Title: The Sovereign Order of Monte Cristo: Newly Discovered Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Special Edition)
Author: Holy Ghost Writer
Publisher: Illuminated Publications
ISBN: B00DSDGXP2
Pages: 826, Paperback/Kindle
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Tania Staley, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas has long been a favorite of fans of adventure and mystery literature. These readers now have a new treat to delve into, The Sovereign Order of Monte Cristo: Newly Discovered Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Special Edition), written by the mysteriously named Holy Ghost Writer. In this special edition, Holy Ghost Writer has combined his three Count of Monte Cristo novels—The Count of Monte Cristo as Retold by Sherlock Holmes, The Sultan of Monte Cristo, and The Sovereign Order of Monte Cristo—into one fabulous volume. In this collection, readers will be reacquainted with the hero that has enthralled the mind of readers for years, been the inspiration for countless movies and books, and has left readers craving for more, Edmond Dantes. With Holy Ghost Writer’s collection, readers can finally get an answer to what happened to the infamous hero.
Holy Ghost Writer begins his series with a condensed retelling of Alexandre Dumas’s original tale, but with one unique twist. Readers of The Count of Monte Cristo as Retold by Sherlock Holmes will get to sit alongside Watson as the famous detective Holmes recaps the tale of Edmond Dantes. Holmes’s to-the-point storytelling allows this classic piece of literature to be brought to an even broader audience. Fans of the original will be able to refresh their memory, while readers who felt that Dumas’s original text of 1200+ pages was too daunting will find Holy Ghost Writer’s condensed telling of the story to be less time consuming and more approachable. While I am fan of the original Count of Monte Cristo, nothing is sacrificed by reading Holy Ghost Writer’s version. Readers will get to hear the story of Edmond Dantes, a young sailor who is wrongfully accused of treason. While in prison, a fellow inmate befriends him and tells him about a secret treasure that he wants him to have. With his newfound wealth, Dantes vows to get revenge on the men who framed him. All of this mystery and intrigue is within this new rendition just in a more easily read form in order to speed readers along to the new exciting tale awaiting them.
After finishing the retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, readers then get a chance to pick up the tale where the original left off in The Sultan of Monte Cristo. Finally, after decades of unanswered questions, readers will get the answers they have so desired. Did Dantes and Haydee stay together? Did Mercedes ever love again? Did Villefort ever learn the truth about his deeds? It is in this tale that Holy Ghost Writer truly gets his/her chance to shine. Readers will watch as Dantes woos exotic women, charms diplomats, and battles dangerous pirates armed only with his sharp mind. Holy Ghost Writer provides everything fans have asked for and a few things they never even thought to consider.
Finally, Dantes travels to America in The Sovereign Order of Monte Cristo. This last adventure takes him to Georgia, where Mother Wisdom has urged him to go in order to abolish slavery. In this third book of the series, readers will be pleased to see the link between Sherlock Holmes and Edmond Dantes is formed, as Holmes returns as both the narrator of this tale and key player in its plot. Readers will also get to welcome the return of characters from the original tale, as well as get to greet some new, but notable figures. Readers will be surprised to see the reach and influence Holy Ghost Writer has allowed this famed hero to have, and this last story will have readers asking “Who doesn’t Dantes know?” and “What hasn’t he done?” as classic literary and historical characters emerge from the page.
Though there have been numerous retellings of The Count of Monte Cristo, Holy Ghost Writer’s unique slant on the story is something that has never been done. It is exciting, fun, and definitely a worthy read. All of Edmond Dantes’ wit, wisdom, and mischief that Alexandre Dumas first created are present in this new series, but with a new spin that is uniquely Holy Ghost Writer’s. Reading this collection is like coming home to an already established literary world, but finding some exciting new renovating was done while you were away. This blend of the new and the old that Holy Ghost Writer has achieved is quite impressive. I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book and invite you to journey along with Dantes, the master of disguise and fulfiller of justice. The return of this classic hero is sure to please old fans and new readers alike.
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