Tag: George Mann

Doctor Who: The Lost Flame

Doctor Who: The Lost Flame

by Cavan Scott & George Mann; audiobook read by Clare Higgins (BBC, 2017)

Mann_Scott_Lost Flame

An exaggerated scenario with a deus ex machina finale. A concluding serial that ties in but tenuously with the rest of the series. Clare Higgins handles the reading with aplomb, but once again Cavan Scott and George Mann have failed to deliver.

 

 

Doctor Who: An Apple a Day

Doctor Who: An Apple a Day

by George Mann (Woodlands Books, 2014); audiobook read by David Troughton (Bolinda, 2015)

Mann_Apple a Day

David Troughton’s reading brings a lot to this gentle Christmas ‘Seeds of Doom’ homage-cum-reprise. The Krynoid remains one of the Classic Series’ more memorable monsters, although again — as with the original serial’s RAF bombardment — the means of its defeat are rather unsatisfying.

 

 

Doctor Who: The Lost Planet

Doctor Who: The Lost Planet

by George Mann (BBC Audio, 2017); audiobook read by Nicola Bryant

Mann_Lost Planet

The Doctor, having carelessly created a universe-imperilling problem, defeats it by running away. (If that’s a spoiler, consider yourself saved.) Mann plumbs old depths; with Nicola Bryant reading it almost feels like we’re back in the mid-80s with Pip and Jane Baker.

 

 

Doctor Who: The Lost Angel

Doctor Who: The Lost Angel

by George Mann & Cavan Scott; audiobook read by Kerry Shale (BBC, 2017)

Mann_Scott_Lost Angel

The Weeping Angels, like the Daleks before them, have faded from show-defining monsters into one-dimensional ho-hum tripe. The bits with the Doctor work well enough — as one would expect — but whenever he’s absent the writing, characters and scenario simply fail to engage.

 

 

Doctor Who: Paradox Lost

Doctor Who: Paradox Lost

by George Mann (BBC, 2011); audiobook read by Nicholas Briggs

Mann_Paradox Lost

In an otherwise fairly nondescript Eleventh Doctor adventure, Mann introduces two minor characters with potential for future appearances: Professor Angelchrist, an early twentieth century gentleman adventurer; and Arven, a soft-spoken AI from future London. Of less interest is the dismissively-dealt-with titular paradox.

 

 

Doctor Who: Engines of War

Doctor Who: Engines of War

by George Mann (BBC Books, 2014)

Mann_Engines of War

This readable (if unproofread), epically themed yet superficial bridging novel evokes something of the classic series four-parters. For all the promise the Time War offers, John Hurt’s so-called War Doctor for the most part could (and should) have been Paul McGann’s Eighth.