Customer Reviews

Return of Moriarty (A Star book)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
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Suppose Sherlock Holmes' version of the final, fateful moments above Richenbach Falls were a fabrication established to save his own life and enact a truce between him and his intellectual equal, that Napoleon of the London underworld, Professor Moriarty? In this suspenseful drama set three years after the "deaths" of Holmes and his rival above the Swiss falls, this novel brings Moriarty back and sets him down in the midst of a city-wide turf war between his factions and those who have sprung up in his absence. Holmes is a minor character here, never seen but referred to numerous times, especially in the matter of the eventual fate of his would-be assassin, Colonel Moran. Instead of this being a tale of the greatest of Victorian detectives, this is presented as the story of his darkest foe, the ingenious crime lord Moriarty. Here one will find violence and cunning in the impoverished, crime-infested London of the 1890's. Within these pages a reader will discover why Holmes frequently stated that Moriarty was his equal in intellect. Author Gardner did an admirable quantity of research into the lifestyles and language of those who lived in the setting featured in this novel. These details contribute to a level of realism often reached for but rarely achieved in stories set in this period. This is a crime novel that has strong characters and a fast-moving plot, and anyone who has ever loved the Conan-Doyle Sherlock Holmes mysteries, or who has an interest in Victorian London--especially its criminal side--should love this book.

We always wish Author Conan Doyle had written more Sherlock Holmes stories. These two titles, "The Return of Moriarty" and "The Revenge of Moriarty" are more than welcome additions. From the addition of new characters, to the language and "feel" of the Victorian era, these titles are more than adequate additions to your Sherlock Holmes library. There has been so many cheap attempts by other authors over the years to capture the Conan Doyle style, that I had almost given up. Although these titles are out of print, they CAN be found. Luckily my daughter made me take her to a flea market to look for "beanie babies", and I came across these two jewels for only a quarter! Amazon offers to look for them for you and I have no idea what the price may be. If you are a true Sherlock Holmes fan like me, it makes no difference!

There are 3 books in this series. I loved all of them. I would definitely recommend reading these. Set deep in the middle of criminal London this book makes you side with Moriarity instead of Holmes. I love John Gardner's twist on everyone's favorite detective.

Gardner tries to write "The Godfather" but about Moriarty. It doesn't work. He's done his homework on the criminal gangs of the period and all, I don't fault him on that, but the writing is drab and tedious. Moriarty just isn't an interesting character the way Vito and Michael Corleone are, and the whole Holmes side of the thing is a series of flashbacks that stink. There's a little jab at the Jack the Ripper stuff, but it just doesn't ever get off the ground.

Guess what? Moriarty was evil. Isn't that interesting? Bet you didn't know that.

Gardner invents a whole new character, the new detective who hunts Moriarty (named Crow), but the guy never comes to life. Gardner seems to think here that character life happens when you make people talk in old-fashioned slang and put a glossary in the back to make it all authentic. Ho hum. The only time anyone ever got away with this was when Crichton wrote "The Great Train Robbery," and that was because it was a true story.

Snooze. If you love Holmes pastiches, go ahead, but otherwise it's nothing to stay up for.