Sherlock Holmes: Breath of God – A Review
An intriguing addition to the myriad of stories inhabited by Conan Doyle’s detective, Sherlock Holmes: Breath of God by Guy Adams, stretches Holmes’ and Watson’s acceptance of the odd, the improbable, and the eerie.
Synopsis: A visit from a renowned mentalist, Dr. John Silence, compounded with a bizarre death or two, puts Watson on a train to Scotland while Holmes comes at the problem from another angle or two. In Scotland, Watson and his companions, (he and Dr. Silence meet Thomas Carnacki on the train during a decidedly supernatural interlude) accept the Laird of Boleskine, Mr. Aleister Crowley’s invitation to stay as his houseguests while they investigate what now seems to be an occult conspiracy with tentacles throughout the Isles. When Holmes rejoins the group on Crowley’s estate, he’s in time to witness a battle of tremendous mystical and spiritual forces, fought in tandem by Crowley, Silence, Carnacki, and Watson who is armed with salt-loaded cartridges.
Review: Breath of God is a gripping and well-written tale, rollicking the reader through the mystical and maniacal plots of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Adams’ characters are engaging, and his setting is colorful and evocative. Adams presents an interesting but rather tame take on the real life Crowley. His Crowley is a somewhat eccentric and reclusive magus, withdrawn to his Scottish home to practice his rites. Edward Alexander Crowley as he was born, was seldom alone, and generally his companions (male and female) would assist him in his rites – generally involving a lot more skin, and a lot fewer independent practices. In fact, I was quite surprised by Adams’ presentation of Crowley. Crowley’s history paints him as an unrepentant hedonist, always seeking after the next thrill of power or pleasure. Adams’ characterization is more dignified, more reserved.
Dr. John Silence, borrowed from Algernon Blackwood, and William Hope Hodgson’s Thomas Carnacki, are intriguing characters and may be imagined as Victorian and unrelated supernatural detectives, in the Winchester tradition. Dr. Silence and Mr. Carnacki concentrate on the psychic and the spiritual realms, respectively, using psychological techniques and mystic rites.
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a historical organization which Crowley was heavily involved in, features almost as a character within Sherlock Holmes: Breath of God. Its members run the gamut from a initiate twitching at his own shadow to an intemperate man driven to consume the contents of his study, and function as antithesis to Crowley’s mastery of himself and his art.
Fans of strong female characters will not find them in Breath of God. The story is painfully thin of women at all, and the two who feature in any strong way are flat characters, mere placeholders. One could postulate that the Victorian supernatural conflict was a male prerogative, I suppose, however unrealistic it seems to a contemporary reader.
Final Verdict: Fans of Supernatural, Warehouse 13, and Fringe will enjoy this novel, as will Holmes’ fans everywhere. Not suitable for children under 13.
