Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Ruby Elephants

By: Chris James

Narrated by: Dominic Lopez

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

It is summer 1890, and the game is afoot.

When an elephant escapes from the London Zoological Gardens, Holmes and Watson become embroiled in one of their strangest cases yet. Engaged by a jeweler in fear for his life, the trail leads Sherlock to two secret societies, each pursuing the eight ruby elephants said to unlock a vault containing the lost Nizam diamond. Standing in his way are some deadly foes: the Archangels, assassins in top hats and tailcoats, hell-bent on the murder of the great detective and the acquisition of the treasures of the realm. The adventure leads the intrepid pair to Lord's Cricket Ground, the Royal Albert Hall, a bizarre series of thefts at the National Gallery, deepest rural Suffolk, and ultimately the very heart of the empire. With high-speed chases on Penny Farthings and a cast of eccentric characters, it takes all of Holmes' ingenuity - and a little help from Mycroft - to unravel this elephantine mystery.

©2015 Chris James (P)2016 MX Publishing

The Curious Case of the Awkward Narrator

It was hard to appreciate the story because of the awkward narration. I've heard worse but a bad narrator can do untold damage to a good book.

Great narration

The story is a bit over the top but the reader is outstanding. The story was interesting at times.

good for the ouevre

this book fits seamlessly into the holmes pantheon. It doesn't eally beak new ground, but the focus on Gothic aspects is a welcome variation.

Dominic Lopez RULES!!!

If you could sum up Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Ruby Elephants in three words, what would they be?

Authentic Holmes fun!!!

What other book might you compare Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Ruby Elephants to and why?

Besides the original Conan Doyle stories, I would compare "the Ruby Elephants" to Nicholas Meyers' run of Holmes adventures, in that this absolutely captures the flavor of the original Conan Doyle stories, while bringing new, fresh ideas that weren't available to Conan Doyle at the time.

Which character – as performed by Dominic Lopez – was your favorite?

It's hard to pick a single character Dominic Lopez portrayed as a favorite. They are all excellent and enjoyable to listen to! But since the story is narrated by Dr. Watson, I would guess this required the most from Mr. Lopez, and thereby this would be my favorite performance.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Chris James masterfully plotted many amazing twists, and Dominic Lopez skillfully conveyed them! It would be difficult to pick a single moment, and it would be spoilerific, as well. Allow me, then, to say that this audiobook is packed with delightful surprises, right to the very end!

Any additional comments?

I look forward to more James' Holmes adventures, ESPECIALLY if they are narrated by Dominic Lopez!!!

Sherlock Holmes and the Ruby Elephants

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

A good story with many twists to the plot.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Not necessarily, but you return to many well-know characters from other Holmes adventures.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Not a captivating narrator - odd intonation and various mis-speaks. A rather poor recording.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes

Hilarious and entertaining, clever and fast paced

This book is wonderful fun. A lighthearted pastiche of Sherlock Holmes but also a bit of a parody. The writing is delightful and intelligent, the escapades completely Sherlockian, and Watson, the narrator, the perfectly charming Victorian gentleman. I couldn't help laughing out loud, much to the annoyance of those around me! The narrator is perfect, wonderful timing. His characterization never misses a beat. If you need an entertaining diversion, then you need look no further. The game is afoot!