Customer Reviews

Doctor Who: The Last Dodo (Doctor Who (BBC Hardcover))

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was really intrigued by the description of this new Doctor Who novel. I wasn't disappointed. The characterization of the doctor was spot on. I could easily hear David Tennant in my head saying the lines. There were several plot twists that kept the book interesting. The underlying morality tale involving mankind's involvement in the extinction of animal species is a sobering plot thread that does what science fiction does best: it makes us think about our place in the world.

I enjoyed this book more than I think I should have.

The story has several problems. The book description mentions how the mysterious Museum of the Last Ones has been looking for a Time Lord specimen, yet this really doesn't serve as a major plot point in the story. In fact, this part of the story comes and goes rather quickly. In the end, the story seems to meander: lots of running around, but not for any real purpose. I also thought that Martha felt too young. In Series Three, Martha proved to be a sharp, mature companion, but here she seemed more like a teenager than an adult medical student.

On the bright side--and why I enjoyed the story--it's a fun read, occasionally bordering on cute, including a running I-Spyder tally of rare creatures that Martha finds during the adventure. Jacqueline Raynor has a nice writing style, and she creates a good chemistry between the Doctor and Martha. She uses a couple of unusual devices (for a Doctor Who novel) to move the story along, including the I-Spyder tally and a recurring first-person narrative by Martha, that I found engaging. She also gives the loyal fan a lovely (if short) passage that goes back to the third Doctor: a memory of the pain of being a Time Lord in exile, a Doctor in captivity. Traditionally, the Doctor Who novels have kept the Doctor's thoughts and emotions a mystery, so this passage was a surprise I reread a couple of times.

If you're looking for a light read, it's a fun romp.

Having read Ms. Rayner's Doctor Who books before I was a bit disappointed in this one, although I thought the concept was a very good. There is a sobering history lesson regarding the extinction of certain animal species, most of them caused by mankind, but not all. There are intriguing questions regarding the morality of 'saving' the last of certain species in a museum which is almost crueller than letting them go. And you'd have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by the story of Dorothea, the last dodo.
However....
Although the Doctor and Martha are spot on character wise, they just don't seem to get much accomplished in this book other than run around after the animals and the villains. There are a couple of instances of emotional involvement, especially for poor Martha after she makes what seems to be a terrible decision affecting all the animals and Earth. The Doctor has his own moments; there is an fascinating scene where he reacts with horror at the thought of going to a zoo. His own nightmare comes true for a bit when he involuntarily becomes a last of the Time Lords display. But after these bits, its back to running and chasing again and the mystery of whodunit didn't seem that deep to me.
The Last Dodo is not a terrible book but in my opinion, lacks the emotional punch the old Virgin Doctor Who New Adventures books had, particularly in the earlier titles. Those books went well beyond the TV series but still kept the Doctor and friends in character. These new titles from the BBC seem to be stuck strictly within the confines of the show. Doctor Who - The Complete Third Series

If you are looking for a light-hearted but clever "Doctor Who" adventure, then "The Last Dodo" should fit the bill nicely. Jacqueline Rayner does a fine job overall of translating the mood and feel of the show as well as its exciting if frenetic pace (in its 21st-century incarnation, of course) onto the printed page--and also hits on the show's eccentric quirkiness in a way other writers somewhat miss. The concept of a planet-sized museum of extinct species is inventive and ties in well both with the Doctor being the last Time Lord (more should've been made of this, though) and the underlying ecological theme organically weaved into the tale in a manner suitably serious without being preachy (something "Doctor Who" has traditionally excelled at way before it was cool and trendy, starting with Doctor Who - Planet of Giants and perhaps best exemplified with Doctor Who - Inferno (Episode 54) and Doctor Who - The Green Death (Episode 69)). And as with other novels in this series, the main characters are convincingly portrayed but minus the more complex tensions in their relationship, strengthening my impression that these novels are chiefly aimed at older children and young adults, though appropriately frivolous old-timers are welcome along for the ride.

If many of the strong points of the show as it is now are captured herein, though, so many of its weak points are strangely amplified. Telling the story chiefly through Martha's point of view is interesting and the way she addresses the reader as if sharing "girl talk" is a cute touch, but throughout the story it has the increasingly strong effect of sidelining the Doctor until he seems almost like a secondary character. The story meanders from too-easily solved crisis to too-easily solved crisis, and the Doctor's sonic screwdriver functions much like Batman's utility belt, magically answering any need. Most annoyingly, the story starts promisingly on a different planet, an unusual planet in fact, but then quickly reverts to Earth as usual--the geocentric new series' principle drawback for all its greatness.

Still, the overall concept of this novel is creative, the storytelling competent, and a few twists and surprises at the end spice things up a bit. Highly recommended for kids who love the show, and great for kids at heart who want to mentally escape a drudging commute without concentrating too much. And for the latter, you know you're an old-time Doctor Who fan if you get the in-joke of why the author has Martha nickname the last Dodo "Dorothea" (hint: Chaplet).

This started out very strong; nice concept, with the Doctor and Martha visiting a "zoo" consisting of almost extinct creatures held in suspended animation... and I've enjoyed a couple of Rayner's other Doctor Who books. But come to think of it this shares a flaw with "The Stone Rose" in that, once the dangerous action starts, the danger just doesn't feel real. The Doctor is too capable, too invulnerable. Also the odd combination of first and third person narrative didn't really work for me; didn't see a reason for it.

OK, so I admit I don't think the new novel range is all that great. However, I didn't the think the old novel range was even close to the show (and don't even talk to me about the Virgin novels.) Personally, if you are going to write a Doctor Who novel it should feel like the television show. The characters should be the same, but as with each episode of a program, they should NOT merely repeat random things from specific episodes. The Doctor should not do things out of character (like suddenly become a kung-fu master, as in one novel I read a while back.) A book about Doctor Who shouldn't feel like Alien, Star Wars, or Star Trek.

Amazingly, considering all my predispositions, I really found Jacqueline Rayner's "the Last Dodo" one of the best reads I've had in a long time. Without going into detail about the plot (you can find that anywhere) I was very impressed with both the Doctor and Martha's characters. They were not merely maintained, but continued in an organic way that would not contradict the television show. The book was well-written and something that I could easily visualize. I felt it could easily have been developed into the actual program itself, which must be the highest honor.

Though I usually don't go out on a limb and expose my geekiness too much, I have to recommend this one to fans. Just read it. It's fun.

I had really high hopes for this book, but it failed in every aspect. Characters were lacking and didn't even seem to come close to their tv counterparts. Story was beyond dull and boring; the only enjoyable parts were few and far between, and didn't make up for the rest of the snorefest. Pass this one up.

After reading and listening to quite a few Doctor Who stories, I have to say that this story was by far one of the best. Why? First of all, it is told from the perspective of Martha and not the Doctor. The story line has several twists that make one wonder what else will happen. Early into the story, it seems like Martha and the Doctor have already solved the case - but not so quick! I especially enjoyed the fact that Martha was trying to "collect" various species to gain a certificate, and we follow her along and learn about various creatures that have gone extinct. Of course, some of them happen AFTER "our time" (so the author is guessing on some of them), but it makes the reader aware of the extinction rate of creatures that we just assume will always be there.

This is definitely one of the better Doctor Who books that I have read. I really enjoyed all the action and especially like the I-Spyder bits. How fun!

GOOD: The plot is very interesting, the characterization is incredible, the shock effects are good enough and the jokes are funny. Plus, it's a good reading about extinct animals.
BAD: The ending should have been extended a little bit, few things were obvious.

SUGGESTED: Yes - if you are a Doctor Who fan.