Books 224-225: Nothing O'Clock and Lights Out
Book 206: Nothing O'Clock (Doctor Who 50th Anniversary E-Shorts #11).
Author: Neil Gaiman, 2013.
Genre: Science Fiction. Time Travel. TV Tie-in.
Other Details: ebook. 45 pages.
Thousands of years ago, Time Lords built a Prison for the Kin. They made it utterly impregnable and unreachable. As long as Time Lords existed, the Kin would be trapped forever and the universe would be safe. They had planned for everything . . . everything, that is, other than the Time War and the fall of Gallifrey. Now the Kin are free again and there's only one Time Lord left in the universe who can stop them! - synopsis from UK publisher's website.
In this series of e-shorts released monthly in 2013 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary they certainly saved the best for last though Neil Gaiman does have the advantage of having written two scripts for the Eleventh Doctor so knows his Doctor well and contributed to the canon.
This was an elegant and exciting story. Just superb with a powerful plot that could easily be translated to the screen.
The Eleventh Doctor
Book 207: Lights Out (Doctor Who 50th Anniversary E-Shorts #12).
Author: Holly Black, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction. Time Travel. TV Tie-in.
Other Details: ebook. 39 pages.
Holly Black was asked to write this story of the Twelfth Doctor before Series Eight had started and had to rely upon scripts with some parts redacted. She chose to set this story in between Episodes One and Two of Season Eight and explains where the Doctor went for the coffee he presented to Clara. Far in the future coffee is roasted at the Intergalactic Coffee Roasting Station (ICRS, pronounced ICARUS). While there the Doctor turns detective when a series of murders occur.
This story did remind me of Charlie Higson's The Beast of Babylon and Holly herself said she had been inspired by that story. Again no spoilers but this relates to the nature of the temporary companion. The story is also dotted with alien species that have appeared throughout the classic and more recent series. At least those who would enjoy coffee.
Finding out in retrospect that Holly Black had written this story without seeing Peter Capaldi in the role did explain a lot as I did not feel that she portrayed the Twelfth Doctor well. On top of this I felt the story itself was rather lack-lustre. So while it was nice to have the collection rounded out this was disappointing.
The Twelfth Doctor
Cross-posted to 50bookchallenge.