My Eighth Doctor Adventures Adventures

This is a page for me to collect my varying-length reviews of Eighth Doctor Adventures books, somewhere between an archive to keep track of what I've read and what I haven't and an exercise in review-writing/getting all my thoughts together in one place in a coherent manner. While this is not an Eight shrine let it be know that he's one of the best Doctors as far as I'm concerned and also that his TARDIS interior is the prettiest one. There are 73 books in the series in total, but I'm not planning on reading them all. (Once I'm done with the comparatively short reading list of mine, I may go back and read some of the ones I missed, but I'm not sure. Life is short and there's so much more Doctor Who out there, after all, VNAs and PDAs and Faction Paradox and audios and whatnot not to mention like 24 series of TV left...)

One last thing -- if you only read one of these, read Alien Bodies. Read Alien Bodies even if you aren't a Doctor Who fan and just wandered in here by mistake, but still like sci-fi. Just read Alien Bodies. Do it. DW fans you should also absolutely read Vampire Science and Unnatural History at least but I digress!!! On with the reviews! (Ratings next to the name of the book, in TARDISes out of five. = favourite)

Vampire Science by Kate Orman & Jonathan Blum

Companion: Sam Jones

Detailed review: This book was a delight!! Sam took approximately .5 seconds to worm her way into my heart, and I really enjoy stories from the perspective of someone unused to the Doctor's nonsense, and Carolyn's were wonderful eyes to see him through. And of course I am vampire story lover #1. This book was written for me. Other miscellaneous highlights: THE KITTENS. There are many kittens climbing all over the Doctor at one point and it's adorable. It opens in a gay bar and mister doctor who is described as being "flamboyant even for Castro Street standards". And also as someone who has cute eyebrows. Did I mention the vampires I love the vampires.

Alien Bodies by Lawrence Miles

Companion: Sam Jones

Detailed review: You know how some sci-fi books have one or two really great ideas and then build off of those? And you know how some sci-fi books seem to have an utterly insane idea every few pages that may or may not get explored proportionally to how awesome it is? This is the second one. It introduces the Time War (but probably not the one you were expecting), Faction Paradox, and other assorted goodies like humanoid TARDISes and entities who don't have a physical form instead communicating via changing your perception of cracks in the wall and newspaper headlines to read what they want you to see. Among other things. Insane book! Read it!! Now. It's on the Internet Archive and you don't even need an account to borrow it or anything. Take my hand. Come to Alien Bodies world with me.

Seeing I by Kate Orman & Jonathan Blum ½

Companion: Sam Jones

Detailed review: Oh, this was great. Fucked up!! But great. I skipped the ones with the exact context on how they got separated, but I really loved this deeper look into Sam's character. Her relationship with the Doctor is an interesting one -- I'm no expert on classic who but a significant chunk of Eight's companions have some sort of romantic feelings for him, which continues on to new who, maybe even more so there. It makes sense that it all started with ms half stupid human on my mother's side, kissing Grace and everything... it does eventually mature into something less teenage-infatuation-y, in a way, even in the book which I liked. (While keeping up the Doctor-companion idolising dynamic, there's a great moment at the end of Revolution Man about that) and I do like their goodbye in Interference. But I'm not talking about Seeing I anymore, am I? Oops. It's great if you like seeing the Doctor suffer, great if you like seeing Sam be wonderful and (canonically!) bisexual, and terrible if eyes make you very squeamish.

The Scarlet Empress by Paul Magrs

Companion: Sam Jones, Iris Wildthyme(!!)

Detailed review: Before I say anything else, let it be known that I love Iris Wildythme a lot. My new favourite Gallifreyan. (Let it also be said that every time we meet a Gallifreyan I go WOW you're my new favourite but I. M. Foreman couldn't dethrone her so she's probably staying.) I love her. Okay. Fascinating character. She has a DOUBLE-DECKER BUS TARDIS she's the Doctor's old friend she claims his adventures are her own she blurs the line between fiction and reality beautifully she is everything to me. I didn't much care for some of the other one-off characters in this book but there were a lot of great things in it and overall I enjoyed it quite a lot! Really the word I would use is fun. It's a fun book!

Demontage by Justin Richards ½

Companion: Sam Jones, Fitz Kreiner

Detailed review: I'm a sucker for people trapped in paintings. It doesn't come up often, but there was this one book I read when I was like ten and even though I didn't even like that book that much it made me immediately enjoy anything that has people in paintings in it a lot more. So while I wouldn't call this a masterpiece or anything I definitely liked it!! Fitz showed up in this (well. he showed up a book before that but I heard it's not that great) and I'm obsessed with him. His loserguy swag. Idiot. Regularly utterly fails social interactions. Dresses weird to the space casino and then doesn't change out of pride. Gets in a competition with the Doctor to see who can win more but doesn't know the rules to any of the games. Accidentally accepts a job to assassinate a total stranger. Who else is doing it like him!!! A solid 7/10 of a book I love weird machinations and fucked up paintings.

Revolution Man by Paul Leonard

Companion: Sam Jones, Fitz Kreiner

Detailed review: The magic drug thing was entertaining in a way but I didn't like this book that much. Sixties time. Musician man. Fitz is abandoned for the first time and gets brainwashed by the Chinese army. But he and the Doctor kill a man together (with a gun!) and that was the highlight of the book to me... Also this quote after the incident from Sam going in my memorable things people have said about Eight folder:

"He's a hero!" Sam was shouting too, now. "And he never never never does anything wrong -- you don't understand!"

Unnatural History by Kate Orman & Jonathan Blum

Companion: Sam Jones, Fitz Kreiner

Detailed review:

'Well that's rather the point, isn't it? Maybe there are inconsistencies. Maybe there are things that change.' He raised his head, and those blue eyes were looking right into the unnaturalist's grey. 'It's still a good story, isn't it?'

GRRRRRRRRRRRR BARK BARK BARK BARK BEST DOCTOR WHO BOOK. I LOVE WEIRD META STORIES I LOVE INCONSISTENT LORE I LOVE THE BARE BONES OF THE STORY REMAINING THE SAME WHILE EVERY DETAIL FROM THE DOCTOR'S APPEARANCE TO THE WAY THEY WERE BORN TO THE COMPANY THEY KEEP CHANGING ONLY THE FACTS OF THE MADMAN THE COMPANION AND THE BLUE BOX REMAIN. IT'S STILL A GOOD STORY ISN'T IT!!!!! I HAVE MORE QUOTES AND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE NATURE OF COLLECTIVE STORYTELLING (AND ALSO THEATRE EVEN THOUGH THIS ISN'T THEATRE I CAN MAKE ANYTHING BE ABOUT CHESS) BUT WE'D BE HERE ALL DAY. ONE DAY I'LL PROBABLY WRITE A PROPER REVIEW INSTEAD OF SHOUTING AT YOU ABOUT MADMEN IN BOXES BUT FOR NOW IT'S THIS. JUST READ UNNATURAL HISTORY OK

Interference by Lawrence Miles (combined)

Companion: Sam Jones, Fitz Kreiner, Compassion, Sarah Jane Smith, K9

Detailed review: This book is A Lot, not in least because it's like six hundred ish pages in total. Where do I even start? Overall notes: could have been a teensy bit shorter I'm not going to lie. The Remote are an interesting society, but I honestly did not care that much for the whole social commentary angle of it all. What media you surround yourself with in this world were we're constantly bombarded by everything controls your thoughts. People mostly believe what they see on the news. Wow. Fascinating stuff. Reading this thirty years of advancement later it all feels a little... overdone, though from an interesting sci-fi angle that i liked (the Remote, again.) I liked seeing Three and Sarah Jane and K9 even though I haven't seen them in the show itself yet. I. M. Foreman and their traveling show is delightful. And FITZ...oh boy. OH BOY! I didn't see any real *point* to the Doctor's torture, honestly, other than having him have something to do... maybe I missed some point in there somewhere.

Book One (Shock Tactic) ½

Detailed review: This one was the less fun of the two, honestly. The arms deal took up a lot of the book for something that basically up and disappeared in book 2 which I guess shows the Remote way of operating but still. Yknow. Irritating. Shoutout to Sarah Jane though hiiiii!! I liked the whole Dust plot in general both in this & the next one that was a fun thing :) It wasn't BAD but it also wasn't great you know what I mean...

Book Two (The Hour of the Geek) ½

Detailed review: FITZ. FITZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ🚬🚬🚬

This one was a lot more exciting than the first one, and with not one but TWO Fitz Twists(TM) like oh you thought his implied suicide was bad? Wait till you find out who this fucked up guy is! Also THE FACTION PARADOX VIRUS? THAT'S INSANE? I. M. FOREMAN'S WHOLE DEAL? so much going on here. Incredible. I had a great time.

The Blue Angel by Paul Magrs & Jeremy Hoad ½

Companion: Fitz Kreiner, Compassion, Iris Wildthyme

Detailed review: I really really really loved this book. Admittedly I needed to start rereading it for it to all properly cohere in my mind, as the structure/style of it with the constant changing from first to second to third person and the scene changes was at times bit too much for incredibly tired Me From Yesterday as I read this mostly on long bus trips, but the surreality and metafictional elements of it all delighted me -- especially the last scene & the questions at the end. I had a great time! Some delightfully vivid imagery and awesome alien species. I fell in love with Iris Wildthyme basically immediately when she showed up in The Scarlet Empress and she did not disappoint here either she's a fascinating character <33 I also enjoyed the greek myth references & the Star Trek parody story thread that abruptly showed up a few chapters in and made the Kirk and Spock equivalents lovers thank you Messrs Magrs & Hoad for that specifically. (While I'm on the topic of homosexuality also shoutout to Fitz for, and I quote, being "in the midst of the most ridiculous danger, horse-riding down a mountainside, probably about to die" and considering his chances of getting laid by Iris and also by the Doctor. Icon.) But beyond all the silly little fun details it raised a lot of interesting questions about the War and how it will continue to be explored, and especially the Doctor's involvement in it (Obverse-Doctor made me so sad...) and I'm really interested in how they'll actually deal with the War in the books. Overall a great read despite its slightly confusing nature!! Absolutely would recommend.

The Taking of Planet 5 by Mark Clapham & Simon Butcher-Jones ½

Detailed review: This was sooo fun :-) It's no secret that I really like the War and its worldbuilding (I'm dipping my toes into Faction Paradox -- I want to be done with the kind of hard to navigate Book of the War before delving deeper though. I digress) and this had PLENTY of that. It was nice to get another peek into Mictlan and the Celestis not to mention the GALLIFREYAN WAR REGENERATIONS FUCKING HELL? and Homonculette was here again as well :-) AND THE WAR TARDISES THAT WAS AWESOMEEEE I'm capital-W Weird about TARDISes this was such a fascinating look into the TARDIS-Time Lord (& specifically the TARDIS-Doctor) relationship.. I'm not too familiar with the work of Lovecraft and there was. a Lot going on visually in this book even beyond what was going on plot-wise and honestly I'm not that big on universe-eating things (that's about where the Three-Body books by Cixin Liu lost me near the end of the third one as well haha) but even so I had a simply lovely time! Also - I've been spoiled on Compassion's whole Deal but still the hints are fun to spot.

The Shadows of Avalon by Paul Cornell ½

Companion: Fitz Kreiner, Compassion, Brigadier

Detailed review: It was fine! Much of the book I wasn't incredibly invested in -- the Brigadier had an interesting thing going on with grief and I suppose the concept of it all wasn't bad or anythign it just failed to entirely capture my attention idk... BUT! the last chapter or so!! oh my god!! I was spoiled so it wasn'T like it was a surprise but I didn't know how they'd go about it and the answer is very well they did a great job i loved it it was FASCINATING to see Compassion's interior if it weren't for that it would have been fairly mediorce but WOW it really gav the book that push to make me even retroactively enjoy it a little more :-)

The Ancestor Cell by Peter Anghelides and Stephen Cole ½

Companion: Fitz Kreiner, Compassion

Detailed review: This book was a struggle to get through because I hated almost everythng about it <3 Obviously the war in heaven arc was going to be a struggle to finish off in a satisfying way but I'm pretty sure I could have done a better job than this. Like come on. A fundamental misunderstanding of how the Time Lord society that has to exist in order for Faction Paradox as an entity to make sense (and like it or not, that's the Time Lord society you're stuck with for now) would not have room for bored rich kids to play satanists because 1) I don't think there *would* be rich kids in the first place 2) there is no middle ground when it comes to disrespecting everything they stand for, messing about with the laws of time even unseriously, daring to imply that the way they made the world isn't the most perfect and correct one and that paradoxes are allowed to exist you're in or you're out none of this nonsense. HOWEVER the Gallifreys slowly disappearing was cool and Father Kreiner was in this who I love a lot and he was pretty decently written actually! Those two things basically bumped this up to the 1½ TARDISes i'm giving it -- I had much less fun overall than the power of the doctor which i rated similarly and which was also just as much of a disappointment as an era/arc-ending moment (I'm still mad about Yaz. Anticlimax of the decade) but at least that was mostly watchable this made me go "well that's fucking stupid" every few pages. I haven't complained about Grandfather Paradox yet remember how the guy named for the fact that he paradoxed himself the fuck out of existence was revealed to kind of also be the Doctor from the future I knew it was coming and I still wanted to throw my phone across the room. At least I have something to complain about I do love complaining :-)

The Turing Test by Paul Leonard

Companion: Alan Turing (Graham Greene, Joseph Heller)

Detailed review: AWESOME!!!!! I love a good outsider POV and this had THREE. One of them was mister alan turing in gay love with the Doctor which makes me very happy. All three of them hated him in slightly different ways & they all had very strong opinions about each other and reacted to the previous POVs, it was a delight :-) A lot of talk about what makes someone human and aliens and robots and murder and just gahhh this book was so good!!!! You should definitely read this one. The bits where it's mostly Alan and the Doctor and less aliens and machines and horrible implications is so (bitter)sweet and the bits where it IS aliens and machines and horrible implications is also fascinating and the intrigue is done so well and I'm usually not into WWII stories at all but I couldn't put this down... very good book. I had other things I wanted to highlight but I was so invested I completely forgot to take screenshots and you'll forgive me if I don't reread it all to go hunting so here have this from the very second page. Gay people real even if it's a doctor/companion unbalanced realness

I will say now, however, that I do not think Greene was right: the Doctor is not an angel, though he may not be a man, exactly, either. I desired him as a man, loved him as one, but my love did not blind me, nor make me religious! Nor do I think that he was from outer space, as Heller seemed to believe in his droll American way.