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| What: | Fear of the Dark (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Gail Carey, England |
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| Date: | Thursday 9 January 2003 |
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| Rating: |  10 |
Imagine that between "Arc of Infinity" and "Snakedance", that Peter Davison, Janet Fielding and Sarah Sutton had gone off and filmed a Doctor Who movie. Now imagine that that Dr. Who movie was an out and out horror movie which would keep you awake after you got back home from watching it at the cinema. That movie would be "Fear of the Dark". I just read the book in one sitting an I'm still tingling with the excitement from it.
I have no hesitation in giving this book 10 out of 10. All Doctor Who novels should be this good!
| What: | The Troughton Years (BBC Years videos) |
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| By: | Luke Robinson, Sydney, Australia |
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| Date: | Tuesday 7 January 2003 |
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| Rating: |  8 |
A fairly good collection, not brilliant but I am thankful for any opportunity to watch Troughton!
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 | Nice cover, shame about the book |
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| What: | EarthWorld (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | J. Harrison, UK |
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| Date: | Thursday 26 December 2002 |
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| Rating: | 1 |
At last, the 8th Doctor is once again free to travel through time and space - hurrah! Perhaps author Jacqueline Rayner thought that a zany comedy adventure would be a great way to celebrate the end of the "Earth Arc", or maybe she wanted to write the kind of book that has made Paul Magrs a fan favourite... either way she got it wrong. This book is so bad that one wonders how it got past the editors. I usually give away books that I don't like but I actually threw this one out (really) rather than inflict it on someone else.
In a word: "Avoid!"
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| Out with a bang. In with a whimper. |
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Welcome return for McCoy's dafter 7th Doctor in a spoof murder mystery. The episodes have some good lines, effective Roddenberry pastiches and several very good moments - Graeme Garden's Fassbender on his death bed; the Doctor being seduced; some of the song contest from the final episode.
However ... it's over-long and doesn't really concentrate, it drifts and feels padded in the first episodes especially. It's the length of a 6-part TV, about 2 hours and a half. There's no real drama and it can feel like quite a long wait between jokes. The Wogan take-off, whilst accurate, seems interminable in part 1; it adds nothing to the drama and, by its length, detracts from the comedy.
Could lose 15 or 20 pages per episode and be more effective, I think. It lacks the clarity of One Doctor and the comedy suffers for that.
Agatha Christie's memorable locked room mystery gets updated in this retelling by author Stephen Cole. The ten various people trapped on an isolated island have been exchanged for a squad of cadet soldiers and their marshal on a moving planetoid.
Part of the reason why this story works is because the author has chosen an unlikely Doctor to take part in the inevitable action - the elderly Hartnell incarnation lends an uniqueness to the plot, and makes the story more tangibly noticeable and interesting.
It's true that the story is gorier than your usual type of First Doctor tale. And the part where the soldiers and the TARDIS crew live their feelings and experiences through an amplified network of neural transmissions (substituting for the typical Christie first-hand narration by lead characters) can be admittedly confusing, if you choose to follow the sections and pages outlined - I just ignored them and plowed through in a regular, linear fashion.
Those possible quibbles aside, I was thoroughly enjoyably transfixed by the aura of terror and intrigue woven through this book. If this story had been televised, I imagine it would even make a good replacement for the legendary "Tenth Planet" - Hartnell's incarnation would certainly have gone out in a blaze of noble glory.
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| The Early Years of Doctor Who |
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| What: | The Infinity Doctors (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Tom Lingwood, Broseley, Shropshire |
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| Date: | Monday 23 December 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This is probably the most interesting Doctor Who I have read. This 35th anniversary book is beautifully written. It talks about the Doctor’s early life when he was a teacher on Gallifrey. We also see Time Lords Hedin and Omega (and what happened to him) and find out how the war between the Sontarans and Rutans begin.
I would recommend this book to every Doctor Who fan. It’s one of the greatest books written.
The Doctor in this story is debatable. Some say it’s the Eighth but the best choice in my opinion would be a young version of the First before the events of 100,000 BC. Or it could be a Doctor in a parallel timeline.
I suggest you go out and get this book now.
| What: | Warmonger (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | J. Harrison, UK |
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| Date: | Saturday 21 December 2002 |
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| Rating: | 1 |
This is the book where Terrance Dicks really loses the plot. I suppose it sounded like a good idea to try and present a darker side to the 5th Doctor by tempting his most humane incarnation with the trappings of power. Trouble is, the way Dicks handles the transformation of the adventurer in cricket whites to jack booted military leader is heavy-handed and unconvincing. Also, are we really supposed to believe that the whining Peri we see in The Caves of Androzani had previously been something of a military strategist and leader herself?
Dicks seems to tire of the concept about mid-way through the book and starts throwing in old enemies and Time Lord conspiracies to pep up the book but it doesn't work.
Oddly enough this book could have worked very well if it had been written for the 6th Doctor and Peri and set between Revelation of the Daleks and The Mysterious Planet. It might have provided a good explanation for the mellowing of the realtionship between Dr. 6 and Peri, and the temptation of the Doctor might have linked in with the creation of the Valeyard.
As it stands, Warmonger comes across as Terrance Dicks' darkest hour not the Doctor's.
| What: | Last of the Gaderene (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | J. Harrison, UK |
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| Date: | Saturday 21 December 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This book was so true to the spirit of the television series and the particular era that it is trying to evoke that I keep expecting to find a copy of the video on my shelf. Highly recommended.
| What: | The Crooked World (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Janet Harrison, UK |
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| Date: | Saturday 21 December 2002 |
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| Rating: | 1 |
I just couldn't see the point of this book - the idea behind it has already been explored by the Roger Rabbit book and movie. This book had nothing new to add. Very poor.
| What: | Mission: Impractical (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Tom Lingwood, Broseley, Shropshire |
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| Date: | Wednesday 18 December 2002 |
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| Rating: | 3 |
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! Mr McIntee what have you gone and done? I can’t believe the guy who wrote some of my favourites such as The Shadow of Weng-Chiang, The Dark Path and The Face of the Enemy came up with this piece of rubbish.
Following his Doctor-less novel The Face of the Enemy, McIntee tries a novel featuring Comic Strip companion Frobisher. We also get appearances from Glitz, Dibber and the Ogrons. I think it’s because of Frobisher the book is a letdown. Basing books on comic strips do not work and they should be left how they are.
The plot was uninteresting and I found it a bore. When reading some of Glitz’s lines, I could hear Tony Selby saying some of them. I could only hear Colin Baker saying a couple of the lines but the others I couldn’t.
I hope there will be no more Frobisher books. If McIntee writes a First Doctor book, I hope he doesn’t include the Doctor’s grandchildren John and Gillian.
Anyway, I hope McIntee’s Rasputin book is better.
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| good atmosphere, decent story |
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| What: | Sword of Orion (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Paul DeLong, Edison, New Jersey, USA |
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| Date: | Friday 13 December 2002 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
The thing about this story that stood-out the most was the music. No Cybermen-centric story has had such good music since Earthshock, and it stands out even in-general. It brought a strong suspenseful atmosphere to the story, which has been really difficult to do in an audio-only format.
I've found the stories somewhat lacking in many of the Big Finish episodes I've heard so far. Even though this one wasn't stellar, it was interesting and entertaining enough to keep me listening.
I find Charley's ease-of-adapting a little dubious and hard to swallow. This is only her second episode, yet she takes concepts like androids and "death-rays" in her stride. It would be nice if the authors would give her a little token culture-shock to start out with, just to make her a little more believable.
Another weakness which the Big Finish audios have had is to make up for the lack of a visual element as an aid to telling the story by having the characters do an excess of monologues or talking to themselves to help further the storytelling. I guess it's hard in an audio-only format. But this episode seems to have less of that. Perhaps by this point they've started to get the hang of using other means to get the plot elements across to the audience.
| What: | The Face of the Enemy (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Tom Lingwood, Broseley, Shropshire |
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| Date: | Friday 6 December 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
The Face of the Enemy is definitely for people who like Doctor Who, especially the Third Doctor’s era. It’s a good book and I highly recommend it. Although the Doctor and Jo appear briefly at the book’s beginning and end, we get appearances from the Brigadier, the Master, Sergeant Benton, Captain Mike Yates, Harry Sullivan, Ian, Barbara, Corporal Bell, Sergeant Osgood and many other characters.
The book is an excellent read. The first part of the book is based on these crime shows like The Sweeney, where the Master is connected to robberies and murders despite the fact he is under lock and key. There is a load of references to TV shows and crime films. The Master even reads On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in one scene!
The last 50 odd pages move to the parallel world from Inferno where the people there have a sinister intention but I won’t spoil things.
When I was reading this book, I imagined the actors (notably the Brigadier, Master and Ian) themselves were reading some of the lines!
David A. McIntee is my favourite Doctor Who author. He tries to sort out UNIT continuity in this book. He says this novel takes place in 1976. I don’t agree. Anyone care to disagree with me?
I wonder why there have been any more of these Doctor-less novels for about 5 years?
Right, I’ll try Mr McIntee’s Frobisher book next!
| What: | Venusian Lullaby (Missing Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Tom Lingwood, Broseley, Shropshire |
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| Date: | Friday 6 December 2002 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Venusian Lullaby was the first Doctor Who Missing Adventure I read. It is an interesting book and it got me hooked on the books. Everyone should read it.
| What: | Fury from the Deep (Target novelisations) |
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| By: | michael, New Zealand |
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| Date: | Wednesday 27 November 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
I just got this book I is clearly the most superior Doctor Who novelisation I have read. It is action packed right from the start. It has a chilling atmosphere as well, Victor often reapeates phrases such as Thumping, pulsating.... The heartbeat. The sound becomes so real.
An excelent book read it
| What: | The Celestial Toymaker (Target novelisations) |
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| By: | michael, Hamilton |
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| Date: | Wednesday 27 November 2002 |
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| Rating: | 2 |
Growing up as a Doctor who fan I often use to hear what a wonderfull atmosphere this story had indeed it is deemed as an alltime classic. I eagerly waited to get a copy of the book and when I did I was dissapointed It just seems to be word for word from the tv series. did Gery davis have any input at all? It seems to me that it is rather dull and boring.
1st Eighth Doctor novel I've read. I'm uncertain to what degree I provide the characterisation but McGann's features, voice and movements came to me, as did the returning villains'. The organisation of the book was enormously satisfying, the technology imaginative and the individuals diverse and well contrasted. There are biographies for each of the principals - brisk short relevant stories - in chapters between the main ones which never interrupt the narrative; on the contrary they give it clarity. The opening pages have a quiet yearning to them. The writing for much of the book after this is severe. Even grotesque difficulties are reported in a sometimes distant / comic tone. However, just as I wished for a little more common humanity, the book rewarded me with some very tender and refreshing passages. There are probably half a dozen different elements, figures or incidents in the book which will reappear or have repercussions in future novels. I came to "Alien Bodies" fearing it might be too clever or iconoclastic for me from what I'd heard. I found a very bright and diverting wit to the invention; subtle integration of the different threads; very little of the horror elements I've found in PDAs; passages of laugh aloud comedy; sci-fi with Douglas Adams' invention, Wells' solidity and le Guin's compassion. Yet somehow 100% authentic, vigorous, stretching Doctor Who - Robert Holmes' & Malcolm Hulke's true heirs, surely? I thought it was a beautiful book in every respect, a credit to the author and the series which inspired him.
In short - 1st PDA I've read. Excellent prose, intriguing structure, accurate characterisations ofthe Doctor and Romana. Read it in 2 evenings. Good intro to the range. Recognisable, mainstream DW.
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| Imaginative and well drawn images |
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If there is one thing I remember the most about this annual it is the cover,front and back!! Great images but though we have scans of the front I can find no scans anywhere of the back, this had cybermen taking helmets off showing brain, please someone scan and send,my copy was THROWN OUT by a certain parent when she felt it was " old and tatty" I have never forgiven her.
| What: | The Romans (Target novelisations) |
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| By: | Michael Grey, New Zealand |
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| Date: | Wednesday 13 November 2002 |
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| Rating: | 1 |
Another bad novelisation from Donald Cotton. The fact that he uses letters to convey the story is awful and does not do the actual story credit at all. It would of been better had Donald Cotton not novalised any Doctor who's Then we would of actually got a better book.
| What: | The Gunfighters (Target novelisations) |
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| By: | michael, New Zealand |
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| Date: | Wednesday 13 November 2002 |
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| Rating: | 1 |
I got this novel a while back but I found it very hard to swallow. I guess westerns are not me, but i Also found Donald cottons writing style in theird person very anoying. Overall very dissapointing.
