9/10Today I am both happy and sad. Happy for as of this morning I have read every Sherlock Holmes story ever written. Yes folks, 58 short-stories and 4 novellas. Sad because there are no more for me to read. I feel similar to when I finished all three seasons of 'Arrested Development'. The amazing part is that there wasn't a bad one. Really, there wasn't. Some I liked slightly more than others, but rarely lots more. What is also amazing is that each of the stories contain pretty elaborate and differentiated plots. Seems like it would be tough to churn out 58 stories with plots that aren't repetitive or anything.
This is what Vol. dos had in store for us:
1. The Return of Sherlock Holmes with 13 stories. Very solid collection of stories, my favorites being 'The Empty House' (sheds some light, some cool light, on where we were left off with Sherlock), 'The Adventure of the Six Napoleons (bizarre mystery about a guy who has been smashing Napoleon busts around the city), and 'The Second Stain' (just a nice, neat, and tidy display by Mr. Holmes).
2. The Valley of Fear, the fourth and final longer Holmes story. For me, I enjoyed the four novellas more than the short stories. Just because it allowed Conan Doyle to really get into some sweet details and make the mystery more difficult and unlikely to be solved. I really liked this one even though it breaks away from the action half way through to give an extended prologue. However, this prologue was fun and interesting so I didn't mind. This was my favorite story in Volume Two.
3. His Last Bow which delivers nine short-stories. My favorites being: 'The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans' (Sherlock deduces how a dead body came to be at a certain location through some pretty ingenious observations), 'The Adventure of the Dying Detective (Different than any other of the stories. Easier to see what was coming but a sweet trick by Holmes to catch the criminal), and 'The Adventure of the Devil's Foot' (contains a scary/dangerous experiment that almost dooms Holmes and Watson).
4. The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes with 12 stories to it's credit. Most well-received: 'The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire (about a mother who drinks her baby's blood, but Holmes can always get to the heart of the matter), 'The Adventure of the Three Garridebs' (Holmes with some pretty cool setting-up the bad guy by pretending he's off the scent), and 'The Problem of Thor Bridge' (Holmes being Holmes and making cool deductions like he is wont to do).
Sherlock Holmes is a household name for a reason. Never has there been a more clever and astute detective and the stories are quite pleasurable to read. It receives my stamp of approval. It is stamp-worthy.
A few quotes:
"Work is the best antidote to sorrow."
"Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself; but talent instantly recognizes genius."
"Slips are common to all mortals, and greatest is he who can recognize and repair them."
"The example of patient suffering is in itself the most precious of all lessons to an impatient world."
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