What are these people reviewing?!, 20 Aug 2008
I was brought up on the Carleton Hobbs/Norman Shelley dramatisations of the Sherlock Holmes stories on the BBC, and, whilst other actors can turn in excellent performances in these roles, it is perhaps because I was reading the stories themselves at the same time as I was listening to the broadcasts that I always associate these two fine BBC stalwarts with the parts. The reviews on this site of this particular audio cassette have absolutely nothing to do with these performances, but appear to be concerned entirely with the printed versions and the later Merrison/Williams recordings. Or am I missing something?

Absolute classic, 21 Jun 2002
A truly great collection of short stories. The stereotype is that all Sherlock Holmes stories follow a rigid murder-mystery formula, but this could not be further from the truth. What makes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes such a pleasure to read is the *variety* - aside from each story revolving around a mystery, they are all absolutely unique. There is the traditional whodunnit of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery', the Christmassy 'The Blue Carbuncle', the Jamesian (MR James, that is) 'The Speckled Band' and the utterly horrifying 'The Engineer's Thumb'. The tone of the stories varies terrifically as well, from the charming and forgiving 'The Blue Carbuncle' to the anger of 'The Five Orange Pips'; stories take place from the scenic countryside of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery' to the opium dens of London's dockyards in 'The Man With the Twisted Lip', both captured with the same level of detail (only to be expected when the narrator is the best friend of England's finest detective!).

There are a few problems with the collection - the whodunnit nature of some suffer from the short story format not allowing for many characters to be introduced; Conan-Doyle's writing style concentrates, as its title character does, on certain details of a location without bothering for a more traditional atmospheric description (though images are conjured nevertheless), which IMO only adds to the wonderful crime-scene feel of the stories; and that the word "singular" appears without fail in every single story.

Regardless, I would heartily recommend this book as a most enjoying collection of stories, the perfect thing to read after finishing a heavy novel. Readers new to Holmes however should begin by reading the novels, especially 'A Study in Scarlet' (also the very first Holmes story) and the classic 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'.

This is excellent listening, 07 Aug 1999
I must admit that I have only started to listen to Sherlock Holmes. However, I think Clive Merrison and Michael Williams must be the best at potraying Holmes and Watson. I only wish I had a list of what tapes they appear on. Amazon only lists a few, but from what I've learned, there are many more. I give this 4 stars.

The essential collection, 25 Jul 1999
For lovers of the Holmes canon, this collection is an essential addition to their bookshelf. It is a model of literary scholarship, with excellent critical introductions from various editors and some very illuminating notes on the tales. It is all beautifully produced, too. A must for Sherlockians.

5 Stars Is Not Enough!, 05 Jul 1999
The guy who gave this 1-star must of been having a bad day. This handsome 9 volume set is one of my most prized possessions. You'll find the entire canon, logically broken up into several books. It's the complete original Conan Doyle stories, they're classics, they're Sherlock!

What are these people reviewing?!, 20 Aug 2008
I was brought up on the Carleton Hobbs/Norman Shelley dramatisations of the Sherlock Holmes stories on the BBC, and, whilst other actors can turn in excellent performances in these roles, it is perhaps because I was reading the stories themselves at the same time as I was listening to the broadcasts that I always associate these two fine BBC stalwarts with the parts. The reviews on this site of this particular audio cassette have absolutely nothing to do with these performances, but appear to be concerned entirely with the printed versions and the later Merrison/Williams recordings. Or am I missing something?

Absolute classic, 21 Jun 2002
A truly great collection of short stories. The stereotype is that all Sherlock Holmes stories follow a rigid murder-mystery formula, but this could not be further from the truth. What makes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes such a pleasure to read is the *variety* - aside from each story revolving around a mystery, they are all absolutely unique. There is the traditional whodunnit of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery', the Christmassy 'The Blue Carbuncle', the Jamesian (MR James, that is) 'The Speckled Band' and the utterly horrifying 'The Engineer's Thumb'. The tone of the stories varies terrifically as well, from the charming and forgiving 'The Blue Carbuncle' to the anger of 'The Five Orange Pips'; stories take place from the scenic countryside of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery' to the opium dens of London's dockyards in 'The Man With the Twisted Lip', both captured with the same level of detail (only to be expected when the narrator is the best friend of England's finest detective!).

There are a few problems with the collection - the whodunnit nature of some suffer from the short story format not allowing for many characters to be introduced; Conan-Doyle's writing style concentrates, as its title character does, on certain details of a location without bothering for a more traditional atmospheric description (though images are conjured nevertheless), which IMO only adds to the wonderful crime-scene feel of the stories; and that the word "singular" appears without fail in every single story.

Regardless, I would heartily recommend this book as a most enjoying collection of stories, the perfect thing to read after finishing a heavy novel. Readers new to Holmes however should begin by reading the novels, especially 'A Study in Scarlet' (also the very first Holmes story) and the classic 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'.

This is excellent listening, 07 Aug 1999
I must admit that I have only started to listen to Sherlock Holmes. However, I think Clive Merrison and Michael Williams must be the best at potraying Holmes and Watson. I only wish I had a list of what tapes they appear on. Amazon only lists a few, but from what I've learned, there are many more. I give this 4 stars.

The essential collection, 25 Jul 1999
For lovers of the Holmes canon, this collection is an essential addition to their bookshelf. It is a model of literary scholarship, with excellent critical introductions from various editors and some very illuminating notes on the tales. It is all beautifully produced, too. A must for Sherlockians.

5 Stars Is Not Enough!, 05 Jul 1999
The guy who gave this 1-star must of been having a bad day. This handsome 9 volume set is one of my most prized possessions. You'll find the entire canon, logically broken up into several books. It's the complete original Conan Doyle stories, they're classics, they're Sherlock!

The quintessential Holmes tale, 06 Jan 2006
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 of the twentieth century several dozen films were made of Holmes, but the first after these many films to be set in Victorian times (and not be updated for the screen) was a version of Hound. Ellie Norwood, Basil Rathbone, Peter Cushing, Jeremy Brett -- many distinguished actors have considered this among their greatest roles.

Watson dates the case to 1889, but various reading authorities, knowing the good doctor's occasional attempts to distort details to protect the privacy of the innocent, have dated this to between 1886 and 1900.

In fact, the novel appeared in serialised form in the Strand magazine, the great first-publication site of most Holmesian tales, between August 1901 and April 1902, after Conan Doyle had attempted to kill off the great detective in the short story The Final Problem, which showcased Holmes' battle with Moriarity, the Napoleon of Crime. In fact, Conan Doyle came to dislike the character of Holmes because it was a distraction to his other pursuits.

So, bowing to public pressure, Conan Doyle penned Hound of the Baskervilles to placate the public demand for more stories, but took care to place it before the death of Holmes, in the hopes that he could leave the detective safely dead (if not buried). Such was not to be, and we find a few years later that in fact Conan Doyle 'resurrects' Holmes in a rather ingenious fashion.

But, on to the story at hand. Holmes and Watson, at home at 221b Baker Street, are approached by a Dr. James Mortimer regarding the death of Sir Charles Baskerville and a family curse which involved evil forces in the form of a satanic hound. Mortimer is concerned for the safety of the new proprietor of the family lands, freshly arriving from Canada, who had a new boot stolen, then an old boot stolen, in his hotel in London. Later Holmes would put together the significance of this seeming strange minor act (no, I won't tell you).

Holmes sends Baskerville and Watson together to the country estate while he tends things in London on another case. In reality, Holmes is setting Watson up as a diversion, while he investigates the moor and the surroundings of the Baskerville estate under cover. Life at the estate is a bit strained, given the murder, an attempted murder, a curse, and all. The neighbours seem nice enough, though. Or are they? Watson picks up on curious little details of their relationship, which he reports back in written notes to Holmes (which have been redirected to his moor outpost).

Eventually Holmes reveals himself to Watson, and then to Baskerville, and the chase is on in earnest, to discover the reality of the mysterious creature each have seen or heard. In good mystery fashion, we come across long lost relatives and an inheritance to be had; we find plots and subplots muddied by superstitious belief and fear, on a mysterious plain in southwestern England.

All the elements combined that are now considered standard bits for a well-done country English mystery. But the mystery does not stop merely with the story. In true mystery fashion, appearing in the Daily Express edition of March 16, 1959, there were doubts cast upon the authorship of Hound of the Baskervilles. The one who carried the dispute was named none other than Baskerville, Harry Baskerville. He credited the story to one Fletcher Robinson, who died (perhaps of the Egyptian mummy's curse) at age 35 shortly after the publication of Hound. With his death, only Baskerville remembered the issue of co-authorship. Baskerville claims it was Robinson who 'borrowed' the Baskerville name.

One of Conan Doyle's heirs, Adrian Conan Doyle, heatedly denied involvement of Robinson past possible 'conversations' that might have taken place between Arthur Conan Doyle and Robinson. But, he did not deny Conan Doyle's possible 'inspiration' from Robinson.

One Baker Street Irregular (an exclusive club of Holmesian experts) was doing a monograph on this issue as well, claiming that the reason why Holmes appears so infrequently is due to the fact that he had to be written in to an otherwise essentially completed story. This Irregular travelled to meet with Baskerville, and hinted at discoveries he had found. But alas, the Irregular died three weeks later in America, his monograph never published and his notes were never found. Perhaps a dog ate the homework? A mysterious hound, perhaps?

Gloom, Doom, and Subtle Misdirection, 26 May 2004
Most Sherlock Holmes stories (especially the short stories like The Red Headed League) are like playing chess in a Victorian drawing room. You get a period piece with some subtle moves. The Hound of the Baskervilles is a total change-up from that format. Doyle builds the atmosphere of ancient legends, foul play, and a dark moor in an irresistible way. You will find yourself looking out over your shoulder if you read this book on a dark, lonely night. So if you like a novel with a true gothic feel, this will be your main reward.

Your unexpected reward will be one of the most famous clues in all of detective fiction. In searching out who is haunting the Baskerville's, Doyle has Holmes solve the puzzle by looking for something that no one else was looking for. This is the only mystery that I know of that is solved by vacuous fulfillment (an odd concept of mathematics that Doyle must have known about).

The third feature of this story is the many fallacious beliefs about how science works (like phrenology -- the shape of the skull determining your mind and character). You may find this interesting or annoying. In either case, try to remember that we probably have many similar false beliefs today that will look silly a hundred years from now. Can you think of one?

Wrap up in a blanket by the fire, have a glass of wine, and shiver with anticipation!

A thrilling and gripping read - a real page-turner!, 25 Aug 2001
'The Hound of the Baskervilles' sees Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful sidekick Dr Watson on one of their most famous and exciting adventures. Right from the start the author succeeds in grabbing the readers' attention, and dramatic plot twists and the eery setting of the desolate moors keep it held until the final page. Holmes and Watson's detective skills are called upon to investigate the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose body is discovered with a look of terror upon his face near the footprints of a huge hound. Could the tale of a terrifying beast that haunts the Baskerville family be more than just superstition? The skills and courage of the Sleuths are tested to the limit in their bid to discover the truth. Although first published almost a hundred years ago, this novel has lost none of its appeal and is as good as any modern-day thriller. Full of excitement and suspense, this book is a real page-turner, and a must for all fans of the detective novel.

Clever and a page turner, 26 Nov 2000
It keeps you guessing, spooky and witty. If you like mysterys you'll love this

A first - class mystery thriller, 28 Aug 1999
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a marvellous example of a British detective mystery. The story keeps you entertained and guessing at every twist and turn and the ending is far from predictable! An enjoyable and well written mystery and a classic Sherlock Holmes case.

What are these people reviewing?!, 20 Aug 2008
I was brought up on the Carleton Hobbs/Norman Shelley dramatisations of the Sherlock Holmes stories on the BBC, and, whilst other actors can turn in excellent performances in these roles, it is perhaps because I was reading the stories themselves at the same time as I was listening to the broadcasts that I always associate these two fine BBC stalwarts with the parts. The reviews on this site of this particular audio cassette have absolutely nothing to do with these performances, but appear to be concerned entirely with the printed versions and the later Merrison/Williams recordings. Or am I missing something?

Absolute classic, 21 Jun 2002
A truly great collection of short stories. The stereotype is that all Sherlock Holmes stories follow a rigid murder-mystery formula, but this could not be further from the truth. What makes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes such a pleasure to read is the *variety* - aside from each story revolving around a mystery, they are all absolutely unique. There is the traditional whodunnit of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery', the Christmassy 'The Blue Carbuncle', the Jamesian (MR James, that is) 'The Speckled Band' and the utterly horrifying 'The Engineer's Thumb'. The tone of the stories varies terrifically as well, from the charming and forgiving 'The Blue Carbuncle' to the anger of 'The Five Orange Pips'; stories take place from the scenic countryside of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery' to the opium dens of London's dockyards in 'The Man With the Twisted Lip', both captured with the same level of detail (only to be expected when the narrator is the best friend of England's finest detective!).

There are a few problems with the collection - the whodunnit nature of some suffer from the short story format not allowing for many characters to be introduced; Conan-Doyle's writing style concentrates, as its title character does, on certain details of a location without bothering for a more traditional atmospheric description (though images are conjured nevertheless), which IMO only adds to the wonderful crime-scene feel of the stories; and that the word "singular" appears without fail in every single story.

Regardless, I would heartily recommend this book as a most enjoying collection of stories, the perfect thing to read after finishing a heavy novel. Readers new to Holmes however should begin by reading the novels, especially 'A Study in Scarlet' (also the very first Holmes story) and the classic 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'.

This is excellent listening, 07 Aug 1999
I must admit that I have only started to listen to Sherlock Holmes. However, I think Clive Merrison and Michael Williams must be the best at potraying Holmes and Watson. I only wish I had a list of what tapes they appear on. Amazon only lists a few, but from what I've learned, there are many more. I give this 4 stars.

The essential collection, 25 Jul 1999
For lovers of the Holmes canon, this collection is an essential addition to their bookshelf. It is a model of literary scholarship, with excellent critical introductions from various editors and some very illuminating notes on the tales. It is all beautifully produced, too. A must for Sherlockians.

5 Stars Is Not Enough!, 05 Jul 1999
The guy who gave this 1-star must of been having a bad day. This handsome 9 volume set is one of my most prized possessions. You'll find the entire canon, logically broken up into several books. It's the complete original Conan Doyle stories, they're classics, they're Sherlock!

The quintessential Holmes tale, 06 Jan 2006
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 of the twentieth century several dozen films were made of Holmes, but the first after these many films to be set in Victorian times (and not be updated for the screen) was a version of Hound. Ellie Norwood, Basil Rathbone, Peter Cushing, Jeremy Brett -- many distinguished actors have considered this among their greatest roles.

Watson dates the case to 1889, but various reading authorities, knowing the good doctor's occasional attempts to distort details to protect the privacy of the innocent, have dated this to between 1886 and 1900.

In fact, the novel appeared in serialised form in the Strand magazine, the great first-publication site of most Holmesian tales, between August 1901 and April 1902, after Conan Doyle had attempted to kill off the great detective in the short story The Final Problem, which showcased Holmes' battle with Moriarity, the Napoleon of Crime. In fact, Conan Doyle came to dislike the character of Holmes because it was a distraction to his other pursuits.

So, bowing to public pressure, Conan Doyle penned Hound of the Baskervilles to placate the public demand for more stories, but took care to place it before the death of Holmes, in the hopes that he could leave the detective safely dead (if not buried). Such was not to be, and we find a few years later that in fact Conan Doyle 'resurrects' Holmes in a rather ingenious fashion.

But, on to the story at hand. Holmes and Watson, at home at 221b Baker Street, are approached by a Dr. James Mortimer regarding the death of Sir Charles Baskerville and a family curse which involved evil forces in the form of a satanic hound. Mortimer is concerned for the safety of the new proprietor of the family lands, freshly arriving from Canada, who had a new boot stolen, then an old boot stolen, in his hotel in London. Later Holmes would put together the significance of this seeming strange minor act (no, I won't tell you).

Holmes sends Baskerville and Watson together to the country estate while he tends things in London on another case. In reality, Holmes is setting Watson up as a diversion, while he investigates the moor and the surroundings of the Baskerville estate under cover. Life at the estate is a bit strained, given the murder, an attempted murder, a curse, and all. The neighbours seem nice enough, though. Or are they? Watson picks up on curious little details of their relationship, which he reports back in written notes to Holmes (which have been redirected to his moor outpost).

Eventually Holmes reveals himself to Watson, and then to Baskerville, and the chase is on in earnest, to discover the reality of the mysterious creature each have seen or heard. In good mystery fashion, we come across long lost relatives and an inheritance to be had; we find plots and subplots muddied by superstitious belief and fear, on a mysterious plain in southwestern England.

All the elements combined that are now considered standard bits for a well-done country English mystery. But the mystery does not stop merely with the story. In true mystery fashion, appearing in the Daily Express edition of March 16, 1959, there were doubts cast upon the authorship of Hound of the Baskervilles. The one who carried the dispute was named none other than Baskerville, Harry Baskerville. He credited the story to one Fletcher Robinson, who died (perhaps of the Egyptian mummy's curse) at age 35 shortly after the publication of Hound. With his death, only Baskerville remembered the issue of co-authorship. Baskerville claims it was Robinson who 'borrowed' the Baskerville name.

One of Conan Doyle's heirs, Adrian Conan Doyle, heatedly denied involvement of Robinson past possible 'conversations' that might have taken place between Arthur Conan Doyle and Robinson. But, he did not deny Conan Doyle's possible 'inspiration' from Robinson.

One Baker Street Irregular (an exclusive club of Holmesian experts) was doing a monograph on this issue as well, claiming that the reason why Holmes appears so infrequently is due to the fact that he had to be written in to an otherwise essentially completed story. This Irregular travelled to meet with Baskerville, and hinted at discoveries he had found. But alas, the Irregular died three weeks later in America, his monograph never published and his notes were never found. Perhaps a dog ate the homework? A mysterious hound, perhaps?

Gloom, Doom, and Subtle Misdirection, 26 May 2004
Most Sherlock Holmes stories (especially the short stories like The Red Headed League) are like playing chess in a Victorian drawing room. You get a period piece with some subtle moves. The Hound of the Baskervilles is a total change-up from that format. Doyle builds the atmosphere of ancient legends, foul play, and a dark moor in an irresistible way. You will find yourself looking out over your shoulder if you read this book on a dark, lonely night. So if you like a novel with a true gothic feel, this will be your main reward.

Your unexpected reward will be one of the most famous clues in all of detective fiction. In searching out who is haunting the Baskerville's, Doyle has Holmes solve the puzzle by looking for something that no one else was looking for. This is the only mystery that I know of that is solved by vacuous fulfillment (an odd concept of mathematics that Doyle must have known about).

The third feature of this story is the many fallacious beliefs about how science works (like phrenology -- the shape of the skull determining your mind and character). You may find this interesting or annoying. In either case, try to remember that we probably have many similar false beliefs today that will look silly a hundred years from now. Can you think of one?

Wrap up in a blanket by the fire, have a glass of wine, and shiver with anticipation!

A thrilling and gripping read - a real page-turner!, 25 Aug 2001
'The Hound of the Baskervilles' sees Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful sidekick Dr Watson on one of their most famous and exciting adventures. Right from the start the author succeeds in grabbing the readers' attention, and dramatic plot twists and the eery setting of the desolate moors keep it held until the final page. Holmes and Watson's detective skills are called upon to investigate the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose body is discovered with a look of terror upon his face near the footprints of a huge hound. Could the tale of a terrifying beast that haunts the Baskerville family be more than just superstition? The skills and courage of the Sleuths are tested to the limit in their bid to discover the truth. Although first published almost a hundred years ago, this novel has lost none of its appeal and is as good as any modern-day thriller. Full of excitement and suspense, this book is a real page-turner, and a must for all fans of the detective novel.

Clever and a page turner, 26 Nov 2000
It keeps you guessing, spooky and witty. If you like mysterys you'll love this

A first - class mystery thriller, 28 Aug 1999
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a marvellous example of a British detective mystery. The story keeps you entertained and guessing at every twist and turn and the ending is far from predictable! An enjoyable and well written mystery and a classic Sherlock Holmes case.

Synopsis, 13 Aug 2008
The White Company is a motley group of English mercenaries, bound by unquestioning respect for social order, patriotism and lust for adventure, they make their way to fight in local wars. Doyle reveals the medieval world of the novel, telling the adventure with spirit and humorous touch.

Poor stuff, 08 Jul 2008
Being a Sherlock Holmes and Brigadier Gerard fan, I thought I'd try a couple of the Conan Doyle historical novels. I know now why this one is not at all well known. It's feeble stuff, being a story from Olde Englande and The Hundrede Yearse War that takes an age to get going, and then plods along in a sentimentalised series of encounters between a gallery of stock characters. Little psychological insight. Tells you nothing either about the reality of life and war in the Middle Ages, or more generally about human nature.

All much better done by Sir Walter Scott or even (God help us) Errol Flynn!

Top writing on brutal period of English history, 02 Apr 2002
I loved this book. It makes no concessions to the savagery of its period but still makes the characters as delightful a group of adventurers as ever graced a page. Do not mistake the turgid Sherlock Holmes stories for these. It is hard to beleive this came from the same pen and Doyle rightly preferred these to Holmes. Try starting with Sir Nigel, the prequel to this book, even though it is a little more forced than the brilliant White Company.

A Classic which is superbly researched, 07 Jul 2001
As all will know, Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle is best famed for his novels on the character Sherlock Holmes. It is also a well known fact that Doyle actually hated Holmes so much that he killed him off.

Doyle had another character, called Sir Nigel Loring, who became a bit of a favourite, and he went on to write about him in two rather overlooked and fairly unknown books, 'Sir Nigel' being the first, and 'The White Company' being the second.

The first book, 'Sir Nigel' , takes the reader back to the early 14th century in Surrey with Nigel Loring ( not yet Sir) being in his late teens. He comes from a noble family whose wealth and prosperity have seen better days, yet young Nigel soon decides he is going to make a name for himself and change his families luck. After much romping around in the countryside of Surrey, he eventually joins the army of King Edward III and follows him to France to fight in the Crecy campaign of 1346.

'The White Company' follows on from Crecy and Calais, where an older and wiser Sir Nigel joins King Edward's son, The Black Prince, in Gascony and takes part in the fighting at the Battle of Najera.

I won't go into any detail on the content, but will just say that both of these books are beautifully written and extremely well researched. Not only are they what I would call 'unputdownable' , but they also give the reader a fantastic insight into what it must have been like fighting in the Hundred Years War with France during the 14th century - they also contain a pretty accurate history of the period covered.

Like Doyle, I'm not a fan of Holmes, however, I am interested in Medieval History, and these two excellent novels both grabbed my attention from page one. Doyle was said to have been rather proud of the research he did in writing these two books, and I can fully understand why - he has produced two extremely readable and entertaining novels.

Conan Doyle escapes from Baker Street, 17 Oct 2000
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is most renowned for his Sherlock Holmes stories, and the murky world of criminal London in which they were set. It will come as a surprise to many to find that his own favourite writings were his historical novels, in which the writer and his audience escape away to a nobler time. "The White Company" is the story of Alleyne Edricson's quest to win the hand of his lady love, the Lady Maud Loring. The narrative carries Edricson to the war in France, as the squire to Maud's father, Sir Nigel. A roistering tale of knight-errantry follows, with Alleyne's quest to justify himself and his love the focus of the piece.

"The White Company" is a very well researched novel, in which many historical characters appear to lend credence to the narrative. Conan Doyle's ability to draw portraits is proven in the work, as the veteran bowman Samkin Aylward, and the Hampshire archer Hordle John are both strongly drawn figures. Sir Nigel himself is a highly quixotic character, whose sense of honour is undimmed, although his eyesight is now sadly the worse for his many years of war. Comedy is evoked by the incongruous moralities of the companions: Sir Nigel believes that nothing is nobler than bloodthirsty war; monastery-bred Alleyne begins his travels as a quiet pacifist and Aylward's only concern is where the next gallon of ale is coming from.

The story is only one stranded, it is highly simplistic, and follows the travels of Alleyne. The lack of complexity perhaps reflects the simpler, more innocent times in which the novel is set, but is also stylistically reminiscent of the medieval romances that Conan-Doyle would be using for his sources. The narrative works as a series of adventures which resolve themselves very neatly into chapters, moving the novel on at an easy pace, but with admirable focus and control. Above all, it is a very active piece of writing. The combat scenes leap from the page, and Conan-Doyle's richness of expression fires the reader with a genuine enthusiasm for the piece.

I can highly recommend "The White Company" to the casual reader. As a historical novel it is simplistic. Conan-Doyle is writing long enough after the Gothics - Walpole, Radcliff and Lewis - to avoid the complicated plot structure which they gave to his biggest influence, Sir Walter Scott. As an introduction to the type, "the White Company" is perfect. I would, however, suggest that the reader tries "Sir Nigel" first. Although written fifteen years after "the White Company", it is set a generation before, and gives valuable character enlargements to figures who will appear in "The White Company".

What are these people reviewing?!, 20 Aug 2008
I was brought up on the Carleton Hobbs/Norman Shelley dramatisations of the Sherlock Holmes stories on the BBC, and, whilst other actors can turn in excellent performances in these roles, it is perhaps because I was reading the stories themselves at the same time as I was listening to the broadcasts that I always associate these two fine BBC stalwarts with the parts. The reviews on this site of this particular audio cassette have absolutely nothing to do with these performances, but appear to be concerned entirely with the printed versions and the later Merrison/Williams recordings. Or am I missing something?

Absolute classic, 21 Jun 2002
A truly great collection of short stories. The stereotype is that all Sherlock Holmes stories follow a rigid murder-mystery formula, but this could not be further from the truth. What makes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes such a pleasure to read is the *variety* - aside from each story revolving around a mystery, they are all absolutely unique. There is the traditional whodunnit of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery', the Christmassy 'The Blue Carbuncle', the Jamesian (MR James, that is) 'The Speckled Band' and the utterly horrifying 'The Engineer's Thumb'. The tone of the stories varies terrifically as well, from the charming and forgiving 'The Blue Carbuncle' to the anger of 'The Five Orange Pips'; stories take place from the scenic countryside of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery' to the opium dens of London's dockyards in 'The Man With the Twisted Lip', both captured with the same level of detail (only to be expected when the narrator is the best friend of England's finest detective!).

There are a few problems with the collection - the whodunnit nature of some suffer from the short story format not allowing for many characters to be introduced; Conan-Doyle's writing style concentrates, as its title character does, on certain details of a location without bothering for a more traditional atmospheric description (though images are conjured nevertheless), which IMO only adds to the wonderful crime-scene feel of the stories; and that the word "singular" appears without fail in every single story.

Regardless, I would heartily recommend this book as a most enjoying collection of stories, the perfect thing to read after finishing a heavy novel. Readers new to Holmes however should begin by reading the novels, especially 'A Study in Scarlet' (also the very first Holmes story) and the classic 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'.

This is excellent listening, 07 Aug 1999
I must admit that I have only started to listen to Sherlock Holmes. However, I think Clive Merrison and Michael Williams must be the best at potraying Holmes and Watson. I only wish I had a list of what tapes they appear on. Amazon only lists a few, but from what I've learned, there are many more. I give this 4 stars.

The essential collection, 25 Jul 1999
For lovers of the Holmes canon, this collection is an essential addition to their bookshelf. It is a model of literary scholarship, with excellent critical introductions from various editors and some very illuminating notes on the tales. It is all beautifully produced, too. A must for Sherlockians.

5 Stars Is Not Enough!, 05 Jul 1999
The guy who gave this 1-star must of been having a bad day. This handsome 9 volume set is one of my most prized possessions. You'll find the entire canon, logically broken up into several books. It's the complete original Conan Doyle stories, they're classics, they're Sherlock!

The quintessential Holmes tale, 06 Jan 2006
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 of the twentieth century several dozen films were made of Holmes, but the first after these many films to be set in Victorian times (and not be updated for the screen) was a version of Hound. Ellie Norwood, Basil Rathbone, Peter Cushing, Jeremy Brett -- many distinguished actors have considered this among their greatest roles.

Watson dates the case to 1889, but various reading authorities, knowing the good doctor's occasional attempts to distort details to protect the privacy of the innocent, have dated this to between 1886 and 1900.

In fact, the novel appeared in serialised form in the Strand magazine, the great first-publication site of most Holmesian tales, between August 1901 and April 1902, after Conan Doyle had attempted to kill off the great detective in the short story The Final Problem, which showcased Holmes' battle with Moriarity, the Napoleon of Crime. In fact, Conan Doyle came to dislike the character of Holmes because it was a distraction to his other pursuits.

So, bowing to public pressure, Conan Doyle penned Hound of the Baskervilles to placate the public demand for more stories, but took care to place it before the death of Holmes, in the hopes that he could leave the detective safely dead (if not buried). Such was not to be, and we find a few years later that in fact Conan Doyle 'resurrects' Holmes in a rather ingenious fashion.

But, on to the story at hand. Holmes and Watson, at home at 221b Baker Street, are approached by a Dr. James Mortimer regarding the death of Sir Charles Baskerville and a family curse which involved evil forces in the form of a satanic hound. Mortimer is concerned for the safety of the new proprietor of the family lands, freshly arriving from Canada, who had a new boot stolen, then an old boot stolen, in his hotel in London. Later Holmes would put together the significance of this seeming strange minor act (no, I won't tell you).

Holmes sends Baskerville and Watson together to the country estate while he tends things in London on another case. In reality, Holmes is setting Watson up as a diversion, while he investigates the moor and the surroundings of the Baskerville estate under cover. Life at the estate is a bit strained, given the murder, an attempted murder, a curse, and all. The neighbours seem nice enough, though. Or are they? Watson picks up on curious little details of their relationship, which he reports back in written notes to Holmes (which have been redirected to his moor outpost).

Eventually Holmes reveals himself to Watson, and then to Baskerville, and the chase is on in earnest, to discover the reality of the mysterious creature each have seen or heard. In good mystery fashion, we come across long lost relatives and an inheritance to be had; we find plots and subplots muddied by superstitious belief and fear, on a mysterious plain in southwestern England.

All the elements combined that are now considered standard bits for a well-done country English mystery. But the mystery does not stop merely with the story. In true mystery fashion, appearing in the Daily Express edition of March 16, 1959, there were doubts cast upon the authorship of Hound of the Baskervilles. The one who carried the dispute was named none other than Baskerville, Harry Baskerville. He credited the story to one Fletcher Robinson, who died (perhaps of the Egyptian mummy's curse) at age 35 shortly after the publication of Hound. With his death, only Baskerville remembered the issue of co-authorship. Baskerville claims it was Robinson who 'borrowed' the Baskerville name.

One of Conan Doyle's heirs, Adrian Conan Doyle, heatedly denied involvement of Robinson past possible 'conversations' that might have taken place between Arthur Conan Doyle and Robinson. But, he did not deny Conan Doyle's possible 'inspiration' from Robinson.

One Baker Street Irregular (an exclusive club of Holmesian experts) was doing a monograph on this issue as well, claiming that the reason why Holmes appears so infrequently is due to the fact that he had to be written in to an otherwise essentially completed story. This Irregular travelled to meet with Baskerville, and hinted at discoveries he had found. But alas, the Irregular died three weeks later in America, his monograph never published and his notes were never found. Perhaps a dog ate the homework? A mysterious hound, perhaps?

Gloom, Doom, and Subtle Misdirection, 26 May 2004
Most Sherlock Holmes stories (especially the short stories like The Red Headed League) are like playing chess in a Victorian drawing room. You get a period piece with some subtle moves. The Hound of the Baskervilles is a total change-up from that format. Doyle builds the atmosphere of ancient legends, foul play, and a dark moor in an irresistible way. You will find yourself looking out over your shoulder if you read this book on a dark, lonely night. So if you like a novel with a true gothic feel, this will be your main reward.

Your unexpected reward will be one of the most famous clues in all of detective fiction. In searching out who is haunting the Baskerville's, Doyle has Holmes solve the puzzle by looking for something that no one else was looking for. This is the only mystery that I know of that is solved by vacuous fulfillment (an odd concept of mathematics that Doyle must have known about).

The third feature of this story is the many fallacious beliefs about how science works (like phrenology -- the shape of the skull determining your mind and character). You may find this interesting or annoying. In either case, try to remember that we probably have many similar false beliefs today that will look silly a hundred years from now. Can you think of one?

Wrap up in a blanket by the fire, have a glass of wine, and shiver with anticipation!

A thrilling and gripping read - a real page-turner!, 25 Aug 2001
'The Hound of the Baskervilles' sees Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful sidekick Dr Watson on one of their most famous and exciting adventures. Right from the start the author succeeds in grabbing the readers' attention, and dramatic plot twists and the eery setting of the desolate moors keep it held until the final page. Holmes and Watson's detective skills are called upon to investigate the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose body is discovered with a look of terror upon his face near the footprints of a huge hound. Could the tale of a terrifying beast that haunts the Baskerville family be more than just superstition? The skills and courage of the Sleuths are tested to the limit in their bid to discover the truth. Although first published almost a hundred years ago, this novel has lost none of its appeal and is as good as any modern-day thriller. Full of excitement and suspense, this book is a real page-turner, and a must for all fans of the detective novel.

Clever and a page turner, 26 Nov 2000
It keeps you guessing, spooky and witty. If you like mysterys you'll love this

A first - class mystery thriller, 28 Aug 1999
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a marvellous example of a British detective mystery. The story keeps you entertained and guessing at every twist and turn and the ending is far from predictable! An enjoyable and well written mystery and a classic Sherlock Holmes case.

Synopsis, 13 Aug 2008
The White Company is a motley group of English mercenaries, bound by unquestioning respect for social order, patriotism and lust for adventure, they make their way to fight in local wars. Doyle reveals the medieval world of the novel, telling the adventure with spirit and humorous touch.

Poor stuff, 08 Jul 2008
Being a Sherlock Holmes and Brigadier Gerard fan, I thought I'd try a couple of the Conan Doyle historical novels. I know now why this one is not at all well known. It's feeble stuff, being a story from Olde Englande and The Hundrede Yearse War that takes an age to get going, and then plods along in a sentimentalised series of encounters between a gallery of stock characters. Little psychological insight. Tells you nothing either about the reality of life and war in the Middle Ages, or more generally about human nature.

All much better done by Sir Walter Scott or even (God help us) Errol Flynn!

Top writing on brutal period of English history, 02 Apr 2002
I loved this book. It makes no concessions to the savagery of its period but still makes the characters as delightful a group of adventurers as ever graced a page. Do not mistake the turgid Sherlock Holmes stories for these. It is hard to beleive this came from the same pen and Doyle rightly preferred these to Holmes. Try starting with Sir Nigel, the prequel to this book, even though it is a little more forced than the brilliant White Company.

A Classic which is superbly researched, 07 Jul 2001
As all will know, Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle is best famed for his novels on the character Sherlock Holmes. It is also a well known fact that Doyle actually hated Holmes so much that he killed him off.

Doyle had another character, called Sir Nigel Loring, who became a bit of a favourite, and he went on to write about him in two rather overlooked and fairly unknown books, 'Sir Nigel' being the first, and 'The White Company' being the second.

The first book, 'Sir Nigel' , takes the reader back to the early 14th century in Surrey with Nigel Loring ( not yet Sir) being in his late teens. He comes from a noble family whose wealth and prosperity have seen better days, yet young Nigel soon decides he is going to make a name for himself and change his families luck. After much romping around in the countryside of Surrey, he eventually joins the army of King Edward III and follows him to France to fight in the Crecy campaign of 1346.

'The White Company' follows on from Crecy and Calais, where an older and wiser Sir Nigel joins King Edward's son, The Black Prince, in Gascony and takes part in the fighting at the Battle of Najera.

I won't go into any detail on the content, but will just say that both of these books are beautifully written and extremely well researched. Not only are they what I would call 'unputdownable' , but they also give the reader a fantastic insight into what it must have been like fighting in the Hundred Years War with France during the 14th century - they also contain a pretty accurate history of the period covered.

Like Doyle, I'm not a fan of Holmes, however, I am interested in Medieval History, and these two excellent novels both grabbed my attention from page one. Doyle was said to have been rather proud of the research he did in writing these two books, and I can fully understand why - he has produced two extremely readable and entertaining novels.

Conan Doyle escapes from Baker Street, 17 Oct 2000
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is most renowned for his Sherlock Holmes stories, and the murky world of criminal London in which they were set. It will come as a surprise to many to find that his own favourite writings were his historical novels, in which the writer and his audience escape away to a nobler time. "The White Company" is the story of Alleyne Edricson's quest to win the hand of his lady love, the Lady Maud Loring. The narrative carries Edricson to the war in France, as the squire to Maud's father, Sir Nigel. A roistering tale of knight-errantry follows, with Alleyne's quest to justify himself and his love the focus of the piece.

"The White Company" is a very well researched novel, in which many historical characters appear to lend credence to the narrative. Conan Doyle's ability to draw portraits is proven in the work, as the veteran bowman Samkin Aylward, and the Hampshire archer Hordle John are both strongly drawn figures. Sir Nigel himself is a highly quixotic character, whose sense of honour is undimmed, although his eyesight is now sadly the worse for his many years of war. Comedy is evoked by the incongruous moralities of the companions: Sir Nigel believes that nothing is nobler than bloodthirsty war; monastery-bred Alleyne begins his travels as a quiet pacifist and Aylward's only concern is where the next gallon of ale is coming from.

The story is only one stranded, it is highly simplistic, and follows the travels of Alleyne. The lack of complexity perhaps reflects the simpler, more innocent times in which the novel is set, but is also stylistically reminiscent of the medieval romances that Conan-Doyle would be using for his sources. The narrative works as a series of adventures which resolve themselves very neatly into chapters, moving the novel on at an easy pace, but with admirable focus and control. Above all, it is a very active piece of writing. The combat scenes leap from the page, and Conan-Doyle's richness of expression fires the reader with a genuine enthusiasm for the piece.

I can highly recommend "The White Company" to the casual reader. As a historical novel it is simplistic. Conan-Doyle is writing long enough after the Gothics - Walpole, Radcliff and Lewis - to avoid the complicated plot structure which they gave to his biggest influence, Sir Walter Scott. As an introduction to the type, "the White Company" is perfect. I would, however, suggest that the reader tries "Sir Nigel" first. Although written fifteen years after "the White Company", it is set a generation before, and gives valuable character enlargements to figures who will appear in "The White Company".

One word - Brilliant!, 12 Aug 2000
I found this book to be one of the best collections of Sherlock Holmes stories I've ever read...a fantastic selection, which includes the classic stories, alongside such as 'The Final Problem', and loads others.A must-read book for any lovers of mystery !