Reviews

Doctor Who: At Childhood's End by Sophie Aldred, Stephen Cole, Mike Tucker

spacecaptain's review against another edition

5.0

A fun book and a nice resolution to Ace's journeys with the Doctor. Some nice call backs. Simple plot but fun.

banjo_bunny's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted 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

3.25

zmftimelord's review against another edition

4.0

The first half is wicked good, but the story gets convoluted.

se_wigget's review against another edition

4.0

 

When the TARDIS finally appears, it gets much more interesting and entertaining. 

 

"I am Halogi-Kari." 

Ace folded her arms. "Not feeling so good myself." 

(I expected her to say, "You don't look like Hogie Carmichael.") 

 

After five novels in a row that have an awful lot of heterosexuality, I need to read something queer or at least children's fantasy. Think it's time to start reading The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski. 

read_n_drink_coffee's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. It was nice for the 13th Doctor to reunite with an old companion. The story was well written and felt that when reading I was in the story. I don’t think anyone could have written a story based on Ace than the actress who played her. Sophie Aldred wrote her character extremely well and it was nice to find out what happened to Ace after leaving the Doctor.

stuckonamber's review against another edition

4.0

Reuniting 80s companion Ace, now a middle aged CEO of a charity, with the 13th doctor, At Childhoods End sees Ace investigating the abduction of young people, encountering the Doctor on the way. Similar to School Reunion, this brings New companions and old together and examines the consequences of time spent with the Doctor.

maxbooks's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

hzcyr's review against another edition

adventurous medium-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

3.75

librarycobwebs's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Really exasperated my issues with the politics of the Chibnall era. Putting Ace and her story about police defense of a hate crime with Yaz's blind support of the police is smart on Aldred's part but I think the story ultimately failed this message

kapellosaur's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I listened to this in Audio Book form, and Sophie Aldred's reading of it was superb. She nailed Thirteen's voice, and did convincing impressions of Seven, and Thirteen's companions.

I found the story itself a bit flat. The best bits were the small parts set in 1990, documenting the event that leads to Ace leaving the Doctor's company. There was some nice nods to other continuities in that, and there was some nice conflict, which the rest of the book lacked. At no point did I worry about the lives of anybody in the novel. The Doctor, Ace, and Thirteen's companions were all obviously untouchable, and I didn't care about any of the secondary characters enough to have any sense of peril for them.

I liked that this tied up some of Ace's loose ends, though

the central conflict between her and the Doctor didn't really feel like it reached any kind of resolution. There was a nod to it, but given how much deliberating went on in the narrative about it, I expected something more concrete—again, a difficult promise to fulfil given how unknowable the Doctor must be by necessity.

Overall, a fun enough romp, especially if you happen to like both Ace and Thirteen's companions, but only really half a book if you're just here for one or the other set of characters.