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

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Death Cloud (Young Sherlock Holmes #1)

3.67 of 5 stars 3.67 · rating details · 1,987 ratings · 455 reviews

It is the summer of 1868, and Sherlock Holmes is fourteen. On break from boarding school, he is staying with eccentric strangers—his uncle and aunt—in their vast house in Hampshire. When two local people die from symptoms that resemble the plague, Holmes begins to investigate what really killed them, helped by his new tutor, an American named Amyus Crowe. So begins Sherloc...more

Hardcover, 311 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (first published June 4th 2010)

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Dec 19, 2011 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts

Shelves: detective-private-eye-sleuth, famous-literary-historical-characte, coming-of-age, young-adult, historical-fiction, victorian, library-checkout, audiobook, thriller-suspense, action-adventure, 2011-reading

I'm going to put this book in the 'not bad, but could have been better' classification. I have my own perceptions about how young Sherlock Holmes would be and this one isn't real close to my ideas. Yeah, I'm not sure I can clarify that right now, so I won't try. I just found the book disappointing in how it did craft young Holmes.

I did like the fact that Holmes has a mentor in an American who brings to mind a cross between Mark Twain and Wyatt Earp/Doc Holiday. Mr. Crow helps to develop Holmes'...more I'm going to put this book in the 'not bad, but could have been better' classification. I have my own perceptions about how young Sherlock Holmes would be and this one isn't real close to my ideas. Yeah, I'm not sure I can clarify that right now, so I won't try. I just found the book disappointing in how it did craft young Holmes.

I did like the fact that Holmes has a mentor in an American who brings to mind a cross between Mark Twain and Wyatt Earp/Doc Holiday. Mr. Crow helps to develop Holmes' signature traits, deductive reasoning and a keenly analytical mind. It was interesting seeing how Holmes went from being a 'whatever/why is this important?' kid to the man who has an insatiable curiosity about the world and the burning desire to solve any puzzle that he encounters. I also liked Holmes' sidekick Matty Arnett. I have a feeling he will be accompanying Sherlock on more adventures in this series, and I'm very cool with that. I'd also like to see more of Mr. Crow. His daughter, Virginia, doesn't have quite as concrete a role, other than the horse-mad hoyden, would-be love interest, and perhaps, her tendency to bring out the impulsive adventurer in Sherlock.

What surprised me was how violent this book is. Personally, I would be wary about letting a child younger than thirteen read this. There are some fairly descriptive acts of brutality that I think would be a bit much for a younger reader. I was concerned that the exceedingly villainous bad guys who would torture a kid with a bullwhip in a book for a younger audience. It's a pretty drawn out scene too. Not to mention a nasty fist fight that Sherlock finds himself involved in, along with numerous altercations with the Big Bad's minions who have no qualms about murdering youngsters.

The main bad guy is suitably majestic, and really quite outre' in his madness and character quirks, almost over the top, in fact. I guess that could be fun, but his bombastic speech about wreaking vengeance against the British Empire was a bit tedious. Sometimes I get impatient with the "I am an Evil Overlord" speeches.

A big issue I did have was the pacing. I don't know. It just seemed uneven. I liked the action bits, for the most part, but I wasn't keen on how long it took Sherlock to figure things out. I realize that he's a young kid and he's just in the beginning of his long career as a detective, but I think he could have been a bit brighter in some circumstances. Happily, there is a good progression in his character over the course of the book.

Yeah, I know it, it's a problem of having too high expectations. Why do I do that to myself? That can burst a bubble or two for a reader. Would I recommend this? Hmmm, only if you really want to read about a young Sherlock Holmes, and your expectations aren't too grand. If you happen to be at the library and you can't find another book with a young detective to read, then you could reach for this one and it wouldn't be too much of a waste of your free time to read.

Overall rating: 3.25/5.00 stars.(less)

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Feb 24, 2011 Joel marked it as to-not-read-ever

It's elementary, my dear Usher.

"To Justin Bieber she is always THE woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that he felt any emotion akin to love for Robyn Rihanna Fenty. All emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his swooping, precise but admirably balanced bangs.

He was, I take it, the most perfect grin flashing and eyelash-fluttering machine that the world has seen, but as a lov...more

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May 16, 2012 Cassie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Where do I start? This book was definitely exciting and filled with revelations. I actually bought this book months ago but got to the first page and couldn't bring myself to keep on reading it, so it sat in my book box for a long time. I felt like reading it one night, though, so I picked it up and I'm really glad I did. Its the first in a series of adventures featuring young Sherlock Holmes and, naturally, with that name comes great expectations of a story that can bring you to the edge of you...more Where do I start? This book was definitely exciting and filled with revelations. I actually bought this book months ago but got to the first page and couldn't bring myself to keep on reading it, so it sat in my book box for a long time. I felt like reading it one night, though, so I picked it up and I'm really glad I did. Its the first in a series of adventures featuring young Sherlock Holmes and, naturally, with that name comes great expectations of a story that can bring you to the edge of your seat and mysteries that make you scratch your head. I wasn't disappointed.

Trouble seemed to find him wherever he went and I was really excited to see how each obstacle he encountered would be handled. It took a lot of that Sherlock thinking and help from his friends. Matty Arnatt, a young homeless boy who befriends Sherlock, Amyus Crowe, Sherlock's tutor and the first person to encourage him to question things, and Virginia, Amyus' daughter whom Sherlock has developed a crush on- a crush that he didn't admit to, which sort of upset me.

The villains were really good at making me mad because they always seemed to find Sherlock, no matter where he went, even when it wasn't quite possible. I won't spoil anything, but let's just say that I will never, ever look at puppets on strings the same way.

At the end of the book, Sherlock sees the leader of his old enemies that he just finished fighting and he says that he could never rest as long as they were out there. The next book doesn't pick up where this one leaves off, so I think that's an odd thing to say. I mean, I think it would make more sense if he'd said he could never rest as long as people like that are out there, instead of saying that particular person, so I was a bit confused by that. But maybe they'll meet again in later books.

One more thing. The only real part of the book that confused me and sort of irritated me. Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's older brother, sent Sherlock out to stay with his uncle over break and at his uncle's house, he encounters the cold, rude, and evil housekeeper Mrs. Eglantine. Now, Mycroft said to Sherlock that she "is no friend of the Holmes family." And while I agree that she was nothing but a tattletale and a crude old woman, it was not what I expected. I thought she would somehow be tied into the grand scheme of evil going on, but I guess not. I guess she was just mean at home and had nothing to do with everything else going on.

So, all in all, I really liked this book and once I buy the other books I have on my to-read list, I'll probably pick up the next one. (less)

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Feb 26, 2012 Lynn Worton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sherlock is fourteen years old and he's been sent to stay with his Aunt and Uncle in the country. He meets Matty Arnatt, another fourteen year old and they become friends. Matty sees something mysterious and this sets the course for Sherlock's new life.

As I said in my review of Young Sherlock Holmes: Fire Storm, I just had to get the first three books in this series. This is the first book, and it is just as fantastic as the fourth one! I absolutely love Sherlock Holmes! He thinks fast on his fe...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Peyton rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, young-adult, historical-fiction

A book recounting the childhood of Sherlock Holmes should be fascinating, witty, clever, and interesting. Death Cloud is none of those things. Sherlock Holmes has endured in popularity because of his unique personality--but Andrew Lane doesn't give his Holmes any personality at all. In my mind, a young Sherlock would be much like Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce: brash, brilliant, and imaginative with a thirst for knowledge and adventure. According to Lane, however, Holmes never showed any particul...more

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May 15, 2013 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tween-boy, tween-friends, tween-mystery, tween-steampunk

meh. It's Sherlock Holmes! As a Teenager! It's going to be awesome! um..NO. It started out okay, probably because it followed Matty, the homeless, scappy boy who would befriend Sherlock, often getting him out of jams, somewhat the opposite of a future Watson. Holmes starts off rather sympathetic, leaving a cold boarding school for the equally cold home of his distant Aunt and Uncle, but quickly his supposedly clever mind fails. For instance, each morning Holmes leaves his own well stocked breakf...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've grown up knowing who Sherlock Holmes was, but most of my knowledge base was from Disney's "The Great Mouse Detective." More recently, I enjoyed the Robert Downey Jr. movie and the British tv series. I decided to give the actual literature I try. I'm half way through my second short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and am enjoying them. So I was excited about the premiss of this book, especially since it's endorsed by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Estate.

Even with that limited exposure to the w...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Patrick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: childhood-faves

I read this because my teenage son had found it in the library and liked it. Lane did a good job of filling in early biographical detail that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had never gotten around to supplying, and some of the descriptive prose here is vivid enough to be cinematic. An American tutor (from Albuquerque, of all places) to supplement the boarding school education received by young Sherlock? Nicely done! Teenage friends who help him out at key moments? Another plus. Lane's hints about bounty...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Delray Beach Public Library Public Library rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teens

Millions of people are aware of the famous, and sometimes infamous, Sherlock Holmes. A character so revered should have a story that not only has a middle and an end, but also a beginning. This call is answered in Death Cloud by Andrew Lane. As with any young man, hearing that you are to spend break with unknown relatives in the country side instead of venturing into the city of London is an utter disappointment. Sherlock Holmes, age fourteen, has resigned himself to the distinct possibility tha...more Millions of people are aware of the famous, and sometimes infamous, Sherlock Holmes. A character so revered should have a story that not only has a middle and an end, but also a beginning. This call is answered in Death Cloud by Andrew Lane. As with any young man, hearing that you are to spend break with unknown relatives in the country side instead of venturing into the city of London is an utter disappointment. Sherlock Holmes, age fourteen, has resigned himself to the distinct possibility that all he will accomplish during the summer holiday of 1868 is staring out the window. However, the questionable death of a town resident sparks the inquisitive fire in Sherlock that readers know so well. Going against the instructions of a tenacious and over bearing house keeper, he wanders the city, absorbing any suspicious activity.

Sherlock does not venture by himself, discovering a companion along the way that travels as a nomad. Through amateur detective work, they uncover the various facets of a plot that has the potential to shift the powers of the 19th century world, and to inflict personal pain on Sherlock. Racing against the clock, the two boys find a mentor in Amyus Crowe, a hardened man from the Americas. He extends to them the wisdom that comes from experience in trying to adapt to one’s environment and blend in. As much a Sherlock tries to concentrate on their imperative mission to save thousands Mr. Crowe’s daughter, Virginia, is not helping the matter. Not only does she possess a fiery desire to be included in everything that the men do, but she muddles Sherlock’s thoughts so much he can’t even think straight around her. This budding romance is just one of the components of the novel that will enrapture readers and leave them pondering the connection between the young Holmes and the man he became.

For more information about Andrew Lane and his books visit the Young Sherlock Holmes Series Website- http://www.youngsherlock.com/

Reviewed by Alexandra R., TAB@DBPL Recording Secretary 2012-2013, Reader Advisor since 2012
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Jan 24, 2013 Ken Baker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’ve never really been a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and thought it might be a bit stuffy and slow moving, but I was wrong. Death Cloud has fast paced action that begs the teenage Sherlock to decipher a trail of intriguing clues to solve his first mystery. In Death Cloud, Lane presents Sherlock as a likeable teen full of curiosity and with a desire for adventure that often gets him into more trouble than he can handle on his own. But with the help of his friends and his own overactive brain powe...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Vera Sim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am the sort of person that if I were to start reading a series of books, I must start with the first book no matter what. I have been re-reading this book for many more times than the rest because I am always pausing after reading this first book in the series. So I guess this is why I feel this book is a bit...boring. But that does not mean I hate this book, I like how Sherlock figures things out and I really like how the suspense was in the first place, it makes me quite eager to find out wh...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Dave rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Some of the original Sherlock Holmes books may seem a bit inaccessible to younger readers who are unfamiliar with the Victorian period, the jargon and the place names. While young people are typically enamoured by Holmes and Watson, the books remain untouched.
Andrew Lane’s new young adult Sherlock Holmes series, beginning with ‘Death Cloud’ is a friendly emersion into the world of Sherlock Holmes that helps to cope with understanding the cultural and linguistic differences of the Victorian Age.
A...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Jack Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is much like the original Sherlock Holmes stories. It did a great job of portraying Sherlock Holmes as a young and maturing teenager, but it also kept some of the qualities that are found in the original Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle which I also enjoy. Sherlock is still very peculiar, funny, and intelligent while also being a typical teen. This story can be easily related to by teenagers.
Death Cloud has many conflicts and characters that make you want to keep re...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love Sherlock Holmes. And by that I don’t just mean I love Robert Downey Jr., though I do, I really love the Arthur Conan Doyle stories of this unstable genius of a man. However, I wasn’t all that excited to read about Sherlock as a kid. Then something on the cover caught my eye and reassured me. This is the first series about young Sherlock Holmes to be endorsed/approved by the Arthur Conan Doyle Estate.

Everything about this book is amazing and CRAZY.
Sherlock has to go live with his uncle an...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Lizzie Hayes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

‘Death Cloud’ by Andrew Lane
Published by McMillan Children’s Books. June 2010. ISBN: 978-0-330-51198-8

Sherlock Holmes is fourteen years old, and with his father away and his brother Mycroft busy with his job in the city Sherlock is sent to spend the holidays with his Uncle Sherinford and Aunt Anna in Farnham. Whilst this is a blow to Sherlock he takes it stoically. To add insult to injury Mycroft has retained the services of a tutor Amyus Crowe from the colonies – a man of learning in Latin and...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, mystery

Death Cloud is a prequel to Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories. It is the first book in an developing series that shows the development of Sherlock Holmes. In the first installment, teenage Sherlock is sent to spend a summer with his aunt and uncle in a small town where he uncovers the truth behind two mysterious deaths. He is assisted by his wise American tutor, Amyus Crowe, Crowe's daughter and a homeless boy. Through the course of the novel, Sherlock makes his first friends, escapes death numero...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Gena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This series is about and adolescent Sherlock Holmes who is spending his summer with relatives in Hampshire. He shows the beginnings of the Great Detective he will someday become but he is also very much a boy. His uncle is a Reverend and his aunt is a very odd woman who seems to spend all her time talking to herself in her own little world. There is also a housekeeper, the sinister Mrs. Eglantine, whom I hope we get to know what hold she has over the Holmes Family and why she hates Sherlock so m...more This series is about and adolescent Sherlock Holmes who is spending his summer with relatives in Hampshire. He shows the beginnings of the Great Detective he will someday become but he is also very much a boy. His uncle is a Reverend and his aunt is a very odd woman who seems to spend all her time talking to herself in her own little world. There is also a housekeeper, the sinister Mrs. Eglantine, whom I hope we get to know what hold she has over the Holmes Family and why she hates Sherlock so much.

Sherlock meets a Watson of sorts in Matty Arnatt, a boy his age who lives on his own in a narrowboat. He is street smart and resourceful and a good sidekick for our future hero. There is also a Joseph Bell character in the American tutor, Amyus Crowe who has business in England and has brought along his young independent daughter, Virginia. Mycroft pops up now and again as well as a lot of villains.

I think this was a good introduction to the series, a bit slow in places but with enough Sherlockian touches to keep the reader going. There were times I thought Sherlock's actions a bit convoluted but the action overrode that and I just ended up going along with it. I kind of pictured a young Sherlcok Holmes as more isolated and introverted. His massive intellect causing more problems because it is unfocused but Lane has written him as a more average kid. Sherlock is still very smart and intuitive, and is learning the grounds of logical thought but he is not the Sherlock we would see in the BBC series. That one I can imagine everyone hating at the age of 14 because he knows just how smart he is and isn't afraid to tell people!

There is another Young Sherlock Holmes series by Shane Peacock but I believe that Sherlock is younger and his mentor, Sigerson Bell, is a character that could have his own series - he's that interesting. I would say Lane's books will appeal to older teens who like mysteries but Peacock's books will draw in a wider audience. I like both series and although Death Cloud had a lot in it to get through, it was a great addition to the Sherlock Holmes tradition. (less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, young-adult

I went into this book with low expectations. I've always wanted to read a good story about a young Sherlock Holmes, but I have a very strong idea of what that kid would be like. This book wasn't anything like I wanted, but I really enjoyed it.

The mystery was clever enough that I didn't have any idea what was going to happen next. Sadly, not many clues for the reader, so we couldn't really try to be clever too. I had seen a few reviews complaining about this, but it didn't bother me as much as I...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Ste80 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Nube mortale" è il primo capitolo delle avventure del Giovane Sherlock Holmes proposte dal noto autore inglese Andrew Lane e pubblicato lo scorso marzo dalla Casa Editrice De Agostini.

Conoscete ed amate già questo personaggio letterario creato da Sir Arthur Conan Doyle alla fine del XIX secolo? Chi non ha letto almeno uno dei romanzi e racconti appartenenti al genere letterario del giallo deduttivo con protagonista questo brillante detective?

In ogni caso non potete perdervelo.
Questo romanzo app...more

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May 15, 2012 I love books marked it as to-read · review of another edition

"Young Sherlock Holmes - Nube mortale" di Andrew Lane si presenta come un libro per ragazzi e in quanto tale utlizza uno stile semplice e diretto, senza i riferimenti troppo macabri o dettagliati che ci aspetteremmo di trovare in un libro sul famoso detective inglese. Leggendolo, però, si prova la sensazione di avere davanti un originale di Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, magari un prodotto della sua età giovanile o qualcosa di simile, e questo è dovuto al fatto che Holmes è descritto in maniera attenta...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Cornerofmadness rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, historical

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. While I found the title a bit uninspired, I couldn’t pass by this YA novel. It is the first teen series that is endorsed by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s relatives, which is quite a kudo considering the plethora of Sherlock Holmes books out there. There was even a little write up saying they felt that the author ferreted out the clues of Sherlock’s early days from Doyle’s work and that this is a fair accurate imagining of Sherlock at fourteen.

Sherlock thinks he’s going home from boarding school for t...more While I found the title a bit uninspired, I couldn’t pass by this YA novel. It is the first teen series that is endorsed by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s relatives, which is quite a kudo considering the plethora of Sherlock Holmes books out there. There was even a little write up saying they felt that the author ferreted out the clues of Sherlock’s early days from Doyle’s work and that this is a fair accurate imagining of Sherlock at fourteen.

Sherlock thinks he’s going home from boarding school for the summer and is quite excited about it. He doesn’t really like the school, has no friends and is close with his father and much older brother. However, Mycroft meets him at the school to inform him he can not come home. Their father, in the military, has been sent to India and their mother is unwell and not up to the task of taking on a young teen. Mycroft is fresh in his job with the government and is far too busy. To his horror, Sherlock is being sent to an aunt and uncle he doesn’t even know. His father had a falling out with them years ago but nonetheless he’s sent to his Uncle Sherrinford and Aunt Anna’s home.

Hoping to at least get to use his uncle’s large library, Sherlock is dismayed to learn that his uncle spends most of his time in there working on religious sermons for prominent preachers and his aunt spends her time holding conversations with herself. Worse there is the horrid housekeeper Mrs. Eglantine. Holmes does make a friend Matty Arnatt, a boy with a lifestyle very different from his own. Matty’s father ran off and his mother is gone. He’s surviving hand to mouth doing odd jobs. The reader meets Matty before Sherlock as he witnesses a death caused by the mysterious ‘death cloud.’

Eglantine catches wind of the friendship and the next thing Sherlock knows is being set up with a tutor to keep him busy all day. Aymus Crowe is hired by Mycroft to tutor Sherlock but as the story goes on it’s obvious this American is not just some tutor. He also has a daughter, Virginia, who rides astride and is more independent than any English girl would be in the 1860s.

Together Sherlock, Matty and Virginia with the help of Aymus get involved in figuring out what is the death cloud, who is behind it and how to stop it before they are all dead.

Overall, it’s very enjoyable and I was dithering what to rate it. It’s more 3.5 than 4 but I rated it up a little since it is mostly good. However, I had a few issues with it, mostly with the action. There is almost too much of it. Sherlock is running all over the place getting caught up in one death defying event after another and it strains believability just a bit. The thing that really bothered me is that between the three teens, several people die directly or indirectly by their hands. Bad people but two were not. What bugged me was that outside of one line, Sherlock really gives this no thought. The author, in an interview at the end, states that YA books are harder because adults will tolerate long passages where nothing happens but teens won’t. That’s true up to a point. I think he’s underestimating teens just a little. Look at the current teen sensation The Hunger Games. The main character spends a lot of time thinking on all the deaths. It would have given Sherlock more depth if he had at least been slightly bothered that a bunch of people are dead, especially the two innocent by-standers, one of which he should have realized he was setting up to get killed.

The villain and his plan are suitably weird and outlandish as many Holmes villains were. Aymus Crowe was an interesting character and I give the author bonus points for making the over religious uncle at least a decent man who did care in his way as opposed to a cruel hardhearted man as often is the case. I figured it was going to be a series about two-thirds (besides the fact it had the teaser chapter in it) because we have many dropped threads. Why does Mycroft warn Holmes about Eglantine? What did Mycroft really bring Aymus in to do? Why does Aunt Anna talk to herself? It’s an interesting story worth the reading.
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Mar 22, 2012 Dawn added it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Dawn States

Mystery

People of all ages are familiar with the detective Sherlock Holmes. The question is how did this genius come to be? That is answered in the thrilling mystery Death Cloud. This book covers the teenage years of Sherlock and shows how his mind was trained to think in the manner that he is known for. The book has an abundance of details which could make the reading slow for some teens, but like any good mystery, it keeps one guessing to the final chapter, with the promise of mor...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Nic rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I love the tone of the writing - and the reading of and music in the audiobook (read by Dan Weyman). A few random observations, some spoilers included:

- Way to do the whole "evil albino" thing, Mr. Lane. Never seen THAT before. Also, and the writing world as a whole doesn't seem to really get this: albino humans do not have red eyes like albino rats and rabbits. There may have been someone who did once or something, but that is so not the norm as to be able to say that it basically doesn't happe...more I love the tone of the writing - and the reading of and music in the audiobook (read by Dan Weyman). A few random observations, some spoilers included:

- Way to do the whole "evil albino" thing, Mr. Lane. Never seen THAT before. Also, and the writing world as a whole doesn't seem to really get this: albino humans do not have red eyes like albino rats and rabbits. There may have been someone who did once or something, but that is so not the norm as to be able to say that it basically doesn't happen. The closest you'll get is a kind of violet. Usually you're looking at blue, blue-gray.

- On the other hand, and laying sarcasm aside, I appreciate the dual subversions in the scene where Sherlock gets "accidentally" shoved by the crowd at the fair into the ring with a prizefighter. This is a common enough kind of scene - honestly, I rolled my eyes when it came up recently in Legend - but there are two big differences here. First, the Baron seems to have actually arranged for this to happen - the shoving really is "accidental" rather than accidental. Secondly, Sherlock loses. Badly. Which, when you pit a teenaged boy who has almost never fought before and who doesn't have a terribly impressive build against a massive champion fighter, is what happens. I felt bad for Sherlock, who I like, but I would have been annoyed if he'd whipped a guy bigger than he was and with more experience based mostly on having watched boxing matches at school.

- Boy, by the end of this book, Sherlock is like one big walking injury. He's been knocked unconscious, drugged, whipped in the face, and had an unspeakable number of ouchies done to his shoulder. I know he has a couple of days in the middle to work on recovering, but I still kind of can't imagine how he keeps going.

- Also, I can't help but notice that Sherlock totally volunteers Matty to go with him in the rowboat to the fort where the bad guys are there at the end. And then, with the "let's burn it all down" plan, when Matty's like, "um, won't we probably die?" Sherlock is all, "probably, but we're worth less than the many more people who will die if we don't!" And Matty says, "Even so . . .", but then says jovially that he's kidding. And I'm thinking, really? An orphaned child who's been failed in every way by the basically-nonexistent Victorian support system thinks, seemingly without doubt, that it's fair that he and his only friend should die for the common good? What has the common good ever done for him?

Also, I'm unsure about "feeding" pollen to the bees. I'm not a bee buff, but don't they actually collect and eat nectar, with the pollen sticking to them as a side effect? This winds up being a pretty big plot point, so I have to wonder.

BUT, a pretty fun book with nice description and cool Victorian setting, including things I didn't know about but that the author obviously wanted to share but that were so interesting that I didn't mind the obviousness, like bobbing for eels.(less)

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Feb 26, 2012 Wanda Panda Hartzenberg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book Review of Young Sherlock Holmes: Death Cloud by Andrew Lane

Young Sherlock Holmes - Think you know him? Think again.

Two dead bodies
... One Unforgettable hero
The beginning of a legend

When fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes discovers a pustule-covered body, it's the start of a new life. Sherlock's fearless mind and thirst for adventure lead him on a heart-stopping journey - from the quiet countryside to London's dockland underworld, through fire, kidnap and espionage, to the heart of a terrifyi...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, children, historical, mystery, young-adult

Sherlock Holmes, aged 14, is unexpectedly and unwillingly bundled off to stay with an unknown aunt and uncle during the school holidays, when his father is deployed to India and his mother is indisposed. Although prepared for two months of abject boredom, Holmes soon meets Mattie Arnott and Amias Crow. Mattie, who is alone in the world, saw something bizarre and terrifying--a dark cloud, that seemed to have a mind of its own, emerging from a window, followed by screams of death. Amias Crow, an A...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Jane Debano added it · review of another edition

Loved this book. There is all sorts of foreshadowing in this novel as the young 14 yr. old Sherlock begins to turn his already formidable intelligence to the arts of observation. He's been sent to the home of an elderly Uncle and Aunt for the summer holidays as his father is on his way to India and his mother is ill. His older brother Mycroft is too busy with the Government to be responsible for him in London, so he has arranged this situation with which Sherlock is not happy. However, he makes...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Mason rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sherlock Holmes’ fans will be in for a treat, while hopefully youngsters unfamiliar with the great detective will be inspired to know more thanks to DEATH CLOUD by Andrew Lane.

Fully authorized and endorsed by the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle, DEATH CLOUD is the beginning of a new series featuring a teenage Sherlock Holmes and his friends as they solves mysteries.

The summer of 1868, 14-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to spend several months with his eccentric aunt and uncle in Hampshire. He has...more Sherlock Holmes’ fans will be in for a treat, while hopefully youngsters unfamiliar with the great detective will be inspired to know more thanks to DEATH CLOUD by Andrew Lane.

Fully authorized and endorsed by the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle, DEATH CLOUD is the beginning of a new series featuring a teenage Sherlock Holmes and his friends as they solves mysteries.

The summer of 1868, 14-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to spend several months with his eccentric aunt and uncle in Hampshire. He has also been assigned a tutor to continue his studies. American Amyus Crowe begins teaching Sherlock using observation as one method. Meanwhile, Sherlock meets a young wayward lad, Matty, who lives on a boat.

When two local men are found with symptoms of the plaque, Sherlock begins to question certain elements. Sherlock, Matty, Crowe, and Crowe’s daughter Virginia are quickly caught up in a mystery that involves the menacing villain Baron Maupertuis and a plot to destroy the British forces.

Listed as middle-grade fiction, Author Andrew Lane has created a story that will hold the attention of readers of all ages. His writing is fast-pace and even some of the more unusual events seem plausible, it is after all Sherlock Holmes.

Dan Weyman does a wonderful job of narrating the story. He provides a vast array of accents ranging from British to American to European. He gives voice to all the characters’ emotions from Sherlock’s shy discussions with Virginia to the terror he feels caught in a burning warehouse. Weyman’s narration adds depth to the story and definitely brings the characters to life.

No matter your age, DEATH CLOUD will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a great story to introduce youngsters to the amazing world of Sherlock Holmes. Looking forward to young Sherlock’s next adventure.

Death Cloud by Andrew Lane, Sherlock Holmes The Legend Begins, Read by Dan Weyman, MacMillan Audio, @2011, ISBN: 9781427211224, Unabridged, 6 Discs, Listening Time: 7 Hours

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

(less)

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Oct 18, 2011 Cara rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was a little disappointed with this book. For one thing, I thought that it seemed sort of like a knock off of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series, which is about a 14 year old British spy. Death Cloud is about a 14 year old detective, Sherlock Holmes. I thought Lane tries to imitate not only the basic idea behind Horowitz's story, but also his writing style, even down to the fact that he made his villain have a physical deformity/handicap. I don't think that Lane did a very good job imitating...more

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Oct 15, 2011 mstan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, british, src-fall-2011

The story begins promisingly with Sherlock's brother Mycroft coming to inform him that Sherlock would not be spending his vacation at home, but instead, with his uncle and aunt, whom he had never seen.

And yes, that is young Sherlock Holmes we are talking about, and this is accessible Holmes for young adults, quite easy to read and fast-paced.

Adults would find characters like Amyus Crowe, Sherlock's tutor, and Mycroft, his elder brother (who seems to be some big shot in an intelligence office) in...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Aaron rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A few years back, British author Charlie Higson explored the back history of James Bond with the Young Bond series, which seemed to grab a lot of interest for those who like the Alex Rider series by Alexander Horowitz. Well, another of Britain's greatest crime finders is getting a chance to share his childhood with us. This time, it is Sherlock Holmes.

While on school break, Sherlock has been sent into the countryside to join his aunt and uncle on their estate. He finds himself quite bored. His u...more A few years back, British author Charlie Higson explored the back history of James Bond with the Young Bond series, which seemed to grab a lot of interest for those who like the Alex Rider series by Alexander Horowitz. Well, another of Britain's greatest crime finders is getting a chance to share his childhood with us. This time, it is Sherlock Holmes.

While on school break, Sherlock has been sent into the countryside to join his aunt and uncle on their estate. He finds himself quite bored. His uncle is primarily focused on his religious studies and the housekeeper seems totally out to get him. fortunately, his brother has hired him a tutor named Amyus Crowe. Crowe is actually an American who has been brought to Britain to assist the secret service, for which Sherlock's brother works.

Crowe actually seems to be the source of Sherlock's ability to examine every detail as one tries to draw together the knowledge needed to sort out a mystery, and it couldn't be better timing. A local village and one of Sherlock's uncle's workers turn up dead with a horrible boil-like rash. Everyone starts to think that it might be a plague. Well, everyone except Matty, a local runaway.

Matty is about as unrefined as Sherlock is classically educated and groomed. The two make a fine pair, though, as they try to sort out what is going on. Matty seems to hold an important clue because he saw a reddish cloud that seemed to be near the first victim just before his death. That leads them on an important chase after a criminal mastermind that will push Sherlock to the limit on is first big case.

I thought that this was a really good tale, and i can totally understand why the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was willing to endorse the work. It is really well done. There are allusions to a blossoming interest in beekeeping and future drug addiction. Lane has done a great job of blending the classical Sherlock Holmes with the innate qualities of so many teenagers.

There is a nice blend of adventure in a Victorian setting that seems to draw well on recent interest in steampunk and the popularity of that horrid movie that came out a couple of years ago. I am already looking forward to the next volume in the series, which will bring Matty and Sherlock to America. It is called Rebel Fire.(less)

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About Andy Lane

Andy Lane, who also writes under the name Andrew Lane, lives in Dorset with his wife, his son and a vast collection of Sherlock Holmes books, the purchase of which over the past twenty years is now a justifiably tax-deductible expense.

Andrew is the author of some twenty previous books. Some are original novels set in the same universes as the BBC TV programmes Doctor Who, Torchwood and Randall an...more

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“The door opened after a few moments. Sherlock was looking slightly upwards, expecting Amyus Crowe to be standing inside the doorway, and for a moment he was confused by the empty space. His gaze droped, and he felt his heart stutter as it came to rest on the face of a girl at the same level as his own. Her cloths were dark, and in the shadows of the hall her face seemed to be floating in mid-air.” — 1 person liked it

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Death Cloud (Young Sherlock Holmes #1)

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