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littleelfman's review against another edition
4.0
Highlights were: Patrick Ness (the best), as well as Derek Landy and Neil Gaiman. Some good Doctor Fun!
aelsherif's review against another edition
4.0
I quite enjoyed this collection of short stories, featuring a story for each of the first 12 Doctors. Not being familiar with some of the reincarnations and villains of the classic Doctor Who, this served as a nice introduction to some elements I wasn’t aware of without being too overwhelming given the stories’ short length.
For the most part, the writers were able to capture their reincarnations’ essences, definitely the collection I needed to rekindle my Doctor Who enthusiasm and maybe encourage me to do a quick rewatch.
A Big Hand For The Doctor by Eoin Colfer:
I didn’t like this one, apart from the Doctor’s affection towards his granddaughter, neither the plot nor the sci-fi was anything close to remarkable.
The Nameless City by Michael Scott:
Really nice, I find this book igniting my desire to know as much of Doctor Who as possible, being introduced to Jamie who seems theoretically to be a very good match to the Doctor, and the Archons, villains in the age where Gallifrey was relevant and their origins still explored. The writing was really good, characters are nice but I felt the ending in this one came a bit out of nowhere.
The Spear of Destiny by Marcus Sedgwick:
One of my favourites; vikings, fake history, mythology, the Master and a very good companion in Jo.
The Roots of Evil by Philip Reeve:
The Fourth Doctor is the one I know the most out of ClassicWho, and he didn’t disappoint as a character, not a big fan of Leela though. I found the story amusing and the tree plot was creative along with the reference to Eleven’s episode which I quite enjoyed. Wanted something more for Four, but I guess that was ok.
Tip of the Tongue by Patrick Ness:
I like the stories where the Doctor is not heavily involved, this one was weak though. Felt like a Goosebumps story.
Something Borrowed by Richelle Mead:
My introduction to the Rani, quite an interesting character, I’m surprised she didn’t turn up in NuWho. Not very original but it’s always nice to see people who had known the Doctor for some time. Not very memorable.
The Ripple Effect by Malorie Blackman:
I liked this one, good Daleks which are actually good and not acting part of a plan posed for a good plot. I always find stories where the Doctor actually changes his mind about something even so slightly proves to be an interesting read. I also liked the style of the writing, I may try out something by Malorie Blackman sometime.
Spore by Alex Scarrow:
I found the concept of a bacterial-type organism that preserves intelligent beings quite interesting. The resolution was not the most satisfying and it all went down a bit too easily.
The Beast of Babylon by Charlie Higson:
My least favourite, there isn’t a real story and it reminded me of series eleven’s writing. I didn’t like the Starmen not Babylon. I enjoyed the new companion and incorporating the plot into the storyline of series 1 was a nice touch.
The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage by Derek Landy:
The story about how the Doctor and Martha are trapped into a storybook out of Martha’s childhood reads. Loved it, Ten’s character was captured perfectly and the plot, while not really original, was so much fun. Seemed to have one too many references to books and stories for a moment there, Martha’s character here was so much cooler than the boring, lame one I remember from the series. The writing in this one was so good, another author I will be keeping an eye for.
Nothing O’Clock by Neil Gaiman:
That was brilliant, the Kin were fantastic as the villain and the plot and story would make an incredible episode, especially since it fits so well with what was happening in series 5 and 6. Hands down the best story in the collection.
Lights Out by Holly Black:
I guess it was ok but I felt that the author didn’t really get the tone of Twelve correctly, and it turns out this was published a mere two month after his first episode, so I guess that makes sense. The story is weak but very well told, the impact of the Doctor was very small and I wasn’t sure which episode was the one referenced in the story.
For the most part, the writers were able to capture their reincarnations’ essences, definitely the collection I needed to rekindle my Doctor Who enthusiasm and maybe encourage me to do a quick rewatch.
A Big Hand For The Doctor by Eoin Colfer:
I didn’t like this one, apart from the Doctor’s affection towards his granddaughter, neither the plot nor the sci-fi was anything close to remarkable.
The Nameless City by Michael Scott:
Really nice, I find this book igniting my desire to know as much of Doctor Who as possible, being introduced to Jamie who seems theoretically to be a very good match to the Doctor, and the Archons, villains in the age where Gallifrey was relevant and their origins still explored. The writing was really good, characters are nice but I felt the ending in this one came a bit out of nowhere.
The Spear of Destiny by Marcus Sedgwick:
One of my favourites; vikings, fake history, mythology, the Master and a very good companion in Jo.
The Roots of Evil by Philip Reeve:
The Fourth Doctor is the one I know the most out of ClassicWho, and he didn’t disappoint as a character, not a big fan of Leela though. I found the story amusing and the tree plot was creative along with the reference to Eleven’s episode which I quite enjoyed. Wanted something more for Four, but I guess that was ok.
Tip of the Tongue by Patrick Ness:
I like the stories where the Doctor is not heavily involved, this one was weak though. Felt like a Goosebumps story.
Something Borrowed by Richelle Mead:
My introduction to the Rani, quite an interesting character, I’m surprised she didn’t turn up in NuWho. Not very original but it’s always nice to see people who had known the Doctor for some time. Not very memorable.
The Ripple Effect by Malorie Blackman:
I liked this one, good Daleks which are actually good and not acting part of a plan posed for a good plot. I always find stories where the Doctor actually changes his mind about something even so slightly proves to be an interesting read. I also liked the style of the writing, I may try out something by Malorie Blackman sometime.
Spore by Alex Scarrow:
I found the concept of a bacterial-type organism that preserves intelligent beings quite interesting. The resolution was not the most satisfying and it all went down a bit too easily.
The Beast of Babylon by Charlie Higson:
My least favourite, there isn’t a real story and it reminded me of series eleven’s writing. I didn’t like the Starmen not Babylon. I enjoyed the new companion and incorporating the plot into the storyline of series 1 was a nice touch.
The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage by Derek Landy:
The story about how the Doctor and Martha are trapped into a storybook out of Martha’s childhood reads. Loved it, Ten’s character was captured perfectly and the plot, while not really original, was so much fun. Seemed to have one too many references to books and stories for a moment there, Martha’s character here was so much cooler than the boring, lame one I remember from the series. The writing in this one was so good, another author I will be keeping an eye for.
Nothing O’Clock by Neil Gaiman:
That was brilliant, the Kin were fantastic as the villain and the plot and story would make an incredible episode, especially since it fits so well with what was happening in series 5 and 6. Hands down the best story in the collection.
Lights Out by Holly Black:
I guess it was ok but I felt that the author didn’t really get the tone of Twelve correctly, and it turns out this was published a mere two month after his first episode, so I guess that makes sense. The story is weak but very well told, the impact of the Doctor was very small and I wasn’t sure which episode was the one referenced in the story.
hyacinth51's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
simo517l's review against another edition
5.0
This book is really 4,5 stars. Most of the stories are great, and for someone who do not know a lot about the different doctors, this is a great way to feel them out. I found that out of the doctors that i have not seen in the show the third and fourth was the best.
melhara's review against another edition
4.0
Average Rating: 3.625/5
This audiobook contains twelve Doctor Who short stories by various well-known authors, and narrated by assorted narrators.
Disclaimer: the only Doctor Who shows that I've watched featured the First, Second, Third, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. I've never watched the seasons with the Fourth to Eight Doctors, so can't speak to the accuracy of the characterizations in some of these short stories.
1. A Big Hand for the Doctor (1/5)
This story, written by [a:Eion Colfer|10896|Eoin Colfer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1254336426p2/10896.jpg] and narrated by [a:Nicholas Briggs|30673|Nicholas Briggs|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1328162927p2/30673.jpg], was pretty disappointing. It features the First Doctor and his granddaughter, Susan.
Unfortunately, I was completely disinterested and had a hard time getting into the story. It wasn't memorable at all. I'm writing this review after finishing the audiobook and can't, for the life of me, remember what happened in this story. All I remember is that the characterization of the Doctor wasn't at all how I remembered the First Doctor.
2. The Nameless City (2/5)
This story, written by [a:Michael Scott|27100|Michael Scott|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1243251417p2/27100.jpg] and narrated by [a:Frazer Hines|363112|Frazer Hines|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], features the Second Doctor and his travel companion, Jamie McCrimmon.
This was better than the previous story, but as far as Doctor Who stories/plots go, it wasn't my favourite as I felt the adventure and excitement was lacking in this one.
3. The Spear of Destiny (4/5)
This story, written and narrated by [a:Marcus Sedgwick|110234|Marcus Sedgwick|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1298204345p2/110234.jpg], features the Third Doctor and Jo Grant.
I very much enjoyed this one, especially compared to the first two stories. The adventure was wonderfully entertaining. I think I really enjoyed this one mostly because I typically love Doctor Who episodes with alternate history stories where the Doctor and his companion(s) visit the past.
4. The Roots of Evil (5/5)
This story, written by [a:Philip Reeve|27379|Philip Reeve|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1436868938p2/27379.jpg] and narrated by [a:Sophie Aldred|376555|Sophie Aldred|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1360481272p2/376555.jpg], features the Fourth Doctor and Leela was highly entertaining and probably my favourite story from the bunch.
I could fully imagine this story as a full-on televised Doctor Who episode, which really speaks to the level of detail, plot twists and adventure that was encompassed in this story.
5. Tip of the Tongue (4.5/5)
This story, written by [a:Patrick Ness|370361|Patrick Ness|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1244216486p2/370361.jpg] and narrated by [a:Nicholas Pegg|54639|Nicholas Pegg|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1306510259p2/54639.jpg], features the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa.
Much like the previous story, I could also imagine this story as a fully televised episode of Doctor Who, featuring strange "truth-telling" creatures. While I very much enjoyed this cute story, I was very disappointed by the lack of presence of the Doctor and his companion.
6. Something Borrowed (2/5)
This story, written by [a:Richelle Mead|137902|Richelle Mead|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1270374609p2/137902.jpg] and narrated by [a:Sophie Aldred|376555|Sophie Aldred|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1360481272p2/376555.jpg], features the Sixth Doctor and Peri Brown.
I didn't find this story particularly interesting or memorable. I think this may be largely due to the fact that I was unfamiliar with the Sixth Doctor, his companions, and the villains from this time period.
7. The Ripple Effect (4.5/5)
This story, written and narrated by [a:Malorie Blackman|172977|Malorie Blackman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1258760862p2/172977.jpg], features the Seventh Doctor and Ace.
Finally! The Daleks make an appearance!!
8. Spore (3/5)
This story, written by [a:Alex Scarrow|577975|Alex Scarrow|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1316760982p2/577975.jpg] and narrated by [a:Nicholas Pegg|54639|Nicholas Pegg|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1306510259p2/54639.jpg], features the Eighth Doctor who was travelling solo and briefly meets/saves a new companion - Evelyn Chan.
This was a good story but I felt like the plot was unoriginal.
9. The Beast of Babylon (4/5)
This story, written and narrated by [a:Charlie Higson|162326|Charlie Higson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1243477698p2/162326.jpg], features the Ninth Doctor and new, temporary companion, Ali.
First of all, I thought the portrayal of this doctor was pretty good, and I quite liked Ali as a companion. This story takes place right after the Ninth Doctor has just met Rose and left her. The event of this story makes him realize that Rose would make an excellent companion and so he travels back to meet up with her before they go off on their adventures that would make up the rest of the television season.
10. The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage (4.5/5)
This story, written by [a:Derek Landy|165168|Derek Landy|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1521215464p2/165168.jpg] and narrated by [a:Ian Hanmore], features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones.
I thought this story captured the personalities of the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones wonderfully. The story was also original, whimsical and full of great adventures. The worldbuilding was fantastic and I wish this story was longer. The was the story wrapped up at the end left me wanting more.
11. Nothing Hour (5/5)
This story, written and narrated by [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg], features the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond (definitely my favourite Doctor Who companion ever).
The creep factor was pretty high for this one. The audiobook narration for this one was also excellent and was probably the best narrated story out of the bunch.
12. Lights Out (4/5)
This story, written by [a:Holly Black|25422|Holly Black|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1261867163p2/25422.jpg] and narrated by [a:Samuel Anderson|4305020|Samuel Anderson|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], features the Twelfth Doctor and Clara.
This was a good story and I really enjoyed the interactions between Clara and the Doctor.
***#2 of my 2019 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge - An alternate history novel***
This audiobook contains twelve Doctor Who short stories by various well-known authors, and narrated by assorted narrators.
Disclaimer: the only Doctor Who shows that I've watched featured the First, Second, Third, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. I've never watched the seasons with the Fourth to Eight Doctors, so can't speak to the accuracy of the characterizations in some of these short stories.
1. A Big Hand for the Doctor (1/5)
This story, written by [a:Eion Colfer|10896|Eoin Colfer|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1254336426p2/10896.jpg] and narrated by [a:Nicholas Briggs|30673|Nicholas Briggs|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1328162927p2/30673.jpg], was pretty disappointing. It features the First Doctor and his granddaughter, Susan.
Unfortunately, I was completely disinterested and had a hard time getting into the story. It wasn't memorable at all. I'm writing this review after finishing the audiobook and can't, for the life of me, remember what happened in this story. All I remember is that the characterization of the Doctor wasn't at all how I remembered the First Doctor.
2. The Nameless City (2/5)
This story, written by [a:Michael Scott|27100|Michael Scott|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1243251417p2/27100.jpg] and narrated by [a:Frazer Hines|363112|Frazer Hines|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], features the Second Doctor and his travel companion, Jamie McCrimmon.
This was better than the previous story, but as far as Doctor Who stories/plots go, it wasn't my favourite as I felt the adventure and excitement was lacking in this one.
3. The Spear of Destiny (4/5)
This story, written and narrated by [a:Marcus Sedgwick|110234|Marcus Sedgwick|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1298204345p2/110234.jpg], features the Third Doctor and Jo Grant.
I very much enjoyed this one, especially compared to the first two stories. The adventure was wonderfully entertaining. I think I really enjoyed this one mostly because I typically love Doctor Who episodes with alternate history stories where the Doctor and his companion(s) visit the past.
4. The Roots of Evil (5/5)
This story, written by [a:Philip Reeve|27379|Philip Reeve|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1436868938p2/27379.jpg] and narrated by [a:Sophie Aldred|376555|Sophie Aldred|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1360481272p2/376555.jpg], features the Fourth Doctor and Leela was highly entertaining and probably my favourite story from the bunch.
I could fully imagine this story as a full-on televised Doctor Who episode, which really speaks to the level of detail, plot twists and adventure that was encompassed in this story.
5. Tip of the Tongue (4.5/5)
This story, written by [a:Patrick Ness|370361|Patrick Ness|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1244216486p2/370361.jpg] and narrated by [a:Nicholas Pegg|54639|Nicholas Pegg|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1306510259p2/54639.jpg], features the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa.
Much like the previous story, I could also imagine this story as a fully televised episode of Doctor Who, featuring strange "truth-telling" creatures. While I very much enjoyed this cute story, I was very disappointed by the lack of presence of the Doctor and his companion.
6. Something Borrowed (2/5)
This story, written by [a:Richelle Mead|137902|Richelle Mead|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1270374609p2/137902.jpg] and narrated by [a:Sophie Aldred|376555|Sophie Aldred|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1360481272p2/376555.jpg], features the Sixth Doctor and Peri Brown.
I didn't find this story particularly interesting or memorable. I think this may be largely due to the fact that I was unfamiliar with the Sixth Doctor, his companions, and the villains from this time period.
7. The Ripple Effect (4.5/5)
This story, written and narrated by [a:Malorie Blackman|172977|Malorie Blackman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1258760862p2/172977.jpg], features the Seventh Doctor and Ace.
Finally! The Daleks make an appearance!!
8. Spore (3/5)
This story, written by [a:Alex Scarrow|577975|Alex Scarrow|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1316760982p2/577975.jpg] and narrated by [a:Nicholas Pegg|54639|Nicholas Pegg|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1306510259p2/54639.jpg], features the Eighth Doctor who was travelling solo and briefly meets/saves a new companion - Evelyn Chan.
This was a good story but I felt like the plot was unoriginal.
9. The Beast of Babylon (4/5)
This story, written and narrated by [a:Charlie Higson|162326|Charlie Higson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1243477698p2/162326.jpg], features the Ninth Doctor and new, temporary companion, Ali.
First of all, I thought the portrayal of this doctor was pretty good, and I quite liked Ali as a companion. This story takes place right after the Ninth Doctor has just met Rose and left her. The event of this story makes him realize that Rose would make an excellent companion and so he travels back to meet up with her before they go off on their adventures that would make up the rest of the television season.
10. The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage (4.5/5)
This story, written by [a:Derek Landy|165168|Derek Landy|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1521215464p2/165168.jpg] and narrated by [a:Ian Hanmore], features the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones.
I thought this story captured the personalities of the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones wonderfully. The story was also original, whimsical and full of great adventures. The worldbuilding was fantastic and I wish this story was longer. The was the story wrapped up at the end left me wanting more.
11. Nothing Hour (5/5)
This story, written and narrated by [a:Neil Gaiman|1221698|Neil Gaiman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1234150163p2/1221698.jpg], features the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond (definitely my favourite Doctor Who companion ever).
The creep factor was pretty high for this one. The audiobook narration for this one was also excellent and was probably the best narrated story out of the bunch.
12. Lights Out (4/5)
This story, written by [a:Holly Black|25422|Holly Black|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1261867163p2/25422.jpg] and narrated by [a:Samuel Anderson|4305020|Samuel Anderson|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], features the Twelfth Doctor and Clara.
This was a good story and I really enjoyed the interactions between Clara and the Doctor.
***#2 of my 2019 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge - An alternate history novel***
inkandplasma's review against another edition
4.0
Character - 8
Atmosphere - 7
Writing - 7
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 7
Logic - 6
Enjoyment - 8
Rating: 7.29 / 4 stars
Atmosphere - 7
Writing - 7
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 7
Logic - 6
Enjoyment - 8
Rating: 7.29 / 4 stars
sarahelisewrites's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent collection of stories, featuring well-developed versions of each Doctor. Favorites include Neil Gaiman's Nothing O'Clock, Richelle Mead's Something Borrowed (featuring one of my favorite Doctor Who villains of all time!), and Marcus Sedgwick's The Spear of Destiny - however, all are worth a read!
kikizubik's review against another edition
4.0
12th Doctor - Lights out by Holly Black - 2/5 - I'm dissapointed, because I like Holly Black, but this story didn't work for me.
11th Doctor - Nothing O'clock by Neil Gaiman 4/5 - I liked the atmosphere of the story, really gripping
10th Doctor - The mystery of haunted cottage by Derek Landy 4/5
9th Doctor - The Beast of Babylon by Charlie Higson 4,5/5 - I had so much fun
8th Doctor - Spore by Alex Scarrow 3/5
7th Doctor - The Ripple effect by Malorie Blackman 5/5 - THIS! One of my favorite story of this collection!
6th Doctor - Something borrow by Richelle Mead 5/5 - Holly Black story dissapointed me, but Richealle Mead one was so good! Love every page of it!
5th Doctor - Tip of the tongue - Patrick Ness 4/5
4th Doctor - The roots of Evil - Philip Reeve 4/5
3rd Doctor - The spear of destiny - Marcus Sedgwick 3/5
2nd Doctor - Nameless city - Michael Scott 2/5
1st Doctor - A big hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer 2/5"
11th Doctor - Nothing O'clock by Neil Gaiman 4/5 - I liked the atmosphere of the story, really gripping
10th Doctor - The mystery of haunted cottage by Derek Landy 4/5
9th Doctor - The Beast of Babylon by Charlie Higson 4,5/5 - I had so much fun
8th Doctor - Spore by Alex Scarrow 3/5
7th Doctor - The Ripple effect by Malorie Blackman 5/5 - THIS! One of my favorite story of this collection!
6th Doctor - Something borrow by Richelle Mead 5/5 - Holly Black story dissapointed me, but Richealle Mead one was so good! Love every page of it!
5th Doctor - Tip of the tongue - Patrick Ness 4/5
4th Doctor - The roots of Evil - Philip Reeve 4/5
3rd Doctor - The spear of destiny - Marcus Sedgwick 3/5
2nd Doctor - Nameless city - Michael Scott 2/5
1st Doctor - A big hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer 2/5"
djinnetta's review against another edition
4.0
I'm gonna take a break from reading this. I'm ready to move on to something else. But this was enjoyable. 3 1/2 stars