DR WHO: DARK HORIZONS by JENNY T COLGAN.SOURCE: A Blog giveaway win courtesy of DIZZY C'S LITTLE BOOK BLOG.
"We need to reach out. We need to continue the line..."
On a windswept northern shore, the islanders believe the worst they have to fear is a Viking attack. Then the burning comes. Water will not stop it. It consumes everything in its path - yet the burned still speak.
The Doctor encounters a people under attack from a power they cannot possibly understand. They have no weapons, no strategy and no protection against a fire sent to engulf them all. The islanders must take on a ruthless alien force in a world without technology; but at least they have the Doctor on their side... Don't they?
...... Outer back cover.
FIRST SENTENCE (Chapter one): The Doctor looked down at the board, sighed and gently knocked over the king with one finger.
MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 136): 'Argh, I am not going to die in metric!' he said out loud.
MY THOUGHTS: Penned by Jenny T Colgan, an author perhaps best known for her chick-lit novels, Dr Who: Dark Horizons is the latest Doctor Novel to hit the shelves.
Featuring the 11th Doctor as played by Matt Smith on BBC tv I think the author captured this Doctor's persona perfectly. Arrogant, egotistical, smug and too child-like for my liking - sadly there was only a slim chance that I was going to like the character.
The first 'Doctor' novel I've read, I was delighted to discover that as much as it was about aliens it was also about the 'human condition'. That thankfully, hardly a horned-helmet in sight, the Vikings were portrayed as a somewhat isolated community struggling to exist on a harsh, windswept Northern shore made harsher still by the arrival of the Arill, an 'Alien' entity attracted to earth by the electric impulses of human brains.
Perhaps a story more suited as a 'quick read' rather than a full blown novel. Quite puerile in many ways and yet at the same time peppered with quite graphic descriptions - I was surprised by just how 'grown-up' some of the content was - this is definitely not one for little ones.
All in all a disappointing read made all the more so by the poor sentence construction (not something I expected from an author of this calibre) and the typing errors that though only occasional were very noticeable.
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13 comments:
Dr. Who is a phenomenon I've missed out on. I think if I were to jump on board, I'd rather go the TV route.
I have never Watched Dr Who. I didn't know there were books. Its too bad this was a letdown. And ugh about the poor writing and typing errors.
Hi Tracy,
I have to suffer Dr. Who, but fortunately only on the TV, hubbie certainly wouldn't ever be tempted by the books and you will have pretty much guessed that I wouldn't be either!
I keep hoping that each series will be the last, although this is an iconic show from our childhood, so I suppose I shouldn't be quite so blase about its demise, it will mark the end of an era and mean that we are getting even older!
Is it just me, or are we seeing a rising number of badly edited and written books just lately? If this is what the self-publishing, indie publishers and e-book routes to market are going to mean, then bring back the old ways! The trouble is, that readers generally seem to accept typo's and grammatical faux pas, as reasonable and acceptable, whereas I'm afraid I don't.
Better luck with the next book.
Yvonne
Tracy, I'm sorry you were disappointed by this one. It sounds as if additional editing would have made a real difference in your enjoyment of the book. (Editing is always essential--in fact, I had to edit my comment here!)
This actually makes me want to do a Who marathon. :) A lot of these that are spin-offs for the show usually aren't satisfying, but it still sounds like fun.
Though I love Doctor Who in both it's old and newer incarnations, I can see how a novel might not be the best format for these stories.
The editing oversights are puzzling.
I hope the best will come to your way next time my dear friend :)
Doctor Who is one of those TV shows I've been meaning to watch, although that novel might be one to stay away from for now.
Great review!
Sorry you didn't enjoy this one more. I did not know there was a book or series- but I have heard a lot about the tv show- which I haven't seen. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Strictly on Doctor Who and not on the book: I have fallen quite hard for this awkward and hilarious fellow. Such big dreams. Such nerves. Such fearlessness. (I've only watched the Eleventh but one day, as a good, proper reward, I'll watch all predecessors).
I loved Dr who when I was younger but have never read any of it. I hate when editing is poor and disrupts your enjoyment.
Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net
Bummer!
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