The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle

Horatio Lyle #2

by Catherine Webb

There seem to be some odd things going on in the city of London, lately. Take the murders, for instance; quite peculiar. And those missing statues - what's going on there? And shouldn't Saint Paul?s have a roof? Odd. . . Horatio Lyle, of course, is no stranger to. . . well, strangeness. In fact, he finds the lure of the unknown quite invigorating. But having just survived the most frightening episode in his life, the last thing he wants is that pompous Lord Lincoln sticking his nose in again and demanding that he take on another case the police are too thick to solve. Of course, His Lordship can be painfully persuasive at times, so it should come as no surprise that Lyle, along with his young proteges Tess (the thief) and Thomas (the toff), and his faithful hound Tate (the smart one), is soon up to his cravat in events of a singularly unscientific nature. Actually, it would all be terribly exciting if only they weren?t trying to kill him.

Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Steampunk, Fiction, Crime

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2006

About the author

An English science fiction author, she is best known for her Carnegie Medal-nominated books, Timekeepers (2005) and The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle (2006). She wrote her first novel, Mirror Dreams, when she was only fourteen years old.
She began writing mostly in the young adult genre and has since begun authoring books for adults. Also a performing arts enthusiast, she graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2010. She also attended the London School of Economics.
She helped pioneer a new genre of writing called Urban Magic, which combines fantasy elements with modern-day city environments.
She grew up in London, England. Her father, Nick Webb, also had a career as a writer.

Catherine Webb also writes adult fiction under the pen names Kate Griffin and Claire North

Reviews

[Rachel McMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

like I am not kidding: i read this series again and again because it is warm and wonderful and magical and surprising and i love the characters and if you like Dr Who meets Sherlock with a Natasha Pulley chaser, then this is the book for you !


REREAD FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had given the first book in this series a 2 stars, and was undetermined about whether to continue. Apparently, the narration bothered me - specifically the metaphorical evoking of imagery, and setting up a scene as if the boats in a harbor were witnessing events, for instance.

I'm not sure if it's time and place or mood, but while this still existed in the book, it didn't really bother me at all this time around, except a few parts were it got a bit ponderous and belaboured and I found my attention wandering now and again.

Overall, though, I felt the narration style helped evoke a particular time and place and lent a distinctive style to the story - but it was overdone at times.

***

As to the story itself, I really enjoyed these characters this time around. I particularly liked the interactions of Lyle and Tess, and the way that Tess was learning things just by being around Lyle and Thomas, almost despite herself, and the way that Lyle is proud of her. I enjoyed the way they've developed as a sort of little family. That said, I don't relate to Thomas nearly as much as either Tess or Lyle.

I also liked the way this story takes Lyle and Thomas, who are both very scientifically and rationally oriented, and sort of throws them into this world of magic and the supernatural, and how they have to deal with it while being quite out of their depths.

But also the way they still use science and their rationality to solve the mysteries - but also a willingness to step beyond it, if absolutely necessary.

I liked that this story sort of seemed like it was going to be about vampires, and then wasn't... and also the lampshading it did on the fact that the stone gargoyles could fly. This was a particular bugaboo of mine in an entirely different book, and I liked the fact that they called attention to the fact that it defied all lies of science, but it was happening anyway.

Overall, while I didn't find the narration nearly as distracting and annoying as I apparently found it in the first book, I still do think that the stories would be a bit better paced and easier to follow if the tangents were kept a bit tighter.

I'll definitely be reading the next in the series.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Obsidian Dagger is the second book in the Horatio Lyle series by British author, Catherine Webb. As Horatio, Thomas, Tess and Tate work on their pressure-differential-velocity aeronautic device, their research is interrupted by Lord Lincoln, who insists that Her Majesty once again requires Lyle’s input into an important case. A ship’s captain and one of Lincoln’s agents have been murdered on board ship. As always, Lyle is given little to go on, but he certainly garners more information from the scene and the witness than does Inspector Vellum. Lyle finds himself on the trail of a priest and the contents of a stone sarcophagus, but soon, similar murders occur. It seems the very stones of London are coming to life and nowhere is safe. Webb fills her tale with wonderful inventions and fantastic happenings: underwater breathing apparatus, underwater lights, earth tremors, jumps from buildings, flights over the city, a frozen Thames, a great battle, a stone dagger and even a cameo from a youthful Arthur Conan Doyle. Webb expands her main characters a little and brings back one of the characters from the first book for a major role. Nursery rhymes are a connecting theme throughout. This is another enjoyable read and young fans will eagerly await the third book in the series, The Doomsday Machine.

[Cyrce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Obsidian Dagger starts without conjuring memories of school papers in my mind, so I guess that’s a good start. There is, of course, a murder that has Lord Lincoln going to Horatio Lyle for help. He goes to the hero rather than the other way around and finds that Horatio is building an airplane.

An AIRPLANE.

He doesn’t call what he’s building an airplane. It’s an aeronautical device or some sort like that. But really? An airplane? I suspended belief in the last book when Horatio made a taser, but this? It feels completely out of place. I know Horatio is supposed to be a highly accomplished scientist and he is more on the practical than the theoretical, but there is something wrong here. How did he go from mixing chemicals to feats of engineering? Or is he doing this in order to get rid of Thomas? The boy is a bit out of place with Horatio and Tess.

Regardless, as with anything that Lord Lincoln brings to Horatio, there will be stuff that doesn’t make any scientific sense and he won’t be telling Horatio what’s really going on. I enjoy the interactions between Horatio and Lincoln. There should be more of them when Horatio sets his mouth off and then realizes what he has just said.

Apart from investigating a murder that involves something more than science, guess what else happens? Thomas, one of Horatio’s companions, runs into a child version of Arthur Conan Doyle at a party and introduces himself as a scientific detective. I’m sorry, but Thomas is working undercover. He shouldn’t have time to be entertaining a five-year-old. Shouldn’t he be spending more time doing what he’s supposed to be doing for Horatio?

The book ends by removing one of the characters that I am fond of and could have worked as Horatio’s ‘Watson’, since we’re drawing so many parallels with Doyle’s Sherlock. Feng was seriously awesome and I’m hoping that he comes back in one of the next books. Otherwise, Feng Darin, you will be missed.

I have to say that I enjoyed the first book a lot more than this one, but it still has the fun Doctor Who/Sherlock Holmes feel to it. It would have been better if there hadn’t been that little cameo in the middle of the book. I get that that little bit was probably written as a homage, but it was pushing it a little.

[Bart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thing I find most difficult about these books is the same thing I love about them. They've such a unique style that sometimes it feels like I'm skimming the surface, rather than sinking in to the plot, but then this skimming the surface... brushing the edges of the conversations... is exactly the same thing that draws me in...

But one thing they always are, is fun (especially the relationships between the three main characters, which is the source of much of the humour!), exciting with fantastic action sequences, and twisting, audacious plots, that keep you guessing exactly what the truth is right to the end.

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

If only the stones of old London could speak. Victorian inventor, investigator and all-round man of science and logic, Horatio Lyle, would have been a happier man if they could. He may have been able to reason with them. Instead he finds they have been given malevolent life by a supernatural being known as Selene or, in her human form, Lady Diane Lumire. She is in search of a sword that will give her ultimate power, a sword which has fallen into the hands of Horatio's friend Feng Darin. Despite the stones of London rising against Horatio and his young associates, the Artful Dodger-like Tess and the insufferably pedantic Thomas, Horatio must fight to return London to its natural state and science to its rightful position of control over an unnatural world that defies all reason and order.

It is an exciting story of adventure and thrills with Horatio Lyle acting as part Sherlock Holmes, watched over by a government puppet master called Lord Lincoln who acts as a scary version of Mycroft, and part Jules Verne, in which case Lord Lincoln becomes Captain Nemo. There are evil villains with their frightening sidekicks; the unfortunate Sasso being the nastiest, having been transformed from an Italian Casanova into a type of walking, talking and vindictive Golem, and there are powers of darkness to be summoned to confound Horatio's convictions of scientific truth.

At times the young characters, Tess and Thomas, struggle to maintain a place in the plot as Horatio insists on being over-protective, something that does not sit well with daring action-adventure teenage heroes, but they are engaging enough when they are allowed a chance to move centre stage. The author's descriptive prose sometimes slips towards the purple when eulogizing London or becoming all Dickensian over snow and ice on the streets and bare-footed urchins shivering in rags while contemplating their toes turning blue. There is a part of the story that sings of London pride and tradition, though for me the persistent use of nursery rhymes in the text doesn't really work too well: London's Burning and Oranges and Lemons begin to grate after a few repetitions, though I do have a soft spot for Hark, Hark the Dogs Do Bark and can't have enough of it.

It is stirring stuff once it gets moving and the trio of Horatio, Tess and Thomas are a winning team of never-say-die adventurers. Definitely recommended to thrill seekers who enjoy a touch of other-worldly skulduggery.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back when I was still in MG, I came across the Horatio Lyle series. I've forgotten what they were about now, but I remember really enjoying them. So, when I went to the library, I hunted down the series - they only had one available, and sadly, it's not the first book. But, I still enjoyed reading it.

The Obsidian Dagger is a murder mystery. Two men are discovered dead in a boat. A series of murders follows. Horatio Lyle would like to stay out of this, but Lord Lincoln is basically twisting his arm until he starts to investigate. And the more he investigates, the clearer it is that meddling is only going to bring trouble. Too bad it's the right thing to do.

Accompany Horatio are Teresa, a former pickpocket and Thomas Edward Elwick, the son of Lord Elwick. The two kids are as different as chalk and cheese, and that's what makes the trio so fun. Thomas is smart, very smart, and a bit naive. Teresa may be uneducated (compared to Thomas), but she's street-smart, and learns at a quick rate. Horatio is like the guardian of the two of them, and the affection they share is very touching.

While I don't think you need to have read the first book to understand this book, knowing what happened before will definitely help. Several people referenced to are key players of earlier books, and may confuse the first-time reader.

I really enjoy the vivid descriptions and the rather unexpected humor of this book. It's funny, but it comes at times where you don't expect jokes to be made. Apart from humour, this book also touches on the themes of love (twisted love, patriotic love, philia love) and self-sacrifice (which if you think about it, is tied to love).

Now I remember why I loved this series so much.

This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oranges and lemons say the bells of St Clements ..... Adventuring with Horatio Lyle is such fun! He finds himself called upon to do his duty to the Queen, or at least her men, once again but this time the lessons of the Tseiqin have been learned and are well remembered. When Lyle learns of a stone coffin, brought to the shore of England from a small Italian Island, he quickly realises there are unusual forces at work and he must stand with those he does not trust to protect the children and his city, his city which lives .... ginger biscuits, murder, stone statues, flying machines and the utterly impossible .....Science packed fun with heart-warming and heart-stopping moments, hold on tight for this one!

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lovely story. It's well written and very descriptive. I absolutely adored the characters. I did struggle to get into the book, and didn't enjoy it as much as I expected to. I felt like sometimes the amount of description slowed down the pace. At the most exciting times it felt like it dragged a little. Apart from the pace though, this is a lovely book. A wonderful mix of science, detective and pure magic.

[Jadou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still love Catherine’s writing. I did find the plot a bit confusing at times, with all the characters being introduced throughout, some characters being similar, and some characters with hard-to-understand motivations. But the evolving relationship between Horatio, Tess and Thomas, full of love and understanding, kept me going. I cannot stress how much I love these characters.

[Clemantine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I

[Anna Bergmark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boy, am I glad I found this series! Just goes to show - you shouldn't judge the book by it's cover. Simple as it is, crude and right darned ugly, on the inside lies a hidden pearl.

It's so well written, even by adult standards. And all the rest you need is there too; humour, suspense and 4 strong and likable characters. Even Tate the longeared mutt is someone you gladly embrace (especially Tate the longeared mutt) and whether or not you're partial to the more outlandish elements of the plot...

It's a matter of taste, I guess. Admittedly I found them trying at times (hence the meager 4 star rating), but I still can't deny what they bring to the story's atmosphere either.

London 1864. Drifts of snow are beginning to cover the cobblestone streets. The river Thames is freezing up. Fog is creeping into every nook and cranny, and somewhere, hidden in darkness, there's a man half human half stone, a creature with evil intent, who knows how to speak to the very foundations of the city itself and how to make it come alive, turning gargoyles and statues into predators in the urban night.

Silly? Well...
Unbelievable? Yes.
Eerie in a strangely disturbing sort of way? Surprisingly so!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this alternate history / fantasy / young adult series, and Horatio Lyle is now one of my new favourites. Lyle, a Darwin-era inventor, thinker, scientist and sometimes special constable, is called on by Her Majesty's agents to solve some mysterious goings on involving strange people with green eyes, magnets, machines and assorted other odd happenings.

I found the first few chapters awkward in their wording (especially the dialogue between Tess and Horatio), but after this Webb hits her stride and the story flows. Lyle is a strong character, with a distinct Vimes-esque (Terry Pratchett) influence, and his companions Tess, Thomas and Tate (alliteration!) are well-drawn also.

Well paced and clever, these books make for an enjoyable read.

[Teddi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I simply couldn't finish it.
The story line is interesting and I like the quirky characters but there is so much I dislike.
This is the second book and I still have no idea how old either Tess or Thomas are. There are long descriptive sections that really just take up space - the whole first chapter is basically just description essentially about snow! And then there are things repeated - just how many times did I read that someone's voice is marble or maple syrup or a purring tiger? And just what is that Asian word on italics than one person keeps being called?
If an editor could get their hands on these and fix them up, I'd probably really enjoy them but not as is !

[Alarra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This suffers from the same problem as the first Horatio Lyle book – Catherine Webb wants to be Terry Pratchett (of the earlier Discworld books). She is, however, not that funny nor insightful. All the characters are one-dimensional – Teresa is never more than the scrappy ingenious urchin, Lyle is Sherlock Holmes and Sam Vines rolled into one, and Thomas is the indiscriminately aged (he could be anything between 8 and 18, according to the schizophrenic characterisation) toff who seems uselessly naïve unless called upon by the plot to suddenly develop skills and courage previously unknown.

[Kimikimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still more CSI type regency fun. This time I felt like I was missing more of the plot from not being born in London. I do find the little moments where the characters meet real people from that time (this book has six year old Arther Conen Doyle) just a tad annoying, especially when I don't always recognize what's going one at first. I still think it's exceptionally well written for a YA book, not the plot (which is also good) but the style of putting words on paper. I'm definatly going to buy these if I can find them in Canada.

[Sharakael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this right after "Madness of Angels" was a rather weird experience. The atmosphere, the setting, the overall feel... was just like "Madness of Angels", albeit one that is lighter and less gloomy.

It is a good read for a younger audience, and was very well written. The characters were entertaining, the mystery was intriguing and the action sequence was well written. The plot itself was set up nicely to lead into the next book.

Unfortunately, I prefer the grittier reality of Matthew Swift compared to Horatio Lyle, so I won't continue reading other books in the series...

[Sue Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The extraordinary adventures of Horatio Lyle indeed!!! What a crazy story! Tons of action and a great mystery plot as well, all along the early Sherlock Holmes. Science and mystics all wrapped up in one. I enjoyed the characters, but did wish I had started with the first of the series. I think it would have filled in the details more and there were alot of hints of what had happened in the past without too much explanation in this story. But it's a great adventure none the less! Definitely worth the read and I hope there's more to come.

[Kitschyanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd in the Horatio Lyle series where he is asked to investigate the mysterious deaths of a captain who brought an equally mysterious cargo from an island in Italy. Statues come to life, scratches are found on the inside of a sealed lead coffin and things are not quite as scientific as Horatio would like.

[Karen Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by Catherine Webb that I had read. I got in an op shop for $2. I read it last year and enjoyed it so much my husband got me the complete series for Christmas. So after reading #1 in the series, I have now re-read this #2 and enjoyed it even more the 2nd time around.
High adventure, beautifully written, wonderful fun.

[Tyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horatio Lyle and his young friends are back!

The story is interesting and magical, although a bit tiring nearing the end, and the ending is a bit too flat.

You may count how many wounds Lyle get in the book - that could be a fascinating pastime that gives you a strange pleasure.

[adeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the prose, and Horatio is cool.. But the ending was unexpectedly flat and that's why I only give it 3 stars instead of 4.

[Jazlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Obsidian Dagger is a well-written story. And as with all other Horatio Lyle books, it never fails to deliver the trademark humour of Horatio and his two helpers from very different backgrounds.

[Mahum *It's Summer!!!!*]

LOVE THIS BOOK!

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favorite of the Horatio Lyle books, but still liked it.

[Cynthianatalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing bad I can say about this book. It's the epitome of writing perfection.

[Katie Bruell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the characters. The plot is too faced-paced for me.

[Vendela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine Webb, AKA Kate Griffin, AKA Claire North, is an extraordinary writer.