Review - Winner Takes All by Jacqueline Rayner
I swear I have never laughed harder while reading a book.
Plot: Reminded me slightly of Ender's Game... only most of the characters were aware of the fact they were playing a game to defeat the 'enemy'. Though the fact the Doctor ended up being forced to control Rose through the game was just the thing to put everything on the perfect edge and took it from the Ender's Game plot with flying colours.
And then Rose talking to the Mantodean's at the end was just too cute. They were surprisingly a very forgiving race.
On a scale of 1-5 stars - FIVE stars. It was just excellent. Fics must be written to include this book.
Doctor/Rose ship-tastic. Even Mickey sees it. And that's saying something.
Robert. For a semi-minor character. He was so cute and wonderful. I like how he kept his creative life-story-retell up through the whole thing. And then how it ended up he preferred his normal life with his mom to going travelling. He would have made a good companion though... if only his mum could have come along. But, personally his mummy wasn't companion material and he was all she had so he made the best decision (not to mention his little fantasy ending was just... sweet.)
Rose. Rose is just brilliant in this one. Using salt to distract the porcupine people... She discovered their crack!! then used it to her advantage to save the Doctor and Mickey -- which were being forced to play video games. The bondage jokes were just too funny. It's almost like Rayner knew how badly I was wanting someone to do a fic in which that subject comes up (as the Doctor and Rose do seem to get tied up or restrained in some form rather often). Not to mention Rose attempting to take on someone twice her size and strength with nothing more than a grocery bag with milk and bicuits in it... priceless. Her heart was in it. I think she could have taken him if she had really tried. But, thankfully the Doctor showed up and spared her the beating she would have gotten until she figured a way to take Darren down.
Darren. He was an asshole that got what was coming to him. That's all I am saying.
The Doctor. Do I even have to comment on the Doctor? All I have to say is... Ninth Doctor, and nothing more would need to be said.
Some of my favourite parts, which were some of the funniest...
The Doctor is the webmaster for Alien Bondage
She looked at the Doctor, his elbow tied tightly to the chair arms so he had enough freedom to manipulate the control pad, but not enough to untie himself, 'Wish I had a camera,' she said. 'That'd be one for the album. Not to mention I could probably make a fortune from any alien bondage websites that are out there.'
'Does your mother know about your obsession with these "alien bondage websites"?' he asked
'Why do you think she's so suspicious of you?' Rose said. 'I told her you were the mastermind behind them.'
'Are there really alien bondage websites?' asked Mickey
Rose and the Doctor burst out laughing. 'Yeah, I'll give you the address when we get back,' said the Doctor.
and then, of course later there's this one...
Mickey cleared his thraot. 'I think they do think it's the truth though. The people who will be reading this, anyway. I was just sort of browsing, you see...'
The Doctor was already hitting the back button. 'Alien bondage ring?' he said, incredulously.
'I didn't think there'd actually be sites about it!' said Mickey wretchedly. 'Er... anyone you know?'
The Doctor shut down the site with a decisive click. 'Ridiculous humans,' he said. 'I'm going to find Rose. We're stopping this now.'
And let's not forget the note Jackie left for Rose
Dear Rose,
I won the holiday!!! Well, it wasn't me really, it was Dilys, she won two and she's given me one and she'd only go if I did, you know what she's like about going abroad. Tried to ring but you'd left your phone here. Waited as long as I could but they said if we didn't go today we'd lose it, and Dilys really needs a break. Won't be gone for long, hope you're still here when I get back. Help yourself to anything. If you share a bedroom I don't want to know about it.
Love Mum xxx
Plot: Reminded me slightly of Ender's Game... only most of the characters were aware of the fact they were playing a game to defeat the 'enemy'. Though the fact the Doctor ended up being forced to control Rose through the game was just the thing to put everything on the perfect edge and took it from the Ender's Game plot with flying colours.
And then Rose talking to the Mantodean's at the end was just too cute. They were surprisingly a very forgiving race.
On a scale of 1-5 stars - FIVE stars. It was just excellent. Fics must be written to include this book.
Doctor/Rose ship-tastic. Even Mickey sees it. And that's saying something.
Robert. For a semi-minor character. He was so cute and wonderful. I like how he kept his creative life-story-retell up through the whole thing. And then how it ended up he preferred his normal life with his mom to going travelling. He would have made a good companion though... if only his mum could have come along. But, personally his mummy wasn't companion material and he was all she had so he made the best decision (not to mention his little fantasy ending was just... sweet.)
Rose. Rose is just brilliant in this one. Using salt to distract the porcupine people... She discovered their crack!! then used it to her advantage to save the Doctor and Mickey -- which were being forced to play video games. The bondage jokes were just too funny. It's almost like Rayner knew how badly I was wanting someone to do a fic in which that subject comes up (as the Doctor and Rose do seem to get tied up or restrained in some form rather often). Not to mention Rose attempting to take on someone twice her size and strength with nothing more than a grocery bag with milk and bicuits in it... priceless. Her heart was in it. I think she could have taken him if she had really tried. But, thankfully the Doctor showed up and spared her the beating she would have gotten until she figured a way to take Darren down.
Darren. He was an asshole that got what was coming to him. That's all I am saying.
The Doctor. Do I even have to comment on the Doctor? All I have to say is... Ninth Doctor, and nothing more would need to be said.
Some of my favourite parts, which were some of the funniest...
The Doctor is the webmaster for Alien Bondage
She looked at the Doctor, his elbow tied tightly to the chair arms so he had enough freedom to manipulate the control pad, but not enough to untie himself, 'Wish I had a camera,' she said. 'That'd be one for the album. Not to mention I could probably make a fortune from any alien bondage websites that are out there.'
'Does your mother know about your obsession with these "alien bondage websites"?' he asked
'Why do you think she's so suspicious of you?' Rose said. 'I told her you were the mastermind behind them.'
'Are there really alien bondage websites?' asked Mickey
Rose and the Doctor burst out laughing. 'Yeah, I'll give you the address when we get back,' said the Doctor.
and then, of course later there's this one...
Mickey cleared his thraot. 'I think they do think it's the truth though. The people who will be reading this, anyway. I was just sort of browsing, you see...'
The Doctor was already hitting the back button. 'Alien bondage ring?' he said, incredulously.
'I didn't think there'd actually be sites about it!' said Mickey wretchedly. 'Er... anyone you know?'
The Doctor shut down the site with a decisive click. 'Ridiculous humans,' he said. 'I'm going to find Rose. We're stopping this now.'
And let's not forget the note Jackie left for Rose
Dear Rose,
I won the holiday!!! Well, it wasn't me really, it was Dilys, she won two and she's given me one and she'd only go if I did, you know what she's like about going abroad. Tried to ring but you'd left your phone here. Waited as long as I could but they said if we didn't go today we'd lose it, and Dilys really needs a break. Won't be gone for long, hope you're still here when I get back. Help yourself to anything. If you share a bedroom I don't want to know about it.
Love Mum xxx