thoroughlymodernreviewer's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This one's got big Mind Robber vibes - though it's a bit of a shame that it doesn't actually take place in the Land of Fiction. Still, it's a breezy read that feels quintessentially Tenth Doctor. Landy perfectly captures Tennant and Agyeman's voices here, with Ten and Martha sounding exactly the way you remember them from the show. The story itself is quite inventive - though it's another example of a Doctor Who anniversary story that could've been even better had it been a full-length tale rather than a short story.
Still, The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage easily ranks among the best of the 50th-anniversary shorts. It's breezy, inventive, and makes great use of the format. Plus, I'm always a sucker for stories about the power of stories.
Still, The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage easily ranks among the best of the 50th-anniversary shorts. It's breezy, inventive, and makes great use of the format. Plus, I'm always a sucker for stories about the power of stories.
hjswinford's review against another edition
3.0
Ten and Martha are the least impressionable pair in New Who, imo. I don't dislike Martha, I'm just kind of whatever about her. That being said, the idea of this story was a lot of fun. I enjoyed all the literature references. I wasn't crazy about the audiobook reader because he had a Scottish Accent and didn't quite get the proper dialect for either Martha or the Doctor in their dialogue (the other audiobook narrators did this very well).
invisibleobserver13's review against another edition
4.0
It was reminiscent of and referenced "The Mind Robber" from Classic Doctor Who, during the Second Doctor era. I loved that it was my favorite Doctor and companion, the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones. The Troubleseekers books that Martha read as a child seem like The Boxcar Children.
tardislibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
". . . Tell me, Doctor, what does every story require of its reader?"
"The willing suspension of disbelief."
"Exactly. You have no idea the power generated each time somebody is told a story. When a conscious, sentient mind willingly ignores what is real, what is facr, and instead chooses to invest in people and places that never existed. . . It is magnificent. It amounts to nothing less than a rejection of reality. And when reality is pushed away, no matter how briefly, it leaves a gap, crackling with potential, with what-might-be."
Of the three I've read of this set, this one has to be my absolute favorite, and not just because it's with 10. :)
"The willing suspension of disbelief."
"Exactly. You have no idea the power generated each time somebody is told a story. When a conscious, sentient mind willingly ignores what is real, what is facr, and instead chooses to invest in people and places that never existed. . . It is magnificent. It amounts to nothing less than a rejection of reality. And when reality is pushed away, no matter how briefly, it leaves a gap, crackling with potential, with what-might-be."
Of the three I've read of this set, this one has to be my absolute favorite, and not just because it's with 10. :)
bookish_brooklyn's review against another edition
5.0
I've read the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 10th now from this series so far, though this was a re read - I enjoyed it every bit as much as the first. Ten was written so canon, though Martha not so much. But nonetheless, a fabulous short that made me laugh and smile throughout :)
ronald_schoedel's review against another edition
5.0
I love the concept here, which revolves around a visit to a seemingly real but ultimately fake planet whose contents mimic the storylines and characters found I books in the memory of any person who happens to find themself there. I wish this one could’ve been a bit longer, or maybe even a full-length novel. Landy’s writing is clever and subtly hilarious. Will be looking forward to reading more of his stuff.
thebranchlibrary_'s review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
5.0