Death Cloud (Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins Series #1)

Sherlock Holmes for a new generation

DEATH CLOUD, by Andrew Lane, is a great beginning to a new series which explores the life of Sherlock Holmes as a fourteen year old boy.

Mystery books rarely enter my TBR pile, but when asked to review a Sherlock Holmes novel I could not resist. I always enjoyed the characters in the original works and I was interested to see how much of that Lane put into his new novels. The character of Holmes, even as a young teen, was a pleasure to read. Holmes was a very curious boy but his sleuthing skills were magnified with the help of his side-kick, Matty, and American tutor, Amyus Crowe.

Lane molded a young Sherlock Holmes and created a character that you can visualize turning into the classic character. Crowe taught Holmes how to ask the right questions to get satisfactory answers. The relationship between teacher and student was refreshing and added the importance of education. I also enjoyed the relationship between Matty and Sherlock. They were from different social backgrounds but their commonality in crime-solving made them quite a pair. Although I do admit I missed the absence of Watson! But, my favorite character had to be Virginia. Where Holmes is a male icon, Virginia is definitely a strong female-icon. Her 'American' ways were exploited to make her desirable to Holmes, but she definitely gave him a run for his money!

Overall, I think this series is a great introduction to the classic character of Sherlock Holmes to a younger generation. Lane created fabulous characters and a great mystery. I look forward to the next one!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Do me a favor

Do me a favor and ask publisher for e-book.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Spectacular Murder Mystery

Death Cloud by Andrew Lane was an exhilarating book! Featuring a young Sherlock Holmes at age 14 and his friends, several murders, a very creepy bad guy with an evil plot, some romance, and whole lot of action. I loved this mystery! Sherlock was depicted exactly as I would have imagined him to be at this age! I enjoyed seeing how the talent he already had and the skills he learned would turn him into the famous detective so well known. I also enjoyed seeing the word "deduced." It's probably my new favorite word.

Sherlock's tutor Mr. Crowe quickly became one of the best characters. Between the random bits of intelligence he was always giving, and the fact that he helped me understand a story problem that long has confused me, it was almost inevitable. Here's the problem, a small taste of some of the problems and mysteries in this book:

Three men decide to split the cost of a thirty shilling hotel room. Each fellow pays the manager ten shillings. The next morning the manager realizes he made a mistake in that a special rate was being charged on the room because of construction on the hotel. He sends a bellboy to give back five shillings. The men are so pleased they decide to each keep a shilling and give two to the boy as a tip. So each man ends up only paying nine shillings and the boy makes two. But, nine times three is twenty-seven shillings, and when you add the two shillings the boy got, it's still only twenty-nine. Where did the missing shilling go?

Not taken exactly from the text, I took out all the dialogue of them thinking it out, but it's from pages 120 and 121. That problem has tortured my poor head since middle school and I actually squealed when the answer was explained! I leave you, dear reader, to the awful pondering that follows this story. But, unlike the evil classmate who posed this story to me, I've given you a way to find out the answer. Read Death Cloud!

Great book

I've never read any of the Sherlock Holmes books in my life (I know, I know, I'm a horrible excuse for a human being). And my reference when someone says Sherlock Holmes is the 2009 movie (to which I hope they're making a sequel). But I'm happy to say that this was a good introduction to the character. So much so, that I have an inclination to go and pick up the originals and the varied spin-offs done by other authors.

In this book, Sherlock isn't yet the detective mastermind we all know him to be (thank you, Robert Downey Jr.). He is a young boy just released for summer break from an all boys school. His brother arrives to tell him that he will not be coming home to London with him, but will be staying with his estranged uncle, aunt, and their evil house keeper (all though his brother doesn't come out and say as much, Sherlock is able to deduce that much on his own the moment he steps foot in their house).

While bored out of his mind, Sherlock befriends a street urchin named Matty (Jude Law a.k.a Watson??? Like I said, I'm clueless here folks, and the movie is my reference on which I base all things, including the meaning of life--which, if you're curious--is getting a jar full of flies to fly together in a counter-clockwise fashion).

Matty tells Sherlock of a 'death cloud' he saw and the dead man that turned up as a seeming result. His brother hires an American tutor for the summer. I deduce that this is where Sherlock learns all of his mad skills.

As nosey as he is, Sherlock goes gallivanting on private property of a mysterious albino Barron who he thinks is a part of this entire 'death cloud' business. Trapped in a blazing barn and almost murdered (I still cringe when I remember Lane showing us that scene), Sherlock escapes and goes back to his uncle's house for his lesson with the American. There they find a dead man on his uncle's property. Sherlock is convinced that the two deaths are connected and somehow the Barron (Arch Nemesis Moriarty??) is a part of it all.

Together, Sherlock, Matty, the American, and his attractive daughter, Virginia (Rachel McAdams?) try and solve the mystery. And that's all I'm gonna say about the plot.

Lane did a great job of interweaving seemingly unrelated events into one conspiracy for Sherlock to discover. He also did a great job of letting the reader follow Sherlock's brain waves in figuring out the mystery and the conspiracy happening around him, without the notion that my hand was being held through the process. I can see where this will be set up for many more books to come as Lane did a very good job of tying up lose ends, but leaving enough mystery for the next book (which I am going to ask for an ARC of).

Lane also did a superb job of setting up the world in which the story takes place, giving us the sights, sounds, smells and ambiance of 1868 Hampshire.I strongly recommend picking up this book and reading it for yourself. It's interesting and an easy read, and while it took me a little while to get into it (although, I was rather busy at the time), it was well worth it.

WHY NOT AN EBOOK?

If this book isn't avaiable for Nook why buy a Nook? Sorry I bought one.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommend

Death Cloud is a good start to the teenage life of Sherlocke Holmes. It gives you some of the background information of how Sherlock becomes Sherlocke. It is a great way to be introduced to character and the stories. The story is a good mix of information about the characters, and you do find yourself invested in their lives. You see Sherlock make friends and solve his first case, with a good bit of danger. It does start to lag somewhat about three quarters of the way through, but picks up pace towards the end. Parts of the story are a bit beyond belief, but keep you guessing.

AMAZING!!!

this book was definitly one of my favorites! it exceded all of my expectations and was schocking! 5 out of 5 stars!

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.