Damn… that was disappointing.

So after reading Eater of Wasps, I was really excited to read this book. Not only did it have another favorite Doctor of mine but apparently this was one of the best rated 12th Doctor books that was released. Unfortunately… I don’t share the same sentiment as other people.

I would not dare say this is a bad book, there are some great ideas and concepts here, like most of the weaker Who stories. I love the setting first and foremost, this would’ve went hard on TV. And I like that this story is kinda different in that it does a more slow paced, exploration type plot. It’s very in line with the era that there’s not a big monster of the week type story but rather a more personal tale.

But then I go to the things that bug me with this book. It’s just not that entertaining. Maybe that’s just me, because I read this after reading a fun, fast-paced, rollicking tale of killer wasps and time agents… god that book was awesome. Like yeah it has the staples of Baxendale where we get introduced to a bunch of characters in which some (if not all) die in horrifying ways but unlike his other works… I just don’t really care much about the characters apart from the Doctor and Clara. And even then… unfortunately I don’t think the characterization of 12 and Clara are all that special. Which is really disappointing given that he seems to usually have a great grasp of whatever Doctor and TARDIS team he writes for. I love the 12th Doctor and Peter Capaldi. He’s what makes that era, so writers REALLY have to channel that performance in my opinion.

Ahhhh and then there’s the Glamour. I’m gonna keep it a brick, this is the only book I own that’s in this mini-series, so I don’t truly know how much the Glamour is important in the overall arc (though from seeing reviews it sounds like not that much and it’s not that interesting to begin with) however just reading this, while it is a really cool concept, it feels like an afterthought. Like it just HAD to be there. Idk, it just felt like artificial tension for the climax of the story.

Yeah man, I can’t really say more other than it was a disappointing read. I was really expecting more from the author of the three stories I listed down below, considered some of the finest Who novels you can read (at least in my opinion). I don’t regret reading it and I’m glad that other people enjoy the book more than me but I just feel like I was expecting more. Maybe should’ve finally finished The Blood Cell, now that was a really good 12th Doctor story even though I only read half of it years ago.