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by Michele Fry, Scholar's Blog
The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle
by Catherine Webb
Young Catherine Webb continues to prove she's not a one-book author. The first book in her latest series is the
lengthily titled The
Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle. It's set in Victorian London at the height of the
Industrial Revolution. The eponymous character is a Special Constable with a passion for science and invention. He's also
an occasional, but reluctant, sleuth as he'd far rather be in his lab tinkering with dangerous chemicals and odd machinery,
than running around the streets of London trying to track down stolen goods or the thieves who've removed them. However,
one day, Her Majesty's Government comes calling and Horatio has to swap his microscope for a magnifying glass
(not literally), fills his pockets with things that explode (very literally) and goes off to unravel a singularly
extraordinary mystery, related to a robbery at the Bank of England. Thrown together with a reformed (read: "caught")
pickpocket named Tess, and a slightly rebellious young gentleman called Thomas, Lyle and his faithful hound, Tate, find
themselves pursuing an ancient Chinese plate made of stone, dealing with a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of
polite society, and dangerous enemies who are not even human.
Webb's creation, Horatio Lyle, has been likened to a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Thomas Edison, a description that
seems very apt. Lyle is amusingly drawn and seems like quite a useful man to have around, so long as you're careful about
what he has in his pockets (including test tubes full of chemicals, magnets, dynamos, string, wire, and the new sulphur
matches). Thomas, whom Tess crushingly nicknames "Bigwig," is actually an interesting character whom I'm hoping Webb will
develop more in the sequel (The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle)
to this book. Tess is something of a caricature of a young Cockney thief (reminding me a little of Dickens' young thieves
in Oliver Twist). However, Webb is clearly a talented young writer who is worth watching closely.
The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle
by Catherine Webb
Catherine Webb's The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle is the sequel to
The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle. The Obsidian Dagger is a much darker book
than the first, and I think Catherine has made Horatio less Holmesian and more Doctor-ish (as in the lead character in
Doctor Who)—and I don't think that's just my current Doctor Who obsession talking. I marked a couple
of passages in the book that read as if they'd come from a Doctor Who novel. I'm not suggesting plagiarism, let me
make that clear, but influence. Horatio seems like the Doctor in his righteous anger at events endangering people about
whom he cares.
Special Constable Horatio Lyle has been ordered to investigate two mysterious deaths for Lord Lincoln. Lyle is aided and
abetted by Tess (a former thief), Thomas (the son of Lord Elwick—a bigwig as Tess calls him) and Tate his dog. These
are well-differentiated characters—we even occasionally see things from Tate's point of view. Lyle is a reluctant
detective as he's far more interested in scientific experiments, and he uses a range of explosives and unpleasant chemicals
to move his enemies out of the way. He has also developed, with Thomas' help, a primitive flying machine. This proves
extremely useful when Thomas and Tess need to rescue Lyle. The plot is complicated and involves supernatural elements,
including a mysterious character who's been transported from an island overseas in a stone coffin, and the stones of
London themselves coming to life and re-shaping themselves.
There are some very humorous moments in this book, including this very funny line:
"It is said that fortune favours the brave. Horatio Lyle, as the world filled with fireworks, smoke, noise and confusion,
was of the increasing opinion that not only was this statement wrong, it was probably spread by malignant people hoping to
prove by elimination that cowardice was the more favourable Darwinian characteristic."
I'm delighted to say that Atom Books will be publishing a third Horatio Lyle title in September—I look
forward to it!
Lady Friday
by Garth Nix
Garth Nix's Lady Friday is probably the darkest of the Keys to the Kingdom series so far. Arthur
Penhaligon's adventures in the House of the Architect are becoming more dangerous as he nears the end of his quest to
claim all seven of the Keys to the Kingdom. Four of the seven Trustees have now been defeated and their Keys claimed by
Arthur, with the relevant parts of the Will amalgamated into Dame Primus, but for Arthur things are just getting worse.
He's turning into a Denizen, instead of remaining an ordinary Mortal as he wishes. His friends Suzy Turquoise Blue and Fred
Initial Numbers Gold were captured by the Piper at the end of the last book, and they're missing, presumed under the
control of the Piper, whose New Nithling army still controls most of the Great Maze.
To make matters worse, Superior Saturday has turned off all the Elevators in the House and has ordered that the Front
Door be locked, so Arthur can't get home or find out what is happening there. All he knows is that Leaf isn't on Earth any
more—she's missing, along with hundreds of other people who were transferred from regular hospitals in the Secondary
Realms to a private institution run by a "Doctor Friday" (aka Lady Friday). From there they've been taken to somewhere else
in the Secondary Realms. In addition to all this trouble, Arthur's mother is also missing, and he must weigh up an offer
from Lady Friday that is either a cunning trap for the Rightful Heir or a golden opportunity he must seize—before
either Superior Saturday or the Piper (who've both been made the same offer) can beat him to it.
Arthur finds himself working with a Newnith (as the New Nithlings have styled themselves) in a rather uneasy alliance, and
racing to find the Fifth Part of the Will before Superior Saturday or the Piper can claim the Fifth Key. In the meantime,
Leaf is trying to work out how to contact Arthur, and how to stay alive when Lady Friday is determined to use her as a
hostage. To make things worse for Leaf, her Aunt Mango is also being held hostage by Lady Friday. And Superior Saturday has
declared all the Piper's Children are to be killed on sight, which means Leaf is in even more danger than Arthur, who at
least has the Fourth Key still to aid him.
The series is building up to an epic, climatic battle in the sixth book. It will be interesting to see how Arthur gets on
in the final book, since Lord Sunday appears to have handed over most of his power to Superior Saturday.
The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle, by Catherine Webb. ATOM, 2006.
ISBN: 1-9042-3361-9.
The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle ,
by Catherine Webb.
ATOM, 2007. IBSN: 1-9042-3379-1.
Lady Friday, by Garth Nix. Scholastic Press, 2007. ISBN: 0-4397-0088-4.
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