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Young Sherlock Holmes #2
Young Sherlock Holmes. Red leech
Fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes knows that Amyus Crowe, his mysterious American tutor, has some dark secrets. But he didn't expect to find John Wilkes Booth, the notorious assassin, apparently alive and well in England—and Crowe somehow mixed up in it. When no one will tell you the truth, sometimes you have to risk all to discover it for yourself. And so begins an adventure that will take Sherlock across the Atlantic, to the center of a deadly web—where a friend is in peril and a defeated army threatens to rise again.
Andrew Lane's exciting second case for the teenage Sherlock leads the young detective to America, straight into the heart of a shocking conspiracy.
Andrew Lane's exciting second case for the teenage Sherlock leads the young detective to America, straight into the heart of a shocking conspiracy.
322 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2010
129 people are currently reading
2181 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Lane
50 books35 followersSee also work published as Andy Lane
During 2009, Macmillan Books announced that Lane would be writing a series of books focusing on the early life of Sherlock Holmes. The series was developed in conjunction with the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Lane had already shown an extensive knowledge of the Holmes character and continuity in his Virgin Books novel All-Consuming Fire in which he created The Library of St. John the Beheaded as a meeting place for the worlds of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who.
The first book in the 'Young Sherlock Holmes' series – Death Cloud – was published in the United Kingdom in June 2010 (February 2011 in the United States), with the second – Red Leech – published in the United Kingdom in November of that year (with a United States publication date under the title Rebel Fire of February 2012). The third book – Black Ice – was published in June 2011 in the UK while the fourth book – Fire Storm – was published originally in hardback in October 2011 with a paperback publication in March 2012. The fifth book, Snake Bite was published in hardback in October 2012 and the sixth book, Knife Edge was published in September 2013. Death Cloud was short-listed for both the 2010 North East Book Award. (coming second by three votes) and the 2011 Southampton's Favourite Book Award. Black Ice won the 2012 Centurion Book Award.
Early in 2012, Macmillan Children's Books announced that they would be publishing a new series by Lane, beginning in 2013. The Lost World books will follow disabled 15-year-old Calum Challenger, who is co-ordinating a search from his London bedroom to find creatures considered so rare that many do not believe they exist. Calum's intention is to use the creatures' DNA to help protect the species, but also to search for a cure for his own paralysis. His team comprises a computer hacker, a free runner, an ex-marine and a pathological liar.
During 2009, Macmillan Books announced that Lane would be writing a series of books focusing on the early life of Sherlock Holmes. The series was developed in conjunction with the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Lane had already shown an extensive knowledge of the Holmes character and continuity in his Virgin Books novel All-Consuming Fire in which he created The Library of St. John the Beheaded as a meeting place for the worlds of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who.
The first book in the 'Young Sherlock Holmes' series – Death Cloud – was published in the United Kingdom in June 2010 (February 2011 in the United States), with the second – Red Leech – published in the United Kingdom in November of that year (with a United States publication date under the title Rebel Fire of February 2012). The third book – Black Ice – was published in June 2011 in the UK while the fourth book – Fire Storm – was published originally in hardback in October 2011 with a paperback publication in March 2012. The fifth book, Snake Bite was published in hardback in October 2012 and the sixth book, Knife Edge was published in September 2013. Death Cloud was short-listed for both the 2010 North East Book Award. (coming second by three votes) and the 2011 Southampton's Favourite Book Award. Black Ice won the 2012 Centurion Book Award.
Early in 2012, Macmillan Children's Books announced that they would be publishing a new series by Lane, beginning in 2013. The Lost World books will follow disabled 15-year-old Calum Challenger, who is co-ordinating a search from his London bedroom to find creatures considered so rare that many do not believe they exist. Calum's intention is to use the creatures' DNA to help protect the species, but also to search for a cure for his own paralysis. His team comprises a computer hacker, a free runner, an ex-marine and a pathological liar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 374 reviews
June 6, 2023
Really enjoyed rereading this series. I would highly recommend it for any fans of Sherlock Holmes and for anyone looking for a good book or series of books.
February 28, 2016
I like this book even better then the first one.
It is somehow better and more intresting. It has a little bit of action and Sherlock has to fight using both physical strength and his mind to survive.
I liked it, I like the case he was working on and everything that happened.
It is somehow better and more intresting. It has a little bit of action and Sherlock has to fight using both physical strength and his mind to survive.
I liked it, I like the case he was working on and everything that happened.
March 8, 2022
Absolute crap. Bad plot, poor research, appalling ignorance of American history. And those are the good parts! Now I have to get more specific, so look out for spoilers in the bullet points below.
1.) The only reason I picked up this book is because it was supposed to be John Wilkes Booth against young Sherlock Holmes. But if you make it past page twenty, you will discover that loser-boy Andy Lane has no intention of making Booth a major player. The evil actor barely even gets a cameo!
2.) In 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln dead in Ford's Theater. He did it because he was angry about the South losing the Civil War. But that wasn't his only concern. Lincoln was talking about letting Black men who served in the Union Army have the right to vote. Booth was very clear on what that meant. He said, "that means n****r citizenship!" The hate that drove Booth is real, and it's still around. But it is not part of this book. Because Andrew Lane doesn't care. He is totally ignorant of American history, and indifferent to how young people think about the past.
3.) Young Sherlock and his gang travel to America in this book. They pass through New York City and take along train ride out into the country. But they never see any Black people. Or any Union Army veterans. The moronic plot is about Confederate veterans starting a secret resistance movement to get revenge for losing the war. Nobody talks about the Ku Klux Klan, which was very real and very much active at the time. Why does Andrew Lane keep covering up real history? Is he really stupid? Who is paying him off?
4.) The "real" villain of the story is some stupid jerk with a rare blood disease, who needs leeches to feed on his skin to keep him from rotting away. Great! Why couldn't he have been a Confederate general obsessed with burning black men alive to keep them from violating white women? There were thousands of guys like that around. They ran the South for about a hundred years. Why did we need some guy with a leech fetish? If he'd ever said something like, "my skin is like this because my own slaves pushed me into the outhouse" or "I watched my daddy kill his black mistress and it scarred my mind," that would have been okay. But no, all that history is too boring for modern teens. Bring on the leeches! If you ask me, Andrew Lane is the real leech.
5.) Arthur Conan Doyle does not deserve to be associated with this jerk loser and his trashy books. Whatever his faults as a writer, Doyle was much more honest about the issue of race and how people dealt with it in the nineteenth century. One of my favorite Sherlock Holmes stories is called "The Adventure of the Yellow Face." It tells a story that was dangerously controversial at the time, about a white woman who loves a black man and has a mixed race child. And it tells how Holmes and Watson help to unite the family. Doyle was about one hundred years ahead of his time. Andrew Lane is not. He is a dumb head. How did he get the franchise to write these awful novels?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adv...
6.) Lots of great information in this book about railroad trains. And hot air balloons. Count Von Zeppelin makes an appearance. Why couldn't this have connected to a real story about something that mattered?
7.) Young Sherlock almost kisses Virginia. But he doesn't. The romance goes nowhere. Why can't Matt and Virginia have a bigger part? They're both more interesting than Sherlock!
8.) Nothing works in this book. The villains bumble around, chasing Sherlock, but they always seem to slip and fall at the right moment. One of them even says he "overreacted" about trying to kill Sherlock. Nobody talked about "overreacting" in 1868. Nobody in this book talks like they're from 1868. I guess we're supposed to be too excited by watching the lizards and the cougars chase young Sherlock and his friends.
9.) This Holmes makes Shaggy from Scooby Doo look like Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon!
1.) The only reason I picked up this book is because it was supposed to be John Wilkes Booth against young Sherlock Holmes. But if you make it past page twenty, you will discover that loser-boy Andy Lane has no intention of making Booth a major player. The evil actor barely even gets a cameo!
2.) In 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln dead in Ford's Theater. He did it because he was angry about the South losing the Civil War. But that wasn't his only concern. Lincoln was talking about letting Black men who served in the Union Army have the right to vote. Booth was very clear on what that meant. He said, "that means n****r citizenship!" The hate that drove Booth is real, and it's still around. But it is not part of this book. Because Andrew Lane doesn't care. He is totally ignorant of American history, and indifferent to how young people think about the past.
3.) Young Sherlock and his gang travel to America in this book. They pass through New York City and take along train ride out into the country. But they never see any Black people. Or any Union Army veterans. The moronic plot is about Confederate veterans starting a secret resistance movement to get revenge for losing the war. Nobody talks about the Ku Klux Klan, which was very real and very much active at the time. Why does Andrew Lane keep covering up real history? Is he really stupid? Who is paying him off?
4.) The "real" villain of the story is some stupid jerk with a rare blood disease, who needs leeches to feed on his skin to keep him from rotting away. Great! Why couldn't he have been a Confederate general obsessed with burning black men alive to keep them from violating white women? There were thousands of guys like that around. They ran the South for about a hundred years. Why did we need some guy with a leech fetish? If he'd ever said something like, "my skin is like this because my own slaves pushed me into the outhouse" or "I watched my daddy kill his black mistress and it scarred my mind," that would have been okay. But no, all that history is too boring for modern teens. Bring on the leeches! If you ask me, Andrew Lane is the real leech.
5.) Arthur Conan Doyle does not deserve to be associated with this jerk loser and his trashy books. Whatever his faults as a writer, Doyle was much more honest about the issue of race and how people dealt with it in the nineteenth century. One of my favorite Sherlock Holmes stories is called "The Adventure of the Yellow Face." It tells a story that was dangerously controversial at the time, about a white woman who loves a black man and has a mixed race child. And it tells how Holmes and Watson help to unite the family. Doyle was about one hundred years ahead of his time. Andrew Lane is not. He is a dumb head. How did he get the franchise to write these awful novels?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adv...
6.) Lots of great information in this book about railroad trains. And hot air balloons. Count Von Zeppelin makes an appearance. Why couldn't this have connected to a real story about something that mattered?
7.) Young Sherlock almost kisses Virginia. But he doesn't. The romance goes nowhere. Why can't Matt and Virginia have a bigger part? They're both more interesting than Sherlock!
8.) Nothing works in this book. The villains bumble around, chasing Sherlock, but they always seem to slip and fall at the right moment. One of them even says he "overreacted" about trying to kill Sherlock. Nobody talked about "overreacting" in 1868. Nobody in this book talks like they're from 1868. I guess we're supposed to be too excited by watching the lizards and the cougars chase young Sherlock and his friends.
9.) This Holmes makes Shaggy from Scooby Doo look like Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon!
December 8, 2013
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? Compared to the last cover of Death Cloud, it's a definite yes. Don't really know why the compass is on the front, since there's no compass featured in the story, but oh well.
Characters: Young Sherlock Holmes continues to be nothing like the Sherlock Holmes we all know and love. Young Sherlock is too apologetic, too openly emotional, and always seeking others' approval. There's also nothing uncannily brilliant about him; he's just average, and there's still no sign of his obvious bipolarism. But as with Death Cloud, it's very easy to forget that young Sherlock is supposed to be the Sherlock, which makes the book a bit more enjoyable. My opinion of Amyus Crowe and Matty are all still the same: Crowe is a good character, but I don't like him being a mentor to Sherlock (Sherlock just isn't the type to have a mentor), and Matty is an adorable street urchin. Sherlock and Mycroft's relationship is still way too close and friendly; I just don't imagine that the two brothers got on all that well. I'm sure they respected one another in their own ways, but Mycroft is a pushy older brother, and more brilliant than Sherlock, and I can't imagine that ever flying well with Sherlock. As for Virginia Crowe, I still don't quite know what to think of her. She doesn't have The Attitude, but there's something about her that I just don't quite like. The villain of Rebel Fire - Duke Balthassar - is absolutely ridiculous. As with Death Cloud, the Author relies on visual appearance rather than personality to make his villain memorable, therefore the Author found it necessary to make Duke Balthassar grotesque and unnatural in some way. If one's villain is memorable solely based on outward appearance, then there's nothing to them at all, and they automatically become entirely improbable. The truly frightening villains are the probable ones; the ones that could exist in real life, that you could meet walking down the street. Duke Balthassar wasn't like that. He was just lame, and making him eat leeches didn't do anything to improve his character; that was just nasty.
The Romance: Sherlock apparently has "growing feelings" for Virginia, and while they don't come into play in this book, I dread the day that they do. I just don't accept Sherlock having crushes; I just don't, especially not with Virginia, who just irritates me, for some reason.
Plot: John Wilkes Booth isn't dead; he's hiding out in England, and someone in America wants to use him to stir up trouble in the United States. But what his plan is exactly, Sherlock doesn't know, and it's up to him and Amyus Crowe to travel to America and find out. This series is definitely more plot-driven than character-driven. While I didn't approve of the villain, and the villain's thugs monologue way, way too much (just carry out your threat already!), and there is cliche after cliche, I have to admit that the plot is rather entertaining, even with all of of its predictability. The Reader can guess the general gist behind what the villain is plotting, and the Reader knows what's going to happen to the protagonist next (because every spy novel and adventure novel and mediocre mystery novel has already done it), but the Reader still wants to find out the particulars, so you keep reading. Death Cloud was more interesting than Rebel Fire, if only because one cannot take Sherlock out of Europe; you lose some of that ambiance that is so important to the stories. But Rebel Fire had some interesting, and very cliche, moments.
Believability: I was lazy and didn't pay all that much attention to possible historical inaccuracies when I read this. The one that stood out the most was: I don't think Sherlock could have gotten into the ship's boiler room as easily as he does. As far as other believable content goes, the villain's whole appearance was, naturally, rather far fetched. Leeches help with blood flow, very true, and I have no doubt that there are blood conditions out there like the one the villain has. But . . . covering every inch of himself with leeches 24/7 (and I mean 24/7)? It definitely felt like the Author put that in more for shock factor than any believability. Oh, and what does the Author mean reptiles don't get scared?! Anything can be frightened away, especially snakes and lizards, who are naturally shy.
Writing Style: Nothing impressive. The dialogue is rather modern, the sentences short and choppy. The Author doesn't spend a great deal of time on scenery description, which made me sad, because it made it difficult to visualize the world. Too much scenery description is bad, of course, but too little and it feels like the characters are doing everything in front of a green screen. The action sequences are easy enough to follow, though the fight in the boiler room was extremely difficult for me to picture.
Content: None.
Conclusion: Of course there's a showdown between Sherlock and Duke Balthassar. Conan Doyle did a lot of showdowns in his original stories, but somehow they were never as ridiculous as the one in Rebel Fire. For a showdown, it was pretty short, but I still found it silly. This isn't a very deep-thinking series; it's a good summer reading book, for a day when you want a mystery, but don't want anything complicated. The plot, while cliche and predictable, is kind of entertaining. As a Sherlockian, though, it was painful to read, even if I could forget that young Sherlock was supposed to be the Sherlock.
Recommended Audience: Guy-read, fourteen-and-up, good for fans of Alex Rider and Sherlockians who don't mind inaccuracies.
Sherlockian Star Rating: 2/5
Characters: Young Sherlock Holmes continues to be nothing like the Sherlock Holmes we all know and love. Young Sherlock is too apologetic, too openly emotional, and always seeking others' approval. There's also nothing uncannily brilliant about him; he's just average, and there's still no sign of his obvious bipolarism. But as with Death Cloud, it's very easy to forget that young Sherlock is supposed to be the Sherlock, which makes the book a bit more enjoyable. My opinion of Amyus Crowe and Matty are all still the same: Crowe is a good character, but I don't like him being a mentor to Sherlock (Sherlock just isn't the type to have a mentor), and Matty is an adorable street urchin. Sherlock and Mycroft's relationship is still way too close and friendly; I just don't imagine that the two brothers got on all that well. I'm sure they respected one another in their own ways, but Mycroft is a pushy older brother, and more brilliant than Sherlock, and I can't imagine that ever flying well with Sherlock. As for Virginia Crowe, I still don't quite know what to think of her. She doesn't have The Attitude, but there's something about her that I just don't quite like. The villain of Rebel Fire - Duke Balthassar - is absolutely ridiculous. As with Death Cloud, the Author relies on visual appearance rather than personality to make his villain memorable, therefore the Author found it necessary to make Duke Balthassar grotesque and unnatural in some way. If one's villain is memorable solely based on outward appearance, then there's nothing to them at all, and they automatically become entirely improbable. The truly frightening villains are the probable ones; the ones that could exist in real life, that you could meet walking down the street. Duke Balthassar wasn't like that. He was just lame, and making him eat leeches didn't do anything to improve his character; that was just nasty.
The Romance: Sherlock apparently has "growing feelings" for Virginia, and while they don't come into play in this book, I dread the day that they do. I just don't accept Sherlock having crushes; I just don't, especially not with Virginia, who just irritates me, for some reason.
Plot: John Wilkes Booth isn't dead; he's hiding out in England, and someone in America wants to use him to stir up trouble in the United States. But what his plan is exactly, Sherlock doesn't know, and it's up to him and Amyus Crowe to travel to America and find out. This series is definitely more plot-driven than character-driven. While I didn't approve of the villain, and the villain's thugs monologue way, way too much (just carry out your threat already!), and there is cliche after cliche, I have to admit that the plot is rather entertaining, even with all of of its predictability. The Reader can guess the general gist behind what the villain is plotting, and the Reader knows what's going to happen to the protagonist next (because every spy novel and adventure novel and mediocre mystery novel has already done it), but the Reader still wants to find out the particulars, so you keep reading. Death Cloud was more interesting than Rebel Fire, if only because one cannot take Sherlock out of Europe; you lose some of that ambiance that is so important to the stories. But Rebel Fire had some interesting, and very cliche, moments.
Believability: I was lazy and didn't pay all that much attention to possible historical inaccuracies when I read this. The one that stood out the most was: I don't think Sherlock could have gotten into the ship's boiler room as easily as he does. As far as other believable content goes, the villain's whole appearance was, naturally, rather far fetched. Leeches help with blood flow, very true, and I have no doubt that there are blood conditions out there like the one the villain has. But . . . covering every inch of himself with leeches 24/7 (and I mean 24/7)? It definitely felt like the Author put that in more for shock factor than any believability. Oh, and what does the Author mean reptiles don't get scared?! Anything can be frightened away, especially snakes and lizards, who are naturally shy.
Writing Style: Nothing impressive. The dialogue is rather modern, the sentences short and choppy. The Author doesn't spend a great deal of time on scenery description, which made me sad, because it made it difficult to visualize the world. Too much scenery description is bad, of course, but too little and it feels like the characters are doing everything in front of a green screen. The action sequences are easy enough to follow, though the fight in the boiler room was extremely difficult for me to picture.
Content: None.
Conclusion: Of course there's a showdown between Sherlock and Duke Balthassar. Conan Doyle did a lot of showdowns in his original stories, but somehow they were never as ridiculous as the one in Rebel Fire. For a showdown, it was pretty short, but I still found it silly. This isn't a very deep-thinking series; it's a good summer reading book, for a day when you want a mystery, but don't want anything complicated. The plot, while cliche and predictable, is kind of entertaining. As a Sherlockian, though, it was painful to read, even if I could forget that young Sherlock was supposed to be the Sherlock.
Recommended Audience: Guy-read, fourteen-and-up, good for fans of Alex Rider and Sherlockians who don't mind inaccuracies.
Sherlockian Star Rating: 2/5
July 8, 2018
Der zweite Teil der Reihe hat mir schon besser gefallen als der erste. Sherlock macht sich langsam! Seine Weggefährten sind dabei von großer Bedeutung und es kommen immer mehr hinzu, die dazu beitragen, das Sherlock zu dem wird der er später ist.
Die Einbindung von geschichtliche Geschehnissen und Leuten hat mir gut gefallen. Dabei wird dem jungen Leser gleich noch etwas Geschichte vermittelt, ohne dass dieser es langweilig findet.
Auch diesmal gab es wieder viel Aktion und Kämpfe aber sie waren etwas sinnvoller in dieser Geschichte als in der letzten.
Die Einbindung von geschichtliche Geschehnissen und Leuten hat mir gut gefallen. Dabei wird dem jungen Leser gleich noch etwas Geschichte vermittelt, ohne dass dieser es langweilig findet.
Auch diesmal gab es wieder viel Aktion und Kämpfe aber sie waren etwas sinnvoller in dieser Geschichte als in der letzten.
January 26, 2016
The novel, Young Sherlock Holmes: Rebel Fire, written by Andrew Lane, is a marvelous read. The author developed the emotions of the protagonist, Sherlock Holmes, using carefully chosen, evocative words. For instance, when Sherlock, Matty, and Virginia were cornered by giant monitor lizards, Lane showed that Sherlock was fearful by describing that his spine was tingling with fear, sweat was dripping down his forehead, his heart beat was increasing, and his bones were jittery. The novel’s plot was full of action; every few pages, Sherlock and his friends would encounter a gunman, crack a mystery, or even fight ravenous reptiles! My favorite scene was when Sherlock used a red leech to murder the Duke (antagonist). This was extremely hilarious as the Duke was fond of leeches and thought them to be superior to the world, but a little boy armed with a leech ended the Duke’s life! To sum it all up, I think this novel was truly a “good read” for me and I would recommend it to readers who love crime stories!
April 30, 2016
لم تكد سحابة الموت تزول حتى بدأت نيران التمرد في البزوغ .. نيران تلك الفترة حينما قررت الولايات الجنوبية تكوين تحالف و الانفصال عن الاتحاد بالولايات المتحدة الامريكية .. وضع " ديوك بالتاسار " خطة محكمة لتسيطر قوات تحالف الولايات علي كندا و فصلها عن الحكم البريطاني .. فيجد شارلوك أخيه مايكروفت في عزبة فارنهايم يطلب من معلم شارلوك " اميوس غروي " التحري في الامر .. يجد شارلوك بسبب حبه للمغامرة نفسه في وسط الأحداث ..
عاجبني جدا التطور اللي علي مدى كل جزء أندرو بيعمله في شخصية شارلوك .. و الالتزام بقواعد السير أرثر كونان دويل .. أندرولين كاتب عبقري متمكن جدا
عاجبني جدا التطور اللي علي مدى كل جزء أندرو بيعمله في شخصية شارلوك .. و الالتزام بقواعد السير أرثر كونان دويل .. أندرولين كاتب عبقري متمكن جدا
June 23, 2024
Ta część pozostanie na zawsze moją ulubioną z tej serii. Zapewne przez obraz dziewiętnastowiecznych Stanów Zjednoczonych, do których udaje się nasz młody bohater, a także przez kilka nadających mu egzotyki elementów, związanych z głównym antagonistą. I przez sentyment, gdyż to właśnie od tej części jako dziecko zaczęłam przygodę z tą serią.
Już po raz kolejny jestem pełna podziwu, jak pan Lane w kapitalny sposób połączył historię ze swoją literacką fikcją, a także wplótł nieodłączny (jak na razie) element zwierząt do tej sprawy.
Coraz więcej nieodłącznych w okresie dorosłości Holmesa cech zaczyna się tu kształtować. Przykładowo, zainteresowanie skrzypcami i tatuażami. Naprawdę bardzo przyjemnie śledzi się jego naukę tego, czego popis daje nam w opowiadaniach Conan Doyle'a, samemu rozwiązując już coraz więcej kłopotów, w które pakuje się sam.
Już po raz kolejny jestem pełna podziwu, jak pan Lane w kapitalny sposób połączył historię ze swoją literacką fikcją, a także wplótł nieodłączny (jak na razie) element zwierząt do tej sprawy.
Coraz więcej nieodłącznych w okresie dorosłości Holmesa cech zaczyna się tu kształtować. Przykładowo, zainteresowanie skrzypcami i tatuażami. Naprawdę bardzo przyjemnie śledzi się jego naukę tego, czego popis daje nam w opowiadaniach Conan Doyle'a, samemu rozwiązując już coraz więcej kłopotów, w które pakuje się sam.
February 4, 2022
< młody sherlock 3
March 23, 2016
Може би си спомняте преди когато попаднах на първата книга от поредицата за младия Шерлок Холмс на Андрю Лейн и останах доволен. Сега дойде ред на втората книга от поредицата - Червената Пиявица, издадена отново от Ибис и преведена чудесно от Коста Сивов. Какво се случва, след като младият Шерлок спасява цяла Англия от мрачния френски благородник Мопертюи?
Един мъртвец с белязано лице се завръща.
Едно престъпление ще разтърси из основи цялата страна.
Шерлок знае, че възрастните крият тайни. Но не очаква да открие, че най-известният убиец в света живее в Съри.... Особено след като е смятан за мъртъв. На всичкото отгоре по някакъв начин брат му Майкрофт, изглежда също е замесен. А когато никой не иска да ти каже истината, най-добре е да рискуваш и да я откриеш сам.
Така започва приключението, което отвежда Шерлок в Америка, за да се озове в центъра на смъртоносен заговор - на място, където животът и смъртта не струват пукната пара, а истината има цена, която никой нормален човек не би искал да плати.
Отново темата е на глобално политическо ниво - сега Шерлок ще трябва да спаси Америка от атентатори с амбицията да прекроят световната карта. Дюк Балтазар е страховит мъж, чиято власт над хора (и не само) граничи със свръхестественото, а това че е богат и с връзки се подразбира. Как един мъж да не бъде опасен при такива обстоятелства?
Екшънът и задъханото действие този път ще ни отведат от Англия през Атлантика, та чак в Щатите. Преследвания, схватки, престрелки, насилие, смърт, има от всичко, даже и повече. Вижда се как Шерлок постепенно се развива като герой и като личност, има немалко препратки, които го свързват с възрастния образ, който всички познаваме - най-ярко запомнящ се е музикантът, който го учи да свири на цигулка.
Едно чудесно литературно приключение както за малки, така и за големи.
Един мъртвец с белязано лице се завръща.
Едно престъпление ще разтърси из основи цялата страна.
Шерлок знае, че възрастните крият тайни. Но не очаква да открие, че най-известният убиец в света живее в Съри.... Особено след като е смятан за мъртъв. На всичкото отгоре по някакъв начин брат му Майкрофт, изглежда също е замесен. А когато никой не иска да ти каже истината, най-добре е да рискуваш и да я откриеш сам.
Така започва приключението, което отвежда Шерлок в Америка, за да се озове в центъра на смъртоносен заговор - на място, където животът и смъртта не струват пукната пара, а истината има цена, която никой нормален човек не би искал да плати.
Отново темата е на глобално политическо ниво - сега Шерлок ще трябва да спаси Америка от атентатори с амбицията да прекроят световната карта. Дюк Балтазар е страховит мъж, чиято власт над хора (и не само) граничи със свръхестественото, а това че е богат и с връзки се подразбира. Как един мъж да не бъде опасен при такива обстоятелства?
Екшънът и задъханото действие този път ще ни отведат от Англия през Атлантика, та чак в Щатите. Преследвания, схватки, престрелки, насилие, смърт, има от всичко, даже и повече. Вижда се как Шерлок постепенно се развива като герой и като личност, има немалко препратки, които го свързват с възрастния образ, който всички познаваме - най-ярко запомнящ се е музикантът, който го учи да свири на цигулка.
Едно чудесно литературно приключение както за малки, така и за големи.
May 26, 2014
This is the second book in Andrew Lane's "Young Sherlock Holmes" series.
This one just didn't appeal to me quite as much as the first book in the series, "Death Cloud". There were points in the book where Holmes and the antagonists appeared to be on a stage of their own, invisible to those who surround them and who could have, and most likely would have, intervened. A shootout on top of a moving train full of passengers and staff doesn't often go completely unacknowledged.
When reading this series, one has to remember that the series is meant to depict Holmes as a teen. As such, the logic and cold detachment that one would expect from Holmes is not yet developed. I feel that what Lane is consciously depicting here are some of the early steps that led to the more familiar Holmes. I did find that hard to keep in mind at times when Lane's Holmes showed a bit more compassion than I felt was beyond the Doyle character.
All-in-all, the story was worth the read. I do like the educational aspect of both of the books so far as Lane attempts to paint a fair but informative view of various historical events.
3 STARS
This one just didn't appeal to me quite as much as the first book in the series, "Death Cloud". There were points in the book where Holmes and the antagonists appeared to be on a stage of their own, invisible to those who surround them and who could have, and most likely would have, intervened. A shootout on top of a moving train full of passengers and staff doesn't often go completely unacknowledged.
When reading this series, one has to remember that the series is meant to depict Holmes as a teen. As such, the logic and cold detachment that one would expect from Holmes is not yet developed. I feel that what Lane is consciously depicting here are some of the early steps that led to the more familiar Holmes. I did find that hard to keep in mind at times when Lane's Holmes showed a bit more compassion than I felt was beyond the Doyle character.
All-in-all, the story was worth the read. I do like the educational aspect of both of the books so far as Lane attempts to paint a fair but informative view of various historical events.
3 STARS
March 26, 2015
After the first book you can start to see Sherlock progressing into the sherlock we all know and love although he's not there yet, still young with lot's more to learn. that's why i feel these books are very much for the younger reader as they can learn along with sherlock, which i recommend as they do not go into to much depth into any given subject they do cover a range of basic knowledge, ideas and thinking which is good for younger readers. for the older reader such as myself i have enjoyed the first two books as a nice easy quick read with a decent story behind them. there good for a nice lazy afternoon read.
March 18, 2012
I really struggled to finish this. If I had had anything else to read I probably wouldn't have bothered.
Bone to Pick!
1. If someone gives you some information, and then straight after you go over the facts again in your mind, you did not discover the information through intellect or logic. You know the information because someone told you!
2. The correct conjugation of to bring is , bring brought brought.
Bought comes form the verb "to buy".
3. Speeded up?!?
I will not be reading anymore from this series.
Bone to Pick!
1. If someone gives you some information, and then straight after you go over the facts again in your mind, you did not discover the information through intellect or logic. You know the information because someone told you!
2. The correct conjugation of to bring is , bring brought brought.
Bought comes form the verb "to buy".
3. Speeded up?!?
I will not be reading anymore from this series.
January 1, 2021
Boring
February 19, 2016
With more of an action movie feel to it, I'm not sure what to think of this one. :/ I definitely liked the first book better. & while "rebel fire" (also published as "red leech") had it's moments, annoying bits dragged down its rating and my ability to enjoy it.
Not to say it was a terrible book. It was just every "meh". I mean, I wasn't expecting to much from it after "death cloud". The 1st novel was a fun light read with a interesting mystery & hints at the future Sherlock Holmes. The bees were a neat idea for a weapon and while the Baron was a little cartoonish in his EVILNESS, I liked how determined and intelligent he seemed, even in the throws of madness. It's not something overly thought provoking or deep. It's just a fun story & I hoped that that theme would be continued here in "rebel fire"
Well, at times it did, and in fact, the storytelling seemed to be improving. Then at other times, it was a struggle to continue on with the book. It was very confusing. :/ especially since this wast a book I expected to have to struggle with. Book 1 proved easily entertaining. Why not this one?
Maybe some editing needed done. But the flip-floppiness I got from this book, definitely makes it a 2 instead of the happy 3 of book 1. :(
Let's look at some positives first, shall we? Because remember, not terrible. Just a big step down from book 1.
1. Ms. Eglantine. She's not a major character or anything YET, but in book 1 Mycroft specifically told Sherlock to be wary of her. & with a dower, creepy attitude, I wanna know what's up with this chick.
2. The chase scene. This was wonderfully well done. Mr. Lane has some talent here. I was rea..y into that scene, wondering if they'd catch the bad guys or not, very worried for Matty. Even though we know every little about him, I kinda like the scruffy little guy.
2. The details! Everything is so detailed & described so nicely. Maybe because it's Sherlock Holmes' detail oriented mind, or just good writing, (I'd like to think both.) but it really makes the world pop. New York & the lower class parts of that ship sound absolutely revolting.
3. The idea here is really good. Confederate conspiracy theory time!
4. Hints at the man that Sherlock will become. Next to the chase scene, this is by far the best part of the series. From his growing use of Sacasm, to learning to play the violin, his growing resourcefulness, (seriously. I would never have thought to use that paper boy trick, or play ball to spy.) to the way he deals with a man's death, we're really starting to see him becoming the character we all know and love. Especially in his logical way of looking at the world and his original motivation for wanting to help with this Booth conspiracy. Not because he actually gave a damn about the American government or what harm the Confederate rebel might actually bring to the union. He was simply curious. After all the excitement from the bees & Baron case, it's obvious he likes the rush of the hunt & he's not ready to give that up yet. :) or ever.
In fact, this is my favorite speech from the book:
"I think there's always danger, wherever you go. You can either ignore it, or you can wrap yourself in blankets so it doesn't hurt you, or you can walk towards it and dare it to do its worst. If you do the first thing, then the danger takes you by surprise. If you do the second thing, then you spend all your time swaddled up in the dark, letting the world pass you by. The only logical course of action is to go towards the danger, the more you get used to it, the better you can deal with it." - Sherlock, page 116.
But now, to the things that pissed me off.
1. Let's start with Virginia. My God to I hate this girl. She's SO perfect! & SO different! Ugh, Sherlock. Just ugh. -_- she's really not that fucking great. In fact, she spends most the book in her room moping. I get that the girl's mom died on a boat, but I just dislike this character so much, I can't give a damn. I can't figure out why the chick hasn't moved her mom until now anyway. Plus, I just can't take her seriously when Sherlock is CONSTANTLY comparing her to English girls. Like she more "colorful." I shit you not, that's what was said. Cause she's tan & has red hair & violent eyes. hhhhmmmm..... Special colored eyes. That's not overdone at all. -_- & she's like no other girl he's ever met. & no English girls would ever dare ride a horse like her or be as bossy.... First off, Sherlock has NOT met every girl in England & goes to an all boys school. The only women he really knows is his mother, sister, this aunt who's always mumbling to herself and a pissy housekeeper. He CANNOT speak for all girls in England. I'm sure there's plenty who are just as pushy and like horses just as much. & Secondly, constantly describing a character as special or different doesn't make her any more likable. It just gives me another boring special snowflake Mary Sue & it only serves to annoy the readers.
2. Bad guys. Theses guys are idiots. Why the hell do they keep stopping to tell Sherlock & friends they're plans or explain how or why they did something?! It's a stupid cliche that's been used in every bad spy movie ever! & while they are babbling on about how cool they are, they're giving the good guys time to think of a get away plan. It's really annoying.
3. The boat trip. While I loved seeing Sherlock learn about music, this part was especially tedious for me. I almost wanted to put the book aside. It was so boring' not the fight or the music. That stuff was ok, but just boringness. Sherlock was bored and so was i. It was all oh, Virginia is moping. That part of the ship looks gross. Look, the caged animals. Look, water & another boat. Look, a boring Greek book. -_- pages of nothing important happening! All totally wasted. Page space that could have been devoted to making the search for Matty and the baddies more drawn out and suspenseful were wasted on Sherlock talking to a guy about mermaids.
4. Creepy looking bad dude. Again we have a bad gut who is scary, not because of what he is capable of, but more so by his appearance. Which, is fine up to a certain point. I liked a creepy baddie. But it shouldn't be the soul reason your character is memorable. Think about it. Jim jones was r scary because he LOOKED scary. He was scary because he managed to brainwash hundreds of people to willing drink poison and give it to their children. The fire lord in "avatar the last airbender" isn't scary because he LOOKED scary. I'm sure he was actually quite handsome as far as old cartoon dudes go. But he was scary because he came from a line of kings conditioned to think that the fire nation was THE BEST & he'd do anything to reach his goal of wiping out the other nations. here in "young Sherlock" it's all about Ew factors not evil accomplishments. :/
In the end, I'm not overly impressed. It has its moments, but it's definitely not as good as the 1st book. I'll read up to at least book 4 though, since I have that one & book three "black ice" sounds really cool. But after this, my hopes are lows. :/
Recommended to Sherlock fans. Fun, but don't expect greatness.
Not to say it was a terrible book. It was just every "meh". I mean, I wasn't expecting to much from it after "death cloud". The 1st novel was a fun light read with a interesting mystery & hints at the future Sherlock Holmes. The bees were a neat idea for a weapon and while the Baron was a little cartoonish in his EVILNESS, I liked how determined and intelligent he seemed, even in the throws of madness. It's not something overly thought provoking or deep. It's just a fun story & I hoped that that theme would be continued here in "rebel fire"
Well, at times it did, and in fact, the storytelling seemed to be improving. Then at other times, it was a struggle to continue on with the book. It was very confusing. :/ especially since this wast a book I expected to have to struggle with. Book 1 proved easily entertaining. Why not this one?
Maybe some editing needed done. But the flip-floppiness I got from this book, definitely makes it a 2 instead of the happy 3 of book 1. :(
Let's look at some positives first, shall we? Because remember, not terrible. Just a big step down from book 1.
1. Ms. Eglantine. She's not a major character or anything YET, but in book 1 Mycroft specifically told Sherlock to be wary of her. & with a dower, creepy attitude, I wanna know what's up with this chick.
2. The chase scene. This was wonderfully well done. Mr. Lane has some talent here. I was rea..y into that scene, wondering if they'd catch the bad guys or not, very worried for Matty. Even though we know every little about him, I kinda like the scruffy little guy.
2. The details! Everything is so detailed & described so nicely. Maybe because it's Sherlock Holmes' detail oriented mind, or just good writing, (I'd like to think both.) but it really makes the world pop. New York & the lower class parts of that ship sound absolutely revolting.
3. The idea here is really good. Confederate conspiracy theory time!
4. Hints at the man that Sherlock will become. Next to the chase scene, this is by far the best part of the series. From his growing use of Sacasm, to learning to play the violin, his growing resourcefulness, (seriously. I would never have thought to use that paper boy trick, or play ball to spy.) to the way he deals with a man's death, we're really starting to see him becoming the character we all know and love. Especially in his logical way of looking at the world and his original motivation for wanting to help with this Booth conspiracy. Not because he actually gave a damn about the American government or what harm the Confederate rebel might actually bring to the union. He was simply curious. After all the excitement from the bees & Baron case, it's obvious he likes the rush of the hunt & he's not ready to give that up yet. :) or ever.
In fact, this is my favorite speech from the book:
"I think there's always danger, wherever you go. You can either ignore it, or you can wrap yourself in blankets so it doesn't hurt you, or you can walk towards it and dare it to do its worst. If you do the first thing, then the danger takes you by surprise. If you do the second thing, then you spend all your time swaddled up in the dark, letting the world pass you by. The only logical course of action is to go towards the danger, the more you get used to it, the better you can deal with it." - Sherlock, page 116.
But now, to the things that pissed me off.
1. Let's start with Virginia. My God to I hate this girl. She's SO perfect! & SO different! Ugh, Sherlock. Just ugh. -_- she's really not that fucking great. In fact, she spends most the book in her room moping. I get that the girl's mom died on a boat, but I just dislike this character so much, I can't give a damn. I can't figure out why the chick hasn't moved her mom until now anyway. Plus, I just can't take her seriously when Sherlock is CONSTANTLY comparing her to English girls. Like she more "colorful." I shit you not, that's what was said. Cause she's tan & has red hair & violent eyes. hhhhmmmm..... Special colored eyes. That's not overdone at all. -_- & she's like no other girl he's ever met. & no English girls would ever dare ride a horse like her or be as bossy.... First off, Sherlock has NOT met every girl in England & goes to an all boys school. The only women he really knows is his mother, sister, this aunt who's always mumbling to herself and a pissy housekeeper. He CANNOT speak for all girls in England. I'm sure there's plenty who are just as pushy and like horses just as much. & Secondly, constantly describing a character as special or different doesn't make her any more likable. It just gives me another boring special snowflake Mary Sue & it only serves to annoy the readers.
2. Bad guys. Theses guys are idiots. Why the hell do they keep stopping to tell Sherlock & friends they're plans or explain how or why they did something?! It's a stupid cliche that's been used in every bad spy movie ever! & while they are babbling on about how cool they are, they're giving the good guys time to think of a get away plan. It's really annoying.
3. The boat trip. While I loved seeing Sherlock learn about music, this part was especially tedious for me. I almost wanted to put the book aside. It was so boring' not the fight or the music. That stuff was ok, but just boringness. Sherlock was bored and so was i. It was all oh, Virginia is moping. That part of the ship looks gross. Look, the caged animals. Look, water & another boat. Look, a boring Greek book. -_- pages of nothing important happening! All totally wasted. Page space that could have been devoted to making the search for Matty and the baddies more drawn out and suspenseful were wasted on Sherlock talking to a guy about mermaids.
4. Creepy looking bad dude. Again we have a bad gut who is scary, not because of what he is capable of, but more so by his appearance. Which, is fine up to a certain point. I liked a creepy baddie. But it shouldn't be the soul reason your character is memorable. Think about it. Jim jones was r scary because he LOOKED scary. He was scary because he managed to brainwash hundreds of people to willing drink poison and give it to their children. The fire lord in "avatar the last airbender" isn't scary because he LOOKED scary. I'm sure he was actually quite handsome as far as old cartoon dudes go. But he was scary because he came from a line of kings conditioned to think that the fire nation was THE BEST & he'd do anything to reach his goal of wiping out the other nations. here in "young Sherlock" it's all about Ew factors not evil accomplishments. :/
In the end, I'm not overly impressed. It has its moments, but it's definitely not as good as the 1st book. I'll read up to at least book 4 though, since I have that one & book three "black ice" sounds really cool. But after this, my hopes are lows. :/
Recommended to Sherlock fans. Fun, but don't expect greatness.
May 31, 2019
عند نهاية الحرب الاهلية الامريكية بين حكومة التحالف وهي الولايات الامريكية الجنوبية المتحالفه والتي كانت تنوي الأنفصال عن نظام الاتحاد والذي يشمل الولايات الشماليه التي يرأسها الرئيس الأمريكي ابراهم لنكولن ليحارب ظاهرة الرق التي كانت منتشره في الجنوب وهنا كانت بدايه الشرارة من اجل الانفصال لان حكومة التحالف كانت ترفض الخضوع لإدارة لنكولن. يضطر شارلوك السفر إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية مع مرشده احد اعضاء وكاله بنكرتون الذي وكله اخوه له ليساعده على التفكير المنطقي وتدريبة على ملاحظة كل شيء وتحليله، من اجل تحرير صديقه المختطف بعد ان ورط شارلوك نفسه مع مجموعة من حكومة التحالف التي كانت متخفية في لندن مما أدى إلى اختطاف صديقه كرهينه والعودة به إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية ، ومن هنا تبدأ مغامرات شارلوك من اجل إنقاذ صديقه المختطف وتحقيق العدالة بصورة صحيحة.
.
لم تكن الرواية بالمستوى المطلوب على عكس كل التوقعات توقعتها مثل أعمال أنطوني هورتفيرز لكن للأسف لم تصل للمستوى المرتقب وأعتقد انها تناسب الناشئه اكثر، لكن كمية المعلومات كانت جيدة الخاصة بالحرب الاهلية الامريكية وبعض التفاصيل الأخرى التي جذبتني.
.
لم تكن الرواية بالمستوى المطلوب على عكس كل التوقعات توقعتها مثل أعمال أنطوني هورتفيرز لكن للأسف لم تصل للمستوى المرتقب وأعتقد انها تناسب الناشئه اكثر، لكن كمية المعلومات كانت جيدة الخاصة بالحرب الاهلية الامريكية وبعض التفاصيل الأخرى التي جذبتني.
June 16, 2019
I enjoyed the simplified bits on the USA Secession War, which is the story line in Red Leech. I could related to many passages of this book, like the Republic (Plato), the fact they Sherlock reads it in Greek; learning the violin... I also think some of the politics questions and ethical questions that came up in the story are great and well elaborated. Again bits of historical facts are touched - although it may be hard for a young reader to make the distinction between history and fiction. Substantially, some real historical facts do stick to your brain like Lincoln's assassin, General Lee, Zeppelin (the insight into his visit to the US and meeting with Lowe is very interesting), etc. It seems to purposely try to relate to what teenagers might be going through in their real lives at schoold. Sherlock escape from impossible situations again and **spoiler** if you wanted to see some more romance you will be left to hang high and dry. Everything happens fast in this book and it feels as if they go days without much sleep. It makes for a good pace broken only by the slightly too lengthy "narrator" pieces. Lane successfully places this fictional story into a historical context in the 1860s.
April 21, 2024
3 stars, one extra for Dan Stevens as the narrator.
Somehow even simpler and more self-indulgent than book 1, but Dan Stevens as the narrator still makes this an incredibly enjoyable listen.
To reiterate what I wrote about "Death Cloud":
I'm not the target audience, in that I'm a bit too old for the simplicity of the plot and style of these books. Sherlock Holmes as a character - even Young Sherlock Holmes - deserves better. And even though "Red Leech" tries to develop him as a character - especially in relation to his budding morality - it still leaves something to be desired.
As for Dan Stevens - the guy was made for voiceover work. He puts a lot of work into differentiating the characters and you can just -hear- how much fun he's having. It makes the listening experience really rewarding (even if the source material isn't as up to snuff).
March 15, 2024
I got this sight-unseen from my library's 'blind date with a book' program. I was expecting YA (I grabbed it from that section) and slightly racy (it had the indicative black heart on the wrapper). It was neither. Not only did they start me on book #2 in the series (not cool, guys) but this book read as solidly middle grade. Linear and sexless. I'm not saying it was a bad book - we got the origin story for Sherlock's violin playing (although I'm still holding out on discovering the origins of his cocaine addiction) - but it wasn't what I'd bargained for. I probably would have found this book riveting... 45 years ago.
December 13, 2021
Another amazing book by Andy Lane! Another book that I couldn’t put down because I needed to see what happened and how everything fit together. I love how we continue to see Sherlock’s character growth and how he became who he is at the end of his career. I am going to start the next book as soon as I get done with this review!
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a lover of Sherlock Holmes. Especially teens. If I had read this when I was thirteen or fourteen, this would for sure be one of my favorite series.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a lover of Sherlock Holmes. Especially teens. If I had read this when I was thirteen or fourteen, this would for sure be one of my favorite series.
July 8, 2018
Really enjoyed reading this book. I don't think Conan ever intended for Sherlock to have this colourful a childhood, but it definitely makes for some riveting reading. This is the first book in the series that I have read, but I may consider picking up other books of this series in the future.
January 7, 2019
It was a nice book. The style how Andy Lane wrote the book was appealing to me, and although I didn't read the first book because I didn't have it at our house, nothing didn't really make no sense. I would recommend it.
May 15, 2020
Im zweiten Teil dieser Reihe erkannt man bereits stark, was für ein Genie Sherlock einmal werden wird. Außerdem erfährt man, wie er zu einem bestimmten Hobby von ihm kam. Der Autor hat seine Ideen brillant umgesetzt.
September 2, 2020
Never thought I'd enjoy an abridged audiobook but much preferred to radio plays and with a book as action packed as this, still very fun. Dan Stevens' Southern accents incredibly entertaining, story still as epic as I remember.
May 11, 2021
Продовження серії про юного Холмса, якось не вразило. Пошуки серійного маніяка, та сама команда з вчителя, Шерлока, його друга-хулігана плюс Майкрофт, а ще там є криваві п'явки для ожахливлюючого ефекту. Почитати можна, але вилітає з голови дуже швидко.
January 31, 2018
This was a fairly good book, just not as good as the first one.
November 7, 2019
3.5
First book in english (not a level adaptation for students or something, I mean, an actual book) I managed to read :) very amusing and funny, plenty of adventures and bizarre situations. An interesting view of how young Sherlock could be.
First book in english (not a level adaptation for students or something, I mean, an actual book) I managed to read :) very amusing and funny, plenty of adventures and bizarre situations. An interesting view of how young Sherlock could be.
October 9, 2023
Ok. Y'all, I play violin. There is no way Sherlock a) learned to play violin that fast. b) could play violin after having his shoulders and back burned. I mean, please. He's 14. He's not invincible.
Rant over.
I personally love Andrew Lane's depiction of young Sherlock. It is so interesting watching him grow into the Sherlock Holmes of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories.
(Also, can I just say I feel so bad for Sherlock?)
So, yes, I put up with the unrealistic violin scenes for the sake of a good thriller and the brilliant character development.
Content:
Violence, killing, etc.
Rant over.
I personally love Andrew Lane's depiction of young Sherlock. It is so interesting watching him grow into the Sherlock Holmes of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories.
(Also, can I just say I feel so bad for Sherlock?)
So, yes, I put up with the unrealistic violin scenes for the sake of a good thriller and the brilliant character development.
Content:
Violence, killing, etc.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 374 reviews