Hear hear. I liked it when the ep aired. It was fine and the ‘did I grow up wrong’ kinda got me.
As for the novel, got the audio book but I’m not sure wether I finished it or not.
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Given I had a very long busride to and from an eyeglass place, I did bring two books to occupy myself, though neither were Doctor Who related.
First one was a book I’d never read called “Dime Store Magic”, and I rather bounced off of it within a few pages, and could not get into it. Maybe I’ll give it another try later.
So I switched to the other book, which I had read before, but it’s been quite a while. This one was “This Alien Shore” by C. S. Friedman. That one immediately grabbed me and I read a few chapters before getting home. It’s got a blend of cyberpunk and space opera I like, interesting universe, a lot revolving around piloting spaceships and the mystique around it and the monopoly one group has it, a whole colony of people who paint their face to represent visually their particular mental conditions, and I definitely notice little nods to Cordwainer Smith (like talking about the up-and-out).
Definitely a book I enjoy, anyways, but it was one I’d read before.
I’d thought about bringing big finish audios, but I didn’t really get time to transfer any to my laptop or set up the app on my phone before I left…
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I had a chance encounter with Alison at Trans Pride and discussed the novelisation with her and she was definitely limited with what she could do. I’ve not read any of her other work but she said herself that 73 Yards would have been more her style and vibe, but she got Space Babies.
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I just finished A Big Hand for the Doctor and I was not a fan at all. I knew it did not have a good reputation and I agree with the general criticisms of poor flow of story and not great characterisation for the First Doctor. Like I get the characteristics the authors going for but it just never quite feels like an authentic First Doctor for me?
Perhaps my mistake was picturing Hartnell and I should have pictured Hurndall…
The line “Even buried under a mound of bodies in an abattoir, the Doctor found a moment to take offense” was genuinely great and made the story for me though.
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I also finished the story yesterday. I like Eoin Colfer’s prose generally but this story felt very off for me, and part of the problem was the characterisation of the 1st Doctor.
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I feel you. My re-read after I got to know Hartnell’s Doctor a bit was not particularly enjoyable either.
Hope you enjoy The Nameless City more. If I remember it correctly, at the end of it they put on the Scottland the Brave. Can’t tell you how much I loved that.
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I love the Black Archive book series and I love ‘Marco Polo’ so I was excited when I got a copy to read. I agree, though, that the book isn’t much fun. I found it extremely dry and, weirdly, disengaged from the actual TV story (even though frequent reference was made).
My favourite Black Archive authors, to date, would probably be; Simon Bucher-Jones and Thomas Rodebaugh.
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Just started reading my FIRST EVER Who novel. It’s Gary Russell’s Tenth Doctor story, Beautiful Chaos, and I am enjoying it so far.
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The 2025 Annual is really disappointing compared to the last two. It relies almost entirely on rehashing the previous season. There’s just nothing new on offer.
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Hunters of the Burning Stone (the Eleventh Doctor DWM comics collection).
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Oooh that’s a corker that one!
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Just read The Nameless City. A lovely little tale, the right touches of eldritch, cosmic horror. Much better characterisation here than in A Big Hand for the Doctor.
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Finished Hunters of the Burning Stone, great 50th Anniversary Special from DWM, and decided I wasn’t going to finish Sovietistan. It was good but, I got other books all come in at once that I want to read more.
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Not saying much, given how off the mark A Big Hand was!
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Currently reading Lethbridge Stewart: The Beast of Fang Rock. I enjoyed The Forgotten Son but it took a long while to really get going. Beast of Fang Rock* gets things moving far more quickly and is a damned good tale so far.
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Just finished the prologue of War of the Daleks and it was pretty good. I wasn’t going to read this one because of the reputation but I got hold of a copy of fan-read audiobook, thought it was worth a try.
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I’m rereading Almost Perfect and writing a review. I’m only 40 pages in and already over 500 words in the review! It’s gonna be a long one. I love this story so much and have so much to say about it.
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I enjoy War of the Daleks. Yes, it has its continuity issues, but apart from that, it’s a fun fast-paced action adventure story.
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Just finished Just War, basically a pure historical with the Nazis. Allready I think has become one of my favorite VNA’s, it’s very hard hitting and real. Benny especially goes through a tough time in it but it’s all handled very well and isn’t dark just for the sake of it .
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Just War is phenomenal - a 5/5 for me. The audio adaptation is equally good, even if it is a slimmed down version (none of Jason’s stuff is in there, for example).
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