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hidekisohma's review against another edition
2.0
So i sat on this book overnight trying to figure out what i wanted to rate it. This book is ABSOLUTELY a 2.5 out of 5, but i couldn't figure out whether that was a 2 or a 3.
and here's why.
So the book in itself, is written in a very easy to read manner. David Bishop seems to be an author that doesn't care much about deep long descriptions or convoluted storytelling and just wants to get into the meat of the story. and i can dig that. The problem here, is that the plot itself is not very good.
Right off the bat you can tell that the doctor is tired. Sarah is his companion here which was his last season in the TV show and the doctor just SEEMS tired. like he's running on fumes and it really shows. It's not the fun, exciting doc and jo we're used to, this is more of a "well, i can't save everyone, but i guess you have to save SOME people" doctor with sarah.
This is the first book i read with Sarah as well, and i have to say, i dont' really see the appeal that much. People seem to LOVE Sarah saying that she's their "favorite companion" but i don't understand why. I mean, she's FINE. She's capable and brave. That's really all she's got going on. Honestly i preferred Jo a lot more.
Without giving away too much, i'll say that this book does a COMPLETE 180 about halfway through. It starts off with gangsters running London doing..gangstery things and then BAM. The book gets VIOLENT. Like, i mean grossly, Trevor Baxendale VIOLENT. It was a complete tonal whiplash and I can't say i liked it.
I don't know what came over David halfway through this book, but dang son. You need to calm down. At no point was I in LOVE with this book, but it started out fine enough. But once the twist happened, it got violent to the point of me being disgusted (which doesn't happen easily).
There's a REALLY big body count in this one, which only really bothers me if it's done in a gruesome, mean spirited manner. and this was the case here.
Characters are introduced and backstories given only to unceremoniously die 10 pages later. and this is not a one off. this happens at least 4-5 times.
All in all, the story was a VERY quick read, i believe i read it in 2 days, but that doesn't make it good. Just because your writing STYLE is great, doesn't mean the substance is.
I was sitting here waffling between a 2 and a 3 this entire time i've been typing this review, but....since i can't give it a 2.5, i'm going to give it a 2. It was just a mean spirited, depressing, no moral (yeah yeah i know the title is amorality tale), gross fest.
Sorry David, I heard Empire of Death is good, but this one isn't. I love the 3rd doctor, but This is NOT his finest moment.
2.5 out of 5, rounded down to a 2.
and here's why.
So the book in itself, is written in a very easy to read manner. David Bishop seems to be an author that doesn't care much about deep long descriptions or convoluted storytelling and just wants to get into the meat of the story. and i can dig that. The problem here, is that the plot itself is not very good.
Right off the bat you can tell that the doctor is tired. Sarah is his companion here which was his last season in the TV show and the doctor just SEEMS tired. like he's running on fumes and it really shows. It's not the fun, exciting doc and jo we're used to, this is more of a "well, i can't save everyone, but i guess you have to save SOME people" doctor with sarah.
This is the first book i read with Sarah as well, and i have to say, i dont' really see the appeal that much. People seem to LOVE Sarah saying that she's their "favorite companion" but i don't understand why. I mean, she's FINE. She's capable and brave. That's really all she's got going on. Honestly i preferred Jo a lot more.
Without giving away too much, i'll say that this book does a COMPLETE 180 about halfway through. It starts off with gangsters running London doing..gangstery things and then BAM. The book gets VIOLENT. Like, i mean grossly, Trevor Baxendale VIOLENT. It was a complete tonal whiplash and I can't say i liked it.
I don't know what came over David halfway through this book, but dang son. You need to calm down. At no point was I in LOVE with this book, but it started out fine enough. But once the twist happened, it got violent to the point of me being disgusted (which doesn't happen easily).
There's a REALLY big body count in this one, which only really bothers me if it's done in a gruesome, mean spirited manner. and this was the case here.
Characters are introduced and backstories given only to unceremoniously die 10 pages later. and this is not a one off. this happens at least 4-5 times.
All in all, the story was a VERY quick read, i believe i read it in 2 days, but that doesn't make it good. Just because your writing STYLE is great, doesn't mean the substance is.
I was sitting here waffling between a 2 and a 3 this entire time i've been typing this review, but....since i can't give it a 2.5, i'm going to give it a 2. It was just a mean spirited, depressing, no moral (yeah yeah i know the title is amorality tale), gross fest.
Sorry David, I heard Empire of Death is good, but this one isn't. I love the 3rd doctor, but This is NOT his finest moment.
2.5 out of 5, rounded down to a 2.
nwhyte's review against another edition
2.0
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2277968.html[return][return]Past Doctor Adventure taking Three and Sarah Jane back to December 1952 where smog, East End gangsters and aliens form a deadly brew. I thought it was pretty poor. The East End gangsters talk like college students. The portrayal on the Church is anachronistic and unrealistic. There are some good desriptive moments and some elements of pathos, but it's really not great. [return][return]In particular, the aliens' evil plan is uncomfortably close to the Holocaust. As has been discussed at length by people better qualified than me, this is one of those topics that Who can never really do. Doctor Who, however seriously we may sometimes take it, is fundamentally entertainment; the Holocaust is not. The book has a gross error of taste and judgement at its core.[return][return](I have enjoyed Bishop's later work - particularly the second series of Sarah Jane Smith audios - but this is a wobbly start to say the least.)
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