alysmw's review
5.0
Really thoroughly enjoyable. Best one of these I've read so far! Characters were brilliant, plot was good and fast paced, some fantastic and hilarious references in there! Very impressed.
alasdair_smith's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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
3.0
mischiefphantom's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
nwhyte's review against another edition
http://nhw.livejournal.com/1032344.html?#cutid1[return][return]This was the first original Target novelisation (published after the three 1960s First Doctor novels had been reissued) and the first of over sixty novelisations by Dicks (plus a dozen spinoffs). It's not actually one of his better ones (and it's interesting that I often find myself writing that about Dicks' novelisations of Robert Holmes' stories). In particular, the joke of Sam Seeley being a funny little man from the country grates even worse on the printed page than it did on screen, and there is not enough clarity about who the viewpoint character is meant to be. I had fond memories of this from when I first read it as a child, but it didn't really live up to them.
ianbanks's review against another edition
4.0
Ah, if only the quality of the Target novelisations could have kept this up. Mr Dicks adds a lot of detail and background to make it feel like a “proper” novel but it does still feel a little bare on the important details: we don’t really get a decent description of the Brigadier or Liz or many other characters but we do get a proper look into their characters which are fleshed out wonderfully. Dicks also recaps the conclusion of The War Games to give us an explanation for why the Doctor is on Earth in the first place. It’s quite gripping, just a little threadbare on some details.
halftimelord's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
gaz042's review against another edition
3.0
First I want to say there is nothing wrong with this story and the reason I gave it such a low rating was completely personal.
When I seen the title I assumed it was a re telling of attack of the autons. It's not.
They started the Doctor out regenerating. I didn't think much of it at first. But the lack of Jo Grand was disappointing. (Her being my favourite companion) I don't have anything against Liz but I found myself becoming more and more frustrated when I had to keep reminding myself it was Liz and not Jo.
The lack of Master was also a big disappointment. At first I was couldn't understand why he was being written so boring. And upset that some of my favourite parts where not being shown. Well that had to do with the Master just not being a part of this story at all.
This also makes the mind control make a lot less scene.
Like I said, it's not a bad story at all. But coming thinking I would be seeing two of my favourite characters in the doctor who univers this because very frustrating.
When I seen the title I assumed it was a re telling of attack of the autons. It's not.
They started the Doctor out regenerating. I didn't think much of it at first. But the lack of Jo Grand was disappointing. (Her being my favourite companion) I don't have anything against Liz but I found myself becoming more and more frustrated when I had to keep reminding myself it was Liz and not Jo.
The lack of Master was also a big disappointment. At first I was couldn't understand why he was being written so boring. And upset that some of my favourite parts where not being shown. Well that had to do with the Master just not being a part of this story at all.
This also makes the mind control make a lot less scene.
Like I said, it's not a bad story at all. But coming thinking I would be seeing two of my favourite characters in the doctor who univers this because very frustrating.
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