At the outer reaches of the universe, where human consciousness cannot reach, time goes "soft", allowing mankind to meets its own animal and subconscious limitations in the form of the brutal baboon-like Beast. In London, and all major cities of the Napoleonic era, covens of witches are using ancient techniques to attain time-consciousness. Perceiving time in a new way, they call on the Beast.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Must-Read,
By
This review is from: The Adventuress of Henrietta Street (Doctor Who) (Mass Market Paperback)
Lawrence Miles clearly does not understand that licensed fiction, novels based on a TV series, are supposed to be written to fit a mold, to give fans of the series just what they expect. And it's a good thing for Doctor Who that he doesn't. This novel is a major turning point for the series, and to say too much about the plot would give too much away. It's the tale of a year the Doctor and his companions spend on late 18th century Earth, defending it against an incursion from beyond. It's a tale of their allies and enemies. And it's great.Miles has chosen to write this particular story as if it were an actual history text, rather than a novel. There is very little actual dialogue, and what we do get is ostensibly quoted from other sources. More than simple literary pretention or conceit, this gives the novel an epic feel. The reader has the sense that truly important events are being related, because the narrative places them into a worldwide context. Despite this particular storytelling choice, the reader doesn't feel distanced from the characters or story. In some ways, the suspense is heightened, because of the foreshadowing this "looking back on history" format allows. Additionally, because this is written as a history text rather than just another Doctor Who novel, it makes a perfect jumping-on point for the series. Unlike Miles's last Doctor Who novel, Interference, readers don't need to know anything about the series history to follow this story. Regular fans will have a deeper understanding of the truth behind the mysteries of the Doctor, but newcomers shouldn't feel left out. (I have to admit, I'm assuming this is the case; as a twenty-plus year fan of the character, I can hardly see these stories as a newcomer would.) Thrilling, breathtaking, heart-wrenching, this book effectively completes the cycle of change started back in Interference, and sets the Doctor on a new--but not unfamiliar--path, with a new purpose, and possibly a new adversary. And I defy anyone to read the final chapters without a tear coming to their eye.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finest Eighth Doctor Adventure,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Adventuress of Henrietta Street (Doctor Who) (Mass Market Paperback)
In the world of Doctor Who novels a new work by Lawrence Miles is an event. His previous works, Alien Bodies and Interference, and his New Adventure Dead Romance, have a scale and a depth that is lacking from most of the long running series predecessors. Miles has ambition for the series, and sadly, many traditional Doctor Who fans, do not realise that it is on the printed page that the future of the series now lies - and it is through playing with form and style that Doctor Who will continue to justify its existence.With Lawrence Miles new novel, The Adventuress of Henrietta Street, Doctor Who fiction has been delivered the Miles book long promised through the midwife of series editor, Justin Richards. This is a new start for the series, and coming after an impressive series of novels including Loyd Rose's City of the Dead, Kate Orman's The Year of Intelligent Tigers, and Simon Bucher-Jones and Kelly Hale's Grimm Reality, suggests a bright future for the series. It is difficult to write too much about this novel without giving away key plot elements. However, to attempt. The Doctor is sick, stranded in eighteenth century London in a brothel run by Scarlette, the eponymous heroine. Without his TARDIS, and initially without his companions, the Doctor is sick. Strange demon apes (babewyns) roam London's streets. They kill and devour those in their way. And a bulky character, Sabbath, appears in a metal ship crewed by trained babewyns, pledged to defend time. This novel deals with the loose ends left hanging by the big bang from The Ancestor Cell, and throws up enough plot strands to suggest a bright future for the series. The novel reintroduces an old friend (although they are never named), and features two controversial elements that will keep the Doctor Who fanbase arguing for years to come. Aside from the controversy, though, the novel merits the description in the title - the finest Eighth Doctor adventure. Appreciating that Doctor Who lies on the page, Miles (along with Paul Magrs one of the more sophisticated writers of the series), turns in a stylistic tour de force. Reminding this reader of William Boyd's fake biography Nat Tate, Miles writes a history. Freed from the obligation on an author to be omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, Miles writes a history based on testimonies. Whether or not events occurred are couched with doubts and questions. Referring to many sources - from Scarlette, Sabbath, the Doctor, masonic records, secret service records, and the tesimonies of various prostitutes - strands are pulled together. The plot is never overwhelmed by style. But the halting nature of the historical narrative leaves loose ends, uncertainties. This is what the series needed. This is a novel that bears rereading, but also suggests a new way forward. The Doctor, in assuming the mantle of Earth's champion, and Sabbath, there to protect time, sets fair for a new conflict in the series. This was a most enjoyable read. And as well as the big picture Miles puts in some jokes (I enjoyed the conflict between the prostitutes in Manchester, where the southerners wear red and black, the locals, blue and white rosettes.) One hopes that Miles returns to the series again very soon; and, also, that his ambition extends beyond Who. Here is a novelist that - in fantasy or science fiction - could play with ideas, and write big important novels. If you enjoyed this read Alien Bodies or Interference, Miles' last two series defining volumes.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
DEFIES THE READER TO READ IT,
By
This review is from: The Adventuress of Henrietta Street (Doctor Who) (Mass Market Paperback)
WARNING: Reading this book may induce flashbacks to the worst history books your teacher ever forced you to read in high school!
This "novel" is written as one of those dull, dry, historical texts and as such keeps the reader detached from the characters. There's little dialogue and the prose is written in complete exposition--that is, it tells but doesn't show. Add in the extremely small print, and you've got a book that begs "Don't read me!" Unless you're a die-hard DOCTOR WHO fan AND a devoted follower of the book series, you'll probably answer it by shrugging your shoulders and saying, "Okay, I won't." Things happen in the book that will directly effect the storylines of subsequent Eighth Doctor novels, and that is the ONLY reason anyone should even ATTEMPT to read this book. And even at that, you might want to first try searching the web for any blogs that sum up those events so that you can pass on this dreadful, dreadful book.
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