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Well, I read the reviews on here before I ever received my book. What was once eager anticipation slowly became worry. I was so hoping to see a book that tied everything together and nicely introduced the new series.
Well, I finally received my book and sat down to read it, knowing what other people thought of it. All I have to say is BRILLIANT! It was an awesome book. I loved how it tied things togheter from the entire 8th doc run, the previous series and the movie. I even like how it alluded to the controversial half-human story line and the fact that Marnal mentions three different 9th doctors.
My only complaint comes with the new series. I was hoping to see how the doctor actually regenerates (although Fitz did make a mention to it when explaining the doctor invading the hive) and I am very confused over the new series' Time Wars. I was hoping this book would have something to do with how the Time Wars involved the daleks and destroyed Gallifrey when in the 8th doctor run of books, the Time Wars were with Faction Paradox and the Doctor obviously destroyed Gallifrey awhile ago. There is just this one loose end that hasn't been answered.
All in all, it was an outstanding book and one of my top 10 favorites for the 8th doctor. Well done Lance!!!
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 | Tom Baker reads Dr Who; it can't be bad! |
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| What: | State of Decay (Target novelisation readings) |
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| By: | Dave, Australia |
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| Date: | Monday 4 July 2005 |
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| Rating: |   9 |
A little known treasure! Is it one of the better stories? No. Does Baker give it his all? Well, not his all but not his worst either. His classic voice does carry the story along. Basically, it's one of the actors who played the Doctor reading one of his own stories. It is better than similar readings produced by the BBC. When Jon Pertwee reads "Planet of the Daleks" and "Curse of Peladon"; you can hear his age in his voice. When Colin Baker reads "Vengence on Varos" and "Attack of the Cyberman"; his accent for Peri can be a distraction. Peter Davison reading "Kinda" and "Warriors from the Deep" is rather good but Tom Baker has the better reading voice. Like those recordings, if there is a problem with the script it's either the choice of story or the novelisation leaves out much that the viewer rememebered. However, it is one the few times we have (or will ever have) of Tom Baker performing Dr. Who on audio. For that alone, it's a must have!
SPOILERS
Another of Gary Russell's inexplicable switches of script from one Doctor to another. As with The Game earlier this year, the story was originally conceived as a 6th Doctor adventure (which it makes sense as). It was then switched to be a 7th Doctor whom it fits as snuggly as did Baker's coat on Sylvester McCoy in Time and the Rani.
The performance of the primary villain - Rigan played by Gail Clayton - is truly awful but the lines that the poor woman is given and the relentless stupidity of her character make an alternate portrayal hard to conceive.
Rigan is a Time Lord, a CIA operative, a Co-ordinator. Now that Russell's creation - Co-ordinator Vansell - has been killed off, the Big Finish world clearly needs another unutterably stupid Time Lord and David McIntee has delivered this in spades.
Rigan is a shrill, stupid, senseless, purposelessly cruel (another Russell tradition), in short, an irrational tit. Being the protagonist, this poses an insurmountable problem; Unregenerate! just plays so dumb.
Bonnie Langford - God love her - is still shit; not specifically as Mel but as an actress in a companion role.
McCoy - who has done a sublime turn on Shadow of the Scourge as a babbling madman - can't quite keep it up here. Insane from the opening of part one until the final episode, dear Sylvester's talents are largely wasted as usual.
Unregenerate! would be dull whoever the cast was because the characters aren't characters, they're mere personalities and their actions, reasoning, responses, rationale and intentions are those of stupid fictional children not masters of the universe.
A very poor entry in Big Finish's interminably stale Doctor Who series.
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| Winner Takes All is a winner! |
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| What: | Winner Takes All (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Luke Spillane, London |
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| Date: | Saturday 2 July 2005 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
When I first read Winner Takes All I was taken back by the likeness of the page to screen in the format, the chracters and the settings. The first few chapters felt warm and friendly, with a visit to Jackie's and Mickey's the story is a nice little adventure and has its laugh out loud moments; the description of the Quevvils and the Doctor's usual humour resembling Russell T Davies superb scripts. Yet Jaqueline Rayner's writing is 'fantastic' and has its own character to it, she writes for the Ninth Doctor, Rose, Mickey and Jackie so well, you can almost see the Doctor's ever familar grin on the pages! The story of the new FREE video game 'Death to the Mandetoans' (can't spell, sorry!)is gripping and as mystery unfolds it becomes more and more gripping, furthermore despite reviews of a quick ending i think that it is satisfying and pleases to what it has been.
As a 15 year old teenager aka life long fan i feel that Winner Takes All isn't to childish as some fans feared of the Ninth Doctor books and instead it is book for everyone including the fans, enjoy.
Oh and by the way, when's Death to the Madateons out?
| What: | Revelation of the Daleks (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | PJ Johnson, Hoddesdon, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 30 June 2005 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Revelation of the Daleks is the shining gem of season 22, which was a very troubled season for Doctor Who. The transition from Peter Davison to Colin Baker had not been particularly well received, and complaints were continuously pouring in from concerned parents regarding the increasing levels of violence in the show. The new 45-minute episode format was also proving to be unpopular with the majority of viewers, because not only did it half the length of the season from 26 weeks to 13, but it also halved the number of cliffhangers in each story, which had always been a fundamental and much-loved aspect of Doctor Who.
Despite all this, however, Revelation of the Daleks remains a very popular story, and the only story of the season which really bears repeated viewing. Appearing at the end of the season, the story benefits from a much more stable relationship between the sixth Doctor and Peri than we saw in their early stories together - while they still argue and irritate each other, there is clearly a strong bond between the two characters, and Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant both give sterling performances. The guest cast are just as engaging, particularly the immensely unlikeable Mr Jobel (played by famous actor Clive Swift), the pathetic sycophant Tasambeker, the treacherous Kara (well-known comedy actress Eleanor Bron), the energetic DJ (comedian Alexei Sayle), and Orcini, the honourable assassin and his filthy squire, Bostock. In fact, one could be forgiven for mistaking this story to have been written by Robert Holmes rather than Eric Saward, packed as it is with highly effective (and on the whole humorous) double acts: the Doctor and Peri, Jobel and Tasambeker, Orcini and Bostock, Kara and her secretary Vogel, and the wrongly accused 'bodysnatchers' Natasha and Grigory. Davros, too, is well presented here, and Terry Molloy gives a reasonable performance in the role, although for me his portrayal of the character will always be second best to that of Michael Wisher. The only characters who seem under-developed and somewhat boring are the Takis and Lilt - whose jobs never quite become clear (Takis seems to be nothing more than a glorified flower arranger), but who, ironically, play a far larger role in the conclusion of the story than the Doctor or indeed any other character.
The story itself is far from typical Doctor Who territory, which has won it both criticism and praise over the years - some find it too different, while others enjoy the fact that it is attempting something radical. Many of the themes featured in the story had never been touched in Doctor Who before - adultery, cannibalism, alcoholism and even necrophilia all appear in the script in one form or another, but with such subtlety and underlying humour that, somewhat miraculously, the story largely escaped complaints. The story of Davros' attempt to rebuild a new Dalek army in order to wipe out the Daleks that betrayed him and once again embark on a mission of universal conquest provides a solid backbone for the proceedings, and the individual stories of the other characters keep the viewer engaged throughout. Criticism has been aimed at the Doctor's lack of involvement in the story and its conclusion - in fact, the Doctor and Peri don't even arrive at Tranquil Repose until the end of episode one. While this is a fair comment, I feel that the wealth of other characters and sub-plots prevents the Doctor's lack of involvement from detracting from the viewer's enjoyment of the story.
The production is superb, the newly redesigned Daleks looking suitably menacing, thanks in large part to Graeme Harper's stunning direction, shooting the Daleks from low down, overhead and close up, ensuring that they dominate the screen every time they appear. Other striking visual images include impressive model shots of the renegade Dalek ship landing and lifting off, and Natasha's discovery of her father's mutated head inside a glass Dalek. Roger Limb's superb incidental music creates suspense and adds greatly to the atmosphere created by the dark, claustrophobic sets of Davros' catacombs.
All of these elements combine to make the strongest story of the sixth Doctor's era, and one of the shining gems of eighties Who. Revelation of the Daleks is a not a traditional Doctor Who story, it tests uncharted waters with regards to style, content and characterisation - it is an experiment, and, all things considered, the experiment was a tremendous success. It provided a powerful conclusion to a particularly weak season, and ranks among the all-time great stories of Doctor Who.
| What: | To The Slaughter (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | John Ellison, Atlanta, USA |
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| Date: | Wednesday 29 June 2005 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
What went right: Cole does (as my counterpart mentions in his review) a decent job of really using Trix to great effect. Her most involved adventure yet. Likewise, he references past events (Fitz's time spent on Mechta) and I find continuity nice although not an absolute must. The last third of the book really pulled it out of the fire for me giving it the 6 I ranked it rather than the 4 it was on course for.
What went wrong: I know writing is no easy task so I don't presume to know better than the author. However, that said, I found the constant shift in tone to be quite annoying. Am I reading this as a comedy, a farce, a horror, a drama, what? I am capable of following any form but at certain moments a dramatic scene could be totally wrecked by referencing something "atonal". Tinya's knickers...enough said.
While the novel follows the successful formula of many a Who story (divide, separate from TARDIS, run up-and-down corridors, etc.) that is exactly what prevents it from ever really working for me. It had it's twists and had some original ideas (the ultimate weapon was different) but in the end it just left me a little flat.
If you have a taste for jazz music with all its weird flares and misplaced resonance, then you may find this novel to be one of your favorites...in the end it comes down to personal preference. I've just never cared for all that jazz.
| What: | Winner Takes All (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | William Cody Winter, Laggan |
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| Date: | Saturday 25 June 2005 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
The new 9th Doctor books were realy good, I could'nt put them down. Love the hard back style.
This book (like the original TV transmission) has a reputation as one of the worst in the series, and deservedly so in my opinion. Throughout, the Doctor is referred to as 'Doctor Who' and the TARDIS as simply 'Tardis' thereby flying in the face of convention. This is very distracting for the reader and makes this unengaging story heavy going. It is also longer than most, and weighs in at over 170 pages causing this reader to constantly check his progress and pray for the end. The truth is I never got there. Life's too short, and there are a lot of Doctor Who novels I have yet to read. I would suggest that 'Zarbi' is for completists only.
| What: | Timeless (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Connor, England, London |
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| Date: | Wednesday 22 June 2005 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
This was definetly the most confusing and fustraing book i have ever read in my life (apart from The last resort). The way it was written was way beyond me. I was sad to see Anji go in the end. Is it true that Trix phoned Anji up in the Deadstone memorial.
| What: | Escape Velocity (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Connor, England, London |
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| Date: | Wednesday 22 June 2005 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
The first Eighth Doctor Novel I read was Earthworld. I was dead confused by the time I'd reached the end of it. The next book I read was The Domino Effect and Timeless. I bought Escape Velocity from The who shop in London. Once Id read it I thought it was the best book Id read. It was wierd the way Anji joined the TARDIS crew.
The Gallifrey Chronicles was one of the best books in the eighth Doctor range. Im glad that Anji returned and that K9 suddenly popped out of nowhere. Though there are a few things that confuse me. How did marnal escape Gallifreys destruction. Was the Doctor talking to the Master when he looked into the heart of the TARDIS. How did Sam die. I was a bit dissapointed when the Doctor didnt regenerate at the end though i hear another book called Fear Itself is coming out in september.
"Placebo Effect" is not by any means a great Doctor Who book, but it is far from being a bad one.The Eighth Doctor, who didn't get his fare run on television, is well represented here and the return of the Wirrn is a welcome one. Lets hope that they are a race that will return to our screens in the next series.
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| It's Better On the Inside |
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Sorry about the pun. It's one that Tim Quinn and Dicky Howett would have been proud.
It gets ten out of ten for being an indispensible part of my youth. It fell to pieces in the end, but my 12 year old self read it repeatedly and found it hilarious.
| What: | Winner Takes All (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | will, devon |
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| Date: | Thursday 16 June 2005 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
great
One of the best BBC Doctor Who stories I have read so far. Set in England during WW II the combination of history and science fiction complete with American private eyes and Irish police inspectors. This mixture of a 1940's mystery and the futuristic cybermen create a great backdrop for a story for the Doctor and Ace.
In common with Jim Mortimore's other Doctor Who novels, Eternity Weeps is shot through with a general sense of loss and of an emotional intensity that packs a considerable punch. The book splits roughly into two sections, the first in Turkey 2003 and the second...elsewhere. The Turkey sections are probably the most potent; the characters are vividly drawn and the dialogue really lifts off the page. There is a slight falling off in quality once the action shifts to Location No.2, with some laboured plotting and a denoument that is far too busy for it's own good. But don't let that put you off. Eternity Weeps is well worth picking up.
Occasionally ingenious but bland, this book is a shopping list novel. This is in essence a non-parodic, Five Doctors companion-fest with a diversity of whispers from the TV series such as an appearance from the Great Intelligence (perhaps in the form of a BOSS-like computer?).
The main action plot is substantially a retread of Frontios, its Tractators and - in its ultimate explanation of vanished humans - a piece of Bidmead-like illogic worthy of the Logopolis proposition to flush the Master out of the TARDIS as though the ship were a sewage pipe and the Master a stubborn turd.
The villain of the piece, Marnal, is yet another Earth-bound, peevish, hypocritical Time Lord. He stands as the latest in a less than illustrious line of banal, bureaucratic-minded, Gallifreyan aristo-wannabees. His redeeming feature is that whatever his shortcomings, he at least isn't as stupid as the clownish protagonist Vansell from some of Big Finish's more idiotic efforts.
The relationship that breaks out between Trix and Fitz like unsuspected meningitis and with similar threat to the health of the reader's brain is also in a noble tradition; that exemplified by Leela and Andred in The Invasion of Time. Absurd, abrupt, unconvincing declarations of affection spew out but of their mouths but without the attractive colouring of vomit.
A rollicking, breathless adventure story might have been the ideal tribute rather than the bastard offspring of Devil Goblins of Neptune and Frontios set - substantially - in a bedroom and a garage. The bedroom and garage of a Time Lord, admittedly, but even so ...
There's no sense of adventure really when 8D is reduced (sic) so explicitly to a consumerist's superhero; a hero who - if he crumples - will be replaced by The BBC Books' Fan Author Superhero Co Ltd with "a brand spanking, brighter, shinier, new, improved, better-than-ever version ...
... and still only £6.99!"
This Doctor is diminished to the state and status of the negligible by his intended elevation to invincibility.
How many more stories does the 8th Doctor have where he loses his memory. We learn he has the Matrix in his head which contains all the Time Lords thoughts, but he had to lose his memories to fit it in...hmmm. So how does he keep all the thoughts of the other time lords in there, but his own. Very weak plot, nothing relevant to the New TV series. Very disapointing, and confusing.
| What: | Winner Takes All (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Corey davies , london |
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| Date: | Monday 6 June 2005 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
it is one of the best books i've ever read
There are lots of plots of implausability. Alot of loose threads that are explained within a matter of pages, when it to 59 or more to get there. Very hot off the press, with lots of Now politics and occurances.
Ill have to read it again to go over the bits in the book that left me confused. Only took me 3 hours solid to read mind you.
