by Justin Richards
(Illustrated by David Wardle)
These really are fairy tales for grownups. Fairy tales for nerds!
'WE ARE ALL STORIES IN THE END...
Fifteen tales of ancient wonder and mystery, passed down through generations of Time Lords.
Dark, beautiful and twisted, these stories are filled with nightmarish terrors and heroic triumphs, from across all of time and space.'
*noise of bookish satisfaction!*
God that blurb. It's gorgeous in itself. I imagine it being read by Peter Capaldi and I just ooze into a puddle nerdy satisfaction.
This book was the perfect pick-me-up. I'm a big Doctor Who fan and I lovelovelove fairy tales, so weave them together and you get a book I adore!
What made this even better is that I was actually prepared to be disappointed by what lurked beneath its beautiful cover, but instead, was curiously captivated. (Unfortunately I'd read a previous DW book and found it boring and childish.)
There's so much inside this rather average sized book that it's quite the surprise. I think the best way to show you is to list all the marvellous mashups (trust me, these aren't spoilers, they're tidbits of temptation!): Weeping Angels; Snow White and cryogenics; Cinderella and the Doctor; a twist on Hansel and Gretel; three little Sontarans and more; a wormhole instead of a beanstalk; Snow White and a doomsday machine; Zygons dressed as Grandma; Cybermen and a certain Pied Piper of Gallifrey; Beauty and the Beast; Slitheen; three brothers Gruff; an Ice Warrior; nods to previous Doctors, their companions and more. Phew!
I think the short story format worked wonders here, it was just the right length like a digestible episode of DW itself :) - perfect for my short trips on public transport. That fairy tale tone has been captured perfectly in this collection, making it such an easy joy to read, but it's the dollop of Science Fiction and dash of excitement that make this book so fantastic. I really feel I'm not doing this enough justice here, but if I went into more detail I'd be in spoiler territory... These really are fairy tales for grownups. Fairy tales for nerds!
JUST READ THEM! *enormous thumbs up*
(I'm pretty sure you'll thank me for it! :p)
*Read these? Going to now? DW fan?
Please comment & let me know, thumbs up much appreciated. x
No comments:
Post a Comment