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This is by far the best Christmas special by far that the new series has produced. Matt Smith is at his comic best, and the humour is there, but is offset by great moments of sentiment and great sparkle and a little CS Lewis thrown in for good measure. All the other Christmas tales seriously lacked something in them, and they didnt actually feel that much like Christmas. But this story does, and it just happens to be one of Steven Moffats finest scripts so far. Very few new series stories have the genuine little touch of magic about them that this smart, easy flowing tale does. And there are no mind boggling twists and turns, and the story is far more enjoyable because its easier to grasp. I wish the next series to stay like this episode more, no mind warping rubbish and all that please. This is a great episode.
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 | Pretty awful restoration... |
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| What: | U.N.I.T Files (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 20 January 2012 |
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| Rating: |   7 |
I have to admit to being highly dissapointed by this release from the BBC overall, mainly because of the awful colour restoration to part One of Invasion of The Dinosaurs, its nothing like the excellent restore of part three of Planet of the Daleks, its all wonky, and faded and frankly very distracting. And the sound and visual aspects dont seem to have been so well restored either this time. I am annoyed at this as Invasion of the Dinosaurs has been one of my favourite stories, and this shoddy restoration is sad. The quality jars terribly with the final five parts. The story itself always was brilliant, despite the dinosaurs, but now here on this DVD the video version is almost preferable.
The Android invasion is far better in terms of restoration and quality. But watching it now I can see maybe just a few flaws in the plotting. Although the big how could the android attack Styggron after its been jammed surely is answered by the Doctor when he says he reprogrammed it, and possibly the reprogramming overrode the jamming too? So this isnt too much of a sore point with me. And Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen are frankly at their best here, and chilling as their android counterparts, its always unsettling to see heroes become villains if only for one story. Harry and Benton make a welcome one off comeback, the last for both of them. But the whole eye patch thing may be a little stupid and ill thought through, unless the Kraals brainwashing of Crayford made him never wanna wash that thing. (Mind you, i wouldnt want to look at an evil eyeless mess either!) So, only tiny minor quibbles, and the story on a whole is a great and creepy one. And the androids look brilliant. But just not the best set by far.
A very festively poignant and humorous little tale with just a secondary smidgeon of C.S Lewis influence thrown in. And an equally touching climax regarding the outcome of Season Six's "The Wedding of River Song." I would certainly recommend this truly Christmas-laced adventure which truly demonstrates the concept that miracles can happen.
| What: | Time and the Rani (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Tarquin Summerbutts, Paris, France |
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| Date: | Wednesday 18 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
....love this very much indeed.
| What: | Paradise Towers (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Tarquin Summerbutts, Paris, France |
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| Date: | Wednesday 18 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Not as bad as people say. Actually very good. Except Bonnie "I am on the stage" Langford, everyone is very good.
| What: | Divided Loyalties (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Tarquin Summerbutts, Paris, France |
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| Date: | Wednesday 18 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 1 |
EVERYTHING! Dreadful, dreadful, dreadful fanw@nk EVER. Don't try and buy thus unless you're a completist...
| What: | Divided Loyalties (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 18 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
Tripe
| What: | Interference: Book Two (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 18 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
People commenting here seem confused. The point is that Faction Paradox have changed when the Third Doctor will regenerate and thus changed lots of stuff for the Eighth Doctor. It's meant to be a little confusing, and it's meant to take the novels as they mean to go on! Later on Gallifrey is destroyed. However, don't worry - things will work out in the end, but do damage the Eighth Doctor for a long, long time. I can't recommend this enough! :)
| What: | Interference: Book One (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 18 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Another of a long line of Lawrence Miles writing some excellent books. These two are wonderful and clever. Spoiler alert! To kill off the Third Doctor in such a way is so sad and scary - but it's all worth it for a truly excellent story. Even Sam is good in this; and Fitz is damaged forever. I can't recommend these enough. Well done, Miles.
| What: | The Lost Stories: Animal (The Lost Stories audio dramas) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 16 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This is a great follow on to Crime of the Century, and this has a really good and different twist to the tale later on that is very well done indeed, and those aliens certainly had me fooled, so its good to occasionally still find a story that can surprise you. And Beth Chalmers is the greatest choice for Raine Creevy, what a brilliant character she already is, firmly cementing her place as one of my favourites already. And one doesnt need to mention the ever dependable Sophie, who as always jumps into the character of Ace, who bounces off Raine brilliantly. These two gals are a double act that work. And one doesnt need to mention Sylvester McCoy either, always he gives his brilliant portrayal of the most mysterious of all Doctors. Great when one finds stories that have finally seen the light day, especially when they are as brilliant as Animal. And who can forget to mention Angela Bruce? Back at long last as Bambera, that great character from the brilliant Battlefield! This is a great reunion story, full to the brim with good idiots and good twists and turns along the way.
| What: | The Lost Stories: The Elite (The Lost Stories audio dramas) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 16 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This would have made a very welcome entry into the eighties Who range on screen. I looked at the cover when I first got it through the post, and couldnt for the like of me think what the heck the returning foe could be, despite the fact that that brain thing looks like Dalek Khan! What a dumb git. So it was a well kept surprise for me at least when the foe was revealed to be a dalek. And one thinks the chocolate segment of the story is witty and fun, adding a little light relief to what really feels like a Terminator-esque kind of tale. This is gritty sci fi, and gritty would have been great to have seen back in the eighties, which was where the seires was going anyway. And as usual its great that Janet Fielding has decided to come back and do these big finish stories, just a shame it took her so long! But I can relish the fact that shes back now. And all the characters here are just grey and untrustworthy, which makes for great tension all along the road. And for once, the dalek itself isnt the most disagreeable character in the story. And its great that all these Lost tales are now being released on audio, and so far they have all been excellent, and well worth the wait....
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| Not quite as original as all that.... |
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| What: | The Lost Stories: Hexagora (The Lost Stories audio dramas) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 16 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
One recalls the story Singularity, with the aliens placing their minds in human forms while the human minds are left within carcasses, but if this missing story had have made it to the screen in the eighties, then yes, it certainly would have been something rather different for a change. And this story does have a lot going for it. It has a good alien race, strong and yet not overtly evil in anyway, and these sorts of characters always make for good drama. The Tardis crew are all on fine form, its always a such a treat to hear Janet back again in the TARDIS, unsettling the calmer Doctor and Nyssa routine. And this story also features the great actress Jacqueline Pearce, once again giving a classy performance as Queen Zafira. And this story isnt overly long either, which is also a plus, its a snappy, but highly engaging and intelligent tale which makes it yet another classy entry in the Lost Stories brilliant pantheon, Ive yet to hear a lost story I dont like....
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| One loves the First Romana |
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| What: | Ferril's Folly (The Companion Chronicles audiobooks) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 16 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Mary Tamm was the first and best Romana, thats all I have to say on the matter. And how great to have Mary again back to do another companion chronicle, and one that easily could have slotted into the key to time series with no problem at all. The Key to Time season was also one of the best of the original series of Who, and now to have a very cleverly done 7th story in that season is great. And Peter Anghelides certainly hasnt written a better story than this so far for the world of Whodom. And Romana is back in all her glory, with her usual razor sharp intellect and fearless streak. One loves the first Romana, did I mention that already? And one loves it when shes back in such a strong story as this one is. Madeline Potter is a great foil to Romana here, and her demise is both sad and nasty. Big Finish certainly know how to produce first class Doctor Who, far better than BBC Wales do with the new series at any rate....
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| Never been such a well done homage.... |
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| What: | The Many Deaths of Jo Grant (The Companion Chronicles audiobooks) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 16 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
One recalls the Jon Pertwee era so well: the planetary rights stories, the miners strikes, the moral fibres of stories like The Silurians, and to get a short story that encompasses the best of all the best Jon Pertwee story themes is brilliant. And the Many Deaths of Jo Grant is a brilliant tale, and in my book, one of the very finest companion pieces to date.
Katy Manning does her usual brilliant job of bringing the whole thing to life, and here we get the brilliant cliffhangers, leading up to a surprising and different kind of ending. This would have fitted in brilliantly in the old series, and Im so glad to hear it now. We have such good bits thrown in all along the way in this very strong tale. Anyone who likes the plantetary invasion, the alien despot, the wacko spaceship and robots, or mind science will then love this one pieces. I certainly do. A great story, Cavan and Mark have surpassed themselves this time.
| What: | The Nightmare of Black Island (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Jay Rogers, Boardman, United States |
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| Date: | Saturday 14 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This was the first Dr. Who book that I have purchased. I thought it was awsome!
| What: | The Holy Terror (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | C G Harwood, Dunedin, NZ, New Zealand |
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| Date: | Friday 13 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
This was my first exposure to Frobisher. And although I enjoyed the character I did not like the Brookland USA acsent they used for him. Other than that I enjoyed this whole story very much. The story is entertaining, with lots of surprises and plot twists and turns, with a lovely amount of humor (The bit at the start of the adventure is worth the price of this CD alone)
Yet again Colin Baker has shown us the 6th Doctor we should have got, and this is a adventure that he really sinks his teeth into. Well written by Robert Sherman and expertly directed by Nicholas Pegg who has a long history in Doctor Who
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| Not the best, but not bad either |
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| What: | Eye of Heaven (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 13 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
This is an interesting novel, because it's written from Leela's point of view. Nowadays we're too used to this because of the Big Finish Companion Chronicles, but this was a first for the novels. Mortimore doesn't get it right every time, but it's not that bad. Plus, it's a cracking story and idea, and that's got to be good. :)
| What: | Business Unusual (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 12 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
At last we get Mel's story of how she met the Doctor, and it's very good. I won't give too many spoilers away, but the novel is a very satisfactory beginning for Mel. It's also good to have a nice story with UNIT in it. I very much recommend everyone read this, so that we can fully appreciate Mel. Then people should go and listen to the audio's that she's been in, and realise what a good character she could have been on TV.
| What: | Hunter's Moon (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Hessel Hoekstra, Maassluis, Netherlands |
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| Date: | Monday 9 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
This is a typical "okay"-story. Neither very bad or good. The story is good and original. The high pace in the book keeps you reading, but the characterization is less than other books.
| What: | Made of Steel (Quick Reads books) |
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| By: | C G Harwood, Dunedin, NZ, New Zealand |
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| Date: | Thursday 5 January 2012 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
I went into this with a very open mind, Dr Who in less than 100 pages!!! If it was anybody other than Terrence Dicks I would be very worried. He turned a simple concept in to a very enjoyable read, and I love the fact that he answered the question of what happened to the cybermen made on earth before the Battle of Canery Warph.
This book is funny in places and you can really get the feel that The Doctor is still morning over his loss of Rose. And when they start talking about Martha cousin and was the Dr there when she died as absolutly brilliantly done by Dicks.
My only criticism is that I would have loved to see what he could have done with this if he had been given another 100-150 pages to fill.
