Daniel Blythe
Auteur de Autonomy
Œuvres de Daniel Blythe
The Encyclopaedia of Classic 80´s Pop 1 exemplaire
Oeuvres associées
Decalog 2: Lost Property: Ten Stories, Seven Doctors, No Fixed Abode (1995) — Contributeur — 145 exemplaires
Perfect Timing 1 — Contributeur — 13 exemplaires
Étiqueté
Partage des connaissances
- Date de naissance
- 1969-06-09
- Sexe
- male
- Nationalité
- UK
- Lieu de naissance
- Maidstone, Kent, England
Membres
Critiques
Vihaan joulua. Manifesti jouluhömpötystä vastaan
Ihan hauska kirja, hiukan hämäsi kirjan yltiöllinen suomalaistaminen, mutta näillä mennään. Ihan jees.
I love it when previous species return but with a different Doctor which is what happens in this book. The 10th Doctor encounters the Autons who are powered by The Nestene Consciousness which appeared in the first episode with the 9th Doctor and Rose.
I love the fact it was based in my lifetime and as I read the book I could see the story playing in my mind like an episode to me this means the book is well written.
I love the fact it was based in my lifetime and as I read the book I could see the story playing in my mind like an episode to me this means the book is well written.
Originally posted here at Anime Radius.
If there’s one thing the Virgin New Adventures are famous for, it’s taking a Doctor seen as semi-manipulative and forboding in season twenty-six and turning him into a shrewish full-blown manipulative champion of time in the books. Okay, that and Ace seems to be getting laid in every book, thus making the published by Virgin Books thing a kind of hilarious irony. Anyway, the entire dark persona of the Seventh Doctor is pulling all the stops in The Dimension Riders and that’s a good thing, because this story has enough twists and turns that it’s nice to take comfort in the simple fact that sooner or later the Doctor’s gonna drop a bomb that A) changes the whole playing field and B) makes Ace question her once-unflagging loyalty to him. Yes, in these books, Ace is no longer the forever faithful companion once tested by evil from the dawn of time (hell, in the audios, she calls herself ‘McShane’ just to make a point). Which is actually good, because it would have been boring the other way around – and some story elements would have fallen flat.
Readers follow the plot through three relatively related narratives – Benny in Oxford, Ace aboard the Icarus, and the Doctor stuck in the Q4’s past. All of them are investigating the same mystery, although it doesn’t become obvious until a little past halfway through the book, in which the true villain of Benny’s section reveals himself and the identity of the Doctor and Ace’s mysterious enemy is also revealed. Most books usually struggle holding steady three points of view concurrently; it can be a pain to keep all three flowing at the same pace while still advancing the plot in all three. They do eventually meet up near the end, but it does not slow down there – it actually picks up speed toward a mind-bending finale and ends with one character making a very important decision (and no, it’s not Ace, she’ already left the TARDIS twice by this point so there’s no real drama in that path anymore).
The plot itself is pretty topsy-turvy, but in a fascinating way – and the best part? It’s partially non-linear. Doctor’s in the past of the future, and Benny is in the immediate future’s past, and Ace is in the future – but it’s more like the present story-wise. If you’re confused, don’t worry, The Dimension Riders will have you completely bewildered by the time it’s finished (and if you can guess the Seventh Doctor serial I mangled that quote for, gold star of mathematical excellence for you!). It’s not that it’s a complicated story itself, but the way it’s told – in chunks and starts and almost never in order – gives it airs of complexity. Then there is the twist when the identity of which exactly has been crawling through the fabric of time is, and how it came into being, and from then on its a race through an infinite set of rooms and through the minds of everyone involved, with imagery that is evocative of each character and is like a drug trip with how many things are jumbled about on the path to set reality straight. I’d explain it more, but that’s a huge spoiler, so I’ll leave it to you to find out yourself.
Note: if this is your first foray into the New Adventures series featuring Seven, Ace, and new companion Bernice Summerfield (well, she was new in the nineties!), you will find something very surprising in these books: actual continuity. Like, things actually transfer from novel to novel – which means that in order to understand why Benny does half the things she does or why the Doctor’s TARDIS . . . isn’t his TARDIS, you’ll have to actually read some of the books that came before it. Yes, Virginia, a Who series that actually manages to keep track of its own canon does exist. It therefore makes itself less appealing to newbies than the actual TV show, in which most episodes can be jumped into head-first with only a scant knowledge of the Whoniverse. However, there aren’t so much canon trip-ups in The Dimension Riders, so for the most part as long as you know the basics of the current Team TARDIS, it should all flow relatively easy as you read it.
For a New Adventures, it’s a pretty solid read. You’ve got your proto-Oncoming Storm Doctor, the disobedient and doubtful Ace, and the inquisitive archeologist Benny. There’s a mystery afoot involving death and mucking about with time, and as usual the Doctor knows more than anyone else involved. There’s a lot of tension and intrigue and action mixed in with some dark humor and universal oddities. It’s not exactly a banner example of the NA line, but it succeeds as what it sets out to be with much aplomb: a murder mystery meant to shake up the usual order right before the real storm hits in the form of The Left-Handed Hummingbird. So grab a copy from your local second-hand store, make a cuppa and set out some almond slices next to your favorite comfortable chair. It’s definitely worth the fuss.… (plus d'informations)
If there’s one thing the Virgin New Adventures are famous for, it’s taking a Doctor seen as semi-manipulative and forboding in season twenty-six and turning him into a shrewish full-blown manipulative champion of time in the books. Okay, that and Ace seems to be getting laid in every book, thus making the published by Virgin Books thing a kind of hilarious irony. Anyway, the entire dark persona of the Seventh Doctor is pulling all the stops in The Dimension Riders and that’s a good thing, because this story has enough twists and turns that it’s nice to take comfort in the simple fact that sooner or later the Doctor’s gonna drop a bomb that A) changes the whole playing field and B) makes Ace question her once-unflagging loyalty to him. Yes, in these books, Ace is no longer the forever faithful companion once tested by evil from the dawn of time (hell, in the audios, she calls herself ‘McShane’ just to make a point). Which is actually good, because it would have been boring the other way around – and some story elements would have fallen flat.
Readers follow the plot through three relatively related narratives – Benny in Oxford, Ace aboard the Icarus, and the Doctor stuck in the Q4’s past. All of them are investigating the same mystery, although it doesn’t become obvious until a little past halfway through the book, in which the true villain of Benny’s section reveals himself and the identity of the Doctor and Ace’s mysterious enemy is also revealed. Most books usually struggle holding steady three points of view concurrently; it can be a pain to keep all three flowing at the same pace while still advancing the plot in all three. They do eventually meet up near the end, but it does not slow down there – it actually picks up speed toward a mind-bending finale and ends with one character making a very important decision (and no, it’s not Ace, she’ already left the TARDIS twice by this point so there’s no real drama in that path anymore).
The plot itself is pretty topsy-turvy, but in a fascinating way – and the best part? It’s partially non-linear. Doctor’s in the past of the future, and Benny is in the immediate future’s past, and Ace is in the future – but it’s more like the present story-wise. If you’re confused, don’t worry, The Dimension Riders will have you completely bewildered by the time it’s finished (and if you can guess the Seventh Doctor serial I mangled that quote for, gold star of mathematical excellence for you!). It’s not that it’s a complicated story itself, but the way it’s told – in chunks and starts and almost never in order – gives it airs of complexity. Then there is the twist when the identity of which exactly has been crawling through the fabric of time is, and how it came into being, and from then on its a race through an infinite set of rooms and through the minds of everyone involved, with imagery that is evocative of each character and is like a drug trip with how many things are jumbled about on the path to set reality straight. I’d explain it more, but that’s a huge spoiler, so I’ll leave it to you to find out yourself.
Note: if this is your first foray into the New Adventures series featuring Seven, Ace, and new companion Bernice Summerfield (well, she was new in the nineties!), you will find something very surprising in these books: actual continuity. Like, things actually transfer from novel to novel – which means that in order to understand why Benny does half the things she does or why the Doctor’s TARDIS . . . isn’t his TARDIS, you’ll have to actually read some of the books that came before it. Yes, Virginia, a Who series that actually manages to keep track of its own canon does exist. It therefore makes itself less appealing to newbies than the actual TV show, in which most episodes can be jumped into head-first with only a scant knowledge of the Whoniverse. However, there aren’t so much canon trip-ups in The Dimension Riders, so for the most part as long as you know the basics of the current Team TARDIS, it should all flow relatively easy as you read it.
For a New Adventures, it’s a pretty solid read. You’ve got your proto-Oncoming Storm Doctor, the disobedient and doubtful Ace, and the inquisitive archeologist Benny. There’s a mystery afoot involving death and mucking about with time, and as usual the Doctor knows more than anyone else involved. There’s a lot of tension and intrigue and action mixed in with some dark humor and universal oddities. It’s not exactly a banner example of the NA line, but it succeeds as what it sets out to be with much aplomb: a murder mystery meant to shake up the usual order right before the real storm hits in the form of The Left-Handed Hummingbird. So grab a copy from your local second-hand store, make a cuppa and set out some almond slices next to your favorite comfortable chair. It’s definitely worth the fuss.… (plus d'informations)
She's Got Books on Her Mind
"I call it the Shape because I don't know what it is. It's just... formless, like a shimmering, ever-changing shadow. But somehow I know - I just know - it's made of three things: fire and water and the purest, coldest darkness. And then there's the whisper.
Miranda. Come away, Miranda. Come to me."
Miranda can't sleep because when she sleeps she dreams. She dreams of the Shape, this unidentifiable thing filled with darkness reaching out to her, calling out to her, and whistling a familiar tune. When she wakes she must get up to go to her new school in her new town. On the way she finds a group nicknamed The Weirdos by her later friend Jade. The Weirdos talk about strange things when they think no one's listening, they seem to know what's going on with the sudden bizarre events happening around town, and they unnerve her with their staring. Miranda has had enough with the constant stares. She's going to find out what they know no matter what but when she does uncover their secrets she's swept up in a world where impossibilities are possible and her dream and reality intertwine.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Right away I was hooked with Miranda's story. It started off with her nightmare of the Shape. The Shape transformed throughout the story and she could see what it was. It was this really great mystery that I couldn't wrap my head around. Sometimes I try to figure out what's happening in a book and sometimes I just go with the flow. This time I went with the flow so there was these speculations and theories throughout the story that kept me wanting to read more. It was kept a mystery until the end so it was a real shock and there was a little bit of confusion about what the heck just happened. There was such a fantastic lead up to the reveal of what really was going on. It was a more than satisfying ending. But, I'm getting to ahead of myself let's talk about the characters shall we?
"Nobody's a misfit. Some people take longer to find the space they fit into, that's all."
Miranda is our main character who everyone seems not to trust. She's the new kid not only with the school but with her new group too. She doesn't know much of what is going on so you don't know either. Everything is just this one big wonderful surprise because of that. Anything can happen. I expected Miranda to be this outcast that doesn't really go for things like she did. She surprised me right away with her cunning ability to find the groups secret hideout. There was a moment where she was learning about the group and her disbelief was kind of eh but that was one of only two sort of hiccups in the story. Miranda has this power. She doesn't have intuition really but a sense of foreboding so she can act before something bad happens. I can see her being this very confident fiery character in the next book. She was strong in this book by being loyal to her friend I just see her kicking it up a notch in the next one. I really admired her integrity and I liked being able to see this new and strange world through her eyes. The second only sort of hiccup by the way was the way others reacted to her obvious tiredness. She was describing herself as being very pale and grayish but hardly anyone really noticed or cared.
Jade was her first friend. She's this gypsy girl who's sarcastic and has her own style. She's an outcast who acts tough but really is quite lonely. She had personality on her. She didn't like that Miranda started hanging out with The Weirdos. She felt betrayed. Miranda still was loyal to her and tried to make it right. Jade had some mystery masked into her life. You didn't really know where she stood. The famous Weirdos consist of two boys and two girls plus a teacher's in that group too but no one knows that except them. So I should explain what this group is. They hunt the shadows, the paranormal. You really don't get a sense of what they are doing until the end. Well that was me. I'm sure someone would have figured it out. Anyways it's very 'secret society" with unknown gadgetry. All of this is being funded by people who don't want to deal with what's going on directly.
Cal is the bossy one of the group. She has a very bad attitude that needs to get adjusted. She clearly doesn't like Miranda. She could have her nice moments. Although she could be rude, she was entertaining. She has intuition about things. She can sense things from objects and people. The oldest of the group at fifteen, Josh, is like Cal in a way. He's pretty sarcastic. When I think of him I think of a cute smirk playing at his lips. He's the historian. Ollie is the computer guy. Anything technology he's on it. He's this quiet, intelligent kid who if you ask him anything he'll know it. He's a little computer himself. He has this whitish blond hair with either blue glasses or blue tinted glasses. It doesn't really matter because he really captured my heart especially with his story. The last kid in the group is little Lyssa, the child prodigy. She's the numbers girl. She's pretty tough herself and is more excited by everything than scared. Last but not least everything is headed by Ms. Bellini, a kind and patient teacher. She was the science teacher and had a way about her. You couldn't tell if she was angry or happy according to Miranda because the tone of her voice was always a reassuring and thoughtful one. All the kids might have their quirks and flaws but you can find goodness in each and every one of them. They all have a story and they are all quite sad. It makes you feel for them. They are all very interesting, sweet, and intelligent kids who are just more observant and curious than most of the other kids. I can see other kids looking up to them.
This book was way better than I could have hoped. It was full of mystery, suspense, and just oddities that made this book such a gem. A gem I say! This is one of those books that more people need to know about and read. This is a book that kids should be clamoring for. It was charming and had these amazingly likable characters. Characters that you can look up to and go on a real journey with. I know it's only going to get better. I seriously can't wait to see what happens next. I struggled with this review for some reason so more than anything if it didn't translate right know that basically this book was awesome.… (plus d'informations)
"I call it the Shape because I don't know what it is. It's just... formless, like a shimmering, ever-changing shadow. But somehow I know - I just know - it's made of three things: fire and water and the purest, coldest darkness. And then there's the whisper.
Miranda. Come away, Miranda. Come to me."
Miranda can't sleep because when she sleeps she dreams. She dreams of the Shape, this unidentifiable thing filled with darkness reaching out to her, calling out to her, and whistling a familiar tune. When she wakes she must get up to go to her new school in her new town. On the way she finds a group nicknamed The Weirdos by her later friend Jade. The Weirdos talk about strange things when they think no one's listening, they seem to know what's going on with the sudden bizarre events happening around town, and they unnerve her with their staring. Miranda has had enough with the constant stares. She's going to find out what they know no matter what but when she does uncover their secrets she's swept up in a world where impossibilities are possible and her dream and reality intertwine.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Right away I was hooked with Miranda's story. It started off with her nightmare of the Shape. The Shape transformed throughout the story and she could see what it was. It was this really great mystery that I couldn't wrap my head around. Sometimes I try to figure out what's happening in a book and sometimes I just go with the flow. This time I went with the flow so there was these speculations and theories throughout the story that kept me wanting to read more. It was kept a mystery until the end so it was a real shock and there was a little bit of confusion about what the heck just happened. There was such a fantastic lead up to the reveal of what really was going on. It was a more than satisfying ending. But, I'm getting to ahead of myself let's talk about the characters shall we?
"Nobody's a misfit. Some people take longer to find the space they fit into, that's all."
Miranda is our main character who everyone seems not to trust. She's the new kid not only with the school but with her new group too. She doesn't know much of what is going on so you don't know either. Everything is just this one big wonderful surprise because of that. Anything can happen. I expected Miranda to be this outcast that doesn't really go for things like she did. She surprised me right away with her cunning ability to find the groups secret hideout. There was a moment where she was learning about the group and her disbelief was kind of eh but that was one of only two sort of hiccups in the story. Miranda has this power. She doesn't have intuition really but a sense of foreboding so she can act before something bad happens. I can see her being this very confident fiery character in the next book. She was strong in this book by being loyal to her friend I just see her kicking it up a notch in the next one. I really admired her integrity and I liked being able to see this new and strange world through her eyes. The second only sort of hiccup by the way was the way others reacted to her obvious tiredness. She was describing herself as being very pale and grayish but hardly anyone really noticed or cared.
Jade was her first friend. She's this gypsy girl who's sarcastic and has her own style. She's an outcast who acts tough but really is quite lonely. She had personality on her. She didn't like that Miranda started hanging out with The Weirdos. She felt betrayed. Miranda still was loyal to her and tried to make it right. Jade had some mystery masked into her life. You didn't really know where she stood. The famous Weirdos consist of two boys and two girls plus a teacher's in that group too but no one knows that except them. So I should explain what this group is. They hunt the shadows, the paranormal. You really don't get a sense of what they are doing until the end. Well that was me. I'm sure someone would have figured it out. Anyways it's very 'secret society" with unknown gadgetry. All of this is being funded by people who don't want to deal with what's going on directly.
Cal is the bossy one of the group. She has a very bad attitude that needs to get adjusted. She clearly doesn't like Miranda. She could have her nice moments. Although she could be rude, she was entertaining. She has intuition about things. She can sense things from objects and people. The oldest of the group at fifteen, Josh, is like Cal in a way. He's pretty sarcastic. When I think of him I think of a cute smirk playing at his lips. He's the historian. Ollie is the computer guy. Anything technology he's on it. He's this quiet, intelligent kid who if you ask him anything he'll know it. He's a little computer himself. He has this whitish blond hair with either blue glasses or blue tinted glasses. It doesn't really matter because he really captured my heart especially with his story. The last kid in the group is little Lyssa, the child prodigy. She's the numbers girl. She's pretty tough herself and is more excited by everything than scared. Last but not least everything is headed by Ms. Bellini, a kind and patient teacher. She was the science teacher and had a way about her. You couldn't tell if she was angry or happy according to Miranda because the tone of her voice was always a reassuring and thoughtful one. All the kids might have their quirks and flaws but you can find goodness in each and every one of them. They all have a story and they are all quite sad. It makes you feel for them. They are all very interesting, sweet, and intelligent kids who are just more observant and curious than most of the other kids. I can see other kids looking up to them.
This book was way better than I could have hoped. It was full of mystery, suspense, and just oddities that made this book such a gem. A gem I say! This is one of those books that more people need to know about and read. This is a book that kids should be clamoring for. It was charming and had these amazingly likable characters. Characters that you can look up to and go on a real journey with. I know it's only going to get better. I seriously can't wait to see what happens next. I struggled with this review for some reason so more than anything if it didn't translate right know that basically this book was awesome.… (plus d'informations)
Prix et récompenses
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Statistiques
- Œuvres
- 23
- Aussi par
- 2
- Membres
- 781
- Popularité
- #32,597
- Évaluation
- 3.2
- Critiques
- 14
- ISBN
- 51
- Langues
- 2