"There are heroisms all round us." Don't let them be lost forever

Advantages: A great classic book
Disadvantages: A little dated with some PC matters, but well worth reading.

... THE LOST WORLD SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE "For a fairyland it was - the most wonderful that the imagination of man could conceive. The thick vegetation met overhead, interlacing into a natural pergola, and through this tunnel of verdure in a golden twilight flowed the green, pellucid river? That is an example of the lovely writing and descriptions that we are treated to in the lovely little book. I do think that it is a shame that in today?s literary world of chick-lits, vampire books, thrillers and horror stories, good old fashioned ?classics? like ?The Lost World? by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are completely overlooked. I hope that with this review I might be able to tempt at least a couple of people to read this book as I?m sure that when you do, you?ll love it. Released in 1912 it is like a Victorian...

oldchem 24.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Lost World - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes --The Sign of Four--

Advantages: Great story, highly entertaining
Disadvantages: none

... THE SIGN OF FOUR by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle INTRO Sherlock Holmes and Watson are back in this second novel of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who, after the incredible success of the previous (A Study In Scarlet) where the famous detective was first introduced to the public, was commissioned to write a second one which I am reviewing just now. PLOT AND REVIEW The story starts again from where we left, 221b BAKER STREET where a bored Holmes is fighting depression with the use of cocaine, awaiting a new case which would take his incredible mind back in use again and wearing his caring friend Dr. Watson's patience thin with his drugs usage. Watson is seriously concerned for his flatmate's health. Luckly enough a case soon arrives! A pretty young lady come knocking at 221b Baker Street seeking for help in...

EVIT 27.11.2008 · Read review
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Review of The Sign of the Four - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Will the real Sherlock Holmes please stand up?

Advantages: Shows you things you didn't know
Disadvantages: None, really

...Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the Real Sherlock Holmes, is an interesting look at the life of Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who gave us arguably the greatest fictional detective ever. (There are some reasons for opting for GK Chesterton's Father Brown for this accolade, but I'll leave it as it stands, with Sherlock Holmes in this pole position.) The video is well made and is quite clearly a labour of love by the director and producer, It is a well-realised production, and the atmospheric, expert violin playing by Sophie Coles really does add much to the programme. The research and script was provided by Sue Hosler and the narration was undertaken by Liam Dale, who also worked on the production as a location cameraman, along with Judith McFarlane. Liam Dale also produced and directed the programme. The film deals effectively...

Martinscholes 30.10.2005 · Read review
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Review of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - The Real Sherlock Holmes (DVD)

THE Quintessential Holmes Tale

Advantages: Great story, great writing
Disadvantages: I detect none

...The image of Sherlock Holmes in 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' is perhaps the most enduring image we have of him. You see, an Inverness cloak and deerstalker cap are inappropriate wardrobe for the town, and belong in the country. Sherlock Holmes is predominantly a city dweller and city investigator; it is relatively uncommon that he treks out on adventures, but the case of the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville and the attempted murder of Sir Henry Baskerville led him to the Dartmoor plain. Thus, country garb was in order. This is where we get much of our imagery. Also helping with this is that every major actor to play Holmes has considered 'Hound of the Baskervilles' to be the ultimate Holmes story to act -- rather like the Hamlet of Conan Doyle's work. Holmes was a popular film icon, and in the early decades...

frkurt 11.01.2003 (31.07.2003) · Read review
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Review of The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

WHO LET THE DOG OUT

Advantages: The best detective story ever written
Disadvantages: none

...Sir Arthur Conan Doyle did not invent what we now consider to be the classic detective novel. That claim can be forcefully made by Wilkie Collins with his novel 'The Moonstone', but Doyle more than anyone else developed the genre and with Sherlock Holmes the original gentleman amateur detective, he created one of the most enduring characters in literature and cinema. 'The Hound Of The Baskervilles' published in 1902 was the third Sherlock Holmes novel and in many ways is the most well written and ambitious of all. It is not only a brilliantly crafted detective story but also crosses over in to the real of the supernatural and horror, an early example of how these two genres can be effectively merged. THE REAL SHERLOCK HOLMES As with the previous novels the central characters are Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr John Watson...

Mauri 06.08.2002 · Read review
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Review of The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Hound Is Calling For Its Prey . . .

Advantages: no other works of its kind
Disadvantages: no other works of its kind

...returning from Canada to take possession. Dr. Mortimer turns to Holmes, though still unsure whether it is a matter for a detective or a priest. Holmes sends Watson with Dr. Mortimer and Sir Henry, to investigate, keep Holmes informed and Sir Henry safe. Later Holmes appears himself and brings the case to a hair-raising but logical conclusion. Elementary. It has been called the best mystery ever written. It has supernatural aspects, as well as an intriguing investigation and significant elements of gothic horror. I would call it classical and classy horror. It is where the real genius of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle comes in. He terrifies the reader with the perfect mix of descriptive skills and suspense, but never resorts to cheap violence. The wild bleak landscape with genuine threat of the moor is as even Holmes says "the perfect setting, if...

DiamondCat 23.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

My Dear Watson

Advantages: The Mystery Thrills
Disadvantages: None

...221B, Baker Street, the residence of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson, is now a museum in London, people thronging there to feel the presence of the legendary detective with a long nose, sharp mind and a pipe always in his mouth. The smell of tobacco is still there according to a visitor. Even though it is a strange metaphor, it takes us back to those days of crime detection by the sharp-witted investigator. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (ACD), the creator of this immortal private eye, wrote the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1902, in his usual inimitable style, adding another feather to his cap. I read this book during a summer vacation immediately after I appeared for my Xth Std examinations. It was donning the great library of my grandfather. This classic is still with me, in its full splendour, with brown pages and many dogs...

skmm 13.03.2001 · Read review
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Review of The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Still the greatest detective

Advantages: All of Sir Arthur's stories of Sherlock Holmes
Disadvantages: -

...It is difficult to believe sometimes that Sherlock Holmes was created over 100 years ago. Such was the characters popularity that when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle decided it was time to move on, and killed Holmes off, that public outcry forced him to re-surrect Holmes and write over 20 more stories. It is quite a well known fact that of all the characters ever portrayed on film, Sherlock Holmes is the most prolific. He has been played by actors such as Basil Rathbone and arguably the best portrayal was by Jeremy Brett, an actor that fully captured Holmes's melancholy. Sherlock Holmes was first created in 1887. The first novel he appeared in was A Study in Scarlet and this is the first novel (obviously) in this collection of stories. All of the classics are here, including the Hound of the Baskervilles and The Sign of Four as well as all...

cjkace 17.04.2001 (08.05.2001) · Read review
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Review of The Complete Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Elementary, my dear reader...

Advantages: Holmes and Watson, plus classic illustrations
Disadvantages: I detect none

...reveal that Paget was not the first illustrator; however, it is not able to be determined conclusively how many artists preceding Paget. It is know that the first publication of 'A Study in Scarlet', in which Holmes and Watson are first introduced, was illustrated by on D.H. Friston. These illustrations would appall the Holmesian set today. The next edition after the barely-received 'Beeton's Christmas Annual' edition, was in book form, and apparently illustrated by Arthur Conan Doyle's father, Charles. The next illustration was in 'The Sign of Four', appearing in 'Lippincott's Magazine', which showed a scene in India, but did not have one of Holmes. The classic ideas of Holmes (in a visual sense) did not thus solidify until the popular series of short stories in 'The Strand', illustrated by Paget, beginning with the story 'A...

frkurt 10.01.2003 (12.11.2003) · Read review
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Review of The Complete Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

115 years and still gripping

Advantages: a really entertaining read
Disadvantages: perhaps not what you?d expect for a sherlock holmes novel

...novel and watching the Young Sherlock Holmes film, I was in the mood to read a Sherlock Holmes novel myself, and this is my opinion... The Valley Of Fear I actually bought this novel as a collection of four Sherlock Holmes novels in one book, where I got it from I?m not quite sure, but Woolworth?s seems familiar. The book I have is called Sherlock Holmes - Four Great Novels (which are; A Study In Scarlet, The Sign Of The Four, The Hound Of The Baskervilles and The Valley Of Fear), the price I paid I?m not sure of either, but about £8.99/£11.99 at a guess, not bad for four novels. One thing I have noticed about this volume is that no mention is made by the author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (the author), except at the beginning of one of the novels where a dedication is made by A Conan Doyle, so I can be reasonably sure that they are...

seagulls-lost-horizon 07.03.2002 · Read review
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Review of The Valley Of Fear - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle