Derrick Belanger's Blog: Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Ramblings of a Sherlockian - Posts Tagged "luke-kuhns"

Hi everyone,

I wanted to take this opportunity to announce an upcoming book which I am editing and producing next year. The book is called Beyond Watson, and it is a collection of new traditional Sherlock Holmes stories told from the perspective of someone besides Dr. Watson. With the authors involved in this project, I'm sure it will be the best Holmes book of 2016. It features:

David Marcum - The man behind the World's Largest Collection of New Sherlock Holmes Stories. ( https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...)

Jack McDevitt - The Nebula Award winning science fiction writer will have his first traditional Sherlock Holmes pastiche.

Daniel D. Victor - The best selling Sherlock Holmes author plans to have the return of one of the characters from his previous books, but I'm not giving away which one.

Marcia Wilson - The talented writer who has made Inspector Lestrade almost as endearing as Sherlock Holmes will have a story in the anthology.

Luke Kuhns - Known for traditional pastiches and also graphic novels, Luke's story may bring back a character from the original canon.

Geri Schear - The extremely talented Irish writer who wrote one of the bestselling Holmes books last year will add one of her wonderful, character driven stories to the anthology.

Tim Symonds - The author known for blending Holmes and history will add a tale to the collection.

Kieran Lyne - The youngest author ever endorsed by the Doyle estate will have a new story in the collection, his first Sherlock Holmes short story.

Elizabeth Varadan - The author who wrote an excellent Sherlock Holmes YA book last year will also write her first Holmes short story.

Don Smith - The blogger who runs The Sherlock Conversations agreed to add his pastiche voice to the collection. If you haven't checked out his blog, you should either on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherlockconv... or on the web: https://sherlockconversations.wordpre....

Derrick Belanger - Then there's me. I will be the editor of the anthology and will have my own unique story added to the mix.

This will be the first anthology published by my new publishing company. I am still working out the company details with the other shareholders, but look for a big announcement when all the details are finalized.

The book will have an Indiegogo campaign in March and then should be in your hands sometime next May. MX Publishing will be the international distributor for the anthology, so no matter where you live, you will be able to get either an ebook or physical copy.

You can follow all the details as the project and publishing company progresses by liking the Belanger Books Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Belan....

That's the news for now. Tomorrow I start back up at my non-Sherlockian job (i.e. a 6th grade middle school teacher), so wish me luck on the start of a great school year. More exciting Sherlockian news soon!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! While the holiday shopping season is upon us (though, Americans, please take today for family and leave the shopping to the weekend), I thought I'd share some excellent gift ideas for Sherlock Holmes fans who are kids or Young Adults. As most of you know, one of my missions in life is to get the next generation interested in Holmes, to keep the spark of the great detective alive and well into the future. Below are some wonderful gift ideas to help get kids hooked on Holmes.

Kids/ Upper elementary:

Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls by Elizabeth Varadan is a delightful read. Author Elizabeth Varadan ensures that a number of young readers, particularly upper elementary and middle school aged children, will get to know Sherlock Holmes when they solve a case alongside a plucky ten year old girl in her new novel, Imogene and the Case of the Missing Pearls.

The book follows the adventure of Imogene, a bored, upper class girl who can't stand her governess nor her bratty cousins. After the loathsome cousins visit, her mother's pearls go missing. Who could have taken them? Sherlock Holmes is hired by Imogene's father and of course, with a world famous detective in her home, Imogene can't help but join the case.

I was particularly impressed with Ms. Varadan's character descriptions. Miss Mullin, the crabby governess, in particular, stands out as she torments poor Imogene and thinks detective work is below the status of the girl. Rusty, a boy who assists Sherlock Holmes, also stands out with his thick Cockney accent. Though he's never called an Irregular, he would fit in perfectly by Wiggins' side.

This is a fun, well written book that will please Holmes fans of all ages.

The MacDougall Twins with Sherlock Holmes is my own series of children's chapter books specifically designed to get elementary age kids interested in Sherlock Holmes. The series involves ten-year-old twin detectives, Jimmy and Emma MacDougall, who live across from Holmes and help him on cases. The series has been compared to The Magic Treehouse series and has received rave reviews from The Sherlock Holmes Society of London, author David Marcum, teachers, and, of course, most kids! So far, there are three books in the series, The Amazing Airship Adventure: The MacDougall Twins with Sherlock Holmes: Book 1, Attack of the Violet Vampire! - The MacDougall Twins with Sherlock Holmes Book #2, and Curse of the Deadly Dinosaur. Below is the latest five star review of Curse of the Deadly Dinosaur:

The MacDougall twins are back with their most exciting adventure yet in the third book of this cute series for young people.

It’s Christmastime, and the MacDougalls have just finished decorating their tree, when they are visited by none other than Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s older brother. Their services are needed by Sherlock, as well as those of Toby, a dog who has helped Sherlock before.

At 221b Baker Street, the twins meet Jonas Bogswell from a farming village in Surrey. He has come to Sherlock for help because a dinosaur – that’s right – is killing sheep on the local farms. Because of an old legend the local fortune teller remembers, the Bogswell family is being shunned for bringing bad luck to the village. The entire MacDougall family accompanies Sherlock and Dr. Watson to the village. They stay with Bogswell family. One by one, events unfold that make the McDougalls believers in this dinosaur.

Several things make this a pleasurable read: The author has a good sense of pacing and suspense. Clues are believable and scattered like breadcrumbs to keep a reader turning the page, and tension heightens all the way through. Despite Mrs. McDougall’s insistence that the twins cannot join the dangerous hunt for the dinosaur, Emma and Jimmy encounter the beast in some really scary scenes that kids will love. The twins are well drawn in ways that demonstrate why they are good detectives and in ways that complement each other, and the climax is a satisfying surprise.

A nice touch Belanger includes in his books is the use of footnotes in the form of “fun facts” at the bottom of pages involved. These really are fun facts, and they don’t interrupt the flow of the story.

At the end of this satisfying adventure, a reader is promised more to come. With Christmas near at hand, this book would make a nice gift under the tree.

For upper elementary and middle school age students, a delightful book series is the Amanda Lester series by Paula Berinstein. The series is a magical blend of Sherlock Holmes, Nancy drew, and Harry Potter. See my 5 star review of the first book in the series, Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy, below:

Amanda Lester and the Pink Sugar Conspiracy is a smashing Holmesian debut from Paula Berinstein. The book involves a plucky young girl by the name of Amanda Lester who is a descendant of Inspector G. Lestrade, the Scotland Yard friend of Sherlock Holmes. Despite her rich ancestry, Amanda wants nothing to do with Inspector Lestrade nor with the world's first consulting detective. She would rather be a film student than work on solving a mystery. Poor Amanda is out of luck as her parents who don't understand her, send her away to The Secret Detective School, a Hogwarts of sorts for descendents of famous detectives. At the school, Amanda must help her friends solve a mystery involving murdered cooks, sugar powered weapons, and the evil descendents of Professor Moriarty. What I found particularly compelling was how rich and believable the teen characters are in the book. As a middle school teacher, I always look for books to share with my students, and I know my students, especially the girls, will find Amanda Lester a character they can relate to. Facing the dilemmas of parents who don't understand her, crushes which are unrequited, and friends who are not always friendly, Amanda is a character all students can understand. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of mysteries and young adult literature. I look forward to reading the further adventures of Amanda Lester in books two and three, and hopefully more!

So far, there are two additional books in the Amanda Lester series: Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis and Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle. This is a great gateway for modern students to access the world of Sherlock Holmes. Highly recommended.

One of the best ways to get young adults interested in Sherlock Holmes is through graphic novels. Two series which come to mind are those by Luke Benjamen Kuhns and Petr Kopl.

For students who enjoy classic monsters such as Dracula and Frankenstein, I highly recommend Sherlock Holmes And The Horror of Frankenstein. Luke Kuhns does an exceptional job of merging the worlds of Mary Shelley and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in this brief graphic novel which reads like an oversized issue of a lengthy comic book. The year is 1888 and Frankenstein's monster has emerged from his icy grave to rob London's graves. Enter Sherlock holmes and Dr. Watson to take up the case of who exactly is behind these horrible crimes. While the story is brief, it is an excellent introduction to both Holmes and Frankenstein, particularly for young adult readers. The writing is crisp and the artwork is gorgeous. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy graphic novels that mash up literary characters such as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series.

Another graphic novel by Luke Benjamen Kuhns is Sherlock Holmes And The Case of the Crystal Blue Bottle. This graphic novel is written in the form of a traditional Sherlock Holmes pastiche. The case involves Holmes and Watson investigating the death of Deseray Underwood who has been found dead, but no one has been able to determine the cause of her death. This is a great traditional story. The only drawback I found with this short graphic novel was the use of multiple artists to draw the artwork. I found it distracting at times and wish Marcie Klinger had drawn the entire piece. She is an exceptional artist, and I look forward to more graphic novels illustrated by her.

For exceptional artwork and a more slapstick version of Holmes, I recommend Petr Kopl's beautifully illustrated Sherlock Holmes series. So far, there are three Holmes related books: A Scandal in Bohemia - A Sherlock Holmes Graphic Novel, The Hound of The Baskervilles – A Sherlock Holmes Graphic Novel, and The Final Problem - A Sherlock Holmes Graphic Novel. Kopl's artwork almost leaps off the page and is so vibrant as to appear animated. I have issues with his use of dates (The Final Problem occurs in 1884!!!) and his mashing up of horror characters in known Holmes stories, but I doubt any teen will care about my purist qualms. Indeed, if I had to recommend a Sherlock Holmes book to a comic book fan who knew little about the character, these would be first on my list.

Those are my reviews for this time. Next up will be Holmes books angled for adult readers.

For those of you who may have missed it, I now have my own small press. Please check out the latest releases from Belanger Books, The Tall Tales of Starman Steve a fun book of Tall Tales for kids of all ages, and the Golden Age science-fiction steampunk novella, The Voyage of the Lunar Schooner. Also, we just released the softcover edition of my bestselling Holmes book Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Peculiar Provenance. Again, Happy Thanksgiving everyone. More blog postings from me are forthcoming!!

Hello everyone, while the Christmas shopping season is upon us, I wanted to take a moment to recommend some fine presents for the Sherlockian or the sherlockian in your life. If you know someone who says "Ho-ho-Holmes" then below are some great gift ideas. I am focusing this entry specifically on books aimed for the older reader as my last entry focused on YA and Children's Sherlock Holmes books. This entry is on specific traditional Holmes books as well as books that meld horror into the world of the first consulting detective.

There is no better gift this year for a mystery lover or Sherlock Holmes fan than the MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories. Although technically one book, the collection was released in three volumes. This has been called the finest collection of Sherlock Holmes stories ever published. The three volumes are The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Part I: 1881 to 1889, The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Part II: 1890 to 1895, and The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories Part III: 1896 to 1929. While a little on the pricey side, these books are well worth the cost (and yours truly has a story in volume 1). Also, even the most staunch Scrooge in your life, can shout out a Merry Christmas knowing that the proceeds for all three volumes go to Stepping Stones, a special needs school which is using the funds to restore Undershaw, the former estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Luke B. Kuhns is an impressive young Holmesian author. His book Sherlock Holmes and the Scarlet Thread of Murder was one of my favorites for 2015. The book has three stories. The first involves three seemingly separate crimes investigated by three different detectives, one real, two fictional). One of the detectives is Holmes. Another is Martin Hewitt, a different Victorian era detective. I found the way Mr. Kuhns weaved the three threads together particularly compelling. His second story in the book involves Holmes assisting Irene Adler in solving the case of the murder of her husband. This is such a refreshing story. Irene Adler acts like Irene Adler. She is a force to be reckoned with and an equal of Holmes, not the sexist versions of Adler currently portrayed on television, but the real, true Irene Adler. I won't say much about the third story, just that it is a very good shorter piece with a mystery involving a seedy man in the shadows stalking a ballerina. Write more books like this one, Luke Benjamen Kuhns!

If there was a Sherlockian Man of the Year award, it would have to go to David Marcum David not only assembled and edited all three volumes of The MX Book of New Sherlock Holmes Stories, he also released Sherlock Holmes – Tangled Skeins - Stories from the Notebooks of Dr. John H. Watson, the best traditional Sherlock Holmes story collection released in 2015. The book involves cases of Holmes and Watson which occur during or between other cases from the canon. Every fan of the original canon should read this one. And if you haven't read Marcum's other books, I recommend the handsome hardback edition of The Papers of Sherlock Holmes Volume 1 and 2. You get both volumes of Marcum's book in one collection, so you save money and get a hardcover book. Even the Grinch couldn't complain!

For those who are dreaming of a white Christmas, may I recommend my own book Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Peculiar Provenance. This story takes place in the winter of 1890 and is a tale of art theft and espionage. But don't take my word for it, here is the latest five star review on Amazon: "This is one of those rare pastiches that is well plotted and truly written in the style of A.C. Doyle. I found the story both exciting and "page turning" and any devoted Holmes fan will enjoy it."

For those who prefer to have a nightmare before Christmas, let me recommend Sherlock Holmes and The House of Pain by Stephen Seitz. This book blends the world of HG Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau with the world of Sherlock Holmes. An excellent Holmesian mash-up. For those who want a Holmes-Ripper tale, I'd recommend The Last Confession of Sherlock Holmes by Kieran Lyne. Though the changes in the canon will not please everyone, the boy is a talented writer, and I found the book to be riveting.

I will keep periodically sending out book recommendations throughout this Christmas season. Next up will be historical Holmes books by Daniel D. Victor, Tim Symonds, and David Ruffle. I will follow up with Romantic Holmes books by Amy Thomas and Geri Schear.

Take care and for those who don't like lists and prefer to do their own shopping unadvised, may I recommend searching the entire MX catalogue at http://www.mxpublishing.com/ and the entire Belanger Books catalogue at http://www.belangerbooks.com/books.html.

Thank you and a Merry Christmas to all, even though it is still November!!