2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, light-hearted humour, 12 Dec 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Doctor Who - Festival of Death (Mass Market Paperback)
After reading the incredibly plot heavy Interference I wanted something that I could enjoy and hopefully, have a laugh at. "Festival of Death doesn't disappoint. It has the exact humour of season seventeen. Jonathan Morris does an absolutely incredible job with the Doctor and Romana, getting their characters perfected to a tee. The interplay between them was just as it had been in the TV series. I understand that this is Mr Morris' first novel, in which case it makes his achievement seem even more succesful. The plot was good. It does become quite hard to keep track of the timeframes but my advice would simply be dont try. Just sit back and enjoy a highly entertaining novel.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Totally groovy and way out man!, 25 Jan 2001
This review is from: Doctor Who - Festival of Death (Mass Market Paperback)
This was something really, really special. Something quite unique that takes a hugely complex idea and manages to make it delightfully simple. The idea of the Doctor and Romana finding that they've already been, when in fact that experience is still in their future has never been explored in such an attractive and entertaining way. I could not really fault this book, save for sometimes having to remind myself from time to time just how many times the Doctor and Romana had gone back in time, and which time it was now. If you see what I mean? Lovely characters, lovely story, lovely concept. I'm fervently hoping now that Jonathan Morris has got a few more aces up his sleeve, because this one is truly a winner all the way. Something of a stroke of genius. Buy it now! Enjoy to the limit! Just don't try and analyse each layer to death time-wise like I did-it'll drive you mad!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Looking backwards to death, 23 Sep 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Doctor Who - Festival of Death (Mass Market Paperback)
"Festival of Death" is a novel set just before the last season of the most popular of Doctors, Tom Baker. It's an odd place - Baker's second last season is (in my opinion) one of the worst in the show's history, while his last was a return to the excellence that accompanied Baker's arrival in the role.
This book therefore manages to combine some of the odd humour of season sixteen with the better production quality of season seventeen. Into the bargain, a story idea that should have been used in the show at some time is featured. The Doctor, Romana and K9 arrive at a place where they have just been, and must travel back in time to carry out the activities that they have been told they have done.
Like the last month's Past Doctor novel, Imperial Moon, the Doctor has some foreknowledge of what is happening but must act to preserve the web of time. And in this case, the Doctor is told he sacrificed his life to save the day.
Given the crossing of the timelines inherent in the story, Jonathan Morris does an excellent job in making the story plain when it could have been confusing. He does this in two ways: firstly, with strong and memorable scenes which stay in the reader's mind; and secondly, by use of somewhat cliched characters. Obviously, I approve of the former but the latter is another harking back to season sixteen.
"Festival of Death" is a good read, and given the similarity of theme to "Imperial Moon" it is interesting to compare and contrast the two different incarnations of the Doctor in their approaches.
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