Capsule book reviews in 255 characters or fewer. Ish. A reading diary (1st Jan 2019 onwards) by Eamonn Griffin.
The Twelfth Doctor, Bill, and Nardole find themselves north of Hadrian’s Wall, where Picts and Romans are in conflict. A very solid novelization, with the space to breathe that its TV progenitor didn’t quite have. Author (and original screenwriter) Munro’s affiliation with the subject – and inspirations such as Sutcliff’s The Eagle of the Ninth – shines through.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
The Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble find themselves in a Roman city overlooked by a volcano. Zippy novelisation of Moran’s own television script from 2008. Effectively translates the TV episode to short novel length without resorting to padding. Some good jokes along the way too. Fun for fans, and accessible as an entry point.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
It’s Christmas, there’s an invasion of earth ongoing and Rose is coping with a new – and possibly dying – Doctor. The first festive episode of the revived veteran SF/fantasy series – and the debut of David Tennant – is here novelized in a brisk and efficient way, capably expanded to a short novel without any sense of padding. Fun for fans, basically.
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My own books here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
A series of interviews with Hollywood stunt performers. A stunt performer themselves, Johnston offers both a thematic and a stunt person-by-stunt person pathway through these interviews. Useful in giving insights into stunt folks’ perspectives on career-building, on storytelling through action, on working collaboratively in Hollywood, and on wider motivational and healthy living advice. Niche, perhaps, but informative and accessible.
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My own books here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
Los Angeles, 1969. The lives of a TV actor and his stuntman buddy intersect with others, including members of the Manson family. A quasi-novelisation of Tarantino’s 2019 movie, taking a different path through the material. Lots of movie and TV arcana, some fun digressions, and a sense of confident ease throughout. Not sure how it’d stand up for those who haven’t seen the film, but it makes the prospect of an original novel an intriguing one.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
The veteran film and television director on working in the industry. This second edition covers working with actors, directing action and suspense, TV and its differences to cinema, and preparation for shooting. An excellent personal perspective with practical value for any collaborative creative practitioner, drawing on a host of professional viewpoints and texts. Recommended.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler intercept a cry for help from near-future Earth, where a psychopathic billionaire has amassed a museum of alien technology. A brisk, effective expansion of Shearman’s own Dalek episode of Doctor Who from 2005. Retains the feel of the original, developing character without compromising the pace of the story. Lots of fun. Recommended.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
People are going missing in 1893 Bradford: Madam Vastra and Jenny Flint investigate. A zesty novelisation of Gatiss’s own 2013 Doctor Who episode (with another story recounting Jenny’s first meeting with the eleventh Doctor). Every opportunity for Victorian pastiche, name-checking and in-jokes – both historical and Whovian – has full advantage taken. Plenty of brisk fun, basically.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
A monograph discussing the 2013 Doctor Who 50th anniversary special. An engaging and freewheeling exploration, too, probing the episode’s links to wider Who canon, its storytelling approach, and to the ways it exemplifies a postmodern attitude to story. By no means the final word on the episode, but Stuart offers plenty to think about, and makes some interesting connections.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
Academic essays on the BBC single-camera comedy Detectorists, plus context from writer/star/director Mackenzie Crook, and original producer Adam Tandy. Focusing on the programme’s engagements with landscape, history, and gender relations, this is a fine introduction to the thematic richness and blokeish pleasures of the series. Volume II, please!
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
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