The Name of the Rose

At first I was a little worried by the preface and set-up, but once I got past the conceit of the novel's presentation, I rather enjoyed this book. It was far better than the 1986 Sean Connery film version of it.

William of Baskerville is essentially a 13th Century Sherlock Holmes, and Eco doesn't even try to disguise that fact. The narrator, Adso of Melk, is a good Doctor Watson stand-in. The mystery is intriguing, and it the denouement is powerful.

I can't believe Eco never bothered to give William of Baskerville a sequel. It feels like his story is unfishined. But, nevertheless, it is a solid literary mystery.