Sherlock: Chronicles

by Steve Tribe

Delve deep into the creative minds behind the world’s greatest—and only—consulting detective with this ultimate behind-the-scenes look at the making of the smash PBS television series Sherlock, produced by BBC/Masterpiece and starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

This is the hit series of Sherlock as you’ve never seen it before, from story development to casting, sets, costumes, props, music, and more. With unprecedented access to the production team’s archives, as well as all-new interviews, unseen script pages, more than 500 illustrations, including color photographs, pieces of concept art, and storyboards, Sherlock: Chronicles unlocks the secrets of each unforgettable case in the words of the show’s creators, cast, and crew.

Discover how the Sherlock team adapted classic adventures and puzzles for a fresh new world. Meet the artists and designers whose creative vision brought the show to life. See how the show’s dedicated crew converted everyday locations into “the great cesspool” of criminal London. Learn the real story about the producers’ and writers’ vision for Sherlock’s clever return from the grave at the beginning of season three, and what the esteemed cast of actors—including Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Rupert Graves, Mark Gatiss, and Una Stubbs—think about bringing Holmes to life.

From 221B Baker Street to St. Bart’s Hospital, from Buckingham Palace to Appledore, discover what lies behind every one of Sherlock’s closed doors with this essential companion for fans of the acclaimed show.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mystery, Tv, Media Tie In, Classics, Detective, Adult

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 23, 2014

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes since I was at school and even now, at the age of 54, I still think Arthur Conan Doyle's creation is a bit of a legend. This highly enjoyable guide to the first three series of the BBC programme is incredibly informative. However, some of my comments about the series itself may upset readers of a nervous disposition!
I thought the first series of Sherlock from 2010 was great fun, but decided to give up on watching any new episodes that might be made after watching series 4 in 2017. The writers were so far up their own arse that Series 4 turned out to be a pretentious pile of crap. I had always enjoyed the style & direction of Sherlock & it's reinvention of a classic character. We did have a rather dull Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) & the screen's worst ever Moriary (Andrew Scott), but Martin Freeman was excellent as Watson.
Sherlock Chronicles takes us back to the creation of the series & not only are we treated to some excellent interviews with cast & crew the book is full of great photographs too. It's wonderful to hear how much Sherlock creators Mark Gatiss & Steven Moffat loved Conan Doyle's original stories. It's also lovely to hear of their appreciation for the many film & television incarnations of the great detective. This makes it all the more sad to see how far the series has moved away from Conan Doyle & the spirit of Holmes, & how it has become an insult to Sherlock Holmes rather than a fitting tribute.
Still, this guide takes us through the best years of Sherlock & I do have one consolation in the form of the TV series Elementary, with the excellent Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes. Not only is it better then Sherlock it does have a brilliant tag line: "New Holmes. New Watson. New York." Got to love that!

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherlock: Chronicles is an in depth guide to season 1 to 3 of the BBC production "Sherlock" starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

However, it isn't simply for fans of the show. Yes, the book is aimed at the show's fanbase, but it is also a book for Sherlock Holmes fans.

This book has photographs of earlier portrayals of Holmes and Watson, such as Brett & Hardwicke, and Rathbone & Bruce. There are also reproductions of a couple of Sidney Paget's original illustrations. For this Sherlock Holmes fan, the inclusion of photos from the 1970s movie "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" starring Robert Stephens and Colin Blakely was the icing on the cake.

There are many excellent photos, a lot of them behind the scenes, which delighted the heart of this backroom geek girl.

There are deleted scenes from the episodes, and also, for the Sherlock Holmes fans, wonderful comparisons of scenes from the script juxtaposed with the original pieces from the stories on which the quoted scene was based.

The book is also threaded through with quotes and interviews with Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Mark Gatiss, Steve Moffat, Sue Vertue, Loo Brealey, Arwen Wyn Jones et al.

Steve Tribe has created a book that will delight the fangirls, hold the interest of Sherlock Holmes fans, and absorb the geeks who love to know how things are done on television. And trust me, there is a lot of "How We Did This Stuff". I found how they did the tube train scenes in "The Empty Hearse" particularly fascinating.

Highly recommended.

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one supercedes the awesome book earlier written by Guy Adams by virtue of the following:
1. It covers all the three seasons.
2. While lavishly illustrated with photographs and all things associated with the series (that practically make us swoon), the book also has a LOT to read, and that's a nice thing given the fact that the next season would start shooting in early 2016, and even the Christmas (Victorian) special is a LONG time away.
3. Bigger & heavier, this book feels like a tome, which has earned its place alongside the canon in your bookshelf.
So, what exactly are you waiting for? Go, get it!

[Jenny Sparrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Пересмотрела сериал, перечитала книгу. Как жаль, что последняя серия 4 сезона настолько слабая и откровенно бредовая. Боюсь, пятого сезона больше не будет, поэтому закончить на такой ноте особенно печально. А в остальном гениальный телефильм и отличная книга для фанатов, хотя переведена и издана ужасно.
__________________

Я поклонница Шерлока Холмса еще с детства, читала почти все, многие рассказы знаю наизусть. И когда посмотрела первый сезон "Шерлока", влюбилась в сериал сразу же. Так умно, свежо, динамично и необычно он был снят, с такой любовью к оригинальным произведениям, что не проникнуться было невозможно.

Книга представляет собой рассказ о том, как придумали этот сериал, как подбирали актеров, писали сценарии, делали спецэффекты, макияж и прочее. Материал подан через прямую речь разных задействованных лиц: режиссеров, продюсеров, актеров и так далее. Также тут очень много фотографий со съемок и из фильма. Такая подача материала мне очень понравилась, тут нет "автора" как личности, нам все как будто рассказывают сами участники создания фильма. И ты словно сам становишься членом и участником всей этой кинематографической кухни и присутствуешь на съемочной площадке, узнавая кучу любопытных деталей о съемке любимого сериала.

Но что понравилось больше всего, так это врезки со сравнением текста оригинальных рассказов и сценариев, где можно увидеть, как частички разных произведений Дойля были перенесены на экран и вложены в уста героев. Уж насколько я во время просмотра получала удовольствие, когда узнавала такие моменты, но после прочтения поняла, что я далеко не так хорошо знаю эти книги, ибо не все распознала :)) И прониклась еще большим уважением к авторам сериала за такую большую любовь к этим книгам.

Жаль только, что после появления 4 сезона книга уже будет неполной. Ну и еще хочу заодно пожаловаться на русское издание: там столько мелких ошибок и некачественной вычитки, что прямо хочется в издательство написать и спросить, не нужен ли им нормальный корректор...

Всем поклонникам сериала очень советую! И очень захотелось пересмотреть сериал.

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to discover more about this amazing series, be it about the references to Arthur Conan Doyle's works, or about all the technical work behind some of the scenes!

[Sougeitu · Rating 4 out of 5]

出於興趣買下，本來以為是粉絲向，讀了一點之後覺得實際上不止於此。我認為這是一本粉絲會愛不釋手，同時對創作者而言會幫助到很多的電視劇設定集。

本書從開頭到結尾實際上都在談一個核心問題，如何改編。而這種改編也可以是認為一種改變或者演繹，好的改編絕對不是取代原作或者讓人做選擇題，而是能讓觀眾感覺到獨特性的同時明白它與原作息息相關。BBC Sherlock不僅是對於柯南道爾原作的現代版演繹法，在視覺表現與編劇上同樣對於其它福爾摩斯衍生做出了精細的research。而這些所有的一切，從宏觀到細節，在閱讀時就好像主創走出書頁同你侃侃而談。

繁中版翻譯可能有部分疏漏，更推薦閱讀原版。

[Sotto Voce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Sherlock Holmes's modern adaptation by Mark Gattis and Steven Moffat, title Sherlock. While it is technically fanfiction (there is nothing wrong about fan fiction), they bring out refreshing new angles to the character that I personally relate to in many ways. Yes, we get all the mysteries, cases, deductions, but above all, we get the great character realizations; they make you feel, make you think, and strangely, it kind of justifies the quirky, nerdy, anti-social and the 'high functioning sociopath' side of a lot of people as far as I know. There is a lot to be debated about all those (especially the sociopath factor). Still, when you, regardless of how little, feel justified and see a bit of self-reflection in a character, there is a tendency for one to get attached to it.

So yeah, I scoured everything Sherlock, and one of those is this book, Sherlock: Chronicles. It tells almost every little thing about the series, including the careful and meticulous setting details, the implementation of the original book to a modern setting, the castings, stories, easter eggs that only hard-core fans are able to pinpoint and many more. The strong suit of the series is not only the Titular character, which is played brilliantly by the talented Benedict Cumberbatch, but also the other characters, like of course Martin Freeman as John Watson, and Mark Gattis himself as Mycroft Holmes, a great presence that we don't really have from the original book. And one of the greatest villain interpretations, Moriarty in Andrew Scott.

The book covers Season One, Two and Three, which are the best seasons because Season Four is highly debatable, and personally, I don't put it in the same league as the first three seasons. Unfortunately, it doesn't cover the Special edition of The Abominable Bride because that one is an excellent representation of its original Victorian Sherlock.

If you love the BBC Sherlock series, this book provides a great insight into behind-the-scene. It is rich in content, pictures and colors. The hardcover is a delight to have and printed in outstanding quality.

[allison riera :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

/ 4.5 stars

this book is utterly gorgeous and now i really want to rewatch all of Sherlock .

- if you haven't watched the amazing BBC series with Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman, do it. now. it's amazing and such a tribute to the original stories.
- this book has so many gorgeous photos and behind the scenes info. like, interviews with Benedict, Martin, Louise, Andrew, etc., and the writers / directors / etc. it's such an interesting, illuminating peek behind the scenes of how Sherlock was made.
- this book gives the story behind how Mark & Steven came up with the idea, and how they went about pitching the idea. it also has deleted scenes! from the episodes, which were really cool to read about. fyi, this book only covers up to season 3, as season 4 hadn't been released yet.

such an amazing book, and i'll be busy rewatching Sherlock (for the fourth or so time ;) this week.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book you dip in an out of, so I can't really say that I finished it, all that I can say is, if you love the series or the books, you'll love the Chronicles. It gives you a really insightful look on the background of how it was made and comparisons with the original texts, as well as great image quality. I find it a treasure personally, it's always great to look at, but it might be boring if you don't know Sherlock Holmes well.

[Laura L. Van Dam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un buen complemento a la serie de la BBC, que contiene info y detalles de producción de las temporadas 1 a 3. Incluye muy buenas fotos, imágenes y detalles de la filmación, escenas borradas, comentarios de los actores y técnicos, en fin, todo lo que el fandom aprecia para saber más de cómo se filmó la serie.

[finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book on all the behind the scenes of bbc sherlock!!!! i loooved it so incredibly much

[Lolly's Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

It shouldn't have taken me so long to finish this book, quite honestly. After all, it's not like I'm easily distracted- wait, is that my microwave dinging? Ooh, what a cute squirrel outside my window, so fat and fuzzy- hey, something sparkly! I think that's the earring I lost a couple of weeks ago! Wait, what was I saying? Oh, yes, the concentration abilities of an android, that's me. In any other circumstances, I would've finished this book in a couple of weeks, but I kept getting sidetracked by other books and failed to simply take the time to pick this up and focus all my attention on it for the length of time needed to finish it.

Because it's a fascinating book, exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes, trivial tidbits, and insider stories compendium I adore digging into to find out more about my favorite television program or movie. Not only does it give background information on all the major players in the Sherlock series, it lays out the entire story of how the show came into existence, from idea to execution. Each episode is also broken down the same way, with asides showing deleted scenes, book-to-script comparisons, photographs, and behind-the-scenes articles on how each department (art, music, casting, SFX, location, etc.) worked to bring the team of Moffat, Gatiss, and Vertue's vision to life. Not to mention made the show into the worldwide phenomenon it is today.

Basically, if you're Sherlocked, this book should be on your shelf.

[Yaaresse]

This book is a great treat for an avid fan of the series. Lots of info about the BBC show and tons of photos. A real behind-the-scenes companion piece.

The problem for me is the legibility. Our library had only the Kindle version, and it is a nightmare to navigate since there are so many -- so, so, so many -- photos and text boxes that the only way to read it is to double tap each section of text separately. The font is not dynamic, so cannot be adjusted. I'm told the print version also has very small font, even though the book itself if huge.
Too bad, but having tried other ebooks that were formatted in this style, I suspected it was a lost cause for me. So my shelving as "not interested" isn't really accurate. More like "not possible."

[Beatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-have for all the Sherlock fans out there, full of interviews, behind the scenes trivia, deleted lines and exclusive photos.

Also, I may be in love with the one of Andrew Scott caressing a mask with the facial features of Benedict Cumberbatch. Put it on my grave because after that I am - to quote Sherlock's drunk deduction - "deaded???".

[Zeynab H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Sherlock Holmes as a character. But my love for the show runs very deeper. This book however is not just about the show it has also sections that compares the original Sherlock story to the script from the show. What a fantastic book I loved it so much.

[Elsy Valeria · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!, STUNNING.... I'm totally sure this is my favorite series of all the time. If you like Sherlock, you should read it.

[Teamsreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful and great fun when looking into the great well of obsession that surrounds me whenever something Sherlock-related occurs.

[Selma Ploeg]

Great to read all the background information.

[Anja von "books and phobia" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Als Fan von Sherlock Holmes und seinen Fällen, war es für mich damals ein Highlight als die Serie „Sherlock“ ins Fernsehen kam. Ich mochte es sehr, wie man die alten Fälle in ein neuzeitlicheres Setting verpackte und fand zudem die Besetzung mehr als gelungen.


Um so gespannter war ich auf dieses Buch, welche Einblicke hinter die Kulissen bieten sollte und dabei nicht mit Bildmaterial geizte. Tatsächlich war allein das Ansehen der Bilder schon ein wahres Vergnügen, da man wirklich von allem etwas zu sehen bekam. Dabei ging man nämlich nicht allein auf die Serie ein, sondern zeigte auch welche Leistungen die Schauspieler bisher erbrachten. Besonders toll fand ich dabei den Anfang, in welchem man Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Tribut zollte. Mithilfe von Bild und Text und konnte man mich sichtlich überraschen, denn mein Unterkiefer wollte partout nicht mehr zugehen.


Das blieb auch im Verlauf des Buches so, da man für Fans der Serie wirklich an alles gedacht hatte. Nicht nur der Einblick hinter die Kulissen war gegeben, sondern auch die Skripte der entfallenen Szenen. Dafür sah ich mir extra noch einmal die Folgen an, um zu sehen, was eigentlich noch hätte sein können. Wirklich sehr cool.


Ein weiteres Plus war aber die Qualität des Buches. Die Nutzung eines Hardcovers kann ich nur loben, denn so wird mich das Buch wohl noch so einige Jahre begleiten. Worauf ich aber wirklich hinaus will, sind die Aufmachung und die Qualität der Bilder. Hier wurde wirklich nur das Beste vom Besten gewählt und man könnte meinen ein richtiges Fotoalbum in den Händen zu halten. Selbst einfache Bilder wirken gestochen scharf und ließen die Schauspieler auch einfach mal wie das wirken, was sie sind. Nicht perfekt, sondern auch nur Menschen. Einfach toll.


Auch ansonsten war das Buch eine wahre Schatzkiste der Überraschungen. Es war absolut spannend zu sehen und zu erlesen, welche Mühen das Team hatte um Schauplätze zu erstellen. Von Wohnräumen, die eigens für eine Folge umgearbeitet wurden, nur um dann wieder den Originalzustand zu erlangen bis hin zu den Stunts wurde mir ein eindrucksvoller Einblick in die Erstellung der Serie geboten.







Als Fan der Serie dürfte man mit diesem Buch wohl den ultimativen Schatz in den Händen halten. Es gab mir nicht nur einen Einblick hinter die Kulissen der Serie, sondern auch in das Leben der Schauspieler. Neben den Texten können besonders die Bilder überzeugen, welche eindrucksvolle Momente festhielten und zeigten wie viel Mühe es macht, um uns allein für eine Folge zu begeistern. Eine echte Empfehlung.

[NyxShadow · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.nyx-shadow.com/2017/02/she...

3.5 très intéressante et portant sur tout même les "détails" comme les costumes ou les effets normaux !

Petit point noir qui se retrouve toujours dans ce genre d'ouvrage : c'est la continuité du texte !
En effet, le texte n'est pas présenté d'un bloc, mais étalé sur plusieurs pages et avec pas mal "d'illustrations" autour.
Ici clichés de la série, sérieTVVSnouvelles, etc. C'est intéressant, mais si on veut TOUT voir, tout lire, on fragmente le propos. On risque de moins s'intéresser à l'un ou l'autre point, ou perdre le fil de la phrase et du propos. Cela m'agace et en même temps, je n'aurai pas apprécié un bloc... Compliqué !


L'auteur annonce qu'il y aura 6 autres ouvrages du genre (mais pas forcément par lui) et je me demande ce qu'ils pourront bien mettre dedans 0.0 C'est déjà plutôt complet.

[melmarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally a huge treat to fans of BBC Sherlock everywhere - it contains everything I can think of: ideas, the making of, actor filmographies, character developments, sets, costumes, special effects, music, the growing fandom of the show... and of course exclusive photos. My favourite, aside from the photos, would be the 'Holmes from Holmes' where parts of Doyle's works are put to side-by-side comparison with what the creative team made for modern times Sherlock. Spotted some minor typos and it once said 'John and Sarah's wedding' but these flaws can be easily ignored.

[Lilybeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because I'm such a psycho obsessed fangirl, many of the stories and anecdotes I'd already heard/read before so there wasn't much "new" material for me to absorb.

With that said, I love all the pictures and the Holmes on Holmes portions. We got to read the original text right next to the modern adaptation. I also enjoyed learning how many of the special effects were achieved. Such creativity!

Great book for any Sherlock fan.

[Terri Naughton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books of it's kind I've ever read. Lots of good photos and quotes from the actors and producers of this great show. If you like "Sherlock", it's a must read. (Note: if you have never seen "Sherlock" watch the series first, otherwise this great book won't mean much to you!!) :-)

[Nicki Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sherlock: Chronicles is the perfect companion book for the hit TV series. It covers the show's inception and then breaks down the production of each episode from series one through three. With plenty of colour photos, snap shots of script pages for deleted sequences, and behind-the-scenes info, there's something to please fans and those interested in TV production.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite TV Series of all time. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the development and adaptation of the original works to the 21st Century. Lovely photos and behind the scenes information. Perfect addition for any fan of BBC Sherlock!

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must have for fans of the series: full of photos, deleted scenes from the scripts, comparisons of the ACD texts with the scripts, and insight from all different areas involved in making the show. Not to be missed!

[Hannah Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting and well structured book that looked at various aspects of the production of 'Sherlock'. A definite read for any 'Sherlock' fan.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good pictures, great interviews, very interesting behind-the-scenes production info. Plus it's about Sherlock, so how could it be bad?

[Lotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into the world of Sherlock.

[Victoria]

I CANNOT WAIT TO GET THIS CAN SOMEBODY BUY THIS FOR ME ASDFGHJKLL ITS AS EXCITING AS SHERLOCK S4