Reviews

Reaction to the first Doctor Who Novella, Time and Relative by Kim Newman, has been overwhelmingly positive, to say the least!

Amongst many other accolades the Novella was the winner of the "Best Past Doctor Adventure" Award in the Doctor Who Magazine Annual Awards for 2001 (announced in issue 320).

This page presents selected reviews and comments on the novella, if you would like to read more follow any links to the sites concerned, there you'll find the full text of the reviews.

If you haven't already bought this novella we hope that these reviews will help you decide to buy it, just click on one of the "buy now" links below to view ordering information or to buy online now - hurry though, the Doctor Who Novellas are selling fast and you'll miss the opportunity to own copies if you wait too long.

Newspaper, Magazine and non-genre Reviews:

From The Sunday Express, Sunday December 9, 2001.
Web: www.express.co.uk
Reviewed by Katie Nicholl.

"... a brand new and extremely good Dr Who Novella.

...... a gripping tale of the cold seeking to cleanse the Earth and of what it's like to be an alien in a society that doesn't care for difference."

From The List: Glasgow and Edinburgh Events Guide, Issue 430.
Web: www.list.co.uk
Reviewed by Scott Montgomery.

"Film guru and Anno Dracula author Kim Newman gives a unique twist to Doctor Who with this chilling tale ... Liberated from the constraints of a BBC budget, Newman shrewdly exploits his freedom. He effortlessly weaves darkness, depth, characterisation and strong narrative together to form a compelling and very original prologue to the fondly remembered series."

From Enigma - SF, Horror and Crime from Waterstone's, Issue 11, April/May 2002.

"Newman's story telling skill and his love of the subject shine through in this novella making it a real pleasure to read and a great start to the series."

Genre Magazine Reviews:

From TV Zone, Issue 145 - December 2001.
Reviewed by David Darlington.

"... Time and Relative seems as likely to revitalize the [Doctor Who] franchise as anything BBC Books will produce over the next year.

... the best launch book for a literary Doctor Who range since ... in an exciting adventure with the Daleks over 30 years ago, and Telos Publishing can be quietly proud of that"

From Starburst, Issue 282.
Reviewed by Anthony Brown.

"Time and Relative cuts through the clutter of details and complexity which have accumulated around Doctor Who over the last 20 years and recaptures its original essence."

From Doctor Who Magazine, Issue 313, 6th February 2002.
Reviewed by Vanessa Bishop.

"... [Time and Relative] posesses a rare sense of wonder.

This is what Doctor Who felt like when we were kids: Special."

From STARLOG, February 2002.

"... Time and Relative proves quite as much of a treat as one might expect...

[Newman] adds multiple layers of stimulating genre reference to a narrative that will delight the more imaginative."

Fan Press Reviews:

From Shockeye's Kitchen, Issue 11.
Reviewed by Ian Farrington.

"... this book demands your attention as both a curiosity and a fresh approach to that oh-so-tired format of Doctor Who literature."

From Enlightenment, Feb/March 2002
Reviewed by Cameron Dixon.

"Time and Relative is the good old familiar Doctor Who that hooked us in as children, tatooed the series into our bones and made us stick with it, through thick and thin. Unmissable."

Online Reviews:

From Outpost Gallifrey, reviewed by Shaun Lyon.

"... Telos has gotten itself off to a great start.

... the pieces slowly fit together until we see Susan and her Grandfather become the characters we knew when Doctor Who first began. This is most exemplified at the end, when the Doctor... breaks... something ... It's almost ceremonial in its passing-of-the-torch to the mythos produced by the BBC.

... this is something different, something... new.

"Time and Relative is ... a top-rate first issue for the new series ... Thoroughly enjoyed, and heartily recommended."

From myshelf.com, reviewed by Rachel A Hyde.

"... when those snowmen appear that peculiar mixture of half-cosy, half-sinister that made the series so special gripped me.

... This novella ... contains a wonderful evocation of 1963 ... In short nicely done, just the right length and perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the early episodes."

From The ZONE, reviewed by Christopher Geary.

"[Time and Relative is] ... an enjoyable read and certain to meet with your approval, and will probably surpass the expectations of diehard fans.

... an engaging chronological prequel to the whole Doctor Who saga ... also recognising and respecting the necessity of including modern SF concepts in wholly action-orientated thrills and chills to satisfy today's readership ... should delight even the most jaded fan.

... What's remarkable about the climax and ending of Time And Relative is the unmistakable poeticism in the way that Newman allows his embattled protagonists to unite and succeed...

The smartly presented book includes a foreword by Justin Richards ... plus a stunning full colour frontispiece by renowned artist Bryan Talbot."

From DiverseBooks.com, reviewed by Ian Brown.

"... Mr. Newman is a master of his craft and it was a pleasure to read this book. The review copy was a 'standard' hardback edition, well, if this is the standard, I'd love to see a deluxe. I found the book to be beautifully bound with nice crisp printing, good layout and nice paper. This also helped make the book a pleasure to read...

The story ... features Susan as the main character. This in its self is a revelation. Susan is a character that is often over-looked, and is in fact, if used correctly as in this book, a good lead character.

... an excellent example of the genre. This book does exactly what it says on the cover - it's a Doctor Who novella, and it's a bloody good one at that."

From Sci-Fi Online, reviewed by Richard McGinlay.

"The diary format conveys Susan's character extremely well. She is believable as both an alien and a teenager.

... is there room in the Doctor Who marketplace for a new series of novellas? When they're of this high standard, there most certainly is."

Online Forums and Mailing Lists:

The edited comments below have been taken from some of the main Doctor Who online forums and mailing lists.

Please Note:
Whilst attempts have been made to contact all the writers of the following comments it has not been possible to contact everyone. We apologise to anyone who has not been contacted, if you would like your name or comment removed please e-mail the Telos webmaster.

From the Outpost Gallifrey Forum

Simon Burt:
"This novella should be essential reading to all the parties supposedly making bids to the BBC as it shows magnificently how much you can strip away and be left with the real nature of Doctor Who and how much more dramatic and subversive that is.

... It's awesome and would work so well in a TV series here and now.

What a breath of fresh air!

I suspect in years to come this will be looked back on as a seminal, very influential piece of Doctor Who."

David Brunt:
"Congratulations to Kim and all concerned, I haven't enjoyed a DW fiction book so much in a very long time. And you know how difficult I am to please...

I hope a lot of people get this one, it deserves to be a huge seller."

imforeman:
"... Earlier, I said that I thought it was a good novel - now I believe it is an extraordinarily good tale. Full marks."

Richard Ormrod:
"... rarely have my expectations been as fully realised as they have with this excellent entry into the Doctor Who cannon. I read the novella in one sitting, and it was the best couple of hours I've spent in a long time."

Simon Bucher Jones:
"... A stonking good tale told excellently in a strong narrative voice."

From the BBC Doctor Who Forum

Craig Rollins:
"...without doubt THE best DW book it has been my pleasure to read in a long time...

... a cracking new take on the series...

... I really hope that future novellas follow this style, very refreshing indeed, Kim Newman obviously has a great love for the series..."

Fitz Kreiner:
"Kim [Newman] ... put in a lot of stuff that would go over a casual readers head, whilst sometimes digging us fans in the ribs and going "wink wink"! An excellent job from Mr Newman."

From the Jade Pagoda Mailing List

Scott Sherritt:
"... I have to say I was pretty impressed... an interesting tale of isolation and growing up. It already seems a necessary precursor to any future viewing of An Unearthly Child and that is praise enough for any work."

Mike Montfort:
"The novella... is eminently enjoyable.

Kim's prose is clear and very readable... It is a very fine start to what hopefully will be a fine series.

... it gives us an insight into Susan that we have never seen before. Child and adult at the same time.

[I] Hope you all support Telos and get one of the two editions."

General Comments:

The comments below have been taken from e-mails received by Telos following the publication of Time and Relative.

Sophie Aldred:
"I started reading it on the train home - it was so good, and I was so engrossed in it, that I missed my station stop for the first time ever!"

Stephen Simcot:
"WOW!!! I was stunned... it's beautiful...

I'm so impressed..."

Frank Jason Rhoden:
"Immediately ... the love that Telos has poured into the book was quite obvious. The beautiful cracked ice cover compelled me to at least flip through it before it went on my shelf. Two hours later, I have just finished reading one of the best Dr. Who books I've read in ages.

... [Kim Newman's] characterization of Susan and First Doctor... really made me think deeper about what made the Doctor what we know him to be. Add to that a fantastically 'chilling' plotline, and it marks a stellar kick off for the Telos range."

K J Carter:
"... thank you for your efforts."

Paul Gibbons:
"...a great read."

Richard Harris:
"Congratulations on an excellent book...

Well done to you all."

Russell Buer:
"As a [long time] fan of Doctor Who... I found [Time and Relative] a really good read...

... I hope that Kim [Newman] will write another [Telos] Novella ..."

Simon Simmons:
"The book itself is gorgeous!

... I do enjoy buying well made books and this is an excellent example of such a volume."