Doctor Who: Lights Out by Holly Black

Doctor Who: Lights Out by Holly Black is a novelette released as a sort of addendum to the 50th anniversary celebrations of Doctor Who. This story will also be available in the 12 Stories, 12 Doctors anthology. It's a story about the Twelfth Doctor (in case you didn't recognise the silhouette).

This story is in first person, which I was a bit surprised by at first and it took me a while to get into it. The latter not just because of the voice but because it takes a few pages to become interesting. Basically once the Doctor appears and people start mysteriously dying.

Once it gets going this is a thoughtful story in keeping with some of the themes the Twelfth Doctor's first season has been exploring. It's a quick read — only 36 pages in the (non-standard because ARC) format I read it — but it was an entertaining enough one.

I would recommend Doctor Who: Lights Out to Doctor Who fans and anyone wanting to get a taste for licensed Doctor Who fiction. It's an interesting step in my experimentation with the subgenre.

4 / 5 stars

First published: October 2014, Puffin / BBC
Series: Doctor Who, 12 Stories, 12 Doctors and it's about the 12th Doctor.
Format read: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Doctor Who: Pest Control by Peter Anghelides

Doctor Who: Pest Control by Peter Anghelides is (somewhat obviously) Doctor Who licensed fiction. I listened to it in audiobook form which is the only format it exists in, based on its goodreads page. It's quite short, only running for about two and a half hours. Also, in case you can't read the small print on the cover, it's read by David Tennant.

The Doctor and Donna face monstrous insects and a ruthless robot exterminator in this thrilling, exclusive audio story.

The TARDIS is lost in battle on a distant planet. When the Doctor sets off in pursuit, Donna is left behind, and finds herself accepting a commission in the Pioneer Corps. Something is transforming soldiers into monstrous beetles, and she could be the next victim.

The main reason to read this review is David Tennant's narration. Seriously. I mean, a) it's David Tennant and b) it's a Scottish accent, what's not to like? And the parts where he does the Doctor's voice are awesome because of the contrast between his accents. His take on Donna's voice was pretty amusing and reasonably convincing (although I was a smidge disappointed Catherine Tate wasn't also in it). The minor character voices were also very nicely done. 10 / 10 for the narration.

Unfortunately, that was my favourite thing about it. It's a fun Doctor Who style adventure story, which I suppose is the third best thing about it after the fact that the Tenth Doctor is the best. My least favourite thing was the portrayal of Donna. She was less tough and resourceful than in the show and I was honestly a bit offended on her behalf. Especially when she didn't want to boss people around (way out of character) and spent far too long worrying about her wardrobe. Not at all impressed by this author on that front. Donna was a good companion, but in this book she just... wasn't. And it was not made up for by the Doctor calling her amazing for really not doing much at all.

The only reason I even had this audiobook is because there was a time when I had a surplus of Audible credits and spent them on random Doctor Who (and Torchwood) licensed fiction for my Mum, who is a big Doctor Who fan from way back. I just had a look through the others I have waiting for me and I'm probably going to give them a go, especially since it's such a low time investment (and there aren't any more by this author). They also seem suitable for listening to in the car since they aren't as serious and don't require the commitment of the other audiobooks I have waiting for me. And they make a nice change from podcasts every once in a while.

3.5 / 5 stars (the extra half-star is for David Tennant)

First published: 2008, BBC Audiobooks
Series: Doctor Who, obviously. It fits in somewhere in the season 4 of new Who
Format read: audiobook
Source: Audible, several years ago when I still had a subscription

The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Jimmy Broxton

The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Jimmy Broxton is a graphic story celebrating the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who (which was last year in 2013). I mainly read it because it was shortlisted for a Hugo Award this year.

In this special one-shot story celebrating the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, a strange force flings the TARDIS and the Doctor into our own universe! Once here, the Doctor encounters a 10-year-old girl who happens to be a huge fan of the Doctor Who TV show. The Doctor grapples with being a fictional character and monsters lurking at the girl's school on the way to coming face-to-face with the actor who portrays him, Matt Smith!

Honestly, I found this a bit meh. The story was all right and the illustrations were OK but not my favourite. What I liked best was the premise of the story. The TARDIS malfunctions and punches through to our universe from the Doctor's default universe. The Doctor encounters a twelve-year-old girl who at first mistakes him for Matt Smith, until he shows her (and her mother) the real TARDIS.

To be fair, it was an amusing story, especially when they go to a Doctor Who convention, but I couldn't help feeling that it could be more. More funny, more deep, more something. But it wasn't a bad way to spend half an hour.

I recommend The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who to completist fans and anyone interested in a quick read. Also anyone wanting to read a complete story arc in one hit (which is always nice). I'm not sure people not familiar with Doctor Who will get as much about of this.

3.5 / 5 stars

First published: 2013, IDW Publishing
Series: No.
Format read: PDF
Source: Hugo voter packet