Doctor Who Storybook 2008

[louisedennis]

Its sort of customary to start reviews of the Dr Who storybooks by mentioning the totally bonkers Dr Who annuals of the 1970s but I figure most people reading here either know all about them or aren't terribly interested. Suffice it to say the storybooks are their successors both in content and, in some cases, bonkersness although the storybooks

Comments

[parrot_knight]

I think Paul Magrs included Philip Pullman and C.S. Lewis among his targets too in Mad Dogs..., which I think was the last BBC Book I bought before The Gallifrey Chronicles. The whole thing seemed like a sideswipe against a tradition which isn't actually there, on behalf of magic realism. I've enjoyed the non-Who Magrs books which I've read, though; he spoke at the 2004 conference in Manchester and came across as both gentle and thoughtful.

[louisedennis]

He's a schizophrenic writer to be sure and, as you say, its hard to discern what his target actually is in Mad Dogs, beyond some vague old vs. new, its certainly his most venemous book. Like you I've preferred, in general, his non-Who work. Of his Who books I like the Earth-based half of the Blue Angel best, and the Star Trek Parody half least...

Re: Storybook

[anonymous]

Thanks for the review! (There aren't many of them about, and I've been wanting to hear some feedback...!)

Out of curiosity, how does my story not tie up with Doctor Who as we know it? I was a little concerned to read that!

Best wishes

Rob Shearman

Re: Storybook

[louisedennis]

NB. Spoilers here if anyone reads else reads this far

Re: Storybook

[anonymous]

Oh, okay. I see what you mean

Re: Storybook

[louisedennis]

I didn't think the story you wrote was trite and I loved the idea and I liked the "hey just imagine stuff" message. And I have to agree that I can't see a way to implement my suggestions that wouldn't make the story trite. But I didn't get a "that all worked in a really cool way" feeling at the end which I felt, somehow, it should have done and that feeling stemmed from a dissatisfaction about the way the Doctor and Martha fitted in (though I'm not sure whether I wanted them to be more clearly fictious, more clearly real, or more heavily signposted ambiguity or what) but I'd hate that to be read as a plea that writers stop trying to be adventurous or personal