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frozendecembermoon's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
allowableman2's review against another edition
4.0
"I had six oxen the other day
And then the Roundheads got away,
a mischief on them speed.
I had six horses in the whole
And them the Cavaliers stole.
I think on this we are agreed."
Man, what a fun romp. There’s something about Gatiss’ prose that makes his descriptions captivating to read, from the descriptions of snow-covered London to a massive ship battle to a nightmarish battleground in beautifully vivid prose. Unlike other pure historicals, every subplot remains separate until the end, yet they’re all equally compelling to read and do an excellent job in worldbuilding and politics.
Gatiss loves 2’s era, there’s something to be said about how hard it is to capture The 2nd Doctor on prose because of how visual he is, yet Gatiss almost masters Troughton’s voice and mannerisms here, having from his giddy wonder at the Thames-side marketplace to his improvisation to how he can turn on a coin from mischievous charm to utter seriousness.
Doctor and Jaime strike off on their own and prove why they were such a winning act. Jaime is still new to this time-traveling gig and gets a hilarious subplot where his honesty about knowing future events gets him dubbed McCrimmon, the powerful seer of Culloden.
The guest cast is excellently portrayed, with standout personalities, with Richard, Oliver Cromwell, and Winter as standouts. King Charles's interaction with Polly is also a highlight, her espionage plot and the prologue with an older version of her are amazing to read.
Ben’s side plot highlights this story, his sailing days are exploited to significant effect, and he is press-ganged into working first for the sinister Captain Stanislaus and then for the brilliantly entertaining Captain Winter, with who he strikes up a rousing rapport and possible romance.
Despite the lack of Roundheads action, The Roundheads is a hugely enjoyable, occasionally swashbuckling yarn with lashings of Gatiss' League of Gentlemen style humor and great use of this particular TARDIS crew.
And then the Roundheads got away,
a mischief on them speed.
I had six horses in the whole
And them the Cavaliers stole.
I think on this we are agreed."
Man, what a fun romp. There’s something about Gatiss’ prose that makes his descriptions captivating to read, from the descriptions of snow-covered London to a massive ship battle to a nightmarish battleground in beautifully vivid prose. Unlike other pure historicals, every subplot remains separate until the end, yet they’re all equally compelling to read and do an excellent job in worldbuilding and politics.
Gatiss loves 2’s era, there’s something to be said about how hard it is to capture The 2nd Doctor on prose because of how visual he is, yet Gatiss almost masters Troughton’s voice and mannerisms here, having from his giddy wonder at the Thames-side marketplace to his improvisation to how he can turn on a coin from mischievous charm to utter seriousness.
Doctor and Jaime strike off on their own and prove why they were such a winning act. Jaime is still new to this time-traveling gig and gets a hilarious subplot where his honesty about knowing future events gets him dubbed McCrimmon, the powerful seer of Culloden.
The guest cast is excellently portrayed, with standout personalities, with Richard, Oliver Cromwell, and Winter as standouts. King Charles's interaction with Polly is also a highlight, her espionage plot and the prologue with an older version of her are amazing to read.
Ben’s side plot highlights this story, his sailing days are exploited to significant effect, and he is press-ganged into working first for the sinister Captain Stanislaus and then for the brilliantly entertaining Captain Winter, with who he strikes up a rousing rapport and possible romance.
Despite the lack of Roundheads action, The Roundheads is a hugely enjoyable, occasionally swashbuckling yarn with lashings of Gatiss' League of Gentlemen style humor and great use of this particular TARDIS crew.
auroraleighs's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
This might be my favorite Dr. Who novel I've ever read. I love the season 4 team, and it's wonderful to see Ben & Polly have a lot to do. Gatiss absolutely nails Troughton's distinctive voice, which is tricky. The story reads just like an early 60s historical, and there was plenty of pirates, romance, revenge, and comedy: all of it delightful. It also captures the complexities of the time period without ever making it too overwhelming or confusing. Just so much adventure and fun; and made this Patrick Troughton girlie very happy!
frakalot's review against another edition
3.0
The Roundheads is a pretty standard pure historical, suitable for a Second Doctor adventure and not a bad nor a standout story. The good points and bad points evened this out to three stars for me.
The good - we've got three companions with Jamie joining Ben and Polly, all of the characters are generally very recognisable throughout, Ben winds up in a very apt situation and Polly gets an active role.
The bad - the story lacked intrigue for me and I thought the writing was a little bland with many poorly chosen adjectives.
The good - we've got three companions with Jamie joining Ben and Polly, all of the characters are generally very recognisable throughout, Ben winds up in a very apt situation and Polly gets an active role.
The bad - the story lacked intrigue for me and I thought the writing was a little bland with many poorly chosen adjectives.
nwhyte's review against another edition
http://nhw.livejournal.com/1145131.html?#cutid1[return][return]Gatiss takes the Second Doctor, Ben, Polly and Jamie back to late 1648 for a pure historical story: they get involved with Oliver Cromwell and a plot to liberate Charles I from captivity. I'll have to say up front that this didn't completely work for me. Simon Guerrier handled this period (setting his story a year later, and the other side of the Irish Sea) far better in The Settling; Gatiss's characters talk like history lessons (apart from his rollicking sailors). In addition, the precepts of historical Who stories are somewhat violated by allowing Richard Cromwell to read a history of the Civil War (though this is dealt with) and, rather more dramatically, having Charles I's escape plan succeed, if only temporarily, provoking the Doctor to intervene rather un-Doctorishly to put history back on track (indeed the last few chapters have everyone acting a bit out of character). Also Gatiss seems a bit hazy about the location of the Solent, which appears in his account to be somewhere in the London suburbs.[return][return]There are some nice bits too. Ben falls in with the aforementioned rollicking sailors and goes to Amsterdam and back. Polly has an almost-romance with a young man called Whyte, which I found personally amusing. Charles I himself is moderately well-rounded as a character. So it's not awful, just not as good as it might have been.
kateofmind's review against another edition
5.0
Full review shortly at kateofmind.blogspot.com, but in brief, this is a near-perfect historical, full of ridiculous scrapes, wild sub-plots, well-rounded contemporary characters (Charles I and poor "Tumbledown Dick" Cromwell [son of Oliver] are presented with particular sensitivity and sympathy) and an adventure that only the Second Doctor, Ben, Polly and Jamie could have. Great fun. This will probably be my gold standard for Whoniverse prose fiction 8)
squidbag's review against another edition
4.0
Steeped in the details of the history of the aftermath of the English Civil Wars, this one carries with it a sort of grim inevitability that is missing from some of the books and shows in the series. The characterizations are excellent well done, and the events of the story slip neatly between those of history itself - in short, everything a Doctor Who story should accomplish, and with pirates, too. The Second Doctor stories always seem to have a starker line between the comedy and the tragedy, and this book is no exception. Once the mood captures you, you're in to the somewhat bitter end.
hammard's review against another edition
2.0
A fairly dull plod of a Doctor Who novel, failing to be particularly historically enlightening (a number of the facts are inaccurate), exciting (The Doctor and Jamie spend most novel trapped in prison) or funny at all. Some elements are quite fun but not one I would personally recommend.
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