The Sword and Laser discussion

It could be fun to read a few of the related books this month and discuss how they fit into the Book pick's storyline.
A few of them are very short, including:

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
and Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Other books referenced are:
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
(Edit) Added:
Dracula by Bram Stoker

As I haven't read this month's pick yet, there may be more books to be added to this list.

I will definitely read the first 2 short books before I start the main book.
The other 3 I have read at least twice before.

I would definitely recommend reading Jekyll and Hyde, even if it appears in pop culture so much that it is spoiled. The story unfolds a little differently that the pop culture narrative so it is still worth reading.

I'm pretty sure I have read it. I read a lot of Robert Louis Stevenson when I was young.

I think the first 2 books are more likely to be relevant to the October book pick. Plus they are both a quick read.

Haven't decided if I'll try to get the monthly pick from the library, but Rappaccini's Daughter (part of Mosses from an Old Manse and other stories) and The Island of Dr. Moreau are both available from Project Gutenberg so I might check them out myself. I usually try to read a classic horror type work around Halloween and read Jekyll and Hyde last year.

If you want Jekyll and Hyde on audible there are MANY to choose from - I was recommended this one -> https://www.audible.com/pd/Classics/D... it is $5(US) and you can add an illustrated Kindle edition for $.99 more. It is only a couple of hours, so maybe a nice prelude to starting the book.

A pdf of Rappaccini's Daughter is available from Columbia

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/english/f...

and Cornell has the December 1844 issue of The United States Democratic Review where Hawthorne's story was first published (not as easy to read as the pdf).

http://ebooks.library.cornell.edu/cgi...

Tassie Dave wrote: "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
and Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Other books referenced are:
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle"

Hmm I've read 3 of those. I'm not sure that bodes well, given that I didn't enjoy Frankenstein or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

This is a great post, thank you. Just read Rappaccini's Daughter today during lunch and loved it. Will start on October's pick soon!

How about a related article to go with the related books? PhD candidate Miranda Butler examines The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter. SPOILERS in the article.

https://victorianist.wordpress.com/20...

There is a little hint of Dracula near the end (it has a solid end, but is set up for sequels) and references to Jack the Ripper - who I think we all know enough about to get it without research.

I was stoked to see Rappaccini's Daughter in this - a story that has stuck with me since English Lit many years ago.

terpkristin wrote: "Hmm I've read 3 of those. I'm not sure that bodes well, given that I didn't enjoy Frankenstein or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. "

It's very different in style - much more "murder mystery adventure" with a fast pace and a fun collection of heroines.

terpkristin wrote: "Hmm I've read 3 of those. I'm not sure that bodes well, given that I didn't enjoy Frankenstein or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

I'm more reading the related works to see Theodora's characters in their original settings and what influenced her story.

They have to be read remembering that they are. In order:
131, 173, 121, 199 and, (up to), 130 year old stories.
The styles and language are going to be different than what we are used to.

I enjoyed Rappaccini's Daughter

Hmm... I've only read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and that was maybe 40 years ago.

I've read all of these except The Island of Dr Moreau, albeit many years ago! I might try Dr Moreau but I have a very full to-read shelf atm so probably not going to re-read the others.

I would recommend Rappaccini's Daughter if you haven't read it before - it's a very quick read, a nicely chilling tale, and probably the least familiar of the tales to modern audiences.

Ruth wrote: "I've read all of these except The Island of Dr Moreau, albeit many years ago! I might try Dr Moreau but I have a very full to-read shelf atm so probably not going to re-read the others.

I would recommend Rappaccini's Daughter if you haven't read it before - it's a very quick read, a nicely chilling tale, and probably the least familiar of the tales to modern audiences. "

After seeing all the movies and TV series based on it over the years, I finally read Moreau and really liked it. It's both dark and humorous. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

As far as I know, this is the first I've ever heard of Rappaccini's Daughter. I've never been much of a Hawthorne fan, which is probably why.

Trike wrote: "As far as I know, this is the first I've ever heard of Rappaccini's Daughter. I've never been much of a Hawthorne fan, which is probably why. "

It wasn't too bad. The language is a bit dated, but overall I enjoyed it.

It took less than an hour to read. Much more than that and it may have been a chore.

There's a one hour tv movie of Rappaccini's Daughter (1980) that I remember watching in class. I just found it free to watch if you have Amazon Prime. Think I'm going to do that tonight :)

I am flying through the book (over halfway through in two days, the benefit of having a flight cancelled and spending too much time in Hotels and airports).

I am enjoying looking out for the references to gothic monsters. Dracula is certainly in the background...

This book is an absolute delight. Of the referenced books, I haven't read Rappacini's Daughter so I think I'll pause and pick that up, she's the only character I'm having trouble with.

Bram Stroker's Dracula is definitely referenced as well.

I recently read A Study in Scarlet and thanks to this pick being announced I've just read Rappaccini's Daughter and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, both of which I have really enjoyed.

I plan on reading The Island of Dr. Moreau next, but the big question is, should I read Frankenstein or should I hold off as it seems likely to be the January pick?

I know it's shocking, but I've never read Frankenstein before...

William wrote: "I plan on reading The Island of Dr. Moreau next, but the big question is, should I read Frankenstein or should I hold off as it seems likely to be the January pick?

I know it's shocking, but I've never read Frankenstein before.."
That is an interesting question. As I imagine that you have seen by reading Jekyll and Hyde, the pop culture version of the story and the actual story can have differences. Not having read this month's pick, I cannot say how deep it goes into any of the references or if it stays closer to the literary character or the pop culture version of the characters.

The best answer on when to read Frankenstein might depend on would you rather wait to read it in January when a lot of others are reading and commenting on it?

Shad wrote: "William wrote: "I plan on reading The Island of Dr. Moreau next, but the big question is, should I read Frankenstein or should I hold off as it seems likely to be the January pick?

I know it's sho..."

It is good enough to read twice :-)

Robert wrote: "Bram Stroker's Dracula is definitely referenced as well. "

Referenced, more like running through the book like a river...

Spoilers: (view spoiler)[
Mary's governess was Mina Murray (or Harker) who was Dracula's victim/nemesis.

Renfield was Dracula's slave/victim.

The soon to be new member of the group is a van Helsing..

Book 2 looks like it will have pointy bits (hide spoiler)]

Iain wrote: "Shad wrote: "It is good enough to read twice :-) "

I'm actually rather keen to read it. I'd already set myself a project for the year of reading influential early F/SF, so this fits in nicely.

I saw another thread in the group about the two main editions of the story, and now I'm thinking of reading one edition now and the other with the group. That way I can play spot-the-difference.

^You'll remember it fine in a few months. The book is so vastly different from its pop culture spinoffs that it is well worth a read.

Iain wrote: Referenced, more like running through the book like a river...

Yeah, I was trying to be non-spoilery ... but definitely should on the initial list of books :-)

Another tack this topic could go on are other books inspired by these books.

The comic book series "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" is the obvious one (along with Planetary).

I am sure I have read others but they escape me at the moment. The Invisible Library and an almost infinite number of Mad Scientist plots owe there genesis to Gothic Victorian literature.

Iain wrote: "The comic book series "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" is the obvious one (along with Planetary). "

The Planetary issue inspired by Verne's "From the Earth to the Moon" is among the best comics ever. Man, I miss Planetary.

John (Taloni) wrote: "Iain wrote: "The comic book series "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" is the obvious one (along with Planetary). "

The Planetary issue inspired by Verne's "From the Earth to the Moon" is amon..."

At least they told a complete story (Beginning, Middle and End). A must for anyone who loves good pulp fiction.

Robert wrote: "Iain wrote: Referenced, more like running through the book like a river...

Yeah, I was trying to be non-spoilery ... but definitely should on the initial list of books :-)"

I'll add it. The initial list was just a starting point. Drawing from the synopsis only.

I expected more to be added as we read the book.

Robert wrote: "Iain wrote: Referenced, more like running through the book like a river...

Yeah, I was trying to be non-spoilery ... but definitely should on the initial list of books :-)"

I was wondering about that one earlier reference in regards to Mary's upbringing. I'm only half way through the book and I'm wondering about some foreshadowing since (view spoiler)[Watson's wife is named Mary and it does not seem that at this point he is married yet. (hide spoiler)]

Good call. I didn't think of that. It makes sense. I'm about 40% in.

Maybe something for a later book in the series.

There are probably dozens of small book references.
Another one I came across.

Catherine says "Happy unbirthday! Unless it's your birthday"

Which references Humpty Dumpty's use of the word from Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll

‘They gave it me,’ Humpty Dumpty continued thoughtfully, as he crossed one knee over the other and clasped his hands round it, ‘they gave it me — for an un-birthday present.’
....
‘I mean, what Is an un-birthday present?’
‘A present given when it isn’t your birthday, of course.’

This book's Holmes seems to be rather pleasant and approachable, which is not the impression I've gotten from most of the TV series I'm familiar with. The one with Johnny Lee Miller might be the closest. How does this Holmes compare to the original?

I'd not heard of Rappacinni's Daughter before and the 4 or 5 libraries I have access to (in the hopes of finding audio) are have text; which I rarely have time for. Unless I care to read while walking, which in my case is not safe.

Mer wrote: "This book's Holmes seems to be rather pleasant and approachable, which is not the impression I've gotten from most of the TV series I'm familiar with. The one with Johnny Lee Miller might be the cl..."

It is published as a short story in Mosses from an Old Manse, and Other Stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne (see Project Guttenburg) and audio at LibreVox. Have fun :-)

Mer wrote: "I'd not heard of Rappacinni's Daughter before and the 4 or 5 libraries I have access to (in the hopes of finding audio) are have text; which I rarely have time for."

You can watch the one-hour TV movie free if you have Amazon Prime.

OK I've managed to get through all the books on Tassie Dave's list (only A Study in Scarlet for Holmes). Regardless of how good the pick is this month, it's been a good spur to read some amazing classics!

^All of Sherlock Holmes is available at Gutenberg.org. It can be worth investing a month or two's worth of reading time to go through it all. I also read the Professor Challenger books which include The Lost World. Conan Doyle was fantastic.

Not quite, John--parts of the last Holmes collection, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, (10 of 12 stories, I believe) are still not in the public domain in the US, but astute readers could find them via other countries where the copyright has completely expired for those stories.

John (Taloni) wrote: "^All of Sherlock Holmes is available at Gutenberg.org. It can be worth investing a month or two's worth of reading time to go through it all. I also read the Professor Challenger books which includ..."


I've got a very large dead tree edition (possibly half a rainforest) that claims to be the complete Sherlock Holmes stories. I definitely plan on reading more of them. I expected it to be good, but it exceeded my expectations.

(As a side note, a few years ago I helped excavate Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's garden from his time in Plymouth. We did find the skeleton of a hound...)

Mer wrote: "I'd not heard of Rappacinni's Daughter before and the 4 or 5 libraries I have access to (in the hopes of finding audio) are have text; which I rarely have time for. Unless I care to read while walking, which in my case is not safe."

If your library has Overdrive, it's one of the stories on Blackstone Audio's "Great Classic Love Stories".

Random thought, doesn't Kindle have text to speech? It's mechanical but maybe someone could stand it for the hour or so the story runs. I haven't used text to speech for years but as I recall it's standard.

John (Taloni) wrote: "Random thought, doesn't Kindle have text to speech?."

There are some free audio versions on Librivox. Iain had one in his post above (comment 35)

These are the ones I could find: (Including the one Iain linked to)
To be honest, none of the narrators are great, but they are good enough and way better than a text to speech monotone.
I have listed them in the order I preferred them. The best on top.

Narrator: Samantha Miles (Story 14)
https://librivox.org/short-story-coll...

Narrator: Brett W. Downey
https://librivox.org/rappaccinis-daug...

Narrator: Becky Miller (It is story 19)
https://librivox.org/short-story-coll...

Narrator: Bob Neufeld (Stories 7 & 8)
https://librivox.org/mosses-from-an-o...

Here is an interesting short story by Theodora Goss called "The Mad Scientist's Daughter"
It is the origin of the novel we are now reading. It's not exactly the same. Some characters are slightly different. Diana the most noticeable.

It is a quick read. Definitely finish TSCotAD first as there are spoilers for the book in the short story.

BTW this is a legal version. Strange Horizons was the magazine it was published in. This is their site.
The Mad Scientist's Daughter (Part 1)
The Mad Scientist's Daughter (Part 2)

The only character in this short story that isn't in TSCotAD is Helen Raymond.
She is Helen Vaughan from the 1894 novel The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
She is another woman who's life is connected with a mad scientist. It was her mother who was operated on. To "open up her mind" Which leads to her having a baby (Helen) with the god Pan.

Michele wrote: "I was stoked to see Rappaccini's Daughter in this - a story that has stuck with me since English Lit many years ago
..."

Me too! I wish Hawthorne's short stories were taught more often rather than the Scarlet Letter. So many fun, funny, spooky, clever, and horrifying delights!