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nenya_kanadka's review against another edition
4.0
Sam Sam Sam Sam Sam! As the Doctor would say. I've always loved Sam Jones, and while it was heartbreaking to watch the more messed up versions of her in this book, I loved that we finally got something of an answer to the mystery of her dual (or more) timelines. (Also loved that, from what I can tell, blonde!Sam isn't any more or less 'fake' or 'alternate' than any other version, as I'd feared we were going to hear.) The Unnaturalist was scary (those collapsing boxes! those pin things agggh!), Faction Paradox is of course involved, and the backrub scene ("Defender of the Laws of Time, Protector of the Galaxy, and the biggest back-rub slut she’d ever seen"!) remains one of my all-time favourites.
And of course it's by Kate Orman: Kate Orman's id is my id, quite a lot of the time when it comes to Team TARDIS!
And of course it's by Kate Orman: Kate Orman's id is my id, quite a lot of the time when it comes to Team TARDIS!
hidekisohma's review against another edition
3.0
Well, it's been a while since i read an 8th doctor novel and...this one was...okay?
If i learned anything about these books is that kate orman/johnathan blunt REALLY like writing about Sam. the three they've written so far were VERY sam heavy (vampire science, seeing I, unnatural history) and this one is no exception. While Dominion had sam gone for half the book, this book is literally just a huge dissection of Sam's character. and all i can say is, thank god she's leaving in like 2-3 books.
I am SO OVER SAM. She really has overstayed her welcome. This one tries to switch it up a little by giving us "alternate universe same" but let's be for real here, it's just Sam with a different coat of paint.
This book took me a LONG time to get through and just like the 3rd doctor book, it's because i just didn't care. There were some nice references to the movie in this one and the writing style wasn't terrible, but i just didn't care about the plot. It was literally just talking about Sam and how dark haired sam (yes that's what they refer to her as) didn't want to get turned back into blonde sam (also what they call her) and it's basically just the doc dealing with the ramifications of it being a completely different sam.
That's really it. Sure there's a world ending problem here, but i really didn't care. it was nice that faction paradox came back (it's been what like... 18 novels?) but they just made the story even more confusing.
This book was a SCHLOG and took me forever to get through (almost a freaking month) and i just want to push through soon so i can just get to Sam leaving. i'm so excited for that.
Fitz was a little too Sam flirty in this one, but he still had a few okay scenes and the author didn't go TOO far off the main characters and it stayed with the main 3 most of the time, so that's good. But honestly, I think i'm just in Sam fatigue and was not in the mood to read ANOTHER book about Sam. Just let it end. PLEASE.
2.5 out of 5, rounded up to a 3.
If i learned anything about these books is that kate orman/johnathan blunt REALLY like writing about Sam. the three they've written so far were VERY sam heavy (vampire science, seeing I, unnatural history) and this one is no exception. While Dominion had sam gone for half the book, this book is literally just a huge dissection of Sam's character. and all i can say is, thank god she's leaving in like 2-3 books.
I am SO OVER SAM. She really has overstayed her welcome. This one tries to switch it up a little by giving us "alternate universe same" but let's be for real here, it's just Sam with a different coat of paint.
This book took me a LONG time to get through and just like the 3rd doctor book, it's because i just didn't care. There were some nice references to the movie in this one and the writing style wasn't terrible, but i just didn't care about the plot. It was literally just talking about Sam and how dark haired sam (yes that's what they refer to her as) didn't want to get turned back into blonde sam (also what they call her) and it's basically just the doc dealing with the ramifications of it being a completely different sam.
That's really it. Sure there's a world ending problem here, but i really didn't care. it was nice that faction paradox came back (it's been what like... 18 novels?) but they just made the story even more confusing.
This book was a SCHLOG and took me forever to get through (almost a freaking month) and i just want to push through soon so i can just get to Sam leaving. i'm so excited for that.
Fitz was a little too Sam flirty in this one, but he still had a few okay scenes and the author didn't go TOO far off the main characters and it stayed with the main 3 most of the time, so that's good. But honestly, I think i'm just in Sam fatigue and was not in the mood to read ANOTHER book about Sam. Just let it end. PLEASE.
2.5 out of 5, rounded up to a 3.
rebelbelle13's review against another edition
3.0
This EDA was probably the most mind-bendingly, altered state bonkers book of the series so far, which is saying a lot. There was a ton here I was having trouble following, what with the ley lines, incantations, biodata streams, altered timelines, unicorns, 6 dimensional manipulations, alien collectors, Faction Paradox members, and rifts in time and space. This strange list is only part of what goes on here, including an alternate, darker version of Sam who keeps wigging out and changing into different people. Every chapter kept getting stranger and I had a hard time keeping up. There was a guy named Joyce who I feel like we were supposed to know, but I don't recall him from any other episode or EDA.
There were a few things I liked. The writers were attempting to explain the whole "half-human" nonsense from the movie, which I appreciated. There was fallout from the events of the TV movie, which are to be expected, so I liked that too. The Faction Paradox is back, which is great to see since we haven't read about them since Alien Bodies. Seeing an alternate version of Sam was interesting, since I don't particularly care for normal Sam very much.
Otherwise? It was fine, but it went on for too long, had way too many plot threads, and was overly confusing just for the sake of it. Here's hoping the next in the series will be much more straightforward.
There were a few things I liked. The writers were attempting to explain the whole "half-human" nonsense from the movie, which I appreciated. There was fallout from the events of the TV movie, which are to be expected, so I liked that too. The Faction Paradox is back, which is great to see since we haven't read about them since Alien Bodies. Seeing an alternate version of Sam was interesting, since I don't particularly care for normal Sam very much.
Otherwise? It was fine, but it went on for too long, had way too many plot threads, and was overly confusing just for the sake of it. Here's hoping the next in the series will be much more straightforward.
joshulkin's review
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
caedocyon's review against another edition
5.0
LOVE IT. Love it. They made me care so much about all the Sams; it's heart-wrenching.
I think Blum and Orman might be my favorite 8DA writers so far. I highlighted some idea or phrasing I loved about every five pages.
Spoiler
The hints at addict!Sam's chronology are horribly chilling; I want to read about how that went down and how her version of the Doctor and Fitz coped, but I don't think I could handle it.I think Blum and Orman might be my favorite 8DA writers so far. I highlighted some idea or phrasing I loved about every five pages.
nwhyte's review against another edition
3.0
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1825086.html
This year's Who has taken a lot of liberties with Amy and her personal timeine - more than I can remember being taken with any previous TV companion, apart from some of the things that happened to Sarah Jane Smith in the SJA - so it's interesting to read an earlier example of this approach, with Sam Jones, the Doctor's companion for most of the 22 previous EDAs, suddenly transformed into a dark-haired version of herself who never left London. Meanwhile in San Francisco the Doctor and Fitz are dealing with the mysterious Faction Paradox, helped by an enigmatic Time Lord calling himself Daniel Joyce, and trying to set things back on track. gorgeously written in places, and managed to keep me very intrigued as to how the authors could possibly resolve the story in a satisfactory way. (They did.)
This year's Who has taken a lot of liberties with Amy and her personal timeine - more than I can remember being taken with any previous TV companion, apart from some of the things that happened to Sarah Jane Smith in the SJA - so it's interesting to read an earlier example of this approach, with Sam Jones, the Doctor's companion for most of the 22 previous EDAs, suddenly transformed into a dark-haired version of herself who never left London. Meanwhile in San Francisco the Doctor and Fitz are dealing with the mysterious Faction Paradox, helped by an enigmatic Time Lord calling himself Daniel Joyce, and trying to set things back on track. gorgeously written in places, and managed to keep me very intrigued as to how the authors could possibly resolve the story in a satisfactory way. (They did.)
sleepytechnokid's review against another edition
4.0
What a rollercoaster this one is. As I will say that this book does jump around a lot and with this book being Part of the Faction Paradox Arc,.. eh not so great, I mostly like the plot line with the Dark Hair Sam and the Dimension Tear along with Creatures from other dimensions just roam in San Francisco, what really makes me giving this book four stars is that this Book will give you the middle finger and say Fuck You and the Doctor Who continuities.
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