Ryan Jacobson

By Jove, it's bloody hard to not slip into the language and accent we associate with this infamous ficticional detective when reading anything remotely associated to him. Never was there another "man of reason" purely the creation of one man's mind that has stayed with us generation after generation with such magnitude. In his more recent reincarnations, we've found his days as a young lad being explored more and more in an effort to bring his mysteries to the younger audience. This book show more however remains true to the originals in both time and age but introduces them to the audience in a new way....the choose-your-own-path book.

That's right. You get to play detective as you follow (or not follow) the clues laid before you in an effort to determine the who, what, when, where, why and how of each potential case. There's even an oddball one inserted as a potential trap by his adversary Dr Moriarty. Can you determine which is which? You best hope so or you might find yourself in more than a pickle...as I may have once or twice ~whistles~…hey, that's the fun of these stories, right? Never knowing which road is absolutely the right choice but giving it a go anyway and seeing just where you end up....that's what choose-your-own-path books are all about.

I've read one in this series previously (Jack London's CALL OF THE WILD....the review for which can be seen by searching my site) and found the interpretation carried off rather well. So how did the man of pipe and violin fair against the mighty pen? Just as good if I do say so myself....and I do. It gives you a taste of Holmes' world without the full entrée thereby allowing readers of all ages the chance to explore this timeless classic, see how it stacks up to their expectations and explore further with a read of the actual novel once this adventure is complete.

In my mind, anything that helps captivate the imagination of other readers or nonreaders, is a welcome addition to the bookish scene. This book would serve younger readers wonders as it breaks the ice between the classics and today's youth...but even my adult eyes were entertained and reminded of the magic that a few strokes of the pen can make. This author duo did a splendid job of sampling the originals while creating something unique enough to stand out from the crowd. Highly recommended to MG readers through adults for an adventure of mammoth proportions in the heart of jolly old England. Be sure to bring your thinking cap....you're gonna need it. show less

An entertaining variation on a favourite classic. This is a very nicely written Choose Your Own Adventure/Path adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula novel, which closely follows (more or less) the original story. There are many bad endings and only one successful path to the end of the novel. A fun read.

I must say, I absolutely LOVED this read. Why? Well for starters, I was always a fan of the “choose-your-own-adventure” book format. I remember checking out several different ones from our school library as a child. I had the guilty habit of marking my spot so if something went wrong with my choice, I could always rewind the last scene. Second point to love….the way the book plays directly off of the classic story by Mr. London. It’s a great first exposure to the classic for little show more ones and a wonderful refresher for those that have read it previously. Trust me, the details are what’ll get you in the end. I speak from experience as I’m guilty of choosing the wrong option a time or two and dying miserably, but with the turn of the page, I was back again. By book’s end you’ll have a general outline of all the highlights in Buck’s life from innocent pup to dog of the wild from his point of view. The author did a splendid job of staying true to the original story and the imagery his words evoke truly transports you to the scenes taking place.

In summary, a familiar title with a new twist to shake things up a bit. You’ll learn the Law of Club and Fang. Make friends with John Thornton and enemies with Spitz as you journey through this harsh terrain. The path you take is in your own hands, but remember there is only one true way out, one way to survive. Do you have what it takes? We shall see….but at the very least you’ll pick up a skill or two along the way as well as the opportunity to immerse yourself in the classic from a whole new angle. Challenge your memory as you dive into the timeless tale or discover it for the first time. Either way, you can't go wrong.

Recommended for middle grade readers and up. show less

Ryan Jacobson and co-author Deb Mercier have tackled the world's greatest detective in Can You Survive?: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I think this is a great vehicle for kids to learn about Victorian times and a fun intro to the methods and madness of Sherlock Holmes. Based off of a couple of classic Holmes tales, the young protagonist takes on the role of Holmes himself as he decides whether to take cases and what course of action to follow. It is through these show more choices that kids will unwittingly be learning about things like transportation and employment in Victorian times. So sneaky! Parents will want to choose the right time for their child to read this book, though, as one of the regular choices is which weapon one will take on a case. If you aren't ready for your little one to contemplate the pros and cons of knives versus guns versus clubs, you may want to hold this back for a couple of years. There's no real violence in the book though -- just the weaponry. Overall, this is shaping up to be a really fun and unique series!

http://webereading.com/2012/02/new-release-can-you-survive-sherlock.html show less