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Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #30
Doctor Who: The Eyeless
At the heart of the ruined city of Arcopolis is the Fortress. It's a brutal structure placed here by one of the sides in a devastating intergalactic war that's long ended. Fifteen years ago, the entire population of the planet was killed in an instant by the weapon housed deep in the heart of the Fortress. Now only the ghosts remain.
The Doctor arrives, and determines to fight his way past the Fortress's automatic defences and put the weapon beyond use. But he soon discovers he's not the only person in Arcopolis. What is the true nature of the weapon? Is the planet really haunted? Who are the Eyeless? And what will happen if they get to the weapon before the Doctor?
The Doctor has a fight on his hands. And this time he's all on his own.
The Doctor arrives, and determines to fight his way past the Fortress's automatic defences and put the weapon beyond use. But he soon discovers he's not the only person in Arcopolis. What is the true nature of the weapon? Is the planet really haunted? Who are the Eyeless? And what will happen if they get to the weapon before the Doctor?
The Doctor has a fight on his hands. And this time he's all on his own.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published December 26, 2008
21 people are currently reading
2074 people want to read
About the author
Lance Parkin
84 books96 followersLance Parkin is an author who has written professional Doctor Who fiction since the 1990s. He is one of the few authors to write for both the 1963 and 2005 version of the programme — though much of his fiction has actually been based on the 1996 iteration. Indeed, he was notably the first author to write original prose for the Eighth Doctor in The Dying Days. He was also the author chosen to deliver the nominal 35th anniversary story, The Infinity Doctors, and the final volume in the Eighth Doctor Adventures range, The Gallifrey Chronicles. More recently, he has written for the Tenth Doctor in The Eyeless.
He is further notable for his work with Big Finish Productions, where he is arguably most known for writing the Sixth Doctor adventure, Davros.
Outside of Doctor Who, he has written things like Warlords of Utopia and (with Mark Jones) Dark Matter, a guide to the author Philip Pullman.
He is further notable for his work with Big Finish Productions, where he is arguably most known for writing the Sixth Doctor adventure, Davros.
Outside of Doctor Who, he has written things like Warlords of Utopia and (with Mark Jones) Dark Matter, a guide to the author Philip Pullman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
July 29, 2021
"Living in the shadows is better than dying in the light.
this was an absolutely fucking superlative read.
some reviewers have said parkin doesn't have a good grasp on the doctor's character; i disagree. this is the doctor post-donna, when he's gearing up for the deliciously dark Time Lord Victorious persona in The Waters of Mars - and it shows.
this is the doctor deeply grieving his companions, and as his penance, he's trying to save a world. but it doesn't go entirely to plan, of course.
we have some light, comedic and very doctor banter up until halfway, when a darker tone begins to predominate.
definitely one of my favourite doctor who books.
December 17, 2019
This is a book based on the television series. It has David Tennant as the Doctor and he is traveling alone. In this one, he travels to a planet where the human race has been destroyed by a massive building that appeared one day out of nowhere. In this building is a weapon that the Doctor means to destroy.
This book has a lot of positive reviews on this website but I just don't see it. This is probably the darkest Doctor Who book that I have read and maybe that is the reason for everyone enjoying it. But I also need a cohesive plot and good characterization also and I felt like that was lacking in this offering. The Doctor in this one is very morose as he is contemplating his losses during his long life. I did miss the plucky and positive Doctor so right away I wasn't into this book. I even had trouble with some of the new characters especially the main new one. I just don't understand her motivation when she made a decision and it seems like this decision was made just to drive the plot. Speaking of the plot the Fortress that landed on this planet was a miss for me too. I kept on wondering if this was used on the show or an earlier book and I did not remember it.
As you can tell nothing really worked for me in this book. I felt no connection to the characters or the plot. The concept was there but for whatever reason I just did not care for any of the proceedings that occurred in this book.
This book has a lot of positive reviews on this website but I just don't see it. This is probably the darkest Doctor Who book that I have read and maybe that is the reason for everyone enjoying it. But I also need a cohesive plot and good characterization also and I felt like that was lacking in this offering. The Doctor in this one is very morose as he is contemplating his losses during his long life. I did miss the plucky and positive Doctor so right away I wasn't into this book. I even had trouble with some of the new characters especially the main new one. I just don't understand her motivation when she made a decision and it seems like this decision was made just to drive the plot. Speaking of the plot the Fortress that landed on this planet was a miss for me too. I kept on wondering if this was used on the show or an earlier book and I did not remember it.
As you can tell nothing really worked for me in this book. I felt no connection to the characters or the plot. The concept was there but for whatever reason I just did not care for any of the proceedings that occurred in this book.
January 26, 2023
A slightly unfair 2 stars (2.5 is more accurate), it's a book that starts off okay, but slowly spirals into boring. Ten feels off brand throughout much of this, and the supporting one-off characters don't do anything remotely memorable or interesting. The 'monster of the week' isn't very strong either and suffers from being less interesting the more you get to know about them. A largely forgettable experience that doesn't showcase what Doctor Who has to offer.
August 16, 2022
The tenth doctor arrives on a planet whose population is nearly completely wiped out because of a super weapon. And the doctor’s there to destroy it.
Quite a dark but a bit boring Doctor Who story in a fascinating setting.
Quite a dark but a bit boring Doctor Who story in a fascinating setting.
August 10, 2016
It wasn't a bad story persay but I don't think this author has a very good grasp of the Doctor.
January 29, 2022
Rating: 3 stars
Ugh, I am getting really sluggish when it comes to Goodreads this year. Whatever - I read this book. It was Doctor Who so of course I read it. But even though it was DW, it referenced Star Trek! And The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! And more! (But don't quote me on that. I'm writing this four days after finishing this book, so my memory is hazy.) It made me needlessly excited to hear those mentioned.
I also liked that the book acknowledged the existence of the actual TV series (referencing the Time War, Rose etc.) because these novels tend to try and stand on their own apart from what is really the source material. Which I fully respect, it would be hard reading these books without the background knowledge of the show, but for someone like me who has devoted so many waking hours of my life to staring at a Doctor Who-coloured screen, it was almost like a justification that all that time was worth something (I'm going to get too philosophical if I expand more on this and probably lay my psyche bare for all to see, so I'm just going to stop here *nervous laughter*). Anyway, *more nervous laughter* The Eyeless did get a bit wonky in terms of story towards the end, but I think that is more of a result of the extremely strict page count the New Series Adventures are limited to (I just checked and all the NSA I have read are all within five pages of one another! Yikes! And that could just be due to differing editions! Talk about restrictive.) so I don't totally blame the author for this.
There. Review done. I am trying to record my thoughts for every book I read this year (and looking at my current reading rate, that won't be hard) but I am seriously considering whether that is a good idea when my "reviews" are of this meagre quality. Sigh.
Ugh, I am getting really sluggish when it comes to Goodreads this year. Whatever - I read this book. It was Doctor Who so of course I read it. But even though it was DW, it referenced Star Trek! And The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! And more! (But don't quote me on that. I'm writing this four days after finishing this book, so my memory is hazy.) It made me needlessly excited to hear those mentioned.
I also liked that the book acknowledged the existence of the actual TV series (referencing the Time War, Rose etc.) because these novels tend to try and stand on their own apart from what is really the source material. Which I fully respect, it would be hard reading these books without the background knowledge of the show, but for someone like me who has devoted so many waking hours of my life to staring at a Doctor Who-coloured screen, it was almost like a justification that all that time was worth something (I'm going to get too philosophical if I expand more on this and probably lay my psyche bare for all to see, so I'm just going to stop here *nervous laughter*). Anyway, *more nervous laughter* The Eyeless did get a bit wonky in terms of story towards the end, but I think that is more of a result of the extremely strict page count the New Series Adventures are limited to (I just checked and all the NSA I have read are all within five pages of one another! Yikes! And that could just be due to differing editions! Talk about restrictive.) so I don't totally blame the author for this.
There. Review done. I am trying to record my thoughts for every book I read this year (and looking at my current reading rate, that won't be hard) but I am seriously considering whether that is a good idea when my "reviews" are of this meagre quality. Sigh.
April 3, 2025
2025 52 Book Challenge - April Mini Challenge - 2) A Book That Makes You Roll Your Eyes
This is probably the worst so far of the solo 10th Doctor NSA novels. Most of them have been pretty decent, so I had hopes for this novel, and it started out well, but devolved pretty quickly into boring. You know a novel is not fantastic when you speed up the narration to keep your interest.
This is probably the worst so far of the solo 10th Doctor NSA novels. Most of them have been pretty decent, so I had hopes for this novel, and it started out well, but devolved pretty quickly into boring. You know a novel is not fantastic when you speed up the narration to keep your interest.
October 30, 2018
The return of Doctor Who to our screens in 2005 meant an end to fifteen years of ongoing literary adventures for the Time Lord. Though the novels spawned during that period were always technically "TV tie-in," they seemed to push the boundaries of the program. When the New Series Adventures started up, it seemed to very much be an end to an era. And yet, from time to time, writers from that period have returned to the Who literary fold. One such example is Lance Parkin and his 2008 Tenth Doctor adventure The Eyeless.
In many ways, The Eyeless feels like it could have been a TV story from this Doctor's era. The Doctor, traveling on his own arrives in the ruined city of Arcopolis. There both a group of survivors are scratching out an existence some fifteen years after the alien Fortress appeared and killed all other life on the planet. The Fortress has remained behind, a dangerous weapon, and one which the Doctor intends to disarm once and for all. That is if he can get inside and the arrival of the Eyeless doesn't stop him first.
The feeling oozing from Parkin's prose is one that brings to mind various episodes of the David Tennant era. There are strong echoes of Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead from Series 4 with its tale of a deserted planet and characters running around inside a vast, mysterious interior. The Eyeless, the titular villains, are also very much the sort of villains that the RTD era was fond of - disconcerting, strange, and without much given away about them. The supporting cast of characters is also neatly drawn in the Davies style, further adding to the flavor of the piece.
Nothing adds to that as much as Parkin's characterization of the Tenth Doctor. Traveling on his own (exactly when isn't clear) this isn't quite the happy-go-lucky Tenth Doctor. Oh, there are moments when he comes through. For the most part, however, the Tenth Doctor of The Eyeless is the darker, guilt-ridden one glimpsed throughout his era. There is a genuine sense of a man still trying to deal with the horrors of the past, made to confront them by what's happened here and the Fortress that looms over the landscape. Indeed, Parkin hints that it could well be a leftover weapon from the Time War which makes a particular moment where the Doctor confronts the "ghosts" of the city's inhabitants all the more powerful. If like me, you've craved a darker take on the Tenth Doctor, this is a must-read.
And yet, I can't quite bring myself to give this book a five-star rating. As odd as it might be to say, the book feels very contained compared to Parkin's earlier Who writing. After all, he gave an expansive Ice Warrior invasion of Britain in The Dying Days and wrote one of the greatest Gallifrey stories ever told in The Infinity Doctors. I've heard it said by those who read the Wilderness Era novels and came to the New Series books that literary Who lost its bite to an extent in the handover. In reading The Eyeless, I think there's some truth to that. But in reading reviews of the book, especially on Goodreads from those who have only read books from New Who, I also think it's easy to overstate that. The Eyeless is by far the darkest of the books I've encountered from the New Series Adventures, something that isn't a bad thing.
Though I have some reservations about it, The Eyeless stands for me as the best book I've yet read from the range. Indeed, while it isn't quite a return to form for Doctor Who on the page, it's a reminder of what they can do when given a chance to shine. For that, and its darker Tenth Doctor characterization, it's well worth seeking out.
In many ways, The Eyeless feels like it could have been a TV story from this Doctor's era. The Doctor, traveling on his own arrives in the ruined city of Arcopolis. There both a group of survivors are scratching out an existence some fifteen years after the alien Fortress appeared and killed all other life on the planet. The Fortress has remained behind, a dangerous weapon, and one which the Doctor intends to disarm once and for all. That is if he can get inside and the arrival of the Eyeless doesn't stop him first.
The feeling oozing from Parkin's prose is one that brings to mind various episodes of the David Tennant era. There are strong echoes of Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead from Series 4 with its tale of a deserted planet and characters running around inside a vast, mysterious interior. The Eyeless, the titular villains, are also very much the sort of villains that the RTD era was fond of - disconcerting, strange, and without much given away about them. The supporting cast of characters is also neatly drawn in the Davies style, further adding to the flavor of the piece.
Nothing adds to that as much as Parkin's characterization of the Tenth Doctor. Traveling on his own (exactly when isn't clear) this isn't quite the happy-go-lucky Tenth Doctor. Oh, there are moments when he comes through. For the most part, however, the Tenth Doctor of The Eyeless is the darker, guilt-ridden one glimpsed throughout his era. There is a genuine sense of a man still trying to deal with the horrors of the past, made to confront them by what's happened here and the Fortress that looms over the landscape. Indeed, Parkin hints that it could well be a leftover weapon from the Time War which makes a particular moment where the Doctor confronts the "ghosts" of the city's inhabitants all the more powerful. If like me, you've craved a darker take on the Tenth Doctor, this is a must-read.
And yet, I can't quite bring myself to give this book a five-star rating. As odd as it might be to say, the book feels very contained compared to Parkin's earlier Who writing. After all, he gave an expansive Ice Warrior invasion of Britain in The Dying Days and wrote one of the greatest Gallifrey stories ever told in The Infinity Doctors. I've heard it said by those who read the Wilderness Era novels and came to the New Series books that literary Who lost its bite to an extent in the handover. In reading The Eyeless, I think there's some truth to that. But in reading reviews of the book, especially on Goodreads from those who have only read books from New Who, I also think it's easy to overstate that. The Eyeless is by far the darkest of the books I've encountered from the New Series Adventures, something that isn't a bad thing.
Though I have some reservations about it, The Eyeless stands for me as the best book I've yet read from the range. Indeed, while it isn't quite a return to form for Doctor Who on the page, it's a reminder of what they can do when given a chance to shine. For that, and its darker Tenth Doctor characterization, it's well worth seeking out.
August 20, 2020
Rose? Sent to live in a parallel universe...Martha? needed to find a life of her own away from the man she would never have...Donna? Memories wiped to protect her and the entire universe.
And so, as he has so often in his over 900 years, the Doctor is once more on his own.
That being the case...what the heck...a visit to Galaxy 7 seems to be in order. A place that was new to him...and there aren't many of those. And what better than a a world whose civilization had risen to great heights and now, for whatever reason had simply, unexplainably, disappeared.
Well...maybe not completely...and maybe not as unexplainable as it seems if the 'ghosts' of the world are a clue to THAT mystery. And...the Doctor LOVES a mystery!!!
Soon, the truth reveals itself, and it's a truth that may mean the end of existence.
I'm not familiar with Lance Parkin's work in the Doctor Who Universe, but it looks as if Parkin is VERY familiar with the Doctor having written over 15 books and novels set in that world.
Parkin does do a very good job capturing the flavor of the TV series as this felt like a BBC production directly from the 80s. He opens up the heart of the Doctor and gives us a view into the loneliness that he feels during those times while traveling alone and an insight into some of why THIS Doctor is driven by his past. Speaking as a father of 5...he captures the emotional uproar that is the teen-aged counterpart to the Doctor's mission perfectly with the result being a story that is both frustrating and true to life (if a story set 292,000 light years away can be called that...lol). Much like raising a teen-ager!!!
Good solid Who story...
And so, as he has so often in his over 900 years, the Doctor is once more on his own.
That being the case...what the heck...a visit to Galaxy 7 seems to be in order. A place that was new to him...and there aren't many of those. And what better than a a world whose civilization had risen to great heights and now, for whatever reason had simply, unexplainably, disappeared.
Well...maybe not completely...and maybe not as unexplainable as it seems if the 'ghosts' of the world are a clue to THAT mystery. And...the Doctor LOVES a mystery!!!
Soon, the truth reveals itself, and it's a truth that may mean the end of existence.
I'm not familiar with Lance Parkin's work in the Doctor Who Universe, but it looks as if Parkin is VERY familiar with the Doctor having written over 15 books and novels set in that world.
Parkin does do a very good job capturing the flavor of the TV series as this felt like a BBC production directly from the 80s. He opens up the heart of the Doctor and gives us a view into the loneliness that he feels during those times while traveling alone and an insight into some of why THIS Doctor is driven by his past. Speaking as a father of 5...he captures the emotional uproar that is the teen-aged counterpart to the Doctor's mission perfectly with the result being a story that is both frustrating and true to life (if a story set 292,000 light years away can be called that...lol). Much like raising a teen-ager!!!
Good solid Who story...
February 14, 2021
I don’t know if I know what I just read. Was that supposed to be tennant?, no was that supposed to be The Doctor? What happened in this book is something I feel does not stand with the characteristics of the Doctor.
Don’t get me wrong, I know the weight the doctor carries, but he wouldn’t pity himself, he wouldn’t sulk like he does in this book.
He tried to reason that anything could be used for but he knows of Daleks and probably wouldn’t truly ever believe that.
He was far too willing to use the weapon on the eyeless despite not knowing if it would kill everyone who knew of him, like it was supposed to which would be infinitely more people then a normal person.
He was written as a dark unforgiving person who yelled at the ghosts, which I feel he would never do. The doctor would never have been as heartless as he is portrayed in this book.
Don’t get me wrong, I know the weight the doctor carries, but he wouldn’t pity himself, he wouldn’t sulk like he does in this book.
He tried to reason that anything could be used for but he knows of Daleks and probably wouldn’t truly ever believe that.
He was far too willing to use the weapon on the eyeless despite not knowing if it would kill everyone who knew of him, like it was supposed to which would be infinitely more people then a normal person.
He was written as a dark unforgiving person who yelled at the ghosts, which I feel he would never do. The doctor would never have been as heartless as he is portrayed in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2023
The Doctor is traveling alone. This happens after Rose. He ends up on a planet where everyone is assumed to be dead. But that is not the case and there's a deadly weapon on the planet that the doctor must destroy at any cost.
This book is fast paced and I read it in two sittings. It's definitely interesting with the doctor being the doctor. Although the starting is really slow and the Eyeless are not introduced at the beginning it gets interesting later which compensates for the boring start. Overall, it's a well written book and is a must read for all Whovian fans!
This book is fast paced and I read it in two sittings. It's definitely interesting with the doctor being the doctor. Although the starting is really slow and the Eyeless are not introduced at the beginning it gets interesting later which compensates for the boring start. Overall, it's a well written book and is a must read for all Whovian fans!
April 23, 2021
10 is something here. He seems more depressed than ever, even when he's joking everything he says seems heavy. Every step he takes seems hard. I attribute this great characterization to the author. The story itself was fantastic and exciting. Very happy with this story and a great addition to the few "New" Who I've read.
October 23, 2024
I was super bored throughout the entire story. It felt incomplete to me and the characters lacked depth, even the Doctor. He also lacked his particular personality that made him Ten. The conclusion was alright but I didn’t really care at that point either.
I’m not sure why it’s a two star but it feels right. I don’t think it warranted a one but it’s not a three either.
I’m not sure why it’s a two star but it feels right. I don’t think it warranted a one but it’s not a three either.
April 17, 2010
The Eyeless is the first Doctor Who novel I’ve read that features the Doctor in a solo capacity, sans any of his usually ever-present, beloved companions. This lack of a readily available sounding board for the Doctor really changes the tone and dynamic of the story, and it took me a bit longer than normal to really “get into” this novel. But the payoff was worth it. Since the Doctor is traveling alone, there’s no outlet for his manic energy to focus on, no one to listen to his rapid-fire dialogue and brilliant deductions. Parkin has crafted a darker, introspective tale that forces the Doctor to come to terms with not only his “single” state, if you will, but also the painful, buried memory of the fact that he is the last of his race. The tone and pace of The Eyeless is reminiscent of the excellent episode “Midnight” from series four – which, now that I think about it, served as a nice precursor to the direction the Doctor takes after that season finale. For the Doctor, losing friends, or having them simply move on, has reached a point where he *thinks* the pain is greater than the payoff. This book also recalls the later special The Waters of Mars, since both storylines deal with insular groups of people that come to be threatened by an apparently overwhelming and misunderstood outside force. How each group of people in these episodes and this novel deal with the threat presented to them provides a fascinating and chilling look at how tightly focused social dynamics play out under extreme, life-threatening pressure. Though this book had a bit of a slow start, Parkin’s done a solid job exploring the Doctor’s personality and letting the reader catch a glimpse of how his brilliant mind works. This is a worthwhile read for fans of David Tennant’s tenure as the Doctor.
August 14, 2009
Oh. My. GOD. THAT WAS INTENSE!!!1
*whew*
i finished reading it, not 30 seconds ago.
i know its doctor who, and it has some totally brilliant/shocking/hilarious bits thrown in, but they're brought down by whats going on, because it is a really heavy, and hard to deal with (putting the doctor, alone, on a "dead" planet, with a psychotic teenage girl, a powerful weapon that needs to be destroyed, and people made of glass is enough to make anyone feel down). any of those bits put in a more normal feeling area/setting/situ. would be totally "omgblwurmnd". example: 'the doctor can text?[mind blows here:] quick what's his number?!?! um, uh, . . . um, . . . . . 0 . . 7 . . . something, something . . . . 3 . . 4 . . 3 . . uh, . . crap!IN WHICH EPISODE DID THEY SHOW HIS NUMBER!?!?!?!'.
you get what i mean?
it's a really good book though, but the setting reminds me of The White Mountains . . . . . . .
p.s. they showed his number in season 4 episode 12, The Stolen Earth
*whew*
i finished reading it, not 30 seconds ago.
i know its doctor who, and it has some totally brilliant/shocking/hilarious bits thrown in, but they're brought down by whats going on, because it is a really heavy, and hard to deal with (putting the doctor, alone, on a "dead" planet, with a psychotic teenage girl, a powerful weapon that needs to be destroyed, and people made of glass is enough to make anyone feel down). any of those bits put in a more normal feeling area/setting/situ. would be totally "omgblwurmnd". example: 'the doctor can text?[mind blows here:] quick what's his number?!?! um, uh, . . . um, . . . . . 0 . . 7 . . . something, something . . . . 3 . . 4 . . 3 . . uh, . . crap!IN WHICH EPISODE DID THEY SHOW HIS NUMBER!?!?!?!'.
you get what i mean?
it's a really good book though, but the setting reminds me of The White Mountains . . . . . . .
p.s. they showed his number in season 4 episode 12, The Stolen Earth
November 12, 2018
Traveling alone The Doctor is drawn to the ruins an ancient weapon at the heart of a destroyed civilisation.
Its an interesting take of seeing The Doctor without a companion.
Its an interesting take of seeing The Doctor without a companion.
September 12, 2018
I kind of liked the whole "just because I'm the Doctor, doesn't mean I'm gonna change everything for the better"-premise which is quite different from your typical New Who story.
February 7, 2024
"Living in the shadows is better than dying in the light."
September 9, 2018
This Who novel takes place between The Runaway Bride and Smith and Jones in the series, with the Doctor on his own in the TARDIS. He arrives on a planet that has been devastated by the arrival of The Fortress, a black citadel that contains a weapon of vast potential. It's the Doctor's intention to make sure no one is able to seize the weapon and threaten the galaxy with it.
The Doctor's mission, however, is complicated when he finds survivors of the apocalypse that have managed to eke out a living without power or machines in the crumbling remains of the city. Further complicating his plans is the arrival of The Eyeless, an alien race of psychic scavengers that learns of the weapon and are determined to make it their own.
The is the first Doctor Who book I have read from this author and it's a fast moving tale and spot on, the dialogue from David Tennant's Doctor coming through the pages clearly. With no companion to share the story with, it's up to the supporting cast of the survivors to pick up the slack and they are well fleshed out. The character of 13 year old Alsa, a rebellious child on her way to becoming a woman, stands out as she becomes the thorn in the Doctor's side in his plans to infiltrate The Fortress and destroy the alien weapon.
Recommended for all Doctor Who fans in search of a great read!
The Doctor's mission, however, is complicated when he finds survivors of the apocalypse that have managed to eke out a living without power or machines in the crumbling remains of the city. Further complicating his plans is the arrival of The Eyeless, an alien race of psychic scavengers that learns of the weapon and are determined to make it their own.
The is the first Doctor Who book I have read from this author and it's a fast moving tale and spot on, the dialogue from David Tennant's Doctor coming through the pages clearly. With no companion to share the story with, it's up to the supporting cast of the survivors to pick up the slack and they are well fleshed out. The character of 13 year old Alsa, a rebellious child on her way to becoming a woman, stands out as she becomes the thorn in the Doctor's side in his plans to infiltrate The Fortress and destroy the alien weapon.
Recommended for all Doctor Who fans in search of a great read!
April 23, 2020
This book lacked the humour and soft, quiet, slow moments that Doctor Who had (back to the Tenth Doctor’s time). There were too many rivaling parties, to many fights, too much action, to actually keep up with it - and to stay interested. Action gets boring much more easily than most other plot types.
And ... The Doctor is okay with women being forced to breed? He’s okay with survival just for survival‘s sake, with nothing to make life worth living?
Not to mention that the physics in this book are just nonsensical. Suddenly there can be ghosts and they can kill, but they aren’t really ghosts and they don’t need a power source ... What the hell? Suspension of disbelief only works if you give us reason to think that something CAN be true, which means actual physical explanations (for dummies).
And then there’s character motivation. The ‚teenagers are unstable maniacs‘ trope is already boring (and insulting) in teen novels. Here having that as a plot device, without any real explanation? That was lazy storytelling. And still insulting to any teen, past and present.
And ... The Doctor is okay with women being forced to breed? He’s okay with survival just for survival‘s sake, with nothing to make life worth living?
Not to mention that the physics in this book are just nonsensical. Suddenly there can be ghosts and they can kill, but they aren’t really ghosts and they don’t need a power source ... What the hell? Suspension of disbelief only works if you give us reason to think that something CAN be true, which means actual physical explanations (for dummies).
And then there’s character motivation. The ‚teenagers are unstable maniacs‘ trope is already boring (and insulting) in teen novels. Here having that as a plot device, without any real explanation? That was lazy storytelling. And still insulting to any teen, past and present.
December 1, 2020
ローズと別れて1人で旅していた頃のドクターの話。
ドクターは銀河7に属するアーコポリスという星に、一瞬にしてありとあらゆる生命体の存在を消し去ってしまう究極の武器を破壊するために訪れていた。ところが、武器によってありとあらゆる生命体は滅び去ったはずのアーコポリスには僅かではあるが生存者がいた。そこでの女性の使命は子をたくさん産んで人口を増やすことで、もうすぐ子供を産まなくてはならない年齢に達するアリサは選択肢のない状況に激しい憤りを感じていた。
ドクターの目的が武器の目的であることを知ったアリサはそのエネルギーを使って滅びた街を甦らせることを思いつき、ドクターに提案する。だがドクターは受け入れず当初の目的通りに武器を破壊しりため、難攻不落の要塞へ単身乗り込んでいく。そこにアイレスという高文明のテレパス型のエイリアンがターディスに興味を持ってアーコポリスにやってくる。アリサの記憶を全て読み込んだアイレスは武器の存在を知り手にいれようとする。
最後のタイムロードであることのドクターの孤独に改めて胸が痛くなる物語。
タイムロードという途方もなく高度な知識と能力を持ち合わせているドクター。母星が消失していることから、良くも悪くもすべてが自己責任。自分が大嫌いな破壊者や殺戮者にうっかり成り果ててしまわないように自分を律することに細心の注意を払っていても状況によって果たして自分は正しい選択ができておるのかどうか、そもそも何にを基準として正しいと判断するのか。
時間戦争を終結させるためタイムロードとダーレク双方を絶滅させたはずが、当のダーレクが滅びていなかったことがドクターの憤りと憎しみをとんでもなく増幅させていて、究極の武器を破壊する目的に迷いはないはずなのに、心のどこかでその武器でダーレクを滅ぼすことを考えてしまっている。まるでダーレクだとドクターが苦悶するシーンは読んでいて本当に胸が痛かった。
自由になりたいがために武器を使用しようとしたアリサが、なんの規則も法律も目撃者も指導してくれる者も罰を下す者もいないなかで決断することの恐怖を思い知り、ドクターに武器を返すシーンで、最後のタイムロードであるためドクターはその恐怖に常に直面しているのだということに気がつかされる。
それでもドクターは希望を見出せる。そこがドクターが最強である一番の理由である気がする。
ドクターは銀河7に属するアーコポリスという星に、一瞬にしてありとあらゆる生命体の存在を消し去ってしまう究極の武器を破壊するために訪れていた。ところが、武器によってありとあらゆる生命体は滅び去ったはずのアーコポリスには僅かではあるが生存者がいた。そこでの女性の使命は子をたくさん産んで人口を増やすことで、もうすぐ子供を産まなくてはならない年齢に達するアリサは選択肢のない状況に激しい憤りを感じていた。
ドクターの目的が武器の目的であることを知ったアリサはそのエネルギーを使って滅びた街を甦らせることを思いつき、ドクターに提案する。だがドクターは受け入れず当初の目的通りに武器を破壊しりため、難攻不落の要塞へ単身乗り込んでいく。そこにアイレスという高文明のテレパス型のエイリアンがターディスに興味を持ってアーコポリスにやってくる。アリサの記憶を全て読み込んだアイレスは武器の存在を知り手にいれようとする。
最後のタイムロードであることのドクターの孤独に改めて胸が痛くなる物語。
タイムロードという途方もなく高度な知識と能力を持ち合わせているドクター。母星が消失していることから、良くも悪くもすべてが自己責任。自分が大嫌いな破壊者や殺戮者にうっかり成り果ててしまわないように自分を律することに細心の注意を払っていても状況によって果たして自分は正しい選択ができておるのかどうか、そもそも何にを基準として正しいと判断するのか。
時間戦争を終結させるためタイムロードとダーレク双方を絶滅させたはずが、当のダーレクが滅びていなかったことがドクターの憤りと憎しみをとんでもなく増幅させていて、究極の武器を破壊する目的に迷いはないはずなのに、心のどこかでその武器でダーレクを滅ぼすことを考えてしまっている。まるでダーレクだとドクターが苦悶するシーンは読んでいて本当に胸が痛かった。
自由になりたいがために武器を使用しようとしたアリサが、なんの規則も法律も目撃者も指導してくれる者も罰を下す者もいないなかで決断することの恐怖を思い知り、ドクターに武器を返すシーンで、最後のタイムロードであるためドクターはその恐怖に常に直面しているのだということに気がつかされる。
それでもドクターは希望を見出せる。そこがドクターが最強である一番の理由である気がする。
August 21, 2021
Lance Parkin wrote two of my favorite Doctor Who novels; The Dying days and the Infinity Doctors. When I saw he was the author of the Eyeless I was looking forward to another good book. Unfortunately, this book starts out too slow. The action doesn't really pick up until about 100 pages in.
Once it gets going there are a lot of twists and turns as the Doctor races the titular aliens the Eyeless to get through an alien fortress that's full of traps.
The Doctor uses his wits to turn the fortress against the Eyeless and some sonic screwdriver trickery to convince the Eyeless that they are fighting the Doctor; when they are actually fighting each other. It's a race to the ultimate weapon, but will the Doctor destroy it, or have to use it?
Once it gets going there are a lot of twists and turns as the Doctor races the titular aliens the Eyeless to get through an alien fortress that's full of traps.
The Doctor uses his wits to turn the fortress against the Eyeless and some sonic screwdriver trickery to convince the Eyeless that they are fighting the Doctor; when they are actually fighting each other. It's a race to the ultimate weapon, but will the Doctor destroy it, or have to use it?
January 1, 2018
Funny how prior to reading this novel I was aware that it had mentions of the Moment being involved in the story, yet while reading it... I totally forgot about it since the weapon was never referred to as such. But hey, considering this was written prior to Day of the Doctor... I guess the vagueness of it kinda pay off. There were some pretty interesting quotes from the novel so that made reading this being fun.
November 18, 2019
This is the first book that I have read in this series that is just the doctor by himself. I found myself missing a companion's take on the events in the story. Sarah Jane Smith, Martha, and Bill along with all the others are such a huge part of the show without them the story falls a little flat. Other then that it was a interesting storyline a bit confusing at times and I am not sure I totally like the ending but overall it was good.
December 30, 2021
this book isn't perfect, no, because the pacing is a little off. but the setting and characters and the general atmosphere surrounding this story is fabulous. the cover suggests a generic story but it never feels like that. it always feels like one of those reinventing stories you get in doctor who, where a tired format gets a burst of life because of one good script. I was so engaged with it despite the fact I had to spend the whole time with david tennant
March 5, 2023
i just love the doctor so much and i like the books because you get an insight to his thought process in a way that you can't while watching the series. i was interested in the story right from the first page until the last so that's a big positive to me. only thing about the fortress and the eyeless is that they get less interesting the more you find out about them lol i thought their backstory could've been better.
February 9, 2024
Good book. Alsa was a typical teenager but I think she went too far by allying herself with the Eyeless, thieves & killers, against the doctor, just to prove to everyone that she is an adult & should be treated as such. She FINALLY behaves like an adult when she gives the weapon back to the doctor when she realizing holding the fate of the universe in her hands does not make her an adult, only a spoilt brat who cannot think of the consequences of such a massive decision.
February 7, 2017
I honestly can't tell you a thing about the story -- I didn't follow it super well, to be honest -- but Russell Tovey was a fun narrator. He doesn't have, like, a spot-on impression of David Tennant's Doctor, but there are certain cadences that he nailed, and that was fun. (Also, I kept hearing "The Ireless" instead of "The Eyeless," but that's probably just me.)
August 8, 2022
The first half of the story is exhilarating, great characters and a great idea for a plot, L as nice uses the lack of a companion to drive the narrative.
The second half however becomes a little repetitive and the eyeless don't really work as monsters, they're confusing and hard to picture. Worth a read of your a big fan!
The second half however becomes a little repetitive and the eyeless don't really work as monsters, they're confusing and hard to picture. Worth a read of your a big fan!
April 14, 2018
loved the book, writing style and setting in the abandoned town. one star less because of the ending of the eyeless.
Spoiler:
Why didnt the doctor show them other emotions to show them that there is more than anger so that they can be saved? This is more the way of the war doctor than tenth.
Spoiler:
Why didnt the doctor show them other emotions to show them that there is more than anger so that they can be saved? This is more the way of the war doctor than tenth.
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