Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

[Connavar]

I couldnt find a thread for him and was wondering what people like of his works,what they dont like.

Or just general what are you reading of him right now.

Myself im on the short story collection The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and i have much more respect for his writing ability,his way with detective stories after the short stories.

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

I have read The Complete Sherlock Holmes Vol 1 (Barnes & Noble edition). I thoroughly enjoyed them. They really are great short stories.

The length is perfect...there is mystery, humor, suspense, and generally a resolution to each story. I love both Watson and Holmes, and the relationship they have. I agree with you on Doyle's writing ability, the short stories are very well written. I started Vol 2 not too long ago, but haven't read any stories recently. Hopefully I'll get back to them soon.

 

[woodsman]

I like Holmes - great idea and nicely executed, however, I believe the best of Doyle is found in The White Company and Sir Nigel which are historical fiction set in the 100 years war during the reign of Edward III.

In Holmes I'm constantly surprised by the references to drugs - not sure people today would be able to do that and reach such a broad audience.

 

[clovis-man]

I've read all of the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels. I enjoyed them all. The very last stories were a tad flat, but everything else was great. I especially enjoyed the way the narratives imbue the tales with the milieu of the times. The carriage and train rides, the newspaper sleuthing, the formal manner of conveying messages and invitations. It seems that no matter what the urgency of a case, there was always time for lunch, dinner and the frequent concert. But nobody ever seemed to go to the bathroom.

Wonderful stuff. Stanford University published a number of his tales with original illustrations in the format of "The Strand" magazine. They can be seen and downloaded here:

http://sherlockholmes.stanford.edu/history.html

 

[Cayal]

I've been reading Volume I and II of Sherlock Holmes and I am enjoying them greatly.

 

[Pyan]

In Holmes I'm constantly surprised by the references to drugs - not sure people today would be able to do that and reach such a broad audience.

But in (say) aSoFaI, they seem to take on board the references to carrying a sharp pointy steel sword around (and sticking it in people) without any problems.

I think you've just got to regard the drugs in AC-D's books as historical verisimilitude.

 

[Connavar]

The thing that impresses me most about Holmes stories is how perfectly Doyle wrote the setting,the characters. Like the introduction to my Penguin collection says. The detective working around in the mean streets of Victorian,working with domestic,small scope crime with simple detective,theory work is far from the regular english detective stories that came after. Not a cosy mystery set in the country,about rich people in murder rooms.

Closer to Hammett and hardboiled PI than cozy mystery in the type of detective he is.

Also the brilliant way of writing Holmes so that he doesnt have a personality. You rarely read what he likes,what he can do. Not made a big fuss over his drug use or his sword,boxing ability. Today too many detective heroes are so you know every detail of their life,every side of him,his/hers history is made a big fuss,epic drama over.

For all his supernatural observation ability that can say what a person did the whole day before he saw him, the case,crimes is pretty realistic. Like a thrilling,fun historical version of true crime documentaries where cops work with criminal science,theories to get the criminal.

 

[GOLLUM]

Interesting thread Conn, I don't recall seeing a specific topic dedicated to his writing.

Like everyone else here, I too have enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes stories.

I have in my possession a comprehensive production of Conan Doyle's Weird Fiction, entitled The Captain Of The Pole Star published by Ash-Tree press. I've been dipping into this and quite enjoying it. Standout stories to date include Lot No. 249, Horror Of The Heights, The Terror Of Blue John Gap and of course the Title story Captain Of The Pole Star, which to my way of thinking is a masterpiece.

I'm also a fan of some of his Lost Worlds fiction and didn't mind his historical novel Sir Nigel.

It's interesting to note that Doyle was apparently keen to be best remembered by his historical novels as clearly the Sherlock Holmes stories that made him a relatively wealthy man will always be what he is primarily associated with.

 

[Connavar]

Interesting thread Conn, I don't recall seeing a specific topic dedicated to his writing.

Like everyone else here, I too have enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes stories.

I have in my possession a comprehensive production of Conan Doyle's Weird Fiction, entitled The Captain Of The Pole Star published by Ash-Tree press. I've been dipping into this and quite enjoying it. Standout stories to date include Lot No. 249, Horror Of The Heights, The Terror Of Blue John Gap and of course the Title story Captain Of The Pole Star, which to my way of thinking is a masterpiece.

I'm also a fan of some of his Lost Worlds fiction and didn't mind his historical novel Sir Nigel.

It's interesting to note that Doyle was apparently keen to be best remembered by his historical novels as clearly the Sherlock Holmes stories that made him a relatively wealthy man will always be what he is primarily associated with.

I thought he was a decent,fun writer when i read the first two novels of the series but after the first short story collection and seeing how his writing improved with the newer stories by being stripped,economical,expressive i have more respect for his works now.

I will give his Lost World and his historicals a fair chance to impress. Its not unsual a classic writer is better with other works than his most popular.

But im sure glad the papers,fans forced him to write more Holmes, the stories,the characters is too good to be only a few books,collections. Even though Poe created the original detective,type of this story its Doyle,Holmes that perfected this type of detective,mystery.

 

[GOLLUM]

The historical novels and Lost Worlds fiction is quite good but I must admit I like the Holmes stories the best out of those.

His Weird Fiction is a little hit and miss in terms of quality but when he gets it right like with Captain of the Polestar it's well worth reading. If you can source some of his 'supernatural' fiction you should try to do so Conn...if you haven't already done so of course.

 

[Connavar]

The historical novels and Lost Worlds fiction is quite good but I must admit I like the Holmes stories the best out of those.

His Weird Fiction is a little hit and miss in terms of quality but when he gets it right like with Captain of the Polestar it's well worth reading. If you can source some of his 'supernatural' fiction you should try to do so Conn...if you haven't already done so of course.

Frankly as a fan of historical,weird,supernatural stories quite good and not his best as Holmes is good enough.

Im very much a newbie to ACD and i have read A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four,Adventures of Sherlock Holmes only since 2010. I never thought Holmes was to my taste despite my love for detective stories. I thought for some reaaon he was cozy mysteries that i dont have an interest for.

The overly proper look with the huge pipe,hat that Sidney Pagnet and the tv,movies created i know now were invented by them and not by Doyle.

I have read Brigardier Gerard few stories which was a witty stories in Napoleonic wars. I can see why he thought his historical writing was his best, he has a knack,real talent for writing historical fiction.

 

[steve12553]

I have been a Sherlock Holmes fan since I was a young child watching the Basil Rathbone movies on a Sunday afternoon with my dad. I started reading the books in my early teens and have gone through the whole series at least a dozen times. Holmes is the basis for many other characters ( Mr. Spock, Data, Bones [the Kathy Riechs character on TV], and many others) but I always have felt that most of the deviations from the Canon felt contrives. It seemed like it was very hard to get the Holmes- Watson interaction just right. Doyle had a way of making the settings and characters very real (once you had an idea of how life was in Victoian London.

 

[Connavar]

I have been a Sherlock Holmes fan since I was a young child watching the Basil Rathbone movies on a Sunday afternoon with my dad. I started reading the books in my early teens and have gone through the whole series at least a dozen times. Holmes is the basis for many other characters ( Mr. Spock, Data, Bones [the Kathy Riechs character on TV], and many others) but I always have felt that most of the deviations from the Canon felt contrives. It seemed like it was very hard to get the Holmes- Watson interaction just right. Doyle had a way of making the settings and characters very real (once you had an idea of how life was in Victoian London.

Thats the biggest flaw in most tv,films i have seen. They can copy Holmes well thanks actors like Jeremy Brett but i always find Watson versions weak after i have read original stories. He becomes almost a sidekick parody in those adaptations.

In the stories being from his POV,his views,feelings are more clear. Despite he is often used in the stories too to show how brilliant detective Holmes is. But in tv,film he just stands and watches Holmes work.

 

[woodsman]

As I remember, the more recent Holmes with Jeremy Brett stuck reasonably close to the stories. Brett didn't act Holmes, he is Holmes.

 

[Connavar]

I especially enjoyed the way the narratives imbue the tales with the milieu of the times. The carriage and train rides, the newspaper sleuthing, the formal manner of conveying messages and invitations. It seems that no matter what the urgency of a case, there was always time for lunch, dinner and the frequent concert. But nobody ever seemed to go to the bathroom.

Thats like 70% of the reason i rate the stories so highly and enjoy reading them. Watson and Holmes are great characters and the detective work is excellent,believable but the way he writes his times so vivid,so clever makes the books almost important too as a historical document of Victorian times specially London.

Hehe about bathroom what did you expect ? In those proper times i doubt the readers would fint acceptable to read about men going to do thier thing in the bathroom

Also one of the stories in Adventures of Sherlock Holmes they were in a hotel and had to wait for each other to use the bathroom before they went out to do field workl.

 

[clovis-man]

Also one of the stories in Adventures of Sherlock Holmes they were in a hotel and had to wait for each other to use the bathroom before they went out to do field workl.

Ha! I must have repressed that scene, Conn.

 

[Connavar]

Ha! I must have repressed that scene, Conn.

Im not surprised ACD compressed his writing,his descriptions to tell the max of the story in 25 pages. They can travel from London to 50 miles away in one sentence!

Thats one of the reasons i rate the stories over the novels, the writing is so focused on the story,characters. Much more padding ala Stephen King in the novel(yeah not quite that much but still).

By the way you remember your fav stories in Adventures collection ?

 

[clovis-man]

By the way you remember your fav stories in Adventures collection ?

In the "Adventures" group of stories, my favorites are "A Scandal In Bohemia" and "The Five Orange Pips".

The former because it featured Irene Adler, the only woman to ever impress Holmes. The latter because it involves a diabolical threat delivered via innuendo.

 

[ravenus]

Despite he is often used in the stories too to show how brilliant detective Holmes is. But in tv,film he just stands and watches Holmes work.

I disagree. In the Granada TV series adaptations, Watson is given a lot more prominence, I would say even more so than ACD gives. He is shown to make a fair number of minor deductions himself, stuff that Holmes makes in the source stories, and can be said to have learned something from Holmes' methods. Even in the recent Sherlock Holmes film, which of course is only loosely taken from the source material, I like that Watson is not some pastry puff prop that stands about saying "My word Holmes, how could you possibly deduce that?" while the master detective does all the work.
My personal view is that Doyle himself suppressed Watson's intelligence to an extent in the stories because Watson seemed to be based somewhat on his own personality - Anglophile doctor with a literary bent? Please correct me if I'm wrong here.

 

[Connavar]

I disagree. In the Granada TV series adaptations, Watson is given a lot more prominence, I would say even more so than ACD gives. He is shown to make a fair number of minor deductions himself, stuff that Holmes makes in the source stories, and can be said to have learned something from Holmes' methods. Even in the recent Sherlock Holmes film, which of course is only loosely taken from the source material, I like that Watson is not some pastry puff prop that stands about saying "My word Holmes, how could you possibly deduce that?" while the master detective does all the work.
My personal view is that Doyle himself suppressed Watson's intelligence to an extent in the stories because Watson seemed to be based somewhat on his own personality - Anglophile doctor with a literary bent? Please correct me if I'm wrong here.

Doyle himself is similar to Watson but his knowledge in literary,other science is much bigger than Watson. They are doctors and anglophiles in common i would say. He did alot of things in his life a normal man like Watson could never have. Doyle literary knowledge reference is huge, Holmes literary knowledge is a side of Doyle. Every writer puts a part of themselves in the hero no matter how special,larger than life he is.

Watson isnt the hero but the narrator in the stories if he has learned to deduce things he cant outshine Holmes. In the short stories i have read its not overly done that Watson is stupid in compared to Holmes like the first two novels.

Its a balance you cant make Watson too prominent or too dumbed down. pastry puff prop? I prefer the original i dont want Watson to be a smart detective. He is the writer,storyteller of Holmes work not a big part of it.