Sunday, March 14, 2010

Book Review: God of the Hive

Title The God of the Hive: A novel of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes
Author Laurie R. King
Rating ****1/2
Tags mystery, series, mary russell, sherlock holmes, mycroft holmes 


Tenth in King's Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series, it is also the continuation of the book before it, The Language of Bees. King is one of my favorite authors, and I make it sort of a game to see if this time she'll fall prey to some of the problems other writers have. In The Language of Bees, I was somewhat concerned that she might be creating a villain she liked too much and would keep writing about past the point of good writing. She doesn't fall into the trap. In The God of the Hive, that villain is slowly revealed as the tool of an even greater villain. The stakes are high... not only is Sherlock's son and granddaughter in great danger, but so is Mycroft, Sherlock's brother. And when Mycroft is in danger, so is the British Empire.

The plot is handled masterfully. The action never stops, in part because it splits, following Mary Russell as she takes care of Holmes' granddaughter as they flee from danger with the pilot she hired in The Language of Bees and Sherlock fleeing separately with his gravely-wounded son who is in danger from the police. In London, Mycroft has been interrogated by the police and seems to be in danger both physically and of losing his position.

Another winner from King. Recommend having both The Language of Bees and The God of the Hive together and reading them as one long volume.

Publication Bantam (2010), Hardcover, 368 pages
Publication date 2010
ISBN 0553805541 / 9780553805543

Posted via web from reannon's posterous

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