I've read a lot of Doctor Who stories before, and unfortunately The American Adventures wasn't one of the good ones. They were decent, but since six short stories were cramped into an altogether rather short book, they in the end all fell flat.
None of the stories really stood out for me, either in positive or negative sense. What I did miss though was the feeling this was the Twelfth Doctor. If it wasn't for the cover, I wouldn't have been able to tell.
A shame really. Hope things will be better when the Doctors stays at this side of the pond.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
[I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley.]
This was advertised in the Comics category, so I thought it'd be a comics, but it's actually a collection of short stories. Ah, well.
Not sure what to think about it, really. I found it... just bland, to be honest. On the bright side, none of the stories come with glaring plot holes or annoying sidekicks, but on the other hand, none left me with a lasting impression either.
The main problems here for me are:
- The characterisation of the Doctor. The stories are supposed to feature Capaldi's Doctor; it could be just any generic Doctor, though, the way he acts and is described. I could find no defining feature (even the eyebrows seemed weak!).
- Most of the stories's endings are disappointing: too abrupt, or close to nonexistant. The fifth story, for instance, leaves a lot of things unsaid. The least I expect in a story about an assassin trying to off their target is the assassin's motives, or who's hired them. Here, nothing. It just ends.
"All That Glitters": Forgettable. The plot is OK, but there's are no surprised here, it's all lvery classic, quickly solved, and a bit boring.
"Off the Trail": This one had more of a creepy feeling, the "something's wrong but we don't know yet what" feeling. Still, the "enemy" was done with too quickly.
"Ghosts of New York": Interesting theme, boring execution.
"Taking the Plunge": A bit better. Not complicated, a simple enough plot to follow, but with more oompfh than the previous stories.
"Spectator Sport": I seriously didn't see the point. Tourism on battlefields in different eras is ethically bad. OK. I was more interested anyway in the crime story wrapped in it; however, the latter fizzled and petered out. (See above about this.)
"Base of Operations": Considering its theme, it would have deserved a more complex resolution: I thought of all the stories, this was the most promising, the one with the strongest premise. At the end the Doctor was more like himself, with his determined stance of defending Earth and making sure the enemy's aware of it.
Conclusion: 1.5 stars. I don't recommend it, it is of little interest.
Before I bought and listened to this audio book, which came to my attention thanks to fellow Cannonballer Narfna's enthusiastic review, this is what I knew about Craig Ferguson:
1. Until very recently, he hosted the Late, Late Show, where he always seemed to be genuinely interested in the guests in the few clips that I've seen.
2. He really likes Doctor Who
3. He used to be in a band with Peter Capaldi, who is currently playing Doctor Who.
4. He's voiced a number of Scottish characters in animated movies that I've seen.
So I learned a lot about Mr. Ferguson while listening to this audio book, narrated by the man himself. He manages to recount stories that could be just tragic and depressing with wit and humour, without in any way hiding that for much of his life, he did not have an easy time of it. Growing up in a working class suburb to Glasgow in Scotland in the 60s and 70s seems pretty grim, although it's quite clear that Ferguson's parents had a much harder time of it. Apparently Ferguson's dad didn't own shoes until he was eleven. Still, as a teacher, listening to stories about how five-year-olds were belted for no obvious reason horrified me. I don't actually think I could be a teacher in an education system that allowed corporal punishment.
From early on in his life, Ferguson wanted to live in America, and he explains why in the book, while also talking about his very destructive alcoholism, his drug use, dropping out of school at sixteen to join the punk scene. While the stories he tells are funny, and alcoholism apparently saved his life (a friend distracted him with a pint of sherry on a Christmas morning when he had decided to commit suicide), Ferguson doesn't hesitate to be honest about what a destructive force it was, either. As the daughter of a recovering alcoholic, and an uncle who died before he was sixty partially because he didn't stop drinking, I have no illusions about alcholism being in any way glamorous or easy. I admire Ferguson for being so honest about his alcohol and substance abuse, as well as his process of becoming and remaining sober.
I hadn't realised that Ferguson wrote a novel, or that he wrote several screen plays, as well as being an actor and a stand-up comedian. He is very honest about the ups and downs of his career, and I wonder if he's made himself unpopular in certain industry circles by being quite so up front about his experiences especially in the film he wrote and directed, that the studio apparently ruined completely.
I finished this book in less than 24 hours, which I think may be a new record for an audio book. I had a lot of errands to run during the day, and this audio book kept me company. It also provided entertainment while I was working my way slowly and painstakingly through the complicated pattern part of the jumper I am knitting. Earlier in the week, I could easily knit while watching TV and even in the cinema, but now, that the pattern requires different colours of wool and careful attention, I can't watch or read anything while knitting. I'm so glad I had this book to keep me company. I've read a number of celebrity autobiographies now, but this is by far the most honest, open and as a result, interesting one I've come across. I'm so glad I got this audio book. Thanks again, Narfna!
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