Fetch Sherlock Holmes And The Sussex Sea-Devils Penned By James Lovegrove Shown In Document

a., but this was still enjoyable to read so I'd rather give itthan,

Very cliche, and lacking a lot of mystery throughout the book in my opinion, but still better than thend installment, The tone is darker, but the pace is faster and the stakes are higher which keep it interesting throughout, The final battle was very predictable, and cool in a way, but also disappointing felt more like a piece of fanservice for Lovecraft fans rather than a conclusive ending.


I think the series as a whole could have benefited from some more fleshedout side characters the books focus almost entirely on Sherlock and Watson.
The few that are present throughout the series are hardly utilised,

I imagine some people wouldn't like the epilogue, but I found it quite funny, These books aren't meant to be taken too seriously I feel, Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex Sea Devils is the third in the "Cthulhu Casebooks" series by James Lovegrove, being preceded by "Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows" and "Sherlock Holmes and the Miskatonic Monstrosities".
In this volume we find Holmes and Watson mostly retired, having at least for the moment triumphed over their recurring enemy The Hidden Mind, an eldritch monstrosity from the depths of who knows where.
It is not long, however, before things start to stir in the darkness and mist, and Holmes and Watson find themselves again embroiled in the machinations of the Hidden Mind and its ongoing war against Cthulhu and the rest of the Old Ones as it threatens to drag the real world into chaos and conflict as well.


James Lovegrove has conjured up a world that not only feels like it could easily have come from the pen of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, but with effortlessly intertwines the mundane and fantastical.
From strange, jellyfish abominations to mysterious murders, from the halls of an embassy to the shores of R'lyeh itself, it simply works, Gibbery horrors and Germ UBoats stand shoulder to shoulder, spells and mysterious music jostling for space alongside motorcars and revolvers but even as things spiral further and further into the mystic and profane, the story remains grounded and believable in the way these things are described and the way characters react to them.


Holmes and Watson themselves are described wonderfully, with Holmes as mercurial and quick witted as ever despite his advancing years, and Watson a solid, reliable companion willing to lay down his life for his friend if need be.
Where generations of movies have, unfortunately, painted Watson as ever the lesser partner at least until Jude Law's portrayal in the Guy Ritchie directed "Sherlock Holmes", there is none of that in this book, and the pair's respect for each other is clear to see.


The final two chapters of the story are where things get a little meta, a little fourthwallbreaking, with the author directly addressing the reader as well as a final epilogue being added from Titan Books themselves, giving the whole thing something of a "found footage" feel.
Also, always remember

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

Unlike one of the previous reviews "I Only Killed Him Once", stepping directly into the trilogy at book number three is a bit more of an issue here, although it is somewhat mitigated by an incharacter introduction which helps to set the scene for new readers and the story stands on its own as a selfcontained adventure.
However, references are made to previous events and characters and sometimes it can feel as if there are comments being made, subtext being hinted at, that refer back to events from the prior two novels.
It is definitely recommended, then, that new readers begin this series with book one for the best experience, though this novel can and has been read as a standalone novel for the purposes of this review.


While the story is drenched in the atmosphere of a classic Holmes novel, the story is somewhat slow and can drag in places, The title is also, to be entirely pedantic, something of a fib, There are Se Devils in the story, but they only appear over halfway through the book and only for a couple of chapters before they're gone, Still, when trying to come up with alliterative titles that connect to Cthulhu, there is only so much source material to draw on!

James Lovegrove has written a number of other Sherlock Holmes novels and has a new Firefly tiein novel coming out soon.
This is definitely an author worth looking up, I don't know if its just a Winter/Spring thing where I don't have any huge urge to read, Or perhaps it was my preoccupation with being unemployed that kept me from enjoying any book, Or if maybe this book was just not that good,

Possibly all three things were at play,

While I enjoyed the first two books in this series, this one felt off to me, The concept a little

less believable, the whole thing felt tired, I found that I would put this book down for very long periods of time, But as I said, I think spending January through April unemployed also kept me from being able to relax and read without worrying, I could be looking for a job, or working on something towards getting a job, Or I should just be creating! That's what artists do when they're unemployed and in a funk, right

Regardless, I am employed again and so the urge to read has started to creep back.
I finally had some time the other day to pick this up and continue, I thought this weekend would be good time to finish reading it and hopefully pick up something new and possibly more interesting work,

I will say that while the book itself was not good and the epilogue was rather ridiculous, I give James Lovegrove some credit for going the extra mile on trying to make it seem, "realistic.
" Even if it was really hokey, Is it really three years since I started to read this series With Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex SeaDevils we get to the third, and I believe final, book in this mashup of HP Lovecrafts imagination and Sir Arthur Conan Doyles most famous creation.


This third book is set in, about seven years after the last novel Sherlock Holmes and the Miskatonic Monstrocities, As in the original Conan Doyle stories, Sherlock Holmes, to all intents and purposes, has retired from sleuthing and moved to Eastbourne, to take up beekeeping, Doctor Watson has stayed in London to carry on with his doctors practice and at the beginning of the novel it is clear that the two do not spend much time in each others company.


Unbeknown to the general public, Sherlock has actually continued to spend time fighting Cthulhu and in particular has had a number of interactions with Rluhlloig, the god formally known as Professor James Moriarty.
  When members of the Diogenes Club all die in one night, including someone close to Holmes, it appears that another plan may be coming to fruition,

Following an attack on Holmes amp Watson by the snake men last seen in Sherlock Holmes and the Miskatonic Monstrocities, they retreat to Holmes cottage on the Sussex coast.
A local businessman approaches Holmes there and asks for his help, Three young women, seemingly unconnected to each other, have disappeared from the nearby town of Newford, On further investigation Holmes and Watson are surprised to find that the locals are all too willing to accept the situation and blame the local legend of strange amphibian creatures, known as the Sussex Sea Devils, appearing from the sea to take women captive.


The world also seems to be heading to war, something which may or may not involve the unseen work of Rluhlloig,

Holmes and Watson are captured by Rluhlloig, who in the guise of German ambassador Baron von Herling, has designs on a more sinister purpose, The end of the novel deals with a clash between the Outer Gods and the Old Ones as Rluhlloig dares to take on the sleeping god Cthulhu.


As the third book in a trilogy, it is clear that we are nearing the end here, Sherlock is in his later years in both his fictional life created by Watson and his real life, shown here, Holmes and Watson reflect this winding down into old age and are showing the aches and pains associated with old age, They are less physically mobile, though Holmes intellect remains intact,

If I had a minor quibble, I would suggest that Holmes has less sleuthing to do in this last volume than previous, I guess that this reflects the approach of physical old age, though there is no sign of senility here, He spends a lot of time being transported rather than taking action himself, though there are also times when he steps up to the mark,

The highlight of the book though is the battle at Rlyeh between Rluhlloig, representing the Outer Gods, and Old One Cthulhu, which doesnt disappoint, James channels Lovecrafts At the Mountains of Madness with ancient ruins, slimy froglike henchmen and monstrous evil,

Theres an appropriate Postscript, which brings the story up to date and gives an acceptable ending,

So: it is an unlikely pairing, but the combination of Conan Doyle and Lovecraft is an endearing one and for me works surprisingly well with its combination of Edwardian gloom and ethereal malice.
Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex SeaDevils is the culmination of this series and if youve liked the previous two novels youll like this one,

Overall, the series has been a pleasant surprise, and is recommended, .