Product Description
Selling two million copies in earlier editions, this is the second of the rediscovered Sherlock Holmes adventures. "Acquired" from a widow whose husband was descended from the distaff side of Holmes's family, this mystery finds Holmes solving a double murder in London's theater district. "Don't miss it."--Cosmopolitan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

"Waste" (please) End Horror!
After enjoying "7 % solution" as a manna sent from heaven, I tasted stale bread in reading the aforesaid title. It was a huge let down, in terms of everything. The theatrical environs made the work overtly sensational and reduced Holmes' stature(can you imagine it?)to that of a novice trying to assess the world with the help of GBS. Sorry, but I just can not digest it.

a nice read
While shorter than Meyer's First Holmes Pastiche (The Seven Per Cent Solution), the West End Horrors is a much better book. Meyer still uses real figures (Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw, and Bram Stoker etc), which is silly and seems like a poor attempt at making Holmes less fiction and more reality. And while this volume doesn't have any action sequences like "Seven Per Cent", it is an excellent mystery that puzzles the reader until it builds to an intriguing and believable climax.

One thing that the buyer should take note of is that this is not "The White Chapel Horrors" (Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper) as many reviews have confused the two.

The West End Horrors is a really well-written Holmes Pastiche. I am looking forward to reading Meyer's Latest Holmes offering, the Canary Trainer.

Better Than the "Seven-Per-Cent Solution"
I was reluctant to read this one after the "Seven-Percent Solution," but Mr. Meyer disappointed me by writing a much better story.

This story appeared first in Play Boy, and the book is a longer revision of that one.

The story is about Murders that haunted the west end. Of course Sherlock Holmes cannot hold back when there are murders nearby.

The good thing about the book is that Mr. Meyer does not claim that any of the manuscripts provided by Doyle were forgeries. The bad thing is that he still uses real characters, like Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, and Bram Stoker, which I still say is dumb.

One other thing I hate about these pastiches is that they insist on saying that Watson was a real person, and that he used to publish his work under the pseudonym Conan Doyle, or else that Conan Doyle was the agent under whose name Watson used to publish works. I realize that this is one way to make things continue, but come on, we all know that we are only fooling ourselves.

Anyhow, I think the book might deserve 4 stars if not for the little drawbacks I mentioned above, and I am sure you are going to enjoy it, but try first to get it from the library, just in case you detested it.

Gotta love Sherlock!
I've read The West End Horror 3 times and absolutely love it. I would recommend it to anyone who likes Sherlock Holmes and I think Nicholas Meyer writes even better than Conan Doyle! I used part of the solution as an example in a project I did recently on the... well if I give you the topic, I'll also give you the solution to the mystery so I won't spoil it.

A slight let-down
This novel is somewhat anti-climactic. (Not just because it's a Holmes novel, which generally means 80% of the story is investigative dead ends, followed by 2% Holmes having a brainstorm and throwing Watson into a cab, leading to 10% villain's confession, ending with 8% denouement.) Having read Meyer's first Holmes homage, "The Seven Percent Solution," I was hoping for another effort of similar quality. "The West End Horror" does not quite live up to such lofty expectations. Clearly, it is well-written, capturing (and possibly improving on) the flavor of the original Doyle stories, and it is only by comparison to Meyer's brilliant first book that this one seems to struggle. Unfortunately, Meyer just tried too hard with this one to be clever. The "famous people" cameo in "Seven Percent Solution" made perfect sense. Sigmund Freud is a character because he was the most logical person for Watson to seek out, given that situation; he needed a medical consultation in the field in which Dr. Freud first made his reputation before the whole psychoanalysis fad took off. In "The West End Horror," however, the same trick is overdone, making the entire plot seem excessively like a gimmick. Oscar Wilde drops in and interacts with George Bernard Shaw, Bram Stoker reluctantly introduces Holmes to Henry Irving, and Gilbert and Sullivan are on hand to be interviewed about a murder victim. It's a little bit like the beginning of "Titanic," where Rose brings some paintings by Picasso aboard the doomed ship, wondering aloud if one day they'll ever be worth anything. In the hands of a lesser writer this would be a recipe for disaster; Meyer being an excellent writer, it's still a four-star novel. Still, the plot would have worked just as well, and possibly better, had the theater critic been named Bob, the famous actor Fred, the comic opera tandem Frank and Joe, and the gloomy novelist Aloysius, instead of throwing the famous personages into the mix and allowing the readers to become distracted by such unhelpful musings as "Is Meyer suggesting that Bram Stoker and Henry Irving are lovers?" (A: Probably not, but when Oscar Wilde tells Holmes that Irving is possessive of Stoker's time, one does wonder.) Freud's appearance added to the first book. The appearance of the entire membership of "Who's Who in London Theater, 1895 Edition" detracts from this one.

As a postscript, although the story does begin with a stabbing death in London, and although the synopsis on the book cover does point out that the killer is nicknamed "Jack," readers should be aware that this is NOT a Jack the Ripper novel. ... Read more

Product Description
The critically acclaimed director and writer shares his account of the making of the three classic Star Trek films

The View from the Bridge is Nicholas Meyer's enormously entertaining account of his involvement with the Star Trek films: STII: The Wrath of Khan, STIV: The Voyage Home, and STVI: The Undiscovered Country, as well as his illustrious career in the movie business. The man best known for bringing together Sherlock Holmes and Sigmund Freud in The Seven Per-Cent Solution had ironically never been interested in Star Trek until he was brought on board to save the film series.

Meyer shares how he created the script for The Wrath of Khan, the most revered Star Trek film of all, in twelve days-only to have William Shatner proclaim he hated it. He reveals the death threats he received when word got out that Spock would be killed, and finally answers the long-pondered question of whether Khan's chiseled chest is truly that of Ricardo Montalban. Meyer's reminiscences on everyone from Gene Roddenberry to Laurence Olivier will appeal not only to the countless legions of Trekkies, but to anyone fascinated by the inner workings of Hollywood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Terrific book from a terrific writer! A must read!
Being a Trekkie since I was a kid, I just had to get Nicholas Meyer's new book "The View From The Bridge". It was one of the most entertaining and insightful books I've read, especially about the inner workings of the Hollywood movie scene and the politics, egos and general BS that a creative movie maker has to deal with in pursuing his or her dream. Nick Meyer really shows his heart in this book and I was thoroughly "pulled in" to the story of how he made it in the big town. Very highly recommended!

A Light and Entertaining Read
The View from the Bridge, Nicholas Meyer's memoir of his life in Hollywood, is a perfect of example of why I have a Kindle.It was a book I was interested in reading, but never would have sought out in a book store.The ease of use of Kindle erased the barrier to entry -- my laziness -- and resulted in access to a thoroughly entertaining book.

Breezy and conversational, Meyer offers up his story of making movies in Hollywood, including lively accounts of his involvement with three of the original crew Star Trek movies. Most of this information is old news to longtime Trekkers, as Meyer himself writes, but Meyer goes into a greater level of detail regarding the business aspects of film making than past accounts.For anyone interested in the art of movie making, as well as the practical limitations placed on writers and directors by the corporate suits at the studio, Meyer's book gives a great glimpse into that world as it stood in the 1980's and 1990's.

There's not much else to say regarding the book -- the Kindle edition is a bit overpriced for the content, but Meyer is an interesting and self-deprecatingly honest character, and spending a few hours reading him spin the great Hollywood yarn that is is own life is definitely recommended.Just wait for the price to drop.

Too much ego; too little story
After reading Shatner's Star Trek movie recollections, I was interested in this energetic, unique director of two of the films. However, I was disappointed after reading his book, and when I closed the cover my opinion of the Nick Meyer I thought I respected was changed to faint disgust. He pokes and jabs at things and people he doesn't care for in a very self-aware style (doubtless hooting and chuckling to himself as he writes, I imagine). It is this tasteless pseudo-tact that makes reading this a tiresome affair. How in the world he manages to get a stab at the Bush administration in while talking about a story that happened in the early '70's is just poor, lazy writing.

Alas, this could all be overlooked if he had enough golden nuggets of information about the Star Treks he worked on. Sadly this isn't the case either; he rehashes stories we've already heard (better) from Shatner and company. Nick genuinely despises Star Trek, and spends an inordinate amount of time telling us this throughout the book. He seems to revel in his own intelligence and continually uses this as a cornerstone for his disliking of the franchise.

This book is very cheap nowadays; however it's just barely worth the paper it's printed on. Read only if you've already digested the other (much better) biographies of the Star Trek story.

Not a bad read.Short but sweet.Fun read for anyone who likes his movies.
So here's the deal... this book is just like most athlete and entertainer autobiographies. It's a quick read with candid stories of moments only the fans love. Because of Meyer's extensive writing history, it's definitely a more cerebral read than your average celebrity memoir, but you can still read the entire thing in a one night setting, especially if you flip through to the movies that interest you the most.So yeah, it's not a bad book at all, but like most of these types of books, it's probably not worth buying until the price drops dramatically or you find a good deal on a used version.

Meyer writes about his early life (which I admit, I skipped), and then dedicates most of the book to each of his life's projects.The cover advertises his most famous movies -- Star Trek II and VI -- and was admittedly the reason I bought it to begin with, but he does have somefun memories with other projects as well.Some of the efforts/chapters he covers:

-- Time After Time.An underrated time travelling drama and Meyer's first big directorial debut.Probably the best part of this chapter is his stress in dealing with Hollywood as a new director.The Hollywood brass tried to push him around more than usual because of his rookie status but he stuck by his guns, and thought that his career was over because the bosses claimed his movie stunk.Of course, since when have the Hollywood execs ever known what a quality movie was and it's fun reading about the "egg on your face" reaction from the suits as the film started receiving great praise after initial screenings.

-- Star Trek II. He confesses that he was a total amateur to the Star Trek world, but somehow managed to make what many consider the best Trek film ever made.The first film was an expensive boring dud although it did make enough money at the box office to spawn a sequel.With a much smaller budget, Meyer talks about his attempts to bring the swashbuckling aspect back to Star Trek.The film also spawned a lifelong friendship with Ricardo Montalban, a highly underrated actor, and Meyer has great stories about trying to direct Montalban.Like most Trek films Meyer seemed to be involved in, there was a script floating around that no one was happy with.Meyer quickly wrote the final screenplay, and also faced death threats from Trekkies as rumors of Spock's death spread.

-- The Day After.I wasn't aware that Meyer directed this controversial TV mini-series about a realistic nuclear war.Even at a small age, I still remember the controversy around it.(My parents wouldn't let me watch it because of graphic portrayals of nuclear fallout.)Meyer talks about his fights with TV censors about even basic sideplot elements such as the lady who buys birth control.For odd reasons, the network censors also tried to delete his scenes about EMP (electromagnetic pulses) side effects and other scientific fact. Meyer spent most of his time fighting to include the deadly effects of a nuclear war in the mini-series because that's what he felt the entire project was about and even admits it was a mediocre drama.It's not surprising that so much crap was produced by network television until the last 20 years.He talks about the alleged influence this project had on Ronald Reagan who discussed it in his own autobiography.I guess it took a movie to influence a former movie actor.

-- Star Trek VI.Meyer refused to make the film at the unrealistic low budget he was first offered, and the film was almost canned, but a last second shake-up in Paramount management allowed it to go forward.He talks about writing Christopher Plummer's Klingon character with Plummer specifically in mind the entire time he wrote the screenplay.He talks about fights with Leonard Nimoy who took the production process very seriously, especially since Nimoy had experience with Trek and other film productions.He also reveals that they tried hard to bring back Kirstie Alley in the role of Savvik again to play the role that Kim Catrell eventually took over as a Vulcan traitor.He also reveals how he saved the final scene for last in the filming process because it was a good-bye both on and off the screen, but it didn't go well as every actor was anxious and ad-libbed their dialogue knowing it was their final scene in Star Trek.

-- Other projects:Volunteers, The Deceivers, Company Business, Vendetta, Sommersby, Star Trek IV, etc...Either as a writer, director or both, Meyer offers segments to all of his films.He covers everything from his bond with Pierce Brosnan after both lost their wives to cancer to his screenplay that saved Star Trek IV.He had hits and misses and eventually Hollywood stopped offering him director seats after a long hiatus which is a shame because I thought a lot of his scripts were ruined by directors who took them in different directions.Right now he's working on a Theodore Roosevelt epic directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio which will hopefully put Nicholas Meyer on the map again because in my opinion, he's an underrated talent.

Not just another pretty face
I have long been a fan of Nick Meyer's.I was a Houdini buff from the time I was a kid and Meyer's dad's book on Harry is a must read for any fan of magic.I fell in love with Mary Steenburgen when I was 16 and I've been madly in love with her ever since.She married Malcolm after they worked together on Nick's Time After Time.He then starred in Star Trek Generations.David Warner, also a pal of Meyer's, appeared in several Treks thanks in part to his association with Meyer.

The book is an easy read and Meyer is a classy guy.All the folks who've pissed him off over the years are nameless goons or they've apologized and he's forgiven them.If you're looking for a book that dishes the dirt, this ain't it.If you want a deeply insightful look into Nick Meyer the man, who was deeply influenced by his psychologist father, then this is the book for you.

I'm not into much-Trek is pretty much it... except... for Houdini and Sherlock Holmes.It's ironic that the Meyer family are responsible for some of the greatest works of all three genres.View From the Bridge is a great peak into Hollywood and the soul of a man who is at heart, a great storyteller.We live our lives vicariously through our mythology and Nick has feed our souls with some of the best out there.

thanks man!live long and prosper... ... Read more

Product Description
While employed as a violinist by the Paris Opera in 1891, Sherlock Holmes discovers many surprises: the reappearance of his great love and a series of bizarre accidents allegedly arranged by the "Opera Ghost", an opponent more than equal to Holmes in cunning. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Entirely Satisfying.
Having read all of Meyer's Sherlockian novels, I found this to be at least as good as The Seven Per Cent solution, probably better.These two novels pair Holmes with characters who are at the very least equal to the task of dealing with or against him.Anyone who has read The Phantom of the Opera must be intrigued by the character of the Persian, and Meyer treats us to the alternative possibility that it was none other than Holmes who followed Erik to his underground home.Wonderful stuff!

I, on the contrary, enjoyed it. . .
Having now read all three Nicholas Meyer pastiches based on the Conan Doyle series, I must say that "The Canary Trainer" is the least satisfying of the three--however, middling Meyer is better than no Meyer at all.In the by now familiar device of having Holmes come into contact with famous real or fictionalized characters, Sherlock meets Gaston Leroux, Christine, his longtime affair d'amour Irene Adler, and the Phantom of the Opera himself.While I enjoyed the novel, I still hold out hope for Holmes to tackle "Red Jack" and the Whitechapel Murders--the Jack the Ripper case for which Holmes was originally invented.

"Canary Trainer" for the birds as far as Phantom concerned
Depending on how rabid a Holmes fan you are you may or may not enjoy this book. I happened to have been listening to the audio book of "The Sign Of Four" (the second Sherlock Holmes book) immediately before sitting down to read "Canary Trainer". So I can tell you that Nicolas Meyers does an excellent job of copying Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's tone and writing style. If I hadn't known better in switching from one book to the other, I would have guessed that they had the same author. However, having read some, but not all Sherlock Holmes stories, I can't vouch anymore than that for Meyer's accuracy.

However as a POTO story I have to say The Canary Trainer really leaves a lot to be desired. Now I realize that any author that tries to believably squeeze Sherlock Holmes into POTO is going to have to make some changes to the basic Phantom storyline. However, Meyers makes a number of small changes to POTO canon for seemingly no reason that only serve to alienate Phantom fans(such as merging Carlotta and Sorelli into the same character, or giving the opera ghost elegant handwriting).

These small changes could be overlooked had the rest of the story been strong. However Meyers removes all sympathy we have for this almost-Erik (oh yes, did I mention that the Phantom isn't called Erik? He's given an entirely different name). He's just your average, run of the mill psycho. We feel no sympathy for him and he is given no moment of redemption. Christine is presented as being almost mentally challenged and Raoul is barely present. And the poor Persian - well he may actually be glad for once of being entirely left out of this story.

So although I felt "The Canary Trainer" had good potential initially by the end I was severely disapointed. And kind of annoyed. Because although Meyers has obviously done meticulous research and taken great care to make sure his Holmes is as close to the original as possible, he seems to have no qualms about being as inaccurate as he wants with Phantom Of The Opera - even when the changes he makes seem to be for no reason. And it amazes me that although Meyers has high praise for Leroux in the acknowledgements, he completely misses the core of Erik's character.

Phantom Of The Opera fans stay away.

A Satisfying Tale for the Holmes Fan.
I really enjoyed this book, perhaps more so than other reviewers because I've never seen "The Phantom of the Opera" and if I read the book, it's decades ago, so I came to this with an open mind.And I'm reading it because it's a Sherlock Holmes story.I've read and re-read the originals and enjoy the pastiches if they capture the voice or essence of Doyle's work.
I read Meyer's first two Holmes books but missed this one somehow for over a decade. It's as good as the earlier ones, I think.Holmes is telling the story and it sounds like him and what we have of Watson is very Watson-like.Holmes as an orchestra violinist is believable.And what fun it is!What a villanous villain Nobody is.And what an attractive bunch of characters, the innocent Christine, helpful, friendly Ponelle. Holmes is not a man who cultivates friends.Even "that woman" turns up wearing her masculine disguise.And that labyrinth of basements beneath the Opera House.I haven't a clue if the really exist or if they figured in "Phantom", but they made a fine setting for this story.
I recommend that you read it for all these reasons.

A dissenting opinion
I've read all three of Nicholas Meyer's Sherlockian pastiches, and oddly enough, this one's my favorite.Yes, it lacks Watson, yes, everyone already knows the story of the Phantom of the Opera, and yes, Meyer stupidly describes a real-life character as dead when he was actually very much alive - but the plot is fast-paced, and Holmes makes a good enough narrator that Watson's absence doesn't hurt as much as it might.Although it has Irene Adler in it, Meyer knows better than to turn the book into a romance.In fact, Holmes' reaction to Adler's presence is nicely ambiguous; while he's clearly attracted/fascinated by "the woman," he just as clearly wishes she'd go away and leave him alone!Get it from the library and see if it appeals to you before you buy it. ... Read more

Product Description
Back in print to tie-in with The Canary Trainer, this "rediscovered" Sherlock Holmes adventure recounts the unique collaboration of Holmes and Sigmund Freud in the solution of a mystery on which the lives of millions may depend. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Sherlock Holmes Meet Sigmund Freud

The first of two Sherlock Holmes pastiches authored by Nicholas Meyer, The Seven Percent Solution expands on the original works' brief references to Holmes' cocaine use and undertakes a full-blown examination of what turns out to have been his very severe addiction. Turns out Holmes didn't really plunge over Reichenbach Falls in a deadly tussle with Professor Moriarty after all. That story was just Watson's smoke screen to cover for Holmes' addiction and cure. OK, interesting twist.

Watson has to trick Holmes into going to Vienna to be treated by a controversial doctor with controversial ideas, Sigmund Freud, of course. Meyer does a nice job keeping the reader guessing whether Holmes is in a drug-induced paranoid state or is pulling the wool (again) over Watson's eyes. That question is resolved once they arrive in Vienna. Of course, once in Vienna, Holmes and Watson become enmeshed in solving a heinous, but clever, set of crimes involving Viennese society.

Along the way Meyer works in a number of answers to unsolved issues raised by the original works but left unanswered. Early in the book the references to these conundrums are so frequent that the book begins to take on a scholarly feel. [That is not a plus, in my view. If you want scholarly (if somewhat tongue-in-cheek) analyses, they are available.] As a confirmed addict of the originals and of numerous knockoffs, that sort of thing would seemingly appeal to me, but it struck me as a bit overly cute. And much of the story itself was decidedly unlike the Doyle tales - too much action for one thing. Meyer does not, I hasten to add, totally distort Holmes and Watson like the recent abomination of a movie.

Most Holmes fans will enjoy this effort and may want to proceed to the The West End Horror: A Posthumous Memoir of John H. Watson, M.D..

This book completely sucked
Do you like Hollywood-style locomotive chases? 70s style angst? Confusing plots? Have I got a book for you!

Bogged Down!
I decided to read this book based upon the positive critiques it was given on Amazon and other sites.I was hoping to indulge myself in another good Sherlock Holmes caper, but this book didn't satisfy.My main complaint is that the story, the plot, is so bogged down with details, and explanations that slowly wore me down.Scattered throughout the book Meyer includes references at the bottom of the page, providing more information, proof texts, or references...none of which, IMHO, enhance or further the plot.I felt that all of this extraneous information and detail was given to give the impression that this was actually Dr. Watson who penned this account.

As an example, on page 17 (in my version)Watson is contemplating if he should wake Holmes to check for needle marks...

"...but it was best not to risk waking him." (next para)"I resumed mychair and thought.In the past I had known Holmes to go on cocaine "binges," sometimes of a month's duration or more, during which time he would inject himself thrice daily with a seven-per-cent solution."

This is all fine, but then he continues this narrative for two(plus)paragraphs providing information that only bogs down the story - for me anyway.He continues...

"Many readers have erroneously supposed that Holmes made use of our friendship so that I as a doctor might procure his supply of this terrible narcotic.Recently, I have even heard it postulated that my willingness to supply Holmes with this drug...It was by no means illegal, and therefor my own reluctance or willingness..."(next para)"For certain periods, indeed, I had been successful-or, not I so much as my powers of persuasion in conjunction with the arrival of a new and absorbing case..."... and on and on.

Those two paragraphs (and perhaps another) in that portion could easily have been removed with no detraction to the story - it would keep it moving actually.I have read all of the original Sherlock Holmes stories at least twice, and "Watson's" writing style was much more succinct and provided enough detail to keep the story moving and that kept one's interest.

As a result I soon lost interest.Now I know that many really loved this book.And perhaps my critique is somewhat unfair, and a result of overlooking the point of this book when it states, "Being a Reprint from the Reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D."For it does read as a reminiscence rather than a detective story from the annals of Dr. Watson.So if you're seeking to immerse yourself into another exciting case with Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson, then pass this up.My next book will be "Exploits of Sherlock Holmes" by Sir Adrian Conan Doyle and John Dickson Carr.I hope that book will satisfy my craving.

A good read.
May not be an authentic Sherlock Holmes book but all in all its a great story. Depicting Holmes in a way that you wouldn't likely see him in. At the very least, it's very entertaining.

A Journey Through The Fog
The title of my review is taken from Chapter 5 of Part One of this novel...as it seemed fitting, considering what the 'seven per cent solution' of the title refers to, which is the cocaine addiction of Sherlock Holmes which his friend and companion, Dr. John Watson, endeavors to help release him from...which begins the 'journey through the fog' of the drug addicted mind of Sherlock Holmes.

Having read only one true Conan-Doyle Holmes adventure thus far, that being The Sign of the Four; this novel represents my fourth 'Holmes' story....the others all having been written long after Conan-Dolye's death. Of this particular novel I can say that it truly does live up to the original thrill that Conan-Doyle created with the 'World's Greatest Detective'.

In this bit of Holmes pastiche, the detective's mortal enemy, Professor Moriarty, comes to Watson with a dilemma.....that he is, in fact, the persecuted party....being maligned by none other than Holmes himself for 'crimes' of which he is entirely innocent.

Watson and Holmes' brother, Mycroft; finding credibility to Moriarty's claim, decide that it is long past time to help Sherlock overcome his cocaine addiction, which has apparently transformed the innocent Moriarty into the monster that Holmes imagines him to be.

Thereby, the game is afoot as Watson and Mycroft attempt to trick the most intuitive and observing man in the world...no easy feat.

The story is every bit as much as page turner as I found The Sign of Four to be. For lovers of the adventures of the resident of Baker Street, London; give this 'continuation' of his legend a chance. I will certainly be searching out the other two Holmes novels from author Nicholas Meyer for future enjoyment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Holmes battles his addiction
When the great Sherlock Holmes begins raving madly about the evil Dr. Moriarty, Dr. Watson realizes that his friend has succumbed to an addiction to cocaine.Determined to help him overcome this addiction before it kills him, Dr. Watson enlists the help of Holmes' brother, Mycroft, and Moriarty himself, to lure Holmes to the one man who might have a cure.Once Holmes and Watson arrive in Vienna and Holmes begins to recover, the small group finds themselves entangled in a mystery that could lead to a European war.

Stylistically true to the original Sherlock Holmes tales, this book gives us a glimpse of continental Europe at then end of the nineteenth century.We also explore Holmes' past, and embark on an exciting chase to follow the clues and solve the mystery.Great fun for fans of Holmes and Watson. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

If you like it you love it, if you don't, too bad
This book is either great or awful, depending on the reader. Many parts were very exciting , not to metion deep and moving. BUT... I would definetly not reccommed it to younger readers becuse of the sexual context.

The best book I've read.
The book is about George, an American boy whose parents, acrobats in the circus, died in a trapeze accident when George was only 5 years old (they fell from it together and there was no net underneath... ouch...). As there was no one to look after young George, he had to move to Paris, France, to live with his uncle Fritz. Uncle Fritz is somewhat... unusual. He took George to Rome, for a crazy trip, where they got in (and out) ofa few troubles. Since Fritz was a member of an orchestra, he was having some rehearsals held at his house. Sometimes blonde violin players were spending the night. He was taking George to the brothels: George was waiting outside while Fritz was busy.They were really having fun together and truly loved each other (even though there were doubts about Fritz being the boy's real uncle). 5 years later George had been sent back to the U.S to live with foster parents. George didn't like life in the states and missed his beloved uncle Fritz very much. Therefor he decided to run away - back to France and to live with Fritz. What happens to George on the trip and what he finds in France, you'll have to find out for yourself. I'm sure you'll want to. I think the book is excellent - it is well written, the story is very interesting and I was really touched by it. I could really understand George's feelings and problems. I laughed, hoped and, believe it or not, even cried while reading the book. George became my good friend. The book "got" me in the first page - I just couldn't leave it.This is absolutely, definitely one of the best books I have ever read in my life. This book is a MUST! I'm just surprised no one has done the movie yet... My opinion - read it!! ... Read more

Product Description
In February 1903, a 30-second film titled Sherlock Holmes Baffled was released by American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, the first known adaptation of the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Over the years hundreds of adaptation and parodies of Conan Doyle’s works have been released. Though he is most closely associated with Sherlock Holmes, other Conan Doyle works have found their way to the silver screen, including the science fiction classic The Lost World (1925).

The major adaptations of all of Conan Doyle’s literary works are fully covered here, plus a 1927 one-reel documentary in which the author talks about his work and his psychic beliefs. The focus is on how faithful the adaptations are to the author’s own work and the overall effectiveness of the film. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another major story to screen work.
A follow-up to his massive study of Robert Louis Stevenson on the screen, this is another of Scott Nollen's meticulous works chronicling the process of filmmaker's attempts to film the works of a great Victorian author.A lifelong devotee of Sherlock Holmes, Nollen also covers Arthur Conan Doyle's non-Holmes stories such as THE WHITE COMPANY and THE LOST WORLD.Conan Doyle's fascinating life is covered in detail, as well as all his stories and all the major films adapted from them.A terrific read, with a great foreword by 7% SOLUTION author Nicholas Meyer, who also contributed material to a couple chapters in the book.As with Nollen's ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON: LIFE, LITERATURE AND THE SILVER SCREEN, this book features many rare photos from the author's collection.A beautiful hardcover worth every penny! ... Read more

Product Description
Explores the history of movies, from the pioneer days at the turn of the century to recent trends in Hollywood and around the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not so elementary...
The canon of Sherlock Holmes consists of a set of short stories and novels penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- fifty-six short stories and four novels. However, this is a rather small corpus for such a large character, and even within the lifetime of the Conan Doyle, others turned their attention to working through different Holmes/Watson stories, filling in odd gaps in their lives, and sometimes greatly embellishing the legends. Holmes and Watson have travelled to outer space, through time, and have even had their genders switched in such tales.

One of the recurrent themes in the continuing lore of Sherlock Holmes has been the attempt to locate him more concretely in 'the real world', seeing the stories actually as fictionalised accounts of a very real person. This novel, 'The Seven-Percent Solution', penned by Nicholas Meyer (under the direction, as the novel's credits state, of John H. Watson, MD) is very much in that tradition. Like most of the Holmes tales in the canon, this one is largely recounted from the perspective of Watson. It serves as a corrective, a confession, and a reconciling of timelines -- where was Holmes during his 'missing' time after fighting Moriarty? Who was Moriarty, in reality?

Here we have Holmes chasing Moriarty to the continent, just as Watson recounted in the tale 'The Final Problem', perhaps the most famous and most controversial of Holmes tales, of that time or ours. However, Moriarty is a different figure here -- not the Napoleon of crime, but rather a shadowy figure from Holmes' past. Watson, being a medical man, watched Holmes deteriorate under the influence of cocaine, a seven-percent solution no less. Watson realised that this addiction was masking some other problem from Holmes' past, and the fixation on Moriarty was an outgrowth of this. Being aware of current medical literature, he became acquainted with the new works of Sigmund Freud, and engaged Moriarty to lead Holmes in a chase, not to the perilous falls, but rather to Freud's chambers in Vienna.

Let the psychoanalysis begin.

Meyer, under Watson's direction, recounts the struggle Holmes had at overcoming his drug addiction and facing up to a reality that was very painful for him to bear -- solving the mysteries of the world for others was child's play compared to solving his own interior mysteries. We as readers get an interesting snapshot of late Victorian life in Vienna. We also get treated to yet another mystery, one that could not be recounted in the official canon, wrapped up in Holmes' own treatment as it was. Of course, in the end, the mysteries are solved, internal and external, but Holmes needs a holiday -- he spends years away from London, and of course Watson provides the cover.

Meyer's rendering of the text in a Watsonian style is commendable. He has drawn on the wealth of Sherlock Holmes material outside the canon for inspiration, as well as drew on the ample references within the canon to support his tale. Made into a feature film, this tale is perhaps the most successful of the non-Conan Doyle apocrypha. Any fan of Holmes will love it.

A decent fix for Holmes addicts
Nicholar Meyer shares a previously undiscovered journal containing writings from the late John. H. Watson, MD concerning his association with Sherlock Holmes. He rewrites Holmesian history by disavowing the death and reappearance of Holmes, and then strikes off in new territory by relating a previously unexpected extended adventure.

The book is surprisingly cheeky in some respects, revealing a previously hidden side of Holmes that is no less than pathetic. Holmes' addiction to cocaine reduces him not only to the level of his fellow man, but the the level of the worst criiminals and addicts that he has devoted his life to pursuing. This is a pretty bold move.

In other respects, the novel pays almost fanatical homage to the Holmesian tradition. Moriarty is reintroduced as lovingly as possible, and all of the regulars come out to play; despite the fact that most of the book takes place in Vienna, we get a satisfying glimpse of everyone from Mrs. Hudson to Mycroft Holmes.

In my opinion, the book falters when it attempts to introduce Sigmund Freud into the mix, setting Freud and Holmes up as equals who each have their own peculiarly specialized brand of genius. While I like that this idea cements Holmes' place in the real world (when I bought this and another Holmes book from a second hand store, a patron remarked with no joke intended that Holmes had been the greatest detective of all time), I don't like to see Holmes evenly matched by anyone, and there's a gimmicky "Dracula vs. Frankenstein" feel to it.

I would have preferred a more traditional Holmes story somehow extended to novel length; as it is, the traveling and the introduction of another major character left my thirst for nostalgia only somewhat quenched.

Despite these shortcomings, this is a very entertaining book, and fans of Sherlock Holmes will appreciate the chance to have another experience with their hero. Having read a couple of other post-Doyle Holmes books, I can say that this is probably the best I have read for the fan interested in seeing Holmes as he was in the original stories.

Great Book, darnfool cover blurb.
"The Seven Percent Solution", a Sherlock Holmes pastiche by Nicholas Meyer, is a well-written book, but has the dumbest cover blurb I've ever read.

"Sigmund Freud and Sherlock Holmes! Together again for the first time!"

Ad menmake my head hurt!
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Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: Govt. Print. Off. in 1911 in 87 pages; Subjects: Fruit-culture; Nuts; Plant introduction; Gardening / General; Gardening / Fruit; Gardening / Vegetables; Science / Life Sciences / Botany; Technology & Engineering / Agriculture / General; Technology & Engineering / Agriculture / Agronomy / Crop Science; ... Read more

Product Description
The first of "rediscovered" Sherlock Holmes adventures, THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION is now a new classic. These reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D., recount the unique collaboration of Holmes and the equally great detective of the human psyche, Sigmund Freud, as they solve a mystery on which the lives of millions may depend.

"What a splendid book, what grand fun! A corking good read and a crackling good adventure that performs the delicious miracle of bringing back to life the greatest detective of them all." (Chicago Tribune) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Well-paced, well-written mystery
What a fun book this has been to read! I "did" it in a couple of days, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Why was it so enjoyable?

First, it's a well-written story. The author has a great command of the important elements - not only the language of the period, but also the historical, cultural, scientific and technological details of the Victorian era. At every turn, you'll find interesting information and references (often in the form of footnotes) which give the story a rich context, and lend it credibility. At times I felt as if the author was flaunting his knowledge, but since done with taste and often humor, that is easily forgivable.

Second, the characters are well-realized, rich and complex enough to be believable. Much character development occurs during dialogue, which is in my view superior to lengthy and boring descriptions. We instantly recognize Holmes, an eccentric, brilliant and deeply conflicted individual with seemingly irreconcilable qualities. Yet this is not merely a reconstructed, reclothed mannequin - the author manages to resurrect an authentic, life-like Holmes, not contrived or artificial in any way. His observation and inference skills are as sharp as ever. There is much revealed about him that is shocking, yet should not come as a total surprise if one really knows Holmes as well as the author does.That he has done his homework is evident from the Acknowledgements, which serves as a sort of bibliography, from where the key ideas used in the book are distilled. Freud and Watson are less in focus, although much that's interesting is revealed about Freud, particularly to those who are not too familiar with him.

Third, the story itself is interesting, with many dramatic turns. The main element is Holmes' addiction to cocaine, and his abnormal fixation on Moriarty, resolved by Freud's at the time radical approach to psychotherapy. Freud himself is an interesting character, gentle yet powerful, virtuous yet vain; always good-natured and devoted to his patients and his ideas, in equal measure. There is a great sense of symmetry in the story, where Holmes and Freud's paths and ideas cross: Holmes, the great detective and Freud, the great detective of the psyche. Freud cures Holmes, and Holmes helps Freud with a suicidal patient who is unable to speak, and frustrates Freud's efforts to penetrate her mind. Holmesian methods of deduction by keen observation are the very same ones as Freudian, only applied to a different field, and the way the author draws the parallels is fascinating. It's not his original idea, but it is well developed in the novel. The real story starts in the second part of the book, when Freud's mute patient puts Holmes on a trail that leads him to a diabolical political plot to arm Germany and precipitate a catastrophic European war, which is, as it were, "delayed" until 1914 by Holmes' and his friends' efforts.

To conclude, I'll commit a sacrilege and venture the opinion that the book sits so well with the other Holmes literature that it could be considered part of the Holmes library.

Delightful addition to the writings about Holmes but the movie was better
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution is a Sherlock Holmes novel, but not by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Nicholas Meyer, the author claims to be the editor of these reminiscences of John H. Watson, M.D. In his Foreward he tells how the original manuscript was found in an attic in 1970. Then in an Introductory chapter Dr. Watson relates why, in his 87th year (1939), he undertook the task of writing once more of the exploits of Sherlock Holmes. He claims he was sworn to secrecy until one of the main characters of the story passed away. Thus begins a post-Doyle Holmes tale which tries to give the fictional characters of Holmes and Watson a greater claim to reality by entangling them with actual real people of their time.

The story begins with Holmes seeking out Watson, convinced that his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty is hot on his trail and out to kill him with air guns. Dr. Watson finds that Holmes cocaine habit has become worse and, instead of being in danger of attack, he is delusional from his addiction. Seeking help from Sherlock's brother Mycroft, they devise a plan to lure Holmes to Vienna and into the care of Dr. Sigmund Freud. Freud successfully uses hypnosis to break the addiction, but it takes the strange case of a catatonic woman who escaped abduction and captivity only to attempt suicide to revive Holmes's spirit.

Written with a sense of humor that will upset traditionalists, this story is a rousing, if not accurate, portrayal of Holmes that will entertain readers of post-Doyle Holmesiana. The Freud-Holmes relationship is well-portrayed as is the character of Dr. Watson. Serious Holmes scholars may find the author's portrayals of Mycroft Holmes and Professor Moriarty shocking, but I don't think this book was written with them in mind.

Later made into a movie that was nominated for two Academy Awards, this novel is an enjoyable read, but the visual effects of the movie really brought it to life. While I liked the book, I enjoyed the movie more.

Enjoyable to almost the end
What if Sherlock Holmes really existed? If he did, then in all likelihood his addiction to drugs would have one day overcome him. Enter Sigmund Freud who has had some success in treating such conditions.

In "Seven Percent Solution" by Nicholas Meyer, Dr. Watson tricks Holmes into visiting Freud, as Holmes' addiction has not only weakened his friend physically but seems to be effecting his mental condition as well. Meyer's does a splendid job in creating a convincible scenario where Holmes and Freud both confront and soon congratulate one another. Of course a mystery soon sprouts forth and Holmes and Freud team up to solve it.

The real mystery, of course, is Holmes. Through Freud we get a better understand of Holmes and his obsession with mysteries, Hint: it has to do with his mother. The book makes this all work and it's an enjoyable read; however, it is not an easy fit with the rest of the Holmes books written by Arthur Conan Doyle. It's main fault is that it erases one ofDoyle's best characters by means of psychoanalysis. So if you're a Sherlock nut, this book may offend you in the end...but it's a good read nonetheless.

It's wrong to detract from the original legacy.
The Seven per-cent Solution, by Nicholas Meyer could have been a great addition to the extended legacy of Sherlock Holmes.Sadly, Meyer makes several errors and plot turns that take his book from a potentially interesting concept to an almost blasphemous book of lies.

Meyer deals masterfully with Holmes's cocaine addiction by taking him through detox in the home of Sigmund Freud.During his reovery, he and Watson stumble into a mystery which ends with a stunning ly written train chase and fight.

Unfortunaely Meyer deflates the legendary Professor Moriarty and in the process rewrites the History of Sherlock's death and disappearance.

Elementary, my dear Freud
What happens when the world's greatest detective and the world's greatest psychoanalyst team up to solve a case neither one of them can solve alone?There's fun galore in "The Seven-Percent Solution", Nicholas Meyer's artful takeoff on literature's most famous detective creation, Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.We know from Conan Doyle that Holmes had a cocaine habit; as Meyer's book opens, we see Holmes in a cocaine-fueled fit of paranoid delusions that the evil Moriarty is after him again.Dr. Watson consults with big brother Mycroft Holmes, who confides to him that Moriarty used to be their math tutor, no more, no less, and is concerned that little brother Sherlock's cocaine addiction is spinning out of control.Between them, they find a way to finesse Holmes into going to Europe to be treated by Sigmund Freud, who has been doing remarkable work with cocaine addicts, but first they have to convince Holmes that they are on the track of the nefarious Moriarty.After a hilarious chase led by a slightly wonky bloodhound with a special taste for vanilla extract, Holmes and Watson end up at Freud's front door, and Holmes enters seven agonizing days of enforced cold turkey.

Holmes emerges clean, sober, and distanced from everything, and part of his cure to jerk him back into reality involves bringing him into the case of a young woman Freud is treating for symptoms of hysteria.A quick survey of the patient is enough for Holmes to realize that some dicey doings are afoot, and that this is just the tip of the iceberg, the iceberg being a plot to involve all of Europe into a continent-wide conflagration.But just as Freud is impressed with Holmes' crime-solving abilities, Holmes is impressed with Freud's ability to read the perpetrator's mind, and he gives Freud what is meant as the ultimate compliment: "You have taken my methods, observation and inference, and applied them to the inside of a human head."(Actually, Holmes's methods were observation and deduction, but who wants to cavil here?)Holmes, Watson and Freud work together to solve the problem, and the payoff is Freud's request to hypnotize Holmes in order to be able to see into his head.What's inside there is a revelation, and as Meyer explains Holmes to us, we understand his solitary life, his avoidance of women, his loathing of Moriarty and why he chose his singular profession to begin with.Meyer's book is great fun and fairly accurately follows the narrative style of Dr. Watson.Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery; Conan Doyle would have loved it. ... Read more