5 comments about A Study in Red: The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper.

1. The pages of Porter's novel pulled at me, finally snatching me into the Ripper's world. It gave me the creeps. I literally had to stop reading occasionally to make sure I was still in my safe home reading this fictitious account of a madman. Be warned that this novel is extremely intense!



2. I picked up A Study in Red: The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper, the cover hinting at the dark secrets contained between the covers. But, the cover didn't warn of the depth of travel into the mind of a mad man.
   
   Brian L. Porter's words grab the reader and won't let go as he describes Robert Cavendish's reading of the secret journal of the notorious Jack the Ripper. The man's life changed as he discovered an ancestor's place in Jack's life, the workings of The Ripper's mind, and the terror the mad man invoked.
   
   This book is not one I could sit and read at one time. I would read a section, shiver, and lay the book aside. I had to return to its pages, though. I could not stay away. Part by part I delved into the horror that Porter portrayed in his novel. I can't say I enjoyed the book, because the uneasy feeling it left in my mind were not enjoyable, but the book held my attention.
   
   For a work of fiction, A Study in Red left me wondering how anything of fiction could seem so real.



3. This book had a great new outlook on the Jack the Ripper story. I thought it one of the best I have read yet. However, I got very tired of the protagonist agonizing over his family's link to Jack. If it had been a little less lengthy, I would have enjoyed it immensely.



4. Not since reading `Mister B Gone' by Clive Barker had I felt such an enthusiasm of excitement with each turn of the page. `A Study in Red' (The Secret Journal of Jack The Ripper) by Brian Porter ranks high at the top of the charts as a phenomenal work of horror and intrigue. Although set as fiction his depiction of the Ripper murders reads all too real. The author transports his reader back in time to 18th century London. Through his articulate choice of words, you will feel the cobblestone beneath your feet, see the deprivation, and smell the stench that engulfed the streets of Whitechapel at that time.
   
   Not unlike the main character of Brian's novel, the journal will possess your complete attention, and evoke thoughts of terror as you anticipate the final climax. In his novel, the author acknowledges many sources from which he meticulously researched much of his material, further adding great realism to his work. In Brian Porter's footnotes, he declares `A study in Red' is a tale, nothing more than fiction, rather than an attempt to throw new light on an old subject. As an avid fan of this new and upcoming author, I can attest he does just that! Brian Porter not only throws a new light on an old subject, he illuminates it!



5. This is a truly wonderful book - one of the very best 'thrillers' I have read in a very long time. It is fabulously well researched - Brian Porter clearly is an expert in the Jack the Ripper story. He effortlessly transports the reader into another world, another era and, brilliantly, into another persons mind. I unhesitatingly recommend the book.

5 comments about Castle Rouge: A Novel of Suspense featuring Sherlock Holmes, Irene Adler, and Jack the Ripper (Irene Adler).

1. The sequel to Chapel Noir, which I bought instantly upon finishing the first is terriffic! What a twist on the Ripper! And to all of you nay-sayers out there, The Raven has some history.

   #1. I TOLD you Pink was famous under a pseudonym. She was the perfect companion for Irene in the race to save Nell.

   #2. This Ripper suspect was definately alive during said time period and proved himself to be both hopelessly insane and perverted sexually, as well as a religious fanatic. It would explain the Chi-Rho patterns that Irene makes of the murders, non? Or other authors of Ripperology's "Masonic Symbols".

   #3. It would explain where Bram Stoker got the setting and background for "Dracula".

   #4. Are you so foolish as to think that a serial killer like Jack-the-Ripper having got away with it once wouldn't do it again? Or even that Mary Kelly was his LAST victim? If so, you need to do some research.

   I liked these volumes so well, I bought the others I didn't have. So, Carole Douglas, my compliments. Quoth the Raven...




2. This is the sequel to Chapel Noir, and a great book in and of itself. A interesting suspect for the Ripper. It leaves the reader to stare at the man's rather imposing picture and wonder "Could it have been?" Well...

   #1 He was alive and kicking during this time period (1888)

   #2 He is well-known for his hypnotic power over women

   #3 He is also well-known for his religious fanaticism, which would explain why most Ripperologists find religious or occult symbols in the murder patterns

   #4 He is now known to have been hopelessly insane

   #5 By train, as the map in the book shows, it's not that far from Russia to London

   #6 The murders DID NOT end with Mary Kelly, even in London, and it's easy to see a serial killer like the Ripper repeating himself elsewhere. Ted Bundy is a perfect example.

   And Pink did turn out to be someone you could rely on in a pinch, n'est c'est pas? Quoth the Raven...




3. Irene Adler is a character created by Arthur Conan Doyle and the only woman who ever outsmarted his famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. Carole Nelson Douglas has taken Irene and turned her into a detective with her own series of mystery novels. In this book, Castle Rouge, the action picks up from the previous volume Chapel Noir, with Irene seeking out the person or people who have perpetrated Jack the Ripper like murders in Paris a year after the Whitechapel murders in London. She is in desperate pursuit because it appears that her colleague Nell Huxleigh and her husband have been taken by the same culprits. But who are they? In this second volume Irene leaves Paris first for Prague and then a castle in Romania. Who is responsible for this international crime spree? Don't read the Selected Bibliography at the end of the book until you have finished it. You may find a spoiler of a clue there,
   A long tale that stretches across two large volumes, but the excitement never flags. Highly recommended - a feminist point of view on the Victorian era.



4. I picked this book up at the library one day while I was passing time waiting on my children. The word Castle caught my eye, and the Jack the Ripper plot idea intrigued me. Always searching for(and all too rarely finding) a good writer, I was immediately delighted with the quality of Ms. Douglas' writing. In classic Dickensian style she weilds words in unexpected ways as to be sometimes powerful, sometimes subtle, sometimes shocking, but never ordinary.
   
   The story and characters are in themselves intriguing. By assembling in one story Jack the Ripper, Bram Stoker (author of Dracula) Sherlock Holmes, Nelly Bly, the Prince of Wales, Baron de Rothschild along with other sordid characters, both fictional and non, you have the soup into which Ms. Douglas tosses the reader to stew. We watch as Irene Adler solves both the Jack the Ripper case once and for all, and reveals the source of Bram Stroker's inspiration. Along the way we get to explore the seedy underbelly of late 19th century London, Paris, Prague and Transalvania. It's a scandolusly delicious romp!
   
   If you like historical fiction or mystery, and value skillful writing, I commend you to Ms. Douglas.



5. This heartstopping end to the two book story about Jack the Ripper written by Ms. Douglas has heart-stopping action from the beginning to the end. The book continues the story of Irene Adler's search for her missing husband and her missing companion. The book flips back and forth from Irene and her group and to Nell and Godfrey who are being held captive in a decaying castle in Transylvania. This is a much darker story than Chapel Noir, but the plot is gripping, and as always, Ms. Douglas' period detail is wonderful. I know that I couldn't put the book down. There's not much mystery in this one though, but the theories that are put forth as to the identity of Jack the Ripper are intriguing. This is a wonderful series and Irene Adler is a great character.

No comments about Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

5 comments about Jack the Ripper: A Journal of the Whitechapel Murders 1888-1889 (Treasury of Victorian Murder (Graphic Novels)).

1. A truly great graphic novel. Geary continues his amazing series of "A Treasury of Victorian Murder" with probably what is the most brilliant installment. The story of Jack the Ripper is explained from somewhat of a historically unbiased and objective view without being overloaded with too many sources. The comic contains a documentary side while melding description, assumption, and mystery alongside great graphic images. I have not found a flaw in Geary series other than some dissapointment with "The Borden Tragedy." I would also suggest
   Peter Kuper's adaptatation of Kafka's "The Metamorphosis."



2. If I had wanted a picture book, done in a comic book format, this would have been fine. It was not what I was looking for - I expected a more intellectual treatment. Will NOT but Geary again.



3. I knew just the basics about Jack the Ripper when I picked this up in a used bookstore. The drawings were so detailed and clarified logistics (maps, diagrams, plans) in a way that text cannot. The text is extremely straightforward and reality-based, giving them an authority that hyperbole would've ruined. I had no intentions of buying this, but I had a hard time putting it down.
   Years later, this has turned out to be one of those purchases that I pull out over and over again. It is never far from my bed and sits with two other (soon to be three) volumes in the series. All of them lay out conundrums that leave you chilled and uneasy. You go to bed a little less sure that all is right in the world.
   
   Once I was flipping channels on cable and the image of an alley with a distinct bend to it flashed by. "...looked like an alley from the the Ripper killings..." I thought and changed back. Sure enough, it was a documentary on the Ripper. That's how accurate this books visuals are. I correctly associated a photo I had never seen before with the crimes just from viewing Geary's drawings. His illustrative style is fastidious and engrossing.
   
   True to it's title I do treasure these volumes.
   Best of luck and much success to you Rick!



4. Jack the Ripper is a fact based comic. The story is told in the form of excerpts from an unamed Victorian man's journal. He says on this day this occurred on this day this body was found here, etc. The idea is to lay out just the facts and not to try to read into them. Theories on who the killer is etc are presented very briefly as they come up and no one theory is endorsed.
   
   The visuals: The drawings here are done in a style that simulates wood cut prints. This lend itself to descriptive diagrammatic illustrations. It also keeps the gore from being so disturbing. This book isn't dwelling on the gore, but it isn't totally possible to avoid it in this case. The drawings of crime scenes etc here are very accurate, so the illustrations add to the information presented.
   
   This is a good clean and straight forward telling of the Jack the Ripper stories. It lays out the facts and does this clearly and concisely. If you have already read lots about Jack the Ripper then this won't add anything new. It is also pretty expensive for a black and white comic book, since it is only 64 pages. The best use for this book is perhaps for families or school libraries that want a book about Jack the Ripper. It does tell about a slasher who kills prostitutes, but it is a clean treatment considering the subject.



5. The title page says it all: "A Journal of the Whitechapel Murders 1888-1889 Adapted by Rick Geary." Don't expect shocking new "revelations" or speculations as to the identity of the Ripper; the text comprises excerpts from the journals of an anonymous Victorian chronicler of the Ripper's crimes. Yet it is precisely the ordinary, "following the day's news" quality of this account that is so chilling---it reminds the reader that the lost lives of these poor women were REAL and that their murders were never solved. Geary's renderings, as always, succeed admirably in fleshing out the journal entries, and his use of maps as backgrounds for many of his panels is ingenious. Reading this book was a fine approximation of taking a Ripper walking tour through Whitechapel.

5 comments about Varney the Vampire; or, The Feast of Blood.

1. Varney The Vampire is an important leader in the vampire legacy. And here is the ultimate critical edition. I am so excited about the extras in this book. There are some arcane references in the original text that are finally footnoted and explained. I highly recommend this edition. A+++



2. This is a true lost classic that reveals the beginning of the great character of Dracula. The editor's notes add to the interest of the book and build knowledge on the times and elements of Varney. I recommend this reading for any Dracula fan or a fan of interesting reading. A+++ to Herr for bringing this hidden treasure back to the world of literature.



3. I absolutely love this book! An excellent relic from the golden (or shall I say black) age of Gothic Lit. Why this gem has remained hidden for all these years is a mystery to me, but Mr. Herr has finally revived this old Penny Dreadful and brought a new light to this style of writing. A wonderful Gothic novel by the same author who originated the Sweeney Todd story. A must buy!



4. I have been following Mr. Herr's work for years and I truly appreciate this edition of Varney the Vampire. If you are new to the genre, this is a great place to start!



5. Ignore all the talk about Dracula in other reviews, that book and this one are two uniquely different entities. Legends about vampires existed outside of Transylvania, and even Europe for that matter, long before the Victorians tightened their first bodice. My impression of this book is that the writing is closer to Robert E. Howard in its great forward momentum; another apt comparison might be to the movie serials of the '30s-'50s. Thrills and more thrills! The style may be a little underwhelming, but if you can read Ann Radcliffe you can certainly read this. And incidentally, I think the ungrammatical and linguistically oafish reviews for this book are very appropriate for a book written at top speed and with little editorial supervision. Take a trip back in time to a very different world - read this book!

5 comments about Savage.

1. Whoa! I just finished this book today...and am having a hard time believing that Richard Laymon really wrote it! It was SO MILD compared to what I'm used to from him. I'm not saying it wasn't entertaining, but just not the kind of entertainment I was looking for at the time. I really wanted the gross gore adult crazy supernatural.. and I pretty much got a censored slow-going aww shucks biographical fiction. Hm... not one of my favorites. I still feel like I did NOT read a Richard Laymon book. Strange.



2. When I read a book, I like to be pulled in and not let go until the last word on the last page. I love to go on a journey; they best way to do that is a good book with engaging characters, active plot, and an 'easy to follow' style. "Savage" is the first book that I have read by Richard Laymon, but it certainly will not be the last. The plot is far fetched, but still plausible and exciting. I did find it to be a slight bit predictable, however, there were ample surprises that completely made up for the predictable-ness of some situations. There is quite a bit of gore and violence, but Jack the Ripper is one of the main characters, so that is expected, and enjoyed! Overall, I loved this book. It took me back in time to an unknown world. The journey was eventful and dare I say 'fun'?



3. This takes the ticket for the worst laymon book i've ever read. The best part being the voyage from england to america, the rest of the book is a chore to the core. I hated all the characters and the western scenerio had me bored to death. This theme is very different from the rest of laymons books. I had high hopes since this book has many fans but it just didn't cut it for me, i put it down many times which almost never happens while i'm reading laymon. 2 Stars



4. This was a pretty good book. I've read much better by Laymon, but this was certainly an adventure like I've never read before. I recommend it because it will certainly hold your interest.



5. Richard Laymon is an awesome writer and if you like gripping horror novels, he writes them best. His books can be compared to a racey Dean Koontz. I liked this book a lot. The characters were likeable and you really get into the story. I could not put the book down.

3 comments about Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History.

1. The book really is more about the context than the case itself, but Begg present solid research and writes very well. In terms of presenting the conditions of 1888 Whitechapel, it is probably the best book out there. For a history strictly of the JtR case, Sugden would be the way to go. However, Begg's new book, "Jack the Ripper: The Facts" (only available at amazon.co.uk now), which contains much of the research done in the past ten years, would be definitely worth getting from there. Still, this book is worth it for the Ripperologist.



2. I had to read this took for a Collage Class and have never enjoyed reading a "textbook" more.
   
   Paul Begg is a very entertaining author and gave alot of details concerning the Jack the Ripper Murders.
   
   At first he tells about the area of London called Whitechappel where it happened and then he talks about the Ripper Murders themselves.
   
   Not only does he give much detail about the Ripper Murders he talks about the Police investigation about it, as well as goes into detail about some of the people that historians and investigaters have claimed were Jack the Ripper.
   
   All in all a very comprehensive acount of the Jack the Ripper Murder case.



3. This book has helped me allot in regards to a project I am working on. When one recognizes the significance between Jack the Ripper and the media, and it's part in ascending him from serial killer to Victorian icon, it is impossible to ignore this book. I highly recommend it.

5 comments about The Complete History of Jack the Ripper.

1. Beginning and Elite Ripperologists alike MUST read this book. A best way to explain the quality of this book is to explain Sugden's handling of the facts. Unlike the mast majority of Ripperologists, Sugden's goal is not to create theories to fill in the gaps, nor to hold onto common myths of the Ripper. Any ideas he does suggest in the book are only those most "probable" and based on the facts that are available. Like any good researched book dealing with a topic with various controversies, Sugden is quick to point out flaws in common misconceptions and how their origins were spawned from incorrect historical data.
   
   He does a fantastic job on truly capturing the "complete history" of the Ripper case while maintaining an enjoyable read for the elite and curious passerby alike. After reading the book I finally realized why this is declared THE book to have on the Ripper case. I strongly suggest this to be the starting point and foundation for all newly interested and all who have long loved the infamous murderer of almost mythical standing.



2. Jack the Ripper is perhaps the best-known figure in history whose real identity is obscured. He killed (as far as we know) something between 4 and 9 women in London between 1887 and 1891. He was never caught, and there's no convincing proof anyone ever saw him clearly, let alone came upon him in the act of killing and tried to stop him. He became the subject of rumor and speculation while the killings were going on, and has since been a subject of much speculation and theorizing. "Solutions" to the crimes he committed range from various suspects to a conspiracy of the British Royal Family in some fashion all the way around to anti-Semitic conspiracies.
   
   Author Philip Sugden decided to write this book, and work from as many original sources as he could, recounting only that information he was able to confirm from contemporary records. He generally dismisses newspapers of the era, and tries to rely on police files as much as possible. What emerges is a different picture of the killer and the murders than has been presented in the past, because many previous books have repeated the errors of others while recounting what they believe happened. Sugden does his best to avoid this.
   
   The result is a well-written, detailed, exhaustive study of the killings themselves. Sugden recounts each of the killings in detail, and then spends considerable time telling of the police response to the crimes, their attempts to counter the killings, and especially their interrogations of witnesses. One point he makes clear is how primitive their forensic thinking was at the time: fingerprints were about a decade off yet, and it wasn't even possible to analyze bloodstains to tell if they were human or animal in origin. The police, as a result, depended to a great deal on witnesses and confessions. In crimes of passion or crimes of greed, those things worked reasonably well, but with a "stranger crime" where the killer and the witnesses probably didn't know the criminal, and he probably also didn't associate with other criminals, the chances of catching him were frankly minimal. That's what happened...they didn't catch him.
   
   I really enjoyed Sugden's book. It contains a great deal of information. The author, in the latter part of the book, leans towards one of the suspects (George Chapman) but doesn't insist that he must have done it. He does think it unlikely that Druitt, Kosminski, or Ostrog were the killer, but in each case his evidence is, like everything else at this remove, pretty much speculation. At least his speculation makes sense, however. Regardless, anyone who's interested in Jack the Ripper needs this book, definitely.



3. I found this book to be a bit boring and quite wordy for my personal taste. There were alot of facts that seemed to lead nowhere. I wasn't impressed!



4. Unlike most "Ripperologists," Philip Sugden does not have any pet theories to prove. Therefore, like a good historian, Sugden concentrates only on all the facts of the case as they can be cooberated by the primary sources. Very well written and thoroughly researched, The Complete History of Jack the Ripper not only covers each of the known murders in detail, the book also looks at several other unsolved murders that may have been part of the series of "Jack's" crimes. Furthermore, Sugden follows the police investigation and examines the suspects developed by the police at the time. While Sugden does evaluate the likelihood of these suspects' guilt, he makes no attempt to positively identify the killer. If you read only one book on the 1888 murders in Whitechaple, read this one.



5. Like many others, I have been interested in the story of Jack the Ripper. When I finally decided to read about the crimes, I wanted to read only the best, most definitive account. I believe that Sugden's book fits the bill. He sticks only to the facts; when he theorizes, he presents an opposing view as well. He does not claim to know who Jack the Ripper was, but he does put forth a theory. After having finished this book, I cannot imagine that there is much of anything else to know about the case. I would highly, highly recommend this book to anyone interested in reading an emotionless, fact-filled book about Jack the Ripper to pick this one up.

5 comments about Portrait Of A Killer: Jack The Ripper -- Case Closed (Berkley True Crime).

1. I've seen and heard all sorts of theories but without a DOUBT Patricia Cornwell has solved this case!! I couldn't put it down. I've passed the book on to others who are interested. ABSOLUTELY GREAT BOOK! The evidence found and the conclusions made are on the money! MUST READ if you have always found the Ripper case intriguing.



2. Case closed. That is what the title of the book says. But is the case truly closed or is this the opinion of one woman? I believe that it is the latter of the two. Patricia Cornwell believes that Walter Richard Sickert was the infamous Jack the Ripper.
   
   Cornwell's book, "Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper Case Closed", is a detailed description of her labors in researching the infamous murderer and trying to link him to Sickert. I will commend the author, for it seems that she worked long and hard researching this topic. Unfortunately it is hard to believe that any of the evidence she has accumulated will hold any true report with Jack the Ripper researchers. Most of her evidence is pure speculation. For example: Walter Sickert was a skilled artist. Cornwell states that she was "unsettled" by some of the parallels when comparing his paintings to photographs of the crime scene. Apparently what was painted was very similar to the crime scene. This, strange as it is, does not really prove anything.
   
   Some chapters do a very poor job of capturing the reader's attention and seem very repetitive. However, she does a very good job of detailing the scenarios where Jack the Ripper is involved. Unfortunately, I personally believe this book is very difficult to get into and is incredibly repetitive. If you are looking to seek more knowledge about the Ripper and what some peoples theories are on who he was, this may not be a bad book to start with.
   
   - Written by Eric Kreuz



3. This is the first Cornwell book I've read, and very likely the last. I started this book expecting something more mature than the movie From Hell, and found that there are actually several parallels and it's still purely circumstantial. While her accusations are compelling, they are not fact. Facts in this book are scarce. I give this three stars instead of one because the cover says "Portrait". She certainly does create a portrait. If this were a fictional novel and she didn't include herself in the book and make herself seem like Nancy Drew, this would've been a good, interesting read. But her constant interjections of "I found" or "I researched" or "I discovered" just make you want to slam the book shut and chuck it in the trash.
   Thus, if you're wondering whether or not you should read this book, there is only a certain type of audience that will enjoy it. You'll enjoy this book if you know absolutely nothing about Jack the Ripper and the facts that dissuade people from thinking it's Sickert which Cornwell blatantly ignores. Or, you'll enjoy this book if you're willing to pretend that it's a work of fiction, because as a work of fiction, she does a really fabulous character description. The Walter Sickert she portrays is a morbidly fascinating person - if you're willing to pretend that it's a fictional character. If those two types of audience aren't applicable to you, don't bother with this one. There are better books on Jack the Ripper with far less bias and just as much research.



4. After spending millions of dollars of her own money, Cornwell claims to have solve the case (and bring some justice?). I'm not sure about the justice part. I have read Cornwell before and I'm not the biggest fan. This book is an interesting mess: it has both good points and bad points.
   
   First, I'll cover the good points. The book does a great job of depicting the lives of the "unfortunates," the prostitutes of the East End of London. She describes the milieu, the hopelessness, the rampant disease, and the unsanitary conditions. She also explains how Jack the Ripper gets away with it. The police force did not have the resources to track him down. She also describes how current techniques could have caught him. She gives a multitude of arguments for Sickert being the murderer. She also addresses, at least partially, most of the objections to Sickert being the Ripper.
   
   The bad points are legion. One is that the book really drags in certain sections. She also lists other possible murders that could have been done by Jack the Ripper. This drags. She also seems to be pressing. She seems to pick Sickert at a Scotland Yard detective's recommendation and then seems to twist the circumstantial evidence to fit. Since this case is very old, there is no way we can disprove her suppositions. She also makes several insinuations and then writes, we cannot know for sure because of the lack of evidence. Why bring it up? She pretty much thinks every anonymous crank letter is from Jack the Ripper. I agree it seems like Sickert did write some of them, but it really doesn't prove anything. He appears to have been a very strange fellow. She also makes a big point that his paintings seem to depict some of the murdered women. However, interpreting paintings is a very subjective skill and I don't give it much weight.
   
   I've read a few of the reviews and they misunderstand how Cornwell used the DNA evidence. She does not use it to prove Sickert is the Ripper, she uses it to disprove some of the other suspects. The DNA evidence does not disprove Sickert.
   
   I think Sickert could be a suspect. I agree with her that the evidence for him being in France for some of the murders doesn't seem convincing. Sickert seems to be very strange, very morbid and scary man. However, Cornwell does not prove her case.



5. I FOUND PATRICIA CORNWELL'S BOOK " portrait of a killer" very enlighting. Ms Cornwell knows her forensics, and she brings us up to date by giving the "MO" of the era. She has done a lot of research on this book. I throughly enjoyed the history and back round given.

5 comments about From Hell - New Cover Edition.

1. i made the decision to purchase each of the 10 books individually. only needing #'s 8 and 10 i DO NOT regret my decision. the individual 10 books are WAAAAAAY cooler than the one volume with the whole story in it. it means you get 10 covers with 10 different paintings... cant get cooler than that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



2. Thick as a phone-book and often difficult to navigate. 'From Hell' is a comic that demands a lot from the reader and not is possible to finish over a single visit at the restroom. But it will yet be a highly rewarding experience for whoever who dares to give it a try.
   
   In one of his most ambitious works Alan Moore gives his version of the still unsolved crimes of Jack The Ripper. Stories of the police, the prostitutes, citizens of London and the killer himself are neatly meshed together with a enthusiastic analysis and ideas that appears very realistic though most is fiction. Comics are rarely seen as intelligent or complex as this.
   
   Eddie Campbell's drawings has this raw and unpolished look that suits the story just perfect and he makes a great deal of portraying the locations, the people and the gruesome killings in details. The killings are extreme and not for the weaker but they naturally also plays an important part and should certainly not ever be left out.
   
   Now, just imagine the enormous research both must have done for this book!



3. Moore and Campbell have delved deeply into the story of Jack the Ripper, to present a version of what might have happened, based on what they knew and discovered in the research.
   
   While odd looking to start with, the artwork seems to fit the squalor of the times once you start reading, and the density of the work is pretty impressive.



4. Like many, I knew the vague outlines of the Ripper murders. They occurred sometime in the mid-to-late 1800s in England, the victims were prostitutes, the crimes brutal beyond comprehension, and the perpetrator never caught or even identified. To this rather shallow appreciation, I applied Alan Moore's' "From Hell." I can now say definitively that I know much more about Victorian England - its mores and technology, its deference to royalty, its odd groups, its appearance and the way its lower classes struggled to survive. Whether I know more about the Ripper is another question.
   
   From the scattered shards of the case, Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell have put together a near-masterpiece. They weave a quasi-plausible tale that enmeshes royalty, Masonic orders, mad doctors, the easy women of the West End and grinding poverty. That the story is 90% supposition and 10% fact is no matter. Once inured to the gritty and gruesome story telling, the reader is propelled by the tale's drama and pathos. The book employs dozens of real-life characters, including William Gull, royal physician; Netley, his slow-witted coachman; William Sickert, the struggling painter; Abberline, the dogged investigator; Prince Eddy, weak-willed grandson of Victoria. But Moore and Campbell's most noble work is in limning the sordid lives of the victims. Constantly in debt to their landlords, they sell themselves for a few pence - either in a back alley up against a fence or in an out-of-the-way horse stall. The reader often encounters them -- the two Marys, Elizabeth, Annie and Catherine -- chatting with friends, enjoying a glass and fighting with their live-ins. No longer are they merely nameless victims of a brutal and fascinating (probably male) maniac, but women with histories, fears, aspirations and loves of their own. This willingness to acknowledge the personhood on the victims of crime is by itself a great contribution to the story.
   
   Moore and Campbell pull no punches. Expect full nudity, turgid genitalia and sexual frankness where it is called for. Expect equally frank depictions of the savage butchery of the murders themselves. Also expect a conspiratorial approach that ought not to be taken as the final word on the story behind the murders in Whitechapel. The deluding rantings (whether of the authors or their characters) about Dionysian priests, sacred architecture and Masonic deities ought not to be taken seriously as historic. But they do give the book much of its creepy fascination.
   
   The book's main limitation was in its artwork, whose often borderline artistic quality sometimes made the action hard to follow. Thankfully, the art was rendered in black and white. This made its goriness more tolerable, but made it difficult to determine what was going on - what was that black mass being pulled out of a body? The story, too, had its problems. Killing the women was easy to understand, but the mutilations, even under the aegis of being the ritualistic actions of a psychopath, made less and less sense as the horrors progressed and did not fit the facts very well. The perpetrator was mad, yes, but madness has a logic that was sometimes absent from this tale.
   
   Toward the end of the book, a prose section allows Moore to provide the reader with a lens into his approach. He evidently took his information from the many books that have sprung up about the case, many of which sound pretty fringy, if you ask me. And that's before Moore applied his sinister magic to them. Moore is frank about inventing dialog and scenarios to fill in the gaps in the corpus of factual evidence. A little bit of research will show the determined reader that Moore bent many facts way out of shape to fit them into his thesis. This does violence to the truth, something I do not normally condone. But the flip side is that the reader becomes acquainted with the late Victorian era in a way whose verisimilitude (outside of the farfetched conspiracy) is shockingly persuasive.
   
   Taken for what it is - a mostly imaginary retelling of an all too real tale of bloody murder, "From Hell" is enormously entertaining and compelling. Read it if you have the stomach for large doses of humanity at its most bestial and the ability to swallow conspiracy theories with a grain of salt.



5. From Hell is kind of confusing for the first four or five chapters. You really don't have too much of a clue what's going on and who every character is. However, after the first murder, it really starts to weave all of the confusing parts of the first few chapters together and make sense of them. Alan Moore does a great job of showing what the Jack the Ripper murders might have been like, and also showing what the man may have been like himself. The ending wraps everything up quite nicely, and is really profound. From Hell is just more proof of why Alan Moore is widely considered the best in the business.