I really cannot say enough about both Laurie R. King's Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell Series as well as the author herself. The series is a really interesting take on the character of Sherlock Holmes in which he acquires a new partner in the form of a young woman named Mary Russell. Who later in the series becomes the wife of Sherlock Holmes.
The series itself started way back in 1994 with The Beekeepers Apprentice and continues to just last year with the 11th book in the series The Pirate King.
Much in the same tradition as Conan Doyle's tales, the exploits of Sherlock Holmes in this series are all told from Mary Russell's point of view.
I've gotten a chance to corrospond with Laurie R. King over the years viz letters and the internet and she is an absolute class act. Our conversations have always been cheerful and enthusiastic.
I'm just surprised it has not been adapted into a movie or a television series. Then again Janet Evanovich's first Stephanie Plum novel came out back in 1994 and it's just being adapted for the big screen now.
I should mention the Plum novels are one of Syd's favorite series's.
So, there's hope for seeing perhaps either a small or big screen version of Holmes and Russell.
And unlike Rachel McAdams's annoying and unengaging performance as "the Woman", Mary Russell is a very enjoyable and likable character.
I've actually inquired on several occassions if Laurie would like to adapt her Holmes/Russell series into graphic novels. It's still something I would love to do with her permission and help.
However, if you are not familiar with the series I highly recommend you check it out. It's a very enjoyable and unique take on Sherlock Holmes.
1 comments:
I read The Beekeeper's Apprentice in 1997, when I was looking for one of Carole Nelson Douglas' Irene Adler novels. I enjoy King's series better - Douglas' novels ... her best scenes are the ones that feature Holmes, but that's 20% of each book and the Penelope Huxleigh character does not send me.
On the other hand, King's novels are great - a very convincing profile of Holmes in his later years. I have just started reading "The Language of Bees". I still love the first novel, though. I recall an interview where she said that all the writers who want to do knew stories set in the Baker Street years can go right ahead, but the beekepping years are what interest her most, and they seem to be all hers.
You can follow Mary Russell on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Mary_Russell
Have you read "The Adventure of Hillerman Hall," by Julian Symons? It's a short story in which Holmes meets a young Ms. Marple during his beekeeping years. Another nice one is "The Canary Trainer", by Nicolas Meyer. It retells the Phantom of The Opera story with Holmes and Adler - set during "The Great Hiatus", but it has a framing sequence set at Holmes bee farm.
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