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danidoll91's review
5.0
Great action packed book. Especially for those of you who love Torchwood and Captain Jack!
eskimo97's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
annabin's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
nealveverything's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
nightshade_novels's review against another edition
5.0
This is set after the events of Season 4 and therefore focuses on Jack and Gwen, although Rex is briefly mentioned a few times. It also includes Anwen who has some cute scenes. I love seeing Gwen and Rhys as parents, even though Gwen is not doing such a good job due to the events of the book.
I was surprised by the route that this story took; certainly the blurb is rubbish at describing what happens. It makes it seem like Gwen has a far more important role in the story and the solving of the mystery, but in reality she
The story as a whole is of a similar type to the Miracle Day episodes; it is a worldwide phenomenon which is affecting the people. However, despite the story taking this route, it is still really good. The characters are well written and in-keeping with those in the TV show. While reading it I couldn’t help thinking that John Barrowman seems to have a very good connection with Jack and knows what his character should be like.
I liked the virtual assistant, Shelly, who is funny. I was waiting for the moment when she finally said ‘that option is now available’, but it was still just as funny when it finally came.
The story jumped about a bit between the different locations and times. At first this was confusing but as the story progressed it was easier to work out what fit where and it helped when I started taking note of the chapter sub-headings telling you the date and location of the chapter.
I did feel as though there were still some things that were not explained fully. I am still unsure quite as to what was occurring with the woman/puma (and how did it get from Peru to Cardiff?) and what all the tasting and scents of sounds and sights was about. I think it’s to do with the way they are being affected by their hormones etc.
Even though it was not what I initially expected the book was really good.
I was surprised by the route that this story took; certainly the blurb is rubbish at describing what happens. It makes it seem like Gwen has a far more important role in the story and the solving of the mystery, but in reality she
Spoiler
succumbs to the madness right at the beginning of the story and doesn’t really recover. Jack doesn’t know that the source is in Peru until nearly the end of the book.The story as a whole is of a similar type to the Miracle Day episodes; it is a worldwide phenomenon which is affecting the people
Spoiler
and there isn’t really any alien involvement (discounting the alien thing trapped in the earth’s center which is supposedly the cause of the disturbances)I liked the virtual assistant, Shelly, who is funny. I was waiting for the moment when she finally said ‘that option is now available’, but it was still just as funny when it finally came.
The story jumped about a bit between the different locations and times. At first this was confusing but as the story progressed it was easier to work out what fit where and it helped when I started taking note of the chapter sub-headings telling you the date and location of the chapter.
I did feel as though there were still some things that were not explained fully. I am still unsure quite as to what was occurring with the woman/puma (and how did it get from Peru to Cardiff?) and what all the tasting and scents of sounds and sights was about. I think it’s to do with the way they are being affected by their hormones etc.
Even though it was not what I initially expected the book was really good.
invisibleobserver13's review against another edition
3.0
It took a while before it really felt like another chapter to the Torchwood story to me. It was nice to get back to Jack, Gwen, and Rhys again. Anwen is adorable in her few appearances in the book. I cold have done without Rex Matheson and the CIA in a few chapters. Losing Esther and keeping Rex was one of the low points of Miracle Day for me. New characters that I liked were Eva and Vlad. I was glad when the Renso, Gaia/mountain/puma, and Isela connections were explained by the end because those were making the story a bit disjointed for me. I liked that the chapters were short, which motivated me to read more chapters in a single sitting.
lizabethstucker's review against another edition
3.0
A Torchwood novel.
Set after the events in “Miracle Day”, the last Torchwood mini-series. The women of the world are suffering through hallucinations, anger issues, visions, and other issues that are driving them mad. In addition, there are unnatural disasters causing death and destruction around the planet. As usual, the various governments are unable to cope.
Gwen Cooper sees the issues firsthand and tries to contact Captain Jack Harkness without success. It isn’t much longer before she is also beset by the same problems, possibly compounded by her dissatisfaction with her lack of purpose outside motherhood as well as problems in her marriage to Rhys.
It isn’t long before Jack connects the events to a long ago experience in 1930 Peru.
As much as I love Jack, Rhys and Andy, I grew tired of Gwen long ago. I’m not anti-female characters. I really liked Tosh and Suzie, thought a few in the two mini-series had potential. But Gwen, who was just a rookie police officer when she first pushed her way into Torchwood, has always thought herself smarter and more experienced than she really was. I won’t even go into detail on how she supposedly loves Rhys, yet keeps trying to get into Jack’s pants. She doesn’t even care that he and Ianto were an item. But the days of Torchwood are long over.
This is beyond a doubt, the best written Torchwood book out there. And to have the man who knows Captain Jack best co-writing it was a brilliant idea. However, Gwen is still in character and still annoying the crap out of me. My favorite parts of the book were either the 1930 flashbacks or moments when Gwen wasn’t on stage or the focus of the scenes. I think it is best read by Torchwood fans, but could still be enjoyed by those who never watched the series as much of the back story and history is well integrated. 3.5 out of 5
Set after the events in “Miracle Day”, the last Torchwood mini-series. The women of the world are suffering through hallucinations, anger issues, visions, and other issues that are driving them mad. In addition, there are unnatural disasters causing death and destruction around the planet. As usual, the various governments are unable to cope.
Gwen Cooper sees the issues firsthand and tries to contact Captain Jack Harkness without success. It isn’t much longer before she is also beset by the same problems, possibly compounded by her dissatisfaction with her lack of purpose outside motherhood as well as problems in her marriage to Rhys.
It isn’t long before Jack connects the events to a long ago experience in 1930 Peru.
As much as I love Jack, Rhys and Andy, I grew tired of Gwen long ago. I’m not anti-female characters. I really liked Tosh and Suzie, thought a few in the two mini-series had potential. But Gwen, who was just a rookie police officer when she first pushed her way into Torchwood, has always thought herself smarter and more experienced than she really was. I won’t even go into detail on how she supposedly loves Rhys, yet keeps trying to get into Jack’s pants. She doesn’t even care that he and Ianto were an item. But the days of Torchwood are long over.
This is beyond a doubt, the best written Torchwood book out there. And to have the man who knows Captain Jack best co-writing it was a brilliant idea. However, Gwen is still in character and still annoying the crap out of me. My favorite parts of the book were either the 1930 flashbacks or moments when Gwen wasn’t on stage or the focus of the scenes. I think it is best read by Torchwood fans, but could still be enjoyed by those who never watched the series as much of the back story and history is well integrated. 3.5 out of 5
xan_van_rooyen's review
3.0
More like 2.5/5 stars.
The Torchwood TV series is by far one of my favourite shows of all time principally because Capt. Jack Harkness is just such a complicated character. The last two seasons of Torchwood got really dark and posed some interesting questions with political, moral and economic ramifications. I loved that, the depth of the dilemmas and the very real human crises presented on screen. So that's what I was expecting from this book.
It started out strong. We get to see Capt. Jack being his usual charismatic and undeniably alien self getting involved in something complicated and esoteric. We get to see Gwen having an existential crisis that started showing how motherhood had changed her and her life and how she felt about her newly found domesticity. The writing was engaging and I couldn't put the book down.
Around 50% through, things started to go awry. Plot superseded character and Capt. Jack who is usually so human and emotionally connected, came across as cavalier and cold. I think the huge cast proved problematic because the story lost sight of Gwen and Jack while trying to make more of all these minor characters which, to be honest, I didn't care about not one iota. There was little character development, I discovered nothing new about Jack or Gwen, I gained no new insights into either of these characters and that was disappointing.
The premise is cool but not fully explored and the ending is so abrupt, I actually thought I was missing several chapters.
Carol and John definitely make a good writing team as with their MG novel Hollow Earth. They have a great MG voice but that didn't do this Torchwood book any favours, making the prose clunky and often too on the nose.
It's really tough pulling off a story set in such a beloved world with such beloved characters. Maybe my expectations were too high but I wanted more about these characters, about how the events of Miracle Day had scarred them, about Jack's tortured psyche and Gwen's split life as mother and agent. What I got was a mediocre Torchwood episode.
Not sure this book could be read and enjoyed by those who don't know the series as many references were made to events and people from the series without any further explanation in the book. This really is a companion novel but falls short of the mark I'm afraid.
The Torchwood TV series is by far one of my favourite shows of all time principally because Capt. Jack Harkness is just such a complicated character. The last two seasons of Torchwood got really dark and posed some interesting questions with political, moral and economic ramifications. I loved that, the depth of the dilemmas and the very real human crises presented on screen. So that's what I was expecting from this book.
It started out strong. We get to see Capt. Jack being his usual charismatic and undeniably alien self getting involved in something complicated and esoteric. We get to see Gwen having an existential crisis that started showing how motherhood had changed her and her life and how she felt about her newly found domesticity. The writing was engaging and I couldn't put the book down.
Around 50% through, things started to go awry. Plot superseded character and Capt. Jack who is usually so human and emotionally connected, came across as cavalier and cold. I think the huge cast proved problematic because the story lost sight of Gwen and Jack while trying to make more of all these minor characters which, to be honest, I didn't care about not one iota. There was little character development, I discovered nothing new about Jack or Gwen, I gained no new insights into either of these characters and that was disappointing.
The premise is cool but not fully explored and the ending is so abrupt, I actually thought I was missing several chapters.
Carol and John definitely make a good writing team as with their MG novel Hollow Earth. They have a great MG voice but that didn't do this Torchwood book any favours, making the prose clunky and often too on the nose.
It's really tough pulling off a story set in such a beloved world with such beloved characters. Maybe my expectations were too high but I wanted more about these characters, about how the events of Miracle Day had scarred them, about Jack's tortured psyche and Gwen's split life as mother and agent. What I got was a mediocre Torchwood episode.
Not sure this book could be read and enjoyed by those who don't know the series as many references were made to events and people from the series without any further explanation in the book. This really is a companion novel but falls short of the mark I'm afraid.
a_lovesbooks's review
4.0
A great read for Torchwood fans. While I really enjoyed reading it, there were a few things that bothered me: not enough Gwen. I would have liked to read more about her. Also, her and Jack workibg together is one of the things I love best about the series. And they pretty much didn't do that at all. The ending confused me. Especially with what happened to Gwen. However, the characters are written really well and the plot is interesting.
joxertd's review
3.0
I love Torchwood and Doctor Who and Everything that goes with it. This book was good except that for some of it I had no idea what the hell was happening or why. There was some things in there that I feel that were thrown in there just to throw them in there. Jack HArkness is amazing but can we have a story line that doesn't literally revolve around him as the sole purpose for something? Miracle Day was all about him. Children of the Earth was in a way all about him.
I love the Barrowmans and it pains me to feel like this about a book of theirs. I will continue reading anything they put out though.
I love the Barrowmans and it pains me to feel like this about a book of theirs. I will continue reading anything they put out though.