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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
I’ve always loved River Song’s character and her literary alter ego, Melody Malone. It was great to explore her character more here; I’m so glad there are books and big finish series dedicated to her! Alex Kingston is pure gold in this and you know she knows her character inside and out (written AND narrated by her?! Absolute legend).
We see her in the Storm Cage (and River’s various escapes!) and with a new prison mate, the plot thickens. There’s a mysterious ruby, murder and gangsters, old age New York and plenty of sci fi drama. Couldn’t have asked for more! Oh oh and not to mention we rejoin a few epic characters we all know and love from the show (wink wink Captain Jack amirite).
The production in this was great and it was amazingly performed by Alex. So glad I got this on Audible as it was so immersive and entertaining. I can’t wait to listen to / read more! I’m not done yet!
We see her in the Storm Cage (and River’s various escapes!) and with a new prison mate, the plot thickens. There’s a mysterious ruby, murder and gangsters, old age New York and plenty of sci fi drama. Couldn’t have asked for more! Oh oh and not to mention we rejoin a few epic characters we all know and love from the show (wink wink Captain Jack amirite).
The production in this was great and it was amazingly performed by Alex. So glad I got this on Audible as it was so immersive and entertaining. I can’t wait to listen to / read more! I’m not done yet!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did.
I LOVE DOCTOR WHO SO MUCH. And I love River's character so much.
My ADHD brain had a hard time staying focused on this book though. The jumps between River's perspective and Melody's perspective were challenging, and the font was hard to read where excerpts were inserted from River's novel.
All that aside, the concept for this story was so intriguing and perfectly fits the Dr. Who universe.
My ADHD brain had a hard time staying focused on this book though. The jumps between River's perspective and Melody's perspective were challenging, and the font was hard to read where excerpts were inserted from River's novel.
All that aside, the concept for this story was so intriguing and perfectly fits the Dr. Who universe.
Well, I was a little disappointed with the conflict resolution, but seeing as I needed more River Song content in my life, I was willing to forgive it. I also was hoping for a bit of Doctor interaction, but again, was willing to overlook that hope as well. I immediately guessed who Phil was, but didn’t see some of the twists as the mystery unfolded, so that was nice!
This is ok, I don't normally read mystery noir books, but as this was a time travelling Doctor Who companion story, I thought I'd give it a go! I'm very glad I did.
I can't possibly sing the praises of this book enough. I loved it so much, that I purchased it on both Kindle and Audible. If Alex Kingston reads these reviews, please, write more, this fan is begging you!
If you are a fan of Doctor Who, you must read this book. And if you've read this book, you must be a fan of Doctor Who. Although this book is most definitely spotlighting the delightfully wicked River Song and her fictional persona, Melody Malone, if you don't have quite a bit of experience with Doctor Who, a lot of the references will fly right by you, which will prove undoubtedly delightful to some, and unbearable to those less familiar with time travel, vortex manipulators, regenerations, and other Doctor Who universe information. That's not a negative aspect of this novel, simply a warning to those deciding whether to purchase it.
Now if you are, indeed, a fan of the Doctor, and even more so the lovely Song, you are going to be absolutely stunned at the creativity and ingenuity of this novel. Its multiple plots intertwine to leave the intelligent and observant reader with possibly one of the best River Song stories, which should have most definitely been made into an episode. It is truly a love letter to River Song. Not only does she take center stage, she steals the show in a timey-wimey way that will leave fans thoroughly satisfied but wanting more. There are even cameos throughout, including Captain Jack Harkness, and the Doctor themselves (if only a brief few mentions, the mention of the Doctor's 13th regeneration played by Jodie W. was an absolute thrill to read!) that are sure to tickle any Whovian's fancy.
I must say, the audiobook version of this story is simply OUTSTANDING, and would not have been nearly as good if it weren't for the incredible narration of Alex Kingston herself. I would give it 10 out of 5 stars if that were possible. I have never more enjoyed reading along to a book read out loud before, and I highly recommend picking up the audio version if you have not yet.
The only disappointing part of this story is that it had to end - much like the Doctor, I don't like endings. But everything else...sheer perfection. River Song deserves many more adventures just as amazing and personal as this one, and I hope we get to see that in the future!
If you are a fan of Doctor Who, you must read this book. And if you've read this book, you must be a fan of Doctor Who. Although this book is most definitely spotlighting the delightfully wicked River Song and her fictional persona, Melody Malone, if you don't have quite a bit of experience with Doctor Who, a lot of the references will fly right by you, which will prove undoubtedly delightful to some, and unbearable to those less familiar with time travel, vortex manipulators, regenerations, and other Doctor Who universe information. That's not a negative aspect of this novel, simply a warning to those deciding whether to purchase it.
Now if you are, indeed, a fan of the Doctor, and even more so the lovely Song, you are going to be absolutely stunned at the creativity and ingenuity of this novel. Its multiple plots intertwine to leave the intelligent and observant reader with possibly one of the best River Song stories, which should have most definitely been made into an episode. It is truly a love letter to River Song. Not only does she take center stage, she steals the show in a timey-wimey way that will leave fans thoroughly satisfied but wanting more. There are even cameos throughout, including Captain Jack Harkness, and the Doctor themselves (if only a brief few mentions, the mention of the Doctor's 13th regeneration played by Jodie W. was an absolute thrill to read!) that are sure to tickle any Whovian's fancy.
I must say, the audiobook version of this story is simply OUTSTANDING, and would not have been nearly as good if it weren't for the incredible narration of Alex Kingston herself. I would give it 10 out of 5 stars if that were possible. I have never more enjoyed reading along to a book read out loud before, and I highly recommend picking up the audio version if you have not yet.
The only disappointing part of this story is that it had to end - much like the Doctor, I don't like endings. But everything else...sheer perfection. River Song deserves many more adventures just as amazing and personal as this one, and I hope we get to see that in the future!
I believe this is the fastest book I ever read.
This review is fully tainted with my huge love for the beautiful and complex character of River Song, so take it with a grain of salt.
The book is a mixture of the fictional story of Melody Malone (a 1930s New Yorker private I, also a crude American gangster version of River), and River Song (5000s AD Stormcage prisoner).
Malone is trying to find a Ruby and solve a murder, while River is trying to make a friend and save the world, and how these two stories become one.
Notes for the Whovian:
- The Doctor doesn't show up in this
- Captain Jack and Amy show up in this.
- You will read the three lines that Amy says in Karen Gillan's voice and accent, and River Song is Alex Kingston.
The language is very strange and got hard to get through as a non-native, but this book is so easy to go through, and I loved it very much.
This review is fully tainted with my huge love for the beautiful and complex character of River Song, so take it with a grain of salt.
The book is a mixture of the fictional story of Melody Malone (a 1930s New Yorker private I, also a crude American gangster version of River), and River Song (5000s AD Stormcage prisoner).
Malone is trying to find a Ruby and solve a murder, while River is trying to make a friend and save the world, and how these two stories become one.
Notes for the Whovian:
- The Doctor doesn't show up in this
- Captain Jack and Amy show up in this.
- You will read the three lines that Amy says in Karen Gillan's voice and accent, and River Song is Alex Kingston.
The language is very strange and got hard to get through as a non-native, but this book is so easy to go through, and I loved it very much.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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:
Complicated
I love River. She’s one of my favorite characters in Doctor Who, and when I found out about this book I knew I needed to read it. One thing I hated about the eleventh Doctor’s era is what they did to River — her plotline in series 6 was convoluted, forced, and at times painful to watch. All mystery, all agency, and all wonder of her character was stripped away from her during A Good Man Goes to War. From that point on, her entire character was defined either by the Doctor or Amy, she wasn’t allowed to be her own person.
This book allows her to be her own person. She takes her story into her hands and creates a narrative unique to her. This book is the best thing to happen to River as a character. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory are less than side characters — which is such a good move. Alex Kingston even manages to stay within the canon storyline while still being independent, which is a feat in and of itself.
So, why only three stars? The hardboiled, depression-era detective milieu is not my preferred vibe at all. I hate it, in fact. I’m not sure why, it’s just not something I like reading. I loved the bits when River was in Stormcageand I thought the plot where she went inside her own story was very interesting, but I had an extremely hard time getting into both mysteries, but especially Melody Malone’s.
This is a fun book for fans of Doctor Who, but only if you like mystery novels and the hardboiled milieu. Even if you’re indifferent about that style, you’ll probably enjoy this book.
This book allows her to be her own person. She takes her story into her hands and creates a narrative unique to her. This book is the best thing to happen to River as a character. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory are less than side characters — which is such a good move. Alex Kingston even manages to stay within the canon storyline while still being independent, which is a feat in and of itself.
So, why only three stars? The hardboiled, depression-era detective milieu is not my preferred vibe at all. I hate it, in fact. I’m not sure why, it’s just not something I like reading. I loved the bits when River was in Stormcage
This is a fun book for fans of Doctor Who, but only if you like mystery novels and the hardboiled milieu. Even if you’re indifferent about that style, you’ll probably enjoy this book.