2011 Baker Street Reading Challenge

Ahem. I know, you're thinking "what on earth is Ruth doing signing up for yet another reading challenge?" Well, back in 2009 when I first started this blog, I signed up for the inaugural Baker Street Reading Challenge and only posted two reviews. I am looking on this as an opportunity to further my Sherlock-related reading goals through a challenge that's lay dormant for far too long.

Here's the challenge info from the blog, hosted by Ruth of Bookish Ruth:

Welcome to the Baker Street Challenge, an annual reading challenge for one of the most iconic and enigmatic literary figures, Sherlock Holmes. Join us as we celebrate Doyle's original stories as well as the rich world of new adventures his works have inspired.

The Rules

1. Choose a goal from the reading tier below and add your name to the sign up page.

2. The challenge will run from January 1 to December 31, 2011. You can sign up for the challenge at any time before December 31, 2011.

3. You do not have to choose your books in advance. You may change your reading list at any point in the challenge.

4. Overlapping with other challenges is fine.

5. Audio books and eBooks are allowed.

6. Feel free to post reviews or general thoughts about your reading to the Baker Street Challenge blog. Please e-mail me at bookishruth [at] gmail [dot] com to be added as a contributor.

Reading Tier

• Three Pipe Problem: 3 books
• The Sign of Four: 4 books
• Five Orange Pips: 5 books
• Seven Percent Solution: 7 books

Book Guidelines & Suggestions

The Canon: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novels (A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Valley of Fear) and 56 short stories (compiled in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, His Last Bow and The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes).

Pastiches: Sherlock Holmes stories by authors other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, such as The Seven-Per-Cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer, The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King, The Montana Chronicles by John S. Fitzpatrick, The Sherlockian by Graham Moore, etc.

Non-Fiction: Books about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or the Holmes phenomenon.

Other Doyle Works: Books such as The Lost World, The Coming of the Fairies, The Maracot Deep, and non-Holmes short stories do count for this challenge.

Since 2011 has already begun, please note that any books read between the start of the year to January 17, 2011 that qualify for the challenge will count toward your total if you wish to count them.

Ready to sign up for the challenge? Head over to the Sign Up page.

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I'm signing up for this challenge at a conservative level - four books, or "The Sign of Four." If I really blow through all of my reading challenges this year, I may be able to add some bonus selections to this list.

• A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King
• A Letter of Mary by Laurie R. King
• The Case of the Left-Handed Lady by Nancy Springer
• The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer

Here are links to the reviews of my entries in this challenge in 2009:

• The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
• The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

With Series 2 of Sherlock to look forward to this fall as well as a new Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes film over the holidays, 2011 is a great year to revisit Sherlock and the work the icon has inspired!

The Mary Russell Companion

I was thrilled to find out today that author Laurie R. King has released a free e-book that you can download here - The Mary Russell Companion. This is a must-read for fans of her Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes mystery series!

Review: The Beekeeper's Apprentice

Now that I've officially joined the Blogger community, I'll be periodically reposting some of my older reviews from Xanga here. Ruth from Bookish Ruth was kind enough to let me join the Baker Street Challenge as a contributor. Here is my first review for that challenge (originally posted on Xanga in January).


The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell Mysteries #1)

By: Laurie R. King

About the book:

In 1915, long since retired from his observations of criminal humanity, Sherlock Holmes is engaged in a reclusive study of honeybee behavior on the Sussex Downs. Never did he think to meet an intellect to match his own - until his acquaintance with Miss Mary Russell, a very modern fifteen-year-old whose mental acuity is equaled only by her audacity, tenacity, and penchant for trousers and cloth caps.

Under Holmes' tutelage, Russell hones her talent for deduction, disguises, and danger: in the chilling case of a landowner's mysterious fever and in a kidnapping in the wilds of Wales. But her ultimate challenge is yet to come. Soon the two sleuths are on the trail of a murderer whose machinations scatter meaningless clues...but whose objective is quite unequivocal: to end Russell and Holmes's partnership - and their lives.

Review:

In The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, Laurie R. King introduces Sherlock Holmes to the most unlikely companion – a young woman with an intellect that matches the legendary detective in every way. Holmes is well-known for his lack of tolerance for the mental acuity of others – so for Mary Russell to have won his admiration, respect, and affection is a remarkable feat. This series needs to achieve two objectives to succeed – the character of Holmes has to be true to the canon and Russell has to be a true equal to him in mind and mettle. To speak to the first point – in my view King absolutely nails it in her depiction of Holmes’s character, voice, and mannerisms. I’ve read most, but not all, of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, and I’m a huge fan of Jeremy Brett’s portrayal of the detective in the classic television series. For me Brett is the definitive Holmes – when I read Doyle, his is the voice I hear and the face I see, and the same applies for King’s incarnation of Holmes. King lets us see the “real” Holmes, devoid of the glow of “celebrity” that his good friend Dr. Watson applied (much to the detective’s chagrin) in the stories that documented his cases. Russell’s appearance throws Holmes out of his comfort zone and injects new energy into his personal and professional life. Plus, it’s wonderful fun seeing him cope with Russell’s maturation from a gawky teenager to a capable adult. Russell’s voice is the second half of the puzzle that makes this series a successful Holmes pastiche. By the age of fifteen she’s already been to hell and back through the loss of her parents & younger brother. The early tragedy informs her reaction to everything that follows, most importantly her developing relationship with Holmes. For all her hard brilliance, King allows us to see Mary’s vulnerable side – and since she is essentially the other half of Holmes, it provides fascinating insight into his character as well. Finally, the novel’s brisk pace and attention to historical detail results in a tale that positively drips with atmosphere. I particularly enjoy reading about Russell’s college experiences at Oxford and her interest in theology, especially her reaction to her first trip to her mother’s homeland, Israel. The world King builds here is a joy to get lost in, and the characters – both new and canonical – are so real, and such a joy to spend time with. That’s why I keep coming back to this series – the characters are multi-faceted and the world-crafting is so richly done, I feel like I take away something new from the story with each reading.