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Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #17
Doctor Who: Sick Building
Tiermann's World: a planet covered in wintry woods and roamed by sabre-toothed tigers and other savage beasts. The Doctor is here to warn Professor Tiermann, his wife and their son that a terrible danger is on its way. The Tiermanns live in luxury, in a fantastic, futuristic, fully-automated Dreamhome, under an impenetrable force shield. But that won't protect them from the Voracious Craw. A gigantic and extremely hungry alien creature is heading remorselessly towards their home. When it gets there everything will be devoured. Can they get away in time? With the force shield cracking up, and the Dreamhome itself deciding who should or should not leave, things are looking desperate...
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
January 28, 2019
The Doctor and Martha arrive on Tiermann's World planning to warm Professor Tiermann and his family of an attack by the enormous alien creature called the Voracious Craw.
The creature itself put me in mind of Roald Dahl’s Vermicious Knids.
As Doctor Who stories go, this is more of a fun entertaining romp.
With the futuristic fully automated Dreamhome under threat, the servo-robots also battle for survival.
Even though they’re quite cartoonish creations including Barbara The Vending Machine, it’s a nice way to introduce young readers to Asimov’s laws of robotics.
The creature itself put me in mind of Roald Dahl’s Vermicious Knids.
As Doctor Who stories go, this is more of a fun entertaining romp.
With the futuristic fully automated Dreamhome under threat, the servo-robots also battle for survival.
Even though they’re quite cartoonish creations including Barbara The Vending Machine, it’s a nice way to introduce young readers to Asimov’s laws of robotics.
August 30, 2023
Doctor doctor I feel like a building
You're sick mate
You're sick mate
December 8, 2020
Rating: 3 stars
How to save the day? Drink a whole bunch of fizzy and produce the greatest burp ever recorded. My juvenile sense of humour is giggling with glee.
How to save the day? Drink a whole bunch of fizzy and produce the greatest burp ever recorded. My juvenile sense of humour is giggling with glee.
August 8, 2019
This book is based on the television series. The Doctor is the Tenth Doctor portrayed by David Tennant and Martha is his companion. In this one, the Doctor and Martha arrive on a planet that is about to be consumed by a gigantic being. They plan on evacuating the residents. The problem is the smart house that the residents live in doesn't want them to go.
First off, the portrayals for the two main characters were perfect. I loved the manic ways of the Doctor and the helpful nature of Martha. Also, now I need a visual scene with David Tennant as the Doctor singing "Bohemian Rhapsody". I was enjoying the plot and I liked how this book had two dangers. There were times I forgot about the looming danger. I also liked how this book touches upon man and technology and when is it too much. I was going to give this four stars until I read about the conclusion with the looming threat of the gigantic beast. It totally lost me as it seemed childish and it left a bad taste in my mouth.
That being said, I did like this book and the two main characters made me smile. There were a couple of twists that added to the story. Everything was working perfectly until the final pages. This is worth the read just to have one more adventure with David Tennant as the Doctor and his companion Martha.
First off, the portrayals for the two main characters were perfect. I loved the manic ways of the Doctor and the helpful nature of Martha. Also, now I need a visual scene with David Tennant as the Doctor singing "Bohemian Rhapsody". I was enjoying the plot and I liked how this book had two dangers. There were times I forgot about the looming danger. I also liked how this book touches upon man and technology and when is it too much. I was going to give this four stars until I read about the conclusion with the looming threat of the gigantic beast. It totally lost me as it seemed childish and it left a bad taste in my mouth.
That being said, I did like this book and the two main characters made me smile. There were a couple of twists that added to the story. Everything was working perfectly until the final pages. This is worth the read just to have one more adventure with David Tennant as the Doctor and his companion Martha.
March 24, 2025
2021 52 Book Challenge - July Mini Challenge - 1) A Book Chosen Solely By Its Cover
This is probably the worst Doctor Who novel I've read so far, which makes me sad because I've read a few of Paul Magrs' Doctor Who books and audios, and he's normally a fantastic author. Possibly because he has great ideas for the Eighth Doctor which feel much more adult orientated than the New Series Adventures which feel more targeted towards older kids / teenagers, his ideas have had to be simplified, which is a shame.
This is probably the worst Doctor Who novel I've read so far, which makes me sad because I've read a few of Paul Magrs' Doctor Who books and audios, and he's normally a fantastic author. Possibly because he has great ideas for the Eighth Doctor which feel much more adult orientated than the New Series Adventures which feel more targeted towards older kids / teenagers, his ideas have had to be simplified, which is a shame.
December 30, 2022
This was....pretty ridiculous at times, brutal at others and undoubtedly a very Tenth Doctor story if there ever was one. I think the author does a great job characterizing Ten and Martha, while giving them an enticing cast of characters to engage with. Of those characters the obvious winners are Barbara the vending machine that dispenses soggy crisps and Toaster the broken suntan bed.
September 5, 2014
Martha and Ten were nicely written, and the dynamic between the Tiermann family was interesting, but mostly this book felt like a lot of wasted potential. The idea for the Voracious Craw is fascinating, for instance, but I don't think the story fully capitalizes on it. The Craw remains a vague background threat throughout, while we get distracted by talking drinks dispensers and the like. I mean, there is a lot of quite cringeworthy stuff here. The house tries to kill them, but its consciousness takes the form of a manic green flame with a face, and the whole thing devolves into camp before we can really explore the idea of Tiermann creating artificial intelligence and then abandoning it. We hop briefly into the mind of a sabre-tooth tiger, which is fine to set the scene . . . but do we really need to see it stop and have a conversation with the Doctor? That bit was more Doctor Dolittle than Doctor Who. Overall the book was just a bit embarrassing and easily forgotten.
December 20, 2015
Source: I own this book.
Cost: Unknown
Title: Sick Building
Series: Doctor Who New Adventures #17
Author: Paul Magrs
Overall Rating: 3 stars
Nope. Nope. Nope. I HATE IT WHEN BOOKS DO THIS.
You start off brilliantly. You love the book, the plot, the pace.
And gradually...
Before you know it...
It eventually flatlines.
This book did that to me and I'm so upset about it to be honest. It started with such promise.
Cost: Unknown
Title: Sick Building
Series: Doctor Who New Adventures #17
Author: Paul Magrs
Overall Rating: 3 stars
Nope. Nope. Nope. I HATE IT WHEN BOOKS DO THIS.
You start off brilliantly. You love the book, the plot, the pace.
And gradually...
Before you know it...
It eventually flatlines.
This book did that to me and I'm so upset about it to be honest. It started with such promise.
January 22, 2016
Matha bugs me but this book was given to me so I had to read it plus I love Tennant. I feel the story should have ended ealier then it did, but you know the doctor..he can never give up!
August 1, 2018
One world, one house and one alien that can eat them all. It's up to the Doctor and Martha to save the only three humans on a whole planet before everything is sucked up into the mouth of the beast.
1st- I am a Whovian
2nd- David is my favorite Doctor
I love how animated the Doctor is through this book, how quickly he can turn dark and solemn just like in the show. I hear everything he says in David's voice 💖 He was written very well.
The story it self had moments that were action packed, creepy and got to my emotions.
What I love about these books is the horror that happens, who dies, who loses their minds, all the creepy moments from the aliens/humans/robots.
The only thing I didn't really like was how stretched out the story seemed. The highs and lows felt like a roller coaster with more straight pieces than a full thrill ride.
The solution in the end came off a little cheesy though I do give it props for being original.
Overall, are there better Doctor WHO books out there? Yes. But is this book worth the read? Also yes.
1st- I am a Whovian
2nd- David is my favorite Doctor
I love how animated the Doctor is through this book, how quickly he can turn dark and solemn just like in the show. I hear everything he says in David's voice 💖 He was written very well.
The story it self had moments that were action packed, creepy and got to my emotions.
What I love about these books is the horror that happens, who dies, who loses their minds, all the creepy moments from the aliens/humans/robots.
The only thing I didn't really like was how stretched out the story seemed. The highs and lows felt like a roller coaster with more straight pieces than a full thrill ride.
The solution in the end came off a little cheesy though I do give it props for being original.
Overall, are there better Doctor WHO books out there? Yes. But is this book worth the read? Also yes.
August 15, 2023
I was actually very surprised at how good this book was. It was an incredibly creative twist on the classic "tech House turned evil" story.
It also had some very weird moments, such as the doctor singing Queen with a vending machine and a tanning booth.
Overall, great read!
It also had some very weird moments, such as the doctor singing Queen with a vending machine and a tanning booth.
Overall, great read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2024
Great storyline. I was worried about the animals more than anything so yay for the doctor. Martha didn’t do much but whine, as usual. The dream house floors and escapes up and down was lots of fun and suspense.
December 23, 2023
Love this one. Simple premise and super horrroy. Good fun.
May 4, 2018
This one didn't really do it for me. I found it largely predictable, and again the Doctor was pretty generic. I didn't feel Martha shining through all that much either. Maybe I'm just too hard to please.
April 19, 2021
So, I decided to read another 10th/Martha book, and honestly, this one wasn't too bad. I will say, that more than any other new who, Tennant's books are definitely the fastest to read. the wording is much easier than the other ones and reads like it's REALLY meant for the young adult/teen tennant fangirl crowd.
This childishness is also evident in the way that Tennant tackles problems. What i mean by that is that burping and singing "bohemian rhapsody" are involved. i'm sorry but i can't ever see Paul McGann or even Matt Smith belching to solve a problem.
The story itself is serviceable (a giant worm is coming to destroy this planet and tennant/martha are trying to save this family along with their sentient robots) and it does read very well.
The one thing i will say that i really liked about this story is that there's a sentient vending machine named Barbra who the doctor befriends and she is by far my favorite character in the book.
The main "villains" are very hardheaded to the point of frustration and the young boy of the family is equally as annoying, as well as not having much, if any, of a personality.
Overall though the story was fun enough that i wasn't annoyed by it and it was enjoyable, if not a bit childish. I will say, if you prefer classic doctors or even a more adult doctor, you won't like this book. Then again, that's kind of par for the course with Tennant's run as a whole.
Martha sadly didn't do a whole lot in this one. She kinda just twiddled her thumbs on the sidelines while the doctor did everything.
All in all, not a bad story, would try another one, although Tennant DOES tend to get on one's nerves. 3.5/5 rounded down to a 3.
This childishness is also evident in the way that Tennant tackles problems. What i mean by that is that burping and singing "bohemian rhapsody" are involved. i'm sorry but i can't ever see Paul McGann or even Matt Smith belching to solve a problem.
The story itself is serviceable (a giant worm is coming to destroy this planet and tennant/martha are trying to save this family along with their sentient robots) and it does read very well.
The one thing i will say that i really liked about this story is that there's a sentient vending machine named Barbra who the doctor befriends and she is by far my favorite character in the book.
The main "villains" are very hardheaded to the point of frustration and the young boy of the family is equally as annoying, as well as not having much, if any, of a personality.
Overall though the story was fun enough that i wasn't annoyed by it and it was enjoyable, if not a bit childish. I will say, if you prefer classic doctors or even a more adult doctor, you won't like this book. Then again, that's kind of par for the course with Tennant's run as a whole.
Martha sadly didn't do a whole lot in this one. She kinda just twiddled her thumbs on the sidelines while the doctor did everything.
All in all, not a bad story, would try another one, although Tennant DOES tend to get on one's nerves. 3.5/5 rounded down to a 3.
June 23, 2016
Ranked #17 (out of 18) of my holiday reads
Martha drags this book down - 3*
There are many reasons why this book is not deemed interesting and exciting but one of the main reasons for me is Martha. I didn't like her relationship onscreen with the 10th Doctor so I don't know what I expect when I read the books. She is so dependent on him during this time (mid-season three of New Who) and pines for him like a dog. (I'm sorry Martha but it's true.) Her point of view relies too heavily on the 10th Doctor and so she doesn't progress the story much further but she 'drags' the plot down.
In addition to this, the plot really wasn't strong enough for a full book. A house, which has AI and starts to attack is SO unoriginal. I knew where this book was going from around about page 25 but I needed to finish the book because it's a Doctor Who book and I can't give up. The 'sick building' does not refer to a hospital (which sounds so much more exciting) but a building that has lost control... BORING.
The Voracious Claw is secondary in this novel. It is supposed to be the feared monster/creature but does not get the recognition it deserves. This is hugely disappointing because it is the main reason that Martha and the Doctor are there and it gets mostly forgotten about.
I loved the machines and they are the only reason this book is receiving 3*. The machines had their own personalities and my particular favourite was Barbara the Vending Machine. She still wasn't able to shine as she was overshadowed by silly crushes and crazy people.
I'm really disappointed with this story but it's a Martha story so really, what did I expect?
Martha drags this book down - 3*
There are many reasons why this book is not deemed interesting and exciting but one of the main reasons for me is Martha. I didn't like her relationship onscreen with the 10th Doctor so I don't know what I expect when I read the books. She is so dependent on him during this time (mid-season three of New Who) and pines for him like a dog. (I'm sorry Martha but it's true.) Her point of view relies too heavily on the 10th Doctor and so she doesn't progress the story much further but she 'drags' the plot down.
In addition to this, the plot really wasn't strong enough for a full book. A house, which has AI and starts to attack is SO unoriginal. I knew where this book was going from around about page 25 but I needed to finish the book because it's a Doctor Who book and I can't give up. The 'sick building' does not refer to a hospital (which sounds so much more exciting) but a building that has lost control... BORING.
The Voracious Claw is secondary in this novel. It is supposed to be the feared monster/creature but does not get the recognition it deserves. This is hugely disappointing because it is the main reason that Martha and the Doctor are there and it gets mostly forgotten about.
I loved the machines and they are the only reason this book is receiving 3*. The machines had their own personalities and my particular favourite was Barbara the Vending Machine. She still wasn't able to shine as she was overshadowed by silly crushes and crazy people.
I'm really disappointed with this story but it's a Martha story so really, what did I expect?
October 5, 2015
This is a badly written Futurama episode. With lots of childish plot-points that go nowhere (or are underdeveloped) & a house AI as voiced by Katey Sagal in my headcanon (that's a real thing, Disney movie from 90s where she voices a Smart House gone mental)
Also for some reason while House-AI is obviously female, he decided to name her with a masculine Slavic folklore house-spirit? ...because reasons?
Might as well keep this review as Futurama comparison, it's just easier.
The first few minutes (pages) will simply start us of with something that will have absolutely nothing to do with rest of story (PoV of saber-tooth tiger, in the frozen forest)
The "background threat noise" is a giant worm coming to eat the planet & is completely not fleshed out to be a legit threat or interest. Which makes the resolution! in final 5 minutes (final pages) even more unsatisfying
Prof Tiermann (crazy-rich inventor, owner of planet & his family are only residents) himself is basically Calculon acting! as an angry human. His wife is walking blank (with plot-twist seen from space)
Aside from Professor's family, Ten & Martha ... most of rest inhabitants are literally furniture. Furniture with AI personalities (maybe?) and names. Prof sees them as his toys/objects & treats 'em as such... Which probably contributes to the sheer boredom as giving zero f*cks about an upset vending machine
Also for some reason while House-AI is obviously female, he decided to name her with a masculine Slavic folklore house-spirit? ...because reasons?
Might as well keep this review as Futurama comparison, it's just easier.
The first few minutes (pages) will simply start us of with something that will have absolutely nothing to do with rest of story (PoV of saber-tooth tiger, in the frozen forest)
The "background threat noise" is a giant worm coming to eat the planet & is completely not fleshed out to be a legit threat or interest. Which makes the resolution! in final 5 minutes (final pages) even more unsatisfying
Prof Tiermann (crazy-rich inventor, owner of planet & his family are only residents) himself is basically Calculon acting! as an angry human. His wife is walking blank (with plot-twist seen from space)
Aside from Professor's family, Ten & Martha ... most of rest inhabitants are literally furniture. Furniture with AI personalities (maybe?) and names. Prof sees them as his toys/objects & treats 'em as such... Which probably contributes to the sheer boredom as giving zero f*cks about an upset vending machine
October 11, 2014
Ten’s voice and manic, gurning energy is absolutely spot on in this book. I thought I’d get that observation out of the way first because I hate to be negative but it’s the only good thing I have to say about Sick Building.
Paul Magrs has long been my favourite writer of Eight-Doctor novels and his name on the cover was what encouraged me to branch out and try a new-Who novel. This is the first time I’ve read a book based on the new series so I’m not sure whether it’s a lapse in Paul Magrs hitherto magnificent form or the range as a whole, but Sick Building – a Ten and Martha novel set on a planet inhabited only by one super-rich family and their robots – is so terribly simplistic and childish in tone it made me cringe from start to finish.
I don’t know if there’s a conscious decision behind this, to write the range of Doctor Who books as children’s lit, or if it’s something specific to this title but gosh golly, if it’s typical, I doubt I'll be reading any more. As someone who loved the EDAs and PDAs, the change of gear is terribly grating.
I do love Paul Magrs writing and was looking forward to a new Who novel from him, but this was a real disappointment.
Paul Magrs has long been my favourite writer of Eight-Doctor novels and his name on the cover was what encouraged me to branch out and try a new-Who novel. This is the first time I’ve read a book based on the new series so I’m not sure whether it’s a lapse in Paul Magrs hitherto magnificent form or the range as a whole, but Sick Building – a Ten and Martha novel set on a planet inhabited only by one super-rich family and their robots – is so terribly simplistic and childish in tone it made me cringe from start to finish.
I don’t know if there’s a conscious decision behind this, to write the range of Doctor Who books as children’s lit, or if it’s something specific to this title but gosh golly, if it’s typical, I doubt I'll be reading any more. As someone who loved the EDAs and PDAs, the change of gear is terribly grating.
I do love Paul Magrs writing and was looking forward to a new Who novel from him, but this was a real disappointment.
November 3, 2019
Weird book but I loved how the author didn't shy away from the references of Rose. So many of them erase the Doctor's past companions as if he just buries them away and never thinks of them again. But since Martha came right after Rose and knows about her, we see her being sprinkle here and there in this book.
I also like to believe that in between adventures the Doctor would tell his current companions about his previous ones, as a form of honouring and as a form of making sure that they are never forgotten. And maybe, as a reassurance to his current companion that even though their time together is also going to end, the Doctor won't just bury them down and never speak of them again. He will share their memories together and they will be a part of him as much as he was a part of them.
I also like to believe that in between adventures the Doctor would tell his current companions about his previous ones, as a form of honouring and as a form of making sure that they are never forgotten. And maybe, as a reassurance to his current companion that even though their time together is also going to end, the Doctor won't just bury them down and never speak of them again. He will share their memories together and they will be a part of him as much as he was a part of them.
June 21, 2013
We got something slightly different this time - of course, there's an alien threat to the world, but it's only slowly approaching, while the Doctor is dealing with an angry house and its not-so-likeable inhabitants. My advice: stop reading when they start to gulp down sodas. Trust me, you don't want to read the rest of it.
Read
July 28, 2011Goes on a bit, by the end I was thinking 'just hurry up and escape or go and rescue the machines'. Original concept of everyday machines (vending machine called Barbara who gets a crush on the doctor?!), but still far fetched.......then again this is Doctor Who.
January 11, 2016
The Doctor's manic behavior was caught very well in this book, that's true, but Martha had no role at all, if she hadn't been there, nothing would have changed and the plot itself... It was boring and at the same time, way, way over the top. I don't know how the author achieved that.
September 2, 2017
They really dragged this story as long as they could. There wasn't enough plot to fill the book to the required pages, so you find yourself reading very similar scenes as Tiermann and Domovoi go back and forth in their codependent power struggle.
June 17, 2015
Not only one to skip, but one for the skip. I want those two hours of my life back.
January 17, 2016
Easily the worst Doctor Who novel I've ever read. Completely ridiculous.
May 13, 2018
story 2/5
performance 5/5
performance 5/5
December 11, 2022
In this book a sentient sunbed defeated a bunch of bats by giving them a tan - what more can you ask for really 🦇
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2021
I found this book to be less about the alien attacking the planet and more about the supercomputer home, I liked this difference because some of the Dr Who books can get a bit repetitive with some aliens, a problem, a fix, it goes even worse...then resolved.
I liked the idea of a supercomputer and everything robotic but with kind of human emotions. It was different and it made the book really enjoyable learning about the world and these robots. It made me feel really invested in the story and since it is already a short book I absolutely flew through it
One of my biggest problems with this series is that sometimes in some of the books the characters don't feel real. Obviously if you're reading these books it is highly likely that you're a Dr Who fan, so you already know the characters and how they act, you've watched many hours of the show so you'll have a good idea of what a character would do in that situation. Fortunately in this book I think the characters are true to their counterparts in the tv show so it meant that I could get more invested into the story rather than just thinking "that's not what Martha would do".
I think the book kept the action up throughout the book and it meant that you can super quickly get through it. The supercomputer house was a nice part and it was so interesting to read about. I would definitely recommend this book, although it isn't a 5* read and to be honest for the audience and since they have to be Dr Who related (with the same characters and with an easy to follow plot) I think it will be extremely difficult to get something that would be 5* so definitely keep that in mind going into the book
So saying that I would recommend this book but be prepared it is a book about Dr Who characters so although fun and fast paced it is mainly aimed at a younger audience with a plot that is easy to follow without any major surprises. It is a super short book so I don't really want to go into detail here because it'll end up in spoilers. If you're interested then pick it up!
I liked the idea of a supercomputer and everything robotic but with kind of human emotions. It was different and it made the book really enjoyable learning about the world and these robots. It made me feel really invested in the story and since it is already a short book I absolutely flew through it
One of my biggest problems with this series is that sometimes in some of the books the characters don't feel real. Obviously if you're reading these books it is highly likely that you're a Dr Who fan, so you already know the characters and how they act, you've watched many hours of the show so you'll have a good idea of what a character would do in that situation. Fortunately in this book I think the characters are true to their counterparts in the tv show so it meant that I could get more invested into the story rather than just thinking "that's not what Martha would do".
I think the book kept the action up throughout the book and it meant that you can super quickly get through it. The supercomputer house was a nice part and it was so interesting to read about. I would definitely recommend this book, although it isn't a 5* read and to be honest for the audience and since they have to be Dr Who related (with the same characters and with an easy to follow plot) I think it will be extremely difficult to get something that would be 5* so definitely keep that in mind going into the book
So saying that I would recommend this book but be prepared it is a book about Dr Who characters so although fun and fast paced it is mainly aimed at a younger audience with a plot that is easy to follow without any major surprises. It is a super short book so I don't really want to go into detail here because it'll end up in spoilers. If you're interested then pick it up!
March 5, 2019
I liked the idea underpinning the book, though the execution was not one of Magrs' better works. Without spoilers, an enormously wealthy human couple have built their luxurious dream home on a planet which appears to have no other sapient lifeforms on it. Their every need is catered to by robots (which Magrs', with his characteristic humour, has in the shape of mobile furniture). Inevitably this makes them quite lazy and increasingly useless. When disaster looms int he form of an invading alien, their plans are inadequate till the Doctor and Martha turn up to stage a rescue that goes haywire.
The story features Barbara, who works well in the Iris Wildthyme saga but feels rather out of place here. Much of the story follows the fast paced plots familiar to fans of Tennant's time lord, though rather unfortunately the solution to the alien threat is reminiscent of the infantile scenes from Ecclestone battling the Slitheen (an ending clearly designed to appeal to the youngest readers). A more inventive ending would have been preferable - as would some explanation of how a creature as destructive as the Craw could possibly have evolved in the first place.
The characters are well drawn, and I could visual someone like John Rhys Davies playing the bombastic Tiermann on screen. An OK story, just not in the author's top league.
The story features Barbara, who works well in the Iris Wildthyme saga but feels rather out of place here. Much of the story follows the fast paced plots familiar to fans of Tennant's time lord, though rather unfortunately the solution to the alien threat is reminiscent of the infantile scenes from Ecclestone battling the Slitheen (an ending clearly designed to appeal to the youngest readers). A more inventive ending would have been preferable - as would some explanation of how a creature as destructive as the Craw could possibly have evolved in the first place.
The characters are well drawn, and I could visual someone like John Rhys Davies playing the bombastic Tiermann on screen. An OK story, just not in the author's top league.
October 8, 2021
This book in one word: Weird. In a good way? Maybe...
The story begins almost exactly as "The Last Dodo" began, just that this time we hear the thoughts of a scared female tiger, not a scared female dodo. After that we switch to the Doctor and Martha and the pacing slows down. The danger of the situation in the intro isn’t important anymore and we enter the "Dreamhome" that feels like it’s taken straight out of a children’s cartoon from the 70s with all its furniture robots. A talking bathtub? Yes, that level of cartoonish. Soon the Doctor gets locked away in the basement because he had been incredibly stupid… aaand that was when I abandoned the book for a few days. When I started reading again it somehow became better and I really enjoyed it. First because I wondered what crazy thing happened next, and then because it really began to feel like the end of the world (or planet). There’s a lot of fighting and blood and destruction and I was cheering for the Doc and his companions to reach the Tardis and leave – and then came the point where everything became very silly again. I’m not gonna spoil it but it’s… it’s… not only childish but also… not even believable for Doctor Who.
So, yeah, slow start, strong middle, weak ending. At least the story is unique compared to books like "The Deviant Strain" or "Sting Of The Zygons".
The story begins almost exactly as "The Last Dodo" began, just that this time we hear the thoughts of a scared female tiger, not a scared female dodo. After that we switch to the Doctor and Martha and the pacing slows down. The danger of the situation in the intro isn’t important anymore and we enter the "Dreamhome" that feels like it’s taken straight out of a children’s cartoon from the 70s with all its furniture robots. A talking bathtub? Yes, that level of cartoonish. Soon the Doctor gets locked away in the basement because he had been incredibly stupid… aaand that was when I abandoned the book for a few days. When I started reading again it somehow became better and I really enjoyed it. First because I wondered what crazy thing happened next, and then because it really began to feel like the end of the world (or planet). There’s a lot of fighting and blood and destruction and I was cheering for the Doc and his companions to reach the Tardis and leave – and then came the point where everything became very silly again. I’m not gonna spoil it but it’s… it’s… not only childish but also… not even believable for Doctor Who.
So, yeah, slow start, strong middle, weak ending. At least the story is unique compared to books like "The Deviant Strain" or "Sting Of The Zygons".
Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews