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A review by rebelbelle13
Doctor Who: Engines of War by George Mann
4.0
This was honestly a very good, very fun read. I've known about this novel for awhile but put it off because I thought it would be depressing, and quite honestly, not very interesting. I'm really glad I gave it a shot, because I wanted to know more about the Time War- as it's been referenced often in New Who, and of course we got to see the very end of it in Day of the Doctor. But of the 400 years the time war actually raged on, we know very little. Engines of War goes into detail about how battles were fought, what weapons were used, and how strategies and plans of attack were developed on both sides. We also get a bit of a companion dynamic here with Cinder, a teenage girl who is wrapped up in the war on the planet Moldox fighting the Daleks. She's certainly capable and plays the role of reminding the Doctor who he used to be, and what kind of person he should be in the future.
One thing I will say that surprised me- there is an arc that you should watch before getting into this story (besides, of course, Day of the Doctor) and that is The Five Doctors (with Peter Davison). Borusa, the villain from that arc, plays a major role here, as does the Game of Rassilon, and the tomb of Rassilon. You can certainly read and enjoy this novel without watching that special from the 80's, but it helps for context and visual clarity, so in that sense, I'd recommend it.
Timing-wise, this novel takes place right before the 50th anniversary special.
I really had fun with this, and enjoyed seeing the War Doctor in action, more than just chastising his future counterparts, and actually fighting the war. If you loved Day of the Doctor and want to see more of John Hurt's incarnation, and the Time War itself, I'd heartily recommend it.
One thing I will say that surprised me- there is an arc that you should watch before getting into this story (besides, of course, Day of the Doctor) and that is The Five Doctors (with Peter Davison). Borusa, the villain from that arc, plays a major role here, as does the Game of Rassilon, and the tomb of Rassilon. You can certainly read and enjoy this novel without watching that special from the 80's, but it helps for context and visual clarity, so in that sense, I'd recommend it.
Timing-wise, this novel takes place right before the 50th anniversary special.
I really had fun with this, and enjoyed seeing the War Doctor in action, more than just chastising his future counterparts, and actually fighting the war. If you loved Day of the Doctor and want to see more of John Hurt's incarnation, and the Time War itself, I'd heartily recommend it.