The use of the Supernatural (Hounds and List)

So... I finished reading the Hounds of the Baskervilles, and after having finsihed everything clicks together and makes sense.

But, I can't say that I liked the book very much. It took several reads for me to finish it, unlike other books like the Alienest which kept me addicted til the end. Similarly the List of 7, which I'm reading at the same time, isn't enrapturing me as much - probably because of the supernatural forces involved (which are creeping me out).

But, now I understand why the Italian secretary ended up not being too mysterious/supernatural - and why it was so similar to the Hounds of the Baskervilles. That is becuase, although there exists the possibility that supernatural forces are involved, like ghosts and enourmous hounds, they really do not exist, and thus there are logical explanations for them- which is what a lot of Sherlock Holmes is based on - though there are strange and almost impossible cases, there always exists a logical explanation for it.

In the list of 7, that's not the case. (Which i do not like because there are supernatural forces that are not explanable through logic and reasoning, which are the trumping forces of the hero--so how do they end up winning? Reasonign and logic fail and are inferior when talkign of supernatural forces like magic) It kind of ruins the faith we have in the power of the hero to triumph. It makes the stories more like a Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings one where the hero has to rely on aid, or faith in oneself... instead of something as definite as logic.

So, although the List of 7 includes Doyle (whose reasoning skills are as sharp as that of Holmes) Ex. "Your vivid imagination leads me to believe you were invalid in childhood - during which you entertained yourself by reading ovoraciously, a habit you m,aintain to this day....my family did travel regularly through Europe, particularly Germqany.... you bear the natural confidence and ambition of an eldest and only child...

These little observations adn the conclusion drawn from them are very similar to those of Holmes. But the fact that it's almost Sci-Fi and Magical draw a fine line between the two, in my opinion. The style/plot reminds me more of, like i said before a HP story.... Dealing with Holmes'ish stuff, I didn't expect for the supernatural (what other word is there for that?).

My thoughts are getting disorganized and I think I'm done talkign bout Supernatural... so next post.