Title: Doctor Who: The Drosten’s Curse
Author: A.L. Kennedy
Publication Date: July 14, 2015
Format: Paperback
Rating: 3.75 stars
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. (Goodreads)
This book was a really fun read. I have only seen a few of the Fourth Doctor’s episodes (though so far he is definitely my favorite of the classic Doctors) so it’s not as easy for me to visualize his mannerisms as it is when I’m reading a novel about one of the more recent Doctors, but I still enjoyed this adventure.
The novel is written in a style that is reminiscent of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy or Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels. It’s that same kind of random, silly humor at times, coupled with definite danger. I also really enjoyed his companions on this adventure – Bryony, a spunky young woman who works as a receptionist at the golf course, and Putta somewhat timid alien with a big crush on Bryony.
There were several times when the author seemed to really understand exactly what makes our beloved Doctor tick:
“,,, with the Doctor loping alongside as though what he loved most in the whole universe was rushing toward dangerous situations without having a proper plan. Or any plan at all.”
“It was clear that there were few things the Doctor enjoyed more than being at the [TARDIS] console alongside companions he could bicker with and order about.”
And these are just a few examples of the passages I marked, because they reminded me so much of just about every incarnation of the Doctor we’ve seen.
While I enjoyed this novel, it wasn’t the kind of book that I couldn’t put down. In fact, it took me longer than expected to read it because I kept setting it down in favor of other novels, but I still came back and still enjoyed the humor and the adventure. I think fans of Doctor Who will enjoy this new Fourth Doctor adventure, especially if you also enjoy authors such as Adams and Pratchett.
Disclaimer: I received a free paperback from Broadway Books and Blogging for Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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