I’ve been a Doctor Who fan for a while. Are you? Part of being a fan is also reading the novels. I was loaned this book by a friend and read it during Dewey’s 24h marathon this year. I present you the review for #RRSciFiMonth!
Check out on Goodreads
Get at Book Depository
★★★★☆ 4 stars
Essentially, this is a collection of short stories for every Doctor, which is a refreshing thing, if you’re into reading Doctor Who novels. It’s not set in any one particular era of the show.
The first story tells us about how Peter Pan originated as a story. The second one is about fixing the TARDIS at the home of certain surely very Lovecraftian beings. The third story lets us glimpse the making of Norse mythology, the fourth introduces us to a stranded society living in a giant floating tree and having a culture based around… hating the Doctor. Further stories feature truth telling aliens, the Rani and even kindly Daleks! We also get a peek into what the Doctor was up to before he came back to give Rose the punchline about the TARDIS (it also traveling time), also him fighting off your typical sentient microbes and ghosts or getting trapped in a very bad kids mystery book.
Let’s look at…
3 Reasons To Read This Collection
Are You Between Seasons?
This is a reason pretty much on its own. That’s what the novels are essentially for! However, I liked this one particularly because of its diversity in.. well, the Doctors and the companions. And even the villains! You will read about every single one of the Doctors up to the 11th, and there will be many enemies as well. It’s the best way to cure your ‘missing my Doctor Who’ hangups.
It’s Written By Different Authors
And that basically means it will probably suit almost any taste. If you didn’t like one story, you will probably like another. And if all else fails, the last story is written by Neil Gaiman (If you don’t like that, I don’t know if anything will save you!)
It’s Quite Fun, Actually. And It’s Accurate!
Considering I read it in a day during Dewey’s… I didn’t feel like putting it down. It was fun, as any Doctor Who novel really should be, with enough banter. I was happy about the way the authors dealt with the voice – everything was pretty genuine. Most Doctors were incredibly believable and close to who they were in the show. The book reads fast and won’t disappoint. What more is there to ask?
So are you a fan? If you are, have you read any of the novels, and what’s your favorite one, if you remember?
I’m Evelina and I try to blog about books that matter, with a bit of fun there too! Disability and equality will be topics you see a lot, but there’s also a lot of scifi, fantasy and… GIFs. I’m also the proud founder of #ARCsAnonymous.
I have trouble getting into Anthologies, though this one sounds good (because Doctor Who obviously).
Have you ever read the original short story Moffat wrote about Sally Sparrow (on which the episode Blink is based)? So good.
Me too! I have trouble getting into short stories. But with Doctor Who, I guess it’s different, cause it’s kind of like just episodes, right? Of course, the highlight was Neil Gaiman’s story at the end 🙂
Nope!! Actually haven’t even heard OF that story o.o where can I find it?
I’ll share it via Google Drive
Oh wow, that would be great! I believe you have my email 🙂 thank you!
I used to be a Doctor Who fan, but I stopped watching a few years ago (I think shortly after Amy and Rory left). I will be watching again when the new season starts, though! This does sound like a fun read for a fan. I’m definitely curious about Gaiman’s story 😀 I have read one Doctor Who novel (Apollo 23 by Justin Richards) which I also thought was fun.
That is EXACTLY where I stopped watching! I think there are reasons for that, cause we are not the only fans who did that.
But I also feel like I should start watching again because there will be change and it might be positive 🙂
Definitely love the idea of an anthology for this franchise. It does sound interesting! I watched the very first episode of the rebooted Doctor Who series and was NOT impressed at all. I didn’t understand the fanbase behind the show based on that one episode, that’s for sure. Maybe some day I’ll push myself to try a couple more episodes and then find out why it’s so popular! Great review! 🙂
Haha, the first episode 😀 the first episode is such a joke… I think it was meant that way. Like to parody the cheap effects and everything. You have to watch beyond the first season to really get into it. If you want to get the real feel for the show, watch the episode Blink. It’s in a later season. You don’t have to know what happens before. If you won’t like that one, you won’t like the show. But I’m pretty sure you will 😀
Oh, wow – I didn’t even know about this book. And Gaiman wrote one!? Oh my – I have to look into this. I’m a total Whovian.
I know right! Needless to say, Gaiman’s story was the one I liked best 🙂
I love love love Doctor Who, can’t wait for Christmas special when we finally get the female doctor! 🙂 Have to find this somewhere. If Gaiman cannot save you, you cannot be saved.
That is absolutely true about Gaiman! Hope you enjoy this one 🙂
Your gifs cracked me up! And I think you’ve got the right idea. I’m way behind on episodes so I sure read the books!
Thanks, Laura 😀
I love Doctor Who but I’m not sure I could read it as the actors are too firmly embedded in my mind.
That’s easy, you just imagine the actors as the characters of the stories 😀
I’m so behind on seasons! I like anthologies, and this one seems really interesting.
Yep, I also missed pretty much all of the Capaldi seasons, but I do plan on starting again when the new Doctor stars 🙂
I never really go into Doctor Who, but this review has me questioning that! Admittedly I’m more intrigued by the spinoff (I believe it’s called Class?) written by Patrick Ness because a) it’s shorter and b) I love Ness, but at least I’d be in the world, right? 😀
There is a spin off? 😀 I wish I remember which story was by Patrick Ness. I believe that would be the first thing of his I’ve ever read 😀
This anthology is no literary miracle, of course, but as a DW fan, I surely enjoyed it 🙂
Thanks for visiting and reading!
Well then. I suppose you’ve convinced me to dust off my copy and actually read it (and Neil Gaiman can save anything lol)
Oh you even have a copy 😀 yes, Gaiman was definitely the highlight, and I think that’s probably why his story is right at the end (to leaveyou with that good aftertaste, you know?) But all in all, it’s definitely an enjoyable book 🙂
I have wanted this, but was nervous it wouldn’t be accurate or lacking. Off to grab it..so thank you!
Oh, cool! I’m glad, hope you like it 🙂
Kindly Daleks? No. I don’t think so. 🙂 Well, guess I’ll just have to read it to find out, now won’t I? Thanks for the Whovian recommendation!
Tarissa
http://inthebookcase.blogspot.com
Yeah, the kindly Daleks story was just something else, I loved it 😀