The Price of Paradise (September 2006)
October 4, 2007
I finished the book with the same feeling that I’ve felt after reading every other new adventure story so far (Winner Takes All, The Clockwise Man, The Stone Rose, The Art of Destruction, and The Nightmare of Black Island): Typical. The Clockwise is a possible exception, but not by much. All these stories, though good, seem like they were rejects for the show for simply not exhibiting enough strength. They’re not bad by any means and I enjoyed each of them in differing ways. What I am saying is that I have yet to read a new adventures that can compare to the old series.
Maybe it’s unfair to compare these novels to the likes of “The Shadows of Avalon,” “Blue Angel” and the “Interference” duet. The problem is that it’s generally hard when you’ve read so many of them. I figure that they are toning these first ones down to help appeal to the younger audience, and I can respect that. What I would like is just something with a bit more soul. I’ve read books that have permanently changed the way I view the Doctor. None of the new ones have come close to that. They all seem like we’re watching the surface façade of his character. The Price of Paradise is no exception to the rule, which disappointed me somewhat.
It is a well-written story, and I would totally suggest it for teaching literary practice, for a class to read, or to introduce Doctor Who novels to someone. That’s about it though. There is no foreshadowing, no deep secrets brought to light that we didn’t already know about.
6/10.
Categories: Book Reviews
Tagged under: 2006, 6/10, book, Book Reviews, Colin Brake, Doctor, Doctor Who, Reviews, September, The Price of Paradise, Who