frakalot's review
1.0
This is a solid 1-star. I just really couldn't stand this story. The show is boring plot line and the scheme to taint Dodo is gross. The Doctor's adventure is really overshadowed by the treatment of Dodo.
The only positive thing I can say is that the approach of the Doctor's regeneration is alluded to nicely.
The only positive thing I can say is that the approach of the Doctor's regeneration is alluded to nicely.
nwhyte's review
http://nhw.livejournal.com/810487.html?#cutid3[return][return]Once again, (and immediately following Steven's departure in The Savages) the TARDIS lands in what appears to be a familiar Earth environment, in this case post-revolutionary France. But all is not as it seems; the supreme leader is not Napoleon, but a mysterious Minski, under the patronage of none other than the Marquis de Sade. The Doctor gets involved with trying to work out What Is Really Going On, while Dodo falls in with a theatre company and takes on the lead role in The Misfortunes of Virtue, managing a fling with one of the other members of the cast along the way. I never really did work out What Was Really Going On, but very much enjoyed the ride; reminiscent of the crazy Managra, in a good way.
biblionautbuckton's review
4.0
Sure, it's not perfect. The prose can be dense. The plot sometimes requires cross-referencing with a summary to make sure you're all caught up. The depiction of sexual innocence doesn't always mesh comfortably with the novel’s thematic tapestry.
But if there's one thing [a:O'Mahony|363116|Daniel O'Mahony|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]’s missing adventure succeeds in, it's being different. Do you know how refreshing that is for a Doctor Who book? [b:Doctor Who: The Man in the Velvet Mask|875990|Doctor Who The Man in the Velvet Mask|Daniel O'Mahony|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512311755l/875990._SY75_.jpg|861333] is weird. [b:Doctor Who: The Man in the Velvet Mask|875990|Doctor Who The Man in the Velvet Mask|Daniel O'Mahony|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512311755l/875990._SY75_.jpg|861333] is frightening. [b:Doctor Who: The Man in the Velvet Mask|875990|Doctor Who The Man in the Velvet Mask|Daniel O'Mahony|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512311755l/875990._SY75_.jpg|861333] is surprisingly moving. [b:Doctor Who: The Man in the Velvet Mask|875990|Doctor Who The Man in the Velvet Mask|Daniel O'Mahony|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512311755l/875990._SY75_.jpg|861333] is like absolutely nothing you’d have seen on telly in 1966; and, ironically, that’s what makes it so befitting of that groundbreaking era’s characters.
In a library's worth of cult TV pastiches and script edits masquerading as stories, it is an absolute miracle to find Doctor Who fiction that is committed to being challenging, character-driven, and totally unique. It’s an attitude that’s frankly so rare for this franchise that it deserves praise even if the author fails. Other reviewers aren’t wrong in calling this book “depressing”, “disturbing" or “strange” – only in implying that those are bad qualities.
But if there's one thing [a:O'Mahony|363116|Daniel O'Mahony|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png]’s missing adventure succeeds in, it's being different. Do you know how refreshing that is for a Doctor Who book? [b:Doctor Who: The Man in the Velvet Mask|875990|Doctor Who The Man in the Velvet Mask|Daniel O'Mahony|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512311755l/875990._SY75_.jpg|861333] is weird. [b:Doctor Who: The Man in the Velvet Mask|875990|Doctor Who The Man in the Velvet Mask|Daniel O'Mahony|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512311755l/875990._SY75_.jpg|861333] is frightening. [b:Doctor Who: The Man in the Velvet Mask|875990|Doctor Who The Man in the Velvet Mask|Daniel O'Mahony|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512311755l/875990._SY75_.jpg|861333] is surprisingly moving. [b:Doctor Who: The Man in the Velvet Mask|875990|Doctor Who The Man in the Velvet Mask|Daniel O'Mahony|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1512311755l/875990._SY75_.jpg|861333] is like absolutely nothing you’d have seen on telly in 1966; and, ironically, that’s what makes it so befitting of that groundbreaking era’s characters.
In a library's worth of cult TV pastiches and script edits masquerading as stories, it is an absolute miracle to find Doctor Who fiction that is committed to being challenging, character-driven, and totally unique. It’s an attitude that’s frankly so rare for this franchise that it deserves praise even if the author fails. Other reviewers aren’t wrong in calling this book “depressing”, “disturbing" or “strange” – only in implying that those are bad qualities.
olegx's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
hammard's review
3.0
An interesting concept but a bit let down by too many "adult" touches. Not sure any plot purposes or character development really come from vomiting whilst drunk or Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
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