Now I'll admit that I haven't read very many of the Doctor Who books and I'm still getting used to being able to get them. But for every book I read I'll put a summary on here. Don't expect much, I can't get very many. Also, don't expect me to be nice about my critical comments. I've written three books myself so I don't have that whole, "Well, I can't say much because I haven't tried myself" thing AND I am a huge fan of Doctor Who (obviously) and have no scruples about critisizing indiscresions between the books and the show.
I plan to rate the books on a scale of one to ten. one being the worst and ten being the best.
This is the last of my books about the official seven doctors for the time being. I've got a few about the 8th doctor to read. Maybe I'll get a few more of these soon.
Verdigris
This adventrue features the Third Doctor, Jo, Iris Wildthyme and Tom.
High above London and its crust of smog, stretched tal above the soapy atmostphere of the Earth,
is a ship the size and exact shape of St Pancras railway station.
On board, the Doctor and that mysterious lady adventurer, Iris Wildthyme, are bargaining for their lives with creatures determined to infiltrate the 1970s in the guise of characters from nineteenth-century novels.
Without the help of UNIT, the Doctor and his friends face the daunting task of defeating aliens, marauding robot sheep, the mysterious Childern of Destiny and... the being who calls himself Verdigris.
I found this story absolutly facinating. There were about thirteen subplots going at once and they were all uterly facinating. The main bad things about it were that the author (who had to be brilliant to keep track of all the diferent things going on while he was writing it) kept switching from third person to first person to abstract ("Let's say that this guy was a farmer... no, a bum.")to looking at surviving security camera pictures. Very odd and confusing at times. Also there was the "Tom" situation. He was gay. Now, I have nothing against gay people. I definatly live by the "Live and Let Live" rule of life. But that sort of thing has no place in Doctor Who. But still, it was an exsquisit book and I look forward to reading it again. I give it a six star rating.
Imperial Moon
This story features the Fith Doctor, Turlough and Kamelion and
occurs between RESURRECTION OF THE DALEKS and PLANET OF FIRE.
The discovery of a mysterious diary, recalling a seemingly impossible journey, takes the Doctor and his companions back to a crucial moment in history-and into certain danger. For the Moon of 1878is far from deserted.
Trapped in a crater teeming with hostile animal and plant life, the Doctor and Turlough must join the British explorers on a hazardous journey to battle for their freedom before the long lunar night descends. For, lurking in the shadows, are the Vrall-cunning and utterly ruthless killers.
With the loss of one of their ships-and their captain-the British team become embrolied in a struggle to survive that tests duty and honour to their limits. Meanwhile, Turlough finds himself with Time in his hands and the Doctor must make a choice that will determine the futre on an Empire-and Earth itself.
Okay. I LOVED this book. There were no social messages or sex in it, unlike most of the new Doctor Who stuff. Plus, it was very well writen and the plot was perfect. Just enough excitement to make you want to keep reading but not enough to wear you out. I staied up until 2:30 in the morning trying to finish it. It's one of those books that just pulls you into it the second you start reading it. The writer might not have captured Peter Davison's character exactly, but you wouldn't really notice unless you'd had a crush on him since you were five like I have. I definatly recomend this book and give it an eight star rating.
Grave Matter
This story features the Sixth Doctor and Peri and
takes place after the TV story VENGEANCE ON VAROS.
When Christopher Sheldon buys the islands outright the locals owe him a debt of thanks. They don't ask too many questions about what Sheldon and his friends are up to; they don't care that he seldom ventures into the one small village; they don't ask why he saw fit to spend such a large amount of money-or where he got it from...
Even when the first few people die, there's an assumption that it's down to natural causes: allergic reactions, an expecially virulent strain of flu, a tragic fishing accident... And if the sheep and chickens are behaving oddly, that's hardly a worry.
No, if there's anything to arouse suspicion, it's the arrival of retired civil servant Sir Edward Baddesley. But generally life goes on, with its litle triumphs and upsetting tragedies.
Until the two strangers arrive...
Okay. I admit it. This story was morbid. The first line was, "Even dead men dream." It was so explicid in its discriptions sometimes it made you want to throw up. But if you have a strong stomach for that sort of thing it's a good book. The part where the Doctor taught one of the school children a card trick and suddenly they could all do it was particularly chilling. And then when the teacher picks up the cards, starts messing with them absently and then looks down--ohmygosh! It was scary. Basically this book is not for the faint hearted. (or the weak stomached...) But if you can deal with all that stuff I definatly recomend this book. But since it's only really well suited for a select few (of which I'm not a paticular member) I have to give it a measely four star rating.
Short Trips and Side Steps
How many lives has the Doctor had? Perhaps more than you think...
Follow the Doctor and his companions as they take short trips around the universe-perhaps to a Wild West overrun with dinosaurs, to a land where robot rabbits roam, or a planet where the Doctor must marry or die-and then step sideways into other universes-worlds full of song and dance; plnets made entirely of sweets; lands of movie monsters; plances where the Doctor as we know him may never have existed at all...
This book is a collection of short stories as you probably guessed from the synapsis above. Some of the stories are incredably good. I mean just really, read it six more times in a week, Doctor Who conception altering, good. And then some were just crapy. The longer stories are divided into smaller portions (like episodes) which really alarmed me at first. (I thought that they were just ending in the middle of the story!) There's one paticular story where, instead of saying "The Doctor" they say "Doctor Who" over and over again. It makes it sound like a five year old wrote it. I still haven't brought myself to read all of that one. It's pitiful. But the good ones more than make up for the, well... less than inspiering efforts. Especially the one with Peter Davison and Peri. I really think those two should have had a few more TV episodes together. They work so well! (You could probably tell I felt this way from my own sad little effort at Doctor Who writing, "Long Scarves and Cellery".) Those two are the stars. Any way, this is a good book. I'm not going to rate it since it is a collection of widely different stories ranging from the brillient to the bizzar and from the wonderful to the um... bad. (I'll have to stop now. I'm running out of adjectives.)
Tomb of Valdemar
This story features the Fourth Doctor and Romana and takes place between the TV stories
THE RIBOS OPERATION and THE PIRATE PLANET.
Millennia ago, the great god Valdemar held sway over the universe. Somehow the Old Ones defeated this dark presence and entombed him beneath the acid skies of Ashkellia, before disappearing themselves forever.
Over the centuries, the myths of Valdemar grow, crossing solar systems and races. A novelist, Miranda Pelham, pieces together the Dark God's story. Unfortunately for her, revolution and the rise of a New Protectorate force her to strike an agreement with the decadent necromancer Paul Neville to find the lost Ashkellia.
The Doctor and Romana, despite their best efforts, become embroiled in the complex conspiracies and attempts to re-discover Valdemar. High in the boiling sulphuric acid clouds, in the Palace of the Old Ones, a place where reality and dreams collide, the way is being prepared for the resurrection of the Dark One.
The Doctor faces an agonising choice: should he continue with his quest to gather the segments of the Key to Time, or prevent the rebirth of a being so powerful that its release will alter the enire fabric of the universe?
Wow. This sounds great, doesn't it? Wonderful plot, plenty of suspence--the universe is on the line once again. Well, don't buy it. This was possibly the worst book I have ever tried to read. It has been a long time since I started to read a book and was unable to finish it. But this one did it. I tried. I swear. I acctually managed to claw my way through six whole chapters--but that was it. I couldn't take any more. What could possibly be so terrible, you wonder? Well, for one thing, the entire book is written in present tense. Now, I know that that is a very complicated and challenging way to write. The guy, Simon Messingham, probably worked long and hard to make it that way. But why? It sounds stupid. You can't get into the story because every time is says, "she says" you have to mentally convert it to "she said" because that's what you're used to. That's one reason. Of course, I'm sure there are somepeople out there who can tolerate, maybe even like that kind of writing. But that's not the only thing wrong with this story. It sounds like a child wrote it. There's just something about it that's... childish. That's the only way I can figure to explain it to you. I'm not sure exactly what it is but the whole thing is...off. Take my word for it, DON'T BUY THIS BOOK. It's bad. Real bad. In fact, I give it a one star rating. How bad is a one star rating, you ask? Let me put it this way. There is no such thing as a no star rating...
Last of the Gaderene
This story features the Third Doctor, Jo, and UNIT and takes place between the TV stories
PLANET OF THE DALEKS and THE GREEN DEATH.
The new owners of a Second World War aerodrome promis a golden dawn of prosperity for the East Anglian village of Culverton. The population rejoices - with one or two eceptions. Former Spitfire pilot Alec Whistler knows the aerodrome of old, having found a strange, jade-coloured crystal there years before...
When black-shirted troops appear on the streets, Whistler takes his suspicions to his old friend Brigadier Lethbridge-Stweart. Te Doctor and Jo are sent to investigate and soon discover that all is not well in the seemingly idyllic village.
What are the black coffin-like objects being unloaded at the aerodrome? What horror lies behind Legion International's impeccable facade? And what is the monstrous creature growing and mutating in the marsh?
As Culverton gears up for its summer fete, the Dotor finds himself involved in a race against time to prevent a massive colonisation of Earth. For the last of the Gaderene are on their way...
This was a good book. The thing with the creatures living in the people's mouths was pretty gross, but not to bad. The writing was very good, the plot was was nicely put together. Yeah, all round this was a very nice book. I'm afraid I waited to long after reading it to write this--my original feelings about it are gone, but when I get a chance I'll read it again and add something to this. For now, I'm giving it a six star rating.
