The Singular Habits of Wasps

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"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.

Contents

Synopsis

Sherlock Holmes is mutilating corpses in Whitechapel... but for a reason no one could have suspected.

Reception

"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

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]

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References

  1. The Singular Habits of Wasps, at Science Fiction Writers of America; retrieved April 15, 2022
  2. 1995 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved April 15, 2022
  3. IMPACT PARAMETER: And Other Quantum Realities, reviewed in Publishers Weekly ; published October 29, 2001; retrieved April 15, 2022
  4. 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
  5. Quantum Realist: An Interview with Geoffrey A Landis, by Nick Gevers; at Infinity Plus; published November 3, 2001; retrieved April 15, 2022
  6. Geoffrey A. Landis Plagiarized in The Leading Edge; in Locus Online ; published April 17, 2000; modified April 26, 2000; retrieved April 15, 2022
  7. The Class That Made It Big: Leading Edge Success Stories; at Leading Edge ; published December 8, 2011; retrieved April 15, 2022