Black Ice

Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins, Book 3

By: Andrew Lane

Narrated by: James Langton

Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

When Sherlock and Amyus Crowe, his American tutor, visit Sherlock's brother Mycroft in London, what they find shocks both of them to the core: a locked room, a dead body, and Mycroft holding a knife. The police are convinced Mycroft is a vicious murderer, but Sherlock is just as convinced he is innocent. Threatened with the gallows, Mycroft needs Sherlock to save him. The search for the truth necessitates an incredible journey, from a railway station for the dead in London all the way to the frozen city of Moscow—where Sherlock is entangled in a world of secrets and danger.

In Andrew Lane's Black Ice, the unstoppable teenage sleuth undertakes his third fantastic adventure, as one deadly puzzle leads only to another. Sherlock Holmes: Think you know him? Think again.

©2011 Andrew Lane (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“James Langton's expert narration brings out both the fun of seeing Holmes make mistakes and the tension of observing the boy and his mentor sift through clues to reveal the sinister plot to destroy Mycroft…Manipulating the drama and pacing of his reading, Langton gives us the creeps when young Sherlock is lost in dark tunnels and keeps us glued to our earbuds when the boy is running for his life.” —AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner

“Narrator James Langton brings all the characters to life – from the Holmes brothers and Crowe to violinist Rufus Stone and the cast of the British acting troupe on tour in Russia. This episode will delight fans of Lane's previous books.” —School Library Journal

Engaging

This book was exciting and fun to listen to. There was a good amount of suspense for the listener. It was fitting for students to listen to, from 4th grade to adulthood. Enjpy.

well written and lots of fun.

I love these series of books. they are well written, the action keeps moving, and although they do not have the depth of more adult Sherlock Holmes stories, they are still fun and mature enough for older fans.

Sherlock's violin

Third in Lane's "Young Sherlock" series, this clever tale further develops the budding sleuth's character and eccentricities. In particular we learn how and from where Sherlock gets his violin. But Sherlock's going to have to put on some muscle if he's going to survive many more such "physical" adventures.

May be the weakest of the three here on Audible.

What did you love best about Black Ice?

More Mycroft. He has always been a great character to me and it's a shame Doyle didn't use him more. Andrew Lane uses a lot good hints at how Sherlock may have become the consulting detective we know him as such as how he learns to deduce, play the violin, etc.

What other book might you compare Black Ice to and why?

Probably its two predecessors. I think they have gotten weaker as they have gone on though.

Did James Langton do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

He did, but I have Daniel Wayman's voice in my mind for this series. He definitely doesn't do as good of a job on Amyus Crow and at times I think his Mycroft was just what you would think of a stuffed shirt toff.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

So long Amyus, it's Mycroft's show this time.

Any additional comments?

These books are enjoyable for adults who love Sherlock. However, don't think that you're going to surprised by the outcome or solution. They are young adult fiction and written as such.

Nice...

I can see why some previous reviewers thought that the narrator did a poor job. It's not that he did a poor job, because he didn't. It's that he is different from what we are used to in the 1st story's. The story was enjoyable the narration was pleasant and I look forward to the next.

Terrible narrator makes a bad story worse

The plot in this tedious story of the young Sherlock Holmes is so absurd it is laughable! The pompous, plodding narrator makes the story drag even more. The action is based entirely on a series of escapes from unbelievable predicaments by the ever clever young Mr. Holmes. And then there is the paranoid theme, reminiscent of Moriarty, this time in the form of a secretive society planning to take over the world. Young readers would be advised to read or listen to the original Conan Doyle stories instead of this pastiche.