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Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #10
The God of the Hive
In Laurie R. King’s latest Mary Russell–Sherlock Holmes mystery, the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author delivers a thriller of ingenious surprises and unrelenting suspense—as the famous husband and wife sleuths are pursued by a killer immune from the sting of justice.
It began as a problem in one of Holmes’ beloved beehives, led to a murderous cult, and ended—or so they’d hoped—with a daring escape from a sacrificial altar. Instead, Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, have stirred the wrath and the limitless resources of those they’ve thwarted. Now they are separated and on the run, wanted by the police, and pursued across the Continent by a ruthless enemy with powerful connections.
Unstoppable together, Russell and Holmes will have to survive this time apart, maintaining tenuous contact only by means of coded messages and cryptic notes. With Holmes’ young granddaughter in her safekeeping, Russell will have to call on instincts she didn’t know she had. But has the couple already made a fatal mistake by separating, making themselves easier targets for the shadowy government agents sent to silence them?
From hidden rooms in London shops and rustic forest cabins to rickety planes over Scotland and boats on the frozen North Sea, Russell and Holmes work their way back to each other while uncovering answers to a mystery that will take both of them to solve. A hermit with a mysterious past and a beautiful young female doctor with a secret, a cruelly scarred flyer and an obsessed man of the cloth, Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, and an Intelligence agent who knows too much: Everyone Russell and Holmes meet could either speed their safe reunion or betray them to their enemies—in the most complex, shocking, and deeply personal case of their career.
It began as a problem in one of Holmes’ beloved beehives, led to a murderous cult, and ended—or so they’d hoped—with a daring escape from a sacrificial altar. Instead, Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, have stirred the wrath and the limitless resources of those they’ve thwarted. Now they are separated and on the run, wanted by the police, and pursued across the Continent by a ruthless enemy with powerful connections.
Unstoppable together, Russell and Holmes will have to survive this time apart, maintaining tenuous contact only by means of coded messages and cryptic notes. With Holmes’ young granddaughter in her safekeeping, Russell will have to call on instincts she didn’t know she had. But has the couple already made a fatal mistake by separating, making themselves easier targets for the shadowy government agents sent to silence them?
From hidden rooms in London shops and rustic forest cabins to rickety planes over Scotland and boats on the frozen North Sea, Russell and Holmes work their way back to each other while uncovering answers to a mystery that will take both of them to solve. A hermit with a mysterious past and a beautiful young female doctor with a secret, a cruelly scarred flyer and an obsessed man of the cloth, Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, and an Intelligence agent who knows too much: Everyone Russell and Holmes meet could either speed their safe reunion or betray them to their enemies—in the most complex, shocking, and deeply personal case of their career.
369 pages, ebook
First published April 27, 2010
506 people are currently reading
5224 people want to read
About the author
Laurie R. King
136 books6,859 followersEdgar-winning mystery writer Laurie R. King writes series and standalone novels. Her official forum is
THE LRK VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB here on Goodreads--please join us for book-discussing fun.
King's 2018 novel, Island of the Mad, sees Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes travel from London's Bedlam to the glitter of Venice's Lido,where Young Things and the friends of Cole Porter pass Mussolini's Blackshirts in the streets. The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series follows a brilliant young woman who becomes the student, then partner, of the great detective. [click here for an excerpt of the first in the series, The Beekeeper's Apprentice] The Stuyvesant and Grey series (Touchstone; The Bones of Paris) takes place in Europe between the Wars. The Kate Martinelli series follows an SFPD detective's cases on a female Rembrandt, a holy fool, and more. [Click for an excerpt of A Grave Talent]
King lives in northern California, which serves as backdrop for some of her books.
Please note that Laurie checks her Goodreads inbox intermittently, so it may take some time to receive a reply. A quicker response may be possible via email to info@laurierking.com.
THE LRK VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB here on Goodreads--please join us for book-discussing fun.
King's 2018 novel, Island of the Mad, sees Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes travel from London's Bedlam to the glitter of Venice's Lido,where Young Things and the friends of Cole Porter pass Mussolini's Blackshirts in the streets. The Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series follows a brilliant young woman who becomes the student, then partner, of the great detective. [click here for an excerpt of the first in the series, The Beekeeper's Apprentice] The Stuyvesant and Grey series (Touchstone; The Bones of Paris) takes place in Europe between the Wars. The Kate Martinelli series follows an SFPD detective's cases on a female Rembrandt, a holy fool, and more. [Click for an excerpt of A Grave Talent]
King lives in northern California, which serves as backdrop for some of her books.
Please note that Laurie checks her Goodreads inbox intermittently, so it may take some time to receive a reply. A quicker response may be possible via email to info@laurierking.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,179 reviews
March 22, 2010
It's probably a little unusual to describe a book that is #10 in a series as a "break-through" book, but that's how this felt. As a long-time fan of the series, this book was the first one that felt like it had solved some of the writing and structural issues that had crept in about mid-way through the series.
I've had problems in previous books (including *The Language of Bees*, of which this book is a continuation) with the shift from Russel's first-person narration to moments of third-person description describing what Holmes was doing. They didn't work and jarred with the rest of the book. The God of the Hive managed to solve that; the third-person moments fit (even though--and maybe because--they followed several characters at different points, and not just Holmes). In fact, what Laurie King has done in successfully writing about Sherlock Holmes in the third person is something almost no one has done well (the narratorial strategies of Holmes pastiches is perhaps where Conan Doyle's shadow has been the longest). At last, in this book it seemed effortless to read Holmes's quick judgments about fellow-passengers based on their attributes as a few sentences rather than an extended discussion-and-reveal a la Conan Doyle. I thought that she perhaps pushed the multiple points of view a little too far in the chapter describing a funeral, but a previous reviewer has said that this was his favorite, so I'm willing to chalk it up to preference. On the whole, the narration in this book worked better than in several of her last books.
The book also did more to answer what has been a perennial fan complaint, that Holmes and Russell spend too much time apart and too little collaborating. This book balanced both aspects of the team (working individually and together) in a way that I thought very satisfactory. It also really showed off King's talent for developing wonderful minor characters. I especially would have liked to see more of Dr. Henning and hope to do so in a future book.
This one is a rare 5-star review from me. You'll want to read *The Language of Bees* first if you haven't, since it's really a two-parter.
I've had problems in previous books (including *The Language of Bees*, of which this book is a continuation) with the shift from Russel's first-person narration to moments of third-person description describing what Holmes was doing. They didn't work and jarred with the rest of the book. The God of the Hive managed to solve that; the third-person moments fit (even though--and maybe because--they followed several characters at different points, and not just Holmes). In fact, what Laurie King has done in successfully writing about Sherlock Holmes in the third person is something almost no one has done well (the narratorial strategies of Holmes pastiches is perhaps where Conan Doyle's shadow has been the longest). At last, in this book it seemed effortless to read Holmes's quick judgments about fellow-passengers based on their attributes as a few sentences rather than an extended discussion-and-reveal a la Conan Doyle. I thought that she perhaps pushed the multiple points of view a little too far in the chapter describing a funeral, but a previous reviewer has said that this was his favorite, so I'm willing to chalk it up to preference. On the whole, the narration in this book worked better than in several of her last books.
The book also did more to answer what has been a perennial fan complaint, that Holmes and Russell spend too much time apart and too little collaborating. This book balanced both aspects of the team (working individually and together) in a way that I thought very satisfactory. It also really showed off King's talent for developing wonderful minor characters. I especially would have liked to see more of Dr. Henning and hope to do so in a future book.
This one is a rare 5-star review from me. You'll want to read *The Language of Bees* first if you haven't, since it's really a two-parter.
December 30, 2012
This is Part II of a story began in The Language of Bees, in which Russell and Holmes - back in England after an eight month absence - become involved in a mystery concerning the artist Damian Adler and his wife and child. I was underwhelmed by The Language of Bees: its cliffhanger ending didn't particularly bother me because I didn't care enough about the story to want to jump right into Part II. However, I'm glad that my reaction didn't put me off continuing with the series, because this novel was all that I've come to expect from King's excellent writing.
King finishes the story involving Damian Adler () in the style of a thriller rather than a detective story. The narrative is from several points of view: Mary Russell's first person narrative as she travels from the Orkney Islands to London with an injured pilot and Adler's three year old daughter Estelle and third person narratives from the perspectives of Sherlock Holmes, Detective Chief Inspector Lestrade and the villain, whose identity and motivation are revealed relatively early in the piece. The changing points of view make the narrative a little choppy, but that is part of the point, I think, of turning the novel into a thriller. It makes for a fast ride with frequent changes of direction.
One of the high points of the novel is the character of Robert Goodman - a psychologically damaged WWI veteran and a kind of Holy Fool. It would be lovely to see him return later in the series, but whether or not that's even possible would take me into spoiler territory.
Overall, my enjoyment of this novel took away the disapointment engendered by The Language of Bees and I'm looking forward to the next instalment in a very entertaining series. This has been great light holiday reading: implausible and far-fetched, but fun.
March 12, 2024
I really enjoyed this 10th volume of the Mary Russell series. The pacing is just right for a literary mystery with the lovely writing. Here is a sample:
"Goodman pulled the feather from his hat band. This primary flight-feather of strix aluco had greeted him one morning outside his front door, a gift from the tawny lady whose home was in the old oak, whose voice often called to him at night."
"Goodman pulled the feather from his hat band. This primary flight-feather of strix aluco had greeted him one morning outside his front door, a gift from the tawny lady whose home was in the old oak, whose voice often called to him at night."
September 2, 2011
Review from Badelynge
The God of the Hive follows on directly from events in The Language of Bees and is the 10th book to feature Mary Russell. Mary and Sherlock are separated again and on the run. At first assessment you think of Reichenbach, and there are certainly deliberate similarities but the suspense gets left behind too often. Laurie R. King chooses instead to tell a more character driven story, examining Russell's new relationship with the recently discovered granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes. It's easy to forget that the whole business began as a search for the girl's missing mother. King has covered similar ground to this in her Kate Martinelli detective series.
The die hard Sherlockian in me can't read the start of a chapter beginning with the words 'Chief Inspector Lestrade' without at least a slight twitch of my arm muscles (perhaps to punch the air) even if this Lestrade is a younger chip off the original block. A lengthy interlude in the wild woods of northern England takes up a large section of the book, including the introduction of a new character called Goodman. A man with a tortured history of war damaged psychosis, King fancies as an embodiment of the English folklore legend of The Green Man and a similar revisit to another of King's character experiments - see the Martinelli book To Play the Fool. It's this particular Holy Fool who is partly responsible for a funeral so bizarre it might not have looked out of place on an episode of The Prisoner.
The writing is as good as ever but with the plot, thin though it is, sidelined so often the experience isn't quite as compelling as usual. When the plot does finally emerge from the London fog with so few pages remaining I was beginning to think we were going to end as the last book ended with another 'TO BE CONTINUED'. Thankfully that doesn't happen and we are treated belatedly to a proper Reichenbach style finale in the shadow of Big Ben.
The God of the Hive follows on directly from events in The Language of Bees and is the 10th book to feature Mary Russell. Mary and Sherlock are separated again and on the run. At first assessment you think of Reichenbach, and there are certainly deliberate similarities but the suspense gets left behind too often. Laurie R. King chooses instead to tell a more character driven story, examining Russell's new relationship with the recently discovered granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes. It's easy to forget that the whole business began as a search for the girl's missing mother. King has covered similar ground to this in her Kate Martinelli detective series.
The die hard Sherlockian in me can't read the start of a chapter beginning with the words 'Chief Inspector Lestrade' without at least a slight twitch of my arm muscles (perhaps to punch the air) even if this Lestrade is a younger chip off the original block. A lengthy interlude in the wild woods of northern England takes up a large section of the book, including the introduction of a new character called Goodman. A man with a tortured history of war damaged psychosis, King fancies as an embodiment of the English folklore legend of The Green Man and a similar revisit to another of King's character experiments - see the Martinelli book To Play the Fool. It's this particular Holy Fool who is partly responsible for a funeral so bizarre it might not have looked out of place on an episode of The Prisoner.
The writing is as good as ever but with the plot, thin though it is, sidelined so often the experience isn't quite as compelling as usual. When the plot does finally emerge from the London fog with so few pages remaining I was beginning to think we were going to end as the last book ended with another 'TO BE CONTINUED'. Thankfully that doesn't happen and we are treated belatedly to a proper Reichenbach style finale in the shadow of Big Ben.
February 10, 2010
I won a signed ARC! Yay! This was an extremely satisfying ending to the cliffhanger in book 9. It follows Russell and Holmes separately, as they each make their way back to London after the disastrous events of the last book. Along the way, Russell meets and is aided by an odd man, Robert Goodman, who hides strange secrets. It's hard to say much about the book without spoilers, but they each find even more disastrous news in the paper, and events proceed to an exciting and decisive conclusion.
Things I liked about the book: parts are told from the points of view of both Holmes and Russell, and I thought the contrast between the thought processes and conclusions of each of them was well done and interesting. We see why Holmes correctly avoids one city, but why Russell logically doesn't. I also liked Goodman a lot, and thought he added enormously to the story. His presence tied in with the theme of the two books really well -- I see why King wanted to call the book The Green Man, and I agree with her. The book was far more about Goodman and legend than it was about Mycroft and the villain. I also liked Estelle -- she was preternaturally well behaved in the first book, and while she was still precocious in this book, she definitely had preschooler moments. As a mom, I relate to both that and Russell's somewhat random and fearful attempts to appease her.
There was a lot more action in this book than in previous ones, or maybe it just felt that way because the stakes were higher. I think this was one of the better books in the series, and I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't recommend starting with this book, since it's the second half of a story, and assumes a lot of knowledge of the characters, but for Holmes/Russell fans, this is an excellent addition to the series.
Things I liked about the book: parts are told from the points of view of both Holmes and Russell, and I thought the contrast between the thought processes and conclusions of each of them was well done and interesting. We see why Holmes correctly avoids one city, but why Russell logically doesn't. I also liked Goodman a lot, and thought he added enormously to the story. His presence tied in with the theme of the two books really well -- I see why King wanted to call the book The Green Man, and I agree with her. The book was far more about Goodman and legend than it was about Mycroft and the villain. I also liked Estelle -- she was preternaturally well behaved in the first book, and while she was still precocious in this book, she definitely had preschooler moments. As a mom, I relate to both that and Russell's somewhat random and fearful attempts to appease her.
There was a lot more action in this book than in previous ones, or maybe it just felt that way because the stakes were higher. I think this was one of the better books in the series, and I really enjoyed it. I wouldn't recommend starting with this book, since it's the second half of a story, and assumes a lot of knowledge of the characters, but for Holmes/Russell fans, this is an excellent addition to the series.
December 9, 2022
A brilliant book, it picks up straight where 'The Language of Bees' finished.
Tense, action-filled, gripping...I really enjoyed this book.
Tense, action-filled, gripping...I really enjoyed this book.
May 5, 2024
The Holmes family is on the run: Sherlock and Mary, having been separated and wanted by the police, are fleeing from an enemy that she soon learn have endless resources and powerful connections. And while things worked well when they were together on a case, they are also bound by additional challenges. Sherlock's brother Mycroft has disappeared, Sherlock is fleeing with his son and Mary is running with the son's toddler daughter.
Thank goodness they are well aquainted with fighting the odds, because they will need it before they are finished.
While I hate the idea that King is using Conan Doyle's memorable character, I have to admit that this story is interesting and a page turner. King knows how to write — I just wish she had come up with her own amateur detective. And, yes, I know she created Mary Russell. That is a weak retort.
Instead, I have to be satisfied that the overall story is a good one, despite the use of someone else's creation.
Thank goodness they are well aquainted with fighting the odds, because they will need it before they are finished.
While I hate the idea that King is using Conan Doyle's memorable character, I have to admit that this story is interesting and a page turner. King knows how to write — I just wish she had come up with her own amateur detective. And, yes, I know she created Mary Russell. That is a weak retort.
Instead, I have to be satisfied that the overall story is a good one, despite the use of someone else's creation.
August 8, 2010
Here's the problem with the Mary Russell books--they're not mysteries. There's often a central question that does get resolved, usually in detail, before the end of the book. But who did what is generally spelled out explicitly long before the end. To some extent they are ops-sagas--how everyone managed to be in the right place at the right time with the right (or at least enough) information to resolve the situation. But even there, King is playing so many games with POV that the impact of the climactic moment is often diffused long before the reader gets there. To some degree, with the widening political perspective of the books, they could be classified as historical thrillers.
Don't get me wrong--I really enjoy these books. I've come to quite like Russell after finding her annoying a few books back. And the introduction of new characters, while distracting, is understandable and well done. The movement through history and the sense of changing times is meticulous and fascinating.
But I'm starting to need a new mystery series.
Don't get me wrong--I really enjoy these books. I've come to quite like Russell after finding her annoying a few books back. And the introduction of new characters, while distracting, is understandable and well done. The movement through history and the sense of changing times is meticulous and fascinating.
But I'm starting to need a new mystery series.
July 3, 2010
My first literary love affair was with Sherlock Holmes. I met him at the highly impressionable age of twelve and fell instantly in love. I read every Conan Doyle story that featured him - read them more than once.
Since then, I have had many loves in my life. Indeed, I have been a very loose woman, literarily speaking, but one never forgets one's first love. He is always special.
A few years ago when I read a review of a book called "The Beekeeper's Apprentice", I was both fascinated and a bit outraged. How dare anyone tamper with Conan Doyle's perfect creation! But in the end fascination won out over outrage and I picked up the book and read it, and thus a long ago love affair was rekindled, but this time with the added fillip that it became a three-way affair - Sherlock, Mary Russell, and me.
Mary Russell is Laurie King's unique creation who was introduced in "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" as a young orphan girl in Sussex who came under the sway of her neighbor Sherlock Holmes. She became his apprentice, his partner in adventure and then (Conan Doyle must be spinning in his grave!) Holmes' wife. As weird as that might seem to lovers of classic Holmes, King actually makes it work and has built a very interesting pastiche mystery series on the premise.
I have read - I could even say devoured - every book in the series. This is the tenth one and a very good one it is. It is actually a continuation of the story begun in the last book, "The Language of Bees", in which we were introduced to a son and granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes, as well as a doomed daughter-in-law. In this book, the son and granddaughter are in great peril from which they must be extricated by the efforts of the great Sherlock and Mary Russell, along with a ragtag but interesting cast of supporting characters, and the godlike Mycroft Holmes who also plays his part.
I think that I will be giving away nothing to say that Sherlock and Mary again solve the mystery and triumph in the end and their stories will be continued in yet another book in the series. Thank goodness!
Laurie King is a very good writer who sets the stage of the early 20th century well. One feels that one is there and experiencing the events of the day. The reader feels, too, that King has real empathy and understanding for her characters and she makes us want to know them better. A very good skill for a writer of an ongoing series to have!
Since then, I have had many loves in my life. Indeed, I have been a very loose woman, literarily speaking, but one never forgets one's first love. He is always special.
A few years ago when I read a review of a book called "The Beekeeper's Apprentice", I was both fascinated and a bit outraged. How dare anyone tamper with Conan Doyle's perfect creation! But in the end fascination won out over outrage and I picked up the book and read it, and thus a long ago love affair was rekindled, but this time with the added fillip that it became a three-way affair - Sherlock, Mary Russell, and me.
Mary Russell is Laurie King's unique creation who was introduced in "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" as a young orphan girl in Sussex who came under the sway of her neighbor Sherlock Holmes. She became his apprentice, his partner in adventure and then (Conan Doyle must be spinning in his grave!) Holmes' wife. As weird as that might seem to lovers of classic Holmes, King actually makes it work and has built a very interesting pastiche mystery series on the premise.
I have read - I could even say devoured - every book in the series. This is the tenth one and a very good one it is. It is actually a continuation of the story begun in the last book, "The Language of Bees", in which we were introduced to a son and granddaughter of Sherlock Holmes, as well as a doomed daughter-in-law. In this book, the son and granddaughter are in great peril from which they must be extricated by the efforts of the great Sherlock and Mary Russell, along with a ragtag but interesting cast of supporting characters, and the godlike Mycroft Holmes who also plays his part.
I think that I will be giving away nothing to say that Sherlock and Mary again solve the mystery and triumph in the end and their stories will be continued in yet another book in the series. Thank goodness!
Laurie King is a very good writer who sets the stage of the early 20th century well. One feels that one is there and experiencing the events of the day. The reader feels, too, that King has real empathy and understanding for her characters and she makes us want to know them better. A very good skill for a writer of an ongoing series to have!
June 16, 2010
Don't even pick this book up unless you have already read The Language of Bees, or you will be totally confused. The action picks up directly where that ended so incompletely. The two books together form a more pleasing whole than either alone. The depraved spiritualist minister named Brothers in book one is found to be just the tip of the iceberg of evil in book two.
The author is exploring the consequences of a person holding a position of incredible power, such as Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft, head of the unofficial intelligence department. In this book, the antagonist is a brilliant man with a minor government position, who has been laying his plans to take over Mycroft's position.
Key quote: "It was all very well and good for Mycroft Holmes to play God, but who was to say that the next man, the man who took his place in the accounting house, would have as untarnished a conscience?"
What can counteract the man's cold logic and super-intelligence? Interestingly, the greatest power is in a Person who is not in his right mind--a man who is illogical and spontaneous, childish and unpredictable. The strength of the book is in the contrast between these two personality types.
The weakness of the book is that it has deviated from the pattern of the previous novels: that is, pretending to be the discovery of old manuscripts of Mary Russell, and, as such, narrated in the first person with some contributions from Holmes. The story is now fractured by adding points of view of many characters, including several scenes with an omniscient observer. I miss the framing story and the tighter construction with chapter quotes referring to another literary work.
The author is exploring the consequences of a person holding a position of incredible power, such as Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft, head of the unofficial intelligence department. In this book, the antagonist is a brilliant man with a minor government position, who has been laying his plans to take over Mycroft's position.
Key quote: "It was all very well and good for Mycroft Holmes to play God, but who was to say that the next man, the man who took his place in the accounting house, would have as untarnished a conscience?"
What can counteract the man's cold logic and super-intelligence? Interestingly, the greatest power is in a Person who is not in his right mind--a man who is illogical and spontaneous, childish and unpredictable. The strength of the book is in the contrast between these two personality types.
The weakness of the book is that it has deviated from the pattern of the previous novels: that is, pretending to be the discovery of old manuscripts of Mary Russell, and, as such, narrated in the first person with some contributions from Holmes. The story is now fractured by adding points of view of many characters, including several scenes with an omniscient observer. I miss the framing story and the tighter construction with chapter quotes referring to another literary work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2015
Stop!! Have you read The Language of Bees? If not, read no further.
This is an intertwined sequel to The Language of Bees. In that book, we left Holmes and Russell it the far reaches of Scotland, having just prevented the sacrifice of a young girl in a religious rite.
This novel takes most of the issues raised in that book to conclusion. To do so, we follow in successive chapters the adventures of Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, and two very nasty people. We find both Holmes' son, and his son's daughter at their most vulnerable. We get to know a lot more about Mycroft Holmes. And, we learn a lot about the British Intelligence Service during this critical period between World Wars One and Two. We get to ride in all sorts of land, air and water craft.
Of course, we know with King, as with Arthur Conan Doyle before, our heroes will triumph. But the ride is a lot of fun.
This is an intertwined sequel to The Language of Bees. In that book, we left Holmes and Russell it the far reaches of Scotland, having just prevented the sacrifice of a young girl in a religious rite.
This novel takes most of the issues raised in that book to conclusion. To do so, we follow in successive chapters the adventures of Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, and two very nasty people. We find both Holmes' son, and his son's daughter at their most vulnerable. We get to know a lot more about Mycroft Holmes. And, we learn a lot about the British Intelligence Service during this critical period between World Wars One and Two. We get to ride in all sorts of land, air and water craft.
Of course, we know with King, as with Arthur Conan Doyle before, our heroes will triumph. But the ride is a lot of fun.
December 18, 2023
Quite the page-turner.
April 21, 2011
I almost gave this book four stars instead of five, but it was such an excellent tale that I gave it five anyway, despite a major flaw: The God of the Hive is essentially part two of King's The Language of Bees, published in 2009. King's Holmes/Russell books are a chronological series and should be read in order, and they all refer (although usually rather obliquely) to previous events in the series. The Language of Bees (which I read back in 2009) ended with the bad guys apparently vanquished, and the good guys vanishing into the night, planning to pick up the pieces and move on with life in the morning. It seemed like the perfect place to end the book when I read it... but apparently that ending was merely the end of a chapter, as that was exactly where The God of the Hive started. It's been two years and many books since I read The Language of Bees, and I actually had to go online and read a plot summary to refresh my memory so I'd know what was going on. This irked me, as I hadn't seen The God of the Hive advertised as a 'sequel' or a 'part two' even though that's exactly what it is. That being said: the book is excellent and the tale is riveting. Read the two books back to back and you'll have no complaints! Beautifully written, clever, at times laugh out loud funny, and an excellent Sherlock Holmes mystery - what more could you ask for? Well, other than it to have been one volume instead of two...
September 17, 2018
While this is the tenth book in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series, it is also a direct follow-on to the previous novel, The Language of Bees. That one ended in a cliff hanger and so, really, these two books could easily be considered as one larger book split into two parts.
The plot continues the story of what is happening to the Parisian artist, Damian Adler . Russell, Holmes and Damian all begin the novel on the run from the police and shadowy government agents, a case of mistaken identity from the previous book. But now Holmes and Russell have been geographically separated and must communicate via hidden codes and messages in newspapers, etc. in order to reunite and survive the situation. A key role is also played by Sherlock's brother Mycroft.
The novel is written more as a thriller, albeit with strong mystery elements that need to be solved. As such, it tends to move along pretty fast with the level of danger cranked up a few more times than in other novels in this series. The identity of the villain is revealed fairly early and, indeed we get some chapters from their point-of-view. Other characters are introduced including an especially interesting one in the form of Robert Goodman, a hermit-like WWI veteran suffering from “shell shock”. I am hopeful we may see more of him in future novels.
I chose to listen to this one as an audio book during my recent road trip to a writers' conference. Jenny Sterlin puts in another strong performance which is one of the reasons I chose this for the trip. Overall, another good entry in this fun series.
The plot continues the story of what is happening to the Parisian artist, Damian Adler . Russell, Holmes and Damian all begin the novel on the run from the police and shadowy government agents, a case of mistaken identity from the previous book. But now Holmes and Russell have been geographically separated and must communicate via hidden codes and messages in newspapers, etc. in order to reunite and survive the situation. A key role is also played by Sherlock's brother Mycroft.
The novel is written more as a thriller, albeit with strong mystery elements that need to be solved. As such, it tends to move along pretty fast with the level of danger cranked up a few more times than in other novels in this series. The identity of the villain is revealed fairly early and, indeed we get some chapters from their point-of-view. Other characters are introduced including an especially interesting one in the form of Robert Goodman, a hermit-like WWI veteran suffering from “shell shock”. I am hopeful we may see more of him in future novels.
I chose to listen to this one as an audio book during my recent road trip to a writers' conference. Jenny Sterlin puts in another strong performance which is one of the reasons I chose this for the trip. Overall, another good entry in this fun series.
July 26, 2016
A direct continuation of the story in The Language of Bees, the story yet again sends Holmes and Russell in separate directions - Holmes with Damian and Russell with Estelle.
One thing I liked about this story is it changes perspectives, and we don't get what we got in some earlier stories in the series where everything was from Russell's PoV and then we'd get summarized descriptions of what happened with Holmes off-screen.
Anyway, in Russell's attempts to make her way back to London while avoiding the authorities, she encounters an interesting "Robin Goodfellow" type character named Robert Goodman. He was, in my opinion, the best part of this particular story. A man broken from the war, fey and mischievous, following his own whims and rules, but with a strong sense of personal principles.
The story itself seemed a bit slow to start, especially since it was a direct sequel and things had ended kind of hot in the last book. Also, there's a sort of "gotcha" moment in the book that I don't think anyone with any sense would actually fall for... so any emotional punch was kind of lost.
Russell continues to progress in her investigations, but still has some resounding blind sides. And while I did like the changing PoVs, I felt like there were still gaps in Holmes' part of the story which could've been better developed.
That said, the ending was tense and well written, and maybe bumps this up to a 3.5 stars.
One thing I liked about this story is it changes perspectives, and we don't get what we got in some earlier stories in the series where everything was from Russell's PoV and then we'd get summarized descriptions of what happened with Holmes off-screen.
Anyway, in Russell's attempts to make her way back to London while avoiding the authorities, she encounters an interesting "Robin Goodfellow" type character named Robert Goodman. He was, in my opinion, the best part of this particular story. A man broken from the war, fey and mischievous, following his own whims and rules, but with a strong sense of personal principles.
The story itself seemed a bit slow to start, especially since it was a direct sequel and things had ended kind of hot in the last book. Also, there's a sort of "gotcha" moment in the book that I don't think anyone with any sense would actually fall for... so any emotional punch was kind of lost.
Russell continues to progress in her investigations, but still has some resounding blind sides. And while I did like the changing PoVs, I felt like there were still gaps in Holmes' part of the story which could've been better developed.
That said, the ending was tense and well written, and maybe bumps this up to a 3.5 stars.
February 24, 2010
I just finished reading my eagerly anticipated ARC of this book, and I enjoyed it enormously. The story starts off where the previous book, "The Language of Bees," left off. The author skilfully refreshes the reader's memory of the dark events in that novel as she follows the separate, roundabout journeys of Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell back to London, and we're also given glimpses of what Mycroft and assorted bad guys are up to.
There's plenty of mystery, suspense, action and adventure, and Ms. King's prose and character portrayal are up to their usual high standard, but the highlight of the book for me was an odd, delightful man who comes to the rescue of Russell, her pilot, and Holmes' young granddaughter, Estelle, when their plane crashes in the forest. He calls himself Robert Goodman, and Russell can't help thinking of him as Robin Goodfellow, or "The Green Man," which was the author's original working title. Ms. King is also reviving her theme of the holy fool, which she used so effectively in her 1995 Kate Martinelli mystery, "To Play the Fool." "The God of the Hive" is a powerful mythic tale, with the fey Goodman at the center of it.
This is certainly one of the very best books in the Russell-Holmes series, and I highly recommend it.
There's plenty of mystery, suspense, action and adventure, and Ms. King's prose and character portrayal are up to their usual high standard, but the highlight of the book for me was an odd, delightful man who comes to the rescue of Russell, her pilot, and Holmes' young granddaughter, Estelle, when their plane crashes in the forest. He calls himself Robert Goodman, and Russell can't help thinking of him as Robin Goodfellow, or "The Green Man," which was the author's original working title. Ms. King is also reviving her theme of the holy fool, which she used so effectively in her 1995 Kate Martinelli mystery, "To Play the Fool." "The God of the Hive" is a powerful mythic tale, with the fey Goodman at the center of it.
This is certainly one of the very best books in the Russell-Holmes series, and I highly recommend it.
March 28, 2019
I wasn’t going to read this so soon after The Language of Bees, but I got sucked in. Glad I did, too. This one follows very tightly indeed on the heels of the previous one, more so than most of her works. Interestingly, although that story was satisfying and complete in itself, this one adds layers to that, and extends itself from there. Ingenious. And *another* new and presumably ongoing character by whom I was entirely charmed - great addition. This story is quite suspenseful and exciting, I had great trouble in putting it down for long, or, you know, at all.
May 14, 2010
The God of the Hive struck me as a duller read the minute a character other than Russell started telling the story. It's no mystery when you know exactly what is happening, when you are as omniscient as the author herself. It's only a matter of turning pages until all the characters come together for a showdown of some variety.
Readers know who the "God" is in the first few chapters; they know who the usurper prince is; they know how the book will end. The character-driven emotional roller coaster in the middle is rather superfluous. To paraphrase a scene from Doyle, I could have knocked out the middle, presented the beginning and the end, and had a fine mystery as to how the points connected.
Readers know who the "God" is in the first few chapters; they know who the usurper prince is; they know how the book will end. The character-driven emotional roller coaster in the middle is rather superfluous. To paraphrase a scene from Doyle, I could have knocked out the middle, presented the beginning and the end, and had a fine mystery as to how the points connected.
May 26, 2010
I love the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series that started with "The Beekeeper's Apprentice." And though this latest book was not my favorite, it still was fun and well written.
March 6, 2010
I am a long-time reader of Ms. King (since I was in middle school and she wasn't yet on bestseller's shelves), and there was little chance I wouldn't love her latest volume in the life of Mary Russell. (In fact, I sat down and read the ARC in one sitting, as I had been trying to resist doing - in deference to an imminent med school exam - since I anticipated its arrival a few weeks ago.)
But I am happy to say it earns its five-star rating on its own merits: an exciting, constantly surprising plot; new characters full of life and complexity; and old characters still inspiring the attachment that has held the series for ten books, but also injecting some delightful novelty.
The God of the Hive is a direct continuation of Ms. King's previous, excellent (though frustratingly cliffhanger-ed) work, The Language of Bees; I'll try to refrain from giving away spoilers of either of these tightly-paired books. The former was somewhat sapped by too great a focus on the novelty of the sudden emergence of Holmes's son, as well as the annoyance of a cultist's irrational actions (as well as his cliched attachment to human sacrifice and self-written, egotistical meanderings). This volume refreshingly returns to the fast-paced action of Locked Rooms, as well as spending more time on the actions and thoughts of her strongest character, Mary Russell.
The plot concerns loose ends that were left in the previous book - but not, in main, the ones expected, which once again proves the genius of Ms. King. A darker, much more expansive - dare I say, nearly omniscient hand - lies behind the evil in Language of Bees. With both Holmes and Russell scrambling to simply survive against an enemy who seems to know their every move, despite escape to Holland or the last wilds of England, the book can scarcely be more of a page-turner. It is a kind of excitement rare in modern fiction - that based on intricacies of the mind of "Moriarty" thwarting those of our larger-than-life detectives, and bringing to mind the fascination readers had with Patricia Donleavy, of The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Ms. King's first (and, in my opinion, best) work.
In a deep surprise to me, Ms. King also manages a master feat of fleshing out new characters, including Mycroft Holmes. He who long assumed a background deus ex machina role, even - or perhaps especially? - in the canon, is a shining light in this book. And The Green Man, who was at one time the eponymous character of the book is a similar tour de force in his own right. His background is shaky, but his characterization as a man of Nature in spirit as well as experience is exceptional. Spritish irrationality combined with deeply-felt loyalty builds a wonderfully fun, surprising, and - dare I say - lovable character.
Loyalty is a watchword, as well as faith - and their difference - throughout the book; subtleties run deep with these as a theme, from the villains to the protagonists. Faith has always been writ large in these novels of detection, as Ms. King's writes them, and it seems clear she ruminated long and hard on the topic as she wrote this volume: faith in one's ability to solve the myriad puzzles that come up during "the case," in one's friends' ability *and* persistence to solve them (and subsequently provide rescue), and in one's understanding of human nature, to size up enemies and allies. It seems to have many meanings to the author, which makes sense in the light of Russell's work in theology - and Ms. King's.
I did find things to criticize, despite enjoying the book as much as I did. Ms. King changed many elements of her style to develop this book, which is rather more of a thriller (or perhaps simply set on a faster timetable that previous volumes) than any of her others. Her page-long chapters, intended to give a view of non-main characters' thoughts and actions, did indeed keep the pace quick. But the windows she gave us into those characters' minds made the omission of information that would have been readily available to multiple of them for the majority of the book particularly glaring. A desire by Ms. King to build an exciting, internal cliffhanger proved too great - it pulled the usual firm construction of her plots awry, such that she needed to obscure by omission what is normally obscured by additional time to discovery. I hate to write it, but it felt a little akin to Dan Brown. Mistakes by Russell that clearly are written in to allow the reveal of the book are minor, but glaring in the context of how few she generally makes; this makes the climax a little bittersweet.
As has been felt by many of Ms. King's readers, Russell was at her best during Ms. King's earliest works, when she was growing into her strength as an adult and detective. Clearly, this cannot be maintained throughout the series, and Russell stands almost as a new character - or, more, in a new role, as reader's (much smarter) stand-in - after Monstrous Regiment of Women.
This was not terrible in Ms. King's later works, but did tend to wipe some of the luster off of them. In God of the Hive, I find fault with Russell's sometimes cardboard thoughts and actions; her maternal instinct is too lightly sketched, too repetitive in its description by Ms. King, to be very interesting - or believable. And too often, though the reader was party to the almost magical workings of her mind - always a delight - in solving "the case," she seemed more to plod along her set path of decisions than to commit the outlandishly clever acts that make a book interesting (though a case, perhaps, less realistic).
Maybe that was the main problem: nothing really seemed to affect Russell emotionally, despite surviving a near-fatal crash, putting her faith in a total stranger, and having nearly everyone she cares for put in danger. Part of the wonder of Russell is her strength, which is how Holmes counts on her - and the reader admires her. But another part of it is her perceivable vulnerability to emotion (though of course, not of the histrionic type that women of that era were accustomed to); that is what makes her different from Holmes, and a more relatable and believable character. Her concessions to her feelings were generally single lines inserted here or there about her worry - extended to an, "I wished Holmes were here to talk to." Even her righteousness about Mycroft's decades-old actions seemed somewhat cardboard - and, worse, unlikely.
Overall, however, I found The God of the Hive everything I wanted it to be: a satisfying and intricate mystery novel, a return (that year of waiting for a new book was the most painful I've ever experienced) to an atmosphere of intellect and danger, and more of the Russell and Holmes relationship that never has and never will get old. After expending what must have been a prodigious amount of mental strength and emotional stamina to build this masterful work, I fear Ms. King won't give us another installment for some time. But I hope I'm wrong.
But I am happy to say it earns its five-star rating on its own merits: an exciting, constantly surprising plot; new characters full of life and complexity; and old characters still inspiring the attachment that has held the series for ten books, but also injecting some delightful novelty.
The God of the Hive is a direct continuation of Ms. King's previous, excellent (though frustratingly cliffhanger-ed) work, The Language of Bees; I'll try to refrain from giving away spoilers of either of these tightly-paired books. The former was somewhat sapped by too great a focus on the novelty of the sudden emergence of Holmes's son, as well as the annoyance of a cultist's irrational actions (as well as his cliched attachment to human sacrifice and self-written, egotistical meanderings). This volume refreshingly returns to the fast-paced action of Locked Rooms, as well as spending more time on the actions and thoughts of her strongest character, Mary Russell.
The plot concerns loose ends that were left in the previous book - but not, in main, the ones expected, which once again proves the genius of Ms. King. A darker, much more expansive - dare I say, nearly omniscient hand - lies behind the evil in Language of Bees. With both Holmes and Russell scrambling to simply survive against an enemy who seems to know their every move, despite escape to Holland or the last wilds of England, the book can scarcely be more of a page-turner. It is a kind of excitement rare in modern fiction - that based on intricacies of the mind of "Moriarty" thwarting those of our larger-than-life detectives, and bringing to mind the fascination readers had with Patricia Donleavy, of The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Ms. King's first (and, in my opinion, best) work.
In a deep surprise to me, Ms. King also manages a master feat of fleshing out new characters, including Mycroft Holmes. He who long assumed a background deus ex machina role, even - or perhaps especially? - in the canon, is a shining light in this book. And The Green Man, who was at one time the eponymous character of the book is a similar tour de force in his own right. His background is shaky, but his characterization as a man of Nature in spirit as well as experience is exceptional. Spritish irrationality combined with deeply-felt loyalty builds a wonderfully fun, surprising, and - dare I say - lovable character.
Loyalty is a watchword, as well as faith - and their difference - throughout the book; subtleties run deep with these as a theme, from the villains to the protagonists. Faith has always been writ large in these novels of detection, as Ms. King's writes them, and it seems clear she ruminated long and hard on the topic as she wrote this volume: faith in one's ability to solve the myriad puzzles that come up during "the case," in one's friends' ability *and* persistence to solve them (and subsequently provide rescue), and in one's understanding of human nature, to size up enemies and allies. It seems to have many meanings to the author, which makes sense in the light of Russell's work in theology - and Ms. King's.
I did find things to criticize, despite enjoying the book as much as I did. Ms. King changed many elements of her style to develop this book, which is rather more of a thriller (or perhaps simply set on a faster timetable that previous volumes) than any of her others. Her page-long chapters, intended to give a view of non-main characters' thoughts and actions, did indeed keep the pace quick. But the windows she gave us into those characters' minds made the omission of information that would have been readily available to multiple of them for the majority of the book particularly glaring. A desire by Ms. King to build an exciting, internal cliffhanger proved too great - it pulled the usual firm construction of her plots awry, such that she needed to obscure by omission what is normally obscured by additional time to discovery. I hate to write it, but it felt a little akin to Dan Brown. Mistakes by Russell that clearly are written in to allow the reveal of the book are minor, but glaring in the context of how few she generally makes; this makes the climax a little bittersweet.
As has been felt by many of Ms. King's readers, Russell was at her best during Ms. King's earliest works, when she was growing into her strength as an adult and detective. Clearly, this cannot be maintained throughout the series, and Russell stands almost as a new character - or, more, in a new role, as reader's (much smarter) stand-in - after Monstrous Regiment of Women.
This was not terrible in Ms. King's later works, but did tend to wipe some of the luster off of them. In God of the Hive, I find fault with Russell's sometimes cardboard thoughts and actions; her maternal instinct is too lightly sketched, too repetitive in its description by Ms. King, to be very interesting - or believable. And too often, though the reader was party to the almost magical workings of her mind - always a delight - in solving "the case," she seemed more to plod along her set path of decisions than to commit the outlandishly clever acts that make a book interesting (though a case, perhaps, less realistic).
Maybe that was the main problem: nothing really seemed to affect Russell emotionally, despite surviving a near-fatal crash, putting her faith in a total stranger, and having nearly everyone she cares for put in danger. Part of the wonder of Russell is her strength, which is how Holmes counts on her - and the reader admires her. But another part of it is her perceivable vulnerability to emotion (though of course, not of the histrionic type that women of that era were accustomed to); that is what makes her different from Holmes, and a more relatable and believable character. Her concessions to her feelings were generally single lines inserted here or there about her worry - extended to an, "I wished Holmes were here to talk to." Even her righteousness about Mycroft's decades-old actions seemed somewhat cardboard - and, worse, unlikely.
Overall, however, I found The God of the Hive everything I wanted it to be: a satisfying and intricate mystery novel, a return (that year of waiting for a new book was the most painful I've ever experienced) to an atmosphere of intellect and danger, and more of the Russell and Holmes relationship that never has and never will get old. After expending what must have been a prodigious amount of mental strength and emotional stamina to build this masterful work, I fear Ms. King won't give us another installment for some time. But I hope I'm wrong.
May 9, 2021
First things first. The God of the Hive is apparently a direct continuation from The Language of Bees which I have not read. I spent a good part of the book reading with a quizzical look on my face. Another reminder to read series in order.
The God of the Hive begins in the Orkney Islands where Mary Russell makes a narrow escape from pursuers readers will recognize if they have read the previous book. Mary and Sherlock are separated for much of the story as they each attend to different parts of the puzzle. As always with a Sherlock retelling, there are intricate clues and tells that us ordinary people would be oblivious to. I don't want to delve into the plot as I could unintentionally spoil two books.
The game is definitely afoot here, I just didn't know what the game was.
And I bet Laurie R. King is deadly at escape rooms.
The God of the Hive begins in the Orkney Islands where Mary Russell makes a narrow escape from pursuers readers will recognize if they have read the previous book. Mary and Sherlock are separated for much of the story as they each attend to different parts of the puzzle. As always with a Sherlock retelling, there are intricate clues and tells that us ordinary people would be oblivious to. I don't want to delve into the plot as I could unintentionally spoil two books.
The game is definitely afoot here, I just didn't know what the game was.
And I bet Laurie R. King is deadly at escape rooms.
May 26, 2021
It took me a minute to go back & get caught up on where I was in the overall story, but I quickly sunk back into the world of Mary Russell. These books are among the more faithful Homes reimaginings.
March 22, 2025
4.5⭐ This book kept me in suspense literally to the last page. Laurie R. King is a gifted writer who can weave a tale so complex you have to keep reading because you know there will be a twist, and there always is, it will leave you mesmerized. At least for me.
February 5, 2019
The action in this book was slow to start. I almost abandoned the book more than once. But in the end, it was worth it. Especially if you are interested in Sherlock’s brother Mycroft and their relationship.
May 16, 2024
A thrilling conclusion to the storyline started in the previous book. I'm afraid I won't ever believe a Holmes is dead until they've died of old age.
June 27, 2025
I think I need to start communicating via codes placed in advice columns: Bees may thrive in foreign lands.
The shifting perspectives in "God of the Hive" made for a slightly dissonant entry in what continues to be an otherwise excellent series. Onward!
The shifting perspectives in "God of the Hive" made for a slightly dissonant entry in what continues to be an otherwise excellent series. Onward!
December 10, 2011
Okay, good things first: Overall, I thought this was a pretty enjoyable story. The active parts are very active. There are lots of dramatic moments with guns. There are alarming moments in an airplane. The prose is also very nice. For a light, short, no-brains read, this book does very well.
What did not work for me:
1) The mystery... really wasn't. It was told from multiple points of view, which is kind of a new thing for this series if I recall, so there's never really any dramatic tension-- you know exactly who the villains are and what they're trying to do. Worse, Holmes and Russell were not particularly impressive detectives in this book (as someone points out to them towards the end). There are sloppy searches; important clues are missed; wrong conclusions are drawn. For an ordinary detective story, this would not be a problem, but the whole point in reading a Sherlock Holmes story is to watch him be amazing.
2) The pacing was... spotty. As I said, the action scenes were REALLY active, and a lot of sections were real page-turners. Unfortunately, the expository conversations go on FOREVER. At least two of them are over ten pages long. I could have done with a few more narrow escapes, and a few less sober conversations over various meals and beverages.
3) The characterization... did not really do it for me. As I said, I didn't think Holmes and Russell were at their best here (though I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Russell's young, Holmes is old, it's a stressful time for them, yadayadayada). Damian Adler, though, was about as animated as a body pillow. There was no evidence that he was mourning his wife (who, recall, had just been MURDERED). In fact, he was set up with a new love interest before the end of the book. And as for Dr. Whatsherface, I didn't care much for her, either-- she just felt like a medical version of Russell.
4) The mysticism. Honestly, I kind of liked this. I am a fantasy fan: I like a little magic in my fiction. I just thought it was a little too heavy-handed. For example, I thought that Robert Goodman as Robin Goodfellow/The Green Man was a great concept, but was identified that way a little too explicitly. Honestly, I didn't even think we needed his backstory-- the hints we got at his introduction were enough for me. (I honestly thought the whole bit where Javitz finds out Goodman's history was just an excuse to explain that Goodman is gay and Holmes has nothing to fear.)
In conclusion: Read if you're a Holmes/Russell fan. Even a bad Holmes/Russell book is pretty good. I enjoyed reading this one, and I plan to get the next one the next time I'm at the library. I feel like the author was making a few experiments here, and I respect her for that-- I just don't quite think that most of them worked the way she'd hoped they would. I'm holding out hope that the next book will either return to the tradition we've so far enjoyed, or that it will be something new and different that comes together a little more neatly.
What did not work for me:
1) The mystery... really wasn't. It was told from multiple points of view, which is kind of a new thing for this series if I recall, so there's never really any dramatic tension-- you know exactly who the villains are and what they're trying to do. Worse, Holmes and Russell were not particularly impressive detectives in this book (as someone points out to them towards the end). There are sloppy searches; important clues are missed; wrong conclusions are drawn. For an ordinary detective story, this would not be a problem, but the whole point in reading a Sherlock Holmes story is to watch him be amazing.
2) The pacing was... spotty. As I said, the action scenes were REALLY active, and a lot of sections were real page-turners. Unfortunately, the expository conversations go on FOREVER. At least two of them are over ten pages long. I could have done with a few more narrow escapes, and a few less sober conversations over various meals and beverages.
3) The characterization... did not really do it for me. As I said, I didn't think Holmes and Russell were at their best here (though I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Russell's young, Holmes is old, it's a stressful time for them, yadayadayada). Damian Adler, though, was about as animated as a body pillow. There was no evidence that he was mourning his wife (who, recall, had just been MURDERED). In fact, he was set up with a new love interest before the end of the book. And as for Dr. Whatsherface, I didn't care much for her, either-- she just felt like a medical version of Russell.
4) The mysticism. Honestly, I kind of liked this. I am a fantasy fan: I like a little magic in my fiction. I just thought it was a little too heavy-handed. For example, I thought that Robert Goodman as Robin Goodfellow/The Green Man was a great concept, but was identified that way a little too explicitly. Honestly, I didn't even think we needed his backstory-- the hints we got at his introduction were enough for me. (I honestly thought the whole bit where Javitz finds out Goodman's history was just an excuse to explain that Goodman is gay and Holmes has nothing to fear.)
In conclusion: Read if you're a Holmes/Russell fan. Even a bad Holmes/Russell book is pretty good. I enjoyed reading this one, and I plan to get the next one the next time I'm at the library. I feel like the author was making a few experiments here, and I respect her for that-- I just don't quite think that most of them worked the way she'd hoped they would. I'm holding out hope that the next book will either return to the tradition we've so far enjoyed, or that it will be something new and different that comes together a little more neatly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2011
The Language of Bees was at least a moderately intriguing mystery novel, although it appeared to have had its ending rudely amputated and replaced with a gimcrack cliffhanger. This book is all falling action, with little mystery and no intrigue. (Spoilers, not that I recommend that anyone actually read this book.)
The creepy Reverend Thomas Brothers who dominated the first half of the story is eliminated with minimal fuss early on. The new antagonist who loomed behind his swift rise and subsequent fall, an intelligence agent who aspires to be the new Mycroft, is tolerably competent at wreaking some havoc but never very interesting, particularly in his own tedious chapters. Holmes and Mary, separated until nearly the end of the book, do next to nothing other than tend to their charges, Damien and Estelle respectively, fretting endlessly over logistics of doctoring and childcare.
The only person who does any notable deduction in the entire novel is Mycroft, not that you would realize this from his P.O.V. chapters, which take the form of endless worrying over a pseudo-mathematical equation which describes the situation in terms vaguer than the proverbial spherical cow. He pops up again after every possible drop of pathos has been wrung out of his faked death and tries to give the book some semblance of action in retrospect, but it isn't very successful.
The reviewers on Amazon seem to be very impressed with the character of Robert Goodfellow, who apparently reprises a very similar character in one of King's Kate Martinelli books which have completely failed to hold my interest every time I have looked at them. I am much less so, although his backstory of WWI, shellshock, and recreation of himself as a sort of wood sprite is probably the strongest part of this sorry book; it doesn't him any more interesting in the main action, such as it is, and his role in the finale is so WTF that I probably would have thrown the book across the room at that point if I hadn't been listening to it in audio format. Mary Russell may think it wonderfully symbolic and mythological that he insists on wandering into a hostage exchange, not helping anyone in particular, getting himself very predictably shot, and finally killing the tedious Mycroft-wannabe whom everyone else was working so hard to keep alive to be questioned, but I do not agree. This scene was so stupid that it made me retroactively hate the rest of the book even more, and I was already hating it pretty thoroughly.
The God of the Hive has cured me of the habit of reading the Mary Russell books whenever they come out. I suppose, on the behalf of my groaning to-be-read shelf, I should thank Laurie King for that. Ugh.
The creepy Reverend Thomas Brothers who dominated the first half of the story is eliminated with minimal fuss early on. The new antagonist who loomed behind his swift rise and subsequent fall, an intelligence agent who aspires to be the new Mycroft, is tolerably competent at wreaking some havoc but never very interesting, particularly in his own tedious chapters. Holmes and Mary, separated until nearly the end of the book, do next to nothing other than tend to their charges, Damien and Estelle respectively, fretting endlessly over logistics of doctoring and childcare.
The only person who does any notable deduction in the entire novel is Mycroft, not that you would realize this from his P.O.V. chapters, which take the form of endless worrying over a pseudo-mathematical equation which describes the situation in terms vaguer than the proverbial spherical cow. He pops up again after every possible drop of pathos has been wrung out of his faked death and tries to give the book some semblance of action in retrospect, but it isn't very successful.
The reviewers on Amazon seem to be very impressed with the character of Robert Goodfellow, who apparently reprises a very similar character in one of King's Kate Martinelli books which have completely failed to hold my interest every time I have looked at them. I am much less so, although his backstory of WWI, shellshock, and recreation of himself as a sort of wood sprite is probably the strongest part of this sorry book; it doesn't him any more interesting in the main action, such as it is, and his role in the finale is so WTF that I probably would have thrown the book across the room at that point if I hadn't been listening to it in audio format. Mary Russell may think it wonderfully symbolic and mythological that he insists on wandering into a hostage exchange, not helping anyone in particular, getting himself very predictably shot, and finally killing the tedious Mycroft-wannabe whom everyone else was working so hard to keep alive to be questioned, but I do not agree. This scene was so stupid that it made me retroactively hate the rest of the book even more, and I was already hating it pretty thoroughly.
The God of the Hive has cured me of the habit of reading the Mary Russell books whenever they come out. I suppose, on the behalf of my groaning to-be-read shelf, I should thank Laurie King for that. Ugh.
May 26, 2021
After their confrontation with a villain, Holmes and Russell need to split up to confuse their enemy. Holmes takes to the sea with his son Damian who has a gunshot wound and Russell grabs Holmes's three-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter Estelle and heads south. She catches up with the pilot who flew her north and convinces him to take them to a place where they can catch a train heading further south.
However, a sniper shoots their plane and wounds their pilot which convinces them to go even further before landing to get out of the range of the villains who are after them. A plane crash lands them in the realm of Robert Goodman who is living as a hermit. They spend a couple of days there before the villains overtake them and all four are forced to flee.
Russell stashes the pilot and Estelle in a place that should be safe and travels to London with Robert Goodman to search for both Holmes brothers. Then the news comes the Mycroft has been killed outside a house of ill repute and his funeral is to be the next Sunday.
Mycroft has fallen afoul of villains of his own though they are part of the larger conspiracy. Sections from the head villains point of view let us know about a plot to depose Mycroft and take his place in the Intelligence community which he feels is his destiny. And he's more than willing to murder, Mycroft, Sherlock, Mary, and anyone else who might stand in his way.
This story is told from multiple points of view and was filled with action as our heroes new and old have to find out who is behind the massive plot and save their lives and the lives of innocent victims along the way. Holmes and Russell are apart for large parts of this story which adds their worry for each other to the tension of an already tense situation.
This was an excellent story. I loved the action and tension. I really liked Robert Goodman who was an intriguing character. I also want to know more about Damian, Estelle, and the young Scottish doctor that Sherlock kidnaps to take care of Damian's gunshot wound.
However, a sniper shoots their plane and wounds their pilot which convinces them to go even further before landing to get out of the range of the villains who are after them. A plane crash lands them in the realm of Robert Goodman who is living as a hermit. They spend a couple of days there before the villains overtake them and all four are forced to flee.
Russell stashes the pilot and Estelle in a place that should be safe and travels to London with Robert Goodman to search for both Holmes brothers. Then the news comes the Mycroft has been killed outside a house of ill repute and his funeral is to be the next Sunday.
Mycroft has fallen afoul of villains of his own though they are part of the larger conspiracy. Sections from the head villains point of view let us know about a plot to depose Mycroft and take his place in the Intelligence community which he feels is his destiny. And he's more than willing to murder, Mycroft, Sherlock, Mary, and anyone else who might stand in his way.
This story is told from multiple points of view and was filled with action as our heroes new and old have to find out who is behind the massive plot and save their lives and the lives of innocent victims along the way. Holmes and Russell are apart for large parts of this story which adds their worry for each other to the tension of an already tense situation.
This was an excellent story. I loved the action and tension. I really liked Robert Goodman who was an intriguing character. I also want to know more about Damian, Estelle, and the young Scottish doctor that Sherlock kidnaps to take care of Damian's gunshot wound.
May 28, 2012
Thrilling conclusion to the events that began in The Language of Bees. Thsi story is told from multiple perspectives. Mary is on the run with Estelle and meets a hermit who may or may not be trustworthy. Sherlock "abducts" a young, female doctor to stitch up Damien and spirits both of them away to the continent. Meanwhile Mycroft has fallen on some bad times and the mastermind behind it all watches and waits.
I loved the different perspectives. It picked up the pace and telling parts from the bad guys side added to the suspense.
So, what I've noticed from this series is that Book 1 (The Beekeeper's Apprentice) was fabulous and then Books 2-7 were good, and then starting in Book 8 Locked Rooms they got amazing again. I've enjoyed the whole series, though. It's been a fun change from the YA fantasy phase I've been going through. I'm excited to read Book 11 and I'm WAY excited for Book 12, that's coming out soon. Wahoo!
I loved the different perspectives. It picked up the pace and telling parts from the bad guys side added to the suspense.
So, what I've noticed from this series is that Book 1 (The Beekeeper's Apprentice) was fabulous and then Books 2-7 were good, and then starting in Book 8 Locked Rooms they got amazing again. I've enjoyed the whole series, though. It's been a fun change from the YA fantasy phase I've been going through. I'm excited to read Book 11 and I'm WAY excited for Book 12, that's coming out soon. Wahoo!
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