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hannahreanie's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tandemjon's review against another edition
5.0
Perfect book. Very funny, great characters and an interesting plot with a fabulous twist in it too. The dialogue between the Commander and the Director was so witty I loved it. Wish it had been a full book!
hollygraph's review against another edition
5.0
I love St. Mary's annual Christmas stories and this one did not disappoint. This story was funny, fast and entertaining, plus St. Mary's finally got off Earth! This is an essential for any St. Mary's fans and I am already look forward to next Christmas.
ryanpfw's review against another edition
4.0
A solid Christmas story, which per the forward has nothing to do with Christmas.
Spoilers!
It's virtually impossible for me not to love a St. Mary's story. Looking back at it, the second novel length book lost a star only because the format was so different from the first book that my expectations were a bit off. The Roman vignette lost a star, but who remembers why that was, and the Markham vignette lost a star because it wasn't written from Max's perspective and I was cranky about it. "And Now For Something Completely Different" takes an outstanding premise, goes a bit too bold with the narration, hits an odd tone and managed to confuse me on the last page. I love any trip to St. Mary's, but this non-Christmas story was a touch wobbly.
Per the forward, Jodi Taylor tells us that this is both the culmination of a plot thread she never got to focus on with the potential setup for a Time Police series. The framing device of Director Pinkerton causing Commander Hay to lose her sanity takes really good advantage of Pinkerton's character arc, namely that of a future St. Mary's Director who just interacts with her predecessors like there's nothing at all weird or awkward going on, to say nothing of the come-to-think-of-it logic that the pods are really junior TARDIS' and why the hell couldn't they go to Mars?
I would like to give a special shoutout to Commander Hay, raising the point that in being set up to chronicle the first Mars landing, the team of St. Mary's was really the first to land on Mars! Amongst other places. That was just epically outstanding writing that was a close runner up to urine!
On the slight distraction list, the focus on Farenden (hopefully foreshadowing) was unexpected in that I really look forward to Max's narration. Nothing personal to him. If Markham doesn't sit well with me, no one else will.
Plot-wise, I fully understand Commander Hay's reasoning for why Director Pinkerton can't just give away pod technology for the future of space exploration. Frankly, given that the pods, as far as I recall, came from the future and there will one day be a Time War, it seemed odd that a high ranking sort like Pinkerton who frequently interacts with those from her past and future thought it was her call to do so. There's a whole "if this is a good idea wouldn't someone have already done it" Doctor Who timey-wimey complication I feel was needed.
As much as I appreciated the debate over the topic, Pinkerton's "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." infuriated me as a reader.
The tone of the ending, with Pinkerton being told by Commander Hay that she will imprison the St. Mary's staff in the most barbaric way possible, despite feeling horrible doing so, and will murder all of my favorite characters unless Pinkerton does what she says, was absolutely the wrong tone for a Christmas book. A couple of books back, the novel length that made everybody drink? I loved it. Just not on Christmas.
This one I take credit for, but on the last page, Pinkerton jokes about a future mission, and then reveals it to be the Mars mission, and Hay loses her mind again, and we're left with the idea that time is relative for these people and the past is someone's future and she's just trying to get under Hay's skin. Then I second guessed that and thought she was an earlier version of herself who hadn't gone to Mars yet but knew it would happen, which of course makes no sense, but the tense difference in the joke confused me listening to an Audible in traffic. Not Jodi Taylor's fault by any stretch, but it's never good to end a book wondering what the hell just happened on the last page.
Any Jodi Taylor book that isn't my favorite remains better than most of the books I will read all year. Can't wait for Book 10!
Spoilers!
It's virtually impossible for me not to love a St. Mary's story. Looking back at it, the second novel length book lost a star only because the format was so different from the first book that my expectations were a bit off. The Roman vignette lost a star, but who remembers why that was, and the Markham vignette lost a star because it wasn't written from Max's perspective and I was cranky about it. "And Now For Something Completely Different" takes an outstanding premise, goes a bit too bold with the narration, hits an odd tone and managed to confuse me on the last page. I love any trip to St. Mary's, but this non-Christmas story was a touch wobbly.
Per the forward, Jodi Taylor tells us that this is both the culmination of a plot thread she never got to focus on with the potential setup for a Time Police series. The framing device of Director Pinkerton causing Commander Hay to lose her sanity takes really good advantage of Pinkerton's character arc, namely that of a future St. Mary's Director who just interacts with her predecessors like there's nothing at all weird or awkward going on, to say nothing of the come-to-think-of-it logic that the pods are really junior TARDIS' and why the hell couldn't they go to Mars?
I would like to give a special shoutout to Commander Hay, raising the point that in being set up to chronicle the first Mars landing, the team of St. Mary's was really the first to land on Mars! Amongst other places. That was just epically outstanding writing that was a close runner up to urine!
On the slight distraction list, the focus on Farenden (hopefully foreshadowing) was unexpected in that I really look forward to Max's narration. Nothing personal to him. If Markham doesn't sit well with me, no one else will.
Plot-wise, I fully understand Commander Hay's reasoning for why Director Pinkerton can't just give away pod technology for the future of space exploration. Frankly, given that the pods, as far as I recall, came from the future and there will one day be a Time War, it seemed odd that a high ranking sort like Pinkerton who frequently interacts with those from her past and future thought it was her call to do so. There's a whole "if this is a good idea wouldn't someone have already done it" Doctor Who timey-wimey complication I feel was needed.
As much as I appreciated the debate over the topic, Pinkerton's "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." infuriated me as a reader.
The tone of the ending, with Pinkerton being told by Commander Hay that she will imprison the St. Mary's staff in the most barbaric way possible, despite feeling horrible doing so, and will murder all of my favorite characters unless Pinkerton does what she says, was absolutely the wrong tone for a Christmas book. A couple of books back, the novel length that made everybody drink? I loved it. Just not on Christmas.
This one I take credit for, but on the last page, Pinkerton jokes about a future mission, and then reveals it to be the Mars mission, and Hay loses her mind again, and we're left with the idea that time is relative for these people and the past is someone's future and she's just trying to get under Hay's skin. Then I second guessed that and thought she was an earlier version of herself who hadn't gone to Mars yet but knew it would happen, which of course makes no sense, but the tense difference in the joke confused me listening to an Audible in traffic. Not Jodi Taylor's fault by any stretch, but it's never good to end a book wondering what the hell just happened on the last page.
Any Jodi Taylor book that isn't my favorite remains better than most of the books I will read all year. Can't wait for Book 10!
thehappybooker's review against another edition
4.0
But...but...is a pod a TARDIS now? For an overthinker like me, this is a serious concern. Ha! No. I don't need or expect consistency or even logical reasons for why St Mary's can do what they do. It's become a Christmas tradition of mine to squeee with joy when the inevitable St Mary's Christmas disaster appears on my e-reader. Just lovely fun.
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fun science fiction series. Time travel, smart, smartasses, Time Police, don't mess with history, rules to follow...or not...or follow in one's own style.
The St. Mary's gang heads to Mars to watch the first landing and chaos-ish ensues.
A lot of story in just an hour and a half of listening. It's 73 pages as a handheld, so a quick Christmas read. I think I will be looking at making this a Christmas tradition.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
The St. Mary's gang heads to Mars to watch the first landing and chaos-ish ensues.
A lot of story in just an hour and a half of listening. It's 73 pages as a handheld, so a quick Christmas read. I think I will be looking at making this a Christmas tradition.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
faitelle's review against another edition
5.0
This combined 2 of my favorite things (I won't tell you which, because spoilers)-but if you're a fan of St Mary's you'll definitely love this!