That’s really just the Doctor being pretty irresponsible, honestly. Poor Sam should be in the Sarah Jane Adventures!!!
I really think Sam as character suffers from not having a proper intro story even though she’s good in Vampire Science
That’s really just the Doctor being pretty irresponsible, honestly. Poor Sam should be in the Sarah Jane Adventures!!!
I really think Sam as character suffers from not having a proper intro story even though she’s good in Vampire Science
I must agree with others in this thread and say that Vampire Science itself is a great introduction for Sam even in a vaccum. I really like that “mysterious” vibe for her and the Doctor that we get from Carolyn’s perspective (and how it changes as we get another perspective from an older Carolyn); I think getting on with a companion after they have already joined the Doctor can be a really cool idea aaaaand I definitely prefer it to The Eight Doctor’s… choices… on how to kickstart the range.
I think I get the feeling that Sam should have had an intro story because she’s brutalized in Vampire Science. It’s well done, and necessary for her to get that good ‘traveling with the Doctor is dangerous’ development, but we didn’t really know her that well before it happens. As in, we didn’t get to see much of her having fun & her being herself before she’s being put in a super super dangerous situation and getting very hurt.
I think that works as the introduction itself tbh. Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum are excellent writers so it may have not worked at all under other authors, but I found that should I shouldn’t I doubt on Sam to be a really good first glance at who she is as a character. Specially because she has a hard time understanding the Doctor’s perspective once he tries to help the vampires. I get it’d be an unusual first outing to any companion given the consequences, but it gets to the core of her character from the get go. That conflict of what she says (as a progressive and self declared activist) versus what she actually does. And then we get some room to breath in Genocide and The Bodysnatchers.
(Ok, terrible things happen in both these books that probably should have left a bigger impact on Sam, but still, it’s less traumatic than Vampire Science, Alien Bodies and Kursaal).
That’s true, that’s true, I agree they do establish her personality well in Vampire Science. I guess I just wanted to care more about her before they started to Break the Cutie, ya know?
It’s Trauma Conga, honestly ahahhaha
Plus there is a double perspective on that: first, we the readers are trying to get who Sam is along with Carolyn; that works for me in the same vein Rose is a great reintroduction for the Doctor. And then as the book progresses we get that Sam is terrified she doesn’t know who she is with the Doctor herself either.
Families missing companions who head off in the TARDIS wasn’t ever really thought about during the classic era, or the books/audios from the period you are exploring. The modern TV series has done a lot more to examine what happens to those who are left behind, especially for Rose in Series 1 and 2.
I love reading all of your replies, they are so interesting!
As a newbie, focusing only on DW books (no other media), how does one learn about the Tardis and it’s special “features”?
Is it just kind of acquired as one moves through the books?
Thx!
Lol!
Yeah it seemed to just be generally okay to disappear for a time!
I think you will pick up bits and pieces and get a general sense but it has to be said that most of the book authors will assume their readers have a passing knowledge of major things like the TARDIS from the TV show.
So feel free to ask about anything you’re confused by.
Great! Thanks very much, I will.
Now that I’ve finished it, I can answer this!
Weirdly, Timeless is actually pretty standalone. It is very late in the series, and it’s clearly a significant part of a larger arc, but the “Pre-credit sequence” does a surprisingly good job explianing the situation and bring you up to speed on everything that matters
Thank you for this!
That’s very helpful.
Question: who (if anyone) do you picture as Sam? My mind cast Milly Alcock on the role at some point and I’m running with it ahahah
Oh yeah, I’ve seen those pics, but they didn’t stick to my brain as ‘my’ Sam
Making my way through ‘Legacy of the Daleks’
me two books ago: I don’t care much for Sam
me now: WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER SAM?
Not feeling much for it so far, but excited for the meetup with Susan
That’s exactly how I feel about Sam… she’s not perfect and she’s often written quite blandly but I love her! <3
Don’t worry—the next two books give you a lot more Sam to work with! And IMO they’re two of her best.
I have to get in on this. Have to! So, tonight I read the 1st two chapters of Vampire Science. Loving it so far! Excited to see where it goes
Finally finished reading the Eight Doctors…
…I kinda liked it until the End, at least.
It’s by no means as good as some other EDAs I have read, but it’s kinda fun, honestly! That said, it has A LOT of Flaws. I think I have to sit on it before I can properly articulate my Thoughts on the Story.
Either way, excited to read more, maybe I should read Vampire Science soon… hmm