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| 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.
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| Intriguing...and a 3 dimensional Fitz! |
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| What: | History 101 (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | John Ellison, Atlanta, Georgia, USA |
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| Date: | Monday 19 August 2002 |
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| Rating: |  8 |
If I remember correctly from the "about the author" page, this is Halliday's first Who novel. I am, to say the least, quite impressed and pleased.
She has woven a story I found to be both original and satisfying. She also managed to bring Fitz more depth than I recall seeing since "Revolution Man". Bravo! It is about time we saw an author treat him as more than just a comic foil (or worse the bumbling, loveable fool). Also, the interaction between Fitz and Anji is well written--their grudging concern for each other is clearly evident.
At times, I did find myself wondering when some of the "players" had entered. Perhaps a little more development on their parts could have been helpful. On the whole though, I find myself dangerously close to having to eat my words from a previous review (see Book of the Still) and mail a formal apology to Jac Rayner. The line seems to be on an upswing!
| What: | Drift (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Jerry Lewandowski, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA |
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| Date: | Saturday 17 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
This book was a good depiction of a Tom Baker Dr. Who story. I thoroughly enjoyed this, especially the build up of suspense. There were, however, a couple of drawbacks to the storyline: the way the creature was explained was done rather haphazardly with not much description, and leela didn't really have much of an active part as her character did in the television program. leela's pairing up with kristal was a good idea, but they should have fed off of each other instead of leela just following kristal around. they were a perfect match but the relationship didn't seem all the strong in the story.
I was fortunate enough to receive this book from my local library to read. I have heard nothing but high praise for the author (Kate Orman) and her particular depiction of a planet at war, involving humanity and aliens.
There is really nothing more that I can say to recommend this book, since most reviewers have already used the best summing-up phrases. Kudos must go to the author's husband (Jonathan Blum) as well, for his apparent assistance in contributing to the historical interludes which outline the surprisingly rational reasoning behind the Doctor's seemingly manic obsession to play first concerto in the Hitchemus orchestra.
Kate's portrayal of the Eighth Doctor was the best to date, as I saw definitive elements of Patrick Troughton and Tom Baker's incarnations, creeping within certain high points - the absolute otherworldiness, and the ability to feign ignorance when you know more than you're prepared to admit. The costume analysis was also accurately detailed, and Ms. Orman herself acknowledges invaluable help from certain novel historians.
The beginning was admittedly slow, but tension soon built up at a cracking pace. Scenes which provided different perspectives from various characters (for example, the tragic demise of the xenobiologist, Besma Grieve), provided insights into the machinations/desires of the people involved. The scheming Longbody for example, reminded me of a similar character used in a certain televised story about humanoid reptiles.
All I can say to finish is that I can't wait to see what "Blue Box" contains (Sixth Doctor and Peri adventure). I also can't wait to see the submitted email newsletter (web address provided at the end of the book), which contains ideas and inspirations from Ms. Orman and Mr. Blum.
| What: | Rags (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Jerry Lewandowski, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA |
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| Date: | Sunday 11 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
Well, if you could get past all the blood and violence you have the makings of a good dr. who story. Note the word good. it's not great...the explanation for the ragman is pretty weak in my opinion and the climax of the story even weaker. seems that the extreme violence was there to cover up the inadequacies of the storyline. jo grant mesmerized by the music is nothing new, she is always getting hypnotized in some form or another. and what's with mike yates? why wasn't he really affected by the ragman until the very end? less violence and more substance and you've got yourself an a+ book.
A contemporary adventure in New Orleans, revolving around magic, with much soul-searching by the Doctor. The plot is good, with some nice twists, but where this book really shines is the supporting cast (Rust & Dupre in paticular) and the dialogue, particularly between Fitz and Anji. Fitz and Anji are both fanatstic, likeable companions that readers can really relate to, and I think they are one of the main reasons the 8th Doctor series has won so much praise lately. Although I think the 'final showdown' was a bit of an anti-climax, and some scenes are a bit risque for Who, I can't say either of these really mar this great book. And Paul McGann would love it too - every other page seems to mention how handsome the Doctor is!
| What: | The Happiness Patrol (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | , Ulm, Germany |
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| Date: | Friday 9 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
One of the best Doctor Who stories.
| What: | Paradise Towers (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | , Ulm, Germany |
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| Date: | Friday 9 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
In my opinion one of the best Doctor Who stories.
On a similar tack to 'The Witchunters', Lyons takes the Troughton space adventure and gives it a dark slant. The end result isn't as good as the witchunters, but still worth reading. After a shakey start ('Genesis of the Daleks', anyone?), this builds into an exciting, fast-paced adventure. The supporting cast are good, if uniformly angst-ridden, and the Selachians are a cool new race. I thought the bits with the Doctor on the 'Triumph' (the Doctor tests just how much Time can be played with) were very gripping, but got a bit bored with Zoe's chapters, which were a predictable cycle of capture/escape/capture. However, the ending is excellent. All in all, a satisfying read.
| What: | The Crooked World (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | John Ellison, Atlanta, Georgia, USA |
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| Date: | Wednesday 7 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
After some of the line's more recent offerings, I cringed as I picked up this book. The cover and the cover teaser had me convinced that this was a disaster waiting to happen. (Maybe I am a purest, but I don't find the stories that "do something 'totally' un-who-like" to be my forte--if I wanted un-who-like, then I would read something else).
What I got instead was one of the most wonderful 8th Doctor stories ever told. Lyons managed to pay homage to numerous cartoon characters while still masterfully creating a story about growth and change. Satire, wit, and feeling--it is ALL present and on the mark. I even found myself moved to tears on several occassions.
It really is that good! Were it within my power, this would be a HUGO winner.
If you are in North America and hoping to wait out the current distribution problems, then find a way to get this book NOW!
| What: | The City of the Dead (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Mark, Australia |
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| Date: | Wednesday 7 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
After reading this novel, I have to say I really enjoyed it, especially the descriptions of New Orleans, a place I never really knew anything about.
The whole story with Nothing getting into the Tardis seemed to be left largely unexplored, even at the end of the novel, and the reader is left with a rather murky understanding of the whole point of the story.
But you get to read all about the weird beliefs of some people, and there is even a mention of an erection... is that anywhere else in the franchise? I thought this story started out as a kids' series? But let's be honest, how many of us loyal fans are kids?
I feel that in this novel, Fitz was terribly underused. All he got to do was dig up a grave. Compassion fell in love with the enemy, and the Doctor pondered his memory loss whilst flirting with the Occult.
| What: | Nightshade (New Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Virtual Vikki, Red Bluff, CA, USA |
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| Date: | Wednesday 7 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Back to Earth in 1968 as the Doctor is going into a bit of a depression (which if I recall lasts off and on for the next several books) and perhaps a visit to his favorite planet will cheer him up. In the village of Crook Marsham lives an old actor who once played Nightshade on the telly. His character was sort of a cross between Prof. Quatermass and Doctor Who. Now he is just an old actor. Many murders, what else is new, have been occurring. There is a radio telescope on the moor which is being bombarded by strange signals. Add for good measure some legends of the local civil ware and an ageless power and you have all the elements for a good Who story. Sort of reminiscent of the Image of the Fendall or The Horror of Fang Rock this books makes for good reading. This was voted by fans as one of the best of the first 12 New Adventures novels.
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| Great humor.. too much sex and violence |
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| What: | Sky Pirates! (New Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Virtual Vikki, Red Bluff, CA, USA |
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| Date: | Wednesday 7 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
By David Stone (the author of three Judge Dredd novels) he also wrote one of the solo Benny novels and two other NA's.
Avast, ye scurvies! Hoist the mainbrace, splice the anchor and join the Doctor and Benny for the maiden voyage of the good ship Schirron Dream, as it ventures into the fungral dark air spaces occupied by the Sloathes - those villainous slimy evil shape shifting monsters of utter and unmitigated evil that have placed a system under siege!"
There are several interior illustrations and one very unusual map-diagram in the back of the book.
The back of this book was very odd. The standard blurb about the New Adventures was replaced with this...
"Stories deeper, wider, firmer, plumper, perkier, yellower, crisper and with more incredibly bad jokes than you can shake a stick at, theNew Adventures take the TARDIS into previously unexplored realms of taste and stupidity."
A lot of people really hated this book. I thought it was the best book so far of the entire series. Some of the gags are fantastic. The humor is good. On the down side, there is quite a bit of sex near the beginning of the novel when Bennie and the Doctor take up working in a brothel. There is a bit of violence too. Perhaps a bit more than needed to be in the story. The pirate aspects are good. The characters are very very likable. I was glad it was one of the longest Doctor Who books to date. I was a bit sad when it was over. I wish it could have gone on longer.
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| Worth reading. Ending not so good. |
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| What: | Blood Heat (New Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Virtual Vikki, Red Bluff, CA, USA |
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| Date: | Wednesday 7 August 2002 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This story is one of the more innovative of the series. It tends to lage a bit about 1/3 of the way into the book for a chapter or so. I don't want to give too much away, but the ending does negate the action and leave the reader a bit unsatisfied. however, the adventure of getting to the end is well worth the time spent.
