Sixties Who?

I missed the sixties by a few days, but there's a great chance to catch up with the sixties era of Doctor Who very soon, at the start of February to be precise...

These events offer a very good chance to meet the guests and get time with them as tickets are limited, but I understand there are a few left. It's also a good event to go to if you've never been to a large convention before, a chance to get a good flavour of what's involved without the crowds.


This reminds me, I've got to get a black and white section uploaded to my Tapestry Gallery since I stitched a whole section in shades of black, white and grey to celebrate this period of the programme.

And with any luck, I'll see you there.

Three Fantoms and a Ghost Ship

A treasured collection

It's been a while since I posted a book review, so I thought it was about time I put that right. Recently I have been reading a selection of books from Fantom Publishing, reprinting some novelizations of children's drama serials from my childhood days. It's funny but I don't actually recall them, and the stranger part of that is the subject matter would have wholeheartedly appealed to me then, and still does.

So how did I miss them? Maybe they clashed with something else at the time and I just didn't get to know they were on, remember this was the dark ages of TV when if you missed it, you missed it. There was no catch up, DVDs or even home videos. I have attempted to track them down now on DVD but delivery has been a problem, they have yet to arrive so I can't comment on the original dramas just yet.

But the books make for excellent reading, all very enjoyable.
So what were they?

My Good Reads rating *****

Children of the Stones 
by Jeremy Burnham & Trevor Ray

Based on their HTV TV series from 1977

The first of two fantasy series written by Jeremy Burnham and Trevor Ray for HTV. Matthew and his father Adam Brake arrive in Milbury so that Adam can perform a study of the standing stones and the stone circle that surrounds the village. Very soon they become aware that all is not as it should be in the village, but the nature of their concerns is hard to fathom since the villagers all appear to ‘happy’. Only a few newcomers to the village are not in on the greeting ‘Happy Day.’

A wonderful blend of science and superstition make this a haunting adventure that will keep you enthralled to the end, assuming they are ever allowed to escape the stones.

http://www.fantomfilms.co.uk/books/childrenstones.htm

Raven by Jeremy Burnham & Trevor Ray

Based on their ATV TV series from 1977

The second offering to children’s drama from Jeremy Burnham & Trevor Ray. This time the focus is on an underground cave system that the government are planning to take control of and use to store nuclear waste.  Raven is a young man with a troubled background, fostered to Professor Young and his wife, who are leading a campaign to prevent the development as the cave system has unusual markings and legends that go back to the time of King Arthur.

Drawing more on the concerns of the day this adventure, still full of mystery and suspense does lose some of the fantasy element with the inclusion of the nuclear factor. This time astrology sits alongside the science which muddles the fantasy elements a bit.

http://www.fantomfilms.co.uk/books/raven.htm

The Moon Stallion by Brain Hayles

Based on his BBC TV series from 1978

It seems that King Arthur and sites of ancient superstitious belief formed the backbone of children’s drama back in the 70s. It is 1906 and the Purwell family arrive in the Berkshire Hills at the invitation of Sir George Mortenhurze so that Professor Purwell can research the sites of the legends of King Arthur. On their way there Paul and his blind sister Diana encounter the Moon Stallion, a beast that has its own myths and legends surrounding it. Mortenhurze has his own reasons to search out the Moon Stallion and along with his horse master, Todman, have other plans for night of Beltain that will put them all in danger.

The original drama and the novelization were written by Brian Hayles famous for creating the Celestial Toymaker and the Ice Warriors for Doctor Who. Although that is not the only Doctor Who link, as Diana was played by a young Sarah Sutton who was to go on to play Nyssa of Traken in the series.

Another captivating and entertaining read, which again lifts from known legends and mythology but presents them with a new twist giving a setting to an exciting adventure which proves that writing for a young audience can be both original and inspiring.   

http://www.fantomfilms.co.uk/books/brianhayles_themoonstallion.html

I will certainly be looking up Fantom’s other books in this range, Sky and Return to the Stones. Look out for reviews of them in the not too distant future.

A view of my own stone circle that features heavily in my writing and games

And finally, proving that I’m not easily pleased....

The Ghost of the Mary Celeste
By Valerie Martin
Published by Nan A. Talese

The book description promised adventure at sea, a ship without a crew, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writing about the mysterious ship and a spiritualist medium.  What it actually delivered was a mishmash of short stories that barely had the legendary ship as a passing focus. It was difficult to see how the initial account of the Briggs family, which suggested a very promising and engaging start to the novel, drifted off course like the ship itself into a sea of disjointed ideas. Unfortunately this has to be one of the most disappointing books that I’ve read in recent years.

That just leaves me to sign off this blog post by saying, "Happy day".

* This post has been updated to correct the fact that "Raven" was produced by ATV rather than HTV that produced "Children from the Stones" after viewing the Network release of the original series.

Less Bangs but Bigger Bucks?

A November Update

(*) For a Who's Who see below.

You may have noticed that I’ve not got much in the way of model building done recently. That has something to do with the fact that I’m not only working with Tenth Planet Events signings and Doctor Who conventions these days but also Fantom Films as well. This has meant that I was at seven events over six weekends not leaving a lot of time for building work.  These are fun to do and if you’re into science fiction and fantasy, especially but not limited to Doctor Who then why not come along to an event. These are held in Barking, Chiswick, Newcastle, Peterborough, Slough and South London – so covering quite a few miles travelling as well. 

Also, if you do come along and would like me to bring a set of Karl books for you then drop me a line, because then I can offer them a special event price. You can find the next event I’ll be at featured in the right hand rail of this site.

That’s not say that I didn’t take time to do my Dagenham walkabout following the national celebration of my brother’s birthday. Ok, so maybe November 5^th has other significance as well which is why the fireworks are let off. It might have been because the date fell on a Thursday this year, that when I took the walk this year’s haul was incredibly small by comparison to previous years.  But before anyone starts to shout, I’m in total agreement that fireworks should be restricted, they do scare pets and wildlife and it is not fare on them at all, but whilst they are still sold I shall continue to round up what sticks I can to recycle into these buildings. All the frame work on the haunted house was built from the rocket sticks from the last couple of years.

Building work aside I am also dedicating a lot of time again to writing, working on the new project that has been in progress now for a year or so since Karl was completed. 

There are currently two volumes planned to the new series of books – I’ve given some hints out in the past but not going to reveal too much at the moment, only to say that I was very excited by one of the figures in the recent Lego Minifigure series that was released, you might be able to guess why from this photo.








(*) Seen here with Barbara Windsor, Ralph Watson, Andrew Hayden-Smith, Peter Purves, Jimmy Vee, Daphne Ashbrook, Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, Bonnie Langford and Nicola Bryant.

Book review March / April 2013

Bone Quill

John & Carole E. Barrowman

Published by: Buster

978-1-78055-031-2

The second the in the series of Hollow Earth books aimed at a younger audience from the Barrowman family. Having enjoyed the first I was eager to know whether the children’s missing mother would finally turn up again. I’m not going to say, but the adventure continues well as they try to go behind the adult’s backs to find their mother landing them in all sorts of bother and unleashing something from the past that should really have stayed there. The sortie to Victorian England felt slightly drawn out, but over all a fun read and I’m looking forward to the next installment.

http://www.johnbarrowman.com/fanzone/books/bonequill.shtml

 Doctor Who - The Coming of the Terraphiles

Michael Moorcock

Published by: BBC Books                             

978-1-849-90140-6

I’ve had this one on the book shelf for some time, and finally got round to reading it. I had been warned off by several people, so it struggled to find its place at the top of the ‘to read’ pile.  But if I’m to maintain my goal of having read all Doctor Who novels it had to be done.

Unfortunately the warnings were correct, and I found it nothing but a load of over indulgent twaddle.  Very little happened in the story, the Doctor and Amy play some abysmal mashed up version of sorts and games whilst trying to find out who had attempted to steal a hat.

The wittering tangents that drifted from the narrative left me gasping for sanity.

Sherlock Holmes - The Army of Dr Moreau

Guy Adams

Published by: Titan Books

978-0-8576-8937-7

This was light relief after the Terraphiles, and the second of Guy Adams’ new Sherlock Holmes adventures that I have read. Like before there is a slight over loading of characters taken from other literature including Conan Doyle’s own Professor Challenger. The story unfolds with mutilated bodies turning up in the river, and the suspicion from Mycroft Holmes that work of the late Dr Moreau has been resurrected.

A good extension to the world of the detective from 221B Baker Street.

 

Doctor Who - The Silurian Gift

Mike Tucker

Published by: Quick Reads

978-1-849-90558-9

One of the regular releases aimed to encourage the less frequent reader to pick up a book.  This time the Silurians are back, and offering mankind a super energy, but it takes the Doctor to realise all is not well with the deal. 

A fun read that will help pass a train journey.

Moon Boots & Dinner Suits

Jon Pertwee

Published by: Fantom Films Limited

978-1-78196-079-0

A book I’ve wanted to read for years, but it has been out of print for so long. Finally the boys at Fantom Films have returned this gem to circulation, with a new ‘Forward’ from Ingeborg Pertwee written specially for this edition.

This is Jon Pertwee in his own words, telling the early years of his life and career from being expelled from drama school to waking up in a morgue during the war. It covers a period up to the Navy Lark so does not cover anything to do with Time Lords or scarecrows, but was well worth waiting for.

http://fantomfilms.co.uk/books/jon_pertwee.htm