A review by biblionautbuckton
Doctor Who: The Man in the Velvet Mask by Daniel O'Mahony
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.