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A review by theinfiniteood
Torchwood: Almost Perfect by James Goss
5.0
My favourite Dr Who related piece of media. A complete comedy, ridiculous through and through, but written so brilliantly that you are magnetised by the book. Honestly, it is the easiest thing I’ve ever read, I just flew through the pages, and before I knew it, I was over halfway through it. Only a Jack, Gwen, and Ianto story it really has more time and space to flesh out the villain, the supporting characters, and the Torchwood team. I don’t necessarily like Gwen but all the stuff with her, Emma, and Rhys was hilarious. I love Jack’s ridiculous investigation, and Ianto being startled at now having breasts.
James worries too much. A story about ianto acclimatising to suddenly being a woman. Obviously lots of allusions to the subject of being transgender, but even though this was written in a time when being LGBT wasn’t treated well, the subject is handled really well. There’s no cheap shots or stupid jokes, plus the actual explanation for it, and the alien reasons make it a really well-done plot theme. 11 years later, this book does not come across like some of those horrible and offensive depictions of being trans like in the I.T. Crowd for example.
One thing I think this book does better than any is the explanation. Normally you get a dull, pointless answer to all the great things that have happened in the story which just makes them less great in hindsight. In this story however the bits of the cruise, the medical treatments, the Gods, and especially all the bits at the end with the wall of people (and a naked Jack) with the Gods returning are the most brilliant bits of writing. This story also includes my favourite line in Torchwood to date, from Gwen ‘Jack, when are you going to realise you can’t solve every problem by shagging it’.
I never like to spoil the best of the best as I believe they should be dove into without too many expectations but this book does not disappoint. It is stellar. Fun. Silly. Dark in places. Just amazing. If you pick up any of the Torchwood novels, it has to be this one!
James worries too much. A story about ianto acclimatising to suddenly being a woman. Obviously lots of allusions to the subject of being transgender, but even though this was written in a time when being LGBT wasn’t treated well, the subject is handled really well. There’s no cheap shots or stupid jokes, plus the actual explanation for it, and the alien reasons make it a really well-done plot theme. 11 years later, this book does not come across like some of those horrible and offensive depictions of being trans like in the I.T. Crowd for example.
One thing I think this book does better than any is the explanation. Normally you get a dull, pointless answer to all the great things that have happened in the story which just makes them less great in hindsight. In this story however the bits of the cruise, the medical treatments, the Gods, and especially all the bits at the end with the wall of people (and a naked Jack) with the Gods returning are the most brilliant bits of writing. This story also includes my favourite line in Torchwood to date, from Gwen ‘Jack, when are you going to realise you can’t solve every problem by shagging it’.
I never like to spoil the best of the best as I believe they should be dove into without too many expectations but this book does not disappoint. It is stellar. Fun. Silly. Dark in places. Just amazing. If you pick up any of the Torchwood novels, it has to be this one!