Sub Rosa

[prof_pangaea]

Title: Sub Rosa
Author: Professor Pangaea
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes
Disclaimer: Mr. Holmes and sundry other characters are now in the public domain, but of course I give ultimate credit and thanks for their existence to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Summary: "One of the most attractive things about the flowers is their beautiful reserve. The truly beautiful and noble puts its lover, as it were, at an infinite distance, while it attends him more strongly than ever." -- Henry David Thoreau
























































































































































































Note: The full quote of the text "High and mighty" etc. is from Hamlet, Act IV, scene vii. It is a letter from Hamlet to Claudius, and reads: "High and Mighty,-You shall know I am set naked on your kingdom. To-morrow shall I beg leave to see your kingly eyes; when I shall (first asking your pardon thereunto) recount the occasion of my sudden and more strange return."


EDIT: I want to sincerely thank everyone who has commented, both positively and critically -- I am very pleased at the amount of response that has resulted from this piece. I'm afraid that there were so many comments initially that I wasn't able to reply to each individually, as I usually do, but be assured that I have (and continue to) read and appreciate every single comment.

Comments

[shiningmoon.livejournal.com]

Wow. Very Griffin & Sabine indeed. *applause*

[vellumblue.livejournal.com]

Here by way of lizbee. This is unbelieveably well done and artistically gorgeous, thank you!

[sinick.livejournal.com]

Just wonderful. I can only, and in all seriousness, second the other calls for the publication of this material. It seems perfect for a small pictorial hardback for the holiday season.

[mattador.livejournal.com]

*applauds* I can't really say much that has not already been said, but bravo!

[bravecows.livejournal.com]

This is the coolest thing ever.

[ardent-muses.livejournal.com]

Beautiful work! Thank you!

[taimdala.livejournal.com]

Dear Professor, there are simply no words to say how awestruck I am. None. Whatsoever. Please tell me there is more to come. I don't think I could bear it if there wasn't.


(And blast it, cesario, there is nothing I can recc you that will top this...)

[elina-elsu.livejournal.com]

Like everyone else has said: That's so great!
I love the old and ragged look of the telegrams.

[bakadragon.livejournal.com]

Goooooorgeous! ^_^

Drive-by commenting ....

[the-star-fish.livejournal.com]

Truly astonishing. Both the story and the manner in it was told have me quite in awe.

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Wonderful concept and execution, both in terms of graphics quality *and* voice. This is definitely going on my next recs update!

[vampirespider.livejournal.com]

This is amazing! Exceedingly well done, thank you so much!

A Visual Feast

[killalla]

This was beautiful presentation. I really loved the graphics that you used for the many foreign telegrams, and the way that you managed to convey so much with just a few sentences, particularly in the case of the younger Mr. Holmes. The comparisons with Griffin and Sabine are very apt, but also, I think an epistolary format is most appropriate for Victorian-era works in general.

[sienamystic.livejournal.com]

*wild applause*

[ratmmjess.livejournal.com]

That...is really, really impressive. My compliments.

[gastonmonescu.livejournal.com]

Absolutely brilliant!

[lilka.livejournal.com]

Wow. This is awesome. Many kudos to you.

[misspamela.livejournal.com]

Oh my god. Oh my GOD. This is fucking unbelievable.

[marinarusalka.livejournal.com]

Wow. This is amazingly well done. My deerstalker hat is off to you.

[bronzelionel.livejournal.com]

That? That would be me, prostrate on the floor, dead. DEAD.

You spent a hundred thousand years in the making of this, didn't you? You did.

Caught the Paget picture: naughty naughty. Didn't puzzle out "Caine", 'though.

I am impressed.

[vass]

Have nothing to say but YAY.

Oh, and that the Sayers quotation in your name makes me beam.

[(Anonymous)]

"Soon you will run out of globe and end up were you began. "


This was marvellous. I love it. :D
Quite the orginal idea too!

[violent-rabbit.livejournal.com]

This was me forgetting to log in
*thumps head*

[(Anonymous)]

You wield a mighty talent! The air of authenticity pervades the art and the language. Such a curt disposition of Watson! Even Mycroft seems taken aback.

Wonderful historical documentation!

[zougla.livejournal.com]

Finally got to download the whole thing and read it. and if I may....

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Finally got to download the whole thing and read it. and if I may.... <squee!> that was so neat!
And of course, you left no detail unoticed. You even changed the dates on the stamps. Damn. Must have taken forever to Photoshop all of those. Love that program, but it's a time sucker.
But what is all this talk about "voice?" Was there audio or something I'm missing? Or do they just mean character voice?

[prof-pangaea.livejournal.com]

Er, I think the reference is to character voice, because there is no audio to this piece. Not that I am against audio (in fact, I would very much like to do something neat like that) but good lord, that would be completely horrible for this piece.

The time was immense, my friend! Especially as I ended up starting over TWICE because of various dumb things that I did -- and then I ended up completely remaking one telegram and editing ten others the night before I posted this because I relaised how much better it would be if I did. But I am glad. Because it was definitely better. (the date stamps!). But the date stamps were nothing compared to my changing the date on the Penang Station telegram (the one just before the white space). That was... interesting.

I am very glad that you like it, especially coming from the non-fandom sphere of appreciation.

[guede-mazaka.livejournal.com]

Amazing. Once I stopped boggling at the sheer concept, I was in awe of how real the telegrams look. ART in caps, definitely.