Fictional Detectives Thread

Solitaire1 · 08-30-2015, 02:09 PM

In the "Chicken" thread the discussion turned to a discussion of fictional detectives, who is the greatest one, and why. Holmes was mentioned, along other great fictional detectives.

Although Holmes is a great detective, I think there are others who might be his rival, including Batman (Bruce Wayne). Although Batman is thought of by most as a superhero, when you strip him down to his core he is a skilled detective and one of the greatest. Unlike most superheroes, Batman has to stop the criminals before they can act and that is where the detective work comes in.

Anyway, what are your thoughts on the subject of fictional detectives? Any detective, as long as he/she/the team is fictional, is eligible for discussion in this thread.

HomeInMyShoes · 08-31-2015, 02:47 PM

Fictional detectives are nothing without the writer. Holmes is a product of the highly detailed scenes and complacent crimes he pursues. Put him in a case like Thursday Next has to deal with and be'd be a splatter on the roadside by chapter three.

Fat Abe · 09-01-2015, 06:09 AM

Batman, of course. Naturally, he started out in comic books, now charmingly referred to as graphic novels. How dare I consider comic books to be in the same category as novels? Think about the target audience. Ever met a kid or criminal who read Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment? Let's keep this on the level of the Hardy Boys, and you'll understand. The trouble with most crime novels is that they are not interactive. The puzzle is explained to you, after the fact. Not so with Batman. In his video games, you are the detective. Try out the Riddler challenges and serial murder cases in Batman: Arkham Knight, and you will be in absolute agreement with me.

doubleshuffle · 09-01-2015, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Fictional detectives are nothing without the writer. Holmes is a product of the highly detailed scenes and complacent crimes he pursues. Put him in a case like Thursday Next has to deal with and be'd be a splatter on the roadside by chapter three.

Great that you mention Thursday Next. Hadn't thought of her when I read Solitaire's starting post (Jasper Fforde's books not really being typical detective stories), but, well, she is a detective, and I think she would be my favourite if I had to choose.

HomeInMyShoes · 09-01-2015, 10:33 AM

Simon Brenner (Wolf Haas). He just doesn't want to be one and he still solves crimes despite no one cooperating.

doubleshuffle · 09-01-2015, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Simon Brenner (Wolf Haas). He just doesn't want to be one and he still solves crimes despite no one cooperating.

Oh yes, of course. Brilliant. Quintessentially Austrian. Has Haas been translated into English?

wodin · 09-01-2015, 12:54 PM

Detective? Why that would have to be Karrin Murphy, and the top investigator; Harry Dresden.

HomeInMyShoes · 09-01-2015, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

Oh yes, of course. Brilliant. Quintessentially Austrian. Has Haas been translated into English?

So far four of them have been translated:

Resurrection (1)
The Bone Man (2)
Come Sweet Death (3)
Brenner and God (7)

I am hopeful that some more come out. There's seven in the Brenner series.

I really quite enjoyed them. I've been trying to find a copy of The Weather Fifteen Years Ago by Haas, but have had no luck locating anything that won't cost me $100. I'm going to give it to my library to find at some point.

doubleshuffle · 09-01-2015, 01:32 PM

They are all very good. There are also film versions of some of the novels with Austrian actor and comedian Josef Hader in the title role. Very good films, but I doubt there are English language versions. (Though I might be wrong about that.)

crich70 · 09-02-2015, 10:09 AM

I still think Holmes was the best (at least in his era). He paved the way for many who would later follow in his footsteps. Scotland Yard makes reading the stories required reading to this day I understand.

eschwartz · 09-04-2015, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

Great that you mention Thursday Next. Hadn't thought of her when I read Solitaire's starting post (Jasper Fforde's books not really being typical detective stories), but, well, she is a detective, and I think she would be my favourite if I had to choose.

Oh yes, Thursday is definitely my favorite character as well -- but that isn't because she is the greatest detective.

08-30-2015, 02:09 PM	#1
Solitaire1 Samurai Lizard Posts: 14,790 Karma: 69500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: NookColor, Nook Glowlight 4	Fictional Detectives Thread In the "Chicken" thread the discussion turned to a discussion of fictional detectives, who is the greatest one, and why. Holmes was mentioned, along other great fictional detectives. Although Holmes is a great detective, I think there are others who might be his rival, including Batman (Bruce Wayne). Although Batman is thought of by most as a superhero, when you strip him down to his core he is a skilled detective and one of the greatest. Unlike most superheroes, Batman has to stop the criminals before they can act and that is where the detective work comes in. Anyway, what are your thoughts on the subject of fictional detectives? Any detective, as long as he/she/the team is fictional, is eligible for discussion in this thread.

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08-31-2015, 02:47 PM	#2
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	Fictional detectives are nothing without the writer. Holmes is a product of the highly detailed scenes and complacent crimes he pursues. Put him in a case like Thursday Next has to deal with and be'd be a splatter on the roadside by chapter three.

09-01-2015, 06:09 AM	#3
Fat Abe Man Who Stares at Books Posts: 1,817 Karma: 10606722 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: 50th State, USA. Also, PA, NY, CA, and elsewhere. Device: All of the Above	Batman, of course. Naturally, he started out in comic books, now charmingly referred to as graphic novels. How dare I consider comic books to be in the same category as novels? Think about the target audience. Ever met a kid or criminal who read Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment? Let's keep this on the level of the Hardy Boys, and you'll understand. The trouble with most crime novels is that they are not interactive. The puzzle is explained to you, after the fact. Not so with Batman. In his video games, you are the detective. Try out the Riddler challenges and serial murder cases in Batman: Arkham Knight, and you will be in absolute agreement with me.

09-01-2015, 10:33 AM	#5
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	Simon Brenner (Wolf Haas). He just doesn't want to be one and he still solves crimes despite no one cooperating.

09-01-2015, 12:54 PM	#7
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	Detective? Why that would have to be Karrin Murphy, and the top investigator; Harry Dresden.

09-01-2015, 01:32 PM	#9
doubleshuffle Unicycle Daredevil Posts: 13,944 Karma: 185432100 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Planet of the Pudding Brains Device: Aura HD (R.I.P. After six years the USB socket died.) tolino shine 3	They are all very good. There are also film versions of some of the novels with Austrian actor and comedian Josef Hader in the title role. Very good films, but I doubt there are English language versions. (Though I might be wrong about that.)

09-02-2015, 10:09 AM	#10
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I still think Holmes was the best (at least in his era). He paved the way for many who would later follow in his footsteps. Scotland Yard makes reading the stories required reading to this day I understand.