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| What: | Snakedance (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | will, Fareham, England |
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| Date: | Monday 13 October 2003 |
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| Rating: |  10 |
This is a good story apart from elighment and mawydrn undead.
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 | A good story (For the baker times) |
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| What: | Vengeance on Varos (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | will, Fareham, England |
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| Date: | Monday 13 October 2003 |
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| Rating: |  7 |
I like this. Its probaly 2nd best colin story. Its clever and orginal and i love the end line
A fantastic Book.
Probaly one of the best if not the best.
The sixth doctor works well without a companion and works well with the Brigader and the mystrey is very well done. 10/10
| What: | Doctor Who Yearbook 1992 (Marvel Yearbooks) |
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| By: | Mark Stevens, Vancouver Island, Canada |
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| Date: | Wednesday 8 October 2003 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
It's a handy book. This volume (1992) has the chronology of all the shows, the titles, dates, writers, etc. It's good for a quick reference. It's hardcover, so you can toss it around. There is an interesting comic strip with 3 different doctors in it. It ties in to the Sea Devils, I believe. There are also 4 or 5 short stories, one by John Lucorrotti (sic). I picked it up cheap on ebay, and would love to get more (cheap being my middle name).
| What: | Seeing I (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Benjamin Evans, Melbourne, Australia |
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| Date: | Wednesday 8 October 2003 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Seeing I is probably my favourite Doctor Who novel, largely because Kate Orman seems to have captured the essence of the new Doctor's character. He is an innocent, inquisitive, excitable and at times immature. She takes what we saw and loved of Paul McGann's creation in the telemovie and acclerates it.
Sam undergoes tremendous development in this book, no longer the fairly nondescript activist teenager we know from the previous novels. Her flight from the Doctor and the reasons behind it give ample opportunity for her to find herself, and perhaps for the first time we get to see a companion as they would be, outside the Doctor's influence. Sam becomes in this story, and now remains, one of my favourite characters in Doctor Who fiction.
Without giving anything away, Seeing I manages also to tackle the oft-debated issue of the Doctor's sexuality with a soft touch. I may be biased in that my opinions on the matter are catered for, but in the end, he isn't interested in sex at all. He loves his companions as his friends, and like the bond between Holmes and Watson, that doesn't mean it can't be a powerful force. As Liz Sladen once said, wouldn't you do anything for your best friend?
Oh, and while Kate does the usual thing of putting the Doctor through sheer hell, she must like McGann better than McCoy - he goes through the psychological wringer rather than having something explode out of his hearts. This aspect of the book is also a favourite, because in attacking the Doctor in his weak point she highlights his central traits all the more.
I have read this book multiple times, and the only fault I can pick with it is that the I seemed a bit "token alien race" to me, somewhat like an insectoid Borg. However, they're well used, and any Whoniverse mythology takes a back seat to the characters and the story. A sterling example of why Orman is my favourite Doctor Who author.
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| Not terrible, but disappointing |
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[I wrote this back when I first read the book, shortly after its release; I've edited it a bit.]
War of the Daleks isn't inherently bad, in fact I thought some of the ideas were very good, but several things irked me about the book.
John Peel insists on re-writing Dalek history when it was perfectly good as it was; why? A lot of time has gone into expanding the Daleks as a race with a real history - their creation, the war with the Thals, their civil war etc. As alien menaces go, they are considerably fleshed out, and most fans I know quite like their established history. So why not add to it, rather than changing it? This is something of a Who tradition, particularly where the Doctor himself is concerned; changes to his history occur, but usually they are minor and are made to allow additions which add to the richness of his character. To change so much in a single book seems...rude.
I always enjoy Davros as a character, but continually frustated to find he has little purpose or is under-exploited in most of his appearances. He is certainly a central and important figure in Dalek history, but for the most part his creations seem to get along just fine - better, even - without him.
Once again the Doctor has made a terrible mistake. This is a trend in the BBC books that I dislike (see The Bodysnatchers for another example), and it's even worse this time because it's not the eighth Doctor's mistake, but his predecssor's - the incarnation best known for his meticulous planning and scheming. It's not that I think the Doctor should be infallable, but to suddenly make such irreversibly bad mistakes - particularly in the endgame of one of his more celebrated plans - seems counter to his character, and indeed to the lineage of "smart heroes" which he exemplifies.
Maybe I need to read this book again, but while the basic sotry is enjoyable, it seems to take away from the Dalek mythos, rather than add.
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| Too Much To Cover In Too Little Time |
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The final installment of the first series of Sarah Jane adventures reveals at last just who is behind her being framed and hounded. Probably, it will not be a surprise to most of you since you know the cast lists of the series. Let's just say that she is as nasty as she was in 1975. Peter Miles, who has made a small career out playing nasties in Dr. Who and its spin-offs returns for another interesting performance. As Steve Martin once said about himself, "This guy's good." The main problem with the story is its scope, crossing both England and India, running from the 1940s to about 2002, both tying up the plot against Sarah and advancing an unsuspected dastardly scheme, there is just too much happening in 1 hour.
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| Ghosts in Transylvania? Nah. |
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Sarah takes a trip out of England to visit an old journalist friend who just happens to have a man who lost his memory as her butler and a little ghost problem. This story is almost totally tangential to the arc of the series, with just Sarah and Josh on their own facing down the spooks in Romania and encountering a mysterious English ex-patriot who we know must be the baddie from the start. While the explantion for the phenomenon is novel, not much else in the story is.
The third installment of the Sarah series is, in its own way, the best. The action in this one revolves around experimental germ warfare and government coverups. Hmmmm, sounds just a little too close to reality. The omnipresent Mr. Harris becomes truly scary in this story, thanks to the superb voice of Robin Bowerman. And Sarah is forced to make a truly terrible choice between competing emergencies. The whole is played at just the right emotional pitch. So what keeps it from being higher than a 7? A bit more dialogue than is necessary at some points, for starters. Also, a couple of improbabilities such as Harris's complicated trap in the underground. However, the good far outweighs the bad in this production.
Of the 5 "first season" Sarah Jane adventures, this is, surprisingly, the weakest. I say surprisingly because one usually expects better writing from Barry Letts, especially involving his own Dr. Who contributions. The premise is that someone is kidnapping homeless teenagers for use in a rejuvenation process at an exclusive old age home. Letts' longtime fascination with Eastern mysticism in this script actually gets in the way of the story instead of enhancing it. Besides that, most of the mystery is fairly easy to figure out in the first few minutes. On the plus side, the interaction between the regulars of the series advances fairly well, and Elizabeth/Sarah manages a really good Yorkshire accent (fooled me, anyway; but what do I know about it, I'm from America).
| What: | Sarah Jane Smith: Comeback (Sarah Jane Smith audios) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Sunday 5 October 2003 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Sarah Jane is back. Often rated as the most popular Dr. Who companion, Sarah Jane Smith was an unusually strong character made so by the excellent performance of Elizabeth Sladen. Sladen has returned to the character, making her quite as she was in Dr. Who and at the same time creatig a mature and self-reliant Sarah Jane. The premise is that Sarah had enjoyed a stellar career as a journalist, only to have the career destroyed by forces unknown who planted a false story for her to find. Now those same unknown forces are out to destroy her completely. This premise provides a story arc for all 5 audio adventures, creating a kind of "first season." Fans of Dr. Who expecting more of the same will not find it here. The story and atmosphere, double-dealings in high places, paranormal science, and the like, are more akin to "The X-Files." And, Terrance Dicks shows here that he is still a better script writer than novelist (generally speaking).
| What: | The Seeds of Doom (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | Chris , Merseyside |
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| Date: | Wednesday 1 October 2003 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
Very good horror story. Borrows from The Thing from Outer Space. John (Boycie) Challis is very good as a henchman.
after reading some of the 8th doctor's adventures and getting sick of Sabbath, I need a change and picked up Loving the Alien. Although the alternate realites storylines are hard to follow I really enjoyed this story. The fact that the Doctor is being held responsible for his changes in history makes for a great story (even though everything turns out ok at the end). all in all, very enjoyable with one of my favorite docs.
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| The Trial of the Triumphant |
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Colin Baker stars in his greatest and most dangerous adventure yet. Friends and foes alike are not as they seem as the Doctor faces trial by the Time Lords. Heading up the prosecution is the sinister Valeyard who has a hidden agenda of his own.....
| What: | The Caves of Androzani (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Theta Sigma, USA |
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| Date: | Friday 19 September 2003 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
This remains the ultimate Dr Who story from the original series. Peter Davison races against time to save his young friend Peri. Mercenaries and killer androids are evrywhere in the titular caves and not everyone is going to make it out alive. The DVD is even better with many behind the scenes featurettes including the Regeneration scene at the end of the four-part adventure. John Nathan Turner also makes an appearance in a rare news interview alongside his star to answer questions about the series' future.
| What: | The Ark in Space (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Theta Sigma, USA |
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| Date: | Friday 19 September 2003 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
I gave this one a 4 and that was only because it has Tom Baker in it. Also the behind the scenes interview with Tom was creative to say the least.
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| Would have made a great TV episode |
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| What: | Nekromanteia (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Theta Sigma, USA |
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| Date: | Thursday 18 September 2003 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Well-written story featuring Peter Davison and Nicola Bryant along with newcomer Caroline Morris. This 4-part audio has the youthful Doctor and his two new companions caught up in an interstellar crisis connected to a cult of witches. The cliffhangers are dramatic and -in the case of Part 2-shocking. The original Davison theme is reprised here and the entire serial matches the feelings of the latter TV stories of the Fifth Doctor. Would have made a great televised episode for the most part. The voices of the chanting witches is the only drawback.
| What: | Bang-Bang-a-Boom! (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Theta Sigma, USA |
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| Date: | Thursday 18 September 2003 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Excellent recreation of the much lamented Season 24. Sylvester McCoy is back as his earlier jokey self and Bonnie Langford's involvement makes this a reunion you don't want to miss. Mel and pop sensation Nicky Newman investigate a series of murders while the Doctor is mistaken for the new commander of the deep space station which is the setting of this tale. And I should warn all future listeners of this serial:There are a few suprises and startling revelations in the final episode.
| What: | The Movie (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Theta Sigma, USA |
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| Date: | Thursday 18 September 2003 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
This special feature length adventure introduces a brand new Doctor (Paul McGann) and a new Master (Eric Roberts)who race against time to guarantee not only the future of Earth but their own survival as well. Co-starring Daphne Ashbrook.
| What: | The Mutants (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | Olly, UK |
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| Date: | Saturday 13 September 2003 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
I don't know why this was left to be the penultimate 3rd Dr Video. I like it, I like it a lot. Good chemistry between Jo and the Dr, an enjoyable story which was put together on celliod well. The cover is good too. Enjoy!
