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Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #1
Doctor Who: The Clockwise Man
In 1920s London the Doctor and Rose find themselves caught up in the hunt for a mysterious murderer. But not everyone or everything is what they seem. Secrets lie behind locked doors and inhuman killers roam the streets. Who is the Painted Lady and why is she so interested in the Doctor? How can a cat return from the dead? Can anyone be trusted to tell or even to know the truth? With the faceless killers closing in, the Doctor and Rose must solve the mystery of the Clockwise Man before London itself is destroyed... Featuring the Doctor and Rose as played by Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper in the hit series from BBC Television
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Justin Richards
306 books230 followersJustin Richards is a British writer. He has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and he is Creative Director for the BBC Books range. He has also written for television, contributing to Five's soap opera Family Affairs. He is also the author of a series of crime novels for children about the Invisible Detective, and novels for older children. His Doctor Who novel The Burning was placed sixth in the Top 10 of SFX magazine's "Best SF/Fantasy novelisation or TV tie-in novel" category of 2000.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 361 reviews
August 30, 2018
MOTHER: look at this. look at the state of your wardrobe. save your money and BUY SOME MORE CLOTHES, stop BUYING BOOKS!!
ME: yes mother
ME, LITERALLY TWO HOURS LATER: *buys the first ten books of the New Who Adventures*
MOTHER: *pops up out of nowhere* hi can you wash the - DID YOU JUST BUY TEN DOCTOR WHO BOOKS
UPDATE the seller cancelled the order and i am FUMING
Update #2: not only did i buy the first ten books (again), i also bought 26 others. i have a problem.
ME: yes mother
ME, LITERALLY TWO HOURS LATER: *buys the first ten books of the New Who Adventures*
MOTHER: *pops up out of nowhere* hi can you wash the - DID YOU JUST BUY TEN DOCTOR WHO BOOKS
UPDATE the seller cancelled the order and i am FUMING
Update #2: not only did i buy the first ten books (again), i also bought 26 others. i have a problem.
December 22, 2008
As I've posted about on my journal earlier, the Ninth Doctor, Christopher Eccleston, completely sold me on being a Doctor Who fan at last. And as I have also lamented, Mr. Eccleston held the role for entirely too little time. So I was rather interested when I was browsing at the University Bookstore the other day and found out that the BBC has been releasing hardback Ninth and Tenth Doctor novels. I picked up the first one, The Clockwise Man, by Justin Richards. Disappointing read, unfortunately. The bones of a good plot were there, and it did rather feel like a Doctor Who episode at least in terms of the story, but the writing was very pedestrian--and Richards' fascination with sentence fragments, while not quite as pronounced as Annie Proulx's, was still enough to grate.
Worse yet, the author seemed to have very little grasp of how to write either the Doctor or Rose as characters. There were little bits here and there all throughout the book that just made no sense--for example, a bit where the Doctor is talking to Rose and seems unable to remember the word 'syllable', and as if he somehow doesn't have a perfect grasp of English. Which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
I may check out other Ninth or Tenth Doctor novels by different authors, but I dunno yet. This one was not exactly encouraging. Two stars.
Worse yet, the author seemed to have very little grasp of how to write either the Doctor or Rose as characters. There were little bits here and there all throughout the book that just made no sense--for example, a bit where the Doctor is talking to Rose and seems unable to remember the word 'syllable', and as if he somehow doesn't have a perfect grasp of English. Which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
I may check out other Ninth or Tenth Doctor novels by different authors, but I dunno yet. This one was not exactly encouraging. Two stars.
August 9, 2007
Another foray into the novels of Doctor Who, and this time with less than pleasant results. This book was just... bad. The characters of The Doctor and Rose were just way off, in my mind. No way would Rose ever, EVER smash a cat into a wall by the tail, especially if she didn't know it wasn't real already. And the Doctor himself was just way less respectful of other life-beings than he really would be. The man who just discovered, to his dismay, that he wasn't real and was actually mechanical, and the Doctor rips his face off and then smashes his head into a glass wall? I don't think so.
Also, the Doctor gave away his leather jacket at the end. SO unlike him!! :-) I've heard a lot of people complaining that reading novels based on TV shows is too often like reading bad fan fiction... and in this case, I agree with them!
Also, the Doctor gave away his leather jacket at the end. SO unlike him!! :-) I've heard a lot of people complaining that reading novels based on TV shows is too often like reading bad fan fiction... and in this case, I agree with them!
October 10, 2014
This is a Ninth Doctor and Rose story. It takes place between the episodes "The Long Game" and "Father's Day"
This book series is produced by the BBC. It is not necessary for enjoying the tv series. Its purpose is to share the adventures that happen off camera.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Clockwise Man is a steam-punk style adventure that takes place in 1924 London. The Doctor and Rose arrive with intentions of going to the British Empire Exhibition. However, they find themselves tracking down a mysterious, inhuman murderer; meeting a woman who always hides her face behind masquerade-type masks; a cat that can return from the dead; and discovering people who may not know the truth about their own identities. Rose and the Doctor must tie all these stories and loose-ends together before London is destroyed.
This was my first Doctor Who novel, and I thought the author really captured the Ninth Doctor & Rose's personalities within the pages. Also, the novel makes many references to different tv story-lines which made it more believable within the Doctor Who canon.
I enjoyed most of this book, however the ending dragged a little, and I thought the author added too many random twists throughout the story. Still, I'm looking forward to checking out other Doctor Who novels.
On a side note - While reading this novel, I came across a possible inspiration for this story (at least it seems like it could be to me) - 'The Turk' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turk ... I never heard about the history of 'The Turk' until yesterday, however I found it to be "Fantastic!" :)
My epub file had many spelling errors and missing words which took away from my reading experience. I would recommend getting the paperback/hardcover if you decide to read this novel.
-----------------------------------------------
Continuity -
1) Clockwork men also appear with the Tenth Doctor in "The Girl in the Fireplace" and with the Twelfth Doctor in "Deep Breath".
2) There is a mention of Rose 'dressing up' while the Doctor only has a 'new shirt' (similar to "The Unquiet Dead").
3) Rose has a conversation with one of the servants in the Imperial Club, and the girl makes her think of Gwyneth, who appeared in "The Unquiet Dead".
4) In the club, the Doctor looks at a painting of the French Revolution and says "That's not right" .... In the very first episode of Classic Doctor Who, "An Unearthly Child" the Doctor's granddaughter, Susan Foreman, reads a book about the French Revolution and says exact the same words.
5) The Doctor mentions to Rose at the end of the Series 2 episode "Tooth and Claw" that Queen Victoria suffered from a condition called Haemophilia. This is also mentioned in the book when The Doctor and Rose visit the British Empire Exhibition.
6) Melissa Heart says the Doctor and Rose keep turning up like a 'Bad Wolf'. Rose corrects her and says she means 'penny' as in the phrase 'keeps coming back like a bad penny'. The phrase 'Bad Wolf' was the arc word to Season 1 (2005).
This book series is produced by the BBC. It is not necessary for enjoying the tv series. Its purpose is to share the adventures that happen off camera.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Clockwise Man is a steam-punk style adventure that takes place in 1924 London. The Doctor and Rose arrive with intentions of going to the British Empire Exhibition. However, they find themselves tracking down a mysterious, inhuman murderer; meeting a woman who always hides her face behind masquerade-type masks; a cat that can return from the dead; and discovering people who may not know the truth about their own identities. Rose and the Doctor must tie all these stories and loose-ends together before London is destroyed.
This was my first Doctor Who novel, and I thought the author really captured the Ninth Doctor & Rose's personalities within the pages. Also, the novel makes many references to different tv story-lines which made it more believable within the Doctor Who canon.
I enjoyed most of this book, however the ending dragged a little, and I thought the author added too many random twists throughout the story. Still, I'm looking forward to checking out other Doctor Who novels.
On a side note - While reading this novel, I came across a possible inspiration for this story (at least it seems like it could be to me) - 'The Turk' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turk ... I never heard about the history of 'The Turk' until yesterday, however I found it to be "Fantastic!" :)
My epub file had many spelling errors and missing words which took away from my reading experience. I would recommend getting the paperback/hardcover if you decide to read this novel.
-----------------------------------------------
Continuity -
1) Clockwork men also appear with the Tenth Doctor in "The Girl in the Fireplace" and with the Twelfth Doctor in "Deep Breath".
2) There is a mention of Rose 'dressing up' while the Doctor only has a 'new shirt' (similar to "The Unquiet Dead").
3) Rose has a conversation with one of the servants in the Imperial Club, and the girl makes her think of Gwyneth, who appeared in "The Unquiet Dead".
4) In the club, the Doctor looks at a painting of the French Revolution and says "That's not right" .... In the very first episode of Classic Doctor Who, "An Unearthly Child" the Doctor's granddaughter, Susan Foreman, reads a book about the French Revolution and says exact the same words.
5) The Doctor mentions to Rose at the end of the Series 2 episode "Tooth and Claw" that Queen Victoria suffered from a condition called Haemophilia. This is also mentioned in the book when The Doctor and Rose visit the British Empire Exhibition.
6) Melissa Heart says the Doctor and Rose keep turning up like a 'Bad Wolf'. Rose corrects her and says she means 'penny' as in the phrase 'keeps coming back like a bad penny'. The phrase 'Bad Wolf' was the arc word to Season 1 (2005).
September 9, 2015
I am going to be upfront and just admit that I am a massive fan of Doctor Who. Anything even remotely related to Doctor Who immediately catches my attention. It's still a little while to go until the next series and finding myself going through a serious case of withdrawal, I have decided to give the books based on the series a shot.
The Clockwise Man is the first book in the New Who series. New Who began when the series was brought back to life after a sixteen year hiatus. Christopher Eccleston played the role of the 9th doctor and had the immense responsibility of introducing the Doctor to an entire new generation of fans. Naturally, the rebirth of the series spawned a new series of books, allowing the fans to have even more adventures with the Doctor and his companions.
The Clockwise Man takes the Doctor and Rose backwards in time to 1924 London and takes place between the episodes "The Long Game" and "Father's Day" of series one. The Doctor and Rose decide to see The British Empire Exhibition and naturally even a sight seeing trip with The Doctor leads to a mystery which must be solved. It's not long before not only the Tardis (the doctor's time machine disguised as a police box), his leather jacket and precious sonic screwdriver go missing. It seems that the painted lady has determined that The Doctor is the vicious butcher that she has been looking for.
The Clockwise Man felt quite a bit like steampunk because of the mechanicals in the story. It did however contain little references to the series for the sake of continuity. For instance, Rose changes completely into to period clothing while the Doctor runs around in his leather jacket with no one batting an eye. There's even a mention of "Bad Wolf," which fans of the series will immediately recognize as a warning to the Doctor that trouble is coming.
Even with all of the little references, The Doctor really felt off to me. First off, no true Doctor would ever struggle to find a word. Not only is he fluent in English, he often thinks so quickly that few can keep up with him. I found myself wondering repeatedly where the Doctor's arrogance, sarcasm and confidence went? Then, there is the issue that in many ways, The Clockwise Man turns the Doctor into an action hero. Yes, I said action hero. Instead of outsmarting the bad guy, the Doctor actually gets into a physical altercation and allows someone else to try and save the world using their mind and abilities to shut down some tech. An action doctor is not unheard of (see the 6th doctor and the 3rd doctor); however, that certainly wasn't a part of the 9th doctor's personality. He didn't even say, "Fantastic" which fans of the series will recognize as the 9th Doctor's catchphrase. Who is this man? The answer is, not the Doctor or at the very least, not a proper representation of The Doctor as played by Christopher Eccleston.
Read More
The Clockwise Man is the first book in the New Who series. New Who began when the series was brought back to life after a sixteen year hiatus. Christopher Eccleston played the role of the 9th doctor and had the immense responsibility of introducing the Doctor to an entire new generation of fans. Naturally, the rebirth of the series spawned a new series of books, allowing the fans to have even more adventures with the Doctor and his companions.
The Clockwise Man takes the Doctor and Rose backwards in time to 1924 London and takes place between the episodes "The Long Game" and "Father's Day" of series one. The Doctor and Rose decide to see The British Empire Exhibition and naturally even a sight seeing trip with The Doctor leads to a mystery which must be solved. It's not long before not only the Tardis (the doctor's time machine disguised as a police box), his leather jacket and precious sonic screwdriver go missing. It seems that the painted lady has determined that The Doctor is the vicious butcher that she has been looking for.
The Clockwise Man felt quite a bit like steampunk because of the mechanicals in the story. It did however contain little references to the series for the sake of continuity. For instance, Rose changes completely into to period clothing while the Doctor runs around in his leather jacket with no one batting an eye. There's even a mention of "Bad Wolf," which fans of the series will immediately recognize as a warning to the Doctor that trouble is coming.
Even with all of the little references, The Doctor really felt off to me. First off, no true Doctor would ever struggle to find a word. Not only is he fluent in English, he often thinks so quickly that few can keep up with him. I found myself wondering repeatedly where the Doctor's arrogance, sarcasm and confidence went? Then, there is the issue that in many ways, The Clockwise Man turns the Doctor into an action hero. Yes, I said action hero. Instead of outsmarting the bad guy, the Doctor actually gets into a physical altercation and allows someone else to try and save the world using their mind and abilities to shut down some tech. An action doctor is not unheard of (see the 6th doctor and the 3rd doctor); however, that certainly wasn't a part of the 9th doctor's personality. He didn't even say, "Fantastic" which fans of the series will recognize as the 9th Doctor's catchphrase. Who is this man? The answer is, not the Doctor or at the very least, not a proper representation of The Doctor as played by Christopher Eccleston.
Read More
January 28, 2008
As a stand-alone book, poor. As a companion to television Dr. Who, pretty good. I mean, you don't expect something like this to be a bestselling medal-award-winning novel, do you? So I think reviewers that say it's basically a waste of time, though not in so many words, are being a bit harsh, because it was good at what it was supposed to do - entertain people who are already fans of the show.
It was a moderately exciting mystery, which keeps you guessing, but not in an annoying way, you know what I mean? I've read so many books that are so mysterious, it begins to get irritating, because you simply don't know enough about the characters, setting and plot.
This book isn't like that. It's pretty enjoyable, and has a nice, sharp plot, although in my opinion, the characters of the Doctor and Rose could have been portrayed better in some instances.
It was a moderately exciting mystery, which keeps you guessing, but not in an annoying way, you know what I mean? I've read so many books that are so mysterious, it begins to get irritating, because you simply don't know enough about the characters, setting and plot.
This book isn't like that. It's pretty enjoyable, and has a nice, sharp plot, although in my opinion, the characters of the Doctor and Rose could have been portrayed better in some instances.
September 7, 2021
The first batch of New Series Adventures featuring the Ninth Doctor and Rise, more importantly these initial set rekindled my love of reading.
Set in 1920’s London. The Doctor and Rose plan on visiting the British Empire Exhibition, only to get tangled up in a mysterious hunt for a inhuman murderer.
It’s a great fun story, plenty of mentions to various surroundings of the time.
It will always be one of my favourites.
Set in 1920’s London. The Doctor and Rose plan on visiting the British Empire Exhibition, only to get tangled up in a mysterious hunt for a inhuman murderer.
It’s a great fun story, plenty of mentions to various surroundings of the time.
It will always be one of my favourites.
April 14, 2016
I can certainly say that one of my favorite aspects of this novel is, aside from seeing more of the Ninth Doctor and Rose, of course, is that the narrator of the audiobook can do a great Christopher Eccleston impression.
March 26, 2012
On the way to the London's 1924 British Empire Exhibition, Rose Tyler in flimsy green dress and Doctor Who #9 in his brown leather jacket lose the TARDIS time-travel box, and interrupt a strangulation attack on servant Dickson, being interrogated about the evening meeting of conspirators: "Anna" Anastasia, her son Freddie ~10 the last Romanov, kind stepfather Sir George Harding, Repple ousted righful Elector of Dastaria, Major Aske his psychiatrist or jailer - we are not sure of truth at first, "The Painted Lady" masked Melissa Heart - who points a red laser weapon hither and thither. Ticking clockwork (maybe called clockwise to distinguish from TV Marie Antoinette "Girl in the Fireplace" episode) - to conform with current technology - cats prowl, eyes glowing green or laser red. Large slow Mechanicals kill innocents - accidentally or in mistaken good cause searching for a hidden criminal alien Katurian, exiled mad mass murderer dictator Shade Vassily.
Repple and Aske sponser our heroes to clever chess-player Mr Wyse, who volunteers to run the Imperial House club for exiled royals, while reclusive top-floor resident Mr Pooter is away. Who is helping and harming and really the vicious Vassily? True to the TV series are the dialogue, roles, interactions, running, unfolding secrets, twists, difficult choices, loss of brave individuals, and philosophies.
"Being human isn't only about flesh and blood." p191 "Even machines need something to die for." p216 Thankfully, unlike disappointing "I am a Dalek", there was only one reference to other episodes "You do keep turning up. Like a bad wolf." p120 I prefer Justin Richards to Gareth Roberts. Research conducted inside Big Ben makes the final combat setting more real.
Repple and Aske sponser our heroes to clever chess-player Mr Wyse, who volunteers to run the Imperial House club for exiled royals, while reclusive top-floor resident Mr Pooter is away. Who is helping and harming and really the vicious Vassily? True to the TV series are the dialogue, roles, interactions, running, unfolding secrets, twists, difficult choices, loss of brave individuals, and philosophies.
"Being human isn't only about flesh and blood." p191 "Even machines need something to die for." p216 Thankfully, unlike disappointing "I am a Dalek", there was only one reference to other episodes "You do keep turning up. Like a bad wolf." p120 I prefer Justin Richards to Gareth Roberts. Research conducted inside Big Ben makes the final combat setting more real.
April 8, 2014
3.5
The Doctor himself best describes at least part of the story:
I liked the main idea of the story. There is a lot of danger involved, but that's nothing new for the Doctor and a companion. I kept forgetting this is Eccleston's Doctor and for some reason I kept imagining Tennant's. I loved both, but the ninth got too little time in the series.
I loved the steampunk touch. It is well explained and flawlessly incorporated into the alien storyline.
I hated moments when the Doctor acted out of character. There is a moment when he can't remember the word syllable! Let me write that again: the Doctor cannot remember the word in English. I couldn't accept that. And he wasn't joking either. Then again, the rest of the time he was his crazy self.
At first I didn't like the story because Rose was acting dumb. She was never my favourite in the series, but then I remembered Amy freaking whining Pond and Rose seems perfect in comparison. So I forgave her talking and calling the Doctor in a moment when she shouldn't be seen.
While I liked Freddie as a character, the way he was used to forward the plot got too tedious.
And the villains? Now, some may not agree with this, but they got way too many opportunities.
Still, with all the above I cannot but like the story. I mean, the steampunk Doctor Who. Even with the flaws, it kept the good stuff.
The Doctor himself best describes at least part of the story:
'It's about a Painted Lady. It's about clockwork killers. A manhunt. Mistaken identity. Assassination. The usual ingredients.'You see, this both tells you a lot and nothing at the same time.
I liked the main idea of the story. There is a lot of danger involved, but that's nothing new for the Doctor and a companion. I kept forgetting this is Eccleston's Doctor and for some reason I kept imagining Tennant's. I loved both, but the ninth got too little time in the series.
I loved the steampunk touch. It is well explained and flawlessly incorporated into the alien storyline.
I hated moments when the Doctor acted out of character. There is a moment when he can't remember the word syllable! Let me write that again: the Doctor cannot remember the word in English. I couldn't accept that. And he wasn't joking either. Then again, the rest of the time he was his crazy self.
At first I didn't like the story because Rose was acting dumb. She was never my favourite in the series, but then I remembered Amy freaking whining Pond and Rose seems perfect in comparison. So I forgave her talking and calling the Doctor in a moment when she shouldn't be seen.
While I liked Freddie as a character, the way he was used to forward the plot got too tedious.
And the villains? Now, some may not agree with this, but they got way too many opportunities.
Still, with all the above I cannot but like the story. I mean, the steampunk Doctor Who. Even with the flaws, it kept the good stuff.
June 10, 2016
The Doctor and Rose travel back to 1920s London to check out the British Empire Exhibition. What they get really is a missing Tardis, members of the help being attacked and hurt badly or worse. And mysterious ticking sound. Who or what is behind all of this. Another adventure in the past for them both.
For my first Doctor Who book I was quite impressed. My plan was to try and read the books in relation to the show but alas I was enjoying it too much to slow my viewing. I'm hoping to get all of the 9th doctor books read before watching too many of the next.
For my first Doctor Who book I was quite impressed. My plan was to try and read the books in relation to the show but alas I was enjoying it too much to slow my viewing. I'm hoping to get all of the 9th doctor books read before watching too many of the next.
May 7, 2016
When I first laid eyes on The Clockwise Man, I was disappointed that the book got such a low rating. I was pretty reluctant to open the book because I thought it would fall short of a good book, but I was wrong. I really liked this book.
When the book started out, I was trying too hard to force myself into picturing the characters as the Doctor and Rose. It made the beginning less enjoyable for me than I would have hoped. Eventually though I just stopped trying so hard to force an imagination and just let the story carry me away. That was where the fun began.
The characters (Rose and 9) sometimes did not seem like Rose and 9. I pictured them differently and even kept pointing out to myself how they did or said things they wouldn't usually say, making them sort of strangers. As the story continued, I realized that Rose was actually a pretty cool character in the books. I'm not a very big Rose fan and I was happy to see her go in the TV show. However, in the books I found her witty and smart as well as brave, making her the perfect companion. Well done Justin!
The plot at the beginning seemed boring and slow, hence the 3.5 stars. They took a lot of time going to unnecessary places or just poking around. That being said, there were parts of the beginning that I really did love such as the sass from characters etc.. As I entered into the second part of the story, I LOVED it.
The plot was fast paced and really vivid in my mind. I could picture the doctor and Rose clearly and they really did act like themselves. I liked the suspense at the end. I really loved the clockwork aspect. A great character was Freddie-- a hero in the stars.
I really liked how the author mislead the reader into thinking certain characters were villains and then suddenly yanked the carpet from under your feet.
This story was well done but the first part needed improvement in a lot of areas. To any future reader: Don't force your mind to see the characters or plots, let your mind do the work on its own!
When the book started out, I was trying too hard to force myself into picturing the characters as the Doctor and Rose. It made the beginning less enjoyable for me than I would have hoped. Eventually though I just stopped trying so hard to force an imagination and just let the story carry me away. That was where the fun began.
The characters (Rose and 9) sometimes did not seem like Rose and 9. I pictured them differently and even kept pointing out to myself how they did or said things they wouldn't usually say, making them sort of strangers. As the story continued, I realized that Rose was actually a pretty cool character in the books. I'm not a very big Rose fan and I was happy to see her go in the TV show. However, in the books I found her witty and smart as well as brave, making her the perfect companion. Well done Justin!
The plot at the beginning seemed boring and slow, hence the 3.5 stars. They took a lot of time going to unnecessary places or just poking around. That being said, there were parts of the beginning that I really did love such as the sass from characters etc.. As I entered into the second part of the story, I LOVED it.
The plot was fast paced and really vivid in my mind. I could picture the doctor and Rose clearly and they really did act like themselves. I liked the suspense at the end. I really loved the clockwork aspect. A great character was Freddie-- a hero in the stars.
I really liked how the author mislead the reader into thinking certain characters were villains and then suddenly yanked the carpet from under your feet.
This story was well done but the first part needed improvement in a lot of areas. To any future reader: Don't force your mind to see the characters or plots, let your mind do the work on its own!
July 1, 2012
This is my first time
ever
to have read a novelization of either a TV show or a movie. But, being such a fan of the revamped Doctor Who series and having finished several outstanding novels lately, I was ready to try it for some lighter reading. Aside from some eBook formatting/editing issues (line breaks weren't adequately used in my ePub edition...one line would be about the Doctor doing something, and the very next would begin a totally different scene without any kind of editing/spacing to alert the reader that this was happening), this was quite a pleasant surprise. This really kept me turning those ePages with great elements of mystery, and I could actually hear the 9th Doctor and Rose's voices in my head as I read, which says a lot for the book, I think.
I chose to begin with this novel for no other reason than it was the first book to begin the new series. Not a bad beginning at all, and thanks to this experience, I will no longer be afraid to try other TV or movie novelizations I've been pondering, such as: Babylon 5, Torchwood,Star Trek, and maybe even some Star Wars, although this latter looks overwhelming. (As an aside, I was pleased to find out that at a certain point in the Star Trek Deep Space 9 novels, they become the canonical 8th season, and many of the Babylon 5 novels are considered cannon too.) Does that finally and officially put me into the nerd category?
I chose to begin with this novel for no other reason than it was the first book to begin the new series. Not a bad beginning at all, and thanks to this experience, I will no longer be afraid to try other TV or movie novelizations I've been pondering, such as: Babylon 5, Torchwood,Star Trek, and maybe even some Star Wars, although this latter looks overwhelming. (As an aside, I was pleased to find out that at a certain point in the Star Trek Deep Space 9 novels, they become the canonical 8th season, and many of the Babylon 5 novels are considered cannon too.) Does that finally and officially put me into the nerd category?
January 24, 2015
I love 9 and Rose, there's a clever twist, and Repple and Freddy are adorable supporting characters. But the entire enterprise feels padded, Rose is very much out of character, and the climax is overly drawn-out.
The third book I've read with this incarnation of the Doctor, and Stealers of Dreams is the only one I'd recommend if you're trying to choose one.
The third book I've read with this incarnation of the Doctor, and Stealers of Dreams is the only one I'd recommend if you're trying to choose one.
May 31, 2022
I adore Doctor Who. It's one of my favorite shows on television. This is my first time reading any of the spin off books. And in true Doctor Who form this fit right into the world. I could absolutely see this being an adventure Rose and the Doctor were on.
This was a fun romp with a historical backdrop for Rose and the Doctor. I liked seeing the clockwork men in this one. The Doctor of course ends up in center of trouble and a case of mistaken identity sends everything spiraling. I could just picture all of this playing out including the race across London and into Big Ben.
I'm glad I picked this one up. I love expanding the adventures I know of that the Doctor's been on. I'll have to try some more of the written stories.
This was a fun romp with a historical backdrop for Rose and the Doctor. I liked seeing the clockwork men in this one. The Doctor of course ends up in center of trouble and a case of mistaken identity sends everything spiraling. I could just picture all of this playing out including the race across London and into Big Ben.
I'm glad I picked this one up. I love expanding the adventures I know of that the Doctor's been on. I'll have to try some more of the written stories.
August 12, 2020
I might be a bit too nice giving this book 4 stars, but the thing is, this is I think the best Doctor Who book I've read even if I like the 10th and 11th Doctor way better. (Sorry, Nine.) This just had an intriguing plot, some more "philosophical" themes like the whole thing about empires and I don't know it just seemed like good craftsmanship.
December 2, 2023
2023 52 Book Challenge - 10) Takes Place During The Roaring Twenties
This book was a pretty solid meh. The plot was slow and plodding, and not very memorable. The characters didn't feel like the TV characters, and more resembled caricatures of them.
This book was a pretty solid meh. The plot was slow and plodding, and not very memorable. The characters didn't feel like the TV characters, and more resembled caricatures of them.
September 3, 2024
this was crazy, cats were dropkicked, it was great and I had no clue what was happening
August 29, 2013
For a Doctor Who fan, and a novel fan, Doctor Who: The Novel should have been a five-star shoo in. Unfortunately it was a shoo-out-and-exterminate-yourself.
The Ninth Doctor wasn’t much like Christopher Ecclestone’s portrayal. Richards captured his detached confidence well, but no other aspect of his personality was apparent: his passion, his anger, his dry humour or his swagger. Admittedly, it’s hard to recreate a character in print already well etched in the reader’s mind, but had there never been a TV series, had the reader come to this book tabula rasa, then the ‘hero’ would be read as a bland, aloof and essentially pointless character who was as much a Time Lord as he was a stick of celery. His most recognisable features are were the leather jacket and sonic screwdriver, both of which I could don without setting foot on Gallifrey.
Rose was better managed. Her feisty boisterousness shone through along with tinges of empathy and compassion making her a much more well-rounded character. She was so strong the story could have survived with her alone. The remaining cast, with a few exceptions, were a bland menagerie of boring stock characters and red shirt tokens.
The plot itself had the capacity to be a good one. There were various layers and in the hands of a better writer could have been enjoyable. However Richards – unfortunately the Creative Director for the BBC Books Doctor Who Series – created all the atmosphere of a tea party in a morgue. For a huge chunk of the book, nothing happened. Nothing. The Doctor faffed about playing chess and chatting, Rose wandered about feeling inquisitive and by the time the action kicked in, I was almost too fed up to care.
From the attack on the hotel through to the goldfish bowl prison, things were actually good. The action was pacey, the dialogue was snappy, the holder of the upper hand was constantly changing as loyalties were switched, examined and re-examined (even if the treatment of the cats was a bit violent before their secret was revealed). Then the dénouement came. And stayed. And continued some more. The whole Big Ben sequence left me wanting to climb those same stairs and throw myself from the top of London’s most famous clock to end the misery. The climax lasted so unnecessarily long that I would have been quite happy if the Doctor was killed and London vaporised just to reach a conclusion.
The book wasn’t without any merit. Freddie is a brilliant character, and there was a huge and important theme: the nature of humanity. This was explored with some skill that made its point without overegging it and there were beautifully poignant moments that actually present a challenge to ‘human beings’ about humanity itself.
Nevertheless, the reason for the long running time for this novel is due to the sheer effort it took for me to keep picking it up. If I had a TARDIS of my own, I’d go back a few months and throw this book away before I had the chance to read it.
The Ninth Doctor wasn’t much like Christopher Ecclestone’s portrayal. Richards captured his detached confidence well, but no other aspect of his personality was apparent: his passion, his anger, his dry humour or his swagger. Admittedly, it’s hard to recreate a character in print already well etched in the reader’s mind, but had there never been a TV series, had the reader come to this book tabula rasa, then the ‘hero’ would be read as a bland, aloof and essentially pointless character who was as much a Time Lord as he was a stick of celery. His most recognisable features are were the leather jacket and sonic screwdriver, both of which I could don without setting foot on Gallifrey.
Rose was better managed. Her feisty boisterousness shone through along with tinges of empathy and compassion making her a much more well-rounded character. She was so strong the story could have survived with her alone. The remaining cast, with a few exceptions, were a bland menagerie of boring stock characters and red shirt tokens.
The plot itself had the capacity to be a good one. There were various layers and in the hands of a better writer could have been enjoyable. However Richards – unfortunately the Creative Director for the BBC Books Doctor Who Series – created all the atmosphere of a tea party in a morgue. For a huge chunk of the book, nothing happened. Nothing. The Doctor faffed about playing chess and chatting, Rose wandered about feeling inquisitive and by the time the action kicked in, I was almost too fed up to care.
From the attack on the hotel through to the goldfish bowl prison, things were actually good. The action was pacey, the dialogue was snappy, the holder of the upper hand was constantly changing as loyalties were switched, examined and re-examined (even if the treatment of the cats was a bit violent before their secret was revealed). Then the dénouement came. And stayed. And continued some more. The whole Big Ben sequence left me wanting to climb those same stairs and throw myself from the top of London’s most famous clock to end the misery. The climax lasted so unnecessarily long that I would have been quite happy if the Doctor was killed and London vaporised just to reach a conclusion.
The book wasn’t without any merit. Freddie is a brilliant character, and there was a huge and important theme: the nature of humanity. This was explored with some skill that made its point without overegging it and there were beautifully poignant moments that actually present a challenge to ‘human beings’ about humanity itself.
Nevertheless, the reason for the long running time for this novel is due to the sheer effort it took for me to keep picking it up. If I had a TARDIS of my own, I’d go back a few months and throw this book away before I had the chance to read it.
May 27, 2014
Мое знакомство с New Series Adventures началось не с первой книги; но даже в этом случае я бы не забросила идею почитать Доктора, потому как «The Clockwise Man» удивительно хорош. Мне импонируют вкрапления clockpunk’а (название себя оправдывает), котики с laser eyes и завихрения сюжетных интриг (злодей обнаруживает себя только в конце). Второстепенные персонажи доставили многократно больше основных, и я даже жалею, что эта история не выросла в самостоятельный роман без участия в докторофраншизе. Aske и Repple так вообще занимают теперь отдельное место в моем сердце, со всеми их причудами и неожиданными ревелейшенами. А на месте Доктора и Роуз мог быть менее инертный персонаж, который добавил бы смысла происходящему, а не наоборот. Концовка затянута, ходы повторяются, но в целом скучно не было :)
Я и раньше не страдала симпатией к Девятому, а Ричардс усугубил мою зарождающуюся неприязнь на раз-два. Есть такой момент, когда Роуз размышляет, замечает ли вообще Доктор ее присутствие рядом. Так вот, деточка, – этот Доктор на тебя лишний раз не взглянет. Нет, о�� спасет тебя и все такое, но при этом ты никогда не станешь для него важнее звуковой отвертки. А еще ТАРДИС украли в самом начале истории, и до самого конца про нее не вспоминали. Ну типа норм, подумаешь, кто-то стырил межпространственную боевую подругу, зато вон там интриги и плюшки. А ТАРДИС волшебным образом сама вернется, угу.
Собственно, и Роуз показала себя не с лучшей стороны. Вместо того, чтобы скрутить жгут и остановить кровотечение, она бестолково причитала и тупила со страшной силой, тем самым практически угробив маленького мальчика. Сделать ск��дку на то, что она только недавно начала путешествовать с таймлордом и еще не успела приобрести навык быстродействия в экстремальных ситуациях? Неа, это ни разу не оправдание. С Донной, конечно, мало кто сравнится. Но я также думаю о Понд, которая никому не давала спуску, да и способности здраво мыслить не теряла, даже будучи заброшенной в самую гущу приключений в одной пижаме. Может быть растерянность, недостаток хладнокровия и жизненного опыта помогает простым смертным (=зрителям) ассоциировать себя с таким персонажем, как Роуз, но лучше уж я буду восхищаться вышеуказанными рыжими женщинами, чем фейспалмить от компаньонов-тугодумов.
Читает книгу Nicholas Briggs (больше известный как «голос Далеков»). Выразительности ему не занимать, вопрос у меня только один – зачем надо было таааак растягивать паузы между словами? Была у него, наверное, какая-то установка, вроде «начитай на 7 часов, чтобы лишний диск оправдать». Я засыпала в перерывах между фразами, так что пришлось ускорить воспроизведение, в итоге время прослушивания укоротилось до стандартных 5 с половиной часов.
annikeh.net
Я и раньше не страдала симпатией к Девятому, а Ричардс усугубил мою зарождающуюся неприязнь на раз-два. Есть такой момент, когда Роуз размышляет, замечает ли вообще Доктор ее присутствие рядом. Так вот, деточка, – этот Доктор на тебя лишний раз не взглянет. Нет, о�� спасет тебя и все такое, но при этом ты никогда не станешь для него важнее звуковой отвертки. А еще ТАРДИС украли в самом начале истории, и до самого конца про нее не вспоминали. Ну типа норм, подумаешь, кто-то стырил межпространственную боевую подругу, зато вон там интриги и плюшки. А ТАРДИС волшебным образом сама вернется, угу.
Собственно, и Роуз показала себя не с лучшей стороны. Вместо того, чтобы скрутить жгут и остановить кровотечение, она бестолково причитала и тупила со страшной силой, тем самым практически угробив маленького мальчика. Сделать ск��дку на то, что она только недавно начала путешествовать с таймлордом и еще не успела приобрести навык быстродействия в экстремальных ситуациях? Неа, это ни разу не оправдание. С Донной, конечно, мало кто сравнится. Но я также думаю о Понд, которая никому не давала спуску, да и способности здраво мыслить не теряла, даже будучи заброшенной в самую гущу приключений в одной пижаме. Может быть растерянность, недостаток хладнокровия и жизненного опыта помогает простым смертным (=зрителям) ассоциировать себя с таким персонажем, как Роуз, но лучше уж я буду восхищаться вышеуказанными рыжими женщинами, чем фейспалмить от компаньонов-тугодумов.
Читает книгу Nicholas Briggs (больше известный как «голос Далеков»). Выразительности ему не занимать, вопрос у меня только один – зачем надо было таааак растягивать паузы между словами? Была у него, наверное, какая-то установка, вроде «начитай на 7 часов, чтобы лишний диск оправдать». Я засыпала в перерывах между фразами, так что пришлось ускорить воспроизведение, в итоге время прослушивания укоротилось до стандартных 5 с половиной часов.
annikeh.net
April 24, 2014
I am a fan of the new run of Doctor Who, although not its earlier incarnations, and this is my first run at one of the Doctor Who books. The first thing that really stands out to me is how close they held to the feeling of the show. Both Rose and the Doctor read on the page just as they do in the book and completely hold up to a fans expectations of the characters. There are also some nice references to things from the show, including a good Bad Wolf references. Little Easter eggs like that is fun to see.
The plot itself is a little convoluted at first and hard to get ahold of, but once the story gets going it starts to work itself out. Maybe it is the longer format of a book but the plot is more rounds about then you would get in an episode of the show and is overall just not as tight. The pacing really picks up near the end of the book as things come to a climax. Once you get a sense of whom the villain is and the motivation the climax comes off as a really fun read.
As with most franchise titles this book has much more focus on the existing characters then on the side characters. The problem is that the existing characters can’t get much in the way of development because the characters have to end essentially where they started so the characters continue to fit with the show. There is more opportunity with the new characters introduced for just the book, but because the main characters are the focus this is a missed opportunity. Couple this with the fact that series books are generally written by different people so there is little expectations of these secondary characters being carried based this one book. But this is what should be expected for a series based on a television show and it should not be held against the book. It is just the nature of the beast.
http://homeofreading.com/doctor-who-the-clockwise-man/
The plot itself is a little convoluted at first and hard to get ahold of, but once the story gets going it starts to work itself out. Maybe it is the longer format of a book but the plot is more rounds about then you would get in an episode of the show and is overall just not as tight. The pacing really picks up near the end of the book as things come to a climax. Once you get a sense of whom the villain is and the motivation the climax comes off as a really fun read.
As with most franchise titles this book has much more focus on the existing characters then on the side characters. The problem is that the existing characters can’t get much in the way of development because the characters have to end essentially where they started so the characters continue to fit with the show. There is more opportunity with the new characters introduced for just the book, but because the main characters are the focus this is a missed opportunity. Couple this with the fact that series books are generally written by different people so there is little expectations of these secondary characters being carried based this one book. But this is what should be expected for a series based on a television show and it should not be held against the book. It is just the nature of the beast.
http://homeofreading.com/doctor-who-the-clockwise-man/
July 18, 2023
The return to reading Doctor Who books!
I set my reading target this year to 35 as I had 35 of the BBC New Series adventures novels in my collection that needed reading. I began this year on a good streak of the 12th Doctor ones, but after hitting a rut of quite poor stories, my interest in the series was lost. After a few months of reading various other things, I have finally returned to reading this series. And what better place to start than with the first ever BBC New Series novel published.
This novel was written by Justin Richards who I am familiar with through his many Big Finish stories as well as the 12th Doctor novel 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦. In some ways, this bore similarities with 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦. The period setting, the high concept villains lurking in the shadows, the mad rush of panic in the final act. And, though I think 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦 is the stronger story, this was definitely enjoyable.
It seemed an odd choice for novel number 1 as it didn't really fit with the vibes of Series 1 and that early RTD era on TV. I'd have thought that the first novel would try and maintain that tone so that the books would appeal to those viewers. This, in some ways, feels more like a classic story by having multiple plot threads that would sustain a 4-part or 6-part runtime and by splitting the companion and Doctor up to explore their own stories. The book begins as the Doctor and Rose are wanting to visit a British empire exhibition, this felt very reminiscent of the 8th Doctor and Charley visiting a similar exhibition in audio story 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. This then becomes a Whodunnit as there are violent attacks spreading across the foggy 1920s London by a mysterious assailant, all the while the TARDIS has gone missing. This then changes as the Doctor and Rose discover a group of Russian exiles who wish to return to their country and reinstate themselves as nobility following the Russian Revolution of 1917. Then, it is revealed that there is a similarly exiled alien criminal who has been imprisoned on Earth and is being hunted by assassins seeking revenge. All of these are plots enough to sustain a book so it felt quite jarring that we hopped from one to another. They did all lead into each other, and I can understand their purpose for the wider threads to tie together and expand the story, but I'd have rather Richards chose one of them than all. Other than having heir to the throne child Freddie involved in much of the adventure, the Russian Revolution plot was entirely forgotten about and it seemed an unnecessary inclusion. Its only purpose seemed to be setting up that Freddie was haemophiliac, but this could have been stated on its own. The exhibition thing especially felt very unnecessary as, though the Doctor and Rose do visit the exhibition, it has no actual bearing on the story and is entirely irrelevant. The TARDIS should have simply been brought to London without explanation.
I liked that there was always an unravelling mystery throughout the book surrounding the Mr Pooter and Painted Lady characters. The explanation eventually given seemed somewhat basic and a well-trodden concept in 𝘋𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘩𝘰, but I'll forgive it for being the first New Series novel. These books seem to benefit when they tell a story that the TV series would never be able to afford and an audio story would never be able to execute. The huge spectacle of climbing Big Ben and destroying its inner workings felt epic and grand (even if a tad ridiculous). That being said, I sort of wanted it to do a bit more as the first novel. To make a statement and introduce the series with a bang. It had grand spectacles and large action set pieces, but the story was rather basic. Maybe this is not to alienate younger readers, but I think there was just something more that could have been done. A concept more unique.
I often wonder how much the writers are given in regards to character traits and portrayals from the series when these books are released to coincide with the TV series. Like with the 12th Doctor novels that I have previously read, the characterisation of the incarnation becomes more accurate over time. With Eccleston only having one series of television 𝘋𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘩𝘰, this process was impossible for his Doctor and all stories will have been based on whatever material the novel writers are given. I say this because Rose's characterisation was fairly accurate. I could mostly hear her voice through her lines and her behaviour was largely in-keeping with the TV character (even if her forgetting to tourniquet Freddie's leg and instead leaving him to bleed was very off and out of character). The Doctor on the other hand was very hit or miss. At times, I could really hear Eccleston and imagine him performing his lines and actions, at others they weirdly seemed more like Tennant's Doctor - even though he would not have been Doctor yet when these were released - and at others he was written as generic Doctor. I realise this characterisation must be hard to capture with so little to go off, but I always feel it would add to the tone of the book if there was just a little more accuracy in there. The closest the book came to a good characterisation of the Doctor was when the Painted Lady mistook the Doctor for the alien criminal and described the crimes that he had committed. It seemed as though she was describing exactly what we knew the Doctor to have done during the Time War, so it was nice to allude to this trauma. My favourite ties to the series though were the mentions of Gwyneth from 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 and the name drop of Bad Wolf. I always love when extended universe material that slots somewhere within a series' continuity makes an effort to reference the ongoing story arc of its time.
Overall, this novel didn't blow me away as some previous 𝘋𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘩𝘰 books have, but it didn't disappoint me as some have either. It was a fun and simple introductory story that was never boring. I would have wished for a little more depth and a story a little less rudimentary as opposed to robots in disguise who are secretly alien criminals, but the spectacle of the adventure made it worth its time.
P.S. the clockwork robots were eerily foreboding of the Clockwork Droids that would be introduced in Series 2 of the TV show. Was this a coincidence, or did Steven Moffat take some inspiration from this book?
I set my reading target this year to 35 as I had 35 of the BBC New Series adventures novels in my collection that needed reading. I began this year on a good streak of the 12th Doctor ones, but after hitting a rut of quite poor stories, my interest in the series was lost. After a few months of reading various other things, I have finally returned to reading this series. And what better place to start than with the first ever BBC New Series novel published.
This novel was written by Justin Richards who I am familiar with through his many Big Finish stories as well as the 12th Doctor novel 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦. In some ways, this bore similarities with 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦. The period setting, the high concept villains lurking in the shadows, the mad rush of panic in the final act. And, though I think 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦 is the stronger story, this was definitely enjoyable.
It seemed an odd choice for novel number 1 as it didn't really fit with the vibes of Series 1 and that early RTD era on TV. I'd have thought that the first novel would try and maintain that tone so that the books would appeal to those viewers. This, in some ways, feels more like a classic story by having multiple plot threads that would sustain a 4-part or 6-part runtime and by splitting the companion and Doctor up to explore their own stories. The book begins as the Doctor and Rose are wanting to visit a British empire exhibition, this felt very reminiscent of the 8th Doctor and Charley visiting a similar exhibition in audio story 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. This then becomes a Whodunnit as there are violent attacks spreading across the foggy 1920s London by a mysterious assailant, all the while the TARDIS has gone missing. This then changes as the Doctor and Rose discover a group of Russian exiles who wish to return to their country and reinstate themselves as nobility following the Russian Revolution of 1917. Then, it is revealed that there is a similarly exiled alien criminal who has been imprisoned on Earth and is being hunted by assassins seeking revenge. All of these are plots enough to sustain a book so it felt quite jarring that we hopped from one to another. They did all lead into each other, and I can understand their purpose for the wider threads to tie together and expand the story, but I'd have rather Richards chose one of them than all. Other than having heir to the throne child Freddie involved in much of the adventure, the Russian Revolution plot was entirely forgotten about and it seemed an unnecessary inclusion. Its only purpose seemed to be setting up that Freddie was haemophiliac, but this could have been stated on its own. The exhibition thing especially felt very unnecessary as, though the Doctor and Rose do visit the exhibition, it has no actual bearing on the story and is entirely irrelevant. The TARDIS should have simply been brought to London without explanation.
I liked that there was always an unravelling mystery throughout the book surrounding the Mr Pooter and Painted Lady characters. The explanation eventually given seemed somewhat basic and a well-trodden concept in 𝘋𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘩𝘰, but I'll forgive it for being the first New Series novel. These books seem to benefit when they tell a story that the TV series would never be able to afford and an audio story would never be able to execute. The huge spectacle of climbing Big Ben and destroying its inner workings felt epic and grand (even if a tad ridiculous). That being said, I sort of wanted it to do a bit more as the first novel. To make a statement and introduce the series with a bang. It had grand spectacles and large action set pieces, but the story was rather basic. Maybe this is not to alienate younger readers, but I think there was just something more that could have been done. A concept more unique.
I often wonder how much the writers are given in regards to character traits and portrayals from the series when these books are released to coincide with the TV series. Like with the 12th Doctor novels that I have previously read, the characterisation of the incarnation becomes more accurate over time. With Eccleston only having one series of television 𝘋𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘩𝘰, this process was impossible for his Doctor and all stories will have been based on whatever material the novel writers are given. I say this because Rose's characterisation was fairly accurate. I could mostly hear her voice through her lines and her behaviour was largely in-keeping with the TV character (even if her forgetting to tourniquet Freddie's leg and instead leaving him to bleed was very off and out of character). The Doctor on the other hand was very hit or miss. At times, I could really hear Eccleston and imagine him performing his lines and actions, at others they weirdly seemed more like Tennant's Doctor - even though he would not have been Doctor yet when these were released - and at others he was written as generic Doctor. I realise this characterisation must be hard to capture with so little to go off, but I always feel it would add to the tone of the book if there was just a little more accuracy in there. The closest the book came to a good characterisation of the Doctor was when the Painted Lady mistook the Doctor for the alien criminal and described the crimes that he had committed. It seemed as though she was describing exactly what we knew the Doctor to have done during the Time War, so it was nice to allude to this trauma. My favourite ties to the series though were the mentions of Gwyneth from 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 and the name drop of Bad Wolf. I always love when extended universe material that slots somewhere within a series' continuity makes an effort to reference the ongoing story arc of its time.
Overall, this novel didn't blow me away as some previous 𝘋𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘞𝘩𝘰 books have, but it didn't disappoint me as some have either. It was a fun and simple introductory story that was never boring. I would have wished for a little more depth and a story a little less rudimentary as opposed to robots in disguise who are secretly alien criminals, but the spectacle of the adventure made it worth its time.
P.S. the clockwork robots were eerily foreboding of the Clockwork Droids that would be introduced in Series 2 of the TV show. Was this a coincidence, or did Steven Moffat take some inspiration from this book?
April 30, 2021
In 1920s London the Doctor and Rose find themselves caught up in the hunt for a mysterious murderer. But not everything is what it seems. Secrets lie behind locked doors and inhuman killers roam the streets. Who is the Painted Lady and why is she so interested in the Doctor?
Fantastic! To quote the late great 9th Doctor, that's exactly to me what they story was. I easily found myself drawn into the book as if i was one of the doctors companions. The story it's self was written well and kept me hooked till the end, each mystery present had my brain going overtime trying to figure it out, as it does most times i watch WHO, and like those times and so it should be, things don't make sense until the Doctor reveals all and you are blow away with the revelations. I also enjoyed the little hints to, "bad wolf" which is a story arch that follows both the 9th and 10th doctor, and a few other little hints here and there, including some future adversaries. This was my first time reading a Doctor Who novel and to start with one of my favourites Nine! Was just plain and simply FANTASTIC! And so is this story, definitely one to read if your a lover of Nine or Doctor Who in general.
4.5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
98/100 leather jackets 🧥
Fantastic! To quote the late great 9th Doctor, that's exactly to me what they story was. I easily found myself drawn into the book as if i was one of the doctors companions. The story it's self was written well and kept me hooked till the end, each mystery present had my brain going overtime trying to figure it out, as it does most times i watch WHO, and like those times and so it should be, things don't make sense until the Doctor reveals all and you are blow away with the revelations. I also enjoyed the little hints to, "bad wolf" which is a story arch that follows both the 9th and 10th doctor, and a few other little hints here and there, including some future adversaries. This was my first time reading a Doctor Who novel and to start with one of my favourites Nine! Was just plain and simply FANTASTIC! And so is this story, definitely one to read if your a lover of Nine or Doctor Who in general.
4.5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
98/100 leather jackets 🧥
March 31, 2015
This started as a 4 star book, I loved the atmosphere and I was intrigued by the story. Around the middle, it dropped to a 3 star book, the story got too convoluted and started running in circles ("You're him!" "No, I'm not!" "You're him, I'm sure of it!" "I assure you, I'm not!" Seriously?). And then it reached its last part and I got so angry that I was struggling not to give it 1 star outright, because everybody suddenly turned stupid (Rose has never been the brightest bulb in the box, but I expected much more from the Doctor!). They didn't get that the boy was hemophiliac? And Rose didn't even try to stop the bleeding with simple first aid skills? And even if the boy was fully healthy and wanted to help, to use a little boy against a murdering sociopath and megalomaniac, actually send the boy to try and stop him? ARE YOU FRICKIN' KIDDING ME?! Good grief, what a load of bull!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2015
Fairly "meh": the action was all over the place forgetting to be coherent, Nine & Rose didn't sound much in-character (don't act in-character, don't sound it, don't have much of character to even look at...) and if you didn't see the BIG TWIST about a mile away you just weren't paying attention
Also a seriously lost opportunity of the kid ending up with a kitty friend in the end. Just sayin
The only way it earned the 1 star at all was the way "bad wolf" snuck in
Also a seriously lost opportunity of the kid ending up with a kitty friend in the end. Just sayin
The only way it earned the 1 star at all was the way "bad wolf" snuck in
January 4, 2024
Just the fact that Rose has, in Doctor Who canon, been referred to as the Doctor's queen... I'm not okay. Please send help.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2021
A fantastic who read , but a little dragged out towards the end
July 27, 2024
4-4.5/5. This was one of the first Doctor Who books that I read back in 2015 (now in my rereading era xD), and I quite enjoyed this first novel in the Doctor Who New Series adventures!
Some thoughts (including spoilers!) -
+1 I found the writing style to be enjoyable and fast to read, and the plot to be quite engaging, with an interesting mystery plot and several twists throughout. The steampunk ambience was also a plus for me, featuring a crossover between 1920s London - the era was also well portrayed, as far as I know - and outer space aliens who endeavour to blend in among the 1920s humans by using clockwork technology (quite reminiscent of the later clockwork droids in Ten's era!).
+1 The Doctor and Rose are well characterized overall. Nine is perhaps a bit more 'hero action' driven than in other of his stories at times (more hands on than relying mainly on wits, although the Doctor does this too, depending) - but I feel that the characterization still fits his character quite well. He's also fittingly quick-witted, sarcastic, with social criticism remarks ready at hand, and very, very preocuppied about his misplaced leather jacket (and sonic, but more about the jacket xD).
I especially enjoyed the portrayal of Rose, nicely depicted as proactive, assertive and compassionate throughout. She navigates the world of 1920s reenactment in a very relatable way (flimsy 1920s cocktail calf-length dresses aren't the best thing to navigate a cold, damp London in, for sure, and she rues the complete lack of jeans and any trousers when shopping for more adequate clothes for her sleuthing, but is happy enough to find sturdier and comfier dresses and skirt suits, at least xD). As per usual for Rose, she has great rapport and a lot of empathy going on with several characters, from her wholesome dynamic with disabled child-heir Freddie to her one and only scene with housemaid Beth, which also leads her to remember Gwyneth from 'The Unquiet Dead'. She also doesn't like to be called 'my dear' by middle-aged gentlemen, which is 100% understandable.
Even when trapped in your more stereotypical 'damsel in distress' scenarios, I really liked that, true to her TV portrayal, Rose's attitude is always defiant and never passive - in some cases, it's anything *but* passive, as she single handedly deactivates a clockwork cat which was attacking her, without waiting for the Doctor to come to her rescue. She's also quite proactive even when relegated to 'caretaking' roles, and as especially loved the moment where she launches herself in the path of the inner clockwork workings of the Big Ben without a shred hesitation if it means that she can save the life of the injured child at her care. She also finds time to come to aid of the Doctor during the final showdown, nonchalantly running over to kick the gun away from the antagonist's hand while grappling with Nine, and then going back to doing what she was doing (multitasking queen xD). While I would have loved to see her taking a larger role in some parts of the story, the parts where she does appear are great.
+-1 As to the overall dynamic between Nine and Rose, they're a pretty balanced team throughout, even if Nine does get to be a bit more active and present in the story, and also tends to leave to do his own sleuthing without so much as leaving a note for Rose, which rightly annoys her. They also found some time to go visit the exhibition they planned the trip for in the first place, which is not as common as you might think (xD), and had some interesting scenes where they debate the usual Whovian ethical topics on peace, violence, wars, genocide, imperialism and what have you. I was not the biggest fan of a couple of Nine's quips, though, especially the one during the final showdown when Rose needs the Doctor's help and he comments on how 'she's always impatient' (turns out she had all the reason to be). I am also not a big fan of romantic Nine/Rose, so I also didn't love the moment where jealousy is implied on Rose's part when Nine has to interact with another female character.
-Female representation: There are rather more male than female characters in this story, with only 4 female characters of relevance to the plot: Rose Tyler; the 'Painted Lady' Melissa Heart (see below); Lady Anna (a cousin of the Romanovs who has a minimal role in the story, apart from being constantly saddened and worried about her haemophilic son Freddie); and housemaid Beth (who is promptly tragically murdered after a scene with Rose :S, but I did really like that scene, at least, especially as it touched on class inequality as well as sorority). Another Russian aristocrat, called Nadia Koznyshev, has an additional non-talking cameo at the start of the book. In spite of the fewer number of female characters, Rose Tyler and Melissa Heart do drive large parts of the story, and have fully proactive and interesting roles and characterization. Bechdel pass, as Rose speaks with Lady Anna, Beth and Melissa.
+1 Melissa Heart, called the Painted Lady because she always wears a painted masquerade mask over her face, is initially depicted as a more 2D antagonist with clear traits of the femme fatale archetype, but later on more fleshed out as a way more interesting character. At the start of the story, she's the apparent main antagonist, controlling clockwork droids and wreacking violent havoc among the innocent servants of the aristocrats of London. She later on turns out to be an alien in disguise who seeks revenge for the death of her parents and brother at the hand of the tyrannical despot, who she's searching for. After becoming an ally of the Doctor against their common enemy, she ends up assimilating part of the Doctor's ethos, regretting the innocent casualties she was responsible for and considering that, while she doesn't regret the despot's ultimate end, her means were also not worth the cost.
-1 We also learn that Melissa keeps her face covered due to a botched operation that was intended to disguise her as a human. The fact that the it is the alien woman who ended up with the monstrous and 'deformed' results of this disguise (the alien despot similarly ressembles a human man) is also worth noting, and more than one character wonders whether she's very beautiful or very ugly under her mask, reducing the enigma of her character to her mystery appearance quite a lot.
On monarchy, despots and imperialism:
-1 At the start of the story, we are introduced to several Russian aristocratic characters, mostly related to the Romanovs, who fled to London after the Russian Revolution of 1917 and aspire to 'take back their homeland' someday, by means of Anna's young son, Freddie (who is way more interested in being able to lead an ordinary, fully functional life than in being the ruler of Russia). While this plot line per se doesn't have much relevance in the whole story, I feel like the pro-monarchy and rather entitled ideals of these aristocratic characters aren't (at least initially) criticized as much as they should, with Nine basically listening to their claims and calling them harmless (I guess they kinda are in that point of the story, but their ideals are not). In that scene, the Doctor actually doesn't just sympathise with their specific plights as dispossessed exiles, but surprisingly also seems to have rather few critical things to say about their 'take back the monarchy' plans.
While there is plenty to criticize in the means by which the Russian Revolution (or the French one, or what have you) achieved their goals, and the Doctor also addresses this with Rose, I feel like the huge class imbalance problems that caused these revolutions in the first place are a bit (if not much) glossed over. Although this is mostly limited to the first couple of chapters of the book, it also rubbed me the wrong way. We should be able to denounce *both* things - That humankind unfortunately tends to resort to horrible means even when their motivations are legit ("Ends and means, always tricky"), but also that aristocratic ruling classes should not be ruling in the first place, especially if it leads to the starvation and opression of the general population.
+1 Fortunately, while the theme of deposed rulers is one of the main aspects of the story, the plot does not specifically revolve around this group and their dreams of past glory, but instead focuses on criticizing a power-hungry despot who caused genocide, war and destruction and was deposed and exiled to Earth as a result - and then, trying to escape from his exile, doesn't much care if that involves destroying the whole of London as well. Which, I guess, could also be taken as a direct parallel of the supposedly 'idealistic dreams' of the currently 'harmless' Russian exiles to recover their status and their ruling position. The themes of war and genocide are central to the plot, especially in the second half of the book. Fittingly addressed in several discussions, these topics suit the post-Time War Ninth Doctor perfectly, who navigates each day as "a sort of enthusiasm for life between the ennui".
-1 Nine and Rose were initially visiting 1920s London to visit the 'British Empire exhibition', which is very much constantly praised by all aristocratic characters they meet, as could be expected. While there is also a clear criticism on imperialism via the main antagonist's genocidal and tyrannical overlord history, Nine also offers a dodgy comparison of the imperialism of the Commonwealth with the European Union (??), saying it was "a collection of states and countries that in this case shared a common history rather than a common geography. But despite the fact that Britain no longer ruled many of them directly, there was a sense of cohesion and pride everywhere">. A "common history" being that of the British oppressors, I'm assuming :S. This was a baffling sentence to come from the Doctor's mouth, frankly.
+1 However, later on he does a bit of a full 180 (which suits his ethos much more) and engages in an impassioned debate on imperialism and the Commonwealth with the antagonist alien despot (initially masquerading as a British aristocrat who parrots the full British patriot ideals on imperialism, pretty much aligned to his own genocidal imperialism), concluding that "there are things to be ashamed of too", and later on angrily stating that "whole communities [are] wiped out to preserve your empire. Planets ravaged for daring to question your authority. Thousands of people simply disappearing to suit a political purpose.". *There*'s the Doctor, where were you at the exhibition, my dude?
+1 "Being human isn't only about flesh and blood". Finally, I enjoyed the additional discourse throughout the book on the validity of sentient beings who are not human, and especifically as related to androids and robotic beings. Showing 'human(e)' qualities should objectively not be the rod to which other beings are compared as a measure of their validity and morality, granted, but the Doctor does use this argument in the book as a way to oppose the dehumanization as of not only androids, but robots/droids in general, perceived as lesser or disposable by other characters. I especially liked the character of Repple, a humanoid android who becomes an ally of the Doctor and Rose and undergoes a complex journey of self-discovery during the story.
Some thoughts (including spoilers!) -
+1 I found the writing style to be enjoyable and fast to read, and the plot to be quite engaging, with an interesting mystery plot and several twists throughout. The steampunk ambience was also a plus for me, featuring a crossover between 1920s London - the era was also well portrayed, as far as I know - and outer space aliens who endeavour to blend in among the 1920s humans by using clockwork technology (quite reminiscent of the later clockwork droids in Ten's era!).
+1 The Doctor and Rose are well characterized overall. Nine is perhaps a bit more 'hero action' driven than in other of his stories at times (more hands on than relying mainly on wits, although the Doctor does this too, depending) - but I feel that the characterization still fits his character quite well. He's also fittingly quick-witted, sarcastic, with social criticism remarks ready at hand, and very, very preocuppied about his misplaced leather jacket (and sonic, but more about the jacket xD).
I especially enjoyed the portrayal of Rose, nicely depicted as proactive, assertive and compassionate throughout. She navigates the world of 1920s reenactment in a very relatable way (flimsy 1920s cocktail calf-length dresses aren't the best thing to navigate a cold, damp London in, for sure, and she rues the complete lack of jeans and any trousers when shopping for more adequate clothes for her sleuthing, but is happy enough to find sturdier and comfier dresses and skirt suits, at least xD). As per usual for Rose, she has great rapport and a lot of empathy going on with several characters, from her wholesome dynamic with disabled child-heir Freddie to her one and only scene with housemaid Beth, which also leads her to remember Gwyneth from 'The Unquiet Dead'. She also doesn't like to be called 'my dear' by middle-aged gentlemen, which is 100% understandable.
Even when trapped in your more stereotypical 'damsel in distress' scenarios, I really liked that, true to her TV portrayal, Rose's attitude is always defiant and never passive - in some cases, it's anything *but* passive, as she single handedly deactivates a clockwork cat which was attacking her, without waiting for the Doctor to come to her rescue. She's also quite proactive even when relegated to 'caretaking' roles, and as especially loved the moment where she launches herself in the path of the inner clockwork workings of the Big Ben without a shred hesitation if it means that she can save the life of the injured child at her care. She also finds time to come to aid of the Doctor during the final showdown, nonchalantly running over to kick the gun away from the antagonist's hand while grappling with Nine, and then going back to doing what she was doing (multitasking queen xD). While I would have loved to see her taking a larger role in some parts of the story, the parts where she does appear are great.
+-1 As to the overall dynamic between Nine and Rose, they're a pretty balanced team throughout, even if Nine does get to be a bit more active and present in the story, and also tends to leave to do his own sleuthing without so much as leaving a note for Rose, which rightly annoys her. They also found some time to go visit the exhibition they planned the trip for in the first place, which is not as common as you might think (xD), and had some interesting scenes where they debate the usual Whovian ethical topics on peace, violence, wars, genocide, imperialism and what have you. I was not the biggest fan of a couple of Nine's quips, though, especially the one during the final showdown when Rose needs the Doctor's help and he comments on how 'she's always impatient' (turns out she had all the reason to be). I am also not a big fan of romantic Nine/Rose, so I also didn't love the moment where jealousy is implied on Rose's part when Nine has to interact with another female character.
-Female representation: There are rather more male than female characters in this story, with only 4 female characters of relevance to the plot: Rose Tyler; the 'Painted Lady' Melissa Heart (see below); Lady Anna (a cousin of the Romanovs who has a minimal role in the story, apart from being constantly saddened and worried about her haemophilic son Freddie); and housemaid Beth (who is promptly tragically murdered after a scene with Rose :S, but I did really like that scene, at least, especially as it touched on class inequality as well as sorority). Another Russian aristocrat, called Nadia Koznyshev, has an additional non-talking cameo at the start of the book. In spite of the fewer number of female characters, Rose Tyler and Melissa Heart do drive large parts of the story, and have fully proactive and interesting roles and characterization. Bechdel pass, as Rose speaks with Lady Anna, Beth and Melissa.
+1 Melissa Heart, called the Painted Lady because she always wears a painted masquerade mask over her face, is initially depicted as a more 2D antagonist with clear traits of the femme fatale archetype, but later on more fleshed out as a way more interesting character. At the start of the story, she's the apparent main antagonist, controlling clockwork droids and wreacking violent havoc among the innocent servants of the aristocrats of London. She later on turns out to be an alien in disguise who seeks revenge for the death of her parents and brother at the hand of the tyrannical despot, who she's searching for. After becoming an ally of the Doctor against their common enemy, she ends up assimilating part of the Doctor's ethos, regretting the innocent casualties she was responsible for and considering that, while she doesn't regret the despot's ultimate end, her means were also not worth the cost.
-1 We also learn that Melissa keeps her face covered due to a botched operation that was intended to disguise her as a human. The fact that the it is the alien woman who ended up with the monstrous and 'deformed' results of this disguise (the alien despot similarly ressembles a human man) is also worth noting, and more than one character wonders whether she's very beautiful or very ugly under her mask, reducing the enigma of her character to her mystery appearance quite a lot.
On monarchy, despots and imperialism:
-1 At the start of the story, we are introduced to several Russian aristocratic characters, mostly related to the Romanovs, who fled to London after the Russian Revolution of 1917 and aspire to 'take back their homeland' someday, by means of Anna's young son, Freddie (who is way more interested in being able to lead an ordinary, fully functional life than in being the ruler of Russia). While this plot line per se doesn't have much relevance in the whole story, I feel like the pro-monarchy and rather entitled ideals of these aristocratic characters aren't (at least initially) criticized as much as they should, with Nine basically listening to their claims and calling them harmless (I guess they kinda are in that point of the story, but their ideals are not). In that scene, the Doctor actually doesn't just sympathise with their specific plights as dispossessed exiles, but surprisingly also seems to have rather few critical things to say about their 'take back the monarchy' plans.
While there is plenty to criticize in the means by which the Russian Revolution (or the French one, or what have you) achieved their goals, and the Doctor also addresses this with Rose, I feel like the huge class imbalance problems that caused these revolutions in the first place are a bit (if not much) glossed over. Although this is mostly limited to the first couple of chapters of the book, it also rubbed me the wrong way. We should be able to denounce *both* things - That humankind unfortunately tends to resort to horrible means even when their motivations are legit ("Ends and means, always tricky"), but also that aristocratic ruling classes should not be ruling in the first place, especially if it leads to the starvation and opression of the general population.
+1 Fortunately, while the theme of deposed rulers is one of the main aspects of the story, the plot does not specifically revolve around this group and their dreams of past glory, but instead focuses on criticizing a power-hungry despot who caused genocide, war and destruction and was deposed and exiled to Earth as a result - and then, trying to escape from his exile, doesn't much care if that involves destroying the whole of London as well. Which, I guess, could also be taken as a direct parallel of the supposedly 'idealistic dreams' of the currently 'harmless' Russian exiles to recover their status and their ruling position. The themes of war and genocide are central to the plot, especially in the second half of the book. Fittingly addressed in several discussions, these topics suit the post-Time War Ninth Doctor perfectly, who navigates each day as "a sort of enthusiasm for life between the ennui".
-1 Nine and Rose were initially visiting 1920s London to visit the 'British Empire exhibition', which is very much constantly praised by all aristocratic characters they meet, as could be expected. While there is also a clear criticism on imperialism via the main antagonist's genocidal and tyrannical overlord history, Nine also offers a dodgy comparison of the imperialism of the Commonwealth with the European Union (??), saying it was "a collection of states and countries that in this case shared a common history rather than a common geography. But despite the fact that Britain no longer ruled many of them directly, there was a sense of cohesion and pride everywhere">. A "common history" being that of the British oppressors, I'm assuming :S. This was a baffling sentence to come from the Doctor's mouth, frankly.
+1 However, later on he does a bit of a full 180 (which suits his ethos much more) and engages in an impassioned debate on imperialism and the Commonwealth with the antagonist alien despot (initially masquerading as a British aristocrat who parrots the full British patriot ideals on imperialism, pretty much aligned to his own genocidal imperialism), concluding that "there are things to be ashamed of too", and later on angrily stating that "whole communities [are] wiped out to preserve your empire. Planets ravaged for daring to question your authority. Thousands of people simply disappearing to suit a political purpose.". *There*'s the Doctor, where were you at the exhibition, my dude?
+1 "Being human isn't only about flesh and blood". Finally, I enjoyed the additional discourse throughout the book on the validity of sentient beings who are not human, and especifically as related to androids and robotic beings. Showing 'human(e)' qualities should objectively not be the rod to which other beings are compared as a measure of their validity and morality, granted, but the Doctor does use this argument in the book as a way to oppose the dehumanization as of not only androids, but robots/droids in general, perceived as lesser or disposable by other characters. I especially liked the character of Repple, a humanoid android who becomes an ally of the Doctor and Rose and undergoes a complex journey of self-discovery during the story.
March 31, 2023
As a fan of all doctors from the new era, these novels will be a joy, I can tell. I was suffering like many others from a sort of longing for more doctor who content, and these books were the most perfect discovery, allowing me to go on more adventures with these doctors. I've started from the beginning, and this will be a journey.
June 17, 2019
Some fun moments sprinkled throughout but overall I didn't love it.
The plot was convoluted & not very engaging, and although the characters were good at times, they were somewhat inconsistent. I thought the Doctor's attitude towards imperialism, genocide, etc. was unusually calm and mellow. Sorry not sorry, I refuse to believe that Nine is a monarchist!
The plot was convoluted & not very engaging, and although the characters were good at times, they were somewhat inconsistent. I thought the Doctor's attitude towards imperialism, genocide, etc. was unusually calm and mellow. Sorry not sorry, I refuse to believe that Nine is a monarchist!
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