Doctor Who: Castrovalva: An Unabridged Doctor Who Novelization [Audiobook, CD] [Audio CD]

Christopher H. Bidmead (Author), Peter Davison (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2010 | Series: Doctor Who

Still weak and confused after his fourth regeneration, the Doctor retreats to Castrovalva to recuperate. But Castrovalva is not the haven of peace and tranquility the Doctor and his companions are seeking. Far from being able to rest quietly, the unsuspecting time travelers are once again caught up in the machinations of the Master. Only an act of supreme self-sacrifice will enable them to escape the maniacal lunacy of the renegade Time Lord. Peter Davison reads Christopher H. Bidmead’s complete and unabridged novelization, first published by Target Books in 1983.

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: AudioGO Ltd.; Unabridged edition (June 15, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1408426978
• ISBN-13: 978-1408426975
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,080,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Regeneration Game, April 1, 2010

By 

Foggy Tewsday - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctor Who: Castrovalva: An Unabridged Doctor Who Novelization (Audio CD)

Peter Davison began his tenure as the fifth Doctor with `Castrovalva' and he reads Christopher H. Bidmead's novel of the television story for this audiobook. His narration is neatly paced and keeps the listener's attention throughout the intricate tale. The lack of tangible action can sometimes weigh the story down. Some of the concepts are a little abstract and because of this, I think the story lends itself to the listener's or reader's imagination more comfortably than through the visual interpretation presented in the television version.

Most of the first two CDs of this four-disc set are taken up with events in the Tardis. Tegan and Nyssa desperately try to work out how to pilot the ship while a disorientated Doctor stumbles around the maze of corridors in an effort to find the zero room whose tranquil properties are needed to aid his recovery: this regeneration is proving to be very difficult.

Huge on the inside though the Tardis is, the sense of claustrophobia is present throughout these sections of the story. This feeling makes itself known later as well. Once on Castrovalva, geographical anomalies begin to manifest. It is this sense of inescapable yet undefinable doom that besets the doctor and his companions that give this story its appeal to the imagination. You tend to feel their situation more because there are no monsters to run from. There is no adrenalin thrill, only conceptual enigmas.

Those familiar with the television version of this story will notice that, as with many of the novelizations, some parts are embellished, notably here with the Doctor's attempts to find the zero room and with his perusal of his new costume.

I listened to these four CDs over four nights on the commute home from work. The story and Peter Davison's narration of it kept me enthralled for the most part. He certainly had some fun with Tegan's Australian accent! True, this is not the most action packed `Doctor Who' adventure ever, but it's an interesting and somewhat underrated story. If you enjoyed the television version, I'd recommend this audiobook.

5.0 out of 5 stars Castrovalva. - A most exellently narrated audiobook., July 30, 2010

By 

Music Lover. (England.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctor Who: Castrovalva: An Unabridged Doctor Who Novelization (Audio CD)

I got more enjoyment from listening to this than from the orginal televised episodes on the dvd.

The first disc especially was brilliant, with good sound effects and riveting storyline.

All of these audio releases so far have featured one of the orignial Target books covers; with the exception of Logopolis and Castrovalva and while I don't see why there was a need not to use one of the original covers for the Logopolis story, I can quite see why they chose not to for Castrovalva as neither of the two original Target covers for this story is worth replicating and if one of those had been used, I would not have felt at all inspired to purchase the audiobook. As it is, this cover did inspire me to buy, as it somehow manages to perfectly capture the lilac/pinkish greyish tinged tones of the televised story, depicting the 'healing' qualitites of the calm zero room and Castrovalva itself. - I know the cover shouldn't make a difference, and probably doesn't to some, but being a very visual person, it can strongly influence my decisiion to purchase something or not, and as Castrovalva was never a story I felt particularly inspired by, this was something of a feat, that I bought on the strength of the cover picture (as well as the fact that the story is read by Peter Davison, the 5th Doctor himself!) and, once having bought, was very surprised at just how enjoyable and satisfying this story is to listen to.

I could have done with a few more sound effects, but otherwise a most excellent audiobook. One of the very best I've heard so far. Peter Davison is a joy to listen to.