The Complete Brigadier Gerard Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle | Canongate Classics | Historical Fiction, Adventure Tales for Book Lovers & Literature Enthusiasts

Well now, I know you have been here: You have found a book that is so delightful that you just cannot bear to put it down. I know that we all have experienced this. But folks, I will tell you in all honesty that I became quite ridiculously attached to this book to its final page. I brought it to work to be my next " On my break read.." but found that the first night I drove home after having left it in my locker ( as is my custom ) I felt compelled to return to work and fetch it. Thanks goodness I live about 3 miles from my workplace! Well, certainly many of us carry books with us to stores and such so that we have something to read when we are caught in the "express" lane ( ! ) and this became another one of those.But I found myself reading it at stop lights and becoming irritated when the light changed before I had a chance to really GET anywhere...Now I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would like this character Gerard as much as I do, given that, in my mind, he stood in Sherlock's shadow, but I have become quite smitten with him! I fancied myself a Doyle fan, but had never read this series, as I was too enraptured by the mysteries and dectective stories. How sad that I waited so long to try these wonderful stories! No doubt that some of you ladies out there might be thinking that a series of stories about a soldier in Napoleon's army might be as interesting as televised fishing, or that they would only appeal to a man, but nay! Not so! If you are a fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock, then you will be every bit as entertained by Gerard. Doyle's style is no different, it is just as voluptuous. Only his main character has changed. He is an entirely different sort of fellow from our man Sherlock, but no less exciting in his own way...Very much like... if you were to, perhaps, put Dr. Watson's character in Gerard's place. Oh but I cannot tell you how very enjoyable these stories are, and it has been awhile since I have felt so passionate about a character...I kept longing for more..At times there would be a turn of the phrase that would make me laugh out loud, and then a bit later perhaps I would be curled on my chair with my hand across my chest, eyes wide in amazement! - as if being TOLD these stories by an old war hero! At times the events are so marvelous ( unbelieveable bits of luck and chance..) that I am reminded of Michael Palin's "Ripping Yarns," when an entire escape scene is deleted and Micheal returns to the camera and exclaims, " What an AMAZING escape!" There is that gaffy quality to it...But at the same time, there are "scenes" where this character's humanity is so full and well spent that one feels a sincere warmth for him..But I have prattled on long enough. If you are looking for a good read, with nearly everything a story depends upon to be a real page-turner, then by all means, DO check this book out! It is, as they say over the pond, " Ripping good stuff. "