Doctor Who Haul Part 1

I recently acquired 4 of the newest Doctor Who novels (one of which was mentioned in my last post). As per usual, when I get my hands on Doctor Who novels I tend to go on a bit of a binge and so...I'm just going to read all four of these really quickly and review them for you all in one big post.

A quick little blurb on each of them to whet your appetite.

Doctor Who: Enemies of War by George Mann
The War Doctor faces not only the Daleks and their newest weapons but also his own people in his quest to put an end to the Great Time War once and for all. However, he doesn't have to face them completely alone. He has a new companion named Cinder and she's determined to stay by his side no matter what dangers they face. She might change her mind when she sees exactly what the Daleks are creating...

Doctor Who: The Crawling Terror by Mike Tucker
The Doctor (#12) and Clara land in a sleepy little village town called Ringstone in Wiltshire. At first, The Doctor believes the TARDIS made a mistake and landed them at the wrong time in history. However, it quickly becomes apparent that the past has caught up to the present when giant insects and arachnids start terrorizing the villagers and all means of escape are cut off by massive spider webs...

Doctor Who: The Blood Cell by James Goss
When will people learn that there's really no point in trying to keep The Doctor locked in a cell? The most dangerous criminals are sent to a prison housed on an asteroid far removed from all colonized worlds. The Governor starts to suspect there is more than meets the eye regarding this 'Doctor' who keeps trying to escape and he might be right because after his arrival the murders begin...

Doctor Who: Silhouette by Justin Richards
When mysteries which seem to have no connection whatsoever (a locked room murder, a boxer killed by an undertaker, The Carnival of Curiosities, and a rich industrialist) end up being inextricably linked who could possibly put all of the pieces together? This is a case for The Doctor, Clara, Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax! Is anything really what it seems?

Are you guys ready?

True freedom is felt in the heart

I discovered from reading The Orphan Master's Son that I know precious little about North Korea. I can say with a fair amount of confidence that I know a whole lot more after having read this book. (Yes, I know it's fictional but a good majority of it is based on the realities of that country and its people.) I have to admit that it was slow going at the beginning. I didn't feel the push to keep going that I usually do when reading something that is really interesting to me. However, this wasn't because the characters lacked depth. I think it stems from what I mentioned at the top of this post: I was completely in the dark about North Korea and found it hard to connect. I have since done some research into the topic on my own and I am blown away by the mastery of Adam Johnson. This is a story of a man without identity. His true self is stripped away again and again by those in power. He is not the master of his own life...and yet...His spirit will not fully submit. For the entirety of this novel, I was waiting for this man's redemption because his suffering was so great and so complete that I felt that it was unfair that he not get his happy ending. I can't say if I was rewarded at the end or not because to do so would rob you of the experience yourself. If you enjoy contemporary historical fiction and/or have an interest in a part of the world that to me has always seemed shrouded in mystery (and really it still is) then this book is for you.

The only thing better than a Star Trek novel is a Doctor Who novel and the next book up for review is one of the latter! I'm going to be reading Doctor Who: Engines of War by George Mann and its main protagonist is THE WAR DOCTOR. (As you may be able to tell from the CAPS, I'm slightly excited.) The story centers around The Great Time War and The Doctor's interactions with the people of the planet, Moldox, who are being rounded up by the Daleks (hiss boo his). I don't want to say anymore because I fear I'll give away something truly important to the story line but I can't wait to review this one for you guys!!

Triviatastic!

D is for Dahl is one of those fantastically quick and fun reads that I think every parent should read with their child (or in my case the adult with the heart of a child). This book is especially fun for those fans of the writer who may not know much about the man himself. He was such a unique, kind individual and that spirit shone through in his writings for both children and adults. To learn about the eccentricities of his private life is to have your estimation of the character of Dahl increase exponentially. For something delightfully funny with a fast pace, this is the perfect book to pick up.

For those fans of either Doctor Who or Sherlock, you'll be familiar with the name Mark Gatiss. He's known as both a writer (and actor) in each of these series but he's also written books...many of them quite naughty. This one isn't (I don't think). The title is Doctor Who: Nightshade and it's set during the time of the Seventh Doctor (played by Sylvester McCoy) and his companion Ace. The Doctor in his companion arrive in a small village which seems to be plagued by something sinister. A large number of deaths have occurred there throughout history and many people are starting to have visions/hallucinations. Is there something supernatural occurring here or is it more extraterrestrial in nature?

If you're a Doctor Who fan, then you're probably going to be more interested in my review of Beautiful Chaos than someone who has no clue of the devastation that was Donna Noble. However, I'l do my best for you non-Whovians because I still think this was a fun read. With that being said, I need to impress that this was by no means my favorite DW novel. The plot was a bit too plodding for my taste at times and I didn't feel the normal drive to see what clever thing the Doctor had up his sleeve this time. This is a hard one to discuss because on the face of it there was nothing really wrong with the telling of this story. It had interesting characters, a baddie straight from canon, action, heart wrenching sadness, and a clever conclusion. However, I can think of three separate DW novels sitting on my bookshelf that had me flipping pages so fast I nearly ripped off my fingerprints and this one just didn't have that urgency. So while it was a decent story about the Doctor it wouldn't be my first recommendation. (If you want that just let me know.)

Next on my list of January reads is the first in a trilogy by C.S. Lewis. The Space Trilogy begins with Out of the Silent Planet and is followed by Perelandra and That Hideous Strength. The stories follow the adventures of Dr. Ransom who is kidnapped and taken to the planet Malacandra. The reason for his kidnapping is made clear when he is told that he's to be a human sacrifice but things don't quite go the way of the captors when Ransom escapes and starts life anew on this strange planet. I confess that I absolutely adore C.S. Lewis and when I saw this in the bookstore and realized that I had never read it I didn't even think twice before picking it up (and paying for it of course, DUH!). 

Let's get on with the show!

Welcome to a new year of reading!!

For my first entry in the new year, I am pleased to review a book by one of my heroes, Jane Goodall. In The Shadow of Man is the story of a young girl studying wild chimpanzees. When I first learned of Goodall's work I was at college and trying to figure out exactly what I would do with a Bachelor's in Anthropology. After that particular Primatology lecture I was convinced I had found my path. Clearly I didn't follow in her footsteps but that doesn't mean that I'm not still fascinated by these magnificent creatures. I think that's one of the greatest things about her (and this book). She shares her enthusiasm and her passion for chimpanzees on every single page and invites the reader to get a glimpse of what it was like on those first days when she couldn't get within a hundred feet of the animals she was meant to study. She takes you through several years of her work at Gombe in Tanzania and details what she learned in that time. For example, she witnessed chimps not only using tools but making them which is something that most scientists were convinced only humans could do. You come to know these chimps which she named (it was easier to remember and therefore easier for taking notes) and by the end you're sad to say goodbye to them. Also, she didn't skimp on the pictures which were fantastic or on the endnotes which were packed with appendices (stages of development, facial expression and calls, weapon and tool use, diet, chimpanzee and human behavior) replete with drawings, a bibliography, index, and information on the Jane Goodall Institute. I could talk a lot more about this book (and indeed I ran on a bit more than I meant) but I want to leave some for you!

Now here is where my geek begins to show. Some of you may be aware that last year marked the 50th anniversary of the British sci-fi show Doctor Who. What you may not know is that I LOVE THIS SHOW. Therefore, it wasn't a hard decision when I saw a 50th anniversary special featuring David Tennant's Doctor I had to pick it up. The title is (aptly) Beautiful Chaos and was penned by Gary Russell. Ugh the back cover has something written there which I must share:

The Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Collection.

Eleven Classic Adventures.

Eleven brilliant writers. One incredible Doctor.

And that pretty much sums up why I'm a Whovian. *sigh* Okay back to the book. This is a Donna Noble (and Wilf!) special which means it's going to be packed full of laughs and most likely missteps. However, after reading the short description it wouldn't seem that's the case. There's an ancient evil heading toward Earth and it is not happy. UH OH. I can't wait to review this one for you all!!

Since I haven't reiterated this in awhile I'll say it here. If you want me to review a book that you were thinking of reading OR if you want a recommendation please don't hesitate to comment. Your feedback is ALWAYS appreciated (and greatly looked forward to I promise!). Have a great one!!