"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

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]

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


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