The Drosten's Curse

22551766
The Drosten's Curse
A.L. Kennedy
Broadway Books
From award-winning author A.L. Kennedy, an original Doctor Who novel featuring the beloved Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker.

“I shall make you the jewel at the heart of the universe.”

Something distinctly odd is going on in Arbroath. It could be to do with golfers being dragged down into the bunkers at the Fetch Brothers’ Golf Spa Hotel, never to be seen again. It might be related to the strange twin grandchildren of the equally strange Mrs Fetch--owner of the hotel and fascinated with octopuses. It could be the fact that people in the surrounding area suddenly know what others are thinking, without anyone saying a word.


   I'm always pleased when I get a chance to review a Doctor Who novel (especially while I'm waiting for a new season of the show!) and I was excited when I saw this one available. I've never read anything by A.L. Kennedy before, but she managed to capture the spirit of Classic Who quite well.

   The characters were interesting and I enjoyed reading about Bryony and Putta; the Doctor is, of course, as fun as ever (although he wasn't as much of a main character as Bryony was...he was prominent, of course, but you still sort of get the idea he's not the main character of this tale) Aside from typical Doctor Who weirdness, there wasn't anything really objectionable aside from a single use of the Lord's name in vain and a couple mentions of evolution. Well, and the creepy factor. But I didn't find it too bad.

   I did find The Drosten's Curse a little confusing, though, especially since there were so many things going on at once and a lot of minor secondary characters. Sometimes it made my head hurt (and it didn't help that headaches played a large part in the story itself!) and I felt the plot could have been a little more streamlined. I don't usually mind a lot of different story threads at once, but there were a couple times there was so much going on that I felt a little like I was reading a muddle. I did like the formatting of the book, though-- it wasn't broken up into chapters, but rather scenes. It felt more in tune to the format of the TV show that way.

Overall, I recommend The Drosten's Curse to Who fans, new or old.

Rating: 7

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In This Moment

Image
  In This Moment Gabrielle Meyer Bethany House Publishers Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until, that is, she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives--and everyone she knows in them--forever. In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of an influential senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a Navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she's asked to join a hospital ship being sent to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she's a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon, yet unable to use her modern skills in her other paths. While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era. The mysterious Brit...
Read more

The Seamstress of Acadie

Image
As 1754 is drawing to a close, tensions between the French and the British on Canada's Acadian shore are reaching a fever pitch. Seamstress Sylvie Galant and her family--French-speaking Acadians wishing to remain neutral--are caught in the middle, their land positioned between two forts flying rival flags. Amid preparations for the celebration of Noël, the talk is of unrest, coming war, and William Blackburn, the British Army Ranger raising havoc across North America's borderlands. As summer takes hold in 1755 and British ships appear on the horizon, Sylvie encounters Blackburn, who warns her of the coming invasion. Rather than participate in the forced removal of the Acadians from their land, he resigns his commission. But that cannot save Sylvie or her kin. Relocated on a ramshackle ship to Virginia, Sylvie struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. When her path crosses once more with William's, they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past ...
Read more

Before Midnight

Image
this is the cover of the book I had, but I thought this cover was really pretty! Before Midnight Cameron Dokey Simon and Shuster I’ve heard of this series for a long time now, but I hadn’t gotten a chance to read any of the books until just recently. I really did enjoy this retelling of Cinderella, although there were things about it I didn’t care for. However, it was one of those books whose flaws you don’t notice until you’re done reading and sit back and reflect on the story. One thing I did like about this book was the way it was written, and that it really drew me right in. The twists on the story of Cinderella were interesting, and a few were unexpected. Another thing I liked was that the main character was called Cendrillon , the original French version of the name Cinderella , and that her nickname was Rilla. However, the romance wasn’t really as great; it felt like almost an afterthought. The Prince was barely in it, and their relationship wasn’t given ...
Read more