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Book Log 2017 #14-16
Nov. 28th, 2017 12:22 pmCaught up on some recreational reading...
#14 – THE NAVIGATOR by Clive Cussler & Paul Kemprecos.
Some not-deep action and thrills from the NUMA Files. Not as good as the previous couple of entries in the series, as the authors are trying a bit too hard to find some new brain-melting knots to tie their macguffins together, and the villain is a one-note taking-the-piss level eccentric with a shark-jumping plan that makes zero sense whatsoever. But it was fun, good for travelling and sitting in waiting rooms.
#15 – THE SHAKESPEARE NOTEBOOKS by Various
A collection of short fiction and vignettes and cod-sonnets bringing Dr Who and Shakespeare together. More a book to dip into rather than a story to read, and of course highly variable. The Two/Jamie/Zoe version of Macbeth is by far the best thing in it (I'd be guessing this is Justin's work?), while the Doctor and Shakey working out The Tempest is fun too, as is Master Faustus, the digression to the works of Kit Marlowe. Others are less good, either because of being just too small a fragment, or, frankly for trying too hard (the Sontarans trying to make a propaganda film of Horror Of Fang Rock would be a classic if not for the totally unnecessary bodging in of Vortis and the First Doctor)... Still fun to dip into here and there.
#16 – BUNKER SOLDIERS by Martin Day
A nice historically-set First Doctor Dr Who novel, with ongoings in 13th Century Kiev. It's an unusual mix of normal third person and first person narrative from the POV of Steven (played back in the 60s by Peter Purves). I'm not sure the Steven viewpoint quite fits the character, but I could totally hear Purves's voice narrating it, so not a problem, really. If there is a problem it's that the densely descriptive prose (which is perfectly fine) is at odds with the format's standard wordcount, so there are some sudden “with one bound” moments where there isn't room... Nevertheless, was a nice one to read for the show's anniversary week.
#14 – THE NAVIGATOR by Clive Cussler & Paul Kemprecos.
Some not-deep action and thrills from the NUMA Files. Not as good as the previous couple of entries in the series, as the authors are trying a bit too hard to find some new brain-melting knots to tie their macguffins together, and the villain is a one-note taking-the-piss level eccentric with a shark-jumping plan that makes zero sense whatsoever. But it was fun, good for travelling and sitting in waiting rooms.
#15 – THE SHAKESPEARE NOTEBOOKS by Various
A collection of short fiction and vignettes and cod-sonnets bringing Dr Who and Shakespeare together. More a book to dip into rather than a story to read, and of course highly variable. The Two/Jamie/Zoe version of Macbeth is by far the best thing in it (I'd be guessing this is Justin's work?), while the Doctor and Shakey working out The Tempest is fun too, as is Master Faustus, the digression to the works of Kit Marlowe. Others are less good, either because of being just too small a fragment, or, frankly for trying too hard (the Sontarans trying to make a propaganda film of Horror Of Fang Rock would be a classic if not for the totally unnecessary bodging in of Vortis and the First Doctor)... Still fun to dip into here and there.
#16 – BUNKER SOLDIERS by Martin Day
A nice historically-set First Doctor Dr Who novel, with ongoings in 13th Century Kiev. It's an unusual mix of normal third person and first person narrative from the POV of Steven (played back in the 60s by Peter Purves). I'm not sure the Steven viewpoint quite fits the character, but I could totally hear Purves's voice narrating it, so not a problem, really. If there is a problem it's that the densely descriptive prose (which is perfectly fine) is at odds with the format's standard wordcount, so there are some sudden “with one bound” moments where there isn't room... Nevertheless, was a nice one to read for the show's anniversary week.