Sherlock Holmes: A Positronic Book - Hardcover

A humorous Sherlock Holmes pastiche placing the familiar figures of detective fiction within an imaginative and unconventional setting. In The Pursuit of the House-Boat, John Kendrick Bangs incorporates Holmes and Dr. Watson into his broader cycle of satirical tales, where literary and historical figures interact within a loosely constructed afterlife society.

The narrative departs from the structure of formal detective fiction, favouring wit, dialogue, and situational invention over deductive procedure. Holmes appears not as the central analytic force of a conventional mystery, but as part of a wider ensemble, contributing to a sequence of episodes shaped by parody and reversal. Bangs's approach relies on recognition, using established characters to generate humour through contrast with their expected roles.

Part of the tradition often described as "Bangsian fantasy," the work reflects an early example of literary crossover and satirical reuse of well-known figures. It remains of interest to readers of classic humour, speculative fiction, and adaptations of the Sherlock Holmes character outside the original canon.