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saroz162's review against another edition
2.0
This is, essentially, inoffensive B-movie sci-fi of the kind I used to really enjoy as a teenager (and sometimes still do). It has three distinct stages, each of which feels progressively less original or interesting: first, an official, government-sanctioned British voyage to the moon, in the Victorian era, with all the trappings of a good Jules Verne novel; second, a Forbidden Planet-style adventure, mixed with a little John Carter of Mars, of the space-going sailors having to survive a hostile and alien environment; and third, a passable but rather trite homage to Aliens and Predator. I'm not sure it really adds up to much at the end, but there are certain very gripping sequences, and I like the premise even if its promise eventually dwindles away.
None of that's particularly unusual for a TV tie-in book, of course, and I remember Chris Bulis' books in the '90s being like this: a bit cheap and cheerful, easy to digest without much to really savor. My guess is that he was employed over and over again because he was a nice guy who turned in his commissions on time, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Perhaps the biggest criticism I can level at the book is that Bulis' method of getting the fifth Doctor and his friends into the story isn't especially graceful, utilizing a time paradox mechanism that just feels convoluted and keeps them from joining the action for almost fifty pages. It amplified a feeling I had that Bulis might have wanted to tell an original sci-fi story here and not a Doctor Who one; who knows, maybe that was how the book started, and he had to adapt the first fifty pages or so to a new purpose.
His fifth Doctor is a cold and clipped English gentleman, too, without any of the more gentle or even emotional mannerisms Peter Davison displayed on television. That's a surprise; I remember Bulis books as being well-characterized, but perhaps other ones had more defined TV performances to replicate. The audience's big point of reference here is Turlough, who acts authentically like a somewhat confused and impulsive young man in his late teens or early 20s. Kamelion is here, too...for the purpose, I think, of exactly one scene toward the end of the book. His appearances throughout may even have been back-engineered to let that happen, because it comes as something of a "Ta-da!" moment.
I've made it sound like I disliked this book, and that's not true. I enjoyed the first half a lot, although I found the second half more and more disappointing. I think I just became aware that the book was never going to gel into something more cohesive, and what felt like a lot of potential at first suddenly coalesced into a grab bag: some good ideas alongside some very tired ideas, and none of it really adding up to a greater whole.
None of that's particularly unusual for a TV tie-in book, of course, and I remember Chris Bulis' books in the '90s being like this: a bit cheap and cheerful, easy to digest without much to really savor. My guess is that he was employed over and over again because he was a nice guy who turned in his commissions on time, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Perhaps the biggest criticism I can level at the book is that Bulis' method of getting the fifth Doctor and his friends into the story isn't especially graceful, utilizing a time paradox mechanism that just feels convoluted and keeps them from joining the action for almost fifty pages. It amplified a feeling I had that Bulis might have wanted to tell an original sci-fi story here and not a Doctor Who one; who knows, maybe that was how the book started, and he had to adapt the first fifty pages or so to a new purpose.
His fifth Doctor is a cold and clipped English gentleman, too, without any of the more gentle or even emotional mannerisms Peter Davison displayed on television. That's a surprise; I remember Bulis books as being well-characterized, but perhaps other ones had more defined TV performances to replicate. The audience's big point of reference here is Turlough, who acts authentically like a somewhat confused and impulsive young man in his late teens or early 20s. Kamelion is here, too...for the purpose, I think, of exactly one scene toward the end of the book. His appearances throughout may even have been back-engineered to let that happen, because it comes as something of a "Ta-da!" moment.
I've made it sound like I disliked this book, and that's not true. I enjoyed the first half a lot, although I found the second half more and more disappointing. I think I just became aware that the book was never going to gel into something more cohesive, and what felt like a lot of potential at first suddenly coalesced into a grab bag: some good ideas alongside some very tired ideas, and none of it really adding up to a greater whole.
hidekisohma's review against another edition
2.0
Well this was my first 5th doctor book, and I have to say, i'm sad in just how disappointing it was. Nothing was used to its full potential and was just very...meh.
Short version. Doc and Turlough end up in the 1800's where England has sent rockets to the moon. when they get there there's basically a big game hunter setup where hunters from all over the galaxy can come and test their merit. it's abandoned, but the creatures are still there. They have to escape.
That's the book.
I feel like the whole 'planet for hunters' thing has been done before and i really didn't care for the execution of how this book went. It's Christopher bulis so you know a bunch of randos are gonna die. that's kind of his schtick. that's a given. I was more upset at the fact at just how little 2/3 of the cast did.
Out of the main 3, the book focuses heavily on Turlough. He's really the only one to do something. the doctor doesn't really do a whole lot of anything, to the point that i actually kind of forgot he was even IN the book towards the middle. When he showed up again i was like 'oh yeah, this IS a doctor who book isn't it?" In true Davison fashion he doesn't do a damn thing until the end of the book and then wraps everything up in like 15 pages because that's what Davison does.
The other of the three, Kamelion, does next to nothing. And i know that was the way it was in the show, but here's the thing. That's because of physical limitations because the robot never worked right and the guy who designed him died. This is a BOOK. There's no such limitations and you don't have to stick him on the tardis. You can have him do WHATEVER YOU WANT and Chris is like "naw, it'll be fine. i'll just leave him on the TARDIS for 9/10 of the book doing absolutely nothing" a horrible waste of a setup and character. I was very sorely disappointed with this aspect.
The biggest issue with this book, was that it was dull. they were running away from monsters a lot, but that was cut inbetween this guy who wanted to mutiny all the time, and this other pair of a captain in the british army and a girl scientist. Both the side plots were pointless and the captain/scientist romantic side plot especially was extremely boring and painful. I kept wishing for those 2 to die so i didn't have to follow them anymore to be perfectly honest.
The first 40 pages of the novel are Turlough and the doctor reading a diary of the captain and he goes into detail about every aspect of how they trained for the mission and how the spaceship worked, and really, i couldn't have cared less if i tried. the first 40 pages were so dull i almost gave up on the book before the actual plot started.
There's actually a point in the book about halfway through where you think they beat the big baddie and then they just start running away for like 50 pages and you're like "so...are..are we done with the story and this is just 100 pages of epilogue?" they try to tack on more to story, but my brain was already shutting down at that point and it really didn't draw me back in.
I think the only real saving grace of this book was that I liked to see inside the mind of Turlough. Seeing things from his inner monologue point of view (Which they spent a bunch of time on) was interesting to me. Other than that, decent ideas but horribly wasted potential.
2 out of 5.
Short version. Doc and Turlough end up in the 1800's where England has sent rockets to the moon. when they get there there's basically a big game hunter setup where hunters from all over the galaxy can come and test their merit. it's abandoned, but the creatures are still there. They have to escape.
That's the book.
I feel like the whole 'planet for hunters' thing has been done before and i really didn't care for the execution of how this book went. It's Christopher bulis so you know a bunch of randos are gonna die. that's kind of his schtick. that's a given. I was more upset at the fact at just how little 2/3 of the cast did.
Out of the main 3, the book focuses heavily on Turlough. He's really the only one to do something. the doctor doesn't really do a whole lot of anything, to the point that i actually kind of forgot he was even IN the book towards the middle. When he showed up again i was like 'oh yeah, this IS a doctor who book isn't it?" In true Davison fashion he doesn't do a damn thing until the end of the book and then wraps everything up in like 15 pages because that's what Davison does.
The other of the three, Kamelion, does next to nothing. And i know that was the way it was in the show, but here's the thing. That's because of physical limitations because the robot never worked right and the guy who designed him died. This is a BOOK. There's no such limitations and you don't have to stick him on the tardis. You can have him do WHATEVER YOU WANT and Chris is like "naw, it'll be fine. i'll just leave him on the TARDIS for 9/10 of the book doing absolutely nothing" a horrible waste of a setup and character. I was very sorely disappointed with this aspect.
The biggest issue with this book, was that it was dull. they were running away from monsters a lot, but that was cut inbetween this guy who wanted to mutiny all the time, and this other pair of a captain in the british army and a girl scientist. Both the side plots were pointless and the captain/scientist romantic side plot especially was extremely boring and painful. I kept wishing for those 2 to die so i didn't have to follow them anymore to be perfectly honest.
The first 40 pages of the novel are Turlough and the doctor reading a diary of the captain and he goes into detail about every aspect of how they trained for the mission and how the spaceship worked, and really, i couldn't have cared less if i tried. the first 40 pages were so dull i almost gave up on the book before the actual plot started.
There's actually a point in the book about halfway through where you think they beat the big baddie and then they just start running away for like 50 pages and you're like "so...are..are we done with the story and this is just 100 pages of epilogue?" they try to tack on more to story, but my brain was already shutting down at that point and it really didn't draw me back in.
I think the only real saving grace of this book was that I liked to see inside the mind of Turlough. Seeing things from his inner monologue point of view (Which they spent a bunch of time on) was interesting to me. Other than that, decent ideas but horribly wasted potential.
2 out of 5.
chicafrom3's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Fifth Doctor and Turlough cross their own timeline and stumble upon an expedition of Victorian space travelers en route to the moon. Alternate universe, hidden history, or changing the timeline? There's a bootstrap paradox, an alien zoo of dangerous predators that want to kill everybody, a matriarchal society of women hunters that all the men fall instantly in love with who are, of course, more than they seem, and (obviously) a twist ending once we get back to Earth. I didn't love the resolution but until we got there the plot kept moving quite well, and this a good one for Turlough, who is often difficult to find well represented; he's alternately brave and cowardly, he's frustrated by himself and others, he wants to be more than he is.
Also Kamelion actually contributes to the plot, so that's a whole half star right there.
Also Kamelion actually contributes to the plot, so that's a whole half star right there.
wynwicket's review
3.0
I liked the initial premise of this, the Victorian rocket ships, the homage to Jules Verne (whom I love), and Turlough getting a chance to shine. But the Doctor never really felt like the Doctor, and I'm not sure I liked the plot twist. I'd give the book 3-and-a-half stars.
nwhyte's review
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1335947.html?#cutid2[return][return]Bulis has made some effort to get to grips with the Victorian boys' adventure genre, and here we have a British expedition landing on the Moon in 1878, seen off by the Queen herself. There's also a slightly contrived but not too horrible subplot of the Tardis crew crossing their own timeline, and Bulis even finds two useful things for Kamelion to do (which is two more than ever happened on television). I didn't quite swallow the ultimate reveal about the aliens or the Doctor's trigger-happy way of dealing with the problem, but it is at least a decent effort.
saemiligr's review
3.0
I wanted to give this book one more star, but in all honesty the entire first half was just kind of boring. It wasn't until the Doctor stepped in and the plot twist was reveled that I found myself hooked enough to finish it. Not one of the best Doctor Who books.
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