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shaykelliher's review
1.0
The worst Target novel I have read so far. Donald Cotton structures the entire story as an epistolary account of the original narrative, but ends up writing every single character’s account in the exact same overly-verbose and “oh I’m so witty” manner that it made me want to bash my skull in.
The epistolary angle is interesting in theory, but it robs the story of any real meat or drive. It just sucks. All of the TARDIS team are written terribly, with Ian especially coming across as a real pompous asshole. Bad. Terrible. Awful.
The epistolary angle is interesting in theory, but it robs the story of any real meat or drive. It just sucks. All of the TARDIS team are written terribly, with Ian especially coming across as a real pompous asshole. Bad. Terrible. Awful.
pixisox's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
gingerreader99's review against another edition
5.0
What did I just read ?!?! I was told it would be funny. What I was told was true! This is nothing like any Doctor Who story I have ever read before! Definitely one of my favourites. A new style as well for me, being told in letters and entries in diaries or journals. There were even moments where I had to stop reading and just laugh. Specifically when Nero compares himself to being a cat so that he can catch Barbara who is a "mouse". Dead. Dieing. So good.
jazzab1971's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
An amusing and unusua retelling of the 1st Doctor story The Romans.
The story is told using a variety of diary entries, letters and extracts from autobiographies.
The Doctor's journal entries are sublime, as are Chesterton's letters to the headmaster of Coal Hill School.
Quite probably my favourite Target novelisation.
The story is told using a variety of diary entries, letters and extracts from autobiographies.
The Doctor's journal entries are sublime, as are Chesterton's letters to the headmaster of Coal Hill School.
Quite probably my favourite Target novelisation.
nwhyte's review
http://nhw.livejournal.com/1021250.html[return][return]I had been looking forward to this one, famed as one of the best Doctor Who novelisations, and I was not disappointed. Cotton has recast the narrative of Dennis Spooner's TV script into epistolary/diary form: letters from Ian Chesterton to his headmaster, the Doctor's own diary, letters from Ascalis the assassin and Locusta the poisoner, and contributions also from Barbara, the Emperor Nero, and Nero's wife Popp
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