Book review July / August 2013

After reading the original Frankenstein a couple of months back, this period I turned my attention to two ‘sequels’ .

The Revenge of Frankenstein

By Shaun Hutson

Published by  Hammer House of Horror

978-0-099-55623-7

The first is an actual sequel, picking up after the original story as originally adapted by the Hammer House of Horror group into a film. This was their sequel to their film with Dr Frankenstein awaiting execution for his crimes. Somehow he manages to escape, we he would otherwise there would be no story that’s not really a spoiler. He then relocates and begins to rebuild his experiments with terrifying results.  This story does not try to be anything that it’s not, it was made a commercial follow up to a successful film, and I actually enjoyed it.

Monster (A Novel of Frankenstein)

By Dave Zeltserman

Published by Duckworth Overlook 

978-0-715-64509-3

The second book also takes up the story of Dr Frankenstein but this time attempts to reconstruct the original story this time from the monster’s point of view. I admit this book started off for me on the wrong foot, by setting out to announce that Mary Shelly got it wrong, turning Mary Shelly almost into a fictional character who narrated her own book.  Let’s face it, if Mary Shelly had not written the book you would not have anything to work with – so don’t be so arrogant to begin with. It also attempts to accuse the original as depicting the creature created by Frankenstein as being nothing more than a monster but the original certainly gave the creature far more character than I expected.

Towards the middle I started to warm to the book but overall I felt it did not enrich the mythology for me.

Two more autobiographies this period, one a well known Doctor Who companion and the other a much loved actress from Blake’s 7 and a Doctor Who guest star. Both books very revealing.

Fantom Films Limited

From Byfleet to the Bush

By Jacqueline Pearce

978-1-906263-87-4

Jacqueline Pearce will always be known for playing the Federation’s President in the popular cult series Blakes’ 7. Servalan had the glamour and the screen presence but as you read Jac’s own personal account of this period of her life, she neither enjoyed the recognition she deserved as an actress nor the glamour either. This is a very personal and very emotional account of somebody who never really knew who they were because of parental issues so very early in life and never fully found her feet until more by chance as the title implies, she swaps everything for a life looking after monkeys in the South African Bush. Here you will not find funny anecdotes of life on Blake’s 7 but you will find a very personal life exposed.   

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

Hines Sight

By Frazer Hines

978-1-84583-997-0

Previously published as Films, Farms and Fillies by Boxtree in 1997

Frazer was not only Jamie in Doctor Who, and Joe Sugden in Emmerdale Farm (Yes it was about a farming community at one time) but he is also a qualified Jockey, and has quite a claim to fame on the cricket pitch as well.  Ok it’s quite well known Mr Hines has an eye for the ladies, and he does not deny it, but here you get to see the other side of the story and the lessons he learnt regarding relationships along the way. Nice one Frazer.

 http://www.frazerhines.com/

The Best British Fantasy 2013

Series Editor Steve Haynes

Published by Salt Publishing 

978-1-907773-35-8

A curious collection of short stories paraded as the best of British fantasy, the introduction admits to being quite loose with the definition of fantasy but I feel it was also been quite loose with the definition of British and Best.

I did enjoy a few of the stories in the collection, but there were several that I found it very hard to care for at all. Stories like ‘The Last Osama’ have me wondering what they are doing in this collection as it certainly does not represent the British aspect of the suggested offering. In other cases I would question dark, being used for 'poor taste'.

The highlight of this collection for me was ‘The Scariest Place in the World’, a clever twist on the ghost story and it is probably no surprise why this story stood out above the rest, having been written by Mark Morris whose Doctor Who novels and audio dramas have entertained for many years. I would recommend those who like Mark’s work to track this little gem down outside of this collection.

Tales of Mystery & The Supernatural

Dracula's Guest & Other Stories               

By Bram Stoker

Published by Wordsworth Editions

978-1-84022-627-0

I read Dracula earlier in the year, this edition was a bumper double book not only containing the original masterpiece of Bram Stoker but the previously publish separate collection of short stories. Now I’m turning my attention to the Dracula’s Guest and Other Stories.

Dracular’s Guest is presented as a separate short story but one that was lifted out of the original due to making Dracula too long, and being too much of a distraction to the original. Some have tried to work out where it would fit into the original story, but as a separate story it returns anyone who has read Dracula back into the Count’s dark world with ease.

The other stories in the collection go on to show an even darker side to Bram Stoker, and the fact the even then he did not pander to delivering a story necessarily for moralistic value. The Dualitists is not a supernatural story but certainly shows Stoker at his more darker side with his protagonists progressing from wanton destruction of property to vicious coldblooded murder and being praised and awarded for their deceit, certainly a story that should be read with great warning still today.

Finally I’m going to finish this review with another audio book. Having raved previously about the Mervyn Stone books by Nev Fountain I was delighted when Big Finished released a new adventure for our reluctant detective.

The Mervyn Stone Mysteries
The Axeman Cometh 
By Nev Fountain
Published by Big Finish Productions

The Axeman Cometh takes Mervyn into the recording studio for an audio re-launch of the drama ‘Vixens from the Void’.  Nothing goes to plan for Meryn’s new script, and that is only the start of things, as he has been warned by ‘a friend’ that to prevent a murder he must attend the recording. Let’s just hope this really isn’t Mervyn’s Last Adventure.

This drama comes over as a full cast audio drama, but with the two leads played by John Banks and Nicola Bryant with other parts played by members of the cast it is really a two hander that give these two performers a chance to really shine and prove what they can do. Listen to it; you would not believe that just two people provide 99% of the voices. The only additional voice comes from Big Finish production but I’ll leave you to spot that.

More details and to order visit the Big Finish website http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/addtobasket/the-axeman-cometh-908

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