What Doctor Who Are You Currently Reading...

[Andrew Curnow]

That's part of what this book discusses - the actress playing Minnie Caldwell got to the stage of having her lines on or in her handbag on set, because she couldn't remember them but just didn't want to leave.

It also, on the Pat Phoenix front, recalls how she was so upset at Len marrying Rita that she phoned in sick on the day of the filming of the wedding and so doesn't appear. And in 'retaliation' the producer had the photo for the front of the TV times (which had been taken on a different day, prior to the filming and thus included Elsie in the line up) changed so that she didn't make the front cover either.

It's a good read, but apparently not good enough for me to be able to remember the title!!!

[Si Hunt]

The version I heard was that she phoned in sick for the actual recording, so the poor TV Times people had to carefully edit her out of all the press photos taken the week before (where they "staged" a mock wedding for publicity photos) so it wouldn't contradict the episodes!

Si.

[Stuart Wallis]

Just read The Depths Of Despair. And no, it's not about living with ian Levine. The Darksmith Legacy series is the sort of kids' book I'd have not liked to have read when I was about the age that the series was aimed at, because the level of writing would have been below my level at the time. As I've grown older and dafter, I can sort-of appreciate what they're trying to do with them, with the puzzles tied in with the storylines to help keep the reader involved. Even so, I can finish them in an evening, and feel as though I've not really found much that I can get my teeth into.

[Andrew Curnow]

Finished The Story of Martha, and have to admit I was a bit disappointed. There was surely plenty of scope for a pretty grim & gripping exploration of the earth under the Master, with lots of close calls, etc. But what we see is unfortunately pretty superficial, plus to pad the book out the last third or so is 'foiling' an alien 'invasion' which is nothing at all to do with the Master.

And onto Beautiful Chaos - it's by Gary Russell, which makes me approach it with a certain amount of trepidation, but so far (page 53) so good!

[Stuart Wallis]

I quite liked Beautiful Chaos. Be very afraid!

I'm also quite liking Prisoner Of The Daleks. It's fairly dark, but it makes a change from some of the frothier books that the series has thrown up since, well the start really.

[SiHart]

I thought Beautiful Chaos was an enjoyable read too.

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

I'm enjoying it so far... but must admit that a very sad lifelong habit of always looking at the printing/rights/typeset details page at the front of the book has already tipped me off as to who the enemy is in this one, as its creator is creditted there!!!

[Mr BHT]

Just started Dreamstone Moon. Not so bad, better than Legacy of the Daleks, which has to be read to be believed and The Longest Day, which has some interesting concepts but is a bit of a pig to get through.

[Andrew Curnow]

My copy of Legacy of the Daleks was bound wrong, and had about 30 pages missing - it was still too damn long though!!

I quite enjoyed Dreamstone Moon, except it seemed that Sam almost asphyxiates so many times that it gets a bit repetitive. That's certainly what I always think of when I hear the name, so I hope my memory's not cheating.

[Mr BHT]

I quite enjoyed Dreamstone Moon, except it seemed that Sam almost asphyxiates so many times that it gets a bit repetitive.

Quote for truth. Take 40 pages out of Dreamstone Moon and it would have been a tight, action based, thought provoking story. As it is it's entertaining, but the repeated asphyxiations get a bit much. Genocide was better.

I had a quick breather from the EDA's with the latest Quick Reads novel, The Sontaran Games. Not one of Jaqueline Rayner's finest moments either!

Next up: Seeing I.

[Jon Masters]

Next up: Seeing I.

One of the better early EDAs IMO - nice hook to hang the first half on and good SF idea for the villains, but a bit of a fanboy McGuffin in there too.

[Andrew Curnow]

I look back on it as being a damn good read, and yet I know for a fact that I found it a bit disappointing at the time - without wanting to spoil any of it, my memory is that I found the aliens themselves (and that guff with the eyeballs) a bit rubbishy, but enjoyed Sam protesting and the Doctor stuck in prison.

As it is it's entertaining, but the repeated asphyxiations get a bit much. Genocide was better.

Actually I didn't rate Genocide much either - Jo Grant was totally unrecognisable, and that faff with the Time Trees was just so poorly done (I don't remember even one character being surprised by them). Maybe it's just me who's incredibly picky?!

[Si Hunt]

"An Unearthly Child" by Terrance Dicks.

I'm starting from the beginning! I'd do a Vervoid column, but as I recall someone else beat me to it.

This is a lightweight read, but everything's in there and I really enjoyed it. The relationships between them come over as far clearer than on Television. Kal is apparently an outcast from another tribe; a mysterious stranger whose skills are threatening to usurp the "birthright" leader Za; Old Mother is the grouchy mother-in-law, who they would have chucked out in the snow but for chance; Za's Father seems rather sneakily (but wisely) to have been keeping the secret of fire to himself, always promising to pass it on to Za but really never going to because he knows that would make him superfluous (it's a situation anyone in 21st Century I.T must be familiar with). And then he dies (leaves the company) and this puts them all in the shit because now the Winter is coming and no-one knows how to make fire! So when the Doctor wanders along with his pipe, it's all a bit of an interesting situation.

It's a far cry from on TV, when you sort of just see it as a load of cavemen trying to make the first fire.

So I really enjoyed it, it was very evocative and took me back to a time when you could sink into a Doctor Who novelisation and go on magical adventures!

Si.

[Stuart Wallis]

Actually I didn't rate Genocide much either - Jo Grant was totally unrecognisable, and that faff with the Time Trees was just so poorly done (I don't remember even one character being surprised by them). Maybe it's just me who's incredibly picky?!

In which case that makes two of us. Jo seemed to be in it as a Doctor subsritute, since the Doctor spent a fair bit of time incapacitated, and included to please Pertwee buffs. And the overall story didn't seem to have much going for it.

[Mr BHT]

Oh I don't know. I liked the idea that the alternative earth was actually better than the one we live in now and that to put things right, the Doctor would essentially make things worse.

[shada pavlova]

I'm enjoying it so far... but must admit that a very sad lifelong habit of always looking at the printing/rights/typeset details page at the front of the book has already tipped me off as to who the enemy is in this one, as its creator is creditted there!!!

Yeah...those antimatter monsters. Who'd have thought they'd EVER have a novel written about them?

[Si Hunt]

That's be funny if the real monsters wern't just as obscure (and from the same era)!

Si.

[Larry]

continuing reading my unread PDA's and am now over half way through Atom Bomb Blues, it's ok but I certainly would not put in my top 20 of pda's.

[shada pavlova]

That's be funny if the real monsters wern't just as obscure (and from the same era)!

I knew that. I also know the monster is the Mandragora Helix.

It's also funny because they did have a novel written about them.

[Andrew Curnow]

I finished Beautiful Chaos last night, and... It was going really well, but the climactic final act was just, well, just awful. The villains suddenly decide not to be nasty after all after just a moment with the Doctor, and the Doctor's plan is to allow the Helix to takeover a frail old woman with Alzheimers. It just didn't work at all, it was like a huge build-up to nothing, and a nothing that felt out of place.

Not only that, but... since he's actually working on the show I'm amazed at this, but Gary Russell's tenth Doctor doesn't (to me anyway) 'sound' anything like the tenth Doctor on screen. Although some of the books have been a bit sub par, one thing I've always said about the TDAs is that they tend to get the regulars pretty much spot on. But this time round the Doctor just isn't right at all. A disappointing end alas.

And now onto The Eyeless by the sometimes-legendary Lance Parkin!!

[Mr BHT]

Not only that, but... since he's actually working on the show I'm amazed at this, but Gary Russell's tenth Doctor doesn't (to me anyway) 'sound' anything like the tenth Doctor on screen.

You should try the audiobook. Bernard Cribbins sounds like he's channelling Sylvester McCoy during the final confrontation with you know who.

[Mr BHT]

Just finished Seeing I - awesome stuff. For those who haven't read it what happens to the Doctor is very interesting and his reactions to it is pure Paul McGann/Eighth Doctor. If only Big Finish would give the man this kind of material. The 'I thought I would never get out' scene will stick with me as a defining Doctor Who moment. Top marks to Blum and Orman.

Also I like what happens with Sam in this book. Unlike many I actually like Sam as a character, I like the Doctor traveling with 'Lisa Simpson.' Also the sequences with alternative Sam are quite chilling. I'm looking forward to seeing where they go with that and also where the Doctor and Sam go from here. No spoilers please from those who know.

[Andrew Curnow]

Don't worry, no spoilers - just to say, I'm glad you're enjoying the EDAs. For some reason they never seem to be talked about quite as flatteringly as the NAs, but personally I found them equally enjoyable (albeit with perhaps a few more turkeys along the way). It's a while since I read the whole lot through (crikey, thinking about it it's probably 6/7 years!) so it'll be interesting to see what you think of them as they go along.

[Mr BHT]

I'm looking forward to Placebo Effect already but have promised myself a little bit of a breather from DW fiction for a while. Next up on my list is Naked by Anneke Wills and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (at last!).

Then it's back to DW with Placebo Effect, Toy Soldiers, Sick Building, Vanderkeken's Children, Zeta Major and The Scarlet Empress (really looking forward to this one!) all lined up.

[Dirk Gently]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (at last!).

There is a thread about it in the "Between the Covers" forum. I'd be happy to chat about it if you want.