Kevin's Watch

Posted: **Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:19 am**

sindatur wrote:
Fist and Faith wrote:Is there a good place to start Doctor Who books? There's a bunch of them!
Well, they're not actually books, persay, they are Audioplays (specifically written for the medium), with a full cast, rather than just a narrator reading a book.

As to where to start, you can always start at the beginning of the main range (The first 50 are discounted to 2.99 for download, almost every story 2 disks), or decide what appeals to you about Doctor Who and go for those stories. I actually like the Gallifrey set stories (And like Leela and Romana quite a bit), so, I started with The Gallifrey Adventures (The sixth and final Series was just released a few days back) which features Romana II as Lord President of Gallifrey and Leela is featured heavily as well as her confidant/friend. There's lots of stories featuring Cybermen or Daleks, there's alternate reality versions of The Doctors (Doctor Who Unbound Series, with 8 stories). There's stories featuring Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann (Tom Baker, Peter Davison. Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy all have stories featuring their TV Companions and all but Tom Baker have stories featuring Companions that are new to the Audioplays. Colin Baker has a "new to Audio" companion named Evelyn Smythe, who is an older woman, and she is quite an awesome Companion (I believe there are 22 stories in that Series) and Colin Baker's Audioplays are appreciated much more than his TV stories were by many. There's an awesome Peter Davison story with Nyssa that is a Cybermen Origin story called Spare Parts which is one of the first 50, that's discounted to 2.99 as well as a most awesome Dalek Story (The first NuDoctorWho Dalek story in Eccelston's season called Dalek was loosely based on it) called Jubilee, which is also a first 50 discounted to 2.99.

So, yea, to know where to start, it's good to know what you want to explore. Spare Parts and Jubilee would be a great place to start, and both stories are 2.99ea for download, so, it's a cheap way to get started and see if you like the format

They're all sold on Big Finish site, downloads of course don't have shipping costs, CDs do have shipping cost. you can pay by either Credit Card or Debit Card (just like Amazon) or you can use Paypal if you prefer

Here's a link to Spare Parts, and you can listen to the Trailer:
www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/spare-parts-200

Here's a Link to Jubilee you can also listen to a trailer for it
www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/jubilee-206

I didn't know anything about that stuff. Heh. I'm talking about the novels. Some of which - or all? - are novelizations of episodes from the various television series.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Doctor_Who_novelisations
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Series_Adventures

Posted: **Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:47 am**

Read Nick Mamatas' Sensation on Tuesday. Probably starting Kelly Link's short story collection Pretty Monsters today.

Posted: **Fri Nov 01, 2013 12:59 am**

WWW: WAKE, by Robert J. Sawyer.

Some of these are funny:
www.buzzfeed.com/h2/fbad/bigmac/the-mos ... vel-covers

Posted: **Fri Nov 01, 2013 2:19 pm**

Fist and Faith wrote:
sindatur wrote:
Fist and Faith wrote:Is there a good place to start Doctor Who books? There's a bunch of them!
Well, they're not actually books, persay, they are Audioplays (specifically written for the medium), with a full cast, rather than just a narrator reading a book.

As to where to start, you can always start at the beginning of the main range (The first 50 are discounted to 2.99 for download, almost every story 2 disks), or decide what appeals to you about Doctor Who and go for those stories. I actually like the Gallifrey set stories (And like Leela and Romana quite a bit), so, I started with The Gallifrey Adventures (The sixth and final Series was just released a few days back) which features Romana II as Lord President of Gallifrey and Leela is featured heavily as well as her confidant/friend. There's lots of stories featuring Cybermen or Daleks, there's alternate reality versions of The Doctors (Doctor Who Unbound Series, with 8 stories). There's stories featuring Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann (Tom Baker, Peter Davison. Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy all have stories featuring their TV Companions and all but Tom Baker have stories featuring Companions that are new to the Audioplays. Colin Baker has a "new to Audio" companion named Evelyn Smythe, who is an older woman, and she is quite an awesome Companion (I believe there are 22 stories in that Series) and Colin Baker's Audioplays are appreciated much more than his TV stories were by many. There's an awesome Peter Davison story with Nyssa that is a Cybermen Origin story called Spare Parts which is one of the first 50, that's discounted to 2.99 as well as a most awesome Dalek Story (The first NuDoctorWho Dalek story in Eccelston's season called Dalek was loosely based on it) called Jubilee, which is also a first 50 discounted to 2.99.

So, yea, to know where to start, it's good to know what you want to explore. Spare Parts and Jubilee would be a great place to start, and both stories are 2.99ea for download, so, it's a cheap way to get started and see if you like the format

They're all sold on Big Finish site, downloads of course don't have shipping costs, CDs do have shipping cost. you can pay by either Credit Card or Debit Card (just like Amazon) or you can use Paypal if you prefer

Here's a link to Spare Parts, and you can listen to the Trailer:
www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/spare-parts-200

Here's a Link to Jubilee you can also listen to a trailer for it
www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/jubilee-206
I didn't know anything about that stuff. Heh. I'm talking about the novels. Some of which - or all? - are novelizations of episodes from the various television series.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Doctor_Who_novelisations
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Series_Adventures

Ah, OK. Yea, I don't believe any of the Novels have been recorded, there's one story (Lungbarrow) I am especially interested, but, the book is is out of print, and very rare (People want $100 for it) and no Audio available for it.

The missing Black and White Serials from the 1960s do all have their soundtracks available, though.

Posted: **Mon Nov 04, 2013 12:15 pm**

WWW: WATCH, by Robert J. Sawyer.

Posted: **Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:00 am**

That really confused me for a second, until I scrolled up to see the previous one.

--A

Posted: **Tue Nov 05, 2013 8:40 pm**

Just started A Canticle for Liebowitz, a regular Watch recommendation

u.

Posted: **Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:43 pm**

Avatar wrote:That really confused me for a second, until I scrolled up to see the previous one.

You thought maybe it was a book about the Watch? heh

ussusimiel wrote:Just started A Canticle for Liebowitz, a regular Watch recommendation

Not by me. Sheesh I hated it.

Only read half of it.

Posted: **Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:34 pm**

I second that Sheesh.

Posted: **Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:46 pm**

Fist and Faith wrote:
ussusimiel wrote:Just started A Canticle for Liebowitz, a regular Watch recommendation
Not by me. Sheesh I hated it. Only read half of it.

Whereas it's my favorite stand-alone novel (although I understand a "sequel" was published posthumous, which I have never read).

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2013 5:11 am**

Fist and Faith wrote:
Avatar wrote:That really confused me for a second, until I scrolled up to see the previous one.
You thought maybe it was a book about the Watch? heh

Hahaha, nah, I thought you were reading the same book twice in a row.

ussusimiel wrote:Just started A Canticle for Liebowitz, a regular Watch recommendation
Not by me. Sheesh I hated it. Only read half of it.

Don't listen to him. It's great.

--A

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:13 am**

Rocking my grand re-read in style, just finished The Power That Preserves. Even though The Last Dark is out, I'm stubborn and will continue my re-read with The Wounded Land. At this rate I'll get to the Last Chrons next year.

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2013 10:15 am**

I'm with you there Duke! Am half way through the 2nd chronicles. TLD will definitely be in the new year.

Posted: **Wed Nov 06, 2013 12:20 pm**

Avatar wrote:
Fist and Faith wrote:
Avatar wrote:That really confused me for a second, until I scrolled up to see the previous one.
You thought maybe it was a book about the Watch? heh
Hahaha, nah, I thought you were reading the same book twice in a row.

Ah! lol

And now...

WWW: WONDER, by Robert J. Sawyer

Posted: **Sun Nov 10, 2013 2:46 pm**

Odd John, by Olaf Stapledon.

Posted: **Mon Nov 11, 2013 5:56 am**

Storm Of Swords Book 1.

--A

Posted: **Wed Nov 13, 2013 5:50 am**

Book 2 of Storm of Swords.

--A

Posted: **Wed Nov 13, 2013 3:25 pm**

Have I mentioned I read American Gods recently. I thought it was time I read Neil Gaiman.

My son's girlfriend kept telling me it was like Small Gods (which I loved!), but it's really not.

Enjoyed it, though.

Posted: **Wed Nov 13, 2013 8:51 pm**

Mary, I thought it was fun. But definitely didn't think it was as amazing as its rep. Hugo AND Nebula award winner? Not imo.

Posted: **Wed Nov 13, 2013 11:05 pm**

American Gods is bad in every possible way except the "author reached far, but failed" way. [about the only good way to be bad.]
Gaiman is sooooo overrated. Dozens of authors cover the same territory and do it better and smarter. [Ancient Gods and wisdom in America and a good story? Try Tom Robbins---like "jitterbug perfume" for starters.]

Kevin's Watch

What fantasy/science fiction book are you reading RIGHT NOW?