There are 4,149 reviews so far. To add a review of your own, click on the item in question, then click the Vote link.
I read this book a few years ago, but I still love the idea behind it - how will UNIT survive without the Doctor? Perfectly well - so long as they involve Ian & Barbara. It's a fascinating tale and well worth people finding on e-bay/Amazon. I love it when the Doctor comes back and is completely oblivious to everything that's gone on.
Having been a fan of the series for years both the classic tv show as well as the BBC novels, I was reluctant to start reading a book based on the new series.
I was most pleasantly surprised at this book. The story drew me in straight away, as both the Doctor and Rose as well as the supporting characters are extremely well written.
The story also has a habit of turning around and suddenly being different. Normally that might just get annoying, but with this one, it just keeps getting better.
A big two thumbs up. In the words of the 9th Doctor: Fantastic!
At first the Only Good Daleks seems like nothing more than one big fan piece right down to listing various lists of Dalek servants and featuring some Skaro home grown creatures and explains much.
The Dalek decit is the main focus of the graphic novel and the characters are strong but some twists could easily been seen by someone who isn't enjoying the story. Fans of Power and Evil of the Daleks will enjoy the themes explored here and ultimately Richards and Collins are hoping a sequel can be arranged with their classic indestrucible dalek army seeing this is first orginal graphic novel based on the new series after the Dalek Project was suspended or possibly cancelled Dalek Project, which had similar themes to Victory of the Daleks.
Comic fans will enjoy this more as the style can easily be spilt up with every few pages or so almost having a mini cliffhanger so the action never ends.
While a classic Dalek romp with explores further the themes of the 2nd Doctor Dalek stories this isn't something incredible and out of this world brillant but still you can't go far wrong with this and you should probably add a 0.5 onto that 8.
I dont usually go on about the books I have read, but this book was just plain terrific. The writing was very good, the characters were believable and interesting, and the portrayal of David Tennants Doctor was spot on! All in all, the BEST Doctor Who book I have ever read!
 |  |  |
 | Doctor Who meets Pornhub! |
|
| | |
| What: | The Creature from the Pit (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
|
| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
|
| Date: | Monday 3 January 2011 |
|
| Rating: |   5 |
'The Creature from the Pit' is a strange one. On one hand the story is quite well thought-out and funny in many places, but then we look at the pants dialogue and realisation of the titular 'Creature', and these cons heavily outweigh the pros.
The jungle set of the planet Chloris' surface is quite a good one, mainly due to it being filmed on film at Ealing, instead of a poky BBC studio. This, however, is where the design budget must have run out, as we soon meet the "Wolfweeds", which are quite clearly big balloons covered in some sort of naff green fur. The costumes for the Chloris natives are OK, but nothing to write home about, particularly the guards' uniforms. Then we get to the elephant - or rather big fat green alien - in the room. That's right: Erato, the Creature; call it what you like, it looks AWFUL. A massive blob of green cling film with an appendage that is as phallic as it could get on BBC1.
Dialogue is also a bummer at most times. The 'teach yourself Tibetan' scene is brilliant in my eyes, and a lot of Tom Baker's scenes are brilliant and funny (especially with trapped astrologer Organon), but most other speech is cringe-worthy at best. Lady Adrasta's talk is full of clangers, as are the bandits'.
Overall, a pretty rubbish Doctor Who story, but in Season 17 you might call it mildly average.
I bought this book believing that the author maybe a reporter or constructive writer of media in some way, it appears not. The book appears to be a mish mash of 13 years of attending ticketed conventions or events to pay to enter, with pictures taken with the 'famous' people and the encounters written down. I was disappointed not to find out more about the people themselves other than what I can find out for myself on GOOGLE.
The writing its self, is more akin to teenager writing for a school magazine, I was disappointed by the lack of depth of the author.
I can see why this was a vanity published book!
I hope this review doesn't get deleted and that free speech can be given as I think others should read this before parting with their money.
Kate.
| What: | Horror of Glam Rock (Eighth Doctor Adventures audios) |
|
| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
|
| Date: | Monday 27 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
Paul Magrs is brilliant. Havent heard or read a failure from this bloke yet. Horror of Glam Rock is frankly a brilliant little tale. It may not be the most original thing in the cosmos, but it is witty, entertaining, snappy and in places gruesome. The sound design here is once again very good. And Sheridan is just brilliant as Lucie. And one need not mention Paul McGann. I just love the BFP audio scene, its very ripe and flowing with very few failures along the way. And the addition of Una Stubbs and Bernard Cribbins is just the icing on the acting cake front.
Paul Magrs does it again: simplicity, a story thats easy to follow and finished off with a suitably engaging climax. This is even better than Blood of the Daleks. Far better. This series just goes up and up and up! Thanks for such a great tale again Paul!
| | |
| Suitably different from the first two... |
|
| | |
Kinda and Snakedance were always two of my favourite Peter Davison stories back in the eighties. They had far more depth and imagination than a lot of the other Davison Era tales. They were clever and the characters were all 3D and all that maybe slightly let them down was that massive rubber snake at the end of Kinda, (which was greatly improved for the second tale)
But what is good and strange is this one isnt a Tegan story. She does as usual possess her guts and strength and her attitude all the way through this audio venture for the Mara, but it Peter Davison who certainly shines within the confines of this excellent story.
I love this TARDIS team. They all just go together so very well indeed. It is like they havent been away since all those years ago in the eighties. Sarah and Janet just go back together like two pieces of the jigsaw, with Mark's Turlough their to brilliantly upset the mix decently. And great that he is far more involved again here even though he has to share script with two other companions.
Also of note is the fact that very little of Kinda or its sequel has much impact on this tale. I love the first scenes with Tegan's rather funny yet at the same time rather dark dream, with the Doctor entering to get rid of that demon snake. The Mara is far stronger also here, for I would have expected the Doctor to withstand the snake better than anyone else. But if there was a Doctor who'd falter then it would be the most human one wouldnt it? And Peter really does steal the show. That hissing serpent effect is pretty great too. This story has it all: pace and many great characters. One would expect no less from a Marc Platt story!!!!
| What: | The Wreck of the Titan (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
|
| Date: | Monday 27 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
Giant Squid. Polar Bears. And the land of Fiction. Titanic and the Titan. This tale is very very entertaining to say the least. It doesnt feel like its nearly two hours at all. The plot unfolds at a brisk and brilliant pace. And Fraser Hines is particularly good here. He has always been a favourite of mine. Its good to see him back in full force after so many years.
The cast is small, and this gives more time to let the characters grow and get deeper than those audios with a far bigger cast list. This is a good thing. I love the characters within this tale. This Colin and Fraser trilogy has been excellent overall.
The giant squid and the polars are brought to audio life rather well here, and the score again goes perfectly with this type of story. This is yet again another Big Finish success story.
| What: | The Seeds of Doom (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
|
| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
|
| Date: | Monday 27 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
'The Seeds of Doom' is one of Doctor Who's best, and a great end to the super 13th season. The story is intricate and well thought-out, and retains pace, mainly due to the switch in location from Antarctica to England in Part 3.
The characters are wonderfully portrayed and are all unique, especially Amelia Ducat and Harrison Chase (the latter a very good villain).
Extras on the 2nd disc are good as well. Highly recommended
| | |
| Excellent clima to a brilliant series... |
|
| | |
| What: | Demon Quest: Sepulchre (Nest Cottage audio dramas) |
|
| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
|
| Date: | Friday 24 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
This isnt like the slight letdown to the last series of five audios. Tom Baker gives his best in a far more acceptable and different climax to this run of five stories.
The reliance on fewer characters again pays dividends. They have more chance to shine and the actors get more of chance to really get their teeth into the roles.
The plot again isnt too over the top again either. This is a usual bit of Paul Magrs brilliance. The reliance on clarity and the story being easy to follow has always been a good trait of this writer.
And its a surprise to hear the Hornet's back again. One was totally surprised by the sudden appearance of them half way through this last tale. Although, to be totally honest one wasnt beyond the point of thinking those nasty little things might wiggle their tails again sometime in the future in one of these series. And for once it isnt stupid. The hornets are a deliciously nasty little swarm.
And what I like is the fact that the three main stars all still gel together so very well indeed. They sound like a real family. And the climax to the tale is genuinely funny and silly, a great end to the second run of five stories to feature Tom Baker. I really do hope their is a third very soon.
And I wonder if it might come to pass that that Demon might rear its ugly head again too? Be brilliant if it does...because some aspects of just who this demon is is untold.
Richard Franklin at last gets to do the lead narration. I always thought he was really competent and a really easy narrator to listen to. And his acting hear is excellent as ever.
Paul has captured the Tom Baker period very well indeed. I want the BBC to make sure more and more of these series come about in the very near future. Ive missed Tom's Doctor, and its great he's back in all his unrefined brilliance. Its as if he has never been away. I have been totally satisfied with this whole DEMON QUEST season. Its one of the best ever....
First, I need to admit that I am not a big fan of Charley Pollard and the Eighth Doctor. I think Charley is a bit too pathetic, and I much prefer the later stronger Charley.
However, this story is very good and sees lots of backwards and forwards in time (timey wimey) which I really do enjoy! Paul McGann is an excellent Doctor (though again I prefer him in later audios for radio, etc). Finally, I like the conclusion to this and much much better stories to come - Charley and the Sixth Doctor really do work well together & create a very exciting set of stories to come....luckily anyone reading this in 2010 do not have a long wait to hear them. You can do it right now.
| | |
| Not the best, but not terrible either... |
|
| | |
To be honest this CC is not the best that they've produced - too much of Ace shouting and being tough. However, it's an interesting breather from the Key2Time cycle of stories, and it's an interesting way of developing Zara's character.
Definitely listen to this audio if you want some background to Zara.
| | |
| Not the best, but not terrible either... |
|
| | |
| What: | Cryptobiosis (Big Finish subscriber bonuses) |
|
| By: | Matt, Aylesbury |
|
| Date: | Thursday 23 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 7 |
This is not the best audio story in the world, but it's not the worst of the "freebies" (that lies with either Return to the Web Planet or Return of the Krotons - groan).
I agree with the person below that Mermaids (Mermen!) is a bit silly and far fetched - but then isn't most of Doctor Who?! I think it sits as a nice enough story, and I like the fact that both the Doctor and Peri work out the issue without the help of the other. Sound effects are pretty good, and the acting is great. PS, I really like the cover too!
In the end these freebie CDs are not going to be as good, but they do make nice additions to my massive BF collection.
| What: | EarthWorld (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
|
| By: | Graham Pilato, Washington D.C., USA |
|
| Date: | Wednesday 22 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 8 |
Jackie Rayner gave us Fitz, the 8th post-Earth Arc, and Anji, bold and assuredly the most character-centric novel of the line in ages. Fitz is actually better dealt with than he has been since at least Frontier Worlds, possibly further back. Anji is actually likeable, if still clearly not a great choice for a companion, after her thoroughly unlikeable debut in Escape Velocity. And the 8th Doctor is a marvel here. So much fun and still throughly growing with every moment of wide-eyed uncertainty as he remembers/relearns how to do this traveling the universe thing. The story itself is a bit of a mess, and that's also to be expected from Jackie, as her stories are so rarely plotted well, but always deliver in comedy and character. This one's her first Who novel, and amongst the most important of all for series character development. If you care about that sort of thing, this one's unmissable. If all you're in for is a Justin Richards style twisty runaround, then this IS NOT your book. I, however, really dig it. And, by any stretch, it's still miles better than Escape Velocity -- more fun, more emotionally interesting, more gripping. The drama is all in the leads' own gorwth her, though. And the last few pages are gutwrenchingly lovely.
| What: | Find and Replace (The Companion Chronicles audiobooks) |
|
| By: | Matt, Aylesbury |
|
| Date: | Thursday 16 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 10 |
When these Companion Chronicles first started, I found them really hard to get used to – you really had to listen to them to understand what was going on. However over time I am getting more and more settled with them, and this story was truly excellent. You really feel like it’s an episode from the Jon Pertwee era.
This is a story about nostalgia and it does it wonderfully well. I love all the name checks too – Benton, The Master, Brigadier, etc. Let’s please have an adventure with The Master narrated by Huxley.
Katy Manning is a really excellent actor and we really feel like Iris and Jo Grant are both there.
Well done, Big Finish. 10 out of 10.
I really like this book because i wanted to get to know matt more and it is really interesting. A must buy for any Doctor Who fan!
| What: | Return of the Krotons (Big Finish subscriber bonuses) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Sunday 12 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 7 |
"The Krotons" is one of the few full-length Troughton stories remaining. Many people lament that fact, since it is among the weakest of the Troughton era. "Return of the Krotons," despite its unimaginative title, markedly improves over its predecessor.
The Doctor and Charley arrive on a planet, go sightseeing, get caught up in the local power struggle, and then find something truly sinister is even more dangerous than the local political ruffian. These Krotons are more technologically advanced than in the first story. Philip Madoc is excellent as the corrupt colony leader.
The Krotons themselves, though, are a bit of a weakness, not the most interesting of villains. They certainly do not get the best lines in this story. There are a few too many cliches, a few too many times where one sees what will happen before it happens. Also, the process for creating the Krotons out of the mental "energy" of "high brains," makes no sense.
This one is a good, but not great, little adventure.
| What: | Cryptobiosis (Big Finish subscriber bonuses) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Sunday 12 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 1 |
Doctor Who meets the Little Mermaid? Really? Have we sunk so low?
| What: | The Wreck of the Titan (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
|
| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
|
| Date: | Saturday 11 December 2010 |
|
| Rating: | 8 |
One of my favorite "Doctor Who" story types is the "unreal reality" story, the kind in which normal perspective gets tweaked, the physical rules of cause and effect go out of whack, and reality just is not what it should be. "Doctor Who" is formatted well to suit this kind of story. That is what we have here, an adventure in a world ruled by adventure story logic. The Doctor and Jamie arrive on what they think is the QEII, but discover that it is really the Titanic. Or is it? The details are just not right, the surface more facade than fact. Then, reality twists. There will be several twists to come, all moving toward an inexorable conclusion that pushes logically toward the third story in the "Jamie" trilogy. The writing is brisk, the soundscape convincing.
I have only one strong complaint, and this is levelled at the "Doctor Who" audios of the last 2-3 years and not just this one. This is the habit of having the Doctor ask a pointed question, only to have the answer deflected by some sudden intrusion. I keep wondering in these things why no one ever wants to give a straight answer to a straight question. I know that the trick increases suspense, but it does not have to go on and on several times in one story. Toward the end of this one, all anyone says to the Doctor's questions is something like "You will find out soon." Too many times for this makes it more irritating than suspenseful.
