Doctor Who: Terrible Lizards

Eleventh Doctor Adventures #6

by Jonathan Green

In "Terrible Lizards," the Eleventh Doctor and his friends join a group of explorers on a Victorian tramp steamer in the Florida Everglades. The explorers are searching for the Fountain of Youth, but neither they nor the treasure they seek are quite what they seem . . .


Originally published in Monstrous Missions

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published February 2, 2012

About the author

Jonathan Green is a writer of speculative fiction, with more than seventy books to his name. Well known for his contributions to the Fighting Fantasy range of adventure gamebooks, he has also written fiction for such diverse properties as Doctor Who, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, Sonic the Hedgehog, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Moshi Monsters, LEGO, Judge Dredd and Robin of Sherwood.

He is the creator of the Pax Britannia series for Abaddon Books and has written eight novels, and numerous short stories, set within this steampunk universe, featuring the debonair dandy adventurer Ulysses Quicksilver. He is also the author of an increasing number of non-fiction titles, including the award-winning YOU ARE THE HERO – A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks.

He has recently taken to editing and compiling short story anthologies, including the critically-acclaimed GAME OVER and SHARKPUNK, published by Snowbooks, and the forthcoming Shakespeare Vs Cthulhu.

To find out more about his current projects visit www.JonathanGreenAuthor.com and follow him on Twitter @jonathangreen.

Reviews

[Gerek Tupy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title speaks for its self, Terrible Lizards is terrible. The story is just the most stereotypical Matt Smith adventure ever. Just a crashed space ship causing trouble. A time drive is damaged when I think The TARDIS collides with an alien space ship in the time vortex. The drive lands in late nineteenth century Florida and starts causing problems. We never learn how this time drive works, it just has the ability to control and traverse through time. So, its up to Matt, Rory, and Amy to save the day. As usual for these Doctor Who novels, the characters act externally out of character. Amy and Matt abuse Rory constantly in the begging. Throughout the whole story Rory is made off as a useless idiot that constancy gets beat up on. Though no one cares about that because its all about Amy! Amy this, Amy that, Amy was scared or hot or what ever. Can we ever hear how Rory or Matt feels? Matt also just fixes the Time Drive by sonicing it with his Sonic Screw drive. That plot device can literally do anything the plot needs it to. I was supersized though when the T-Rex devoured several people. No one usually dies in these Matt Smith novels. The way they were killed was a little disturbing too. The bone cracking sounds and the screams. Though all the humans just turned out to be aliens in disguise the whole time so the deaths were less effect-full. All in all, don´t waste your time reading this trash unless you really feel the need.

[David T · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's slightly ironic, Terrible Lizards really was terrible. It was just like the other 11th Doctor books from this series. They are all bland and tasteless. Though this one some how managed to be worse. Nothing was explained and nothing made sense. The plot was bland, very like Dinosaurs On A Spaceship which this book is very similar too. Similar in plot and the level of how bad both of them are. The chapters are so short and each one is just named after a quote from the chapter, this is very annoying. I will say I was not expecting the people to be eaten like they were. That was surprisingly violent for a book like this. However they were just aliens. So that for some reason makes it less impact full or violent? Who knows. The worst part of this book was the constant focus on Amy. I do not know what Jonathan Green's obsession is with her, but it is really in your face. Everything is always focused on Amy and what she is thinking. Never once do we get to see what Rory or even The Doctor is thinking of. We only get Amy's thoughts on everything that is happening. It is as if she is the main character! It really felt like she was at times and that The Doctor and Rory were only sides. Oh well, I would suggest that you not read this book. Just go read something good like a 7th Doctor novelization!

Here is our crude plot. There is a broken time drive that is letting dinosaurs into Victorian times! While on a quest for the Fountain Of Youth, The Doctor, Rory, and Amy must fix this drive and send the dinosaurs back before they stay in this time for ever and rule the world!

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doctor Who and dinosaurs! It's been done before but I couldn't resist it. Anyway, this was an entertaining fast read ( on a Saturday afternoon when I should have been outside trimming a tree!) featuring the Eleventh Doctor ( Matt Smith) and his companions Amy and Rory Pond. In this one, the TARDIS lands on a tramp steamer on its way to Florida, but it's a 19th Century Florida inhabited by dinosaurs. The Doctor and his friends join the expedition of the mighty English explorer Sir Solomon Proudfoot in a search for the Fountain of Youth ( which as we all know is located in Florida!). What are the dinos doing in Florida--and who is Sir Solomon really?
As I said, a nice read for a few pleasant hours before I have to go out into my own little jungle....

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A breezy simple fun read with a plot that is somewhat predictable with a reveal that is far from surprising or shocking, and yet I loved it.

A couple hours worth of escape for whovians. Pure joyous fun.

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because one of my favorite Eleventh doctor episodes was "Dinosaurs on a space ship." This book references every Dino related Doctor Who episode, except the one mentioned above. How disappointing. Still it was worth it for the Jurassic Park jokes.

Anyway the story is predictable, the character mere Two dimensional illustrations of their Television selves. Still it does have some good one liners. This basically a teleplay with descriptive narration.

The book didn't suck but it wasn't riveting either. It is in every way a three star book.

But if you like Doctor Who, Steampunk Pirates or dinosaurs then this is a good way to kill a lunch hour.

[Joe Pranaitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Jonathan Green brings is an adventure of the Doctor, Amy, and Rory as they land on a tramp steamer heading for Florida. The Venture, the tramp steamer in which they landed on is on a quest for the fountain of youth. The Doctor being a Time Lord and one who can regenerate every cell in his body isn't really interested in looking for the fountain but for the cause of the temporal anomalies that caused the TARDIS to come out of the time vortex in the late nineteenth century. Along the way they are attacked by a large prehistoric beast that nearly rips the Venture in two. Once they reach Florida, the Doctor is split up from Amy and Rory who are chased by a T-Rex. This is a great book and the twist ending is one to look out for but I highly recommend this book to all Doctor Who and science fiction fans

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I find this to be one of the few books from the series that doesn't work that hard to transcend its young adult label. The story is quick but perfunctory, the banter is nice but it's most surface cliché and continuity references, and the supporting cast is under-developed. I wish it could have been more...but I do love the title.

[Kevin Harber · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, fast, fluffy adventure with the 11th Doctor, Amy, and Rory. A rupture in time lets the prehistoric past slip over into 1819 Florida and leaves the Doctor and his companions caught between a ruthless group of Victorian explorers searching for the Fountain of Youth and a gaggle of dinosaurs.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay! I thought the portrayal of the Eleventh Doctor was great. I loved the dialogue. But the writing style was rushed and a bit lacking, even if the story did come together nicely.

[Aighmi* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great fun read

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick time fix

A lovely little short read. Has most of the energy of most DW stories. Not as fleshed out as a longer novel but that's ok. Just a quick DW read to get your fix.

[Joy Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very easy read. A bit predictable, but a somewhat enjoyable read.

[John Peel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Doctor and his friends crash-land on a Victorian ship heading into the Florida Everglades in search of the Fountain of Youth. Or are they? One of the sillier books in the series.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr who: terrible lizards

It was a very good book. Like the 12th doctor in deep breath. Would recommend this book to read. Enjoy!

[T. Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt like a filler episode that was scrapped. Basically great for fans of Timey Wimey Pirates.

[Melenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book

[Paul Wells]

It's a Puffin, so aimed at children and concentrates more on the straightforward plot than descriptions or fleshing out the characters.

If you know who the eleventh Doctor and the Ponds are you'll be ok, but don't expect anything more than a story in a magazine.