Goodreads.com – 4 stars
The background of the author, Isabeau Vollhardt, shines through this series, I'm sure, as it does in this first set of three novelettes as the first of the series, "The Casebook of Elisha Grey." For example, in her author biography, she states that she: has studied the "philosophy of science fiction" and novel writing; is a long-time fan of Arthur Conan Doyle's (creator of Sherlock Holmes); has extensively researched Atlantis; is an acupuncturist and herbalist in Traditional Chinese Medicine and a Reiki Master (Level IV); and, has also studied/trained in a variety of other Asian medicine, energy work and martial arts as well as in "feng shui, clairvoyancy, Astrology, Native American journeywork, and Iai-Batto-Ho." Both of the main characters in this first in the series, Elisha Grey and Kiara Ptolmai, share many of the same talents, skills, areas of expertise and spiritual/academic involvements as the author.
Vollhardt borrows freely from the format, types of cases and reputation Holmes' stories are famous for (both Doyle's and later editions of the characters' exploits), with Grey as Holmes and Ptolmai as Watson (more in the manner of CBS' "Elementary" series than any of the previous or current versions, though, since Kiara is female), making Kiara both a medical expert (a "healer" in these stories) and a law student learning about detective work from Elisha. They are also housemates, as Watson and Holmes often are in many versions of those stories, TV shows and films.
However, setting the stories in Atlantis and its concurrent surrounds mixes science-fiction and its many time types of technology with multiple cultures, class/caste systems, economic structures, family/social network and spiritual/religious rituals and beliefs, PLUS aliens (YES!) in ways that don't always interface easily, but Vollhardt manages to juggle them all well.
Each novelette has its own case presented early on which Elisha and Kiara solve by its end with some recurring and some new characters in each of the three. We also learn more about the background and family members of both characters in ways that blend well with each story's case.
The author's research and imagination are well-used, here. The characters and settings--clothing, architecture, furnishings, food, landscapes/seascapes and transport systems--are drawn well and with excellent details, but not too many; the stories have good pacing and arcs.
One problem: Vollhardt needs a new proofreader. I found typos (word or spelling errors) in each of the novelettes that a competent proofreader should have caught.
My own background and interests intersect well with Vollhardt's, surprisingly, and I enjoyed these three novelettes enough to finish them all and review them (which I do not do, often). Although some might consider these stories "derivative," I found them to be both original enough and charming, well-written and worth reading, if you like these types of stories.
I was given this ebook in exchange for an honest review. I do not know this author, otherwise.
Sally Ember, author, Clayton, MO
photo: Lake Baikal Olkhon Island by Pavel Minaev
The background of the author, Isabeau Vollhardt, shines through this series, I'm sure, as it does in this first set of three novelettes as the first of the series, "The Casebook of Elisha Grey." For example, in her author biography, she states that she: has studied the "philosophy of science fiction" and novel writing; is a long-time fan of Arthur Conan Doyle's (creator of Sherlock Holmes); has extensively researched Atlantis; is an acupuncturist and herbalist in Traditional Chinese Medicine and a Reiki Master (Level IV); and, has also studied/trained in a variety of other Asian medicine, energy work and martial arts as well as in "feng shui, clairvoyancy, Astrology, Native American journeywork, and Iai-Batto-Ho." Both of the main characters in this first in the series, Elisha Grey and Kiara Ptolmai, share many of the same talents, skills, areas of expertise and spiritual/academic involvements as the author.
Vollhardt borrows freely from the format, types of cases and reputation Holmes' stories are famous for (both Doyle's and later editions of the characters' exploits), with Grey as Holmes and Ptolmai as Watson (more in the manner of CBS' "Elementary" series than any of the previous or current versions, though, since Kiara is female), making Kiara both a medical expert (a "healer" in these stories) and a law student learning about detective work from Elisha. They are also housemates, as Watson and Holmes often are in many versions of those stories, TV shows and films.
However, setting the stories in Atlantis and its concurrent surrounds mixes science-fiction and its many time types of technology with multiple cultures, class/caste systems, economic structures, family/social network and spiritual/religious rituals and beliefs, PLUS aliens (YES!) in ways that don't always interface easily, but Vollhardt manages to juggle them all well.
Each novelette has its own case presented early on which Elisha and Kiara solve by its end with some recurring and some new characters in each of the three. We also learn more about the background and family members of both characters in ways that blend well with each story's case.
The author's research and imagination are well-used, here. The characters and settings--clothing, architecture, furnishings, food, landscapes/seascapes and transport systems--are drawn well and with excellent details, but not too many; the stories have good pacing and arcs.
One problem: Vollhardt needs a new proofreader. I found typos (word or spelling errors) in each of the novelettes that a competent proofreader should have caught.
My own background and interests intersect well with Vollhardt's, surprisingly, and I enjoyed these three novelettes enough to finish them all and review them (which I do not do, often). Although some might consider these stories "derivative," I found them to be both original enough and charming, well-written and worth reading, if you like these types of stories.
I was given this ebook in exchange for an honest review. I do not know this author, otherwise.
Sally Ember, author, Clayton, MO
photo: Lake Baikal Olkhon Island by Pavel Minaev