the French language. Mycroft's commission for Watson is to draft the journals into a cohesive and confidential report for the Government. Thus the stage is set for the dual narratives that make up the book. As Holmes investigates the current murder case, Watson reviews Le Villard's journals. Needless to say, both stories are strongly connected. The use of Le Villard as companion is a good device. He is presented as talented young Frenchman with an interest in rock climbing, which is the reasoning for his being chosen to assist Holmes on his penetration into mountainous Tibet. By using him as the filter through which we, the readers, view Holmes, the author has cleverly managed the feat of describing Holmes in uncharacteristic situations without having to contort Watson's inimitable style. The minor behavioral differences noticeable in Holmes can be attributed to Le Villard's observational ability rather than being regarded as deviations from Watson's own writings, and so manages to maintain a very high degree of credibility. Incidentally, this is a lesson that more writers of pastiches should learn.

The first third of the book (Part One) deals with our heroes’ journey to and adventures within Tibet, which makes up the first of four journals written by Le Villard. Much is made of the political 'Great Game', which is all handled rather convincingly and deals with Russian and Chinese influence in the region. The tone of the entire book is grounded in this sort of 'real world' sensibility. It does take away from the usual 'always 1895' fantasy world that we are all accustomed to, but does make for a more, for lack of better terms, gritty and realistic read. Unfortunately, the purpose for visiting Lhasa is thin at best, and doesn't seem worth the trouble. As our heroes leave Tibet, moving towards Turkistan, they manage to sabotage a Russian weapons factory and become involved with a great little save-the-princess-bride-from-slavers scenario. A few minor adventures ensue, but the first journal ends in the Spring of 1892, just as Holmes and Le Villard are about to head off to Mecca. The journals continue with the fourth volume, which takes place in Siam in 1893, leaving a one-year gap, and two missing journals. The gap is to be filled in the second book of The Holmes Report - The Egypt Question.

Meanwhile, back in 1894 London, we have Holmes and Watson pursuing the now escaped Colonel Moran and investigating what appears to be a resurgence of the Moriarty gang.

The remaining two thirds of the book (Part Two) takes up Le Villard's fourth journal and the narrative of happenings in Siam. The author clearly has a strong interest in Siamese history and culture, as he spends much more time in this setting than in Tibet. A very rich and detailed picture of the Siamese backdrop is presented to the reader. Much of the political nature of this section deals with Siam's attempts at maintaining independence in the face of French and British colonial expansion. The subplots abound here and became quite complex as Holmes is faced with protecting the Leading Adviser from assassination threats, the unexpected reappearance of Irene Adler and Godfrey Norton and Le Villard's romantic entanglements. During all this, Holmes has time to learn something of the art of Thai boxing (kickboxing) and manages to get a tattoo as well. Airguns, bombs and a hunt for the Great Mogul diamond also figure in the narrative. Sounds faintly ridiculous, but the author weaves it all together in a fairly interesting manner. All this is also tied into the doings of Moran and a world conspiracy involving the Moriarty gang. At the centre of all the intrigue is the rather pathetic figure of Godfrey Norton. We are clearly in deep waters here...

From Siam, Holmes returns to London on the heels of Godfrey Norton, which brings us full circle to the beginning of the book.  At this point all the loose subplots are drawn together in a somewhat more traditional fashion. Watson is once again the primary voice and all is revealed…but not by me!

After investing in 603 pages of story, I can say that the book is a worthwhile read. A very different sort of pastiche that has me looking forward to the publication of the second book. My only real complaints are about the previously mentioned lack of good reasoning behind the Tibet sequences and the somewhat overwritten style of the author. Frankly, a stronger hand in the editing stage would have been welcome to this reader. Still, a fantastic book for a first time author, and a wonderful addition to the pastiche shelf.

Note:  Sadly, as of 2016 a second volume has never been published.

Highly Recommended! 

BOOK: THE CHILDHOOD OF SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE BUTLER'S TALE

The Childhood of Sherlock Holmes
By Mona Morstein
First published 2000 by Galde Press, Inc.
Price: $24.95 USD
Reviewed by Charles Prepolec

The wild and wonderful world of pastiches can be a very repetitive place. We’ve seen it countless times and are now quite familiar with the standard drill…relative discovers long lost unpublished manuscript of Dr. John Watson. Now the story can finally be told…blah, blah and most emphatically blah. Once again we end up wading through an author’s off the mark attempt to give voice to dear old Watson, and once again we give up in despair when we discover that yet again we are facing an author who can’t find their own voice, much less give voice to our old favorite…shaking our collective heads, we vow to stop reading these shallow imitations. Then, and only rarely so, we find the one that stands out as being different, charmingly written and best of all…interesting!

Mona Morstein’s The Childhood of Sherlock Holmes: The Butler’s Tale is one of those rarities. Yes, there is a long lost manuscript…but surprise, it’s not a Watson MS. As a matter of fact Watson is barely mentioned at all in this book, and Holmes? Well, he’s been reported dead at Reichenbach.  The manuscript is actually the work of one Josiah Cobbett, crime reporter for The Guardian. Cobbett has set himself the daunting and dangerous task of documenting the elusive childhood of the great detective. After reaching a dead end with both Watson and brother Mycroft, Cobbett gets his first break from Wiggins and heads north to the Yorkshire riding of Wensleydale. There he discovers a village bound to silence by a strange and curious pact. After some careful legwork in the local pubs he discovers old Percy Brewster, who was butler to the Holmeses of Hillcroft House, and he is ready to break the pact and tell his tale. At this point we leave Cobbett’s quest and instead read the butler’s story of those remarkable Holmes boys and their family history. 

Mona Morstein has my admiration for actually stitching together a coherent and perfectly acceptable background for the Holmes family that embraces, without contradicting, the scant clues to be found in the Canon. She manages to present a fairly believable back-stories that seek to explain Holmes interest in crime, the violin and chemistry. An attempt, if not wholly convincing, is made to illuminate the formation of Holmes’ later opinions of the fairer sex. We are also given a rather good look at brother Mycroft and the specifics of his relationship with his younger and more outgoing brother. Quite frankly I found the Mycroft elements far more intriguing than the story of young Sherlock. The family story is a tragic but gripping read that is told quite well and utilizes a solidly Victorian vocabulary without seeming too overdone or labored. Full marks are awarded on the readability scale!

The main difficulty I had with the book has to do with the remarkably early development of the Holmes boys. Yes, it is safe to assume that the boys were fast learners and exhibited amazing ability at an early age, but Morstein goes somewhat too far in this direction. There is almost a supernatural feel, particularly to Mycroft’s early abilities that unfortunately just doesn’t ring true. My only other problem has to do with the fully-grown Mycroft and his vast influence and power. While Mycroft has been called “the government” I do find it a bit much to see him exercise his powers for such personal reasons and in such a sinister fashion as presented in this book. Still, it is but a minor point and didn’t destroy the tone of the novel.

In the end, I wasn’t disappointed with The Childhood of Sherlock Holmes. Frankly it stands as the best pastiche I’ve read since The Siam Question and goes one step further for taking on the challenge of exploring what is essentially new ground. Now all I wonder is if/when we can expect Mona Morstein to give us her detailed version of what happened with the youthful Sherlock between the main narrative of the current book and his arrival on the scene in A Study in Scarlet? I, for one, would enjoy reading that story…

Highly Recommended