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Post by Star Platinum on Jul 28, 2022 6:05:05 GMT
Rags Somebody shoot me, this is an awful experience. I now have a book to rebuke people who say the VNAs are too dark and edgy because this is one where everything is just vile. There might be a good idea of exploring counterculture but No Future did that viscerally and much better. Also there’s a lot of racism that’s just there. Mick Lewis is a writer who I personally believe should be kept as far away from the franchise as possible. Rags and Combat Rock have the distinction of making Nekromanteia look like top shelf Who. How those stories got past the editors and the bbc is absolutely beyond me.
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Post by Star Platinum on Aug 2, 2022 19:59:17 GMT
Just started the Harvest of Time.
I remember liking this book last time I read it, But I'll admit most of the finer details are eluding me at this point.
Still, it's always good to have a nice 3rd Doctor/Master story to read!
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Post by sexbombsimon on Aug 3, 2022 11:52:41 GMT
I really enjoyed Harvest of Time, when I read it in Lock-down.
Just recently read The Day she saved the doctor, the short story book featuring Sarah-Jane, Rose, Clara & Bill. Great set of stories. Enjoyed reading one a day. Would recommend.
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Post by sherlock on Aug 14, 2022 22:06:06 GMT
The Infinity Doctors
Oh wow. A truly unbound story that revels in its uncertain relationship with the rest of continuity. No other story could get away with the twist at the end of Part 2 and it works beautifully here. Here we have a unique Doctor fighting the good fight at home, relaxing with his friend the Master Magistrate, being intimate with a fellow Time Lord, and still being the protagonist we know and love at his hearts. Oh and whilst doing this Parkin also delves deep into Gallifrey to give the best insight into how the society works since The Deadly Assassin and also casually nails the Sontarans and Rutans.
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Post by sherlock on Aug 25, 2022 17:51:09 GMT
Scratchman (the audiobook version read by Tom Baker naturally)
So yeah this is really quite brilliant. It’s a mixture of Hinchcliffe era horror (with an unlimited budget) with some of the most out there moments in Who history (the second half is literally set in Hell). Tom Baker is clearly relishing every word.
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Post by fitzoliverj on Aug 25, 2022 17:57:34 GMT
How those stories got past the editors and the bbc is absolutely beyond me. My suspicion has always been that the BBC Books had a very light touch editorial policy. There's gaping continuity errors in "Imperial Moon" (one of the plots revolves around the author completely misremembering Turlough's storyline on tv) and "Warmonger" (Borusa seems to have taught the Doctor at the academy only *after* the Doctor fled the planet in the first place).
It's quite possible that since Mick Lewis was an established, and indeed 'name', author, he was trusted to turn in something appropriate.
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Post by Star Platinum on Sept 2, 2022 2:05:10 GMT
How those stories got past the editors and the bbc is absolutely beyond me. My suspicion has always been that the BBC Books had a very light touch editorial policy. There's gaping continuity errors in "Imperial Moon" (one of the plots revolves around the author completely misremembering Turlough's storyline on tv) and "Warmonger" (Borusa seems to have taught the Doctor at the academy only *after* the Doctor fled the planet in the first place).
It's quite possible that since Mick Lewis was an established, and indeed 'name', author, he was trusted to turn in something appropriate.
This wouldn’t be too surprising, after checking it’s publication, in 2001, it’s not overly surprising editorial wasn’t paying attention.
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Post by Star Platinum on Sept 2, 2022 2:15:04 GMT
I’m just tying up the last few tracks of the Amorality Tale audiobook.
So far, of the 3rd doctor books I’ve enjoyed these last few months, this the strongest one.
Dan Starkey’s reading is quite good and the story zips by quite quickly.
It’s a very strong pseudo historical, something the 3rd doctor didn’t do too often, and it’s roots in reality only strengthens the story
Well worth a listen, I’ll have to try and hunt down a physical copy.
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Post by newt5996 on Sept 2, 2022 3:54:32 GMT
I’ve started The Slow Empire and it’s very Dave Stone. I’m enjoying it but my god I have no idea what it’s about. Like it’s very readable but it’s Stone at his trippiest
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Post by newt5996 on Sept 3, 2022 0:32:08 GMT
Well I finished The Slow Empire. Obviously I'm going to write a full review but like Heart of TARDIS before it and many of Stone's other work it's so dense and weird and I kind of really like it?
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Post by shallacatop on Sept 10, 2022 11:28:38 GMT
Just finished The Return of Robin Hood. Very slight and breezy, but a hell of a lot of fun. The Doctor, Sarah and Harry are written perfectly here and I hope Paul Magrs is able to write for them, should Big Finish look towards Season 12 audios. I do like how this range manages to use TARDIS teams that are still very much a novelty to get new stories from; the Doctor, Sarah and Harry in this, the Doctor and Donna last year and Eleven and Clara next year.
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Post by sherlock on Sept 17, 2022 12:24:22 GMT
The Ruby’s Curse (audiobook narrated by Kingston)
Well that was damn good. River shines solo and the story whizzes by. One area I liked is this story does explore River’s morality (particularly her more ruthless aspects) and why she feels compelled to get involved in this plot. The Melody Malone portion of the story is pretty decent too and comes together with River’s plot very well. Though the resolution to the mystery is very convoluted, though I guess that’s a trait of the genre they’re going for.
The only weakness is the antagonists aren’t really all that notable. But that’s quite minor in grand scheme if things.
Honestly, I’d say this is one of River’s best outings full stop. Up there with best of TV and Diary Series 3.
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Post by ollychops on Sept 17, 2022 13:04:04 GMT
Working my way through Timewyrm: Exodus. Only about a quarter through the book so far but it’s already a huge improvement on Genesys.
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Post by newt5996 on Sept 19, 2022 18:49:38 GMT
Byzantium!
It’s an uneven book honestly, wanting to do some interesting historical exploration but being shackled by being a prequel to a story that is famously farcical. I’m also not sure if stopping really gets the First Doctor and Vicki who are crotchety and a bit annoying here respectively.
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Post by shallacatop on Oct 7, 2022 14:32:23 GMT
Finished the new Origin Stories. It's a bizarre collection and mostly unsatisfying.
It's no coincidence that the best three of the anthology are Kate, Vastra & Amy / Rory's, as they're three of a handful without the Doctor. They live up to the premise of the collection, which is them prior to their adventures with the Doctor, and are three nice character pieces. Jo's is affectionate because Katy Manning write it, but if anyone else wrote the exact words, it'd lose all meaning. And the Missy story is nonsensical to the point of being meaningless.
The rest feature the Doctor, so ultimately end up in them having their memories of the adventure wiped. Not only is that a cop out, but in many cases it ultimately means the Doctor puts them on the path to become a companion, which isn't an idea I'm keen on and I think does a disservice to every single one of them.
The premise of the collection isn't one without merit, but they either need to be complete flights of fantasy, as you do when you're a child. Or it needs to have an arc / through line that makes it a substantial whole, such as Ten on his farewell tour, or Thirteen checking in on old friends before they knew her. If you have to have the mindwipe, then do it in a satisfying way and only the once.
Ultimately it stumbles in a way that The Wintertime Paradox, Tales of Terror, etc. didn't.
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Post by sherlock on Oct 21, 2022 15:47:08 GMT
Engines of War
This was a good book. It packs an emotional punch when it wants to and I liked the weary warrior portrayal of the War Doctor. I was surprised by how much of it is actually a sequel to The Five Doctors of all things. I did find the writing of Cinder a little weird at times though; for someone raised in a war zone she has a remarkably wide vocabulary.
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Post by newt5996 on Oct 21, 2022 15:55:57 GMT
The City of the Dead - So I love Caerdroia and I’m only 50 pages into this but it hits a lot of the reasons that story works so well. An autumnal atmosphere, characters that feel real, and my god the Doctor is so well characterized here.
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Post by shallacatop on Nov 20, 2022 7:58:10 GMT
Finished Origins yesterday, the Fugitive Doctor miniseries from Titan. It’s much better than some of their recent offerings, but it does feel like the prologue to an ongoing run where the Doctor has abandoned Division and essentially becomes the Fugitive. I wish they’d had the approval / confidence to have just gone all in with an ongoing, to be honest, as it’s a nice story but insubstantial in itself. They could’ve also used an ongoing run to do flashbacks / one-shots to Division, as this is very much an incarnation with a tenure of two halves.
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Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on Nov 22, 2022 9:58:51 GMT
Confession time : I have never read any of the Wilderness years books.. Is there a website with a chronological listing of all books/info/basic plot outlines? Thanks in advance.
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Post by mark687 on Nov 22, 2022 10:20:14 GMT
Confession time : I have never read any of the Wilderness years books.. Is there a website with a chronological listing of all books/info/basic plot outlines? Thanks in advance. Good old TARDIS Wiki Beware though the books are £$ E-Bay Rabbit hole to go down these days tardis.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Novels_by_year_of_releaseYears 1991-2005 Regards mark687
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