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 | Bundles of action and humour |
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| What: | Trading Futures (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Cam Cobb, Canada |
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| Date: | Monday 7 October 2002 |
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| Rating: |   9 |
UPSHOT - It's America versus EZ and a new superspy has entered into the equation ... and he's got a blue shed!
THE GOOD - I've heard quite a bit about Lance Parkin and so I decided to make my first EDA a Parkin-adventure. Wow! I really should pat myself on the back for starting with such a fab story! Bundles of action and humour.
THE BAD - Who the heck is this Sabbath guy? He frightens me!
THE UGLY - Finishing this book is like going back to work after a wonderful vacation in Florida.
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| Excellent historical fiction |
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| What: | Asylum (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Cam Cobb, Canada |
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| Date: | Saturday 5 October 2002 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
The Good: Excellent historical fiction with a very unlikley combo ... It's the 4th Doctor with Nyssa before he actually met her!
The Bad: When the Doctor and Nyssa are seperated, Nyssa's scenes become somewhat padded.
The Ugly: The sanitation conditions in 1278 Oxford!
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| Could have been much better |
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| What: | Divided Loyalties (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Cam Cobb, Canada |
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| Date: | Saturday 5 October 2002 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
The Good: I liked the background information and scenes showing a young Doctor and Master.
The Bad: The companion sub-plots ... This story would have been much better if the Doctor were facing the Celestial Toymaker on his own.
The Ugly: The average rating of this book. A "3" is not a very good report card indeed!
| What: | Festival of Death (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Cam Cobb, Canada |
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| Date: | Saturday 5 October 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
The Good: Everything ... the presentation of the Doctor and Romana II, the formula 1-paced plot, the ultra-witty dialogue, and constant SUSPENSE!
The Bad & The Ugly: Not in this story!
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| Great atmosphere, but a tad confusing |
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| What: | Drift (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Cam Cobb, Canada |
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| Date: | Saturday 5 October 2002 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
The Good: The Doctor talks circles around high-ranking military officials and CIA agents.
The Bad: Although the atmosphere is great, the running around bits are a tad confusing.
The Ugly: It's the first time I've seen colourful language in Dr. Who ... and I didn't mind it!
| What: | Last Man Running (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Cam Cobb, Canada |
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| Date: | Saturday 5 October 2002 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
The Good: Fast-paced chase scenes, very interesting monster, and witty dialogue.
The Bad: Too many characters I didn't like.
The Ugly: A confusing sub-plot revealed near the end.
I didn't like The People's Temple, but the other 2 stories were good. Paul McGann is good too, so I give it a six.
Looking at the summary and cover for Crooked World left me expecting something so outrageous that I'd be disappointed with the new Doctor line of books and thanking that they aren't sold in N. America. After reading it, however, I found myself not being able to put it down and thankful that I order through Amazon UK.
The most enjoyment I had with this book was that it wasn't your typical chase them around a space station or planet epic. It showed exactly what the Doctor's and companion's presence can do to change a world. It was nice to see them all at a total loss as to how to behave and react in a new world.
What was really fun was figuring out which real-life cartoons the citizens of Crooked World resembled. some were a bit more obvious than others and I had several of my friends remembering Saturday morning cartoons here in the States to figure out some of them (esp the Wacky Racer teams)
All in all, I'd say that this has been my favorite 8th Doctor book this year. I just hope that the continuation of this story arc is just as good.
| What: | Bunker Soldiers (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | James, Bristol, England |
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| Date: | Thursday 19 September 2002 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
This book had a really intriuging cover and blurb that grabbed me right away. Sadly, the writing wasn't quite good enough to bare it out. The crew land in Kiev in 1240, just before its going to be sacked by the Mongols, and theres a nasty alien thing running around too. I don't want to reveal more than that. The plot of this book was very ambitious (a huge cast of characters and scenes ranging from alien-infested catacombs to the splendour of the Mongol army) and, to be fair, damn good. The historical setting was also quite well researched. However, the writing style let it down. The dialogue seemed stilted and the Doctor's actions were made to seem *senseless* rather than *mysterious* (he does several about-faces on changing history). There were surprisingly few action scenes. The author had the chance to make the scenes in Dmitri's house ones of suspense and paranoia, but this doesn't come across - the Russians seem content to *ignore* the alien. Some new tricks are tried, such as doing Steven's bit in the first-person, but the tone used felt wrong for Steven. None of the characters are really explored (with the exception of Yevhen). The end chapters are very cheesey, but the first few are quite good. The author should have waited longer before introducing the alien, though he did a good job of keeping you guessing about it's motives. The Mongol attack on Kiev is well told, and the alien's flashbacks are atmospheric, but overall I found this book disappointing, because it should have been absolutely amazing (Mongols, struggling not to change history and aliens - what more should you want?).
| What: | Camera Obscura (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | John Ellison, Atlanta, Georgia, USA |
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| Date: | Wednesday 18 September 2002 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
Things have definitely been improving over the last several novels! Again, the characterization is excellent and Anji and Fitz are portrayed as three dimensional. Fitz has never seemed more human. I only wish we had been given more of those human moments--perhaps Fitz is finally coming of age (he is in his 30's now).
I will not give any of the plot away, but I suspected that after CITY OF THE DEAD, Rose would deliver a rich novel. I expected to be teased by certain events and I was. Happily, the resolution to the on-going tease was satisfying and did not seem contrived or forced. To say nothing of the bomb that was dropped at the end...
Where do we go from here?
This is one of those books where it takes a long time to make any sense out of it as well as exciting. The first three quarters of this book dragged on and was mostly chase scenes. With the appearance of the Unnoticed, things got a little more interesting. The book really seemed to take off once the Doctor learned of the location of the Unnoticed's planet.
SPOILER>>>DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN"T READ THE BOOK YET:
Was Carmodi the future self of Rhian??? The only confusing part of this whole paradox mess...
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| Basically, the thing is the keys! |
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| What: | The Keys of Marinus (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | Mark Seymour, Brighton, England |
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| Date: | Friday 13 September 2002 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Basically, the Doctor in this one is hardly in it and at the end of the day lacks authority. The thing to remember, though, guys, is that this story basically features one of the 1960s design classics (no, not the ice guards!!!)the sensational Voord. At the end of the day, I have to say that my Aunt knew two of the people who played Voords (apparently!), Peter Diment and Jenny Tyler and both complained of heat rash at the end of the week's shooting! Other than that, the quest bit can get a bit dull and that actress in the cellar (Fiona Walker) is awful: thank God her performances in Dr Who (Silver Nemesis) and the Mokades classic 'The Mighty Bum' were better! Go back and re-watch!
| What: | Colditz (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Nick Skerten, Surrey |
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| Date: | Friday 13 September 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
If ever there was an under-rated Big Finish play, it's this one. From the superb paradox the Doctor and ace find themselves in to the chilling and yet fallible Klein, this one is one of my favourites. McCoy has nailed 'the Doctor' and has become the character the TV series seemed to be driving towards, with his mixture of trickster (the 'tearing' of Klein's papers)and the manipulator. The magnificently eerie and uncanny scenes of the Doctor and Klein in the darkening German forest are easily some of the most thrilling yet, and it is a sheer delight for Klein to escape into the night at the end. More please!
| What: | City of Death (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | Eric Luskin, Brighton, England |
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| Date: | Wednesday 11 September 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This is without a doubt one of the classics from the history of Doctor Who. Sterling performances from Tom and Lalla throughout the duration of the show - suitably set in the city of romance - Paris. What makes this story great is the superb work carried out by the whole Dr. Who team (even down to the extras, where Colin Murray and Nicky Skerten deliver a fine performance eating a romantic meal). This is without a doubt the highlight of Season 17.
A nice, solid story unfortunately let down by occasional bad sound-design (there is often an echo in spaces like the inside of the car!). The storyline merges well with the fresh direction and incidental music, creating something exciting and new. Worthy of the great Peter Diment himself!
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| A View to a Krill, or a Coralee Thrill! |
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| What: | Storm Harvest (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | EDL Foster, Invercargill, New Zealand |
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| Date: | Wednesday 28 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This is the second Seventh Doctor book I have read from the Perry/Tucker trio, and in my opinion, it ranks as probably the best ("Matrix" probably following a close second).
It follows traditional plotlines with a few surprises inbetween - for once, the Doctor is not looking for wrongs to right, and yet he and Ace choose a certain aquatic holiday planet for a vacation. A planet ripe with corruption, intrigue, action, and danger in the form of the engineered, parasitic Krill (apparently also seen on "Dust Breeding") - they would have been superb on the screen, yet probably would have scared the bejabbers off the viewers! A pox on those who once claimed that the Seventh Doctor lacked credible foes to battle!
As with "Matrix", Perry and Tucker further explore the idea of the normally manipulative Seventh Doctor not always being in control of events, as outlined in the subplot involving the Klingon-like Cythosi and their scheme to scientifically unleash the perfect killing machine against their Zithra enemies. The religious subplot involving the cultists and the ancient weapon totem was reminiscent of something you might view on the "Relic Hunter" TV show, and also provided another delightfully sinister subplot.
While the aforementioned "Matrix" primarily explored the concepts of the Doctor's past and possible future (did anyone spot the reference to the 1996 TV Movie?), this book superseeds it by additionally portraying a more personal insight into the comradeship between the Doctor and Ace, how it becomes more permanently stable, even after the terrifying interference of the Ripper (aka the Valeyard) in Whitechapel.
Overall, this sunswept beach/tropical weather/glorious ocean themed adventure is a book to enjoy and be proud of. Gung-ho, blockbuster material just seeps off the pages when you read it.
What do you think, James Cameron? This book has been compared to a cinematic masterpiece of your inspiration. Interested?
I can hardly wait for "Loving the Alien", if it promises to be much of the same quality.
I have been quite critical of the BBC book range. Few Past Doctor stories capture the essence of their era, but Festival of Death manages this to perfection. Festival is right up there with City of Death.
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| Good, if you overlook the bubble wrap! |
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See a man mutate into a mass of green bubble wrap! See a monster that walks although it's legs don't touch the floor! You'll thrill to superimposed toy space stations that wobble about as if supported by strings! Okay, well, if you click on NEW CGI EFFECTS it will suddenly look a whole lot better! I actually enjoyed this story a great deal, it's a wonderful script and the cast do it very well. But the set is the thing that really makes it work, like the impressive sets for the very similar Fifth Doctor tale Four To Doomsday, the Ark set is very nice to look at, a forerunner of spectactular futuristic tales that came later (Earthshock, etc). This is also another example of a top notch story being put on DVD. I was convinced by the first batch of releases (Five Doctors, Caves of Androzani, Spearhead, Robots of Death, Resurrection of the Daleks, Tomb and this one) that the DVD's were going to represent the "best of" Dr.Who.
But sadly we will soon have such major dissapointments as Carnival of superimposed Muppets, The Ribos Yawn, The Power of Krap, The Insult of Tara and the Armageddin' Outa' here Factor on DVD! I mean, WHY in God's name?
Bring on Earth shock, The Visitation, Kinda/Snakedance, The return of the Master Trilogy/Black Guardian Trilogy, Pyramids of Mars, Genesis of the Daleks, Inferno, The Silurians, even the rather dreary but classy Talons of Weng Chiang! Heck, I'd prefer Warriors of the Deep over the Key to Time sequence. Seriously! I hate to keep saying it, but Tom Baker wasn't THAT great. He was great in the lead role, but some of his stories...a lot of his stories...just weren't that good.
| What: | Unnatural History (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Nate, Seattle |
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| Date: | Thursday 22 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Couldn't put it down.
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| Certainly the best Years tape |
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| What: | The Tom Baker Years (BBC Years videos) |
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| By: | Tom Lingwood, Broseley, Shropshire |
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| Date: | Tuesday 20 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This is my favourite Years tape. 3 hours of classic Who on 2 tapes. It has Tom Baker looking through clips of all his stories as the Doctor plus miscellaneous footage e.g. his marriage to Lalla Ward (Romana 2) and the news coverage of his departure from the series. Tom watches a clip and comments on it. To begin with, Tom can’t remember much but his memory gets better as the tape goes on. If he can’t remember something, it is displayed on a caption at the bottom of the screen. Colin Baker did a similar tape, The Colin Baker Years. It’s a shame that Jon Pertwee didn’t do a similar one and Peter Davison and Sylvester McCoy never did The Davison Years and The McCoy Years. The Tom Baker Years is an enjoyable, funny video, which all Doctor Who fans should have to their collection.
