I know that there are some Sherlock Holmes readers here at CA, and I am curious as to their thoughts on this story. It seems like everyone hypes up this story as if it was the best of the Sherlock Holmes line. Moriarty, Moriarty, Moriarty is all I have heard for years as to who is Holmes' greatest antagonist. I thought this story sucked! I thought that Moriarty was very flat, more of an archetype than a true antagonist with substance. The story had no creativity, merely followed the basic yen/yang principle, and was quite droll. Where is the detective work, the clues, the deduction? I know that this story was written in order for Doyle to officially write off the character (as he was tired of writing Sherlock Holmes stories), but surely he could have thought up something better.

Thoughts?
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I got my first book "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" when I was about 8 years old. I have a handful of Sherlock books in various forms, paperback to hard cover.

So I do have "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes" . . . but I have never read the final chapter - i.e. "The Final Problem" - because I never wanted him to die.

Yeah - silly I know. I mean I know what the chapter is about, I know it says he dies, but only if I read that he does - is it true.


Ron
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I agree that the story was pretty flat. Could it have been because he was burnt out on Holmes? I am still working on finishing the complete collection of Holmes.
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My post is worthless because I have never read any of the books...BUT if anyone has A&E and watches the the series with Jeremy Brett as Holmes wil agree..Great show and Jeremy plays the BEST Holmes EVAR!!!! and I always found Moriarty a great villian...Almost the same as Holmes' addiction

....Off to Barnes & Nobles....:-)
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Moriarty is good on tv and film, but the only short story I've read that was about Moriarty was a big let-down.

Anticipating the new Sherlock movie starring Robert Downey.
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Moriarty in mortal form is just that, a mortal man. It was the mystique of a mastermind pulling the strings behind the puppet that made him bigger than life, and in turn a comprable opponent for Mr. Holms.

Afterall, The Great and Powerful Oz was just a simple man once the curtain was pulled back as well.

In actuallity, and in part the reason I think Sir Arther killed off Sherlock, Mr. Holmes was reaching a point of superhuman powers and was becoming harder to relate to. The entire principle was built on Sherlock as a man that just saw things differntly than most and his "simple" explanations made you feel like anyone could deduct like he does. (even me :-)).

Moriarty helped bring Sherlock down to earth and ground him as nothing but a man. A man who anyone could become if they just took the time to look at the world a little smarter.

Of course this is just MHO, and I could be wrong. :-):-):-)
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