Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A delightful scifi Sherlock retelling with aliens and disability rep.

A Study in Black Brew by Marie Howalt

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They say life is a string of chances held together with grit and guided by passion, and who am I to disagree? If you are looking for a retelling to read on Sherlock Holmes Day (May 22), I would recommend Marie Howalt’s A Study in Black Brew. It’s a scifi setting, on a queer-normative world with multiple species. The plot is pretty straightforward as a retelling of A Study in Scarlett (except no dogs, or helpless pets are killed), but Howalt has made choices that […]

Discussion Topics: A Sherlock Retelling

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Earlier this year we voted on which Classic with many retellings to use for our second and third Book Clubs of 2019. Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet won and now you, dear Cannonballers, are able to choose any updated version of the Sherlock story to discuss with us in two short weeks. It can be a straight modernization, or a graphic novel, possibly even a gender-swapped version set in space, or a work of non-fiction. Whatever your choice, we’ll be back here discussing […]

Classic and a remix, and I’m not sure about either

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

A Study in Seduction by Eva Chase

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CBR11Bingo Classic and Remix squares. I had never read anything by Arthur Conan Doyle before this. I have to say, I was a little disappointed. The first half of the book was about what I expected- introductions of characters, segue in to the mystery to be solved, Holmes solves a case that no one else can. I think most of the English-speaking world has some familiarity with Sherlock Holmes, whether through book, movie, television show or references in other pop culture. I wasn’t expecting the […]

“It’s quite exciting,” said Sherlock Holmes, with a yawn.” (CBR11 Bingo)

A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A Scandal in Bohemia by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

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My previous Sherlock experiences have all centered around visual adaptations, starting with The Great Mouse Detective (1986), but #CannonBookClub is always pushing me to read new to me things. My mind’s eye had a very specific versions of Holmes and Watson cobbled together over many incarnations Watson, to me, is an intelligent everyman who is aware of the things he does not know – as well as being a man of responsibility and duty. Sherlock is a bit testy, has a bit of tunnel vision […]

Better late than never for CBR? (Bingo Square: Classics)

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

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I read A Study in Scarlet a few weeks ago to prepare for Cannonball Read and… forgot to review. So here’s my quick review before I dive into the discussion posts because I don’t want to be influenced. I’d read this before as a kid, when I went through a big Sherlock Holmes binge and read as many of the stories as I could get my hands on before I eventually got rather bored. Reading this now as an adult, I remember why I got bored–this one […]

Book Club Discussion Post: A Study in Scarlet

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Are you ready to talk about the world of Sherlock Holmes and the first novel length work he was featured in, A Study in Scarlet? Then you have found your way to the right place!   For those of you who might be joining in for #CannonBookClub for the first time (hello new friends!) all are welcome. The topics are numbered, and we ask that you refer to them below by that number to help people find the conversation topics they are looking for. If […]



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