Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21114
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 Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 10:00 am Post subject: |
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Well, much to my surprise, I found a book that I could read fairly quickly. So, book 74...
REVIEW: Doctor Who: Cat's Cradle- Time's Crucible by Marc Platt
In the early books of the Doctor Who New Adventures novels, they had two story arcs: Timewyrm, and Cat's Cradle. Having read almost every Timewyrm book, it's about time that I turn my attention to the Cat's Cradle book that I have in my collection, the first one, Time's Crucible, by one of the better Doctor Who authors, Marc Platt, whose Lungbarrow remains one of my favourite original Doctor Who novels...
The Doctor and Ace are forced to cut a visit to Earth short when something breaks into the TARDIS, causing reality to warp. Meanwhile, on ancient Gallifrey, the Pythia, seeress leader of Gallifrey is under attack from the neotechnologist faction led by Rassilon, soon-to-be founder of the Time Lords. She plants an agent on an experimental timeship flight, an agent she wishes to make her successor. But the experimental timeship collides with the TARDIS, which was weakened by a parasitic organism. Ace wakes up afterwards in a bizarre city, a world that should never be, only to find that the Doctor is apparently dead...
Marc Platt's previous work, the television story Ghost Light, and his later work, the excellent Lungbarrow, are best described as mind screws. They require multiple readings, or supernatural attention, in order to get the full story. Time's Crucible is no exception. A number of metaphysical concepts are at work. What else would you expect when the main villain is a creature that calls itself the Process?
The imagery in Time's Crucible would not look out of place in a particularly surreal anime, albeit of the dark kind. Time is fooled around with on multiple levels, although it makes more sense once the true nature of the setting of the story, a vast city, is revealed. Or rather, several true natures.
This story is about two things, primarily. The first main story is about Ace trying to save the day, or at least find the Doctor, as well as help the Gallifreyan time travellers. However, just as important, and in fact more intriguing, are the sequences set on Gallifrey's past, which feed into the 'Cartmel Masterplan' which would have revealed more about the Doctor's past, and which came to an excellent crescendo in Lungbarrow.
This is science fiction for the intelligent reader. Doctor Who fans will probably get the most out of it, but it might remain obscure to casual readers. Nonetheless, it is a good book that takes time and turns it on its head.
8.5/10
First words: The Doctor dropped a slice of stale bread into a battered electric toaster and pondered what to do next.
Last words: In a corner, behind a mound of tangled bric-a-brac, the silver cat stopped washing itself and stared around with darting predatory eyes.
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21114
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 12:04 am Post subject: |
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Book 75 is rather elementary...
REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes for Dummies by Steven Doyle and David A Crowder
While I am not a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I have read both parts of the canon (I reviewed The Sign of Four in the first book review blog) and non-canonical adventures (my favourite Doctor Who book of all time, All-Consuming Fire, is actually a Doctor Who/Sherlock Holmes crossover). And having recently watched the Guy Ritchie film with Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law, excellent in their roles as Holmes and Watson respectively, I was at a loss for something to read when I found this book. Deciding I wanted to know a little more about Holmes, I read this.
Is it any good? Well, I like reading the For Dummies and Complete Idiot's Guide To books, because they give me an overview of the subject without getting too bogged down in academic detail. I did finish, but didn't review, The British Monarchy for Dummies in the first book blog, and it was informative enough, though not quite as entertaining as this.
The book examines something of the true spirit of Holmes and Watson, and how they were interpreted, for better and for worse, in adaptations. The book only briefly mentions the newest adaptation, but it also analyses the lives of not only of Holmes and Watson, but also of their creator, Arthur Conan Doyle.
To be honest, I'm a little miffed that Dr Joseph Bell, the main inspiration for Holmes, got really only a page or two's mention, as his influence is astounding. And the book itself does come across as skipping rather lightly over rich subject matter, although this may be out of necessity to keep the page count down.
In any case, this book is a good introduction to the world of Sherlock Holmes, and why that deerstalker cap was an invention never mentioned in the novels. Those who want to start off their journey into Sherlockiana could do worse than start it here.
8/10
First words: Try this experiment: Ask ten random people if they know who Sherlock Holmes is.
Last words: "It is one of those instances where the reasoner can produce and effct which seems remarkable to his neighbour, because the latter has missed the one little point which is the basis of the deduction."
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21114
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:45 am Post subject: |
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Book 76...
REVIEW: Doctor Who: The TARDIS Handbook: The Official Guide to the Best Ship in the Universe by Steve Tribe
Although I could easily have read this admittedly short book before the Sherlock Holmes one, I had read a Doctor Who book in the previous review, and thought it best to try and have a gap between books in the same series. Now, I come to this for a quick and entertaining read.
The TARDIS Handbook is basically a book describing the history of the TARDIS and the Doctor's travels in it. While to a fan, there isn't that much that is new, it does do a good job of linking the mythology of the classic and new series together. It brings together much of what was mentioned in the televised Doctor Who stories together, and tries to give explanations for some of the more contradictory elements.
Personally, I feel that this book isn't meant for the die-hard fan who has known of the classic series before the new series. But it is an excellent primer into the classic series, as well as for someone who has just started with the recent series, and wants to catch up. It also has summaries of many stories, particularly the first six episodes of the most recent series with Matt Smith.
It's not a truly childish book, but it is rather short, though not for lack of information. I recommend this to anyone who wishes to learn more about Doctor Who mythology.
8/10
First words: Doctor Who began with a police box.
Last words: But for the Doctor and his TARDIS, the journey will never end.
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21114
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 7:58 am Post subject: |
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Well, it seems that after 76 books and 21 weeks, I've finally run out of momentum for this one. I will wait until Monday to make a definitive decision, but it is looking less and less likely that I am going to continue for a while.
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21114
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 4:24 am Post subject: |
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Okay. I've made the decision. I'm quitting this book blog now. However, any of you still reading this, don't despair! There will be a third one later in the year, once my motivation is back to normal.
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21114
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:28 am Post subject: |
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There may be a new book-review blog soon. I have some new books, and my motivation is nearly back up. I'll start a new thread for that book blog when the time comes.
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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