1.5 stars | do not recommend

Omg all this time I've been pronouncing it like Chris but with a z. Chrizz. It's cuh-rizz. I'm a fool.

This story, though? It may have had cuh-rizz, but it certainly didn't have rizz. Let's talk about it.

Honestly this is quite a let-down after the brilliance of Scherzo. A rather dull audio that doesn't take advantage of the medium at all, or really do anything interesting. It feels especially strange after Scherzo's whole idea about them being competing with the only other evolving thing in the place, and then they walk right into this zone with loads of life and civilisation... I feel like I've just had a big lore dump, or listened to an audiobook, rather than experiencing a story in a creative and engaging way.

I shouldn't be surprised - I really didn't enjoy the other one of Martin's audios I've listened to (Mission to Magnus) either. I really did want to like this - it's a companion introduction, for a companion I know a lot of people really love, and part of a story arc that has real potential - but I just couldn't get into it.

This story made even capitalism-as-the-source-of-imperialism seem dull. Disappointing. And I'm not even going to start on what the frick frack f**k happened to Charley. 1.5 stars. At least we got to hear the lizard boy be tortured, that was fun.

A beautiful thing about dealing with grief and loss that had me crying at midnight - 5/5. Probably my favourite story of this anthology so far.

Built up terror quite nicely, and the structure allowed us to get to know both sides of the story - I especially loved how, when the story was focusing on the alien, the narration only ever called her a "soldier", whilst the humans kept referring to her as a "creature". That kind of dehumanisation and othering contrasted with personal truth? Chef's kiss! And the ending was such a sucker-punch. The theme of fear of the other was explored really well, too.

4/5

Unlike my reviewing compatriots, I find it impossible to capture the bizarre nature of this piece in mere numerical terms. It's balance between meta and storytelling is utterly sublime, the story being consumed by the meta, as capitalistic greed comsumes all things... a chilling and modern-era-relevant piece of cinematic genius, made ironic by the fact that it was produced by the very thing Doctor Who sets out to destroy... consumerism has long been an enemy of the Doctor's, and here, we find him promoting it! What a scandal! What uproar must this have caused when it first aired! Oh, how the mind does wonder...

I don't know what y'all are making such a big deal over - so what if our girl Eliza has multiple biodata donors? So do you!

(Anyway, cool story!)

3.5/5, a pretty decent piece of film. Humans and capitalism and tourism ARE a disease that destroy the mind and the planet!!! Corporate culture kills!! Go off Nigel Fairs!!!

I can see why this show was allowed to continue and became such a hit - charming characters (a good balance between totally alien and relatable), a clear and engaging plotline, absolutely banger music, and a good moral to boot. What an enjoyable ride! I sure do hope this show is picked up for more episodes! /j

An absolute delight amongst the utterly chaotic madness of whatever the hell is going on with the uprising (please read that in a positive tone - I am enjoying every second). Felt like a little anchoring moment; a glimpse into what the uprising is like outside of Cwej-V's immediate vicinity (- haha, I think I'm so funny). Obsessed with the clarity of the worldbuilding in such a small space as these few pages!

An utterly confusing and wonderfully mad story that I will need a lifetime to unravel - though, there are cases where the meaning doesn't matter nearly as much as the feel of the thing, and this is one such case. I mean, it literally opens with us being told that we won't understand it! Why should I hold it against this story when it fulfills it's promise? Such brilliant vibes. All identity and freedom and new perspectives in the best and most insane ways possible. 4.5/5

2.5-3/5 - a pretty standard tv plot with nothing to really make it stand out or catch my eye. Though, coming straight from finishing K9 and hearing all about the "Fallen Angel" operation where the government was keeping an eye on a crashed spaceship to Dreamland, made around the same time, where within the first few minutes we are told about... you guessed it, a government operation known as "Fallen Angel" keeping an eye on a crashed spaceship, now, that certainly did turn my head! Fun coincidence. But, as for the actual episode... yeah, nothing special.

A thoroughly underwhelming end to a thoroughly underwhelming show. It's such a shame - I feel like with the setting and the sitautions of the characters, this had such potential, but it really just fell flat. The whole thing hinges on me feeling anything towards K9, but fails to give me a real reason, or properly centralise him as the main character. It wasn't a total waste, though - the show as a whole (sadly not so much this episode, which was especially let down by unfortunate technobabble in all the wrong places - a common issue for this series) had some good moments and occasionally hard-hitting lines with a lot of relevance to today's political landscape. Had a lot of promise - ah, if only it had been good!

(Less of an actual review and more of a rant; just getting out the thoughts that came to me whilst watching this one)

The one I thing I thought I could rely on with this series was not having another damn "anti-protest" episode (side eyes McTighe) and yet, here we are... or, was it? Usually in this series, the protesters are the good guys, but this time they were more like terrorists. While "cops are terrorists" is certainly not a message you'll find me jumping to fight any time soon, the fact that they were cops was almost coincidental here - the point is that they were human beings whose jobs had been taken over by robots. But, the fact that they were cops (who this series usually very stalwartly presents as the bad guys)... it's all a bit muddled. Then again, this is very much me projecting 2020s politics onto a 2010 show, so, I suppose I should expect that I'd be a little confused. Like trying to project specifically this+last year's current affairs onto a certain episode I could name that apparently must've been written in mid-late 2023... ahem.

Anyway. Tricky parent/child relationships again... I do wish we could have one, just one, relationship like this where the kid was allowed to properly cut off the parent. Of course there will always be nuance and feelings there, but that doesn't have to lead to forgiveness, or as in this case, a reconnection. Too often, kids tv teaches kids that they should always forgive their parents, or that "family is family" and is more important than themselves, no matter what that family has done... kids, if your dad's a terrorist cop, you're allowed to harbour anger and hatred towards him, it's okay, you don't have to have any kind of touching reconciliatory moment... please kids, take my hand, it's okay...

It did feel like a little bit of an afterthought, but it still fit with the other themes at least, and is an important message - once again, thank you K9 2010 for teaching kids that most important of all lessons - no matter what someone has done, they are still a human being, and cannot have their rights taken away. Human rights are not something you earn by being nice, or a good father, or "not a terrorist" - the right to a fair trial is one everyone has, and it must be protected. God, can you imagine the cultural impact this show might have had if it was good? We need shows with these kinds of messages in our social consciousness, now more than ever.

My boy deserves a little healing from the trauma. As a treat.

Using this one as a focal point for a lot of thoughts I've been having - not only about this episode. Honestly, I'm just using this as a springboard/excuse to rant about protest etiquette.

First off, I need to rant. I feel like there's this misconception of potentially arrestable actions that they're some facet of the "glorious revolution" that factions of leftists are keen to cling on to, that they're some riot that feels like a promise of change. They're not. They're exhausting and scary and 100% worth it, but planned actions like the one Starky's doing, well, it's not like it's stonewall. No one *wants* a confrontation. Showing it like this, like it's some mighty "we'll go down fighting (literally)" type stand, it's dangerous. We need to stop creating false expectations like this - the stand is in the action itself, in making sure you and your comrades get out safe.

But this? They're teaching the kids the wrong idea about protests! If there's a risk of arrest or other consequence, you need to be COVERING YOUR FACE and have an escape plan - you don't "stand firm", that's how you get arrested! Stop teaching the children unsafe protest practice! Those bright shirts - where's your bloc? Where's your mask? Where's your basic understanding of how bad getting caught in an illegal protest can screw up your life and the protection and planning needed to prevent that? Protest safely, kids - here's some tips from TKDB.

I'm really glad that the guy touting all that was revealed to be a turncoat, because it did create a bit of the impression that you shouldn't trust what he said (and also because he seemed to be the most okay with being arrested/action-hardliner-type, and this showed that that presentation of extremism is more likely to be fake/misguided.)
sorry for the rant. anyway -

Echoing everyone else - lol that's not a cyborg.

Have I mentioned how much I love the CCPC units. their design is riot gear - which is broken out at times of heavy unrest, and often pre-emptively issued when the political situation means unrest is expected, such as when we get more restrictive, fascist laws coming into effect. And their voices are actually f**king genius - they're cockney, they're a symbol of London, they're tailored to give the impression of being truly British while actually being used to control the British population (or, possibly London - I'm not entirely clear if the dictatorship is actually the whole country, or if the city is kind of cut off). Shame I could never understand Birdy's words - that transcript was a real godsend!

The rogue CCPCC with a bit of humanness? it's first instinct is to protect people - strangers in trouble! - from the cops. Protection and resistance are encoded in human dna. They are the most human things imaginable. Once again, bemoaning that this show with all my favourite themes that teaches the kiddies how to fight back against authoritarianism is just so clunky and badly made and overall mid!!!

Ignoring more stupid teenage love triangle s**t, I loved the bit where Starky was surprised that Jorjie's friend, a fellow activist, hadn't heard of him. Like bbg that's how it's supposed to be, but also, it's only natural to be desparate for people to know of your accomplishments... he's only a kid so it's forgiven but, irl, guys don't brag about your activism, that's how they get you. Could be your downfall. Still, the idea of credit, of wanting people to know that it was YOU who didn't lie down and take it, who fought back... I f**k with this severely.

So yeah, another day, another great concept of an episode/really brilliant setting that is so necessary in today's world, especially in kids' TV, with some of the worst and most boring execution I've ever seen. Not rating this one. Go watch it for yourself.

Wow. Wow oh wow. I think Arcbeatle should have to pay for my therapy after the psychological damage this one did me. Usually I say that in a bad way, but this time, it is because the story was so damn good, but it worked so well because it was so damn disturbing. Every story in this series seems to deal our boy more and more trauma. 4.5/5 - a wonderful character piece that gave me greater understanding not only of the character, but of the series as a whole.

I did not have a Cwej landing on a desert planet mutating into something unrecognisable and cloning himself for food and then becoming god of that food on my Cwej: The Series bingo card. Because why would I what the f**k what the f**k what the f**k -
My boy has been TRAUMATISED. As have I. Please give him a break, I beg. Seeing that the next story has the word "trauma" in the title, I doubt that this begging will be successful.

This story did something very, very important to the character of Cwej - it showed us what he is like when he is alone. It also had some religious commentary that shows just how fascinatingly unsustainable Cwej's relationship with his Superiors really is - he was weary and doubtful of the Cwejen's blind, cult-like religion that led them to sacrifice themselfs (yes, that is the correct plural in this case, see The Book of the War) again and again, and yet did believe that they needed a purpose: to blindly follow the superiors, who sacrifice Cwejen, again and again. He is able to recognise and point out the f**ked up dynamics of, well, waves hands all this, and yet is not able to break from those same dynamics between him and the Superiors. We as the reader know and understand the terror of the Cwej-Superior relationship, and so we see this hypocrisy - we know he is steeped in propaganda, and yet we are still able to trust his assesment of this situation, still able to recognise that we are supposed to agree with him that this is f**ked up, even before we meet the cannibalistic bear. It's a very fine line to walk - trusting a character and his assessment of right and wrong in such a situation whilst also knowing that he is unreliable - and this story does it remarkably well. I am truly blown away by how delicate a balance is struck here - and how well-written this story is! It's on the longer side, without trying to wrangle too much plot, with such pleasant pacing that I found this a really easy read. Despite the horrors. The very necessary (for understanding Cwej) and uniquely disturbing (because this really wouldn't have been possible if it were any other character in any other situation) horros.

I also feel like I understand Larles and Kwol's role in this series much better now. I'd been thinking of them as companions to Cwej's Doctor, and thus bemoaning them not really being in the anthology that much, but across the last couple stories (with this one making me able to voice this properly) I have realised that they are meant to be Cwej's little secret, stashed away, who he is with occasionally but not all the time. They do not shape his relationship to the universe - they are an interesting addition, rather than a necessary part of the functioning of this series. They improve without being relied upon - it's an interesting dynamic, and one that it took me a little too long to get used to, but I feel like I enjoy them more now with this understanding.

I've only got a few stories left - although there is much more Cwej, both already published and on it's way, not much of what is already out is Cwej: The Series. I do feel as though I've fallen in love with the series, more than the character, and I will miss it greatly in-between releases.

So yeah, amazing story that made me understand the series and character a lot more, truly disturbing, 4.5/5.

As clunky as that was, it heavily tied into the main plot (K9's existence in the city being illegal and opposed by the authorities). Plus, an episode about police corruption/authoritarianism that teaches kids not to be snitches and that sometimes, in order to do the right thing and protect the people you care about, you gotta break the law. Yes this is a key theme throughout the series due to the nature of the setting, but, here it was brought right into the spotlight, and I heartily approve. 3.5/5

This episode made me realise something that's been stealing on me for a little while now - that the show really doesn't need K9. It's supposed to be all about him, and yet he doesn't add anything, he's not at all necessary for the structure/format of the show - he's really not important at all. And, even the writers seem to forget what they're trying to do - here, they have Starky, a kid Gryffen met maybe two weeks ago, max, acting as his 'real son', while Darius, the kid who's been taking care of Gryffen for years and knows everything about him, what he needs, how to take care of him, is literally sitting Right There, not objecting to being ignored in favour of this kid he hates. What is happening.

The episode itself was fine - another pretty boilerplate concept for this kind of show, without any interesting take.

Wow, what an incredibly beautiful story - lovely prose, a gripping plot, great pacing, and characters that I did not expect to fall so in love with and really come to understand their personalities in so short a time! A wonderful tale about becoming myth and saving yourself and what really matters in life. Choosing to protect people, your people, choosing to value a single life the same as all other lives, because what is a community without it's people, and without it's principles? The myths and legends and stories that we tell each other through the long nights, to keep us going, they shape us, show us what's important, what we need to be... ahhhhhh I'm just in love with The Themes!!!

The only drawback is that I think some of the plot went a little over my head - I was so in love with the community we were introduced to and the struggles between what they had to do to keep themselves safe and their need to help others that this didn't really impact my enjoyment of the story, but I do wish I was a little less confused. (I struggle more with these complicated time travel/paradox plots than a lot of other people though, so, it's probably not all that confusing - the author kindly explained the parts I was lost at afterwards, and I really do think this is a case of, "I read half of this at 1 a.m." rather than it being an actual problem with this story.)

My favourite story of the anthology so far, and one of my favourite Whoniworks for sure! 5/5 (:

Another fun K9 episode that would have genuinely been quite good - the ambiguous fear creature that we never fully understand is always a favourite trope of mine - if it weren't for the pure and utter clunkiness. Also, sighing at the disabled villain trope - wowww, he has a robot hand, oh no, so evil! I'm sure this doesn't reflect on real-life disabilities (specifically prosthetics) at all! It's always so frustrating when you're genuinely enjoying a show (although this episode in particular was quite messy) and then they decide to Do An Ableism. Makes me (disabled viewer) feel real swell, lemme tell ya, real swell indeed (/sarc).

No clue how to rate this, just annoyed that all these ideas that have so much potential are being executed so poorly (regarding the show as a whole). It's like if the SJAs took place in a near-future authoritarian dystopia and was also kinda bad. Sighs.

The only genuinely just about decent PROBE case file, saved by the length+genuinely good writer combo, but then the rating crashes again due to the (predictably) terrible acting. Genuinely decent plot until the obvious Baggs-ism at the end (which thankfully is only the last couple minutes, but, the bad Baggs acting does also really ruin this one). The music was really really really appropriate??? Which I was. Not Expecting. Good writing, bad... everything else that BBV is infamous for.

BOX MY BELOVEDDDD  :D

I mostly enjoyed this episode, with a few caveats... this is NOT organised and WILL be a rant. Spoilers ahead. No idea how to rate this one...

A whole lot of fluff for not much plot, this was a fun episode with a well-done (though ultimately unoriginal) dystopia-disguised-as-a-utopia that I thought handled some of the terror of this quite well. The gestapo idea was clear, and the clothing and memory stuff especially reminded me of the monk trilogy. The heteronormativity/fear of difference in regards to queerness specifically was I think the most well-done part of the dystopian alt-right wishful reality, with Ibrahim's horror (you're a man, you can't find another man beautiful) being truly chilling. I expect nothing less from Russell T "the Doctor's bisexual companion cured AIDS with gay sex" Davies... though, given the careful focus to racism given in the last two series what with this being our first Black mainline Doctor, I did expect more on that angle. I mean, Belinda in the 1950s housewife dress (with the episode being rife with 1950s misogyny to boot), the illegality of homosexuality, the full on report-your-friends-and-family-to-the-cops-if-they-stray-from-the-norm/the-rules thought crime stuff... it was basically set in the 1950s, with all the associated societal bigotry, but NOT racism?? I feel like that's a pretty big thing to leave out. Though, another part of this that I did like was how the ableism was handled - RTD was in a tricky spot. You can't ignore the disabled people and just Not Address It (unlike racism apparently), and you can't have them go through what happens in real life (because all that death is a tad much for a family show), so working in the fact that it can't be ignored as a plot point that clues us in to what's happening? I think that was the only thing that could be done, and was a good move.

Though, speaking of cluing us in to what's happening - I feel like the trailer/teasers/promo/beginning of the episode pretty much Told Us what was happening. The plot should have been the Doctor working that out, and then working out the Rani's plan, why she was doing all this... but there was just really no plot. We as the audience know what's happening, so the plot can't just be the Doctor working it out too, because then there's no pay-off for us as viewers, and yet... well, I can't ask for the world, I suppose. It is an RTD finale. The visuals were gorgeous, and very much suited to a dystopia-disguised-as-a-utopia. We deserved more development from the characters, though... which brings me to the unignorable.

The Rani.

HE BUTCHERED MY GIRL!!!! Resident Deca fan over here - that was some of the worst character assasination I've seen in a long time. My girl is  COLDHEARTED, UNCARING, INDIFFERENT B*TCH. How dare RTD make her Feel. How dare he take a genuine girlboss and turn her into yet another Master-lite, desparate for the Doctor's attention/to know how cool she is, romantic situationship!!! The answer to the question "were we lovers?" is a big fat NO, Doctor, and you better tell my favourite asexual lesbian that next episode, and she better laugh and go "Yeah that was the point lol". It isn't so much about the romance - it's the idea that the Rani, who does not care what anyone thinks, cares about the Doctor enough to play with his feelings. To give him a second glance. To treat him as anything more than a mildly annoying lab partner Borusa stuck her with against her wishes who only slows her down, but she just about tolerates becuase she's friends with his boyfriend. Still, at least RTD got one thing right: she does like dinosaurs. The skeleton dinosaur was clearly for her :D RTD can come back from this, but the question is - will he?

I'm not really going to bring up the Rogue and Susan cameos. They were fun, but, that better not be it for Rogue (gay boy in superhell... died 2020(?) born 2025 welcome back Castiel from Supernatural), and Susan (as well as a lot of other things about this episode, such as Poppy) felt like there was some plot threads being set up here. Too much. I worry that RTD will have tried to squeeze a lot of plots into the finale and it will be overcrowded, when really some of that plot should have been saved for this episode. It really did need it. Overall, enjoyed, with some reservations - excited but apprehensive to see if RTD sticks the landing next week.

Gd, what an incredible story! I haven't truly loved a story like this in a long time. It was everything Doctor Who should be - a little educational, telling a unique and deeply personal experience in a way that is accessible and relatable to a wide audience, and yet wholly and completely alien, too. And the Doctor - the Doctor, angry to kind, unforgiving to accepting, haunted by the past to hopeful for the future. What a range, and what an incredible performance - Ncuti really does capture everything the Doctor should be. There was also still some of that distrust from Belinda that makes her stand out as a companion, and really memorable one-off characters, too. The Story and the Engine - and, oh, what a story! 5/5 - spoilers from here on out.

The Barber's story was one that is incredibly familiar to many writers, inventors, and other creators - one of being overlooked, uncredited, having your work stolen, your name erased. Finally snapping and seeking revenge for that felt wholly justified, and the fact that he was then awoken to the terrible price that would be paid for this revenge, the harm that would be caused, and was able to change his mind without seeming unreasonable for what he was doing before? Absolute masterpiece. I am so so glad this wasn't just another Pantheon god who had to be destroyed or otherwise defeated - this was a person, a human, the place where all these gods really draw their power. We bring them to life. They come from us. They are simply manifestations of the core elements of humanity - and so they, too, are human. Were once human. And so they, too, can make mistakes and feel emotions and be forgiven - or, as in this case, not forgiven. But the choice is there, because this time, he was a person. That story mirroring the Doctor's - with the Timeless Child, credit for their abilities being stolen, with that coward hiding behind a no-name and seeking revenge - that entire speech, where the Barber was in the midst of an identity crisis, was everything we see from the Doctor, too. The Doctor was really confronting himself.

I am so, so glad it was Fugitive - seeing a part of her story spilling out so we could see it, so the Doctor could remember that taken part of their life, all thanks to the machinations of the 'villain'. Seeing the Doctor be the villain in someone else's story because they did what they thought was right, but didn't think about the consequences - sounds like someone else I know (looks intently at the Barber). First of all, hell yeah doomed yuri (that both parties refused - such an underappreciated form of relationship), but also, it specifically being Fugitive, that one story the Doctor can't remember, except inside those four walls, except when confronted with her victim to bring her story to life? The first Black Doctor, who was escaping herself. Her future self, forgiven, being saved by the woman she couldn't free. Abby giving the Doctor the route to freedom, when Abby's freedom was once denied by that very same person? Genuinely, perfect. Every choice that was made in this story has me applauding - it all just fits so well. Plus, gives us new mysteries to ponder... who was that little girl who Belinda saw?

Belinda, the one who doesn't fit in this world that the Doctor calls home. Belinda, who can't get home herself, made to be an outsider everywhere she goes... Belinda, the ordinary person who has the greatest story of them all. Belinda, whose story is still being told, right before our eyes... Does she have someone at home, waiting for her? Is she expendable? Does she only matter for herself? No one's daughter, sister, mother, wife - we care about her story because of who she is. Because she is a person (and also if we're being honest with ourselves, because she's the only one who's been able to resist becoming the Doctor's latest codependent pet project and that's absolutely fascinating like come on who is she who are you Belinda Chandra hmm Chandra I wonder where I've heard that be- )

ANYWAY. Coughs. Speaking of people waiting back home, the way my heart skipped a beat when Omo mentioned Blue - I am so glad I read the prequel story, because I think that really added something to this, already knowing Omo's story, already seeing where he came from and now finally getting to see where he went. But, the episode ended with his story just starting to be told, opening up an avenue to go read that story ourselves - and then see where he went next (this episode), and then go back to see the start of his story, ad infinitum!

I don't think I really have anything clever to say about this one. I just really, really loved it, and I'm really, really glad that this story was able to be told. And, especially that we got this story on our screens. It's not just important that it's part of Doctor Who - it's important that kids are going to be watching this at home and learn that we can change our own futures, we can learn from the past, and, most of all, that no matter who we are or what we've done, the most important thing we can do is still to tell stories.

A lovely little story that does what it's supposed to do: makes me excited for this Saturday's episode!

The emphasis on imminent action to combat imminent danger, the need to protect your home from man-made environmental catastrophe created by corporate greed and enforced by a fierce, child-shooting military - and with fire being in almost every illustration. It's a very powerful image, and one I'm very glad to see after Lucky Day's much more pro-government/pro-military stance.

Well worth a read. 4/5 stars

I think it could have been worse. Maybe. 1/5 because I am a benevolent overlord.

4/5 - a well-written book in a style I enjoyed, with some notable points that knocked this down for me.

Firstly, there was a lot of gore and violence that was really offputting in a way that felt unnecessary/pointless - I was not surprised to learn that the writer, Mark Morris, went on to become a horror writer. The Doctor accidentally committing genocide, and the grotesque descriptions of the Zygons' decaying bodies and the destruction of the Skarasen, was truly horrifying. However, it was supremely well-written, and there was no part of this book that I felt was a slog. Well paced, and fely like it simultaneously fit well with classic who serials, whilst being clearly written for this medium, which is a difficult balance to acheive. There were some slightly, shall we say, odd ideas about gender with the Zygons especially, but this was written in the 90's, so I wasn't all that surprised - and, he did play around with gender a little, made it interesting at least.

I have to admit, I'm a little bored of the whole "aliens try and take over the Earth and destroy humanity and can't be reasoned with" plotline combined with such incredible levels of violence. It rarely interests me. This is more of a personal gripe though; it often feels shallow and isn't really my thing. However, this was at least somewhat balanced out well with a member of that invading force joining with our heroes, and helping them save the Earth from their own invasion, though I'm not sure that it really made sense after the Doctor killed the rest of the invasion force. Even if you disagree with what someone is doing, seeing them and all the rest of your people violently killed is probably not going to keep you on the good side of the murderer.

Fun seeing Litefoot again! He was integrated well into the plot, so it didn't just feel like we were pointing back at an old episode for nostalgia points. There were also a lot of little elements that I didn't know came from pre-NuWho, so were really fun to see in an extended universe book. I won't mention them by name - if you haven't read it, you'll just have to wait and see! They were fun surprises for sure. However, there was one big issue that really made this harder to enjoy - Sam. She didn't feel distinguished from other companions in her personality (I kept reading her lines in Ace's voice) despite this clearly being a bit intent of the book. Morris somehow managed to put Sam in focus, have the story told mostly though her, without making her active. We were told what she wasn't doing, rather than what she was doing instead, and most of her actions (or lack thereof) seemed to be driven by a complex that she didn't really have in the previous book, and so came off as a mischaracterisation, despite her being relatively new and therefore not having much established character to miss! Then again, perhaps I am judging this too harshly - Vampire Science is a tough act to follow.

So, a very well-written novel (that's just a bit too violent for my tastes). I know a lot of people skip the early EDAs to get to Faction Paradox quicker, and reading this has made me feel glad that I didn't do the same, because while this wasn't entirely my cup of tea, it was a very well made book that I think a lot of people will enjoy, and it would be a shame to miss out on the chance to find out. 4/5