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 | Yet again, maligned for no reason.... |
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| What: | The Krotons (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 3 July 2012 |
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| Rating: |   9 |
In my mind season 6 of Doctor Who was not the degenerating, boring story filled season that many seem to think it was. For a start there was the Mind Robber, a brilliantly different and whimsical fairytale and very fresh and new for the series, then there was the long but very very robust and highly enjoyable Invasion, The Seeds of Death also brought us a brilliant sequel to the original Ice Warrior tale, the Space Pirates was a brilliant space opera with one of Rob Holmes best ever characters, in Milo Clancey. And the War Games was a truly fitting and engaging end to Pat's tenure as the Doctor. Even the Dominators is a story I dont have any trouble liking, for the brilliant lead cast and Rago and Toba. And then we come to The Krotons.
For a start the krotons themselves are brilliant! I have always loved the weird diamond heads and that lumbering wide gerth of theirs, and that booming voice is definitely one of the best monster voices of the classic black and white years of who, simply booming out like a bass drum and immediately commanding attention.
Philip Madoc also makes his presence felt in his debut true Who appearance, and is the same cool collected character he is in every other of his appearances on the show.
Patrick Troughton surely shines too, giving a brilliant performance once more as the errant time lord, and he is ably assisted again by the wonderful Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury. The slight banter between the Doctor and Zoe is always fun and diverting too.
And the plot isnt hypholuted like so many of the new series scripts. It simply boasts a great plot, thats easy to follow and easy to enjoy very much indeed. This was a story in a season far too maligned, and to me, this stick is totally unwarranted. Far from being one of the worst seasons, its actually one of the better seasons, if only in my view.
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| Choose your own adventure? |
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| What: | Ten Little Aliens (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Chris Arnold, Bundaberg, Australia |
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| Date: | Wednesday 27 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Yes, there is great build up of atmosphere in this novel. There is also a large cast of soldier type characters which works against this. Luckily they start being picked off one by one fairly rapidly. I quite liked the idea of the headset choose your way through the plot akin to the books of old. The TARDIS crew are well served by the book but it doesn't really sit well as a 60's story.
Overall I thought there were some solid ideas in this, and if you like your regular characters walking through a gritty base under siege style story akin to the Alien moves then this one is for you.
| What: | Ace Adventures (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 26 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Dragonfire I have to say does suffer just a little for that incomprehensible ending to part one, which is a pity. But the rest of the story doesnt suffer. The rest of the story is a brilliant introduction for Sophie Aldred as Ace, who immediately grabs the attention with her brilliant performance. And Bonnie Langford always good and its sad to see her go, although, as with Tom Baker and Liz Sladen's farewell, their goodbye is maybe a little emotionally bare. But its not as bad as the hand of fear. Kane is a chillingly portayed villain. And Patricia Quinn as Belasz is one of those characters that should have been allowed to live just a little bit longer. So, this story is not bad at all. Just what is that part one ending about though...?
The Happiness Patrol is a brilliantly eccentric and different tale. The Kandy Man is a wacky creation and yet chilling at the same time. The Happiness Patrol are a brilliantly portrayed race of nasties. But I just love Leslie Dunlop, as Susan Q. I like her in Frontios but shes even better here. And again Sophie makes her presence felt very strongly indeed. And the undergroun pipe dwellers are great, and sad. The wrap up on this tale is very strong too, and the pace is again non stop and thoruoghly enjoyable in the highest order.
| What: | Death to the Daleks (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 26 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Death to The Daleks is just another in the line of stories, that I at least feel get totally unwarranted negative reception, stories like Timelash and Attack of The Cybermen and Mark and Time And The Rani all have had it, and all are quite brilliant stories, at least to me. And Death to the Daleks is another of those stories.
The opening ten minutes of this story is undoubtedly creepy in the extreme sense of the word, with the truly convincing swirling fog and darkness and those very well designed exxilons creeping about just at the edge of the camera. And Sarah shows her guts again in battling that wicked little exxilon in the TARDIS.
Jon Pertwee too again really impresses with his role as the ever brilliant commanding third incarnation of the Doctor. Here he is fiercely protective of Sarah, I love the scene of his diving in to fight all those exxilons in the primitive dwelling.
And the root and the anitbodies are both brilliantly designed, and work really well in their respective roles in assistance to the living city of the exxilons. And the melting screaming ruined city at the end is extremely well done, a brilliant effect of melting agonized ice cream.
Arnold Yarrow impresses as Bellal, a very likeable companion to the Doctor in his trip to the city. And for once the daleks get some serious frying from the root! Awesomely done scenes.
And the crew of the wrecked earth mission are all good and have decent backbone, and all are actually realistically acted and not over the top. The first scene of the show too, with Terry Walsh with an arrow in his guts, is pretty gross and unexpected. And the threads of the story hang together very well indeed.
Although maybe just perhaps one would like to know how the daleks did the logic game of that maze with their suckers, probably extruded mind power to trace a line I expect.
But this story is one of the stronger Jon Pertwee tales, it hangs together very well and the pace is good, and the exxilons truly feel like a proper alien race with a history. So, overall this is far too impressive to down that much at all. A great slice of Doctor Who. The mentally frantic dalek going bonkers too isnt all that bad. Given the dalek supremes destroying an underling the dalek tale beforehand for failure, its to me no wonder why that dalek goes rather demented. Michael Wisher's dalek voices too are good.
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| Far better than its given credit for... |
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| What: | Nightmare of Eden (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 21 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Lets get the two weak points of the story out of the way:
The lighting in this story is just far too bright. The mandrels in the weird temporal zone actually work very well indeed, and appear more menacing than when lit like blackpool illuminations in the corridors of the spaceship. Thats the first slight niggle, but one that Ive always been able to overlook.
Second, the renowned Tom Baker over the top ooh my arms scene. This for once, Id agree, is a little too much from Tom. He was better when the humour still didnt patch the seriousness in his performance, and he just went a bit silly for once. But its only for twenty seconds or so, so I can forgive that too.
The way the story deals with the drug theme is very well done, and that dead mandrels should be the drug powder is really a very good and surprising developement, or at least it was for me and still is even now all these years later. Lalla Ward as Romana here is better, giving one of her greater performances. I love her scenes when she lets it be known to Tryst how flawed his CET machine is. I love that David Daker is mor erelaxed and natural as Rigg in this story, after his overblown attempt as Irongron in the Time Warrior.
I have always really liked this story, the pros again outweigh the cons. The effects of the distabilised zones all look very effective too, and the effects of the drug are not blown over into the realm of comedy, and this is a very good thing. A very wrongly maligned tale if you ask me...
| What: | The Time Travellers (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 16 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
A really cracking story with great characters & a tight twisting plot. Highly recommended.
| What: | Match of the Day (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 16 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Like (almost) all of his other 4th Doctor & Lella books, Chris Boucher gets this spot on. An excellent interesting Storyville of twists & turns. Recommended.
| What: | Wolfsbane (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 16 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
A book that is full of good ideas but doesn't really follow them and ends in a bit of a mish-mash.
| What: | Heart of TARDIS (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 16 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
A good idea that doesn't quite work but is full of fun bits and lovely references to past story's for sados like me.
| What: | Shada (BBC prestige novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 13 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
The dream team to which I refer are the writers of this wonderful book, Douglas Adams & Graham Roberts. Graham has done a marvellous job in finishing off Douglas Adams unfinished masterpiece in this wonderfully funny book. He has really captured the sprit of the times it was written & would have (should have !) been broadcast as well as capturing Adams's weird & wonderful writing style. There are lots of wonderfully funny laugh out loud moments (warning: if you read this book in public, be aware that other people may look at you strangely when you are laughing uncontrolably) and Roberts has filled in some gaps in the plot as well as fixing things that didn't quite make sense. A total triumph and I think the forthcoming Shada DVD is going to struggle to be as entertaining as this magnificent book.
| What: | The Silent Stars Go By (BBC prestige novels) |
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| By: | Adam Regula, Horseheads, NY, United States |
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| Date: | Saturday 9 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
I have read a few books by Dan Abnett and this is my favorite so far! Great story with a classic villain/ ally of the doctor. Great conceptual classic sci-fi with a brilliant ending!
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| Compound Interest Can Kill! |
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| What: | Borrowed Time (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Adam Regula, Horseheads, NY, United States |
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| Date: | Saturday 9 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
This was a really great read, could not put it down! Don't you all ways wish you had a little extra time? What if you could get all the spare time you might need, what would you do with it? Better question is what type of people would loan it to you?
Great adventure with a cool twisting plot! Also a great commentary on our current financial situation and the concept of perceived value.
Cheers!
| What: | Paradox Lost (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Adam Regula, Horseheads, NY, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 4 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
A complex and thrilling tale fully of noodley - soup time travel goodness! Very compelling characters and a really fun ride! I hope to see these villains again. One of the best of the new series so far.
| What: | I am a Dalek (Quick Reads books) |
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| By: | Adam Regula, Horseheads, NY, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 4 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
A fun quick read about the Daleks. Good to EXTERMINATE some free time!
| What: | Energy of the Daleks (Fourth Doctor Adventures audios) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 4 June 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
A two part dalek story. I was actually thinking this wouldnt be long enough to justify having the daleks in it. I had a notion of it being too quick and too packed in to be enjoyable, but gladly I was wrong.
I really liked the throw back to the seventies daleks with all the Genesis of the Daleks sound effects and all that, what with their nasty death rays sounding just like they did back then. BFP certainly do there homework, and they get the sounds spot on as usual.
Louise does very well in her first meeting with the metal pepperpots, and the way she stands up to them is brilliantly realised and performed. I love the scene of her resistance to the robotiser. I also like the appearance from Mark Benton, a classy actor in my book and yet again a lovable role. Sad its just a role for a two parter.
Tom baker of course needs no talk. Hes just got back into the mantel of the fourth doctor with such ease, its great to hear him again. All I would say is I hope he soon gets beyond just all these two part stories. They are brilliant, but overall I prefer a longer story so you can truly get into the role of the supporting cast. That is not to say that the cast dont breathe brilliant life into Nick's script for this one. They do. In no uncertain terms.
And the daleks are back being as stupid and dippy as ever! So what more could one ask for? I just hope that the next Tom season with Mary Tamm has a cyberman adventure in it, that would just be classy!!! A sure and solid adventure is what we have here, only maybe not 100% original, but still very enjoyable indeed.
| What: | Combat Rock (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Friday 18 May 2012 |
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| Rating: | 2 |
Mick Lewis has tried to write a Vietnam War novel, Heart of Darkness story, Zombie invasion horror/slasher movie tale set in the Doctor Who universe. I emphasize tried. What comes out is a mish-mash so pointlentlessly violent and gory it defies description. Doctor 2, Jamie, and Victoria land on a jungle world that is so like 1960s Vietnam it seems utterly pointless to have made it an alien world. This society is in the midst of a civil war on a planet that still has tourism. Our heroes get hoodwinked into going to an island of "former" cannibals for some low-grade site seeing, predictably get attacked, split up, and variously assualted. Thus, the reader follows the three characters as they try to find each other and escape. There is a fourth plot involving a crew of nasty, ugly mercenaries who spend most of their time killing for the hell of it and nursing their psychoses. Into this, we get ruthless native freedom fighters, the aforementioned cannibals, several absurdly large and dangerous beasties, all in a journey-to-the-center plot. I say plot, but there really is not much of one. The story goes from one scene of brutality to the next, without respite, and without developing anything. There are so many villains that the big baddy, the Krallik, just feels like one of the crew rather than any sort of ultimate evil. The Doctor spends virtually the entire novel doing nothing but muttering "My giddy aunt." Victoria gets threatened with rape several times. Mick Lewis tries throwing in some "style" by using Tim O'Brien stream of consciousness passages with the mercenaries. I suppose there is material here for those with slasher movies tastes. It left me with a bad taste in my mouth that I am still trying to rinse away.
| What: | The Time Travellers (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Chris Arnold, Bundaberg, Australia |
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| Date: | Saturday 12 May 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
I found this whole novel a great read. The initial mytery was excellent and even though the plot does demand some concentration by the reader, I don't believe it is any more complex than a Steven Moffatt twisty turny timey wimey tale from the latest TV series.
I loved the fact that the characters changed as a result of their adventure, and there was much clever foreshadowing of events to come. I guess if you are not familiar with some of the early history of the show (and the seventh doctor's tenure as well) some of the elements in the story may be confusing, although as these plot points are not laboured on and are only really hinted at, the author has tried to give nods to well versed fans without alienating casual readers.
The climax was satisfying as well as heart wrenching, as even up to the last chapter there were surprises in store. A very touching end to an altogether excellent book.
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| Frayed patience at times... |
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| What: | Frayed (Telos novellas) |
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| By: | Chris Arnold, Bundaberg, Australia |
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| Date: | Tuesday 8 May 2012 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
As an experimental piece of Doctor Who writing this just about works. I found it hard to connect with the alien environment of the colony. Although filled with clever ideas I wasn't enamoured with the dream sequence chapters. Susan was also drastically underused.
The horrific imagery was one of the highlights and I also enjoyed the characterisation of the Doctor. Some of the colonists were also quite memorable, quite a feat within the shorter word count. The climax came together quite well but the aliens were too ethereal for much of the novel.
I'm not sure this style of writing could be sustained for a full length novel, so overall the shorter length was well utilised. There are some deep themes here that are worthy of exploration. I'm just not sure I really 'got' the gist of it all.
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| A solid set of characterisations |
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| What: | The Empire of Glass (Missing Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Chris Arnold, Bundaberg, Australia |
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| Date: | Tuesday 8 May 2012 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
A fairly good-natured story which mostly preserves the essence of the era. Steven fares well here and the scenes of the alien delegation almost echo the "Daleks Masterplan" scenes but on a larger scale. Though not a terribly memorable plot, this novel has many great little character moments.
| What: | City At World's End (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Chris Arnold, Bundaberg, Australia |
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| Date: | Monday 7 May 2012 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
A rather exciting novel. I liked how Bulis left us with all these little mysteries along the way. He was very controlled with what information was released and when. Barbara was rather under used and I didn't like the Taklarians. They didn't really add anything to the story for me. I enjoyed following the Doctor and Ian through the mystery. The inbuilt countdown of the doomed planet led a sense of urgency to the novel. Better than expected.
