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allaboutfrodo's review
4.0
This is my first Doctor Who novel, and I chose it because the original story was written by Douglas Adams. I thought it was ridiculously silly but I enjoyed it.
"Chris staggered in an ungainly fashion after the Doctor and Romana. So it was Sunday morning, and he was carrying a robot dog up some slippery steps into an invisible alien spaceship. Nobody was ever going to believe this."
I enjoyed the Oxford setting, and the Adams humor is definitely present. I'm a Doctor Who latecomer and have never seen any episodes with the Fourth Doctor, so I just imagined him as the Tenth (although that definitely made for some continuity errors). The Doctor as seen in this book seemed more like the Tenth than the Ninth or Eleventh. Definitely worth a read for a Whovian or Douglas Adams fan.
"Chris staggered in an ungainly fashion after the Doctor and Romana. So it was Sunday morning, and he was carrying a robot dog up some slippery steps into an invisible alien spaceship. Nobody was ever going to believe this."
I enjoyed the Oxford setting, and the Adams humor is definitely present. I'm a Doctor Who latecomer and have never seen any episodes with the Fourth Doctor, so I just imagined him as the Tenth (although that definitely made for some continuity errors). The Doctor as seen in this book seemed more like the Tenth than the Ninth or Eleventh. Definitely worth a read for a Whovian or Douglas Adams fan.
tessaf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
4.0
I'll be honest, it's Doctor Who, I'm giving it more leeway, but I had fun.
whitestar1993's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
**Title:** Doctor Who: Shada by Gareth Roberts
**Overall Rating:** 4.5/5
**Categories:**
- ☐ Fantasy
- ✓ Science Fiction
- ☐ Romance
- ☐ Mystery/Thriller
- ☐ Historical Fiction
- ☐ Nonfiction
- ☐ Memoir/Biography
- ☐ Literary Fiction
- ☐ Young Adult
- ☐ Children's
- ☐ Other: [Specify]
**Plot:** 4.5/5
* **Brief Summary:** A dangerous book goes missing, a mysterious man named Skagra is searching for Shada, and The Doctor and Romana go on a boat through Cambridge.
**Characters:** 5/5
* **Main Character(s):** This was the best characterization I've come across in a Doctor Who book so far, The Doctor and Romana were perfectly in character. I could hear the actors' voices in my head. Chris and Clare were also great characters, I enjoyed their growing relationship.
**Writing Style:** 5/5
* **Pros:** Roberts' writing style has got to be the best writing I've read in a DW book. I haven't read a book that has kept me hooked and wanting to read more in a long time. I loved the hint/nods to Douglas Adams as well, it wasn't overdone, but very tactfully used.
* **Cons:** N/A
**Worldbuilding/Setting:** 4/5
* **Description:** Some very immersive settings, I really liked the descriptions of the Time Vortex.
**Themes:** Telepathy, Hidden Past, Time Lord Shenanigans
**Pacing:** 4/5
* **Too Fast? Too Slow?:** I felt the pacing was just right, though in the middle it did drag a bit.
**Ending:** 4/5
* **Satisfying? Surprising? Unsatisfying?:** I did not see the twist with Salayvin coming (I hope I spelled his name correctly.) I also thought that the ending on the alien beach and back at St Cedd's College was great.
**Overall Impression:** I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes the Fourth Doctor. I'm curious to see how the TV and Big Finish stories stack up.
**Notes:** There were a couple parts where there were talks about the Time Lords sweeping things under the rug, so to speak. This made me think of Division and The Timeless Child.
**Overall Rating:** 4.5/5
**Categories:**
- ☐ Fantasy
- ✓ Science Fiction
- ☐ Romance
- ☐ Mystery/Thriller
- ☐ Historical Fiction
- ☐ Nonfiction
- ☐ Memoir/Biography
- ☐ Literary Fiction
- ☐ Young Adult
- ☐ Children's
- ☐ Other: [Specify]
**Plot:** 4.5/5
* **Brief Summary:** A dangerous book goes missing, a mysterious man named Skagra is searching for Shada, and The Doctor and Romana go on a boat through Cambridge.
**Characters:** 5/5
* **Main Character(s):** This was the best characterization I've come across in a Doctor Who book so far, The Doctor and Romana were perfectly in character. I could hear the actors' voices in my head. Chris and Clare were also great characters, I enjoyed their growing relationship.
**Writing Style:** 5/5
* **Pros:** Roberts' writing style has got to be the best writing I've read in a DW book. I haven't read a book that has kept me hooked and wanting to read more in a long time. I loved the hint/nods to Douglas Adams as well, it wasn't overdone, but very tactfully used.
* **Cons:** N/A
**Worldbuilding/Setting:** 4/5
* **Description:** Some very immersive settings, I really liked the descriptions of the Time Vortex.
**Themes:** Telepathy, Hidden Past, Time Lord Shenanigans
**Pacing:** 4/5
* **Too Fast? Too Slow?:** I felt the pacing was just right, though in the middle it did drag a bit.
**Ending:** 4/5
* **Satisfying? Surprising? Unsatisfying?:** I did not see the twist with Salayvin coming (I hope I spelled his name correctly.) I also thought that the ending on the alien beach and back at St Cedd's College was great.
**Overall Impression:** I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes the Fourth Doctor. I'm curious to see how the TV and Big Finish stories stack up.
**Notes:** There were a couple parts where there were talks about the Time Lords sweeping things under the rug, so to speak. This made me think of Division and The Timeless Child.
calderinv's review
4.0
Roberts completely succeeds at capturing the joy and humor of Douglas Adams. When good books misbehave, we all win.
pluto_kiss's review
Very recommended for Doctor Who fans, new and old. While the Doctor featured is Tom Baker, fans of the newer series would have no problem picking this straight up. Good pace, some really fun characters, and a good story over all.
wayward's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tyunglebower's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted a yarn this time, and that's what I got.
I watch "New Who" and have dabbled in some media from the classic era. This was the first Who novel I read, and while some things were outside of my knowledge, I knew enough about Who lore to follow what was going on.
A bit silly at times, with the goofy jokes. Those, no doubt, are from the Douglas Adams side of things. I despised "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and Adams name on this novel was almost enough to turn me away from it. But it was the only Who novel at the library at the time, so I got it anyway. When actually forced to have a plot, (unlike his Hitchhiker's stuff) Adams can get away with his schtick here and there. You can see "Hitchhiker" lurking in these pages, ven though Gareth Roberts novelized it.
The author probably mythologized both Who and Adams too much, but it was a worthwhile adventure. (Though not worthy of the mystique that has built up around this unaired adventure from the TV show. It's probably best it didn't get to air, really.)
I watch "New Who" and have dabbled in some media from the classic era. This was the first Who novel I read, and while some things were outside of my knowledge, I knew enough about Who lore to follow what was going on.
A bit silly at times, with the goofy jokes. Those, no doubt, are from the Douglas Adams side of things. I despised "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and Adams name on this novel was almost enough to turn me away from it. But it was the only Who novel at the library at the time, so I got it anyway. When actually forced to have a plot, (unlike his Hitchhiker's stuff) Adams can get away with his schtick here and there. You can see "Hitchhiker" lurking in these pages, ven though Gareth Roberts novelized it.
The author probably mythologized both Who and Adams too much, but it was a worthwhile adventure. (Though not worthy of the mystique that has built up around this unaired adventure from the TV show. It's probably best it didn't get to air, really.)
dara_m's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.0
I'm convinced that all or almost all of Douglas Adams' novels started life as Doctor Who scripts. Compare this to Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.
senmeow's review
5.0
Rating: 4.75
Can't even describe how much I liked this book. Makes me want to re-read the Hitchiker series.
Can't even describe how much I liked this book. Makes me want to re-read the Hitchiker series.
scrooge3's review against another edition
4.0
This is a must-read for Doctor Who fans, especially if "your" Doctor is the fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker. It is also a must-read for Douglas Adams fans, as Gareth Roberts adroitly captures Adams' witty style that permeates the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.