Comments on: Sherlock Holmes and Detective Fiction http://www.jjdmthemovie.com/sherlock-holmes-and-detective-fiction/ Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:00:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Freddie Cook http://www.jjdmthemovie.com/sherlock-holmes-and-detective-fiction/comment-page-1/#comment-799 Freddie Cook Sun, 20 Jun 2010 08:25:02 +0000 http://www.jjdmthemovie.com/sherlock-holmes-and-detective-fiction/#comment-799 don't you just love the eyes of Rachel McAdams? she has some pretty eyes.'"* don’t you just love the eyes of Rachel McAdams? she has some pretty eyes.’”*

]]> By: Algaliarept[[Love]] http://www.jjdmthemovie.com/sherlock-holmes-and-detective-fiction/comment-page-1/#comment-346 Algaliarept[[Love]] Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:58:18 +0000 http://www.jjdmthemovie.com/sherlock-holmes-and-detective-fiction/#comment-346 Good for you for branching out! I'm a classic sci fi/fluff fantasy fan, myself, but I've read all of the Holmes stories, plus several about him by different authors (non-cannon, of course *grin*), and a lot of other things thrown into the mix. Nothing is quite like our friend Sherlock, of course. I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for, so here are some suggestions that I put together. It was hard not to write more! I love books. *grin* Mansfield Park was my least favorite work by Jane Austen. I would suggest reading either Emma (my favorite, but a bit unusual for her), or Pride and Prejudice, both of which are definitely better books. But yet, you don't say you actually enjoyed Mansfield Park at all, so perhaps her writing isn't your favorite anyway. I just read Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie. It was amazing. Nothing like the Disney film, but better, even. Classic children's books are usually a good place to explore for interesting reads. I would suggest "Daughter of Fortune" by Isabel Allende, which is a fiction novel that takes place in Chile and California the 1940s. Loved this book, and it's a good read if you are trying to read authors that are not native English speakers, too. Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" was also amazing, but long and a bit depressing. For the Detective/Mystery genre: Dorothy Sayers - Any books in the Lord Peter Wimsey series are absolutely necessary for someone who loves a good detective novel. This lady was one of the very first commercially successful women detective novelists. The story of her life is pretty interesting, too, but the books are just awesome. Rex Stout - He created a series of mysteries involving a detective by the name of Nero Wolfe, which starts with the book "Fer-de-Lance." I haven't read them in years, but there were pretty solid detective novels, if memory serves. A lot of friends recommend this series. Non-Cannon Holmes: "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" by Laurie R. King. The whole series was suggested by another person. These books are based on Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, but King put her own twist on the character. "Good Night, Mr Holmes" by Carole Nelson Douglas was excellent. Another author's take on the Holmes character. A couple of really strange non-cannon Holmes book are Fred Saberhagen's "The Holmes-Dracula File" and "Sherlock Holmes in Orbit," which is a collection of science fiction short stories about Holmes edited by Mike Resnick and Martin H. Greenberg. Also, you should really take a look at some classic sci fi while you are at it, since you call yourself a new age science fiction fan. Good ones include: Anything by Isaac Asimov (especially his short stories); "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury; "Nor Crystal Tears" by Alan Dean Foster; "Dune" by Frank Herbert; "The Best of C.M. Kornbluth" which is an anthology of short stories Kornbluth wrote, edited by Frederik Pohl; "Ringworld" by Larry Niven; and "The Steps of the Sun" by Walter Tevis. There are so many I could say! Some Fantasy good ones, for fun ;) - "The Riddle-Master of Hed" by Patricia A McKillip (plus the rest of the trilogy); "Lord Valentine's Castle" by Robert Silverberg; and "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman. Good for you for branching out! I'm a classic sci fi/fluff fantasy fan, myself, but I've read all of the Holmes stories, plus several about him by different authors (non-cannon, of course *grin*), and a lot of other things thrown into the mix. Nothing is quite like our friend Sherlock, of course.

I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for, so here are some suggestions that I put together. It was hard not to write more! I love books. *grin*

Mansfield Park was my least favorite work by Jane Austen. I would suggest reading either Emma (my favorite, but a bit unusual for her), or Pride and Prejudice, both of which are definitely better books. But yet, you don't say you actually enjoyed Mansfield Park at all, so perhaps her writing isn't your favorite anyway.

I just read Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie. It was amazing. Nothing like the Disney film, but better, even. Classic children's books are usually a good place to explore for interesting reads.

I would suggest "Daughter of Fortune" by Isabel Allende, which is a fiction novel that takes place in Chile and California the 1940s. Loved this book, and it's a good read if you are trying to read authors that are not native English speakers, too. Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" was also amazing, but long and a bit depressing.

For the Detective/Mystery genre:

Dorothy Sayers – Any books in the Lord Peter Wimsey series are absolutely necessary for someone who loves a good detective novel. This lady was one of the very first commercially successful women detective novelists. The story of her life is pretty interesting, too, but the books are just awesome.

Rex Stout – He created a series of mysteries involving a detective by the name of Nero Wolfe, which starts with the book "Fer-de-Lance." I haven't read them in years, but there were pretty solid detective novels, if memory serves. A lot of friends recommend this series.

Non-Cannon Holmes:

"The Beekeeper's Apprentice" by Laurie R. King. The whole series was suggested by another person. These books are based on Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, but King put her own twist on the character.

"Good Night, Mr Holmes" by Carole Nelson Douglas was excellent. Another author's take on the Holmes character.

A couple of really strange non-cannon Holmes book are Fred Saberhagen's "The Holmes-Dracula File" and "Sherlock Holmes in Orbit," which is a collection of science fiction short stories about Holmes edited by Mike Resnick and Martin H. Greenberg.

Also, you should really take a look at some classic sci fi while you are at it, since you call yourself a new age science fiction fan. Good ones include: Anything by Isaac Asimov (especially his short stories); "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury; "Nor Crystal Tears" by Alan Dean Foster; "Dune" by Frank Herbert; "The Best of C.M. Kornbluth" which is an anthology of short stories Kornbluth wrote, edited by Frederik Pohl; "Ringworld" by Larry Niven; and "The Steps of the Sun" by Walter Tevis. There are so many I could say!

Some Fantasy good ones, for fun ;) -
"The Riddle-Master of Hed" by Patricia A McKillip (plus the rest of the trilogy); "Lord Valentine's Castle" by Robert Silverberg; and "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman.

]]> By: darth_borehd http://www.jjdmthemovie.com/sherlock-holmes-and-detective-fiction/comment-page-1/#comment-347 darth_borehd Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:35:34 +0000 http://www.jjdmthemovie.com/sherlock-holmes-and-detective-fiction/#comment-347 Not really. In all my years I had one case that involved a PI, a very high end PI. This PI had already been hired for surveillance of my murder victim. His client was my main suspect. The PI cooperated and was able to provide some stuff that I as a cop would not normally be able to get, like credit information (unlike on TV police are prohibited by fed law from accessing much credit info) and some illegal wire taps he had done. Since he was working for a suspect I could not totally believe all that he provided or if he provided all the information he had. No Holmes, no Monk, no people with "special talents" that weren't real law enforcement. I consulted with such people as anthropologists and other specialists in, usually scientific, fields, but that was in thier field and not really people who could solve the case. I have had psychics volunteer to help on some cases that made the papers big but they are useless and just seeking publicity. Not really. In all my years I had one case that involved a PI, a very high end PI. This PI had already been hired for surveillance of my murder victim. His client was my main suspect. The PI cooperated and was able to provide some stuff that I as a cop would not normally be able to get, like credit information (unlike on TV police are prohibited by fed law from accessing much credit info) and some illegal wire taps he had done.
Since he was working for a suspect I could not totally believe all that he provided or if he provided all the information he had.
No Holmes, no Monk, no people with "special talents" that weren't real law enforcement. I consulted with such people as anthropologists and other specialists in, usually scientific, fields, but that was in thier field and not really people who could solve the case.
I have had psychics volunteer to help on some cases that made the papers big but they are useless and just seeking publicity.

]]> By: Nappymonster http://www.jjdmthemovie.com/sherlock-holmes-and-detective-fiction/comment-page-1/#comment-344 Nappymonster Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:31:32 +0000 http://www.jjdmthemovie.com/sherlock-holmes-and-detective-fiction/#comment-344 It is just a detective story. The difference really boils down (sorry) to a matter of style. The style is so prevalent now that it may be difficult to see what a powerful change it was at the time. Most mysteries were of the British country house whodunit variety with much more formal language and far less realism. Generally the detectives were either very clever civilians or members of the constabulary. The private investigator allowed a lot more latitude in storyline and character and that character is a big part of what distinguishes the hardboiled or noir genre from traditional mystery fiction. The violent dissolute lonewolf with a strong personal ethic is a cornerstone of this fiction. The use of firearms and the mean streets settings are also distinctive. Really it is all about style and the only way to really get it is to read both. If you lack an interest in that I guess it doesn't really matter. I have to say I think you're lucky to be doing this in school. When I was young this fiction got no respect and was almost a cult type thing. It deserves the prominence it has earned. Try to enjoy it, don't take it like medicine. It is just a detective story. The difference really boils down (sorry) to a matter of style. The style is so prevalent now that it may be difficult to see what a powerful change it was at the time. Most mysteries were of the British country house whodunit variety with much more formal language and far less realism. Generally the detectives were either very clever civilians or members of the constabulary. The private investigator allowed a lot more latitude in storyline and character and that character is a big part of what distinguishes the hardboiled or noir genre from traditional mystery fiction. The violent dissolute lonewolf with a strong personal ethic is a cornerstone of this fiction. The use of firearms and the mean streets settings are also distinctive. Really it is all about style and the only way to really get it is to read both. If you lack an interest in that I guess it doesn't really matter. I have to say I think you're lucky to be doing this in school. When I was young this fiction got no respect and was almost a cult type thing. It deserves the prominence it has earned. Try to enjoy it, don't take it like medicine.

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