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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This book really brought out the Doctor for me. It had his personality pretty spot-on and made me smile while reading it. It also reeeeeally makes me want a Dodo; it was adorable. It had a lot of cute moments and I can never turn down dinosaurs being brought back to life!
This is one of those books that was ok but I definitely think I'd have gotten more enjoyment out of it if I'd have actually read it when it came out (aka back in my die hard Doctor Who days). I liked the set up and the idea of keeping the last of its kind in a museum so that it will forever be preserved, I also liked the little information factsheets that we got at the end of every chapter about a creature mentioned previously.
I like how the animal trade was mentioned and that people do sell live animals (I would definitely be Martha in that situation, I hate the idea of anything being kept alive in a marketplace store only to be eaten, I think it's so cruel). The book definitely didn't shy away from the darker aspects of how animals go extinct which I did appreciate because this book is mainly aimed at children so it was nice to see (well hunting animals to extinction is never nice but you know what I mean).
For me the book did go a little downhill toward the end, things suddenly started going wrong and I just found the whole thing confusing and even had to reread a few parts just to clarify what I had just read (which is never good for a book aimed at children/teens) so for me it sort of dropped off toward the end, especially after such a great start.
I would definitely still recommend this book, it is extremely short but still packs in a full story that doesn't feel too rushed. Obviously it did now come out many (MANY) years ago but if you already own it and you're debating whether or not to read it I would definitely say give it a go. It touches on some darker topics but it's nice that it wasn't all happy and the real issues were faced.
I like how the animal trade was mentioned and that people do sell live animals (I would definitely be Martha in that situation, I hate the idea of anything being kept alive in a marketplace store only to be eaten, I think it's so cruel). The book definitely didn't shy away from the darker aspects of how animals go extinct which I did appreciate because this book is mainly aimed at children so it was nice to see (well hunting animals to extinction is never nice but you know what I mean).
For me the book did go a little downhill toward the end, things suddenly started going wrong and I just found the whole thing confusing and even had to reread a few parts just to clarify what I had just read (which is never good for a book aimed at children/teens) so for me it sort of dropped off toward the end, especially after such a great start.
I would definitely still recommend this book, it is extremely short but still packs in a full story that doesn't feel too rushed. Obviously it did now come out many (MANY) years ago but if you already own it and you're debating whether or not to read it I would definitely say give it a go. It touches on some darker topics but it's nice that it wasn't all happy and the real issues were faced.
Damning with faint praise, but this was better than I expected it to be!
Oeeeeeeeeeeh. I just love Doctor Who so much. Even the books are great. I'm not a fan of Martha as companion, but the store only had Doctor Who books with Martha as companion and I really wanted to try one.
And how right was I! It was awesome, from start to end. I really read this in the Doctor voice. The way this was written is exactly as he talks. And he talks great.
If you love Doctor Who you should definitly read these books.
Now if you could excuse me, I'm off to buy the other Doctor Who books.
And how right was I! It was awesome, from start to end. I really read this in the Doctor voice. The way this was written is exactly as he talks. And he talks great.
If you love Doctor Who you should definitly read these books.
Now if you could excuse me, I'm off to buy the other Doctor Who books.
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A few months ago, I tracked down this book that I had read back in high school, at the height of my love of Doctor Who. It's funny rereading the book after all these years. At some points, it was nostalgic to read scenes that I still vividly remembered, but at other points, I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous the plot was. The first half of the book includes very real and honest discussions of conservation and endangered species. The second half of the book goes off the rails into typical Doctor Who shenanigans. Not sure if it is a good book, but it sure is a fun time.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think the basic premise of this book, in which the Doctor and Martha visit the Museum of the Last Ones, is quite cool; the book in general, however, is rather blah. Not terrible, but it reminds me why I don’t usually bother with tie-in novels (and why, if I need some extra-show kick, fanfic is infinitely preferable): they completely lack the ability to change the status quo. I think it’s the rare tie-in novel in which you’ll encounter a “gasp” moment—a moment where the established paradigm shifts, or a character grows and changes. Those moments are one of the major reasons I enjoy serialized entertainment as much as I do. (That and the pretty pretty boys.) Without them, you’re not left with much. And unlike in fic, in tie-in novels, you don’t even have the expectation of sexxors to spur you on.
Sorry, this has turned into MY THOUGHTS ON TIE-IN NOVELS. Back to this particular tie-in: weaknesses included not particularly interesting OCs, no real Doctor/Martha relationship development (purely platonically, understand), and some headdesky moments whenever Rayner shifts into Martha first-person POV, as opposed to the alternating generic third. I just don’t believe it sounds like that in Martha’s brain—very scattered and fluttery? No. Martha’s a doctor, I want to see her think like a doctor. Also, I really doubt she’d see a black man driving a fire truck and think, “There’s a black man driving a fire truck.” I could be totally off-base, of course, but I think Rayner needs a Characters of Color POV lesson from [a: Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg] (or even better, any writer of color; but see [b: Anansi Boys|2744|Anansi Boys (American Gods, #2)|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1479778049l/2744._SY75_.jpg|1007964] if you don’t know what I mean).
I liked all the stuff about the extinct animals, mostly because I like weird facts about things like extinct animals. For that, I’d probably be better off reading [a: Gerald Durrell|26957|Gerald Durrell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1344479172p2/26957.jpg], though.
HOWEVER, these thoughts are based on my impressions from when I actually read this book, several months ago. Since then, I’ve sat through the Doctor Who S4 premiere. In comparison, this novel seems AWESOME. Way to lower my standards, Rusty.
Sorry, this has turned into MY THOUGHTS ON TIE-IN NOVELS. Back to this particular tie-in: weaknesses included not particularly interesting OCs, no real Doctor/Martha relationship development (purely platonically, understand), and some headdesky moments whenever Rayner shifts into Martha first-person POV, as opposed to the alternating generic third. I just don’t believe it sounds like that in Martha’s brain—very scattered and fluttery? No. Martha’s a doctor, I want to see her think like a doctor. Also, I really doubt she’d see a black man driving a fire truck and think, “There’s a black man driving a fire truck.” I could be totally off-base, of course, but I think Rayner needs a Characters of Color POV lesson from [a: Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg] (or even better, any writer of color; but see [b: Anansi Boys|2744|Anansi Boys (American Gods, #2)|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1479778049l/2744._SY75_.jpg|1007964] if you don’t know what I mean).
I liked all the stuff about the extinct animals, mostly because I like weird facts about things like extinct animals. For that, I’d probably be better off reading [a: Gerald Durrell|26957|Gerald Durrell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1344479172p2/26957.jpg], though.
HOWEVER, these thoughts are based on my impressions from when I actually read this book, several months ago. Since then, I’ve sat through the Doctor Who S4 premiere. In comparison, this novel seems AWESOME. Way to lower my standards, Rusty.
I enjoyed the story but it was the most depressing Doctor Who book I've ever read! Also, I want my own Dorothea.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
The basic premise of this novel is interesting--a museum that collects the last specimen of a species and keeps them in suspended animation so no species is ever truly extinct. There's some room for tension there, especially when you remember the Doctor is the last of his species.
The execution... Well, frankly this book is a hot mess. At one point, the Doctor states the museum employees don't have access to time travel when the entire plot rests on them travelling in time. There are also quite a few passages in first person, which leaves the book feeling disjointed.
The execution... Well, frankly this book is a hot mess. At one point, the Doctor states the museum employees don't have access to time travel when the entire plot rests on them travelling in time. There are also quite a few passages in first person, which leaves the book feeling disjointed.