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Doctor Who New Series anthologies
Doctor Who: The American Adventures
Travel through time and space with the Twelfth Doctor in these six brand new adventures, set in a host of locations across the US and eras from throughout US history.
An invisible spacecraft turns up at the Battle of New Orleans, an alien presence is detected at the 1944 D-Day landings, and ghosts take over New York's subway tunnels as they're being dug in the early 1900s...
Filled with mystery, excitement and the Doctor's trademark wit, these timeywimey stories will delight any Doctor Who fan.
An invisible spacecraft turns up at the Battle of New Orleans, an alien presence is detected at the 1944 D-Day landings, and ghosts take over New York's subway tunnels as they're being dug in the early 1900s...
Filled with mystery, excitement and the Doctor's trademark wit, these timeywimey stories will delight any Doctor Who fan.
180 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 2016
About the author
Justin Richards
314 books242 followersJustin Richards was a British writer of science fiction, fantasy, and adventure fiction. He wrote science fiction and fantasy novels, including series set in Victorian and early 20th-century London, as well as contemporary adventure stories. He was best known for writing numerous spin-off novels, reference books, and audio plays based on the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. Richards served as Creative Consultant for the BBC Books range of Doctor Who novels until 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
December 18, 2022
Doctor Who the American adventures does contain 6 short stories all starring the 12th Doctor. I do enjoy this version of the Doctor however the writing of this Doctor does not particular read like the 12th the strokes are too general and could be any Doctor. In these tales the Doctor does travel without a companion so it is difficult to put the adventures anywhere.
The stories are allright don't have a lot of depth but saves humanity from slavery several times without any of the usual suspects.
Fun for Whovians nonetheless.
The stories are allright don't have a lot of depth but saves humanity from slavery several times without any of the usual suspects.
Fun for Whovians nonetheless.
July 1, 2019
I remember when this book was first published, but Waterstones at Darlington never received any copies then I forgot about it .Found it last week on eBay .
A collection of stories that just don't cut the mustard , no Claria these ok but bit too short not that American glad did not pay £14.99.
This has great murder mystery set in 1815 in New Orleans the 5th in the collection that makes this better then I first thought.The 12th Doctor does read right too.I have read some books were the Doctor did not sound like number that is been wrought about.This improved so gets an extra star.
A collection of stories that just don't cut the mustard , no Claria these ok but bit too short not that American glad did not pay £14.99.
This has great murder mystery set in 1815 in New Orleans the 5th in the collection that makes this better then I first thought.The 12th Doctor does read right too.I have read some books were the Doctor did not sound like number that is been wrought about.This improved so gets an extra star.
October 9, 2016
Oh, how I wanted to love these stories.
I've been so starved for new Doctor Who, especially anything to do with my beloved Twelve (who is being quite poorly served when it comes to tie-in novels and the like, compared to his predecessors), that I couldn't even wait for my long-ago pre-ordered hardback of this book to arrive, so I bought the Kindle version in addition.
Sniffle.
Well. I mean .. I've said this before, but I do struggle with short stories in general. Not so much because I can't appreciate a really good short story but because more often than not, I just find them lacking - poorly paced, lacking in characterisation or background to the extent it bothers me, having too much background and too little story, etc. And this was no exception really. Sigh.
That said, my two star rating (that I wish could be 2.5 because it just feels a bit mean otherwise) means what it says - it was OK. It was a fast and serviceable read, all six of the stories, some weaker and some stronger but none of them a real waste of time, and some had potential I'd have loved to see expanded upon. My real issue was that I didn't really get a sense of Twelve (heck, sometimes I didn't even get a sense of a "generic Doctor", rather just some bloke with eyebrows, velvet jacket and a sonic screwdriver). I missed Clara. I missed .. well, anything to give Twelve some character. I tried to "hear" the lines delivered in PCap's Twelve voice and I failed, miserably (and I've managed it before, both with some short stories and novels, at least occasionally). I get that Twelve is trickier to get "right" than, say, Ten or Eleven, and in short stories, it's more of a problem than in longer stories, but .. yeah. This set fell a bit short for me.
But hey, these are tough times and I'll take what I can get. And for generic, kid-friendly brand new Doctor Who stories one could probably do worse.
I've been so starved for new Doctor Who, especially anything to do with my beloved Twelve (who is being quite poorly served when it comes to tie-in novels and the like, compared to his predecessors), that I couldn't even wait for my long-ago pre-ordered hardback of this book to arrive, so I bought the Kindle version in addition.
Sniffle.
Well. I mean .. I've said this before, but I do struggle with short stories in general. Not so much because I can't appreciate a really good short story but because more often than not, I just find them lacking - poorly paced, lacking in characterisation or background to the extent it bothers me, having too much background and too little story, etc. And this was no exception really. Sigh.
That said, my two star rating (that I wish could be 2.5 because it just feels a bit mean otherwise) means what it says - it was OK. It was a fast and serviceable read, all six of the stories, some weaker and some stronger but none of them a real waste of time, and some had potential I'd have loved to see expanded upon. My real issue was that I didn't really get a sense of Twelve (heck, sometimes I didn't even get a sense of a "generic Doctor", rather just some bloke with eyebrows, velvet jacket and a sonic screwdriver). I missed Clara. I missed .. well, anything to give Twelve some character. I tried to "hear" the lines delivered in PCap's Twelve voice and I failed, miserably (and I've managed it before, both with some short stories and novels, at least occasionally). I get that Twelve is trickier to get "right" than, say, Ten or Eleven, and in short stories, it's more of a problem than in longer stories, but .. yeah. This set fell a bit short for me.
But hey, these are tough times and I'll take what I can get. And for generic, kid-friendly brand new Doctor Who stories one could probably do worse.
November 10, 2016
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I've read a lot of Doctor Who stories before, and unfortunately The American Adventures wasn't one of the good ones. They were decent, but since six short stories were cramped into an altogether rather short book, they in the end all fell flat.
None of the stories really stood out for me, either in positive or negative sense. What I did miss though was the feeling this was the Twelfth Doctor. If it wasn't for the cover, I wouldn't have been able to tell.
A shame really. Hope things will be better when the Doctors stays at this side of the pond.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I've read a lot of Doctor Who stories before, and unfortunately The American Adventures wasn't one of the good ones. They were decent, but since six short stories were cramped into an altogether rather short book, they in the end all fell flat.
None of the stories really stood out for me, either in positive or negative sense. What I did miss though was the feeling this was the Twelfth Doctor. If it wasn't for the cover, I wouldn't have been able to tell.
A shame really. Hope things will be better when the Doctors stays at this side of the pond.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
March 31, 2017
Originally posted on: The Quirky Book Nerd
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I always love reading any Doctor Who tie-in stories, especially when we are all anxiously waiting for a new season to be released. I have also read a number of Doctor Who novels authored by Justin Richards, and I tend to consistently enjoy his writing style and his depictions of the various Doctors over the years. This is only my second experience with stories written about Peter Capaldi’s Doctor, and I had a fun time reading these short tales of his adventures. While this is targeted at a younger audience, I still feel that this book is something that can be universally enjoyed by Whovians of all ages.
These stories follow the Doctor’s journeys through various notable time periods in American history, as well as in present day America. Because of that, I found it to be a very unique read due to the fact that he is somewhat rarely portrayed traveling through the United States, particularly in the tie-in novels. It was great to see how he insert himself into many historical moments that I grew up learning about.
Though this was not the best collection of stories and I had very mixed feelings about them, I still found them to be solidly written. Creating a compelling story in a very small number of pages is incredibly difficult—it is an entire art in itself. There is not much time to flesh out the plot and the characters. This can make everything feel very rushed, as well as make characters come across as being a little bit flat. I found this to be somewhat true of this collection at times, but overall, I think Richards did a decent job with the length of each text.
Richards’ writing itself was a high point for me. His narration style is very fluid and not at all hard to find yourself getting pulled into. It is wonderful to see these skills in the tie-in stories, as they are generally simple reads, still composed using quality storytelling. I have found—in my personal experience with his work—that Richards’ is also a master at capturing the personality of whichever Doctor he is writing about. Even in this shorter format, it truly feels similar to watching an episode starring the twelfth doctor.
Now, I’ll talk about each individual story and my feelings on them. This will also remain spoiler-free.
All That Glitters (Rating: 3/5)
This story takes place in California, 1849, during the gold rush. Josh Langham is panning for gold in the Sacramento River when finds an odd metallic object. As he begins to pick it up, fatigue overtakes him and he passes out. Suddenly, he begins terrorizing the nearby town and townspeople, breaking in to homes and attacking his people who have all known him as a kind and gentle man. We follow the Doctor as he attempts to figure out what has caused Josh to act in this most unusual way.
I found this story to be just alright. It was a very simple plotline without much action, so it felt a little too slow-paced for my liking. Despite this, it was still intriguing to read, and there was a good amount of mystery. The build-up was a bit too much compared to how the story ultimately ended, but it was a decent read.
Off the Trail (Rating: 3.75/5)
The Doctor finds himself on the Oregon Trail, 1846, in this story. Hattie and her family are traveling the Oregon Trail in a large wagon train when suddenly, they begin to encounter strange noises and unnerving sightings of a creature outside their wagon one night. When they emerge the next morning, they find themselves exactly where they were but completely alone—the other parties in the wagon train have disappeared without a trace. It’s up to the Doctor to rescue the family from a deadly enemy and return them to the missing train.
I liked this story quite a bit—I think that it was my second favorite of the collection. I’ve always enjoyed stories about the Oregon Trail, and this science fiction twist was very captivating. Richards did a good job of building up the suspense to a heart-pounding climax. This story was also one of the more fleshed out ones in terms of both the setting and the characters. Everything was well-described, and I feel that he really utilized his writing talent to create a developed story in a short amount of time. Overall, it didn’t completely blow me away, but it was still a fascinating and unique narrative that I would have loved to see as an actual episode of the show.
Ghosts of New York (Rating: 4.5/5)
Taking place in New York City, 1902, this was by far my favorite of the short stories. This story involves the construction of the New York City subway tunnels, with a nice helping of ghostly activity. Soon after a tunnel roof collapses, killing three workers, a man named Pete begins seeing the ghost of one of his deceased coworkers. Other workers begin to experience this strange paranormal phenomenon as well. Then, of course, the Doctor swoops in, ready to discover the source that is causing these ethereal figures to appear. With many of the other workers too afraid to follow him, only a young man named Tom is brave enough to join in the quest for answers.
I absolutely loved this story. Anything containing ghosts and spookiness is right up my alley. One of the interesting realizations I had while reading this one was that the side character and the Doctor were much more well-developed. This may be due in part to the fact that there is only one sidekick on this particular mission. The only issue I had with the plot was that, when they found the source causing the ghosts to appear, it was not very well explained—I had an extremely hard time picturing it in my head. Nonetheless, this was an absolutely fantastic story and I very much enjoyed it.
Taking the Plunge (Rating: 3/5)
The Doctor comes into the present day in this story that takes place in Florida, 2017. Strolling through a theme park named Adventure World, the Doctor is simply people-watching when he comes across some peculiar occurrences. He meets a family as they first come into the park—two parents and their highly energetic and excited son. They are headed to the popular ride, “Space Plunge”. But when he runs into them again coming back from the ride, they have lost all energy, and look tired and empty. It’s time for the Doctor to inspect “Space Plunge”, and figure out what is sapping the liveliness out of all of its riders.
Though it was not one of my favorites, I still quite enjoyed this story. It was fairly unique and unpredictable in many ways. However, this was one story were the length really was a detriment to the plot. It felt as though not much happened, and that the problem was solved far too easily. This is a story that could have been expanded upon a lot and made into a more complex tale. I think it was just not right for this format, but I still liked aspects of it.
Spectator Sport (Rating: 2.5/5)
Set in New Orleans, 1815, this was unfortunately one of the stories that fell a bit flat for me. The Doctor lands the TARDIS during the Battle of New Orleans, and watches from the sidelines, upset at the idea of humans waging war against each other. All of a sudden, a woman using a perception filter comes rushing up to where he stands on a hill, stating that she has been looking for him all over. She takes him back to what she calls the “safe area”, which turns out to be a ship where people travel back in time in order to watch various battles throughout history.
This story was my least favorite—I found it rather hard to get in to and I did not like the idea of the plot. Not that much really happened, aside from the Doctor reprimanding everyone for getting enjoyment out of the fighting. Of course, there was a bit more depth to the plot other than that, with an assassin being loose on the ship, but this did not take up enough of the story. I could see the potential in this narrative, but is just didn’t reach it.
Base of Operations (Rating: 2.5/5)
Transpiring in the United States, 1944, this story just did not click with me, and unfortunately ended the collection on a slightly sour note. This story is set on an army base during World War II, right before the D-Day landings in Normandy. The TARDIS picks up signs of a rouge transmat system coming from inside the base, and he decides to infiltrate it in order to find the source. Along the way, he encounters some unusual activity, and finds out that not everyone within these walls is who—or what—they appear to be.
I’m not quite sure exactly what it was about this story, but I had a hard time getting into it. I wasn’t particularly interested in most of the characters and the story felt far too rushed. Once again, it was too expansive a topic to try to cover in a story as short as this one. The aliens were sort of interesting, but again, there was not enough time to really connect with the story and understand them. It was not bad by any means, but I just personally didn’t get quite as much enjoyment out of it.
Overall, I am very glad that I had the chance to read these stories. Despite my tepid feelings when it came to parts of it, this book was still great for a Whovian like myself. I also love seeing authors producing stories for a younger generation of fans. All the novels are relatively easy and straightforward reads, but this one is particularly well suited for early readers.
Richards fluidly sweeps readers up into the action-packed adventures and quirky antics of the Doctor, and I think these short stories make the show and the characters widely accessible, and will draw in more of a following that will stay strong through all the coming years of the show.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I always love reading any Doctor Who tie-in stories, especially when we are all anxiously waiting for a new season to be released. I have also read a number of Doctor Who novels authored by Justin Richards, and I tend to consistently enjoy his writing style and his depictions of the various Doctors over the years. This is only my second experience with stories written about Peter Capaldi’s Doctor, and I had a fun time reading these short tales of his adventures. While this is targeted at a younger audience, I still feel that this book is something that can be universally enjoyed by Whovians of all ages.
These stories follow the Doctor’s journeys through various notable time periods in American history, as well as in present day America. Because of that, I found it to be a very unique read due to the fact that he is somewhat rarely portrayed traveling through the United States, particularly in the tie-in novels. It was great to see how he insert himself into many historical moments that I grew up learning about.
Though this was not the best collection of stories and I had very mixed feelings about them, I still found them to be solidly written. Creating a compelling story in a very small number of pages is incredibly difficult—it is an entire art in itself. There is not much time to flesh out the plot and the characters. This can make everything feel very rushed, as well as make characters come across as being a little bit flat. I found this to be somewhat true of this collection at times, but overall, I think Richards did a decent job with the length of each text.
Richards’ writing itself was a high point for me. His narration style is very fluid and not at all hard to find yourself getting pulled into. It is wonderful to see these skills in the tie-in stories, as they are generally simple reads, still composed using quality storytelling. I have found—in my personal experience with his work—that Richards’ is also a master at capturing the personality of whichever Doctor he is writing about. Even in this shorter format, it truly feels similar to watching an episode starring the twelfth doctor.
Now, I’ll talk about each individual story and my feelings on them. This will also remain spoiler-free.
All That Glitters (Rating: 3/5)
This story takes place in California, 1849, during the gold rush. Josh Langham is panning for gold in the Sacramento River when finds an odd metallic object. As he begins to pick it up, fatigue overtakes him and he passes out. Suddenly, he begins terrorizing the nearby town and townspeople, breaking in to homes and attacking his people who have all known him as a kind and gentle man. We follow the Doctor as he attempts to figure out what has caused Josh to act in this most unusual way.
I found this story to be just alright. It was a very simple plotline without much action, so it felt a little too slow-paced for my liking. Despite this, it was still intriguing to read, and there was a good amount of mystery. The build-up was a bit too much compared to how the story ultimately ended, but it was a decent read.
Off the Trail (Rating: 3.75/5)
The Doctor finds himself on the Oregon Trail, 1846, in this story. Hattie and her family are traveling the Oregon Trail in a large wagon train when suddenly, they begin to encounter strange noises and unnerving sightings of a creature outside their wagon one night. When they emerge the next morning, they find themselves exactly where they were but completely alone—the other parties in the wagon train have disappeared without a trace. It’s up to the Doctor to rescue the family from a deadly enemy and return them to the missing train.
I liked this story quite a bit—I think that it was my second favorite of the collection. I’ve always enjoyed stories about the Oregon Trail, and this science fiction twist was very captivating. Richards did a good job of building up the suspense to a heart-pounding climax. This story was also one of the more fleshed out ones in terms of both the setting and the characters. Everything was well-described, and I feel that he really utilized his writing talent to create a developed story in a short amount of time. Overall, it didn’t completely blow me away, but it was still a fascinating and unique narrative that I would have loved to see as an actual episode of the show.
Ghosts of New York (Rating: 4.5/5)
Taking place in New York City, 1902, this was by far my favorite of the short stories. This story involves the construction of the New York City subway tunnels, with a nice helping of ghostly activity. Soon after a tunnel roof collapses, killing three workers, a man named Pete begins seeing the ghost of one of his deceased coworkers. Other workers begin to experience this strange paranormal phenomenon as well. Then, of course, the Doctor swoops in, ready to discover the source that is causing these ethereal figures to appear. With many of the other workers too afraid to follow him, only a young man named Tom is brave enough to join in the quest for answers.
I absolutely loved this story. Anything containing ghosts and spookiness is right up my alley. One of the interesting realizations I had while reading this one was that the side character and the Doctor were much more well-developed. This may be due in part to the fact that there is only one sidekick on this particular mission. The only issue I had with the plot was that, when they found the source causing the ghosts to appear, it was not very well explained—I had an extremely hard time picturing it in my head. Nonetheless, this was an absolutely fantastic story and I very much enjoyed it.
Taking the Plunge (Rating: 3/5)
The Doctor comes into the present day in this story that takes place in Florida, 2017. Strolling through a theme park named Adventure World, the Doctor is simply people-watching when he comes across some peculiar occurrences. He meets a family as they first come into the park—two parents and their highly energetic and excited son. They are headed to the popular ride, “Space Plunge”. But when he runs into them again coming back from the ride, they have lost all energy, and look tired and empty. It’s time for the Doctor to inspect “Space Plunge”, and figure out what is sapping the liveliness out of all of its riders.
Though it was not one of my favorites, I still quite enjoyed this story. It was fairly unique and unpredictable in many ways. However, this was one story were the length really was a detriment to the plot. It felt as though not much happened, and that the problem was solved far too easily. This is a story that could have been expanded upon a lot and made into a more complex tale. I think it was just not right for this format, but I still liked aspects of it.
Spectator Sport (Rating: 2.5/5)
Set in New Orleans, 1815, this was unfortunately one of the stories that fell a bit flat for me. The Doctor lands the TARDIS during the Battle of New Orleans, and watches from the sidelines, upset at the idea of humans waging war against each other. All of a sudden, a woman using a perception filter comes rushing up to where he stands on a hill, stating that she has been looking for him all over. She takes him back to what she calls the “safe area”, which turns out to be a ship where people travel back in time in order to watch various battles throughout history.
This story was my least favorite—I found it rather hard to get in to and I did not like the idea of the plot. Not that much really happened, aside from the Doctor reprimanding everyone for getting enjoyment out of the fighting. Of course, there was a bit more depth to the plot other than that, with an assassin being loose on the ship, but this did not take up enough of the story. I could see the potential in this narrative, but is just didn’t reach it.
Base of Operations (Rating: 2.5/5)
Transpiring in the United States, 1944, this story just did not click with me, and unfortunately ended the collection on a slightly sour note. This story is set on an army base during World War II, right before the D-Day landings in Normandy. The TARDIS picks up signs of a rouge transmat system coming from inside the base, and he decides to infiltrate it in order to find the source. Along the way, he encounters some unusual activity, and finds out that not everyone within these walls is who—or what—they appear to be.
I’m not quite sure exactly what it was about this story, but I had a hard time getting into it. I wasn’t particularly interested in most of the characters and the story felt far too rushed. Once again, it was too expansive a topic to try to cover in a story as short as this one. The aliens were sort of interesting, but again, there was not enough time to really connect with the story and understand them. It was not bad by any means, but I just personally didn’t get quite as much enjoyment out of it.
Overall, I am very glad that I had the chance to read these stories. Despite my tepid feelings when it came to parts of it, this book was still great for a Whovian like myself. I also love seeing authors producing stories for a younger generation of fans. All the novels are relatively easy and straightforward reads, but this one is particularly well suited for early readers.
Richards fluidly sweeps readers up into the action-packed adventures and quirky antics of the Doctor, and I think these short stories make the show and the characters widely accessible, and will draw in more of a following that will stay strong through all the coming years of the show.
December 6, 2016
I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher via Netgalley and hard copy.
This book is written for established fans of the Doctor Who franchise. Those that are not familiar with the main character, The Doctor, may not get as much out of this book. This book is a set of stories that take place at different points in time in the United States. (For those of you that may be reading this but are not familiar with the franchise, The Doctor is a time traveler.)
The stories take place during a time when The Doctor is travelling along. (Again, for those that don't follow Doctor Who, The Doctor usually travels with at least one companion and they have various adventures through space and time.) I really enjoyed seeing The Doctor connect with new characters. I liked the different chemistries that took place throughout the stories.
The stories themselves were a delight to read. There was always something new and refreshing. Another mystery to solve and another mishap to avert. While the stories are very fast-paced, The Doctor's character shines through each and every one flawlessly.
While reading these stories, they felt very much like children's stories about Doctor Who. I don't know if this is by design or not, but the feel was very juvenile. My children are fans of Doctor Who, and these stories were perfect for them. They did not include anything overly confusing, the way some episodes of Doctor Who can be because of the science fiction aspect.
I think that fans of Doctor Who would enjoy these short stories.
I personally am not into short stories. I am normally one that devours 500+ page novels, and rarely likes to read anything less than 300-400 pages long. That aside, these stories were fantastic. A light, quick read, but very much showcasing one of my all time favorite characters. I have to recommend this book, especially for fans of the television show. If you aren't the short story type, don't let that stop you or you'll miss out!
More reviews on my blog: The Alchemy of Ink
This book is written for established fans of the Doctor Who franchise. Those that are not familiar with the main character, The Doctor, may not get as much out of this book. This book is a set of stories that take place at different points in time in the United States. (For those of you that may be reading this but are not familiar with the franchise, The Doctor is a time traveler.)
The stories take place during a time when The Doctor is travelling along. (Again, for those that don't follow Doctor Who, The Doctor usually travels with at least one companion and they have various adventures through space and time.) I really enjoyed seeing The Doctor connect with new characters. I liked the different chemistries that took place throughout the stories.
The stories themselves were a delight to read. There was always something new and refreshing. Another mystery to solve and another mishap to avert. While the stories are very fast-paced, The Doctor's character shines through each and every one flawlessly.
While reading these stories, they felt very much like children's stories about Doctor Who. I don't know if this is by design or not, but the feel was very juvenile. My children are fans of Doctor Who, and these stories were perfect for them. They did not include anything overly confusing, the way some episodes of Doctor Who can be because of the science fiction aspect.
I think that fans of Doctor Who would enjoy these short stories.
I personally am not into short stories. I am normally one that devours 500+ page novels, and rarely likes to read anything less than 300-400 pages long. That aside, these stories were fantastic. A light, quick read, but very much showcasing one of my all time favorite characters. I have to recommend this book, especially for fans of the television show. If you aren't the short story type, don't let that stop you or you'll miss out!
More reviews on my blog: The Alchemy of Ink
December 13, 2016
I want to put out there, first, that if you are not familiar with the television show Doctor Who then this is not a book for you. This was definitely written for those already familiar with the character. While the stories are still understandable, there is no introduction to the Doctor nor to the gadgets he uses.
My family is huge Doctor Who fans so that was not a problem for me.
Even though it is set in America, there are a number of words that are very much the English versions. I point this out because the book is written for middle grade and may cause some confusion for young readers (words such as torch instead of flashlight). It doesn't ruin any of the plots of these short stories. I will say some of the English spellings caught me off guard since I often read for editing purposes.
In the end, I loved this book. It felt very appropriate as a continuation of the Doctor Who stories. The Doctor was just as mysterious and quirky. I did miss that there was not a companion but I appreciated that they were respectful of the television show. I hate reading books that are companions especially when they completely change the flow of the story. This didn't do that at all.
I guess my only real disappointment was that the historical stories didn't give me that feel of being a part of history. I'm not sure why I had that expectation but there were a number of times when I felt like I should walk away knowing something about the setting of the story and I didn't. But that's me.
All in all, I would recommend this book, especially for young readers or those without a lot of time. The stories read quickly and were nice chunks without feeling like I had to really commit a lot of time to read them.
Normally, I wouldn't talk about the physical book but I do have to put out there that this is a beautiful edition. I love the steampunk look to the title pages. And I love that each story is marked by a thick line that you can see from the edge of the book so I can glance at the pages and see how far until the next story. I think it would really inspire reluctant readers to take a chance on this book.
My family is huge Doctor Who fans so that was not a problem for me.
Even though it is set in America, there are a number of words that are very much the English versions. I point this out because the book is written for middle grade and may cause some confusion for young readers (words such as torch instead of flashlight). It doesn't ruin any of the plots of these short stories. I will say some of the English spellings caught me off guard since I often read for editing purposes.
In the end, I loved this book. It felt very appropriate as a continuation of the Doctor Who stories. The Doctor was just as mysterious and quirky. I did miss that there was not a companion but I appreciated that they were respectful of the television show. I hate reading books that are companions especially when they completely change the flow of the story. This didn't do that at all.
I guess my only real disappointment was that the historical stories didn't give me that feel of being a part of history. I'm not sure why I had that expectation but there were a number of times when I felt like I should walk away knowing something about the setting of the story and I didn't. But that's me.
All in all, I would recommend this book, especially for young readers or those without a lot of time. The stories read quickly and were nice chunks without feeling like I had to really commit a lot of time to read them.
Normally, I wouldn't talk about the physical book but I do have to put out there that this is a beautiful edition. I love the steampunk look to the title pages. And I love that each story is marked by a thick line that you can see from the edge of the book so I can glance at the pages and see how far until the next story. I think it would really inspire reluctant readers to take a chance on this book.
October 5, 2016
Received an ebook of this book from
NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As a Whovian I have been wanting to try a written story of Doctor Who for a long time now, so when I found Doctor Who: The American Adventures on NetGalley I was excited to have the chance to experience the Doctor in a new format.
Doctor Who: The American Adventures are six short stories written by various people, with that being said each story flowed nicely and I couldn’t even tell that various different writers wrote for the book. There was never a moment where I wanted to stop reading and come back to it later – honestly I would have read the entire thing in a day had I been left undisturbed – however, I found the stories to be too short to truly allow myself to get the adventurous feeling you expect from travelling with the Doctor. Each story was interesting and introduced some new alien races I was previously unaware of (I have only seen the reboot, no Classic Who as of yet) and they really just left me wanting more.
As for the Doctor… he didn’t feel like the Twelfth Doctor, and by that I mean the spark just wasn’t there in the dialogue or mannerisms. If it wasn’t said in the synopsis or even pictured on the cover there is very little to help the reader discern which Doctor is actually being read about, basically Twelve’s personality didn’t shine through the words.
Overall I enjoyed the adventures and the writing was well done, but the thing that was missing was Twelve’s personality. The most important part of a Doctor Who book for me has to be that the Doctor is THE DOCTOR… without the obvious eccentricities and mannerisms each regeneration has it’s simply hard to tell which Doctor was having these adventures.
NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As a Whovian I have been wanting to try a written story of Doctor Who for a long time now, so when I found Doctor Who: The American Adventures on NetGalley I was excited to have the chance to experience the Doctor in a new format.
Doctor Who: The American Adventures are six short stories written by various people, with that being said each story flowed nicely and I couldn’t even tell that various different writers wrote for the book. There was never a moment where I wanted to stop reading and come back to it later – honestly I would have read the entire thing in a day had I been left undisturbed – however, I found the stories to be too short to truly allow myself to get the adventurous feeling you expect from travelling with the Doctor. Each story was interesting and introduced some new alien races I was previously unaware of (I have only seen the reboot, no Classic Who as of yet) and they really just left me wanting more.
As for the Doctor… he didn’t feel like the Twelfth Doctor, and by that I mean the spark just wasn’t there in the dialogue or mannerisms. If it wasn’t said in the synopsis or even pictured on the cover there is very little to help the reader discern which Doctor is actually being read about, basically Twelve’s personality didn’t shine through the words.
Overall I enjoyed the adventures and the writing was well done, but the thing that was missing was Twelve’s personality. The most important part of a Doctor Who book for me has to be that the Doctor is THE DOCTOR… without the obvious eccentricities and mannerisms each regeneration has it’s simply hard to tell which Doctor was having these adventures.
November 30, 2016
I'm a bit disappointed by this book. I mean I loved the Doctor but I'd have liked to see how he truly felt traveling alone. Instead I got short stories with a lot happening and zero investment in characters that weren't the Doctor.
Some shorts I'd like but decide I didn't like them THAT much by the end, so I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with this book. And the increased reduction of descriptions made me feel like I was a reading a children's book. So I would recommend this to any kid who loves Doctor Who cause I'm sure they'd love it.
Some shorts I'd like but decide I didn't like them THAT much by the end, so I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with this book. And the increased reduction of descriptions made me feel like I was a reading a children's book. So I would recommend this to any kid who loves Doctor Who cause I'm sure they'd love it.
April 11, 2017
https://ravenandbeez.wordpress.com/20...
PROS: A really fast read… yeah that’s all I got.
CONS: I’m slightly disappointed by this book. I couldn’t bond with ANY of the characters. I felt that the characters were very 2D. I had hoped that maybe we would get a bit of an “in” on how truly lonely the Doctor was while traveling alone, but all I got was average adventures with zero character development. Even Twelve, who I’m obsessed with, didn’t feel like himself in this book.
Considering the fact that this is a book filled with sci-fi short stories, I’d thought that it would have beautiful descriptions of all the new planets/time that he would be visiting but there were hardly any descriptions, only a huge amount of dialogue and a narrative about what he was doing.
I’ve only read two Doctor Who books, but this was most definitely the worst of the two.
Final Declaration: Maybe kids might enjoy it? But I wouldn’t want my child to read it so I guess NU.
PROS: A really fast read… yeah that’s all I got.
CONS: I’m slightly disappointed by this book. I couldn’t bond with ANY of the characters. I felt that the characters were very 2D. I had hoped that maybe we would get a bit of an “in” on how truly lonely the Doctor was while traveling alone, but all I got was average adventures with zero character development. Even Twelve, who I’m obsessed with, didn’t feel like himself in this book.
Considering the fact that this is a book filled with sci-fi short stories, I’d thought that it would have beautiful descriptions of all the new planets/time that he would be visiting but there were hardly any descriptions, only a huge amount of dialogue and a narrative about what he was doing.
I’ve only read two Doctor Who books, but this was most definitely the worst of the two.
Final Declaration: Maybe kids might enjoy it? But I wouldn’t want my child to read it so I guess NU.
September 16, 2017
'Doctor Who: The American Adventures' by Justin Richards is a book of 6 short stories featuring the Twelfth Doctor in uniquely American adventures.
The Doctor finds himself at various places in American history: the California gold rush, with a group of settlers, at a military base that is planning D-Day and at a large familiar sounding theme park in Florida, and other places. In each, the Doctor's unique gifts are needed to protect the people of Earth from the unknown. In each, he exhibits his own wry humor, which is often unappreciated by those around him.
The true test of a tie in book is if the character feels true to the original creation. On that level, I think these stories succeed. The stories themselves are not great, but neither are they completely terrible. As a fan of the Doctor, I enjoyed reading this collection of stories.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Penguin UK, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
The Doctor finds himself at various places in American history: the California gold rush, with a group of settlers, at a military base that is planning D-Day and at a large familiar sounding theme park in Florida, and other places. In each, the Doctor's unique gifts are needed to protect the people of Earth from the unknown. In each, he exhibits his own wry humor, which is often unappreciated by those around him.
The true test of a tie in book is if the character feels true to the original creation. On that level, I think these stories succeed. The stories themselves are not great, but neither are they completely terrible. As a fan of the Doctor, I enjoyed reading this collection of stories.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Penguin UK, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
June 11, 2020
I've actually had very little experience with Young Adult/Pre-Teen "Doctor Who" books, so this was a first dip into that pond. The stories are very straight-forward and simple, but there's enough here to keep adult readers interested...and more than enough to keep younger fans eagerly reading. An undemanding but pleasant way to wile away an afternoon.
January 19, 2017
*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley & the publisher in exchange for an honest review or rating.
2.75
Really, this rating tells it all, it felt nothing like the Twelfth Doctor. Felt very flat. Maybe for someone who knows nothing about Doctor Who.
2.75
Really, this rating tells it all, it felt nothing like the Twelfth Doctor. Felt very flat. Maybe for someone who knows nothing about Doctor Who.
January 28, 2017
The good news is that it won't take long to read this collection.
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2017/0...
http://fedpeaches.blogspot.com/2017/0...
December 11, 2017
Very uneven collection.
March 27, 2022
Unless you're not a diehard Doctor Who fan in need of a quick read, just trust the ratings on goodreads and skip this one. That's all I want to say about this one.
October 5, 2016
You’d think as a Doctor Who fan I’d read tons of books by now, right? Wrong. I did read some graphic novels, but no actual book. Till now. Well… I was actually under impression that it will be a graphic novel since it was categorized as such on NetGalley.
If you ever wondered what would happen if the Doctor landed in America, here are few stories that could show you just that.
All That Glitters ★★☆☆☆
For a start, we’ve got a wild wild west story about a man possessed, an alien wanting more than he should and a seemingly-random hero who saves the day.
That was a rather weak opening for this story set. The plot was fine, but it felt like you could just switch the Doctor for any other character and it would work anyway. I do like wild wild west setting and I was rather hoping for something more interesting.
Off the Trail ★★☆☆☆
A family snatched from the trail, trying to find a way home. The Doctor trying to help them and prevent a possible invasion.
A bit better story than the first one. It definitely had a more Doctor Who feel to it, plus a proper type of mysterious setting. But still, a bit of a let down when it goes to the ending. It felt like the ending was rushed, like the villain was rather weak and not very smart.
Ghosts of New York ★★★★☆
That’s more like it! I really liked this one. It has ghosts, it has a potentially good companion and a mysterious, hidden spaceship. Even though it still ended up a bit too quick, I liked that idea, the atmosphere, the setting and I’d love to see it as one of the actual Doctor Who episodes.
Taking the Plunge ★★★★☆
An amusement park and life-sucking aliens? Yes please!
Yes, that was also an interesting story – good setting and interesting plot. But the best part was that the Doctor actually showed his trickery there. The bits of diplomacy, the calm attitude and the final solution. Loved it! Yes, that would also make a nice Doctor Who episode.
Spectator Sport ★★☆☆☆
A pretty visual battle of New Orlean’s setting, alien visitors that came to watch it and a problem…
Well… we’re back to two stars. Why? Because of the ending. It started off well, it had a potential, a good idea for a story, but for some strange reason it ended up abruptly and without solving all the problems. We don’t know why the assassin was there, what was his purpose, who was paying him… well maybe I’m the only one who’d like to know these things, but it just felt like the story was missing a huge part of it all.
Base of Operations ★★★☆☆
You are at war, about to infiltrate the enemy forces, but are you sure your men are what they seem?
A rather good closing story with a fine plot and the Doctor behaving like he should – a protector of Earth. And the “normal” people were actually able to help, so that’s a step forward. I liked this one. Good ending. Well… yea, let’s call it a good ending.
All in all, it is a nice set of short adventures, but I think I was expecting something more. First of all, something I have to admit and beg you not to tie me up to a chair because I will finally get to the 12th Doctor episodes… I haven’t seen him in TV-show, so I don’t really know how he is like, and these stories didn’t really show it. If I haven’t seen the cover, I would’ve wondered “which one was it supposed to be?”.
Also, I missed a bit more of Doctor-Companion cooperation. The only story that involved a potential companion was the “Ghosts of New York” and I really liked that. That’s kind of the point of Doctor Who isn’t it? We all love this double-hearted alien, but he’s way better with another person to support him.
On the other hand, since these were rather easy to read, maybe they would be great stories for a younger audience? A nice introduction to the Doctor? I have a feeling I’d love this if I were younger and haven’t seen/read/listened to Doctor Who stories before.
If you really like Doctor who and want something fast to read, check it out. Since the stories aren’t connected, you don’t need to worry you’ll miss something by reading in a wrong order or skipping a story.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you ever wondered what would happen if the Doctor landed in America, here are few stories that could show you just that.
All That Glitters ★★☆☆☆
For a start, we’ve got a wild wild west story about a man possessed, an alien wanting more than he should and a seemingly-random hero who saves the day.
That was a rather weak opening for this story set. The plot was fine, but it felt like you could just switch the Doctor for any other character and it would work anyway. I do like wild wild west setting and I was rather hoping for something more interesting.
Off the Trail ★★☆☆☆
A family snatched from the trail, trying to find a way home. The Doctor trying to help them and prevent a possible invasion.
A bit better story than the first one. It definitely had a more Doctor Who feel to it, plus a proper type of mysterious setting. But still, a bit of a let down when it goes to the ending. It felt like the ending was rushed, like the villain was rather weak and not very smart.
Ghosts of New York ★★★★☆
That’s more like it! I really liked this one. It has ghosts, it has a potentially good companion and a mysterious, hidden spaceship. Even though it still ended up a bit too quick, I liked that idea, the atmosphere, the setting and I’d love to see it as one of the actual Doctor Who episodes.
Taking the Plunge ★★★★☆
An amusement park and life-sucking aliens? Yes please!
Yes, that was also an interesting story – good setting and interesting plot. But the best part was that the Doctor actually showed his trickery there. The bits of diplomacy, the calm attitude and the final solution. Loved it! Yes, that would also make a nice Doctor Who episode.
Spectator Sport ★★☆☆☆
A pretty visual battle of New Orlean’s setting, alien visitors that came to watch it and a problem…
Well… we’re back to two stars. Why? Because of the ending. It started off well, it had a potential, a good idea for a story, but for some strange reason it ended up abruptly and without solving all the problems. We don’t know why the assassin was there, what was his purpose, who was paying him… well maybe I’m the only one who’d like to know these things, but it just felt like the story was missing a huge part of it all.
Base of Operations ★★★☆☆
You are at war, about to infiltrate the enemy forces, but are you sure your men are what they seem?
A rather good closing story with a fine plot and the Doctor behaving like he should – a protector of Earth. And the “normal” people were actually able to help, so that’s a step forward. I liked this one. Good ending. Well… yea, let’s call it a good ending.
All in all, it is a nice set of short adventures, but I think I was expecting something more. First of all, something I have to admit and beg you not to tie me up to a chair because I will finally get to the 12th Doctor episodes… I haven’t seen him in TV-show, so I don’t really know how he is like, and these stories didn’t really show it. If I haven’t seen the cover, I would’ve wondered “which one was it supposed to be?”.
Also, I missed a bit more of Doctor-Companion cooperation. The only story that involved a potential companion was the “Ghosts of New York” and I really liked that. That’s kind of the point of Doctor Who isn’t it? We all love this double-hearted alien, but he’s way better with another person to support him.
On the other hand, since these were rather easy to read, maybe they would be great stories for a younger audience? A nice introduction to the Doctor? I have a feeling I’d love this if I were younger and haven’t seen/read/listened to Doctor Who stories before.
If you really like Doctor who and want something fast to read, check it out. Since the stories aren’t connected, you don’t need to worry you’ll miss something by reading in a wrong order or skipping a story.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2016
Before I start my review, I have to say I am a huge fan of the BBC Doctor Who series. I have been watching through four…no, five Doctor regenerations and we are now on the twelfth and, in my humble opinion, the best Doctor Who ever – at least until the next regeneration. However, although I have been watching the series for years, I have never before read a book about the Doctor so I was excited to read Doctor Who: The American Adventures published by Penguin UK and distributed by Diamond Book Distributors.
The book contains six short stories that take the twelfth Doctor from the War of 1812 to the year 2017 and is aimed at Middle Grade readers. The problem, at least for me, is that it is hard to hear Twelve’s distinctive voice here although it is there if only just barely. This is due partly because the stories are too short to ensure that both personality and adventure shine through and partly because the stories are meant for a young audience – as such, they provide a simple and fast read and would have great appeal to any young Whovian or kid who enjoys a good adventure story. The stories are written by various authors but they are consistent in style and content and are quite well-done in a way that should appeal to and are age-appropriate for the audience they are aimed at (7 – 12).
This is not one of those books that will likely appeal to adults as much as kids and, for myself, it rates three stars – I enjoyed it but didn’t love it although I really liked the cover, something that just might appeal to collectors. However, I am not its intended audience and I’m guessing a young Who fan will love it. Not only that but, if their parents are also fans, it’s a book they can share which is always a plus especially if they have a reluctant reader. As an added bonus, there’s a bit of history thrown in which can only be a good thing. Besides, it’s a Puffin Book so you know you can trust the quality. So, for these reasons, I’m giving it four stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Diamond Distributors for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
The book contains six short stories that take the twelfth Doctor from the War of 1812 to the year 2017 and is aimed at Middle Grade readers. The problem, at least for me, is that it is hard to hear Twelve’s distinctive voice here although it is there if only just barely. This is due partly because the stories are too short to ensure that both personality and adventure shine through and partly because the stories are meant for a young audience – as such, they provide a simple and fast read and would have great appeal to any young Whovian or kid who enjoys a good adventure story. The stories are written by various authors but they are consistent in style and content and are quite well-done in a way that should appeal to and are age-appropriate for the audience they are aimed at (7 – 12).
This is not one of those books that will likely appeal to adults as much as kids and, for myself, it rates three stars – I enjoyed it but didn’t love it although I really liked the cover, something that just might appeal to collectors. However, I am not its intended audience and I’m guessing a young Who fan will love it. Not only that but, if their parents are also fans, it’s a book they can share which is always a plus especially if they have a reluctant reader. As an added bonus, there’s a bit of history thrown in which can only be a good thing. Besides, it’s a Puffin Book so you know you can trust the quality. So, for these reasons, I’m giving it four stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Diamond Distributors for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
October 5, 2016
The following review was originally posted on my book blog The Book Challengers.
DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC from Penguin UK via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The following thoughts are my own and have not been affected in any way by this.
The (hardcover) book will be officially published on 25th of October, 2016.
These timeywimey stories will delight any Doctor Who fan? Er... no. They didn't delight me. There are some small parts that remind me of Doctor Who, but mostly, I didn't get the feel for any Doctor, let alone for Twelve. And these stories were supposed to be about Twelve...
Short stories in this book are:
All That Glitters (California, 1849)
Off the Trail (The Oregon Trail, 1846)
Ghosts of New York (New York City, 1902)
Taking the Plunge (Florida, 2017)
Specator Port (New Orleans, 1815)
Base of Operations (USA, 1944)
There were way too many situations where "fortunately this thing was here" or "luckily it was like that" could be used and while I admit that the Doctor *is* lucky quite often, these stories felt overly simplistic and way too lucky. It doesn't matter that these are childrens' (?) stories, I don't think that they should be so simplistic and have such easy solutions.
I must say that I enjoyed Richard's Time Lord Fairy Tales a lot more than I did these short stories. Time Lord Fairy Tales captured my attention and I was very eager about reading them, but these stories, unfortunately, left me rather indifferent and I must admit that my attention drifted to other subjects quite often.
Although I know that the Doctor will have a new companion this Christmas, I still wished for some Clara. Or if not Clara, then at least a glimpse at the new companion, but unfortunately for me I didn't get one.
All in all, it was kind of OK but I wouldn't read it again.
DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC from Penguin UK via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The following thoughts are my own and have not been affected in any way by this.
The (hardcover) book will be officially published on 25th of October, 2016.
These timeywimey stories will delight any Doctor Who fan? Er... no. They didn't delight me. There are some small parts that remind me of Doctor Who, but mostly, I didn't get the feel for any Doctor, let alone for Twelve. And these stories were supposed to be about Twelve...
Short stories in this book are:
All That Glitters (California, 1849)
Off the Trail (The Oregon Trail, 1846)
Ghosts of New York (New York City, 1902)
Taking the Plunge (Florida, 2017)
Specator Port (New Orleans, 1815)
Base of Operations (USA, 1944)
There were way too many situations where "fortunately this thing was here" or "luckily it was like that" could be used and while I admit that the Doctor *is* lucky quite often, these stories felt overly simplistic and way too lucky. It doesn't matter that these are childrens' (?) stories, I don't think that they should be so simplistic and have such easy solutions.
I must say that I enjoyed Richard's Time Lord Fairy Tales a lot more than I did these short stories. Time Lord Fairy Tales captured my attention and I was very eager about reading them, but these stories, unfortunately, left me rather indifferent and I must admit that my attention drifted to other subjects quite often.
Although I know that the Doctor will have a new companion this Christmas, I still wished for some Clara. Or if not Clara, then at least a glimpse at the new companion, but unfortunately for me I didn't get one.
All in all, it was kind of OK but I wouldn't read it again.
December 11, 2016
These six stories are absolutely perfect for reading to little boys or girls who love aliens, the Doctor or have an interest in science fiction. They are written to appeal to young boys primarily; but any child that doesn't have to have princesses in their stories will like them.
For the target age group (6-11) and given the use of the Doctor I say this is a 5 star read. I'd be shocked if the average little boy didn't want to hear hear stories again and again; because of course the Doctor never looses. I am rating this book based on its target market as that is the only fair way to review it, in my opinion.
My personal favourite of the six short stories (the one where people from Oregon Trail are involved) would likely be most little kids least favourite if only. because there is too much walking in it. Lol!
The Doctor written and described is clearly Peter Capaldi's rendition, as portrayed in he cover. The explanation of how the sonic screwdriver works amuses me greatly as I hadn't ever really thought about it that much while watching the show.
Each of these stories has a morale or point that is shared at the end. One about how it's important to fight back sometimes, another about being careful what you wish for and more.
Absolutely perfect book to be read to any child 6 or older. Or any 8 or older child that has decent reading skills to read on their own. Not violent per say but enough fighting and alien conflict to keep kids entertained. And of course the Doctor always saves the day.
This review was made possible by reading an e-ARC via NetGalley. I would like to thank the publishers for giving me this opportunity to read it; as well as assure everyone this is my true, honest opinion. Don't believe me? Go read all the bad reviews I've given to other e-ARC books. ;)
For the target age group (6-11) and given the use of the Doctor I say this is a 5 star read. I'd be shocked if the average little boy didn't want to hear hear stories again and again; because of course the Doctor never looses. I am rating this book based on its target market as that is the only fair way to review it, in my opinion.
My personal favourite of the six short stories (the one where people from Oregon Trail are involved) would likely be most little kids least favourite if only. because there is too much walking in it. Lol!
The Doctor written and described is clearly Peter Capaldi's rendition, as portrayed in he cover. The explanation of how the sonic screwdriver works amuses me greatly as I hadn't ever really thought about it that much while watching the show.
Each of these stories has a morale or point that is shared at the end. One about how it's important to fight back sometimes, another about being careful what you wish for and more.
Absolutely perfect book to be read to any child 6 or older. Or any 8 or older child that has decent reading skills to read on their own. Not violent per say but enough fighting and alien conflict to keep kids entertained. And of course the Doctor always saves the day.
This review was made possible by reading an e-ARC via NetGalley. I would like to thank the publishers for giving me this opportunity to read it; as well as assure everyone this is my true, honest opinion. Don't believe me? Go read all the bad reviews I've given to other e-ARC books. ;)
October 12, 2016
Crítica em Português @ Pepita Magica: http://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2016/...
I received a digital arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
actual rating: 1,5 stars
Those who know me know that I'm a huge Doctor Who fan, major Whovian. This is my favourite TV Show! For that reason, anything related to this show awakens a curiosity and an interest in me. I already have a few DW books at home, but - for some unknown reason - I've never read them. I got this book from NetGalley, and I was super excited and happy about it.
That must have been my first mistake. This book was a major disappointment. Doctor Who: The American Adventures is some kind of anthology of short stories (following the Doctor through his American adventures) and not a whole story, if I can say that. There is nothing in common between the short stories, beside the Doctor is the main character and in the fact it's set in America.
I can say that I didn't like this book, all the short stories were boring and dull. The Doctor wasn't the Doctor we know - the cover and the description this is supposed to be the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi's Doctor, but it has nothing to do with him. There wasn't that essence. For me, this character was never the Doctor. I couldn't see him as such.
I don't have much to say about this book. I read it until the end, hoping the Doctor we know would show up, and/or the adventures would become more interesting, but nothing changed. What a shame.
I received a digital arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
actual rating: 1,5 stars
Those who know me know that I'm a huge Doctor Who fan, major Whovian. This is my favourite TV Show! For that reason, anything related to this show awakens a curiosity and an interest in me. I already have a few DW books at home, but - for some unknown reason - I've never read them. I got this book from NetGalley, and I was super excited and happy about it.
That must have been my first mistake. This book was a major disappointment. Doctor Who: The American Adventures is some kind of anthology of short stories (following the Doctor through his American adventures) and not a whole story, if I can say that. There is nothing in common between the short stories, beside the Doctor is the main character and in the fact it's set in America.
I can say that I didn't like this book, all the short stories were boring and dull. The Doctor wasn't the Doctor we know - the cover and the description this is supposed to be the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi's Doctor, but it has nothing to do with him. There wasn't that essence. For me, this character was never the Doctor. I couldn't see him as such.
I don't have much to say about this book. I read it until the end, hoping the Doctor we know would show up, and/or the adventures would become more interesting, but nothing changed. What a shame.
February 16, 2017
Just keep in mind, this is a book for pre-teens. (Heck, the whole show is arguably for pre-teens!)
When I was ten, this would have been my very favorite book. And I still enjoyed it, even at ... older.
When I was ten, this would have been my very favorite book. And I still enjoyed it, even at ... older.
Read
October 15, 2016A handful of unremarkable tales of Capaldi's doctor in the US, which remind me more than anything of the stories in the old annuals and yearbooks that even as a child reader were very obviously a Who substitute for dry seasons, not the real thing. Indeed, these even further that impression by lacking author credits on my Netgalley ARC or the publisher's site, though I've seen it said elsewhere as here that they're by Justin Richards, which would make sense. None of them are bad, as such - indeed, they probably have fewer plot holes than most of the Twelfth Doctor's TV stories. But nor do they have any of the show's passion, its magic, its indefinable Who-ness. It probably doesn't help that, thanks to the ill-considered conclusion of that baffling mess 'The Angels do Manhattan', no future Doctor can get anywhere or anywhen too near the heart of the American Century (though why he couldn't just fly over from Britain remains as unclear as ever). Still, on the upside - no Clara!
October 31, 2016
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Being an avid lover of Doctor Who, I had to request this when I saw it on NetGalley. These stories are very fun, but in my opinion lack the typical Doctor Who feeling. They don't feel as fun in the time travel sense, and while not being back stories, didn't make me feel like I was in a Doctor Who episode.
Being an avid lover of Doctor Who, I had to request this when I saw it on NetGalley. These stories are very fun, but in my opinion lack the typical Doctor Who feeling. They don't feel as fun in the time travel sense, and while not being back stories, didn't make me feel like I was in a Doctor Who episode.
February 14, 2017
Reading a Doctor Who book is always fun. If you are a hardcore Whovian, I would recommend this to you with enthusiasm. If you wonder what or who a Whovian is, you probably won't like this book.
Note - I received a free copy of the book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review in any way.
Note - I received a free copy of the book from the publisher. This has not influenced my review in any way.
October 15, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This book is perfect for all Doctor Who fans! I really enjoyed all 6 short stories and I look forward to reading more books by this author. I highly recommend this fun, addicting read!
October 31, 2016
My full review can be found on my blog https://brooklynthebookworm.wordpress... - truthfully I was disappointed by these stories, and couldn't really picture the Twelfth Doctor in them.
October 30, 2016
[I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley.]
This was advertised in the Comics category, so I thought it'd be a comics, but it's actually a collection of short stories. Ah, well.
Not sure what to think about it, really. I found it... just bland, to be honest. On the bright side, none of the stories come with glaring plot holes or annoying sidekicks, but on the other hand, none left me with a lasting impression either.
The main problems here for me are:
- The characterisation of the Doctor. The stories are supposed to feature Capaldi's Doctor; it could be just any generic Doctor, though, the way he acts and is described. I could find no defining feature (even the eyebrows seemed weak!).
- Most of the stories's endings are disappointing: too abrupt, or close to nonexistant. The fifth story, for instance, leaves a lot of things unsaid. The least I expect in a story about an assassin trying to off their target is the assassin's motives, or who's hired them. Here, nothing. It just ends.
"All That Glitters": Forgettable. The plot is OK, but there's are no surprised here, it's all lvery classic, quickly solved, and a bit boring.
"Off the Trail": This one had more of a creepy feeling, the "something's wrong but we don't know yet what" feeling. Still, the "enemy" was done with too quickly.
"Ghosts of New York": Interesting theme, boring execution.
"Taking the Plunge": A bit better. Not complicated, a simple enough plot to follow, but with more oompfh than the previous stories.
"Spectator Sport": I seriously didn't see the point. Tourism on battlefields in different eras is ethically bad. OK. I was more interested anyway in the crime story wrapped in it; however, the latter fizzled and petered out. (See above about this.)
"Base of Operations": Considering its theme, it would have deserved a more complex resolution: I thought of all the stories, this was the most promising, the one with the strongest premise. At the end the Doctor was more like himself, with his determined stance of defending Earth and making sure the enemy's aware of it.
Conclusion: 1.5 stars. I don't recommend it, it is of little interest.
This was advertised in the Comics category, so I thought it'd be a comics, but it's actually a collection of short stories. Ah, well.
Not sure what to think about it, really. I found it... just bland, to be honest. On the bright side, none of the stories come with glaring plot holes or annoying sidekicks, but on the other hand, none left me with a lasting impression either.
The main problems here for me are:
- The characterisation of the Doctor. The stories are supposed to feature Capaldi's Doctor; it could be just any generic Doctor, though, the way he acts and is described. I could find no defining feature (even the eyebrows seemed weak!).
- Most of the stories's endings are disappointing: too abrupt, or close to nonexistant. The fifth story, for instance, leaves a lot of things unsaid. The least I expect in a story about an assassin trying to off their target is the assassin's motives, or who's hired them. Here, nothing. It just ends.
"All That Glitters": Forgettable. The plot is OK, but there's are no surprised here, it's all lvery classic, quickly solved, and a bit boring.
"Off the Trail": This one had more of a creepy feeling, the "something's wrong but we don't know yet what" feeling. Still, the "enemy" was done with too quickly.
"Ghosts of New York": Interesting theme, boring execution.
"Taking the Plunge": A bit better. Not complicated, a simple enough plot to follow, but with more oompfh than the previous stories.
"Spectator Sport": I seriously didn't see the point. Tourism on battlefields in different eras is ethically bad. OK. I was more interested anyway in the crime story wrapped in it; however, the latter fizzled and petered out. (See above about this.)
"Base of Operations": Considering its theme, it would have deserved a more complex resolution: I thought of all the stories, this was the most promising, the one with the strongest premise. At the end the Doctor was more like himself, with his determined stance of defending Earth and making sure the enemy's aware of it.
Conclusion: 1.5 stars. I don't recommend it, it is of little interest.
February 26, 2018
When Doctor Who goes off the air I switch to the books to get my fix of my favourite Timelord. This is a tactic which has been working for me since 1989 and I hope it never ends. When the novelisations of the tv shows ended I was bereft, however, Virgin Books and then BBC started releasing original novels featuring various incarnations of the Doctor and since the early 1990’s there have been a steady stream of new tales to enjoy.
Through the years Justin Richards has been a regular contributor to those original Doctor Who novels and he has written some of my favourite Doctor Who books. This means that when settled down to read Doctor Who: The American Adventures (six tales all from Mr Richards) I knew that I had some treats ahead…I was not disappointed.
As the name suggests all the stories are based in America and the Doctor will find himself arriving at some familiar points in time. The Oregon Trail (opportunity missed for The Ogron Trail), the California Gold Rush and with New York and a Florida theme-park also featuring we get a feel for different parts of the diverse landscape offered in the US.
I don’t believe it is possible to read a short story collection without favouring some tales more than others and this was the case with DW:TAA. I enjoyed the New York ghost story and the amusement park in Florida was fun too. That said the collection holds together really well and Who fans will enjoy the chance to see the Doctor (avec Capaldi face) back in the thick of the action.
A bit of Doctor Who knowledge will serve you well – but this is much more commonly found in readers over the last 10 years than was the case in the 1990’s!
Justin Richards is always very readable and this was an enjoyable evening’s entertainment. There are too few Capaldi stories available for readers so while we wait for the latest incarnation to light up our screens I recommend Doctor Who: The American Adventures.
Through the years Justin Richards has been a regular contributor to those original Doctor Who novels and he has written some of my favourite Doctor Who books. This means that when settled down to read Doctor Who: The American Adventures (six tales all from Mr Richards) I knew that I had some treats ahead…I was not disappointed.
As the name suggests all the stories are based in America and the Doctor will find himself arriving at some familiar points in time. The Oregon Trail (opportunity missed for The Ogron Trail), the California Gold Rush and with New York and a Florida theme-park also featuring we get a feel for different parts of the diverse landscape offered in the US.
I don’t believe it is possible to read a short story collection without favouring some tales more than others and this was the case with DW:TAA. I enjoyed the New York ghost story and the amusement park in Florida was fun too. That said the collection holds together really well and Who fans will enjoy the chance to see the Doctor (avec Capaldi face) back in the thick of the action.
A bit of Doctor Who knowledge will serve you well – but this is much more commonly found in readers over the last 10 years than was the case in the 1990’s!
Justin Richards is always very readable and this was an enjoyable evening’s entertainment. There are too few Capaldi stories available for readers so while we wait for the latest incarnation to light up our screens I recommend Doctor Who: The American Adventures.
March 25, 2021
There's not much to recommend about this collection of short stories. Twelve does not sound like Twelve; in fact, the Doctor as written in these stories rarely sounds like any incarnation of the Doctor we've seen. He's too...nice. And while the Doctor can be nice and kind, they do not suffer fools gladly. This version of Twelve lacks everything I adore about that incarnation: the rudeness, the cleverness, the complete inability to understand the bulk of humanity. There's nothing *alien* about the Doctor as he's written in these.
In addition, the side characters for the short stories are flat. They don't question the Doctor's presence in any of the stories and they're really unnecessary in the narratives. They only exist to tell the Doctor what's going on and to be there for the Doctor to use his sonic screwdriver to rescue them. (That's a thing too. The sonic screwdriver is the only thing the Doctor uses in these stories. And while that is somewhat true to the visual canon in the Twelfth Doctor era, he did actually use other tools occasionally.)
The characters are boring. The plots are boring. The solutions to the barely existent problems are boring. Even American History seems boring. (Seriously, Richards placed one of the adventures in the middle of the Battle of New Orleans, but aside from using a cannon to blow up the antagonist -- of whom we're never given any reason why the antagonist is trying to kill the Throne King, by the way -- the setting is not used AT ALL. What a waste of an interesting and greatly under-talked about setting).
In addition, the side characters for the short stories are flat. They don't question the Doctor's presence in any of the stories and they're really unnecessary in the narratives. They only exist to tell the Doctor what's going on and to be there for the Doctor to use his sonic screwdriver to rescue them. (That's a thing too. The sonic screwdriver is the only thing the Doctor uses in these stories. And while that is somewhat true to the visual canon in the Twelfth Doctor era, he did actually use other tools occasionally.)
The characters are boring. The plots are boring. The solutions to the barely existent problems are boring. Even American History seems boring. (Seriously, Richards placed one of the adventures in the middle of the Battle of New Orleans, but aside from using a cannon to blow up the antagonist -- of whom we're never given any reason why the antagonist is trying to kill the Throne King, by the way -- the setting is not used AT ALL. What a waste of an interesting and greatly under-talked about setting).
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