Scan barcode
kukkamultatytto's review
2.0
I'm giving this book 2.5 stars. I had waited for it for a long time, and River is one of my favorite characters. I wanted to get to know her more, but all this book did was disappoint me. With five different writers, I felt like this book included five different Rivers, and none of them really corresponded with my idea of the character. In one story, she was dreaming of motherhood and settling down, in another she is overly feminine, a male writer exaggerating her female traits in every single sentence. Plus we never learnt anything of importance about the character. I know it might be difficult to write a book based on a TV series because you are probably not allowed to do whatever you want with the characters and create new important canon. But if you know at the start that the book is not going to change anything, why even bother to read it?
Still, the biggest reason this series of short stories did not impress me was the overall way it was written. All of the stories read like TV show episodes, not like literary works. There was barely nothing else than descriptions of what was happening right at the moment: they were only running from one danger to the other but this time with no Alex Kingston to make the character alive, to make the character speak to me.
I liked Jacueline Reyes's story "Suspicious Minds" the most, others were pretty irrelevant to me. They had some interesting plots and potential as well, but the book didn't live up to them. Maybe as episodes for the show? Especially "Death in New Venice" could work visually.
Still, the biggest reason this series of short stories did not impress me was the overall way it was written. All of the stories read like TV show episodes, not like literary works. There was barely nothing else than descriptions of what was happening right at the moment: they were only running from one danger to the other but this time with no Alex Kingston to make the character alive, to make the character speak to me.
I liked Jacueline Reyes's story "Suspicious Minds" the most, others were pretty irrelevant to me. They had some interesting plots and potential as well, but the book didn't live up to them. Maybe as episodes for the show? Especially "Death in New Venice" could work visually.
ajlovesx's review
3.0
Fun, easy to read anthology about my favourite Doctor Who character. I felt like some of the stories just missed it with invoking the spirit of the River I know and love but they were still good stories.
River in Time by Andrew Lane, and Death in New Venice by Guy Adams were my favourite stories in this book as they seemed to get River exactly right.
River in Time by Andrew Lane, and Death in New Venice by Guy Adams were my favourite stories in this book as they seemed to get River exactly right.
evamadera1's review
4.0
I loved this book. It is definitely written for Whovians and well written at that. Even though each story is written by a different author there is a consistent voice throughout for River, one of my favorite characters. (Her father, Rory, is my favorite character. Hands down.) All of the actions for the characters were entirely believable except for one tiny bit in the first story about River trying to build up the courage (but failing) to ask the Doctor about possibly having a baby with her. I just do not see River Song ever asking that of the Doctor. The rest of that story, and all the other stories in the collection, stick well with character and are quite enjoyable. One can always do with more Doctor Who. I strongly recommend this book to any Whovian. (If you are not a Whovian or have never seen Doctor Who, I strongly recommend - just short of insist - that you introduce yourself to this magnificent show. You won't regret it.)
athos's review
3.0
3.5/5 (average), rounded to 4 stars.
Picnic at Asgard - 3/5
- Good fun, Norse theme park, in-show reference, but a bit boring and clearly written solely for a child audience (I know that's the demographic, still...!).
Suspicious Minds - 5/5
- My favourite one! So much fun, with an Auton Elvis, as well as the Doctor and River. Funny, exciting and a standard Doctor Who tale.
A Gamble with Time - 4/5
- We love a time travel, Back to the Future-esque, paradox story. Set in present day Earth. Also fun, but not the most original. Also love the use of "Dear Diary".
Death in New Venice - 2/5
- I liked the concept of WishCrete and how thinking about bad things happening would cause bad things to happen. But it was just a bit dull, and didn't really show off River's extravagant character.
River of Time - 4/5
- This explored River's prison life somewhat, and also explored bigger themes of the ancient Time Lords' empire. Standard Doctor Who story, but pumped up with the River Song perspective.
Picnic at Asgard - 3/5
- Good fun, Norse theme park, in-show reference, but a bit boring and clearly written solely for a child audience (I know that's the demographic, still...!).
Suspicious Minds - 5/5
- My favourite one! So much fun, with an Auton Elvis, as well as the Doctor and River. Funny, exciting and a standard Doctor Who tale.
A Gamble with Time - 4/5
- We love a time travel, Back to the Future-esque, paradox story. Set in present day Earth. Also fun, but not the most original. Also love the use of "Dear Diary".
Death in New Venice - 2/5
- I liked the concept of WishCrete and how thinking about bad things happening would cause bad things to happen. But it was just a bit dull, and didn't really show off River's extravagant character.
River of Time - 4/5
- This explored River's prison life somewhat, and also explored bigger themes of the ancient Time Lords' empire. Standard Doctor Who story, but pumped up with the River Song perspective.
ameliah7's review
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
skullfullofbooks's review
3.0
Short story compilations are hard to review. I think that if I had gotten the book on sale I would have liked it better. The problem is that the authors don't seem to have River's voice down, or they wrote it in first person and seemed to ruin the effect for me. They aren't bad stories, I just didn't feel compelled to read them. River is one of my favorite characters so it makes me biased in how successful they could be.
liaweneryniel's review
4.0
When I first found the book at Waterstones, I had to buy it. River Song is high on the list of my favourite side characters in Doctor Who and the book didn't disappoint.
The first one Picnic at Asgard was a fun one. With the Doctor and River together in an amusement park, a whole lot of things can go wrong and do go wrong but they save the day together in the end. I want to visit Asgard so bad. it sounds like its so much fun for an amusement park fanatic like myself^^
Suspicious Minds was a fun one too. I mean an Auton looking like Elvis saving the bees. The villain was quite obvious in this one, how she disposed of people too but that doesn't mean that it was boring. It was pretty great and River's struggle with the gas was amazingly written.
A Gamble in Time was something completely different. River sent by the Doctor to babysit a man so that his time streams do not cross and in the end, creating a time loop where the one version is destines to always safe the universe, day after day, year after year. I like Martin. he seems like the typical loser who in the end does something great which is largly going unnoticed by the world.
Death in new Venice. Sounds just like a Brunetti crime novel :-D Loved River in this being independent from the Doctor. I love to see her without the Doctor, saving the universe on her own because shes eprfectly capable of that thank you very much.
The story was solid. Nothing to surprising and a little too much rich people get a new gated community and things turn sour, but the AI was very interesting and that thoughts created the bad things was interesting.
Now we come to the last story - River of Time.
I was baffled when the TARDIS turned up but the explanation was great. The idea behind it was great too. There's so little known about the Precursors that everything little bit of information is important. The idea with the captured Time Lord was a nice touch. The solution to the problem too. Let's just hope no one is stumbling upon the TARDIS now :-D
All in all I cans ay that the book was a solid one. I liked the stories. Some were better than others but all in all they brought me nearer to River Song. I want to know everything there is about her. She's such an elsive character and I love her flirty attitude and that she doesn't see herself short.
The first one Picnic at Asgard was a fun one. With the Doctor and River together in an amusement park, a whole lot of things can go wrong and do go wrong but they save the day together in the end. I want to visit Asgard so bad. it sounds like its so much fun for an amusement park fanatic like myself^^
Suspicious Minds was a fun one too. I mean an Auton looking like Elvis saving the bees. The villain was quite obvious in this one, how she disposed of people too but that doesn't mean that it was boring. It was pretty great and River's struggle with the gas was amazingly written.
A Gamble in Time was something completely different. River sent by the Doctor to babysit a man so that his time streams do not cross and in the end, creating a time loop where the one version is destines to always safe the universe, day after day, year after year. I like Martin. he seems like the typical loser who in the end does something great which is largly going unnoticed by the world.
Death in new Venice. Sounds just like a Brunetti crime novel :-D Loved River in this being independent from the Doctor. I love to see her without the Doctor, saving the universe on her own because shes eprfectly capable of that thank you very much.
The story was solid. Nothing to surprising and a little too much rich people get a new gated community and things turn sour, but the AI was very interesting and that thoughts created the bad things was interesting.
Now we come to the last story - River of Time.
I was baffled when the TARDIS turned up but the explanation was great. The idea behind it was great too. There's so little known about the Precursors that everything little bit of information is important. The idea with the captured Time Lord was a nice touch. The solution to the problem too. Let's just hope no one is stumbling upon the TARDIS now :-D
All in all I cans ay that the book was a solid one. I liked the stories. Some were better than others but all in all they brought me nearer to River Song. I want to know everything there is about her. She's such an elsive character and I love her flirty attitude and that she doesn't see herself short.
aughraseye's review
4.0
If you are a River Song fan, then this is your book. 5 stories with the snark and wit of the River we remember.
squidbag's review
4.0
Five short stories about River Song, and all good ones. Obviously, you have to not only be a Doctor Who fan, but also a fan of River on her own to appreciate a walking innuendo convict traveling through time, but since I am, I really enjoyed this. It's light Summer reading, but fun and provides, at last, an actual "picnic on Asgard."