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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eye Eye Cap'n, 19 Mar 2009
The last of the Timelords is alone once more. Donna has returned to Chiswick; all memories of her time with The Doctor removed permanently. Arriving in the ruins of Arcopolis, a once proud city on an unnamed planet, he is immediately ambushed by a gang of well-dressed semi-feral kids and a ghost; a ghost with a deadly touch. We soon discover that The Doctor has come with a purpose, to locate and destroy the deadliest weapon ever created; first though he needs to negotiate the lethal sentient fortress in which the weapon is housed, at the same time avoiding the enigmatic titular beings, `The Eyeless', who want the weapon for themselves and who will stop at nothing to prevent The Doctor from getting to it before them...
One of the more sophisticated books in the range, writer Lance Parkin gives the reader plenty to think about; sometimes dazzling us with science but always entertaining. The action is seen either through the eyes of The Doctor or or the hardened leader of the gang of troubled adolescents, Alsa, in the absence of the Timelord's usual travelling companion. The story is fast-paced and gripping, whilst managing to project well-worn Doctor Who themes such as decayed civilisations, struggling colonists/villagers and what it means to take responsibility for one's actions, with freshness and flair.
I think that younger readers may struggle with keeping track of events, but the book is brave and successful attempt to go deeper into The Doctor's psyche and challenge the reader's assumptions, as well as simply being a cracking good read.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoughtful and engaging, 1 Feb 2009
The Eyeless feels like a hybrid of Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible, Vanderdeken's Children and Beltempest whilst being miles better than all three of them. It takes the breathless scale and beautifully imaginative landscapes from Marc Platt's near impenetrable opus, the exploration of a deadly trap from Christopher Bulis' puzzle book and the astonishing death toll and the taste of defeat from Jim Mortimore's massacre in print. I am surprised that it was published as a part of this series because it lacks the humour we have come to expect, has long stretches of prose without dialogue and pushes the Doctor to his limits both physically and psychologically. If you have been disappointed by the lack of depth in the NSAs then this is the book for you, there is some stunning development of the Doctor's character that is tied directly into the root of the series. This is the book that affords a brief glimpse at the Time War and allows the Doctor a shockingly racist moment. A book that brings home the pain of loss and the scars that won't heal on the one man who lives on.
No allowances are made for a child audience. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that a child could not read this but it has not been lobotomised like so many of the earlier NSAs. Take the setting, which is beautifully realised in the first six pages and detailed on a huge scale so you can easily visualise this alien metropolis. Parkin then spends the first third of the book taking the audience on a trip through this ruined paradise, painting a shocking picture of poverty and plenty sitting side by side. Take the guest characters who reveal new shades every time we meet them. Some of whom are bumped off unpredictably to further the plot. Or even the pace of the book which enjoys several breathers to flesh out this world some more. This is as far from a TV rip off like Feast of the Drowned as you can get.
The Eyeless is written with a great deal of care and passion. It is tightly written and does not waste a paragraph. The characterisation is stronger than we have seen in this range ever and the last third is unputdownably good.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just fantastic!, 19 May 2009
This is one of my favorite's in the Doctor Who books, every page just kept me hooked as the story strolled along with thrills and tension, I would love to see this as an episode, it was also nice to see the Doctor's darker side, the author captured his character really well.
As a reader of fan fiction and this book was worth the pennies! and I'm sure I'll be reading it again soon!
So, if your like me and love the Doctor, but arnt too bothered about companions, this is a MUST read! GO BUY IT NOW! you wont be disappointed ^_^
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