Summary
"The Singular Habits of Wasps" is a science fiction/horror story by Geoffrey A. Landis, about Sherlock Holmes. It was first published in Analog Science Fiction, in April 1994.
Synopsis edit
Sherlock Holmes is mutilating corpses in Whitechapel... but for a reason no one could have suspected.
Reception edit
"The Singular Habits of Wasps" was a finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Novelette of 1994[1] and the 1995 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.[2]
Publishers Weekly called it a "stunner".[3] Writing in Locus Online, however, Nick Gevers faulted it as "polished but pointless", and a "curious violation of the spirit of its enterprise".[4] When interviewing Landis for Infinity Plus, Gevers further described it as "pretty improbable [for a Sherlock Holmes pastiche] and thus subversive"; Landis specified that he was "horrified" by the idea that the story could be seen as "contemptuous of Holmes".[5]
Plagiarism edit
In 2000, the story was published in the magazine Leading Edge, credited to Phillip S. Barcia; Barcia was subsequently identified as a Florida prisoner who had plagiarized at least two other published stories. Leading Edge formally apologized to Landis, paid him standard reprint fees,[6] and physically modified all the printed copies of Leading Edge so as to correctly credit him.[7]
References edit
- ^ The Singular Habits of Wasps, at Science Fiction Writers of America; retrieved April 15, 2022
- ^ 1995 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved April 15, 2022
- ^ IMPACT PARAMETER: And Other Quantum Realities, reviewed in Publishers Weekly; published October 29, 2001; retrieved April 15, 2022
- ^ Impact Parameter and other Quantum Realities by Geoffrey A. Landis, reviewed by Nick Gevers; in Locus Online; published November 1, 2001; retrieved April 15, 2022
- ^ Quantum Realist: An Interview with Geoffrey A Landis, by Nick Gevers; at Infinity Plus; published November 3, 2001; retrieved April 15, 2022
- ^ Geoffrey A. Landis Plagiarized in The Leading Edge; in Locus Online; published April 17, 2000; modified April 26, 2000; retrieved April 15, 2022
- ^ The Class That Made It Big: Leading Edge Success Stories; at Leading Edge; published December 8, 2011; retrieved April 15, 2022
External links edit
- The Singular Habits of Wasps title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database