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| 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)
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| If only BBC had made more than 2 |
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Created in the dead time of 1993-1996 when the classic series was off the air BBC radio used three old regulars to create this wonderful drama. Each episode runs for a traditional tv lenght and replicates the standard Pertwee longer story. the beauty of radio is that you can see Nick Courtney as he was in 75 no 93. the story is well paced the villians are excellent too. I wish they had done many more expecially since Jon was a veteran of radio and we never got to hear a BF with him.
Paul Mcgannn gives a dramatic reading of 3 tales for his Doctor. The People's temple is long and a bit slow but that is not Paul's fault. Dead time is very good
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| The very first audio and it shows |
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Orignially recorded and released on LP (vynyl) in 1976 this story is of significance only becuase it is technically the very first Dr who audio. It's a cast of 3 Tom, Liz and the voice for the Pecaton leader. Aimed at children it is a bit silly but at 45 minutes it's a quick listen and still worth hearing as a historical item but don't expect high drama
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| Iris #*(%?&$&?$ Wildthyme |
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| What: | Verdigris (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | , |
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| Date: | Thursday 14 January 2010 |
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| Rating: | 3 |
This seems to me more a book by an author who has created a character he likes - Iris «Annoying» Wildthyme - and wants to plug it in an existing well-loved universe, namely DW, than a novel about the third Doctor. It doesn't make much sense, just weird things happening for a while and when it does finally come together, its a major disapointment. So stay away from it unless you have to read them all or if Iris Wildthyme is on your list of top cool book characters.
Oddly I have listened to many of the later audios before this one but it still holds up and is at least as good as Slipback (the 1986 BBC radio drama). I suspect the review David Leyton above is based on somene who has not listened to radio broadcasts or assesed voice talent for animation. Peter Miles (Nider from Genesis of the Daleks) performance is particularly good.
The fourth Doctor's ghastly tale continues with The Circus of Doom, set in the 18th Century. As the Doctor goes further back in time in an attempt to track down and stop the hornets' origins, he arrives at the "Circus of Delights," where he makes a futile attempt to save Francesca from the terrible fate he has already seen for her in the future. He is also given some information that seems to indicate that all of the terrible things that have happened with the hornets could be his own fault. Is it his destiny to unleash this horrible plague himself, at some point in his future and Earth's past? The trail leads yet further back in time...
In this third part of the Hornets Nest series, Tom Baker and the production team are now giving us a really excellent production. It's a very dark tale, yet rather darkly fascinating. Baker's voice work seems the strongest and liveliest we've seen yet in this series, and The Circus of Doom reminds this listener a bit of the early "Gothic horror" stories of the Hinchcliffe seasons of the TV series.
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| Not a bad start to the season that wasnt |
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What appeals about this tale is not the reutrn of the Toymaker as such, although David does a great job at bringing this villain back to life, after the retiring of Michael Gough from acting. His laugh is memorable, and his games are pretty well presented, considering this is an audio drama. But it is actually the opening which for me is the best part of the story. A real sense that at last the sixth Doctor and Peri were getting along like house on fire. None of the stupid banter and all that. Some nice and relaxed fun scenes.
A slight pity that after such a strong start the story falls into just basically a lot of talking and not too much action. The ending is a strong concept too though, but the middle is far too long. But then again its not as long as some boring television these days.
The acting is good. The few scares are done well. And the actual explanation of where and what the Toymaker actually is is well handled and well scripted. I think you can tell David likes playing the Toymaker, he does it really very well indeed.
Apart from the slighly boring middle section, this is a nice piece of Doctor Who. It would have been a great start to the season that never was.
Well, lets take a look at the positive points:
A: The return of Nabil Shaban as Sil. Just as if he never went away from the part. He clearly relishes this part, bringing wit and laughs to the tale on various occasions. The notion of him being marooned on a planet full of beautiful women is quite amusing. And to me this set piece does work well.
B: The time lord bully Anzor. Not sure the Doctor would be quite as cringy over a daft time lord. But hey, bullies are a bad and universal breed. A good and new fresh idea. Colin Baker's final scene with Anzor though is highly memorable and brilliant. I never thought Id ever hear any Doctor say Get lost!!!
c: The return of the Ice Warriors. In the Ice Warriors they tried to free their ship from the ice, in Seeds of Death they tried to change the earths weather. In Curse of Peladon they were a good and nobel race again, and in Monster just a band of thugs. What I like about the Ice warriors is you never quite know if theyll be good or bad. And so here they are trying to change climate again, but in a totally new way. And this idea isnt bad. In terms of plot, this isnt badly done here at all. This would have been a good piece of Doctor Who for the TV.
D: The decidedly sexist talk, and final mutual coming together of the male and female races. Some amusing and witty scenes.
E: What is a really good bunch of kid actors, if it is kids. Ive only heard the download, so im just guessing. Good whoever they are anyway!
And now the bad things:
1: What happened to the ice warrior ship after the Doc sorts everything out? They disappear from the scene. Maybe there should or could be a sequel whiich sees the revenge of the Ice warriors on the planet Magnus.
And yet I cant think of another bad point. (Apart from the God in her wisdom line, Im not sexist, just a Christian. ) This is a very good Doctor Who story though. The final scenes of men and women coming together is a good point for the conclusion of this story. Just clearly classic Doctor Who.
