The Valley of Fear (Part 1): Inconsistencies

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Valley of Fear (Part 1)
Title: Inconsistencies
Author: thesmallhobbit
Rating: G

Some readers have raised questions about the setting of this particular story.  When it was first published, it was wiser to let it be thought that it reflected events at the time of the first Professor Moriarty, rather than admit that this was the son of the elder’s cousin, whose reign within the criminal classes was still unfortunately in place.

Comments

[jcporter1.livejournal.com]

Why do some think that?

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Watson knows nothing about Moriarty in "The Final Problem" which should happen after "The Valley of Fear". Also, Moriarty's brother is a Colonel in "The Final Problem" and a station master in the west of England in "The Valley of Fear", which although possible he had two professions seems unlikely.

[jcporter1.livejournal.com]

Wow! I didn't realize that.
I guess that's the danger of writing your final story too soon and having to come back from it.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Excellent idea, if someone depressing from the law's viewpoint.

the son of the elder’s cousin is a great touch.

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Holmes himself said there was a criminal strain in the Moriarty family - which seems to have come out once again.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Holmes does make an odd comment to MacDonald about being significantly older than him - odd, I mean, because Watson places the story in the late '80s and Holmes would be at most 35. And surely a young police inspector still wouldn't be very young. It does suggest an older post-hiatus Holmes. And Holmes did say there was a criminal strain in Moriarty's family...

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly.

re: Inconsistencies

[vaysh]

It is my hope – though surely to be disappointed – that the makers of SherlockBBC are solving the puzzle of Moriarty's return like you suggest here. ;) Watson certainly is not the most reliable of narrators.

Re: Inconsistencies

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

If they do, remember you read it here first ;)

[debriswoman]

Makes sense:-)

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

I'm pleased to hear it ;)