booksnaturemagic's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the first three stories and the last two I thought were overly violent and not really accurate to River's "voice."
vilandra's review against another edition
4.0
A delightful collection of stories about River Song by different authors. They get her voice & humor down very well and it was an enjoyable quick read.
teadrinking_bibliophile's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
lyssidee's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
writingwwolves's review against another edition
4.0
Picnic at Asgard by Jenny T. Colgan: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It sort of felt like River was with Nine, even though we never saw them together so I'm unsure if they're supposed to have met? Was a little odd. I can't imagine Rose & River being a thing at the same time. It certainly wasn't a very Ten or Eleven-y type Doctor. Definitely not Twelve.
Suspicious Minds by Jacqueline Rayner: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was really enjoying it and then it ended!!! Definitely wish this one had been longer; or maybe just better paced? A long intro but a rushed ending. Was also amusing for me as I just rewatched "Rose".
A Gamble with Time by Steve Lyons: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wonderful. Funny and original and suited the short story theme of the tales told in the book. It was well paced and all fit together really well, Eleven and River were both represented perfectly which was fab. Good job Steve.
Death in New Venice by Guy Adams: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love love loved it. Finally one without the Doctor! River was portrayed wonderfully and the story was really original too. Enjoyed it from the first page and smiled the whole way through.
River of Time by Andrew Lane: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Again I really enjoyed this one, as like the last the Doctor wasn't in it and it was more based on River's life rather than her relationship with the Doctor. The story was fun, but like Suspicious Minds the ending was a little rushed and spoiled the story a little.
Overall this book was fab & was a good way to spend a night of not being able to sleep! I really hope they bring out more of River's diary (I pray that one day she'll get her own spin off show) as reading Who-like stories from her perspective is a lot of fun.
It sort of felt like River was with Nine, even though we never saw them together so I'm unsure if they're supposed to have met? Was a little odd. I can't imagine Rose & River being a thing at the same time. It certainly wasn't a very Ten or Eleven-y type Doctor. Definitely not Twelve.
Suspicious Minds by Jacqueline Rayner: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was really enjoying it and then it ended!!! Definitely wish this one had been longer; or maybe just better paced? A long intro but a rushed ending. Was also amusing for me as I just rewatched "Rose".
A Gamble with Time by Steve Lyons: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wonderful. Funny and original and suited the short story theme of the tales told in the book. It was well paced and all fit together really well, Eleven and River were both represented perfectly which was fab. Good job Steve.
Death in New Venice by Guy Adams: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love love loved it. Finally one without the Doctor! River was portrayed wonderfully and the story was really original too. Enjoyed it from the first page and smiled the whole way through.
River of Time by Andrew Lane: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Again I really enjoyed this one, as like the last the Doctor wasn't in it and it was more based on River's life rather than her relationship with the Doctor. The story was fun, but like Suspicious Minds the ending was a little rushed and spoiled the story a little.
Overall this book was fab & was a good way to spend a night of not being able to sleep! I really hope they bring out more of River's diary (I pray that one day she'll get her own spin off show) as reading Who-like stories from her perspective is a lot of fun.
aliceexmachina's review against another edition
3.0
An entertaining read, mostly because I'm a fan of the show. However, I couldn't really recognise "my" River in any of the women in these stories.
We all build ideas in our heads about who our beloved characters are, and maybe I should've left this book alone.
We all build ideas in our heads about who our beloved characters are, and maybe I should've left this book alone.
millikat's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely one of the best Doctor Who related books I’ve read. Other than being a fascinating character in general, the stories here in this anthology definitely do her justice. They are interesting and feature an accurate (and funny) characterization of her personality and hijinks. Some feature the Doctor and some don’t, and what’s really telling is that I didn’t think the ones without the Doctor were boring!
liaweneryniel's review against another edition
4.0
When I first found the book at Waterstones, I had to buy it. River Song is high on the list of my favourite side characters in Doctor Who and the book didn't disappoint.
The first one Picnic at Asgard was a fun one. With the Doctor and River together in an amusement park, a whole lot of things can go wrong and do go wrong but they save the day together in the end. I want to visit Asgard so bad. it sounds like its so much fun for an amusement park fanatic like myself^^
Suspicious Minds was a fun one too. I mean an Auton looking like Elvis saving the bees. The villain was quite obvious in this one, how she disposed of people too but that doesn't mean that it was boring. It was pretty great and River's struggle with the gas was amazingly written.
A Gamble in Time was something completely different. River sent by the Doctor to babysit a man so that his time streams do not cross and in the end, creating a time loop where the one version is destines to always safe the universe, day after day, year after year. I like Martin. he seems like the typical loser who in the end does something great which is largly going unnoticed by the world.
Death in new Venice. Sounds just like a Brunetti crime novel :-D Loved River in this being independent from the Doctor. I love to see her without the Doctor, saving the universe on her own because shes eprfectly capable of that thank you very much.
The story was solid. Nothing to surprising and a little too much rich people get a new gated community and things turn sour, but the AI was very interesting and that thoughts created the bad things was interesting.
Now we come to the last story - River of Time.
I was baffled when the TARDIS turned up but the explanation was great. The idea behind it was great too. There's so little known about the Precursors that everything little bit of information is important. The idea with the captured Time Lord was a nice touch. The solution to the problem too. Let's just hope no one is stumbling upon the TARDIS now :-D
All in all I cans ay that the book was a solid one. I liked the stories. Some were better than others but all in all they brought me nearer to River Song. I want to know everything there is about her. She's such an elsive character and I love her flirty attitude and that she doesn't see herself short.
The first one Picnic at Asgard was a fun one. With the Doctor and River together in an amusement park, a whole lot of things can go wrong and do go wrong but they save the day together in the end. I want to visit Asgard so bad. it sounds like its so much fun for an amusement park fanatic like myself^^
Suspicious Minds was a fun one too. I mean an Auton looking like Elvis saving the bees. The villain was quite obvious in this one, how she disposed of people too but that doesn't mean that it was boring. It was pretty great and River's struggle with the gas was amazingly written.
A Gamble in Time was something completely different. River sent by the Doctor to babysit a man so that his time streams do not cross and in the end, creating a time loop where the one version is destines to always safe the universe, day after day, year after year. I like Martin. he seems like the typical loser who in the end does something great which is largly going unnoticed by the world.
Death in new Venice. Sounds just like a Brunetti crime novel :-D Loved River in this being independent from the Doctor. I love to see her without the Doctor, saving the universe on her own because shes eprfectly capable of that thank you very much.
The story was solid. Nothing to surprising and a little too much rich people get a new gated community and things turn sour, but the AI was very interesting and that thoughts created the bad things was interesting.
Now we come to the last story - River of Time.
I was baffled when the TARDIS turned up but the explanation was great. The idea behind it was great too. There's so little known about the Precursors that everything little bit of information is important. The idea with the captured Time Lord was a nice touch. The solution to the problem too. Let's just hope no one is stumbling upon the TARDIS now :-D
All in all I cans ay that the book was a solid one. I liked the stories. Some were better than others but all in all they brought me nearer to River Song. I want to know everything there is about her. She's such an elsive character and I love her flirty attitude and that she doesn't see herself short.
samahcanread__'s review against another edition
5.0
The only reason I started this book was because I missed River and I cant get over the fact that she left so early and I want to see her with the 13th doctor. The book gave awat a lot of secretsabout her, her relationship with the doctor and about Gallifrey.
It's short and really well written and anyone who's fan of River Song should read it.
It's short and really well written and anyone who's fan of River Song should read it.
bookish_brooklyn's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed these five short stories. They're just so fabulous and trippy, and the authors wrote River totally canon :)