Jay Emmerich’s Reviews > Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars > Status Update

Everything is coming to a head, and I'm still vibing with it. There's nice internal monologues that are helping communicate what the acting would in a visual medium, but it's still enjoyable. Another Ice Warrior mention, I don't remember this many happening in the original episode. I'll probably watch it after I'm done reading tomorrow (fingers crossed!!)

We're back to just retelling the events of the episode. I like the dilemma of the story, that's the main reason I wanted to read this. And it's playing into it well. Curious to see how it wraps up.

Easily the best part of the novel at this point, allowing for expansion on a flashback from the original episode that really expands on Adelaide's character, while also giving the audience a "Love and Monsters" type idea of a character existing in a previously aired episode. There's some nice bits of continuity that couldn't have happened originally, and I think the story is more fun with those additions.

More solid stuff, but I think I'm getting weirded out by how quickly we may be moving through stuff. I'm gonna watch the episode when I finish, or when I'm closer to finishing, partially because I'm curious to see how the narrative happens, but also to see if there's any real deviations in the book or if it was just pre-episode build up, the episode, and then the end. I'll be disappointed if that's the case.

There's still a lot of good, but again, I think I might be going too slow at it. Take a shot every time there is a comment about how the Doctor "shouldn't be there." Because it keeps getting mentioned every chapter at least once or twice. There's some lovely little bits of dialogue, there's a character who's thought as too stern, and what a boring childhood they must've had. It's still good to me.

More of the same, lovely little touches that I am digging immensely. The whole chunk about how the Doctor had read the headline with different eyes in a different time is so fun and perfect for the show. The style of the additional text is so good. I might need to read bigger chunks honestly.

Reminded that there's a lot about this story that I don't remember. Or maybe that's just additions in the novelization. I'm not even sure if I've reached the point the opening credits kick in. The text is drenched in dread and I love the vibes. There's definitely elements that they're playing up here, the fact that the characters are playing God and tampering with nature is something that stands out here.

I'm so excited to watch this episode when I get done with this. I love how the expanded page count allows for more description to drip off the page. Stronger character motivations, and I love the way that Tennant's Doctor is described as seen by an outsider. The tension is starting strong and it's only building from here.

Giving myself whiplash by focusing on the same franchise but reading two different kinds of book with very different vibes. But I like it. The lack of visuals allows for more story to come across, which draws connections and leaves stuff implied in the story to be outright stated in the text. The characterization of Tennant is fitting, and I really like the ability to get in his head a little bit. I'm excited!