Download or read book The Sign of the Four (English French Edition Illustrated) written by Arthur Conan Doyle and published by . This book was released on 2020-02-28 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sherlock Holmes needs no introduction. His legacy on the page and on the screen, both big and small, make him one of the best-known characters of all time, on par with Cinderella, Mickey Mouse, and Dracula. The trope of the brilliant but difficult genius accompanied by a kind but somewhat bumbling sidekick has become one of the most enduring in all media, from the many iterations of Holmes himself to less easily recognizable versions such as TV's Dr. House or the Japanese Manga Case Closed. Arthur Conan Doyle was born in 1859 in Scotland to an Irish Catholic family. He trained as a doctor, like his fictional narrator Dr. Watson, but unlike his character, Doyle was not a particularly successful physician. While waiting for patients, Doyle began to write short stories, and in 1887 he published his first novel, A Study in Scarlet, featuring Sherlock Holmes for the first time. The novel catapulted Doyle to fame and fortune, and he immediately received a commission for the second novel, The Sign of Four. The Sign of Four features Holmes dealing with the outcome of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the larger colonial background of Victorian Britain. Doyle focused more on Holmes's human side in this text, making him more sympathetic, but also showing his flaws, most notably his drug habits. We also meet Mary Morstan, the future Mrs. Watson, for the first time in this novel. Although it is not considered to be the best of Doyle's works, The Sign of Four shows growth in Doyle's writing, his deeper characterization of both Holmes and Watson, and his expanding Holmesian universe. Despite its flaws, it remains indispensable reading for anyone interested in Holmes, and for any reader looking for a rollicking detective story.