The books are superb. I've never cared more about characters I would have found offensive if not reprehensible irl. And they are a geekfest of nauticalia, especially with plays on words strung out over volumes. They're my favorite Sherlock Holmes AU of all times.

But the movie, while of course deeply extracted from the books, is also marvelous in its own ways. The fact that there is, continuously, the background sound of the hull creaking and the sea moving, and the sense of an isolated, self-contained community—it is just perfectly done, so realistic.

And music suits it perfectly. And you already know how good the music is.