Customer Reviews

Hound: The Curse of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Classic Now With Werewolf Madnes

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Love 'em or hate 'em, most readers will have to admit that the idea of introducing monsters into classic works of literature is intriguing and, when done well, worth the price of admission.
Dig out your wallets, folks, 'cause HOUND: The Curse of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Lorne Dixon, is done well and worth the price of admission. In this one, Dixon makes Doyle's fabled hound more than a big dog, and it works. I've always thought that Doyle sort of wanted to go balls-to-the-wall supernatural with this one, and maybe should have, but stopped short. Dixon does not put on the literary brakes.
Sherlock Holmes and his ever-present companion, Dr. Watson, are drawn into the world of the Baskervilles and the mystery surrounding the family and estate, just as in Doyle's version, and while much of the book remains intact, Dixon captures the language and feel of the book to seamlessly add paragraphs and scenes as he skillfully turns the tale into a werewolf story.
From adding a more solid reason for Holmes not accompanying Watson to the Baskerville estate to a wonderfully-depicted funeral home scene where the body of the slain Charles Baskerville is stolen, Dixon weaves a tale perhaps Doyle himself would be proud of. And the ending, a confrontation between the monster, Holmes and Watson, might, I think, rival the original.
Check it out, people. Then go find Dixon's other works (SNARL and THE LIFELESS). This writer is the real deal, and I, for one, can't wait to see what he does next.

This book takes a classic detective story and twists it like a pretzel in a thrilling supernatural angle. Recommended!

I liked this novel, because it was novel. A new and interesting take on a classic. I had not read the original in 20 years, and I enjoyed it as well. I found the inclusion of the werewolf lore to be seamless. It really is more of a 99 cent title to me. That is my only major gripe. Minor gripe: The story was tight,characters complete, but the suspense was thin.