Not your average Holmes mysteries

[miss_yt]

On the recommendation - and generous provision, as a birthday present - from my friend Valerie, I have just read two books in Laurie King's Mary Russel series. They're a continuation of Sherlock Holmes' adventures, picking up from a few years after Doyle left off with his last story and going into the early twenties. The principal protagonist and narrator, Mary Russel, is a brilliant, stubborn and quite likeable (as a character, though not so much as a person) young lady who literally stumbles upon Holmes in the Sussex downs to which he has retired and ends up becoming his apprentice and partner, in an active way that Watson never was. I'm not speaking ill of the good Dr. Watson, who gets a more sympathetic and dignified treatment at King's hands than with many others. He is one of many ambiguous and oft-debated aspects of the original canon that Laurie King presents in an edifying light, and with good grace.

Doyle might have been proud, once he got over the initial shock - if he had the good humor to absorb the unflattering portrayal of himself, mostly by reference, without taking offense.

This has actually inspired me to get back to my Ruse fanfic, whcih I have not worked much on in a long time.

Comments

[dementomstie.livejournal.com]

I am glad that someone else has been interested in those books, I have been thinking about reading one myself, but everytime I find part of the series I can't find the first book. Is it necessary to read them in order? Or can you kinda jump in wherever? Glad to hear they're good too, since otherwise I would be saying "Too bad they're not good, I had hoped they would be." or something to that effect.

[miss-yt.livejournal.com]

Well, I've only read the first two, and there are seven, but I think you kind of have to read them in order. My friend found the first book, The Beekeeper's Apprentice, in a used book store, so you might want to look there.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

So, are these books as Mary-Sueish as the premise makes them sound? A lot of people whose taste I generally trust like the series, but I am leery.

[miss-yt.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't have said I liked it if I thought it was Mary Sue-ish. Laurie King pulled it off surprisingly well.