Im Zeichen Der Sechs

The List of Seven #2

by Mark Frost

Zehn Jahre nach den mysteriäösen Ereignissen um die satanische Bruderschaft der "Sieben" wird Arthur Conan Doyle, inzwischen ein weltweit gefeierter Krimi-Autor, von seinem amerikanischen Verleger in die USA eingeladen. In der Begleitung seines Bruders Innes tritt der Sherlock-Holmes-Schöpfer im September 1894 die Überfahrt in die neue Welt an und macht dabei die Bekanntschaft einiger sehr mysteriöser Reisegefährten. Nach einer überaus dramatischen Seereise in New York angekommen, muß Doyle erkennen, daß ihn die Dämonen der Vergangenheit wieder eingeholt haben.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Horror, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Steampunk

540 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1995

Reviews

[Mihaela Abrudan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cel de al doilea volum al seriei nu a fost la nivelul la care m-am aștept, începutul era promițător, dar finalul a fost banal. Ideea de bază, aceea de a distruge cărțile care constituie fundamentul tuturor religiilor a fost bună, dar au fost multe acțiuni fără sens, iar partea mistică foarte puțin tratată.

[mark monday · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frost's follow-up to his highly entertaining The List of Seven, which featured the adventures of a Dr. Watson-esque Arthur Conan Doyle and mystical secret agent Jack Sparks, widens his world but sacrifices a lot of the fun. it all felt so forced and by the numbers; I realized after the 150-page mark that I was forcing myself to continue. why do that? there are so many other books to be read. and so I gave up.

steampunk has its stateside corollary in weird tales of a dusty america full of magic and spirits and wide, open spaces and an often wide-eyed sort of tone as well, one befitting a fairly new country. List of Seven was an early steampunk novel and after reading this novel's synopsis, I expected to enjoy all of what I just described in its sequel. well, it was all there but the enjoyment was missing. alas.



not a bad book, but I guess not my kind of my book.

the plot was fun, but the writing often felt flat and hackneyed, and the characters often irritatingly cartoonish. and that's about all the bitching I feel up to for today.

[Fabian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess it's a rule to most action adventure books: the grander the scale, the less endearing the tale. This is the sequel to "The List of 7," an eye-opening superfuntoread experience. The same characters, Arthur Conan Doyle, Jack Sparks, Alexander... all return. If this were The Mummy franchise, 7=The Mummy; 6=The Mummy Returns.

There is to be a congregation of six figureheads at a dark tower in the middle of Arizona. Doyle travels the ocean (has some obstacles... his brother accompanies him on his American Book Tour), from NYC to Chicago to Phoenix. Many characters are added on, most of them interesting and unconventional. Then the climax arrives 20 pages before the last page. So much effort, and the payoff seems... weak. There is a hint of betrayal here. The writer could have left his swashbucklers in the first book, but this extension brings them forth, completely out of their element. "List of 7", played upon the stage of Victorian England, with its foggy cobble-stoned streets & ill-lit lamps, was ambiance personified. Here Frost explores the new world, and the experience is less claustrophobic, emblematic, endearing... and that is the problem.

[kirkesque · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mark Frost's first novel was The List of 7—one of the finest stories I have ever read. Mark Frost's second novel The Six Messiahs I grabbed up with an eager ferocity I have not often experienced.

The copy I read was 424 pages in length. Reaching page 419, I would have given this one 4 stars; a fine work, a few flaws. The last five pages took three and a half of those stars away. He... just... stopped. The ending would have to have done something to even be bad. This one wasn't even enough to get my Anne Rice Bad Ending Award. 6 Messiahs would have ended better if the Saint of Killers [from Garth Ennis' The Preacher series:] had shown up, his six guns a'blazin'... or might have reached some conclusion if, perhaps, Miaowara Tomokato, the Samurai Cat, brought in a couple of Mausers.

The saddest thing about how bad this book ended was that it held so much potential. Potential to spare. It was mating season for Potential, and this story was dosed with pheromones. But somewhere, in the last few pages of the book, Mark Frost must have received a telephone call, and walked off to leave his agent to publish the book without a conclusion or resolution of any sort. Perhaps an explanation of what happened and why might have been in order. But the reader is not even granted that much. If you are Tantalus, standing the river of your local bookstore and want to torture yourself with a novel. This is the book for you. If you want to read a fine fine tale from the co-writer of Twin Peaks, pick up Frost's first novel The List of 7. It shows the incredible talent and power for storytelling of which he is capable.

The Six Messiahs did not ascend.

[Kansas · Rating 4 out of 5]

En la linea del primero de la serie, The List of Seven, pero quizás un poco más reposado y con varios hilos argumentales que se van uniendo poco a poco. Me encanta como escribe Mark Frost, es atmosférico y sus personajes tienen una gran carga psicológica, especialmente Jack Sparks, la joya de la corona en esta serie: un personaje enigmático y misterioso, en continua lucha contra el mal pero al mismo tiempo profundamente atormentado y herido, buscando la redención. Por atmósferas y por argumento me ha recordado a dos series de tv: por una parte Penny Dreadful, en lo que se refiere a la nota pulp y gótica, y por otra parte, Carnivale, el mal apoderándose de todo, todo muy en la linea de Twin Peaks. La eterna lucha entre el bien y el mal, un tema universal.

[Katzenkindliest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Am Anfang und am Ende hat es mir wirklich gut gefallen, in der Mitte hat es sich aber ziemlich gezogen...
Insgesamt nicht so gut wie der erste Teil, trotzdem lesenswert.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a great admirer of Mark Frost and loved 'The List of Seven' and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the transference of those main characters from Victorian England to the New World. It was an engrossing and enjoyable romp from East to West and the central story remained gripping - my only minor complaint was that the ending felt a little truncated; I could greedily have accepted a more extended denouement. Nonetheless, a top-notch read!

[Shotgun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pokračování sedmičky, které se přesunuje z Británie do USA a odehrává se již v době, kdy se A. C. Doyle, který na základě předchozí knihy vytvořil svého Velkého detektiva a nyní zažívá obrovský úspěch, který jej sice finančně zajistí ale zároveň jej neskutečně štve.
Druhý díl je ještě epičtější. Obě hlavní postavy, které představují dobro a zlo jsou nyní méně černobílé. Do dobrodružství se zapojují "supermani" různých světových náboženství a jejich cesty se pomalinku potkávají až vytvoří malou "armádu dobra", která jak je zvykem zachrání Svět.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps not as good as the original, but still a satisfying sequel.

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

"He thought he wanted to destroy God. But in reality, all he wanted to destroy was himself."
Not as charming and concise as the first novel, but pretty good.....

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read THE SIX MESSIAHS, I was more than a bit disappointed with it. I wanted a sequel to the excellent LIST OF SEVEN. I wanted Jack Sparks and Conan Doyle, hunting down the bad guy, with all the appropriate Sherlockian nods and winks that would entail. What we get instead is a dizzying host of characters, hardly anything of Jack Sparks, and not much at all of Doyle.

If you're looking for Sherlock in this one, you're really looking in the wrong place. THE SIX MESSIAHS is a different beast entirely. It's more about suffering, and redemption, and the power of cults than anything else.

On this second reading I got the point a lot quicker than on the first, and I raced through it. Frost is great at pacing, has an eye for what makes a character memorable, and an inventive imagination that keeps the whole thing careering along.

There's a bit too much head-hopping around the point of view characters for my liking, and even a couple of places where it gets confusing trying to figure out which head we're supposed to be in at the time. And in the rush to the finish, a couple of characters get sidelined and don't really get to finish their part of the story.

But that's just quibbling. All in all, it's a fine romp. And despite what I said earlier, there is indeed a glimpse of Sherlock, right at the end, when the right thing is done and most of the threads are tied up.

I keep hoping for another sequel from Frost to see what Doyle gets up to next, but the new Twin Peaks will do just fine in the meantime.

[Jeremiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

After The List of Seven, I was really looking forward to more adventures of Mark Frost's fictionalized Conan Doyle, however this book didn't quite measure up to the first.

About 80% of this book is an intricately plotted and as sharply written as the first book. A very diverse collection of characters from all parts of the world are, through their adventures, converging on a specific location in the SW United States. There were times that I could almost see the parts clicking into place and it gave the narrative an incredible amount of momentum, but in the end it all sort of collapses under its own weight and we're left with an ending that can be best described as abrupt, and at worst something that made me wonder where a bunch of pages had fallen out of my copy.

It also doesn't help that one of the most important characters from the first book, Jack Sparks, really isn't himself for almost the entire book.

If you really loved the first book, as I did, I think you still can enjoy this book. It just ends so abruptly that the lack of a third volume ends up being a bit on the painful side.

[Thk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was glad that I pressed on reading this book, written in quite a quirky and unusual style that does not really promote fast reading. A highly off-the-track storyline that involves Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Thomas Edison a la The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, many has said that Frost's books are great material for a movie script, and this is not a bad suggestion considering his contributions as scriptwriter for the Twin Peaks show. Taking place in the wild wild West, with hints of religion, the occult, lost books, crazy chases, fighting action all rolled into one. Now the problem for me is to find the other book, which seems to be unavailable at most places I know..

[Jeanene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, a good story.

There were couple of times when I questioned the accuracy of some of the historical details, which really pulled me out of the moment. It's that sort of thing that can make or break an historical novel.

I wasn't particularly happy with the Jack Sparks character development, and wished that there was more of him and less of Doyle like in the first book.

On the plus side, Frost's writing skills were noticeably better, even if the story wasn't. The final chapter was well written and did drag on like List of Seven trying desperately to tie up loose ends that ended up feeling tacked on and unnecessary.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Huge fan of List of Seven, which I read about 20 yrs ago. This one isn't even close. There is some decent storytelling involved, and some suspense is built; the ending, however, is beyond disappointing. To say that it was anticlimactic is an understatement.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite books. I wish he'd write more than just the two books in the series. I love a mix of history, the supernatural, and Sherlock Holmes.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine sequel to The List of 7. I was not disappointed.

[J.W. Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a decade since the now-famous author Arthur Conan Doyle embarked on a most strange adventure with his enigmatic friend and ally, Jack Sparks. Sparks has been missing for years and presumed dead after falling over a waterfall in a battle with his nefarious brother. Now enjoying the fruits of his labor with the success of his Sherlock Holmes Series of mysteries, Doyle embarks on a cruise to the United States for a publicity stunt to promote and celebrate his character of Sherlock Holmes, largely based on his vanished friend Jack, but the winds of destiny are blowing in another direction. Meanwhile, six different individuals are together sharing a strange dream of a foreboding dark tower silhouetted against a sky of flame…..

The Six Messiahs is the sequel to the intriguing and riveting novel, The List of 7, written by Mark Frost of Twin Peaks fame. Like the first novel, there is much mystery, Victorian atmosphere, and diabolical menace to be had, but where the first novel is more horror, this sequel is best classified in the thriller genre. Arthur Conan Doyle is as admirable and interesting a character as ever, and makes a dynamic-if-quirky duo with his brash young nephew, Innes. The both of them go on a cruise ship bound for America on a literature publicity stunt, and meanwhile, strange happenings are going on elsewhere; sacred holy books are being stolen by a shadowy, sinister intelligence, and six different people are experiencing strange visions and dreams of a brooding dark tower rising above a desert, outlined by a burning sky.
In this sequel, there is much more action and battle scenes, which I was initially hoping for in the first book, complete with swashbuckling, shootouts, and suspenseful chases. Some familiar characters resurface, along with some famous faces of the late 19th/early 20th Century. I was a bit disappointed, however, that the horror factor wasn’t as prevalent in this sequel as it was in the first book.
There are some surprises and thrills along the way, however, and I found the pace much faster than the first novel. Unexpected romances blossom as well, and there is some laugh-out-loud humor to add to the action and adventure. It still has the engaging atmosphere of the first book as well. The ending, however, I found to be less than great, though some might disagree with me. I will say this much however, the final confrontation ends up tugging at one’s heartstrings.
I give The Six Messiahs by Mark Frost a 4 out of 5.

[Michael Fredette · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Six Messiahs, Mark Frost [Avon, 1995].

From Twin Peaks co-creator Mark Frost, a sequel to his historical fiction/adventure novel The List of 7. After killing off (albeit temporarily) his beloved character Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, accompanied by his younger brother Innes, embarks on a speaking tour of the U.S. Along the way, Doyle is drawn into various adventures involving the theft of several priceless holy books. Doyle, joined by his former paramour Eileen, now part of a touring theatrical troupe, The Penultimate Players, and Six Messiahs representing various backgrounds and world religions, converge in the New City, a religious cult’s utopian community in the American West, where the arch-villain Alexander Sparks, plans an apocalypse.

***
In addition to his work in movies and television, Mark Frost is the author of the thriller The List of 7, in which Arthur Conan Doyle and Jack Sparks (secret agent of the Crown and supposed inspiration for Sherlock Holmes) battle forces conspiring to assassinate Queen Victoria, The Second Objective, an espionage novel set during World War II, and Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier.

[Никита Самсонов · Rating 3 out of 5]

Продолжаем эту бесконечную рубрику! Это продолжение истории Артура Конан Дойля, который встречает человека очень сильно похожего на того, кого он потом назовёт Шерлок Холмс написанная гениальным Марком Фростом.
Но в отличии от первого романа, который меня захватил и не отпускал до самого конца, этот вышел хуже.

Так считаю не только я но и критики тоже(так что с моим вкусом всё ок!)

Кажется что сиквел должен быть лучше, ярче, но нет. Тут больше путешествий, больше мистики(а чего ещё ждать от сценариста Твин Пикса?) но всё равно не то.

Поэтому я конечно же советую прочесть первую книгу, а ко второй подойти со скепсисом.

[Matthew Schiller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sequels are tough. You want enough new elements to not seem like a retread of the original work but you also want the familiarity from the original so people feel comfortable coming back. The Six Messiah’s never really found that balance, introducing a lot of new characters but not spending enough time with the ones from the first book. It did enough good things to warrant a read but I found myself just wanting to reread the first one. Also this book definitely needed at least a journal entry ending or something other than what it got. Maybe the author thought he would write more but that was a let down.

[Vela · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I didn't like that the perpective changed between different people. It sort of made me not want to read as much. I'd have prefered if it stayed with Arthur but towards the end I grew used to all the people and it was fine. I after all understand why the author decided to do it this way.
A very engaging storyline with an interesting ending. I only wished more interaction between Arthur and Jack, especially at the end. The ending was nicely done, it only felt a bit rushed.
But all in all, I enjoyed reading this book!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sequel to The List of Seven. It’s a bit less Sherlock Holmes and more of a western than the first book. Many of the same characters appear in the Six Messiahs, Arthur Doyle, Eileen and a couple I won’t spoil. They are on a quest to find an important religious book that has been stolen. With many adventures along the way, the crew travels across America to find the dark castle that has haunted their dreams.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone, for very evil purposes, is gathering historic editions of the holy books of every religion. Six people, guided by their dreams, are out to stop this evil from destroying the world. Featuring Arthur Conan Doyle and making the most of his belief in the spirit world, this book details the very bloody and violent struggle to save the earth as we know it..

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice follow-up to the first book, taking placer a surprisingly 10 years later or so. Looking back at my review of the first book, this one had less of the (fun) name-dropping of other contemporaries of Doyle, but a satisfying continuation of the story. Recommended to readers of the first book, and I'd recommend the first then this one to others.

[Jason Henwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining read, but it suffers a rushed and disappointing ending.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review here:

https://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/...

Really exciting chase, followed by a short wrap up that's not particularly satisfying as a conclusion.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing compared to the first novel in the sequence. Well written, but overlong, wordy and somehow all a bit pointless. Recommend reading The List of Seven and ignoring this sequel.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1996. Sequel to the List of Seven features Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes.

[T. Ayn Brockhaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. Wish Mark Frost wrote more!