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 | Thought-provoking, a nice change |
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The story is essentially a cleverly disguised thought experiment wherein we get a glimpse of the inherent benefits and defecits of a society than bans falsehood, embellishment, exaggeration, lying and even fictional storytelling.
The question being, that whatever the pros and cons are: When lying is illegal and anything that cannot be proved is essentially the same as a lie, when is the truth not the truth? When fiction is a public menace maybe the only greater dangers than purposeful deceit is truth KNOWN to be fiction and fiction KNOWN to be truth.
The plot was outlandish but seemed to go well with the setting, the Doctor, Rose and Jack were well characterised with some great writing and while the ending was strange a little lacklustre it was probably the right one, for the best effect.
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| Another flop from Jacqueline Rayner |
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| What: | Winner Takes All (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Tim, Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 24 January 2010 |
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| Rating: |   4 |
What a surprise.
Standard work of Jacqueline Rayner: Barely better than Fanfiction, if that.
Smack dab in the middle of the mediocre, shallow characters and pre-schooler's kind of grasp regarding such things as motive, emotion and deception. I don't know why it is that when other authors can write a book that appeals to ages 10 - 35 that Jacqueline can't stretch it from more than ages 8 - 13.
The plot is terribly unoriginal, so unoriginal that it's even been reused again in the Sarah Jane Adventures childrens spin-off - except better.
The aliens were one dimensional, the technology strange and unsuitable, crappy badies, crappier non-baddies, haphazard and with a transparently obvious ending.
Probably my least favourite so far... and considering I've read all but 7 out of 36 that's saying something.
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| Pretty Good for an Alien World story |
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| What: | The Monsters Inside (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Tim, Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 24 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Chock full of good technobabble - which is always a bonus to a connoisseur of such things, which I most definitely am.
A relatively clever story with a semi-formulaic plot. Great use of the 9th Doctor and Rose who were both well characterised with some good original characters and some not so good ones.
The story was a little hard to follow at times due to the scale of the scene that it is set upon and some overly complicated twists in the plot but all in all a fairly decent read.
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| A little good and a little not so good |
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| What: | Only Human (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Tim, Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 24 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
There were many things to like about this book but all the while tempered with numerous things that really didn't impress or not like at all.
The characterisation of the 9th Doctor was very Doctor like... but not outstandingly 9th-ish (if such a term is appropriate). Many parts of the story the Doctor could've been 10 and I'd never notice the difference, not much of his casual rudeness or his angry dispair in there.
Rose on the other hand was characterised well and even Capt Jack was done well. The real saving grace, as others have pointed out, is Das the Neanderthal adjusting to the 21st century, his dairy entries and Jack's own.
The ending was pretty badly hashed though, in my opinion, and the BigBad's minions could've been a bit more interesting.
A very interesting installment for a NewWho fan to get a insight into the enemy of the Sontarans, the mysterious Rutan Host.
The Doctor was characterised fairly well but lacked a lot of the darker and more insightful depths you get in other books. The original characters were well done though and the ending and theme were a bit of a change up from the usual.
This time the Doctor isn't facing off an enemy so much as protecting the people who get between two enemies facing each other which was a great concept to explore.
Somehow though the book lacked anything to take away with you when you'd finished it.
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| Good Monster-of-the-Week... |
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| What: | Forever Autumn (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Tim, Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 24 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
An original author-created baddie with some admittedly unoriginal traits but all in all they were used well and create a good theme and plot.
Some good original characters but many seemed superfluous, on the other hand the characterisations of Martha and the Doctor were spot on, best as I've ever seen in one of these books.
Well written, some nice twists and tricks, clever references and plenty of things to make a fan smile even if they somehow failed to enjoy the story itself.
I think Delta and the Bannerman was great! My favourite character is Ray because she would have been a better companion then Mel ever would! I think all the characters did a great job and played there parts well, it is one of my favourites Doctor Who stories. So I rate it: 9/10.
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| As dull as I remember it... |
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| What: | Peladon Tales (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 19 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
...I was under the illusion that this was good when I listened to the Audio version. Sadly I was wrong - they are both quite dull. Some good bits, but mainly perdictable Pertwee stuff. There are many more Pertwee stories to come out - which are much better.
| What: | Wishing Well (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Tim, Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 17 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
Average fare as far as Doctor Who books go, relatively interesting and original plot idea, a couple of reasonably good original characters, decent characterisation of the Doctor but not so much with Martha and nothing particularly memmorable.
The plot stumbled to the climax with no real twists or events, the conclusion ...and ending pretty banal and unimpressive. Easily in the bottom five of books I've read in the last year.
Better luck next time, hopefully.
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| Another Gem Underappreciated |
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| What: | Sting of the Zygons (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Tim, Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 17 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
Easily in the top 10 of the New Series books I've read and another with a rating that doesn't reflect what it is worth.
Sure there are some slow patches and the setting for the story isn't very exotic or exciting but the plot, characterisations of the Doctor and Martha, the original characters, the use of the Zygons and a mixture of great humour, suspense and surprise.
Every part of the plot that unfolds contains one startling set of new events, a set of clues that leave you asking what comes next and something else that you'll miss the significance of until later.
Reading this book really makes me hope that at some point Stephen Moffatt will revive them for NewWho.
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| One of the best I've read |
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| What: | The Deviant Strain (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Tim, Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 17 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
... and I've read most of them now.
Has a good helping of most of the things that make a book great and in pretty much just the right proportions.
The characterisations of the 9th Doctor, Rose and Jack are good, the Russian characters are well designed and used, lots of little subplots which weave in and out, humour and joke one-liners from the show itself, great plot and pace.
Honestly I can't understand why it has such a low rating, it's easily one of the better installments - like another reviewer said it could have easily and wonderfully been adapted to a two part episode. I read it in one go and was smiling when I finished.
| What: | First Generation (Cast biographies) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 15 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
This Is a fairly interesting though flatly written auto biog of the classy & delectable Ms Tamm as she recounts her life from daughter of immigrant in Bradford to screen & TV star.
Apart the Who chapters the most interesting stuff is when Mary goes back to her parents homeland of Estonia. These chapters are very moving.
There is also the story of Ms Tamm being invited to a lesbian orgy, sadly without pictures !
Interesting.
| What: | The World Shapers (Panini graphic novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 15 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
As I said in my review of Voyager, the 6th Doctor comic strips were always my favourite.
They are story's are full of invention & wild imagination as the Doctor, Peri & Frobisher set of a set of fantastic adventures.
| What: | The Tides of Time (Panini graphic novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 15 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
The complete comic strips of the 5th Doctor are all here in one fantastic collection.
Interesting to read these again after Big Finish have now done some audio adventures in Stockbridge.
Recommended.
| What: | Voyager (Miscellaneous graphic novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 15 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
The 6th Doctor's comic strips were always my favourite and they are collected here in one fantastic completion as the 6th Doctor, Peri & Frobisher go on some fantastic, amazing adventures.
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| A nice look at Ice warrior culture |
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| What: | Red Dawn (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | John Saltzburg, Philadelphia PA USA |
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| Date: | Thursday 14 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
As is often the case with Dr who you have to suspend scientific beleifs. such is the case here (the blended ice warrior human). I am a fan of these seldom used monsters (some are villians and others are noble) in this case the latter. SPOILER below stop now if you don't want to know. Overall it's not a bad story but you can also tell it's an early BF,
a human is the real villian here and the basic plot is an attack on corporate greed much like Green death
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| From an acorn grows a mighty oak |
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| What: | Slipback (Miscellaneous audio dramas) |
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| By: | John Saltzburg, Philadelphia, PA USA |
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| Date: | Thursday 14 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
Really not a great performance it's the first created for a general audiences (the prior 2 Tom Bakers were really for kids). Written recorded and broadcast in 1986 (during the first haitus) it is obvious filler. Colin and Nicola do their best but any BF is much easier to listen to
Nick Courtney's reading is much easier for my american ear than Sophie aldred's. The only thing I really didn't care for was Nick's attempt to do a Jon Pertwee impression but overall not bad. of note is the Old Flames which introduced Iris Wyldetyme
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| pertwee's final broadcast |
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recorded about the same time as Paradise of Death the Ghosts of N space was delayed in broadcasting for almost 3 years till 1996 (airing shortly before Jon's untimely death). Longer than paradise and a little goofier (but the uncle is great comic relief). Still excellent work by Jon and Nick. the quality makes me sad there weren't any more
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| easier to listen to than to watch |
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| What: | Kinda (Target novelisation readings) |
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| By: | John Saltzburg, Philadelphia, PA USA |
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| Date: | Thursday 14 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
first and foremost this is an abridged audiobook reading of the Target Novelization read by Peter Davison. I am not a fan of Kinda anyway but it's less painful as an audiobook (maybe becuase it's shorter)
