Holmes-dracula File [Paperback]

Fred Saberhagen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1982

World-famous “consulting detective” Sherlock Holmes faces a terrible crisis: a ring of criminal masterminds has threatened to loose thousands of plague-infected rats into the streets of London.  But the Black Death isn’t Holmes’ only problem.  A lone killer haunts the city.  His calling card is a trail of corpses, drained of blood to the last drop. 

The key to solving both crimes rests in the hands of a mysterious nobleman recently returned to London on a personal matter.  His name is Dracula.  The Count is quickly entangled in a web of evil that even his immortal powers may not be enough to breach.  Holmes and Dracula soon come to the peculiar realization that they may be each other’s only hope.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Fred Saberhagen

“Vampires with a difference! And the difference is Fred Saberhagen. His writing mesmerizes.”

—Brian Lumley

“Immensely engaging.”

—Kirkus Reviews on

A Sharpness on the Neck

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

FRED SABERHAGEN was the author of the popular Dracula Series, the Berserker (tm) Series, and the bestselling Lost Swords and Book of Lost Swords. Fred Saberhagen lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Ace (October 1, 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441342477
• ISBN-13: 978-0441342471
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,654,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars adventure which will please fans of both Vlad & Sherlock, June 11, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Tustin, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Holmes-Dracula File (Paperback)

In this phenomenal hybridization, Dracula makes his 2nd visit to Victorian London (his 1st being the original Stoker novel). Here he becomes embroiled in an unpublished Sherlock Holmes adventure featuring the heretofore unseen "giant rat of Sumatra." Saberhagen stays faithful to the original characterizations of both Doyle and Stoker, and intermixes the two in a fascinating adventure which, after reading the first several chapters, you will not be able to put down. A real page turner.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sherlock Holmes vs Dracula, June 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Holmes-Dracula File (Paperback)

An unexpected yet successful association. This sequel to An Old Friend of the Family is even better than the original. It gives interesting informations about how vampires are made and gives a hint to those who always wondered how Holmes manage to be so good at investigating. For those who like detective and vampire novels.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting combination, November 28, 2005

By 

Lavode (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Holmes-Dracula File (Paperback)

I will state first that I'm a Stoker purist, and a fan of Holmes canon.

So from this perspective, this was a very interesting read. Saberhagen is able to capture the Doyle style very effectively, and the characters are very consistent. The story is told from alternating viewpoints of Dracula and Watson, and deals with events 6 years after Dracula was "killed" in Stoker's novel.

So why the two star reduction? Well, Holmes really departs from form near the end. I just didn't buy it. Also, in the middle of some of Watson's chapters, Dracula adds footnotes, which seemed a bit jarring. This seemed to make Dracula a little too omnipotent, almost like making him an editor of the book.

All in all, this is a fun read, and adds the "Giant Rat of Sumatra" to the chapters of Holmsiana.