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| 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.
| What: | The Witch Hunters (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: | 10 |
Steve Lyons is a genius. Another excellent read and hard to put down. The TARDIS leaving half way through the story was a real cliffhanger like moment. The hardships of the TARDIS crew are keenly felt and all the characters have strong motivation and are integral to the story. Highly recommended.
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| Agatha Christie is space! |
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| What: | The Murder Game (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: | 10 |
A murder mystery, A space station, the Doctor in drag, and the danger of floating around cinders in Spain. What more could I ask for. Fantastic twists and turns with much hijunks and hilarity ensues.
Sorry this one was a bit too far out for me. I couldn't connect with the characters and the plot didn't grab me either. I applaud the work made to flesh out Dodo but on the whole I found it hard to finish.
| What: | The Plotters (Missing Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Chris Arnold, Bundaberg, Australia |
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| Date: | Monday 7 May 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
One of the best Hartnell books I've read. Laugh out loud funny at times and just a joy to read. Hard to put down. Highly recommended!
A little slow in places, but not as dreadful as the reputation that preceeds it. The book fleshes out Ben and especially Polly, and I liked their reactions to 1990's technology and society. The ideas are all there in the story but just out of grasp of the reader. I didn't come away from it with feelings releif that it was over, but neither did i go 'Wow, that was awesome'.
