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Past Doctor Adventures #8
Doctor Who: Eye of Heaven
Easter Island, 1842. Horace Stockwood, eminent archaeologist, has stolen a stone tablet sacred to the islanders. He escapes into the open sea, but massive, sinister stone figures are lining the cliff tops, watching him go...
Thirty years later, Stockwood is desperate to return. He has devoted his life to studying the sacred stone, and needs to know if his theories are correct. Visiting Earth with Leela, the Doctor's interest is piqued, and he offers to fund Stockwood's expedition. But their journey proves more hazardous than anyone would have expected.
What is the terrible secret that pushes Stockwood on - and what is his real agenda? Who is trying to stop their mission before it has even begun? As the Doctor begins to piece the answers together, it seems he may become an accomplice to the terrible tragedy that threatens to befall the island. Ancient powers are invoked, and dangerous secrets may soon be secret no longer...
Thirty years later, Stockwood is desperate to return. He has devoted his life to studying the sacred stone, and needs to know if his theories are correct. Visiting Earth with Leela, the Doctor's interest is piqued, and he offers to fund Stockwood's expedition. But their journey proves more hazardous than anyone would have expected.
What is the terrible secret that pushes Stockwood on - and what is his real agenda? Who is trying to stop their mission before it has even begun? As the Doctor begins to piece the answers together, it seems he may become an accomplice to the terrible tragedy that threatens to befall the island. Ancient powers are invoked, and dangerous secrets may soon be secret no longer...
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 1998
2 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
Jim Mortimore
49 books19 followersJim Mortimore is a British science fiction writer, who has written several spin-off novels for popular television series, principally Doctor Who, but also Farscape and Babylon 5.
When BBC Books cancelled his Doctor Who novel Campaign, he had it published independently and gave the proceeds to a charity – the Bristol Area Down Syndrome Association. He is also the writer of the Big Finish Doctor Who audio play The Natural History of Fear and their Tomorrow People audio play Plague of Dreams. He has also done music for other Big Finish productions.
He released his first original novel in 2011, Skaldenland.
When BBC Books cancelled his Doctor Who novel Campaign, he had it published independently and gave the proceeds to a charity – the Bristol Area Down Syndrome Association. He is also the writer of the Big Finish Doctor Who audio play The Natural History of Fear and their Tomorrow People audio play Plague of Dreams. He has also done music for other Big Finish productions.
He released his first original novel in 2011, Skaldenland.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 8, 2021
A highly enjoyable globetrotting adventure featuring The Fourth Doctor and Leela.
The story is told in a non-liner first person narration. It's something we've not really seen in Doctor Who novels.
This does help move the story along, as a fair amount of the story is set on a boat. Spending so many consecutive pages on that location would have dragged the story down.
The story is told in a non-liner first person narration. It's something we've not really seen in Doctor Who novels.
This does help move the story along, as a fair amount of the story is set on a boat. Spending so many consecutive pages on that location would have dragged the story down.
August 21, 2014
The last two years of the 1990s weren’t the best time to be a Doctor Who fan. With no TV series on the horizon, the demise of Virgin Publishing’s highly-regarded ranges the previous year, Big Finish not yet in the position to help plug the gap, and Doctor Who Magazine’s comic strip heading in a very odd direction, I had to be consoled by BBC Books’ novels. These tended to be rather hit-and-miss at this point, although I thought then – and still believe – they did rather better with the Past Doctor line than they did with the Eighth Doctor range. ‘Eye of Heaven’ – which features the Fourth Doctor and, in her print debut, Leela – is a pertinent example.
Context is all. I’d read this in August 1999, shortly before I embarked on a deeply unhappy year at university. Because of that, my memories of the book weren’t strong or happy. That’s a shame, because this is a great read and is, perhaps, one of the strongest of BBC Books’ offerings from its year of publication.
For its time, this came across as a book with a very innovative approach – non-linear, where different chapters are told from different points of view, with Leela the main beneficiary. And, boy, does Jim Mortimore nail her character. The chance to see Leela’s thought processes works well. Less successful is the mercifully few times the story is told from the Doctor’s point of view, but to be fair this is technique Mortimore only employs when there’s really no other option. It proves once again that the thought processes of an alien time traveller really ought to be left to the imagination.
It strikes me, too, that it would make a great Big Finish drama – specifically a Companion Chronicle, since the main focus is Leela, with her shell-shocked explorer friend in many ways fulfilling the role of secondary protagonist. I’d suggest it as a film, too, although the brilliant stand-out image where Leela commandeers a whale and uses it as a kind of marine horse, before having to hide inside it when a tornado approaches is, like the Doctor’s brain, better left to the imagination, as I don’t think the highest budget in the world could do it justice!
I didn’t seriously think, when I started re-reading selected Doctor Who novels, that I’d proclaim an undiscovered classic. I can’t quite go that far – the resolution is a little too neat, and comes that bit too easily – but I do think that, had this been published under the Virgin Books banner, people’s memories of it would be a lot clearer and more positive. It proves that ‘Blood Heat’ wasn’t the only gem Mortimore was capable of, and his mastery of content, form, structure and characters is every bit as strong here as it was there (long before the ‘Campaign’ debacle).
Perhaps, 16 years on and in the context of a triumphant, and long-running, TV series and spin-off media which can complement this book better, now is the time to hold this up to the light again?
Context is all. I’d read this in August 1999, shortly before I embarked on a deeply unhappy year at university. Because of that, my memories of the book weren’t strong or happy. That’s a shame, because this is a great read and is, perhaps, one of the strongest of BBC Books’ offerings from its year of publication.
For its time, this came across as a book with a very innovative approach – non-linear, where different chapters are told from different points of view, with Leela the main beneficiary. And, boy, does Jim Mortimore nail her character. The chance to see Leela’s thought processes works well. Less successful is the mercifully few times the story is told from the Doctor’s point of view, but to be fair this is technique Mortimore only employs when there’s really no other option. It proves once again that the thought processes of an alien time traveller really ought to be left to the imagination.
It strikes me, too, that it would make a great Big Finish drama – specifically a Companion Chronicle, since the main focus is Leela, with her shell-shocked explorer friend in many ways fulfilling the role of secondary protagonist. I’d suggest it as a film, too, although the brilliant stand-out image where Leela commandeers a whale and uses it as a kind of marine horse, before having to hide inside it when a tornado approaches is, like the Doctor’s brain, better left to the imagination, as I don’t think the highest budget in the world could do it justice!
I didn’t seriously think, when I started re-reading selected Doctor Who novels, that I’d proclaim an undiscovered classic. I can’t quite go that far – the resolution is a little too neat, and comes that bit too easily – but I do think that, had this been published under the Virgin Books banner, people’s memories of it would be a lot clearer and more positive. It proves that ‘Blood Heat’ wasn’t the only gem Mortimore was capable of, and his mastery of content, form, structure and characters is every bit as strong here as it was there (long before the ‘Campaign’ debacle).
Perhaps, 16 years on and in the context of a triumphant, and long-running, TV series and spin-off media which can complement this book better, now is the time to hold this up to the light again?
June 11, 2011
Now THIS is how to do mind-blowing, out-of-sequence, first-person narrative. Jim Mortimore's Doctor Who stories can be an acquired taste...but this one benefits from powerful insights into the Doctor & Leela. Be warned...it takes some mental effort NOT to get lost reading this one...
March 8, 2010
Once I got used to the writing style, this was an excellent book.
February 12, 2012
This is probably Leela's finest appearance in print. The storytelling technique, alternating between flashback and flashforward, is daring, but it works well to sustain the suspense.
May 19, 2024
This was the first Doctor Who novel to feature Leela, the Fourth Doctor’s savage companion, and Jim Mortimore makes the most of it by making this a first person novel. He doesn’t stop there, adding in multiple narrators (including the Doctor!) and shuffling the running order of the chapters. The overall effect is a very interesting way to tell a story, especially with Leela’s unusual and uncivilised perspective on events informing her narration.
The plot is largely concerned with trekking to Easter Island to right an old wrong, and perhaps investigate some suspiciously mobile statues, but although the answers we get are very interesting it’s the overall creative journey that makes this one stick in my mind. I wish more Doctor Who books took swings like this.
The plot is largely concerned with trekking to Easter Island to right an old wrong, and perhaps investigate some suspiciously mobile statues, but although the answers we get are very interesting it’s the overall creative journey that makes this one stick in my mind. I wish more Doctor Who books took swings like this.
June 19, 2021
This exciting adventure sees the fourth Doctor and Leela voyage across the ocean to Easter Island. Before reading the novel, I was sceptical to even start it because the novel is non linear. However, this actually makes the book even easier to read. Each chapter bounces from one exciting incident to the next making it flow better and makes you want to turn the page more. I also thought I'd get confused as to where in the book each chapter is placed, but it was a lot easier to understand than I first thought it would be so I don't think you should be put off by the book based on it's format alone. Their are four main settings which the story takes place; England, at sea, Rapa Nui and space.
The novel introduces complex characters to whom are neither good nor bad. Stockwood in particular is an incredibly interesting character. He is at heart a good man, but who's done terrible things thirty years prior. His actions catch up to him where he must suffer the consequences for his actions.
Leela also has a lot to do in the story which I really enjoyed as she's my favourite fourth Doctor companion and this book, being written in first person, gives the reader a chance to explore the character's thoughts, feelings and how they experience the world and events around them. This benefitted Leela massively as we are put into Leela's shoes and shows she's a very intelligant woman but only in certain aspects. She's inexperienced about the culture on 1800s Earth but she's also a fast learner and is incredibly frustrated when the characters around her falls her stupid when that is very far from the truth. Leela also fights a giant squid and rides a sperm whale which (despite sounding rediculous) was one of my favourite parts of the book.
Jim Mortimore is a fantastic writer. Every line is extremely vivid and found myself imagining the scenes in my head which is the sign of a great writer. His decision to write the novel in first person also means we get insites into the thought process of many characters which adds even more depth and understanding to characters like the Fourth Doctor and Leela.
Overall I rate Eye of heaven, 9/10. One thing which let the book down was how fast it seemed to end. If the novel had two or three ore chapters which closed the story points with more depth, I woul have easily rated the book 10/10. I also thing the Peruvian slave traders felt a littl out of place. Their introduction to the story was too late and felt more like an after thought to give the final act of the book more action. But then this isn't a detriment to the story, I found the novel to be incredibly enjoyable to read and had a lot of fun with all of the characters involved. And despite feeling like they didn't need to be there, I still found the slavers to be a great addition to the story as the doctor has some brilliant scenes with them and we get to see Leela stealthily massacre the slavers.
The novel introduces complex characters to whom are neither good nor bad. Stockwood in particular is an incredibly interesting character. He is at heart a good man, but who's done terrible things thirty years prior. His actions catch up to him where he must suffer the consequences for his actions.
Leela also has a lot to do in the story which I really enjoyed as she's my favourite fourth Doctor companion and this book, being written in first person, gives the reader a chance to explore the character's thoughts, feelings and how they experience the world and events around them. This benefitted Leela massively as we are put into Leela's shoes and shows she's a very intelligant woman but only in certain aspects. She's inexperienced about the culture on 1800s Earth but she's also a fast learner and is incredibly frustrated when the characters around her falls her stupid when that is very far from the truth. Leela also fights a giant squid and rides a sperm whale which (despite sounding rediculous) was one of my favourite parts of the book.
Jim Mortimore is a fantastic writer. Every line is extremely vivid and found myself imagining the scenes in my head which is the sign of a great writer. His decision to write the novel in first person also means we get insites into the thought process of many characters which adds even more depth and understanding to characters like the Fourth Doctor and Leela.
Overall I rate Eye of heaven, 9/10. One thing which let the book down was how fast it seemed to end. If the novel had two or three ore chapters which closed the story points with more depth, I woul have easily rated the book 10/10. I also thing the Peruvian slave traders felt a littl out of place. Their introduction to the story was too late and felt more like an after thought to give the final act of the book more action. But then this isn't a detriment to the story, I found the novel to be incredibly enjoyable to read and had a lot of fun with all of the characters involved. And despite feeling like they didn't need to be there, I still found the slavers to be a great addition to the story as the doctor has some brilliant scenes with them and we get to see Leela stealthily massacre the slavers.
August 19, 2025
It's been a long time since I last read a Past Doctor Adventure. The last one of these I've read, I believe, was 'Ten Little Aliens' by Stephen Cole, which was incredible. Jim Mortimore is a writer I have very mixed opinions on, he's capable of brilliant stories such as 'Lucifer Rising' & 'The Natural History of Fear', but then you also have incredibly edgy and overly violent stories such as 'Parasite' & 'Beltempest'. His work often feels like playing a game of Russian roulette, you never really know what you're going to get. However, many people have said good things about Eye of Heaven, so I am really intrigued to try it.
Horace Stockwood made a terrible mistake on Easter Island back in 1842. He stole an important tablet from the locals, and thanks to him, two people died. Now, many years later, he intends to return to the island to make amends. The Doctor and Leela have arrived to join him on his voyage that will take the two on a global adventure where the stakes are high and the seas are rough. But does anyone truly believe Horace's story? Surely stones can't walk, can they?
Jim Mortimore has written an outstanding story that is beautifully written. It's a story structured in a unique and experimental way. It's told through diary entries, the perspectives of our characters and a non-linear order.
This novel's an adventure story with terrific ideas, plenty of action, many moments of violence, superb atmosphere and world-building and an amazing grasp on its characters. The characterization of 4 and Leela is perfect; Jim Mortimore not only has them down to a tee, but he's explored their thoughts in a way that just fits so perfectly for the characters.
Overall: This is a phenomenal story that's incredibly well written. It's not a scary story, but it still fits in perfectly within the Philip Hinchcliffe era. It definitely feels like a story he and Holmes would have commissioned. 10/10
Horace Stockwood made a terrible mistake on Easter Island back in 1842. He stole an important tablet from the locals, and thanks to him, two people died. Now, many years later, he intends to return to the island to make amends. The Doctor and Leela have arrived to join him on his voyage that will take the two on a global adventure where the stakes are high and the seas are rough. But does anyone truly believe Horace's story? Surely stones can't walk, can they?
Jim Mortimore has written an outstanding story that is beautifully written. It's a story structured in a unique and experimental way. It's told through diary entries, the perspectives of our characters and a non-linear order.
This novel's an adventure story with terrific ideas, plenty of action, many moments of violence, superb atmosphere and world-building and an amazing grasp on its characters. The characterization of 4 and Leela is perfect; Jim Mortimore not only has them down to a tee, but he's explored their thoughts in a way that just fits so perfectly for the characters.
Overall: This is a phenomenal story that's incredibly well written. It's not a scary story, but it still fits in perfectly within the Philip Hinchcliffe era. It definitely feels like a story he and Holmes would have commissioned. 10/10
June 29, 2024
Mortimore can write, that much is obvious. However my issues:
- Non-linear storytelling
It did not add anything to the story tbh. Also, in places where there could be suspense it was ruined because then the next chapter was a time jump and the characters were all fine
- Not enough of the Doctor
Just not enough of the Doctor in the book. I didn't even get a clear understanding his motivations to help Stockwood. The first part of the book the Doctor is almost non-existent.
- Boring
The first part of the book which is more than half of the book takes place mostly on a ship and it's just rather boring and feels nothing like Doctor Who at all.
On the plus side, I think Leela's inner thoughts were sometimes interesting. And the mystery of Easter Island, once revealed, was an interesting/clever concept.
But ultimately, it just felt more like a chore to finish the book rather than actually enjoying it.
- Non-linear storytelling
It did not add anything to the story tbh. Also, in places where there could be suspense it was ruined because then the next chapter was a time jump and the characters were all fine
- Not enough of the Doctor
Just not enough of the Doctor in the book. I didn't even get a clear understanding his motivations to help Stockwood. The first part of the book the Doctor is almost non-existent.
- Boring
The first part of the book which is more than half of the book takes place mostly on a ship and it's just rather boring and feels nothing like Doctor Who at all.
On the plus side, I think Leela's inner thoughts were sometimes interesting. And the mystery of Easter Island, once revealed, was an interesting/clever concept.
But ultimately, it just felt more like a chore to finish the book rather than actually enjoying it.
August 15, 2019
I’ve always struggled with Jim Mortimore books, and I have issues with this one as well. But it’s extremely well-written, bold, challenging, and rewarding. The book asks a lot of the reader. The chapters are presented non-chronologically, and each one written in the first-person perspective of one of several characters. This isn’t a beach book. It’s not brain candy. It’s also not a lot of fun. And, like everything else of Mortimore’s that I’m familiar with, it bears very little resemblance to “Doctor Who” as we know it. Mortimore uses “Doctor Who” to tell stories that aren’t really “Doctor Who” stories. I appreciate that (because “Doctor Who” should always be willing to press against its boundaries), but it’s not necessarily what I want when I pick up a “Doctor Who” novel, you know what I mean?
May 4, 2021
If you like Leela you will enjoy this book. I LOVE Leela and it was so nice getting a first person perspective from her from the majority of the book. It is a little confusing as it jumps between two story lines and although Leela is the most common narrator, we also get chapters told from the Doctor and the other characters perspective.
The story is good, its a little slow at the start but really what I just loved was Leela thinking about the world she was in (mid 1800s) and how she doesn't understand so much of it.
I just loved hearing her voice and so I highly recommend if you are a Leela fan! If you don't like Leela, read this and you will fall in love with her!!
This is one of my favorite doctor who books I have read so far!
The story is good, its a little slow at the start but really what I just loved was Leela thinking about the world she was in (mid 1800s) and how she doesn't understand so much of it.
I just loved hearing her voice and so I highly recommend if you are a Leela fan! If you don't like Leela, read this and you will fall in love with her!!
This is one of my favorite doctor who books I have read so far!
May 25, 2019
Jim Mortimore is an acquired taste. On the one hand, he doesn't write bog-standard Who-by-numbers, taking time to research historical locations and adding real depth to even the slightest of characters. Thematically, he always goes for the epic, mind-sweeping plot points, made even greater by being rooted in very human characters (yes, even Natural History of Fear). But on the other hand, he doesn't make things easy. As a reader (or a listener), you have to work at a Jim Mortimore story. Eye of Heaven kept throwing me off for the first ten chapters or so, and only after that did it really start to hold me. Do give it a shot.
January 9, 2021
Between the McGann movie and the new series there were these books and then there was Big Finish audio. At the time the only future that Dr Who had.
Catching up systematically after dipping in here and there at the time shows that they are as variable as any version of who. For all the moans about the current era, a series so prolific always has good days and bad. This book is a good day in the canon. Yes the offscreen stuff is canon.
It’s core plot about alien DNA replicating on Easter Island isn’t too unusual but it’s well done here and the POV writing - especially for Leela- gives this book some real depth and quality.
Catching up systematically after dipping in here and there at the time shows that they are as variable as any version of who. For all the moans about the current era, a series so prolific always has good days and bad. This book is a good day in the canon. Yes the offscreen stuff is canon.
It’s core plot about alien DNA replicating on Easter Island isn’t too unusual but it’s well done here and the POV writing - especially for Leela- gives this book some real depth and quality.
January 15, 2026
Wasn’t crazy about this one. I think it was having the chapters done as 1st person from the characters which would have been fine if they hadn’t also done chapters from Leela and the Doctor’s POV.
Also having the chapters non-linear didn’t help (so Leela is knocked unconscious at the end of one chapter and the next chapter she’s regarding consciousness after being knocked out at an earlier time. Or maybe it felt like that because I was only reading a couple of chapters a day. It might have hung together better if I’d read it one or two sittings.
Also having the chapters non-linear didn’t help (so Leela is knocked unconscious at the end of one chapter and the next chapter she’s regarding consciousness after being knocked out at an earlier time. Or maybe it felt like that because I was only reading a couple of chapters a day. It might have hung together better if I’d read it one or two sittings.
January 24, 2020
Mortimore takes us inside the mind of a Sevateem warrior, as a lot of the story is told from Leela's perspective, and I came away appreciating her more.
The plot jumps across the timeline of the story and keeps you on your toes right to it's final page.
The plot jumps across the timeline of the story and keeps you on your toes right to it's final page.
May 19, 2020
Not much happens and it's kind of boring
December 28, 2023
fun slightly mindless story surrounding leela, reminiscent of a lot of turn of the century sea adventure/weird fiction novels
December 9, 2024
When this is from Leela’s POV, this is perfect.
July 8, 2023
A decent story, blending history, sci-fi and every trope from boys own adventure stories set on a sailing ship self implodes because the author is too busy trying to appear clever, and won't get out of his own way and just tell a story.
We jump back and forth in the narrative to the point that you forget where/when things are happening.
This isn't helped by the story jumping between four cast members narrating things, while not bothering to let you know when it's occurred.
The chapters voiced by Leela are interesting, but since a big part of her arc is not knowing/understanding what is going on around her, it doesn't help the jumbled narrative.
The 4th Doctor's chapters come across fairly flat (which is weird when you consider you are getting to write Tom Baker)
and two of the other cast members are dull and pushed off stage for most the book.
Basically, this is text book 'good idea, bad execution'.
Shame, cause done straightforward, it would have been a lot of fun.
We jump back and forth in the narrative to the point that you forget where/when things are happening.
This isn't helped by the story jumping between four cast members narrating things, while not bothering to let you know when it's occurred.
The chapters voiced by Leela are interesting, but since a big part of her arc is not knowing/understanding what is going on around her, it doesn't help the jumbled narrative.
The 4th Doctor's chapters come across fairly flat (which is weird when you consider you are getting to write Tom Baker)
and two of the other cast members are dull and pushed off stage for most the book.
Basically, this is text book 'good idea, bad execution'.
Shame, cause done straightforward, it would have been a lot of fun.
October 6, 2016
Jim Mortimore has an interesting science-fictional idea regarding the moai on Rapa Nui, but takes far too long to get to it. Instead, he has written a rather standard rollicking adventure book that goes from one brush with death to another, fight after fight, that never seems to advance the plot. All of this leaves the science-fictional idea, which is the generator of the plot, rushed through in the last 20 pages or so. Here is the book we get. The Doctor has in answer to an ad for a reason that we are never told, met a man who has been broken by his memory of an item he stole from Rapa Nui, the stealing of which caused the deaths of two friends. The Doctor on a whim decides to pay for the expedition. The bulk of the novel is taken by the sea voyage to Rapa Nui. Here, Mortimore throws every adventure novel cliché he can think of into the mix. There are dangerous thieves, cut-throat sailors, storms, water spouts, and even pirates. Leela and a character get swept off the boat and manage in some preposterous fashion to ride a whale to safety, well almost, but then Mortimore has the events after the whale dies just raced through by one character and then forgotten, as though Mortimore knew had stretched things too far. Another key problem with the novel is the manner in which the story is told. It is all in first person, but from different characters' perspectives. The one who gets the most narrative space is Leela. Mortimore's characterization of Leela makes her far too savage and superstitious, especially if the story is taking place after "The Talons of Weng Chiang." On the other hand, she knows too much, especially about all the terms of 19th-century sailing. The next problem area of the narrative is that Mortimore has broken up the chronology, so that chapters do not follow from preceding chapters but relate to much earlier or much later events. This is a needless complication. It could have worked had Mortimore taken a straighter path and concentrated on the science-fiction end of the story.
Read
April 8, 2009http://nhw.livejournal.com/1014841.html#cutid7[return][return]Eye of Heaven, by Jim Mortimore, is a tale of Victorian adventure set in the South Pacific, specifically on and around Rapa Nui/Easter Island. The entire book is told in the first person, but by different narrators, Leela getting I guess about half of the chapters and most of the rest going to the English members of their expedition, though two are told from the Doctor's point of view - not hugely successfully, but I've seen worse. Leela's on-screen encounters with the England of bygone days were a delight, and the clash of cultures is equally fun here. The book's narrative structure, interweaving chapters from different sequences of the narrative, is a successful experiment. There are a couple of wobbly plot concepts - the Doctor's decision to sponsor the expedition, Leela's actual arrival on the island, the bit with the, er, aliens - but the ride is great value. It's a bit surprising that this was the very first Fourth Doctor / Leela novel to be published - the Virgin Missing Adventures never went to this time period - and a bit sad that none of the subsequent five is as good.
September 15, 2009
The Fourth Doctor & Leela. Between The Talons of Weng-Chiang & Horror of Fang Rock.
This book really could have been very good. A Doctor Who book written entirely in the first person was a bit of a shock. It's not an easy skill, though Mortimore seems to have mastered it with ease. Most, but not all of the narrative comes from Leela's perspective, even the Doctor gets a go - and being in the Doctor's head is a very strange place to be indeed. Leela's characterization, enhanced by the first person writing, is the highlight of this her first full Missing Adventure. What I can't understand is why the editor didn't send the book back to the author with a note attached saying something like, "Could you please have a go at putting the chapters in the right order?" The first chapter starts the story somewhere in the middle followed by the second chapter going right back to the start. It's a writer's technique that can be very effective if used over the first thirty or forty pages. Unfortunately it persists all the way through to the end, so we end up almost reaching the conclusion and then absurdly have to backtrack again.
This book really could have been very good. A Doctor Who book written entirely in the first person was a bit of a shock. It's not an easy skill, though Mortimore seems to have mastered it with ease. Most, but not all of the narrative comes from Leela's perspective, even the Doctor gets a go - and being in the Doctor's head is a very strange place to be indeed. Leela's characterization, enhanced by the first person writing, is the highlight of this her first full Missing Adventure. What I can't understand is why the editor didn't send the book back to the author with a note attached saying something like, "Could you please have a go at putting the chapters in the right order?" The first chapter starts the story somewhere in the middle followed by the second chapter going right back to the start. It's a writer's technique that can be very effective if used over the first thirty or forty pages. Unfortunately it persists all the way through to the end, so we end up almost reaching the conclusion and then absurdly have to backtrack again.
March 12, 2023
Oh dear, what happened here. An interesting premise became a chore to read with characters just not gelling and a convoluted plot. It sounded so good, with the Easter Island heads having alien connections and an explanation for the island's depopulation where they might have escaped slavers and disease. But no, a vengeful sister with few redeeming qualities and a man steeped in guilt make it a slog of misery porn.
June 27, 2013
The Doctor and Leela go to Easter Island, and this book is nearly all about the journey. I really liked this because the depiction of Leela is very believable and readable. You really get inside her head, and it shows the best of her. A very good read.
December 17, 2013
awful. just awful. Boring plot and confusing layout.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews