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| What: | The Mark of the Rani (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Roddy Toddy, Dundee |
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| Date: | Friday 20 October 2006 |
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| Rating: |   8 |
Despite what other people might think i thought this was a good story, with an interesting setting. It also introduced The Rani, a good villain.
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 | Ive travelled a long way to be here! |
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Dont take on board the rants of the few below the Doctor is spot on, Boucher is the only writer ive read so far that has realy captured the personalitys of the 4 doc and leela, the era and the style so there!. I do agree the charactures are unlikeable but the whole civilisation is too read the damn thing properly and you might see that. All doctor whos tv and book have some unlikeable (and dyslexic)charactures.
words cant express how bloody boring this book is ok the chactures of the doc and peri are right but oh my god dont wast your money on it to find your self wishing you'd got a better one.
Why is the question in my mind when i read this, very boring to much about the state the empires become and how the church has turn into a goverment thank god for the end which was good far play, but to sit through the middle was a struggle not the best sequel by far (and why are all of the morestrans named like italians).
And once again Boucher has captured the spirit of the series "spot on". Considering he wrote 3 of Tom Bakers best and most remembered stories (Face of evil, Robots of death and Image of the fendahl)its not a suprise that this book is so good.The Doctor and leela are probably the best representations in the book series ive read thus far (for more of the same check out Last man running) and the characterisations of Toos, Uvanov and Poul are indistinguishable from the tv show (its always nice to have a face to charactures). The plot is edge of your seat, intriguing and plays by the rules but gives you something new(what more could you want)like other Boucher books has gore but thank god it is only in 1 maybe 4 scenes on boy its coldly graphic rather than in your face and out of touch. In this book Boucher has given a face to Kaldor city and the class and political systems within and who could forget the robo-phobia something that has for me been almost "made flesh" as it were. His style of writing is fantastic and people who critisize are more at home with writers like Mick lewis or Dave stone (for to opposits to each other as well as Boucher) for both new and old who fans this is one of the best sequels so go out and buy,borrow but dont steal unless its from some one you dont like.
| What: | Her Final Flight (Big Finish subscriber bonuses) |
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| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
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| Date: | Tuesday 17 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
Her Final Flight is a bonus story that's only half the length of the regular audio productions. As such, I suppose it is what it is, and we shouldn't expect too much of it. During the course of this story, the sixth Doctor runs into Peri again many years after losing her on Thoros Beta in Trial of a Timelord. This alone is problematic due to the mess that Mindwarp became, and I understand why no other writer attempted to feature this meeting before now. The Doctor and Peri talk about what happened, but the conversation doesn't really work - this meeting should've been much different. (And indeed, as it turns out, it doesn't actually count anyway...)
The bulk of the story is very simplistic, but another "layer" of the story adds a bit more to it. What's actually happening only becomes clear during the final ten minutes. When it was all over, what I was left with was the thought that a dull and ultimately inconsequential story was used to cover up a far more interesting backstory that the listener only gets little hints of here. Overall, it just doesn't quite work.
Man this book is boring i mean realy boring, dont get me wrong its well writen the characters are very well developed, beliveable and spot on (the Doctor, Peri, Churchill, Ribbentrop etc) and nicely leads to World game but god how bloody boring sorry Terrance this time no.
Go for World game its much better.
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| cannibal ferox or cannibal terrible |
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| What: | Combat Rock (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | justin , swansea, wales |
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| Date: | Tuesday 17 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Well what do we have here, feels like im reading zombie flesh eaters rather than Doctor who very odd. Very readable indeed if you love the banned video nasty most Doctor who fans my feel alienated though.
Not a bad book in all, fast paced and theres always somehting going on but to have Pat troughtons doc in among all the gore, prostitution and needless drug refrences dont fit the era or capture the innocence and in my opinion rather distastful, Mick lewis could have had say the 6th, 7th, or 8th doctors and would have worked better.
Now i must say that this book was not that bad, after all Gary Russell has created the right mood, the Doctor, Tegan, Nyssa and Adric's characterisation are spot on.
The Doctor's vulnerability and repressed anger. Tegan the opposite, Nyssa boring and singular (really nothing new there then)and Adric who cares. I suppose theres a few bad points but others have already pointed them out my only greivance is the "deca" why is magnus aka War chief in there. In the War games he and the Doctor clearly dont know each other which makes his apperance seem like hes there to add another name to the list of renegades. Over all a good read drags a bit just befor the climax but very good, and Michael Gough seems to be in every word said by the toy maker.
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| Rushed, and disatisfying. |
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| What: | The Eight Doctors (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Ray, Merseyside |
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| Date: | Monday 16 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
This is the second Eighth Doctor novel I've read, (the other being Sometime Never...) My intention being to read through them in sequence, knowing of Terence Dicks reputation and and the high price this book currently fetches I was looking forward to a damn good read.
How disapointed I was. From the offset the book feels rushed, events take place in an astoundingly simplistic sequence, and where the Doctor-Sam partnership is finaly struck up my toes actually curled.
However, the novel does tie up a few confusing lose ends; the master/snake thing, and the Ravalox (Trial of a Time Lord) situation. Also, Dicks writes his characters very well, and leaves you with an impression of the Eighth Doctors personality as strong in your mind as all seven other Doctors.
My advice is to buy it, read it and sell it on.
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| UNIT are better than Torchwood. Fact. |
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| What: | Series 2 Volume 5: (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Nathan Lloyd, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England |
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| Date: | Monday 16 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
This is the final volume of the Tenth Doctor's first series. Fear Her is an average story. A child abducting people in her drawings is very unbelievable, even in Doctor Who standards. The line I like about this episode is the Doctor saying 'I was a dad once...' this is a reference to the Classic Series with Susan Foreman being the Doctor's grand-daughter. Army of Ghost/Doomsday is a fine two parter. This does tie up all of the lose ends of this series and throws in two classic villains- the Daleks and the Cybermen. As much as I like this story, I don't think it as good as The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit story because the Doctor was dealing with a creature that he didn't know what it was, but here he knows who the villians are after facing them many times.
| What: | Series 2 Volume 2: (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Nathan Lloyd, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England |
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| Date: | Monday 16 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
This volume is way more inferior than the previous volume. Tooth & Claw is a very great story involving Pauline Collins as Queen Victoria and the werewolf looks real. Also, David Tennannt has the chance to talk with his native Scottish tounge in this story; and Torchwood is coined. The story I don't like though is School Reunion. Me being a fifteen year old get bored of school- we want more variety. I pleased to see Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith and K9 returning. The real gem on this disc is The Girl In the Fireplace. The oximoron between the 18th and 51st century is fascinating along with the time windows. Sophia Myles makes the role of Madame de Pompadur her own and is brilliant in the role. Overall this disc would have got ten from me, but School Reunion brings my mark down slightly.
| What: | Series 2 Volume 1: (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Nathan Lloyd, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England |
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| Date: | Monday 16 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
The Tenth Doctor's first DVD is OK. The Christmas Invasion is a good story with a brief nod to the Third Doctor's years with UNIT, but as ever with the new series, there are too many moments where you cringe with embarrasment. Not just for yourself, but the actors. The Sycorax are great aliens and remind me of the Nazis by putting the human race as slaves. Meanwhile New Earth is another good story. Billie Piper is excellent in this episode. She is permitted to act over the top when Rose is possessd by Cassandra. And David Tennannt is scary in this episode; maybe scarier than his predesser.
| What: | Series 2 Volume 3: (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Nathan Lloyd, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England |
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| Date: | Monday 16 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
The first two parter of this series is good. Rise of the Cybermen is a bit slow, but the Age of Steel is a faster more action oriented episode. The downside of this two parter is you do feel cold, because the majority of the story is taken outside at night in the freezing cold. Billie Piper looks like she is catching frostbite in that maidens' dress. On the other hand, the Idiot's Lantern is fantastic because the episode is set in the 50s during the coronation of the Queen; it is quite interesting. The Wire is a great villian and is menacing; so overall good.
| What: | Series 2 Volume 4: (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Nathan Lloyd, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England |
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| Date: | Monday 16 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
This is my favourite volume of the second series of the new series. The Impossible Planet/ The Satan Pit is the best two- parter since the new show began; it even upstages Army of Ghosts/ Doomsday on the next volume in my opinion. The Impossible Planet is a tad better than the Satan Pit; but combined together a great story. Love & Monsters is good as well. Many people don't like this episode, but I think it is solid viewing with a few cringe worthy moments.
| What: | Inferno (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Nathan Lloyd, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England |
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| Date: | Monday 16 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This mega serial is fantastic for two reasons:
1. The story is set over seven episodes; so the story isn't rushed.
2. The story is believable. Humans drilling to the Earth's core is something that humans actually did before this story was written. This is easily one of my favourite Doctor Who stories. This is the first serial in which Jon Pertwee really shines in and is a great Doctor. The extras are excellent as well.
| What: | The Sontaran Experiment (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Nathan Lloyd, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England |
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| Date: | Monday 16 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
For a two parter, this little serial is excellent. Not just because the serial features my favourite alien, the Sontaran but the serial is filmed entirely on location. I think the idea of human experiment is fascinating and the scene where Sarah Jane is tortured sends tingles down your spine. You also know a lot about the Doctor's character here; he thinks Sarah is dead and attacks Styre the Sontaran. Even Tom Baker broke his collar bone at this point; the action never stops. The documentary is also very intersting and gives the viewer a deep insight into the Sontarans.
Mike Tucker & Robert Perry have done it again, given us a keep you guessing plot well developed and acuarate protagonists, and amazingly discriptive scences. And even restrained them selfs on the gore front, although the Cyber-baby-mat is the most horrific thing ive read in any dr who book (Mick Lewis take note)also i love the way these guys introduce new characters just to have them snuff it a page later (but ive said too much).
Also i wonnder what napalm death songs Ace is actually listaning too ? Nazi punks fuck off maybe.
| What: | The Next Life (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
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| Date: | Sunday 15 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
The Next Life starts out with, well, a lot of nothing. During the entire first cd, nothing much really happens. However, once we get into the second cd, we finally get some rather good and rather well played revelations about the nature of the "Divergent Universe." Contrary to the opinions of the other reviewers here, I don't feel that this story was sloppily or hurriedly slapped together, even if it may actually have been. In spite of some of the rather sudden changes that occur, it did seem like everything was taken into account and drawn together here fairly well, into an interesting and satisfying, if a bit twisted, ending to the story arc. Special mention must be given to Daphne Ashbrook's role in this production. Her performance here alone makes The Next Life worth most of the 7 I'm giving it. The story just wasn't good enough to merit a higher score, but Ashbrook is just about the most interesting and enjoyable actor I've heard in any of the Big Finish productions so far, including the regulars. What a pity that we didn't see more of her and McGann together in the Fox series that never was...
| What: | Caerdroia (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
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| Date: | Friday 13 October 2006 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Oh come on, Joe! Did your nasty third write that review? ;-) Lighten up a bit and enjoy the romp! Yes, it's possible to see Caerdroia as plodding, but it's also possible to see the brilliant scripting here. I grinned through most of this story, delighting in the Doctor arguing with himself and then taking off in three different directions, literally. It all seemed very much like one of the old PC adventure games, with the different domains connecting in some impossible way. The soundtrack is even a bit reminiscent of Myst at times. It's a fun little jaunt through a made up and pieced together world, and the script is what makes it work. Yes, it could've been dreadful if it had been poorly written, but it wasn't. Caerdroia is a delight, and I'm not the barmy one... ;-)
