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mmelear's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
elinordavies's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
dp112's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
chicafrom3's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Tenth Doctor, post-Donna, lands on Mars in 2059 at the first human base at what he quickly realizes is a fixed point in time: the day the base is destroyed and all the colonists killed. The Flood is coming... A novelization of one of the darkest episodes of the Tenth Doctor's run, exploring the concept of the Doctor declaring himself the master of time and ignoring all red flags in his own behavior and ends with a suicide. A very solid novelization; spends a lot of time delving into Adelaide as a character, which is appreciated.
fullfledgedegg's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
richardwiggins's review against another edition
4.0
Phil Ford is the man behind some of the very best The Sarah Jane Adventures scripts, including an all time favourite of mine The Lost Boy. It was only right that, at the tail end of RTD’s original tenure, he was asked to write for Doctor Who. The Waters of Mars is one of David Tennant’s most iconic and very best stories. It is certainly amongst the most chilling. We can now also count it amongst the best Target books ever written.
For me, the core appeal of The Waters of Mars is the catharsis you feel following a talented team of experts who’s certain fait it is to fail despite their every effort. It is so perfectly written that even though I knew how it ends I still felt, this time through, that there was some way the team would be able to escape Bowie Base One without massive casualties. The suicide of the main guest character at the end of the story is possibly the bravest move Doctor Who has ever made.
The first and last third of this book follow most of the television story beats with little additions here and there. The major difference of being able to be in the character’s heads which allows Ford to build out motivations and backstories. Most successfully it more convincingly details Adelaide’s journey from admiring to detesting The Doctor and The Doctor’s temporary dive into becoming the Time Lord Victorious - which felt all too brief in the televised episode.
The middle third of the book is home to a newly introduced story which massively expands Adelaide Brooke’s backstory, explaining more thoroughly what happened in her childhood to make her into the pioneer she became. It is a gripping read for those who are already very familiar with the source material.
Some Target books are “nice to haves”, this one is essential reading. Given that you can get through these books in a day or two there’s nothing to lose!
For me, the core appeal of The Waters of Mars is the catharsis you feel following a talented team of experts who’s certain fait it is to fail despite their every effort. It is so perfectly written that even though I knew how it ends I still felt, this time through, that there was some way the team would be able to escape Bowie Base One without massive casualties. The suicide of the main guest character at the end of the story is possibly the bravest move Doctor Who has ever made.
The first and last third of this book follow most of the television story beats with little additions here and there. The major difference of being able to be in the character’s heads which allows Ford to build out motivations and backstories. Most successfully it more convincingly details Adelaide’s journey from admiring to detesting The Doctor and The Doctor’s temporary dive into becoming the Time Lord Victorious - which felt all too brief in the televised episode.
The middle third of the book is home to a newly introduced story which massively expands Adelaide Brooke’s backstory, explaining more thoroughly what happened in her childhood to make her into the pioneer she became. It is a gripping read for those who are already very familiar with the source material.
Some Target books are “nice to haves”, this one is essential reading. Given that you can get through these books in a day or two there’s nothing to lose!
mountford14's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
oliverbatch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
thoroughlymodernreviewer's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
4.25
Of the three 2023 Doctor Who novelizations I’ve read so far, this is the one that feels most like a proper book. Ford hews to his original script relatively closely, sprinkling in a few extra tidbits here and there. But by and large, it’s very much “The Waters of Mars” as you remember it. Just translated perfectly into prose.
All the tension, the horror, and the emotional grandstanding are all right there, brilliantly captured. And the extra insight to characters’ thoughts and actions goes a long way toward expanding the story, too. By far the best element, though, is Ford’s prose. It’s not poetic, or anything, but he really communicates the tension of the story. His word choose always feels deliberate - making use of all the ways a novel can tell a story differently than a tv episode can. Nothing about the writing feels clunky or overly descriptive. It all just flows - like a flood, you might say.
At the end of the day, “The Waters of Mars” is a faithful novelization of the original tv episode, delivering a familiar, slightly expanded take on a Doctor Who favorite that’s well worth a read.
All the tension, the horror, and the emotional grandstanding are all right there, brilliantly captured. And the extra insight to characters’ thoughts and actions goes a long way toward expanding the story, too. By far the best element, though, is Ford’s prose. It’s not poetic, or anything, but he really communicates the tension of the story. His word choose always feels deliberate - making use of all the ways a novel can tell a story differently than a tv episode can. Nothing about the writing feels clunky or overly descriptive. It all just flows - like a flood, you might say.
At the end of the day, “The Waters of Mars” is a faithful novelization of the original tv episode, delivering a familiar, slightly expanded take on a Doctor Who favorite that’s well worth a read.
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