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45th out of 71 books
—
49 voters
My rating:
add to my books
The Canary Trainer: From the Memoirs of John H. Watson (Nicholas Meyer Holmes Pastiches #3)
Located by a computer in the bowels of a major university, this missing manuscript by Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes's biographer and friend, reveals hitherto unknown adventures of the Great Detective-while he was employed, incognito, as a violinist in the Paris Opera.As the detective matches wits with a musical maniac-the Phantom of the Opera-in a death struggle for the body...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
March 1st 1995
by W. W. Norton & Company
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I really like this novel, much more than the other Phantom/Sherlock Holmes crossover The Angel at the Opera.
The start is a littler slower as we discover Sherlock Holmes in retirement,which might account for the slowness. However it picks up with intensity similar to the original story. Phantom fans will get some amusement as the great detective is foiled and his evidence falling apart in his face. Spoiler: The back story is a new fresh take on how the phantom "came to be" (No...more
The start is a littler slower as we discover Sherlock Holmes in retirement,which might account for the slowness. However it picks up with intensity similar to the original story. Phantom fans will get some amusement as the great detective is foiled and his evidence falling apart in his face. Spoiler: The back story is a new fresh take on how the phantom "came to be" (No...more
Karine Mon coin lecture
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
sherlock-s-world,
thrillers-and-whodunits
Original post - In French - on my blog: http://moncoinlecture.over-blog.com/arti...
I love Sherlock Holmes. And I love the Phantom. I couldn't resist to a book that is about both. I think Nicholas Meyer has written a few Sherlock Holmes pastiches (but I haven't read them except) and this one is set in Paris during the lost years of Sherlock Holmes.
It was a fun read but not a great one. Sherlock is entangled in the mystery of the Phantom of the opera and the great detecti...more
I love Sherlock Holmes. And I love the Phantom. I couldn't resist to a book that is about both. I think Nicholas Meyer has written a few Sherlock Holmes pastiches (but I haven't read them except) and this one is set in Paris during the lost years of Sherlock Holmes.
It was a fun read but not a great one. Sherlock is entangled in the mystery of the Phantom of the opera and the great detecti...more
There is much to commend this Sherlock Holmes-meets-the-Phantom-of-the-Opera tale: the descriptions of Paris and especially the Opera Populaire and its many subterranean levels are fascinating and atmospheric; the unexpected appearance of Irene Adler (not particularly a favorite of mine) and her relationship with Sherlock Holmes make sense and provide interesting insights; and the Gothic flavor of the work is wonderful. Nicholas Meyer knows The Phantom of the Opera as well as he knows the canon ...more
I liked this book more as a Phantom of the Opera spin-off than as a Sherlock Holmes tale. Sherlock just seemed a bit off his game and not quite as 'brilliant' as I generally expect him to be. But the author did do an excellent job of capturing the feel of Leroux's Phantom of the Opera. I didn't particularly care for Sherlock's explanation of the creation and history of the Ghost, but otherwise I enjoyed Meyer's Christine, Raoul, and other Leroux characters. Also, I would have liked this book a l...more
I have to admit, everything that is about the beloved Phantom of the Opera catches my eye, my mind.
I bought this book at the end of August, on a whim, right before leaving for my vacation. I just thought Sherlock and the Opera Ghost? That should be interesting.
I am familiar with Sherlock Holmes stories but I had never read any of the stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle before. What I found a bit awkward at first was to get into the skin of Sherlock, get used to his...more
I bought this book at the end of August, on a whim, right before leaving for my vacation. I just thought Sherlock and the Opera Ghost? That should be interesting.
I am familiar with Sherlock Holmes stories but I had never read any of the stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle before. What I found a bit awkward at first was to get into the skin of Sherlock, get used to his...more
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When I found this at a book fair, I was reminded of a Celebrity Jeporady sketch on SNL where Will Ferrel summed my feelings up "Just pick a number. There is no way you can screw this up....now, let's see how you've screwed this up." I mean, this book pits against each other two of my favorite characters in all of literature: Sherlock Holmes and The Phantom of the Opera. Surely, this cool and idea is going to find some way to suck major league. Furthermore, it's told from Holmes' point ...more
This one is better than the Freud book. Meyer is using Leroux's Phantom with care and imagination. Still, it's professional fanfic, this time of the cross-over type. The three stars is probably because Meyer channels Holmes as a narrator better than Watson. The good doctor is barely in this novel. The end leaves the reader with a tantalizing hint of the next book... Montenegro... with a more horror style story.
As always, Nicholas Meyer has an amazing cast of cameos throughout the book of actual people of that time period. Does it in such a way that it sounds believable . Thus, making the story even more entertaining. He obviously does his research.
I have read all three of Nicholas Meyer's Sherlock Holmes pastiches and this was perhaps the best one. Holmes is in Paris and his nemesis...the Phantom of the Opera!
While this lacks the "x factor" that made The Seven-Per-Cent Solution such an amazing read, The Canary Trainer was a fun, fast moving read.
I tend to avoid crossovers like the plague, but Meyer's story - where in Holmes investigates the events of The Phantom of the Opera as they happen - is quite believable and just really fun. I did find the characterisation of Christine as overly simple annoying, but in line with the original Leroux text as far as I can remember.
I tend to avoid crossovers like the plague, but Meyer's story - where in Holmes investigates the events of The Phantom of the Opera as they happen - is quite believable and just really fun. I did find the characterisation of Christine as overly simple annoying, but in line with the original Leroux text as far as I can remember.
Totally amazing nd Holmes is so well-written that he's beliveable. Everything by Mayer is, in my opinion, amazing...
The other two Nicholas Meyer - Sherlock Holmes books are guilty pleasures, and I had never heard of his one until unpacking my mother-in-law's books...
Read it now, and there were few surprises to be had, once you realize that you're reading the Phantom of the Opera, as retold by Holmes. So taking away any plot mystery dropped me down a star. Still fun, though.
Read it now, and there were few surprises to be had, once you realize that you're reading the Phantom of the Opera, as retold by Holmes. So taking away any plot mystery dropped me down a star. Still fun, though.
Sherlock Holmes meets the Phantom of the Opera. This would be a great movie.
Sherlock Holmes meets The Phantom of the Opera, written to partially fill the gap between 1891 and 1894 after Holmes' fall at Reichenbach and before his return in "The Adventure of the Empty House".
The novel has a very strange and disappointing ending.
Not one of Meyer's better works.
The novel has a very strange and disappointing ending.
Not one of Meyer's better works.
not bad. i was put off by the whole 'omg, irene adler is in it' crap, but she's only in it for like 2 chaps and then she goes away and never comes back. the rest of the story is pretty interesting, with the same goofy humor and celebrity appearances you can expect in a nicholas meyer pastiche.
A retelling of the Phantom of the Opera, with Holmes after the bad guy. Interesting background, but the story was not as good as in The West End Horror, by the same author.
The fifth and hardest Phantom related novel I've managed to add to my collection. It's not quite as good as The Angel of the Opera but still well done in it's own way.
I just love it.
Very well crafted and highly entertaining.
And it's told from Holmes point of view and so much fun to read.
^^
Very well crafted and highly entertaining.
And it's told from Holmes point of view and so much fun to read.
^^
Sherlock Holmes meets the Phantom of the Opera.
Joshua Goh
marked it as to-buy
Elizabeth
marked it as to-read
Shaka Jamal
is currently reading it
Yosef Shapiro
marked it as to-read
Sallyphd
marked it as to-read
Flannery
marked it as to-read-and-need
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Baker Street Irre...: The Canary Trainer: From the Memoirs of John H. Watson | 1 | 4 | Jan 24, 2012 03:03pm |
Nicholas Meyer (born December 24, 1945 in New York City, U.S.) graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in theater and filmmaking, & is a film writer, producer, director and novelist best known for his involvement in the Star Trek films. He is also well known as the director for the landmark 1983 TV-Movie "The Day After", for which he was nominated for a Best Director Emmy Awa...more
More about Nicholas Meyer...
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