lordroose's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
joebardsley's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
stephen_on_a_jet_plane's review
This great work of literature is a blast (lolz). It’s great getting a look into Donna Noble’s thought processes, they’re very funny and plausible. I enjoyed the novelisation much more than the episode which, I found a bit shallow, because of all of the details and asides. Give James Moran an opportunity and he’ll pull out all the stops.
jackierabbit's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
angiemurdock's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
thoroughlymodernreviewer's review
adventurous
fast-paced
4.0
There are two kinds of really good Target novelizations. The ones that take the episode’s original story and gently enhance it and the ones that wholly reimagine their source material. James Moran’s adaptation of his episode, “The Fires of Pompeii”, is a perfect example of the former. This novelization doesn’t rock the boat in any meaningful way. It’s very much the original episode, just with a bit of extra stuff to enhance the story. And it’s all the better for that.
Did you want a bit more insight into Caecilius and his family? You got it. How about a greater look at the soothsayer sisterhood? It’s right there. Even the Pyrovilians get a bit more development too. “The Fires of Pompeii” was never an episode that really felt like it needed a lot of expansion, but it certainly benefits from the small enhancements Moran adds.
The real joy of the book, though, is just how breezy and exciting it is. Moran’s prose manages to perfectly capture the excitement and danger of the TV version. The Doctor and Donna’s endless, playful banter perfectly translates to the page, as do the episode’s copious action set pieces. This isn’t the kind of story that needs a lot of quiet, introspection. It’s a romp in the best sense of the word, and Moran’s novelization perfectly encapsulates that.
At the end of the day, “The Fires of Pompeii” is a quick, action-packed read that’s never anything less than exciting. It won’t suddenly turn you into a fan of the story if you didn’t like the episode. But for those of us who did enjoy it, Moran’s novelization acts as a nice companion piece.
Did you want a bit more insight into Caecilius and his family? You got it. How about a greater look at the soothsayer sisterhood? It’s right there. Even the Pyrovilians get a bit more development too. “The Fires of Pompeii” was never an episode that really felt like it needed a lot of expansion, but it certainly benefits from the small enhancements Moran adds.
The real joy of the book, though, is just how breezy and exciting it is. Moran’s prose manages to perfectly capture the excitement and danger of the TV version. The Doctor and Donna’s endless, playful banter perfectly translates to the page, as do the episode’s copious action set pieces. This isn’t the kind of story that needs a lot of quiet, introspection. It’s a romp in the best sense of the word, and Moran’s novelization perfectly encapsulates that.
At the end of the day, “The Fires of Pompeii” is a quick, action-packed read that’s never anything less than exciting. It won’t suddenly turn you into a fan of the story if you didn’t like the episode. But for those of us who did enjoy it, Moran’s novelization acts as a nice companion piece.
elinordavies's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
athos's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed this quick read, as it was just like watching its namesake episode. But, unlike the novelisation of the Day of the Doctor, this book offered nothing new. We got some insights into what Donna and some other characters were thinking, but nothing earth shattering. And some scenes from the show were completely underwhelming in this novelisation - especially the soothsayer-off scene, "man from Gallifrey" and "daughter of London" etc. - these scenes felt rushed in the book, as opposed to the tension and epic-filled score of the TV episode.
Not worth the money I bought it for, but still something fun for Doctor Who fans.
Not worth the money I bought it for, but still something fun for Doctor Who fans.
mischiefphantom's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This particular Doctor Who story is a nostalgic favorite of mine; it was the first episode I ever saw, and it was what got me into Doctor Who in the first place. The novelization adapts it well. It's a fairly straightforward novelization, with some little bits added, and while I kind of prefer the ones that add more to the story than this one does, it still works well, and I enjoyed revisiting the story in this format.