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Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #44
Doctor Who: The Way Through the Woods
'As long as people have lived here, they've gone out of their way to avoid the woods...'
Two teenage girls disappear into an ancient wood, a foreboding and malevolent presence both now and in the past. The modern motorway bends to avoid it, as did the old Roman road. In 1917 the Doctor and Amy are desperate to find out what's happened to Rory, who's vanished too.
But something is waiting for them in the woods. Something that's been there for thousands of years. Something that is now waking up.
A thrilling, all-new adventure featuring the Doctor, Amy and Rory, as played by Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill in the spectacular hit Doctor Who series from BBC Television.
Author Biography
Una McC ormack is the author of Doctor The King's Dragon , featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory. She lives in C ambridge, where she reads, writes and teaches. She and her partner have no cats and many Daleks.
Two teenage girls disappear into an ancient wood, a foreboding and malevolent presence both now and in the past. The modern motorway bends to avoid it, as did the old Roman road. In 1917 the Doctor and Amy are desperate to find out what's happened to Rory, who's vanished too.
But something is waiting for them in the woods. Something that's been there for thousands of years. Something that is now waking up.
A thrilling, all-new adventure featuring the Doctor, Amy and Rory, as played by Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill in the spectacular hit Doctor Who series from BBC Television.
Author Biography
Una McC ormack is the author of Doctor The King's Dragon , featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory. She lives in C ambridge, where she reads, writes and teaches. She and her partner have no cats and many Daleks.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
23 people are currently reading
1571 people want to read
About the author
Una McCormack
103 books358 followersUna McCormack is a British writer and the author of several Star Trek novels and stories.
Ms. McCormack is a New York Times bestselling author. She has written four Doctor Who novels: The King's Dragon and The Way through the Woods (featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory); Royal Blood (featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Clara), and Molten Heart (featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham). She is also the author of numerous audio dramas for Big Finish Productions.
Ms. McCormack is a New York Times bestselling author. She has written four Doctor Who novels: The King's Dragon and The Way through the Woods (featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory); Royal Blood (featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Clara), and Molten Heart (featuring the Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Graham). She is also the author of numerous audio dramas for Big Finish Productions.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
June 21, 2019
Telling an urban legend over two time periods is such a cool concept.
Seeing how people’s lives have changed over 100 years, whilst the sinister Swallow Woods continues to pose a threat to those that believed that people disappear almost every 50 years is a great hook.
With Rory stuck in 1917, whilst The Doctor and Amy try to find the root of the mystery allows the former to shine.
I really liked the sections with Rory, with the backdrop of ‘The Great War’ and attitudes of the time being the most interesting aspects.
Especially as Rory is old enough to have fought in the war.
There’s some really nice scenes involving him and Emily Bostock (who he befriends knowing she disappeared in 1917).
Whilst in the present day Vicky Caine decides to chance walking through the woods after both her watch had stopped (owing to her missing the bus) and no phone signal.
It’s a little plot convenience, I’m starting to wonder if these legends will soon be a thing of the past in this technological world...
Most importantly for a tie in novel, it’s the characterisation of the series regulars that is perfectly captured.
The story is simple enough, it’s the jumping between the two time periods that really makes this an enjoyable quick read.
Seeing how people’s lives have changed over 100 years, whilst the sinister Swallow Woods continues to pose a threat to those that believed that people disappear almost every 50 years is a great hook.
With Rory stuck in 1917, whilst The Doctor and Amy try to find the root of the mystery allows the former to shine.
I really liked the sections with Rory, with the backdrop of ‘The Great War’ and attitudes of the time being the most interesting aspects.
Especially as Rory is old enough to have fought in the war.
There’s some really nice scenes involving him and Emily Bostock (who he befriends knowing she disappeared in 1917).
Whilst in the present day Vicky Caine decides to chance walking through the woods after both her watch had stopped (owing to her missing the bus) and no phone signal.
It’s a little plot convenience, I’m starting to wonder if these legends will soon be a thing of the past in this technological world...
Most importantly for a tie in novel, it’s the characterisation of the series regulars that is perfectly captured.
The story is simple enough, it’s the jumping between the two time periods that really makes this an enjoyable quick read.
July 30, 2022
A book that is based on the television series. In this one there are woods in a small town that people avoid. But every so often someone ventures in there to be never seen again. The Eleventh Doctor along with Rory and Amy investigate.
I had to go right in the middle with my rating because my enjoyment is actually an average of two different ratings. The first half I loved. It was a fairy tale genre that harkened back to the evil woods. The atmosphere was spooky. Also, the author decided to split our team up which worked so well as we covered different time periods. And speaking of our characters the author nailed them. They were spot on and I had no problem visualizing each actor in their respective role. The second half lost me. We switched to science fiction which is what this universe is based on. I had no problem with the switch as that is what I expect when I enter this universe. The problem was that this seemed rushed and all the aspects lost their impact. I thought some aspects came out of left field and they did not land for me.
After completing this book I feel a little unsatisfied even though I gave it a three star rating. The reason is the first half was so good with the atmosphere, the setting, and putting these characters in a fairy tale realm. Unfortunately the second half did not keep up the momentum and for me it finished with a little bit of a thud instead of a splash.
I had to go right in the middle with my rating because my enjoyment is actually an average of two different ratings. The first half I loved. It was a fairy tale genre that harkened back to the evil woods. The atmosphere was spooky. Also, the author decided to split our team up which worked so well as we covered different time periods. And speaking of our characters the author nailed them. They were spot on and I had no problem visualizing each actor in their respective role. The second half lost me. We switched to science fiction which is what this universe is based on. I had no problem with the switch as that is what I expect when I enter this universe. The problem was that this seemed rushed and all the aspects lost their impact. I thought some aspects came out of left field and they did not land for me.
After completing this book I feel a little unsatisfied even though I gave it a three star rating. The reason is the first half was so good with the atmosphere, the setting, and putting these characters in a fairy tale realm. Unfortunately the second half did not keep up the momentum and for me it finished with a little bit of a thud instead of a splash.
August 21, 2017
This Doctor Who tie-in novel, set during the sixth series, was a great way to kick off the readathon. It's a fun and fast-paced, creepy and mysterious, and the author does an excellent job of bringing the Doctor, Amy, and Rory to life. Definitely felt like I was watching an episode - I wouldn't say no if this were adapted to the screen either. Amy and Rory are one of my favorite fictional tv couples, and although they are apart for a good deal of this story they are spot on, especially good as Rory is remembering his two thousand year wait for Amy. If you're a fan of Doctor Who, you'll definitely want to give The Way Through The Woods by Una McCormack a try.
April 5, 2021
OK, I'm a Doctor Who fan and have been one since I first saw a DW episode on TV in England back in 1978 during the Tom Baker years. However, having said that, I must confess I have not been keeping up with the series, starting with the Capaldi Doctor. However, I still enjoy reading the novels based on the Doctor, such as this one, published in 2011 and featuring the Matt Smith Doctor and his two Companions, Amy and Rory. This seems to be one of the better ones that I've read recently, mainly due to the situation the Doctor has gotten himself into. You see, on Planet Earth, on the island of Britain, there's an ancient wood that the local villagers have avoided--for centuries. And every so often, people disappear into it. Enter the Doctor and his Companions to investigate the mystery. AND when Rory disappears into the wood (in the year 1917), the Doctor knows he needs to solve the mystery. It's a good, fast read and that ancient English wood is a scary place!
July 21, 2011
If you judge by the spin-off novels, Rory Williams seems to be a more popular character these days than either Amy Pond or the program's namesake. The latter two are fairly well characterized in "The Way Through The Woods" (except for a couple jarring and completely out-of-character pop culture references about role-playing games and the like), but Rory's clueless everyman is so easy to imitate (and offers such a better vantage than does The Doctor or a TARDIS-savvy Amy), authors apparently all want to have a go with him. You also notice pretty soon that however well written, The Doctor as a character is hardly present here. What keeps the novel afloat then is it's use of the conventions of time-travel: jumping into segments of a non-sequential story midstream, keeping the reader just out of pace with events, etc. Despite the nitpicking, this was a simply plotted but well told tale that you could imagine working as a show, and it's better than many of the episodes from the early days (faint praise here!). If you're a fan, it's worth the cost of admission.
November 13, 2023
"Between the housing estate and the motorway lies an ancient wood."
11th Doctor, Amy and Rory
Over the centuries, people have been going missing ever 50 years. The people who have been going missing have had a connection to Swallow Woods. I really enjoyed the story, the trio had been characterized well as they felt like there on screen selves. It was also well paced as I flew through the book.
"Whatever has been happening here for such a long time, I can end it. No more disappearances, no more secrets and fears and half-truths and confusion. I can end it all tonight."
11th Doctor, Amy and Rory
Over the centuries, people have been going missing ever 50 years. The people who have been going missing have had a connection to Swallow Woods. I really enjoyed the story, the trio had been characterized well as they felt like there on screen selves. It was also well paced as I flew through the book.
"Whatever has been happening here for such a long time, I can end it. No more disappearances, no more secrets and fears and half-truths and confusion. I can end it all tonight."
September 13, 2015
Delightful. Captured the show's characters perfectly. Great pacing. It felt like I was watching the show. I'm so glad to find these! I hope they're all written as well as Ms. McCormack. Don't bother with reviews stuck on the difficulties with the time travel bits. No story about time travel is ever tidy. Just go with it and you will enjoy yourself.
July 4, 2011
It's "Doctor Who" comfort food -- the plot is pretty standard haunted/creepy woods, with a bit of a twist. It's not a patch on the other two McCormack novels I've read, but it continues her great success with capturing the voices of the regular cast. A very pleasant distraction.
May 12, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, captured the feel of the series and characters very well. Some of the supporting characters could have benefited from a bit more page time to flesh them out.
August 17, 2024
(4,5/5)
Une lecture rapide mais que j'ai vraiment adoré !
J'ai retrouvé l'univers de la série et c'est aussi un plaisir de suivre le Onzième Docteur accompagné d'Amy et Rory. L'ambiance de la série est respectée, pareil pour les caractères des personnages. Mais aussi les mimiques des acteurs car l'autrice en a pris en compte!
C'est aussi une aventure inédite qui ne fait pas partie de la série. Ça permet de découvrir de nouveaux personnages et de nouveaux extraterrestres (c'est Doctor Who tout de même !).
J'ai beaucoup aimé l'idée d'alterner les chapitres suivant l'époque de l'intrigue : 1917 ou "l'époque actuelle" (le livre date de 2012 donc je pense que ça doit se passer cette année-là). Sauf qu'à un moment, tout se mélange et même si au début ça reste indiqué, au bout d'un moment ça ne l'est plus. Et ça m'a un peu perdue au début, mais j'ai réussi à m'y habituer.
L'autrice nous offre aussi les points de vue des trois personnages. Comme ils sont séparés, ça permet d'avoir un visuel de ce qu'ils vivent. J'ai aussi trouvé qu'il y avait une différence au niveau des descriptions quand il s'agit de Rory et d'Amy. Comme si Amy détaillait plus son environnement. C'était peut-être pas voulu, mais j'ai trouvé que ça rajoutait un petit plus.
J'ai beaucoup aimé cette intrigue. Un bois mystérieux dont tous les habitants du village à côté ont peur. Des gens qui disparaissent dans ce bois. Mais personne ne veut s'y approcher pour savoir ce qu'il s'est passé.
J'ai beaucoup aimé le fait que l'intrigue soit divisée en deux: savoir ce qui se cache dans les bois et le sauvetage des disparus. En sachant que d'autres détails nous sont donnés pendant le sauvetage !
C'était vraiment une très bonne lecture. La plume était fluide, je ne voyais pas les pages passées.
Petit point négatif : il faut connaître la série et l'univers pour apprécier ce livre. Sinon vous risquez d'être perdu quand on aborde le sujet du TARDIS ou du tournevis sonique 😉
Une lecture rapide mais que j'ai vraiment adoré !
J'ai retrouvé l'univers de la série et c'est aussi un plaisir de suivre le Onzième Docteur accompagné d'Amy et Rory. L'ambiance de la série est respectée, pareil pour les caractères des personnages. Mais aussi les mimiques des acteurs car l'autrice en a pris en compte!
C'est aussi une aventure inédite qui ne fait pas partie de la série. Ça permet de découvrir de nouveaux personnages et de nouveaux extraterrestres (c'est Doctor Who tout de même !).
J'ai beaucoup aimé l'idée d'alterner les chapitres suivant l'époque de l'intrigue : 1917 ou "l'époque actuelle" (le livre date de 2012 donc je pense que ça doit se passer cette année-là). Sauf qu'à un moment, tout se mélange et même si au début ça reste indiqué, au bout d'un moment ça ne l'est plus. Et ça m'a un peu perdue au début, mais j'ai réussi à m'y habituer.
L'autrice nous offre aussi les points de vue des trois personnages. Comme ils sont séparés, ça permet d'avoir un visuel de ce qu'ils vivent. J'ai aussi trouvé qu'il y avait une différence au niveau des descriptions quand il s'agit de Rory et d'Amy. Comme si Amy détaillait plus son environnement. C'était peut-être pas voulu, mais j'ai trouvé que ça rajoutait un petit plus.
J'ai beaucoup aimé cette intrigue. Un bois mystérieux dont tous les habitants du village à côté ont peur. Des gens qui disparaissent dans ce bois. Mais personne ne veut s'y approcher pour savoir ce qu'il s'est passé.
J'ai beaucoup aimé le fait que l'intrigue soit divisée en deux: savoir ce qui se cache dans les bois et le sauvetage des disparus. En sachant que d'autres détails nous sont donnés pendant le sauvetage !
C'était vraiment une très bonne lecture. La plume était fluide, je ne voyais pas les pages passées.
Petit point négatif : il faut connaître la série et l'univers pour apprécier ce livre. Sinon vous risquez d'être perdu quand on aborde le sujet du TARDIS ou du tournevis sonique 😉
March 27, 2017
Originally posted on: The Quirky Book Nerd
I have been a Doctor Who fan for a long time now, but I have only discovered this series of novels that connect to the show within the last year or two. Suffice it to say, finding them made me quite excited, particularly because it was during a hiatus between seasons. A few of these stories come out along with each new season and star the current Doctor and companion at that time. Now that I have read through quite a few of these novels, I will say that they definitely tend to be quite hit or miss, most likely due to the multiplicity of authors writing them. However, I am very pleased to say that this one fell into the “hit” category.
Though the Tenth Doctor is my favorite from the television series itself, the Eleventh Doctor novels tend to be my favorites, and this one was no exception. The Way Through the Woods was an incredibly fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I sped right through it; it is definitely one of my favorite Doctor Who books I have read so far. This is one of the few instances where, as a reader, you truly want a novel to be reminiscent of another work. Since it is based off an already established collection of characters and stories, you do not want it straying too far from what you know and love. I felt that the plot itself was very characteristic of Doctor Who with just enough of the author’s personal touch to make it very satisfying.
I am always a bit wary when the authors of these stories split up the Doctor and his companion(s); this is something that is extremely easy to execute poorly. Not having a good balance between each character’s storyline and the contribution they make to the overall plot can completely ruin a novel. For the most part, I felt that McCormack did a fairly decent job of balancing each character’s time in the limelight, though I do wish that the Doctor himself had played a slightly bigger role.
I liked the intrigue of the plot; it kept me guessing and wanting to know more. There was a very mysterious and sometimes eerie tone and atmosphere in the story that I found to be quite good. The fact that this took place in multiple time periods while retaining a closely connected set of characters was another interesting aspect of this story and added to the overall mystery. I also really enjoyed McCormack’s writing style and the imagery that she produced. I had a very clear picture of all the locations visited by the Doctor, Amy, and Rory, particularly the woods and the location that Amy ends up in near the end.
The author did an excellent job of capturing the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory individually as well as the interplay between the threesome. McCormack also created a great supporting cast of characters to complement them, and her portrayals of their interactions with the main three were done very well. Of course, one of the most important parts of any Doctor Who story is the alien or aliens causing havoc, and in this novel, I personally thought that the alien was fantastic.
This book was very well crafted, with solid writing and a concept that was very imaginative and creative. Apart from a few instances of awkward dialogue and interaction and an ending that didn’t particularly blow me away, it had a very strong plot. I would have absolutely loved to see this as an actual episode of the show.
I must say, I do tend to rate and review the books in this series on a much different scale than I would with other books, primarily because I do not expect quite as much from them. While these novels are not the greatest works of literature, they are extraordinarily fun to read, and I would highly recommend giving them a try if you are a Doctor Who fan.
I have been a Doctor Who fan for a long time now, but I have only discovered this series of novels that connect to the show within the last year or two. Suffice it to say, finding them made me quite excited, particularly because it was during a hiatus between seasons. A few of these stories come out along with each new season and star the current Doctor and companion at that time. Now that I have read through quite a few of these novels, I will say that they definitely tend to be quite hit or miss, most likely due to the multiplicity of authors writing them. However, I am very pleased to say that this one fell into the “hit” category.
Though the Tenth Doctor is my favorite from the television series itself, the Eleventh Doctor novels tend to be my favorites, and this one was no exception. The Way Through the Woods was an incredibly fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I sped right through it; it is definitely one of my favorite Doctor Who books I have read so far. This is one of the few instances where, as a reader, you truly want a novel to be reminiscent of another work. Since it is based off an already established collection of characters and stories, you do not want it straying too far from what you know and love. I felt that the plot itself was very characteristic of Doctor Who with just enough of the author’s personal touch to make it very satisfying.
I am always a bit wary when the authors of these stories split up the Doctor and his companion(s); this is something that is extremely easy to execute poorly. Not having a good balance between each character’s storyline and the contribution they make to the overall plot can completely ruin a novel. For the most part, I felt that McCormack did a fairly decent job of balancing each character’s time in the limelight, though I do wish that the Doctor himself had played a slightly bigger role.
I liked the intrigue of the plot; it kept me guessing and wanting to know more. There was a very mysterious and sometimes eerie tone and atmosphere in the story that I found to be quite good. The fact that this took place in multiple time periods while retaining a closely connected set of characters was another interesting aspect of this story and added to the overall mystery. I also really enjoyed McCormack’s writing style and the imagery that she produced. I had a very clear picture of all the locations visited by the Doctor, Amy, and Rory, particularly the woods and the location that Amy ends up in near the end.
The author did an excellent job of capturing the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory individually as well as the interplay between the threesome. McCormack also created a great supporting cast of characters to complement them, and her portrayals of their interactions with the main three were done very well. Of course, one of the most important parts of any Doctor Who story is the alien or aliens causing havoc, and in this novel, I personally thought that the alien was fantastic.
This book was very well crafted, with solid writing and a concept that was very imaginative and creative. Apart from a few instances of awkward dialogue and interaction and an ending that didn’t particularly blow me away, it had a very strong plot. I would have absolutely loved to see this as an actual episode of the show.
I must say, I do tend to rate and review the books in this series on a much different scale than I would with other books, primarily because I do not expect quite as much from them. While these novels are not the greatest works of literature, they are extraordinarily fun to read, and I would highly recommend giving them a try if you are a Doctor Who fan.
May 15, 2019
Very good Eleventh Doctor adventure dealing with a section of woods in a small town in England (of course) in which people have been vanishing for centuries. The Doctor sends Amy and Rory off to different time periods, Rory to 1917 and Amy to present day to locate people who are going to vanish and stay with them as they disappear to get to the bottom of the mystery. One complication, though: the Doctor is then arrested as a suspect when the latest victim, a local girl, goes missing in her way home from a babysitting job.
The story unfolds in fine fashion, slowly revealing the source of the disappearances as the Doctor tries to get out of being detained to rescue his companions in time before a cataclysm engulfs the entire town. The Doctor and his companions, especially Amy (I might be a little prejudiced because Amy is at the top of my list for favorite companions), have dialogue that would be natural for them for an episode of the series. One example, Amy smacking the Doctor on the arm, while stating "What took you so long?!?"
If you are looking for a quick read and a visit back with The Doctor, Amy and Rory, this novel is heartily recommended.
The story unfolds in fine fashion, slowly revealing the source of the disappearances as the Doctor tries to get out of being detained to rescue his companions in time before a cataclysm engulfs the entire town. The Doctor and his companions, especially Amy (I might be a little prejudiced because Amy is at the top of my list for favorite companions), have dialogue that would be natural for them for an episode of the series. One example, Amy smacking the Doctor on the arm, while stating "What took you so long?!?"
If you are looking for a quick read and a visit back with The Doctor, Amy and Rory, this novel is heartily recommended.
November 5, 2014
Fans of the show know that time can be rewritten. Now if only endings could also be.
Put simply, this was just not good enough to be a Doctor Who story. The title character is barely in this, and when he is, he's hardly a part of the narrative at all. Amy and Rory independently solve basically everything, and the part that the Doctor does play is just to tie things up at the end. He's a tertiary character at best.
My biggest gripe though is the resolution. Yes, the show has established that time can be rewritten, but the resolution rewrites time such that it creates paradoxes within the narrative of the story itself. Which the show would never do. Ahem, Ruby Porter, for example.
If the BBC are looking for other low quality Doctor Who stories that don't represent the characters or follow the rules as laid down by canon, I'd be happy to write for them. I could hardly do worse.
Put simply, this was just not good enough to be a Doctor Who story. The title character is barely in this, and when he is, he's hardly a part of the narrative at all. Amy and Rory independently solve basically everything, and the part that the Doctor does play is just to tie things up at the end. He's a tertiary character at best.
My biggest gripe though is the resolution. Yes, the show has established that time can be rewritten, but the resolution rewrites time such that it creates paradoxes within the narrative of the story itself. Which the show would never do. Ahem, Ruby Porter, for example.
If the BBC are looking for other low quality Doctor Who stories that don't represent the characters or follow the rules as laid down by canon, I'd be happy to write for them. I could hardly do worse.
February 9, 2024
A thrilling mysterious adventure that captures the style of the TV series perfectly.
My first ever 11th Doctor novel and I am entranced. This was absolutely golden and a thrilling read. It brought me deep nostalgia and joy. The story was the right pace and it was well built up throughout. Every page had me on the edge of my seat and excited to read about how it would end. I love when Doctor Who has mysteries and the mystery of Swallow Woods was indeed a mystery well payed off. Huge props to Una McCormack.
I generally have no negatives for this story at all. I thought the pacing was good, the mystery was satisfying and that it felt like an episode of the show but un prose form. The only thing that slightly bugged me was some of the side characters. I thought that they all very underdeveloped and didn't get as much time to shine as they deserved too. That can work in the tv show but in a novel the supporting cast is essential. Without any spoilers I also didn't like one of the side characters relationship with Rory it just felt completely unesssacary and random. Although it bothered me it didn't bring down my enjoyment for this story. Also not the authors fault but this story does not involve a wolf, its not what you think and as a result the cover is a bit misleading.
There are many reasons why I enjoyed this story but to save the length of this review I'm just gonna stick to three.
First I have to praise that Characterisation of Amy, Rory and The Doctor like I said it felt like stepping back into the error. Every character and their actions were spot on and McCormack treated them with deep respect. I at first was a little annoyed the story was mostly Doctor light but then realised it gave Amy and Rory unique character development I loved. As a result of the Doctor being in jail Rory and Amy get to essentially take on the role of The Doctor with their own companions and as a result it creates fun subplots. They have to be in the Doctor's place in order to solve the mystery. Fans of Amy and Rory will especially delight at this story.
Secondly the pacing. A good mystery needs to built up well whilst also coming to a satisfying conclusion. Some how despite being under the length of an average mystery novel it manages to do just exactly that. From start to finish the pacing works where the mystery is built up, half way through we get the answers and then the conclusion happens and wraps every single thread. We follow Rory with Emily, Amy With Jess, The Doctor in police custody and yet not one scene feels like it slows down the novel or feels unesssacary. Fitting the pacing of the story like a Doctor Who episode really payed to its strength.
Finally the mystery. This story is built on the mystery of Swallow Woods and it is a story built up very well. The twists were not one I expected and it allowed for the story to feel fresh and unique. When Doctor Who does new mysterys it's an absolute treat. I'll have to do a second read to confirm this but there was definitely a lot of foreshadowing about what's really happening and it's all done in a fantastical but perfect Doctor Who way. The mystery also solves itself in a way that reminds me of the 11th Doctors era as a whole. This story feels like a missing episode. The best part of the mystery of this story is that whilst it leaves you open to making your own stories, it isn't too predictable and makes complete sense. It also doesn't feel too bizarre once you realise what's going on.
I'm not going to spoil it but your in for an absolute treat. This is overall an absolutely fantastic adventure with mystery, intrigue, good characterisation and character development as well as strong relatable themes. Its everything you could want from a story with the 11 and Ponds Tardis Team. I can proudly say its another Doctor Who story I will store deeply in my heart.
My first ever 11th Doctor novel and I am entranced. This was absolutely golden and a thrilling read. It brought me deep nostalgia and joy. The story was the right pace and it was well built up throughout. Every page had me on the edge of my seat and excited to read about how it would end. I love when Doctor Who has mysteries and the mystery of Swallow Woods was indeed a mystery well payed off. Huge props to Una McCormack.
I generally have no negatives for this story at all. I thought the pacing was good, the mystery was satisfying and that it felt like an episode of the show but un prose form. The only thing that slightly bugged me was some of the side characters. I thought that they all very underdeveloped and didn't get as much time to shine as they deserved too. That can work in the tv show but in a novel the supporting cast is essential. Without any spoilers I also didn't like one of the side characters relationship with Rory it just felt completely unesssacary and random. Although it bothered me it didn't bring down my enjoyment for this story. Also not the authors fault but this story does not involve a wolf, its not what you think and as a result the cover is a bit misleading.
There are many reasons why I enjoyed this story but to save the length of this review I'm just gonna stick to three.
First I have to praise that Characterisation of Amy, Rory and The Doctor like I said it felt like stepping back into the error. Every character and their actions were spot on and McCormack treated them with deep respect. I at first was a little annoyed the story was mostly Doctor light but then realised it gave Amy and Rory unique character development I loved. As a result of the Doctor being in jail Rory and Amy get to essentially take on the role of The Doctor with their own companions and as a result it creates fun subplots. They have to be in the Doctor's place in order to solve the mystery. Fans of Amy and Rory will especially delight at this story.
Secondly the pacing. A good mystery needs to built up well whilst also coming to a satisfying conclusion. Some how despite being under the length of an average mystery novel it manages to do just exactly that. From start to finish the pacing works where the mystery is built up, half way through we get the answers and then the conclusion happens and wraps every single thread. We follow Rory with Emily, Amy With Jess, The Doctor in police custody and yet not one scene feels like it slows down the novel or feels unesssacary. Fitting the pacing of the story like a Doctor Who episode really payed to its strength.
Finally the mystery. This story is built on the mystery of Swallow Woods and it is a story built up very well. The twists were not one I expected and it allowed for the story to feel fresh and unique. When Doctor Who does new mysterys it's an absolute treat. I'll have to do a second read to confirm this but there was definitely a lot of foreshadowing about what's really happening and it's all done in a fantastical but perfect Doctor Who way. The mystery also solves itself in a way that reminds me of the 11th Doctors era as a whole. This story feels like a missing episode. The best part of the mystery of this story is that whilst it leaves you open to making your own stories, it isn't too predictable and makes complete sense. It also doesn't feel too bizarre once you realise what's going on.
I'm not going to spoil it but your in for an absolute treat. This is overall an absolutely fantastic adventure with mystery, intrigue, good characterisation and character development as well as strong relatable themes. Its everything you could want from a story with the 11 and Ponds Tardis Team. I can proudly say its another Doctor Who story I will store deeply in my heart.
March 1, 2023
I'm no stranger to Una McCormack's contribution to the written world of Doctor Who, having read her entry in the Time Lord Victorious series only last year. Una has a clear history when it comes to writing for the franchise ever since Matt Smith stepped in as the 11th Doctor. One of her very first written stories for the 11th Doctor is what I just finished reading and I must admit I do find Una's style of storytelling intriguing to say the least.
Titled The Way Through the Woods, the narrative of this story follows the Doctor, Amy and Rory as they investigate a number of strange disappearances throughout several different time periods. The link between all of these mysterious events is their vicinity to Swallow Woods in a small town called Foxton. For as long as the woods have existed, the residents of Foxton have known to avoid the woodland out of an unexplainable fear. Devising a plan to uncover the secret behind the woods and the disappearances, the Doctor, Amy and Rory each split off to trail the people who are on record to have gone missing in the woods at some point or another. As they each venture deeper into the terrain themselves they soon learn that their is a clear reason those who venture into the woods never seem to return and time is against them as they seek to set things straight before they become the woods latest victims.
The format in which this narrative is told is quite interesting in my opinion. I like that Una utilizes a number of different perspectives throughout the story to help the reader get a more varied perspective on the situation all of these characters are in. It's also a an inspired choice to put the Doctor our of commission for a good proportion of the narrative as it helps the stakes of the plot build up when they are not there to fix everything in an immediate sense. I also enjoyed how McCormack gives each of the TARDIS crew someone to pair up with as they progress through the story, it helps give their contribution to the plot some engaging weight as well as give us more insight into the story's original characters too. The mystery behind the woods itself is captivating too, especially once it's made clear what the link between the disappearances truly turns out to be.
Pacing is an element where I feel the story is let down a slight bit. In order to set up this mystery, McCormack spends a lot of time within the first half of the story having these characters not really do much. I appreciate it's all about exploring these people as individuals and their place in the town but it does drag notably and ends up hindering the pacing of the narrative somewhat. Tone wise I do feel the story does a good job in dealing with the serious nature of human disappearances while also injecting it with the high-energy that 11 and the Ponds tend to bring to their adventures. It's clear McCormack read and understood the assignment when it comes to creating a very typical 11th Doctor adventure.
All in all this was another fun read in my current run through some of the 11th Doctor's written adventures. Una McCormack is a great writer on a lot of accounts and I'm glad to know there are more Doctor Who stories out there she has penned. I do hope to get round to the rest of her contributions at some point. In any case, if you're an 11th Doctor fan, The Way Through the Woods will satisfy you quite easily.
Titled The Way Through the Woods, the narrative of this story follows the Doctor, Amy and Rory as they investigate a number of strange disappearances throughout several different time periods. The link between all of these mysterious events is their vicinity to Swallow Woods in a small town called Foxton. For as long as the woods have existed, the residents of Foxton have known to avoid the woodland out of an unexplainable fear. Devising a plan to uncover the secret behind the woods and the disappearances, the Doctor, Amy and Rory each split off to trail the people who are on record to have gone missing in the woods at some point or another. As they each venture deeper into the terrain themselves they soon learn that their is a clear reason those who venture into the woods never seem to return and time is against them as they seek to set things straight before they become the woods latest victims.
The format in which this narrative is told is quite interesting in my opinion. I like that Una utilizes a number of different perspectives throughout the story to help the reader get a more varied perspective on the situation all of these characters are in. It's also a an inspired choice to put the Doctor our of commission for a good proportion of the narrative as it helps the stakes of the plot build up when they are not there to fix everything in an immediate sense. I also enjoyed how McCormack gives each of the TARDIS crew someone to pair up with as they progress through the story, it helps give their contribution to the plot some engaging weight as well as give us more insight into the story's original characters too. The mystery behind the woods itself is captivating too, especially once it's made clear what the link between the disappearances truly turns out to be.
Pacing is an element where I feel the story is let down a slight bit. In order to set up this mystery, McCormack spends a lot of time within the first half of the story having these characters not really do much. I appreciate it's all about exploring these people as individuals and their place in the town but it does drag notably and ends up hindering the pacing of the narrative somewhat. Tone wise I do feel the story does a good job in dealing with the serious nature of human disappearances while also injecting it with the high-energy that 11 and the Ponds tend to bring to their adventures. It's clear McCormack read and understood the assignment when it comes to creating a very typical 11th Doctor adventure.
All in all this was another fun read in my current run through some of the 11th Doctor's written adventures. Una McCormack is a great writer on a lot of accounts and I'm glad to know there are more Doctor Who stories out there she has penned. I do hope to get round to the rest of her contributions at some point. In any case, if you're an 11th Doctor fan, The Way Through the Woods will satisfy you quite easily.
March 10, 2024
I am enjoying my journey through these Doctor Who New Series Adventures books - in this one we have the classic setup of the dark forest that all the locals know to avoid.
In 1917 a young lady goes missing and in the present day two teenagers from the nearby village vanish. The Doctor, when we join him, is being held for questioning by the local police. Something that should probably happen more often to him. Being that the Eleventh Doctor is kind of a chatterbox and incredibly honest (despite "the Doctor lies!"), this does not go well for him:
"You seem to spend a lot of time on the road," said the older detective. "Do you travel around with a lot of young women?"
"Ah," said the unordinary young man. "Now. I see where you're heading with that question, and I want to make it perfectly clear right away that none of them have ever come along unwillingly. ... Well, I suppose there was the history teacher. And the air stewardess." (p. 35)
I love to see these little references to classic Who in the modern novels. But the poor Doctor really does not make himself look good! 😂
To make matters more dire, we learn that the Doctor and Amy had dropped Rory off in 1917 to find out what happened to the woman who disappeared back then and he's now fallen victim to whatever is happening in the woods. Amy is meanwhile teaming up with a local journalist who is also supposed to mysteriously vanish.
When we join the story, it appears as thought the TARDIS team has already gone through this loop of events once and is trying to stop it. I thought this was a very interesting way to write it - drops us into the action and you sort of have to figure out what's happening as you go. I really like that. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite that - and once you understand what's happening in the story, it's very simple and straightforward.
After the first third, it really slows down. I blame this on the fact that the Doctor isn't in it enough - when he is present, McCormick writes him very well, but most of the story is from Rory, or side-characters, POV. And the side-characters in this one are boring.
There's a fox-man, though.
In 1917 a young lady goes missing and in the present day two teenagers from the nearby village vanish. The Doctor, when we join him, is being held for questioning by the local police. Something that should probably happen more often to him. Being that the Eleventh Doctor is kind of a chatterbox and incredibly honest (despite "the Doctor lies!"), this does not go well for him:
"You seem to spend a lot of time on the road," said the older detective. "Do you travel around with a lot of young women?"
"Ah," said the unordinary young man. "Now. I see where you're heading with that question, and I want to make it perfectly clear right away that none of them have ever come along unwillingly. ... Well, I suppose there was the history teacher. And the air stewardess." (p. 35)
I love to see these little references to classic Who in the modern novels. But the poor Doctor really does not make himself look good! 😂
To make matters more dire, we learn that the Doctor and Amy had dropped Rory off in 1917 to find out what happened to the woman who disappeared back then and he's now fallen victim to whatever is happening in the woods. Amy is meanwhile teaming up with a local journalist who is also supposed to mysteriously vanish.
When we join the story, it appears as thought the TARDIS team has already gone through this loop of events once and is trying to stop it. I thought this was a very interesting way to write it - drops us into the action and you sort of have to figure out what's happening as you go. I really like that. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite that - and once you understand what's happening in the story, it's very simple and straightforward.
After the first third, it really slows down. I blame this on the fact that the Doctor isn't in it enough - when he is present, McCormick writes him very well, but most of the story is from Rory, or side-characters, POV. And the side-characters in this one are boring.
There's a fox-man, though.
December 25, 2022
This is my third Doctor Who read by McCormack, and she's nailed it again. Quick story, great hook, engaging plotline, The Doctor perfectly in character, and solid use of the companions. These new who novels don't read anything like the classics, the virgin stories, or the EDAs, so you need to shift your brain into gear depending on the era you're reading from. The Way Through the Woods is a perfect example- it's light, without death, and looking to solve a problem that isn't exactly world or universe ending. That's needed every once in awhile, honestly. The only gripe I have here is I wish we knew more about Reyn's race of people, their history and their role in the Time War. I would have also liked to know more about Laura and her time with Reyn, and the sentient spaceship. The Doctor was not featured as prominently as I would have liked, and Rory and Amy take more of the spotlight here. That's fine, as I love them as companions, but to those who don't care for them as much I can see it being a sticking point of the book.
All in all, it was a fun, interesting story, and I really enjoyed it, which I can't say often for 11's books.
All in all, it was a fun, interesting story, and I really enjoyed it, which I can't say often for 11's books.
October 15, 2020
Out of all of the other 11th Doctor books I have read... this is the worst! Besides The Dalek Project, that was just plain scary. Rory and Amy act completely out of character in this story. Rory is portrayed as a cowered, while Amy acts like a jerk. Nothing in this story is explained or makes any sense at all. It is just the most stereotypical plot for an 11th Doctor story episode ever. There's just a crashed space ship that is causing trouble and what not. Nothing in this at all makes any sense, and the story just excepts you to go with it. That werewolf thing on the cover of the book is never in the story at all once. It also never explains who Fantastic Mr. Fox is and what alien race he is from and how he can shape sift. The only reason I got this book in the first place is because of that weird image of Rory smiling on the cover of the book. Hello Rory never smiles! Oh well I've read enough bad 11th Doctor books for now. I think i'll read something good like Harry Potter next instead.
September 30, 2021
A nice story, with a nice ending. My only problem, as before, being how long it took to get interesting. Perhaps fans of the franchise will feel differently, and all power to them.
Honestly, this feels like a TV episode of the franchise, rendered into book form by some handwavium that may or may not become a plot device in some future episode. The strangeness of the start aside, it had all the pace and story beats of such an episode, as I remember them. Some clear themes are presented, questioned, and brought to conclusion in a way that ties off all loose ends quite nicely. No character is left without conclusion, though I maintain that Reyn was disregarded, rather than properly dealt with. His new life sounds great, but we never hear his opinion of it.
Though I suppose that ties well with the Doctor, to an extent. Fixing problems as he sees them, then fleeing to somewhere else before the results of those fixes become apparent.
Is that too cynical?
Honestly, this feels like a TV episode of the franchise, rendered into book form by some handwavium that may or may not become a plot device in some future episode. The strangeness of the start aside, it had all the pace and story beats of such an episode, as I remember them. Some clear themes are presented, questioned, and brought to conclusion in a way that ties off all loose ends quite nicely. No character is left without conclusion, though I maintain that Reyn was disregarded, rather than properly dealt with. His new life sounds great, but we never hear his opinion of it.
Though I suppose that ties well with the Doctor, to an extent. Fixing problems as he sees them, then fleeing to somewhere else before the results of those fixes become apparent.
Is that too cynical?
September 6, 2018
Doctor Who Books tend to have excellent adventures that could be in the show, a pattern I am pleased to say continues with Una McCormack's The Way Through The Woods. The Story this time follows the guest characters primarily and works in third person from their POV, unlike other stories which tend to work from the companions POV, However no need to fret as both Rory and Amy do get their own chapters where we go from them, the story does not suffer and in fact might be aided by its jumping of povs. The result of the mystery i'm sad to say, isn't particularly interesting but the execution of it is tremendous.
January 27, 2022
A fun timey-wimey adventure about something in some woods that's making people who enter woods never leave again. Set over two time periods, the story bounces between Rory in 1917 as he accompanies a young woman on the night she vanishes while Amy in the present accompanies a journalist on her dissapearance.
What made this story flow so well was that the characters felt so much like their live-action versions and their dialogue felt authentic. The story did have have the usual Doctor Who craziness, but it was all good.
What made this story flow so well was that the characters felt so much like their live-action versions and their dialogue felt authentic. The story did have have the usual Doctor Who craziness, but it was all good.
November 8, 2025
The 50 Prompt Eighth Doctor Reading Challenge - Historical Adventures - 22) A Story Set During World War One
The 11th Doctor tie in novels can be very hit and miss, but this book was definitely a hit, as a lot of the Una McCormack Doctor Who novels tend to be. I loved this. I loved how it was set over different time periods and the Doctor and Amy and Rory approached the situation from different periods to try and fix the problem. I loved the alien being a fox, and I just thought this book was great.
The 11th Doctor tie in novels can be very hit and miss, but this book was definitely a hit, as a lot of the Una McCormack Doctor Who novels tend to be. I loved this. I loved how it was set over different time periods and the Doctor and Amy and Rory approached the situation from different periods to try and fix the problem. I loved the alien being a fox, and I just thought this book was great.
February 10, 2022
I adored this story. I found it when I discovered the 50th Anniversary that BBC is doing.
I am so excited about the discovery of all the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary shorts which are done by all the authors I already love. It's like the perfect match. I have really enjoyed the variety of worlds and troubles that these adventures explore. I hope to read them all one day.
This story is excellent!
I am so excited about the discovery of all the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary shorts which are done by all the authors I already love. It's like the perfect match. I have really enjoyed the variety of worlds and troubles that these adventures explore. I hope to read them all one day.
This story is excellent!
June 22, 2024
A really good short Doctor Who story that's easily read in one sitting. A refreshing tale that doesn't have some big world-ending disaster, but a good mystery with some well-written characters. The Doctor is sparsely in the story, only really acting in the last 50-ish papers, which lets the tension rise before he arrives to save the day.
This is definitely one of the better BBC Doctor Who stories that I've read!
This is definitely one of the better BBC Doctor Who stories that I've read!
July 21, 2018
Revisiting the 11th Doctor era kind of makes me appreciate the 11th doctor more and this book was lovely. It had a few fantastical elements as well as a good touch of science fiction in there too which are two of my favourite genres.
I loved the humour in this book and its great to see how the 11th doctor was written as I read it perfectly all in Matt smith voice.
3/5 stars
I loved the humour in this book and its great to see how the 11th doctor was written as I read it perfectly all in Matt smith voice.
3/5 stars
August 22, 2018
I really liked this story; I found the plot very interesting and I felt that the characters were spot-on. There were also a few Classic Who references which were absolute perfection! The ending was slightly confusing for me, but the more I thought about it, the more I understood. I highly recommend this book!
September 7, 2017
Adequate Doctor Who tale. Bouncing between eras was fun, but all of the nonsense that happened towards the end was a bit silly.
Also, the concept of waiting for someone stuck in the past to do something is silly.
Also, the concept of waiting for someone stuck in the past to do something is silly.
October 14, 2020
A solid Doctor Who story, with wild and crazy time travel, that stands well on it's own. A group of characters, new and old discover terrible things are on the move. Time to risk everything to save innocents!
In conclusion, a solid, scary story anyone will enjoy.
In conclusion, a solid, scary story anyone will enjoy.
May 8, 2018
Another entertaining storyline for the Doctor and his companions. It deals with werefoxes, time stasis, ship AI and stolen children in a way that is entertaining and enjoyable.
June 2, 2018
I found the cold disprate opening quite intriguing and worked well. However, the main section of the story was disappointingly slight.
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