Voyage Of the Blue Carbuncle

This is a slim, volume that consists of a single tale about the size of a novella.To the best of my knowledge, this is the author’s eleventh attempt at Sherlockian fiction and it is a real surprise. This is a science-fiction tale set in a “Star Trek-like” universe with a number of familiar characters. There is a “Doctor Bones Chief Medical Officer,” a “Commander Scotty Engineering Officer” and a nasty “Colonel Moran” along with a greenish stand-in for Mr. Spock named Chief Science Officer Commander Verner, who has blood-ties to Sherlock Holmes.At that point, things begin to get a bit perplexing. There are space pirates and various aliens, including “Greenies” who are trying to steal Earth’s precious carbon dioxide. Further, the “problem’ of the Blue Carbuncle” is that it is blue, not red as it should be. There is no “Star Fleet,” but rather a “Space Merchant Company” of mysterious origins and a ships computer that is semi-self-aware.The action continues in unexpected directions as Commander Verner tries to cope with secret agents, shy aliens and unexpectedly telepathic human females wishing to learn all of his secrets. The story is simply too short to do justice to the complex universe which is deceptively familiar and intriguingly different. It could use a good deal more narrative of the same sort.I understand that a prequel is in the works, but that is NOT official. In the meantime, try this one on for size. It is fun!