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arthurbdd's review
2.0
We get it, Dave, you're the Cybermen guy. Wish he'd done a novel about the Greenpeace Doctor instead. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/2024/04/05/the-virgin-new-adventures-luciferian-blood-and-rising-heat/
scheu's review against another edition
3.0
I appreciate Banks' cyber-enthusiasm, and I didn't hate this story, but the second half fell flat.
nwhyte's review against another edition
3.0
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1689801.html
I thought this was an excellent Seventh Doctor novel, achieving the rare feat of writing a decent Cybermen story, in this case by the guy who actually played the Cyberleader on screen in the 1980s; set in 2006 and unifying the continuity of the various Cybermen TV stories set in the twentieth century. The Doctor is separated from his usual companions (who are off having the adventure described in Birthright) and teams up with a feisty investigative journalist called Ruby Duvall; if Big Finish are casting around for more characters to revive they could do worse than her.
I thought this was an excellent Seventh Doctor novel, achieving the rare feat of writing a decent Cybermen story, in this case by the guy who actually played the Cyberleader on screen in the 1980s; set in 2006 and unifying the continuity of the various Cybermen TV stories set in the twentieth century. The Doctor is separated from his usual companions (who are off having the adventure described in Birthright) and teams up with a feisty investigative journalist called Ruby Duvall; if Big Finish are casting around for more characters to revive they could do worse than her.
nukirisame's review
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
fullfledgedegg's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Gore, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
dorward's review
4.0
This is something of an odd book, but you can say that for most of The New Adventures which were never afraid to experiment with … just about anything.
With the Doctor's companions off having adventures in another book, the Doctor appears on only a few pages until 3/5s of the way through the novel. In the meantime we are treated to Ruby Duvall (a journalist) exploring a cruise ship with a few mysteries and General Cutler (not the one from the Tenth Planet, his daughter) taking command of a base where Cybermen once invaded.
Not a great deal happens for most of the book, but we are treated to an interesting take on Cyber-history, a large collection of intriguing red herrings and a rather pessimistic view of the "future" of 2006 (behold the perils of near future science fiction that puts dates on things).
It was an enjoyable read, but is definitely a Cyberman book rather than a Doctor Who book.
With the Doctor's companions off having adventures in another book, the Doctor appears on only a few pages until 3/5s of the way through the novel. In the meantime we are treated to Ruby Duvall (a journalist) exploring a cruise ship with a few mysteries and General Cutler (not the one from the Tenth Planet, his daughter) taking command of a base where Cybermen once invaded.
Not a great deal happens for most of the book, but we are treated to an interesting take on Cyber-history, a large collection of intriguing red herrings and a rather pessimistic view of the "future" of 2006 (behold the perils of near future science fiction that puts dates on things).
It was an enjoyable read, but is definitely a Cyberman book rather than a Doctor Who book.
hammard's review
2.0
This seems to be a vehicle for David Banks' cyberhistory rather than an actual Doctor Who story. Unfortunately it lacks a real plot, instead just having taoist mythology and Wizard of Oz references.
Update 2018: Rereading in order.
Strangely I had recalled kind of enjoying this in the intervening years. But seeing the above view I didn't like it much then, neither do I now really. It's barely a Doctor Who novel as The Doctor rarely appears and isn't even *that* important. More it is a side story set in the Whoniverse in order to explain Banks' ideas about Cyberhistory (although thankfully they are not as weird as Grant Morrison's).
This time around the thinness of plot and references didn't bother me so much. What did was just how pedestrian the thing seemed and how weak the characterisation was.
At the same time though I finished it much faster than some of the other books and for all the flaws it gets from A to B to C in an understandable if contrived manner.
Update 2018: Rereading in order.
Strangely I had recalled kind of enjoying this in the intervening years. But seeing the above view I didn't like it much then, neither do I now really. It's barely a Doctor Who novel as The Doctor rarely appears and isn't even *that* important. More it is a side story set in the Whoniverse in order to explain Banks' ideas about Cyberhistory (although thankfully they are not as weird as Grant Morrison's).
This time around the thinness of plot and references didn't bother me so much. What did was just how pedestrian the thing seemed and how weak the characterisation was.
At the same time though I finished it much faster than some of the other books and for all the flaws it gets from A to B to C in an understandable if contrived manner.
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