Books and Stuff (NS, No 21) - Reading in Oct 2021

Currently Reading

William Dampier, A New Voyage Round the World

Dampier's account of his meandering voyage around the world, more often than not employed as a buccaneer (he was later recruited to lead a naval expedition, but could shake off his piratical ways).

This might end up being a slow read, not because it's not interesting, but because of the format.  Nevertheless, I'm giving it a go and it is a ripping yarn.

This edition has been sat unread on my shelves since I bought it on publication - I'm shocked to find that was back in 1998!  A cautionary tale...

Finished Reading

J D Davies, Kings of the Sea: Charles II, James II and the Royal Navy

As I said last month, this study of Charles and James's naval policies is one I've been looking forward to reading for some time.  And it was worth it.  It really is an excellent, well-written book, not in the least bit dry.

Michael Moorcock, Doctor Who: The Coming of the Terraphiles

I've not read any Michael Moorcock and thought that a Doctor Who book by him might be a way in.  Perhaps my lack of a grounding in his other works was an issue, as apparently he's liberally mixed his own multiverse into the Doctor Who setting.  Given his reputation, I kept expecting something clever or interesting, and was quite disappointed when it was neither.  A rather dodgy pastiche of PG Wodehouse didn't help (if I want poor Wodehouse parody, he wrote enough himself...).

Books & Stuff (NS, No 17) - Reading in June 2021

Again, insomnia and being a part-time worker combine to lead to a healthy shelf-full of reading this month.

Patrick O'Brian, The Reverse of the Medal

Several thread come together in this (the eleventh) installment of the Aubrey-Maturin series.  The influencial (and traitorous) men with a grudge against Aubrey finally bring their campaign against him to a head.  He is duped into being the pasty for a stock market buble, which leads to his trial and dismissal from the Navy (as in much of the series, O'Brian is borrowing from history here, leaning on the trial of Lord Cochrane).

Raymond E Feist, Magician

As a palette-cleanser from all this naval derring-do, I've embarked upon another shelf-groaning series, perhaps unwisely.

I've never read any Feist before, and this series (the Riftwars) was recommended as a different take from Vancian magic (I've never read any Vance either, but that's for another time...)

Good competent stuff.  Even reading this first novel, I can see that George R R Martin and Joe Abercrombie have both been influenced by it.  I still prefer Abercrombie, but that's just me.

 Patrick O'Brian, The Letter of Marque

Aubrey, ejected from the Service that has been his life, is in a low place.  Luckily, Maturin has come into a fortune and is this able to buy HMS Surprise -  also retired from service - and set her up as a privateer.  Plans are put on foot to find a Spectacular Action that will justify Aubrey's re-instatement.

Maturin has to deal with his complicated private affairs.

Ted Nield, Underlands: A Journey Through Britain's Lost Landscape

A geologist muses on the hundreds of thousands of holes - clay pits, gravel pits, quarries and mines - that used to scatter the landscape providing local (often very local) building materials and resources.   

He uses these holes to tell two stories.  On a human scale, he tells us of the generations of his family which lived and worked on the South Wales coalfield.  On a geological scale, he walks us through what science learnt from them and tells that their filling-in or amenitisation will hinder geological education.

Finally, he ponders what it means that we now find it more economical (because of low wages, poor safety standards and under-priced petroleum) to import these earth resources from Asia, and what impact that will have on our planet.  He makes a telling parallel between the unthinking siting of spoil-tips above the village of Aberfan and our persistant burning of fossilised carbon despite the lessons of geological history about its perils.

Patrick O'Brian, The Thirteen Gun Salute

Aubrey and Maturin's mission to ferment revolution in South America is blown, so they are given another reason to be in the Pacific - to escort an envoy to negotiate a treaty with a Malay Sultan who's also being courted by the French.  On the bright side, that means that Aubrey is re-instated to the Navy List and they get to give a couple of old enimies thier comeuppance.

Maturin meets an orangutan.

Jonathan Morris, Festival of Death

This is apparently one of the best Doctor Who novels - when eleven books were selected to be reissued as part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations, this was the one chosen to represent the Third Doctor.  Despite this, I'd characterise it as 'for fans only' - but then, perhaps that's the point...

Patrick O'Brian, The Nutmeg of Consolation

Our crew manage to escape the island on which they were cast away at the end of the last book (not without incident, of course) and make their way to Java, where Governor Raffles treats them well.  They then go on to the Botany Bay Colony, which is a different story entirely - a squalidf, corrupt and brutal place.

Rats eat Maturin's personal supply of coca leaves and he meets a platypus. 

Remembering Jon Pertwee

Today would have been Jon Pertwee's 100th birthday.

Happy Birthday Doctor/Chief Petty Officer/Dr Fettle!

Doctor Who Wednesday #23

The reason that this blog has been so deathly quiet of late is that I just haven't done anything hobbywise worth writing about.  However, as I said last week, I wouldn't be me if I stopped  buying books.  So here we go with that old stalwart "books I've picked up in charity shops".

These I picked up a few months ago.  I thought I'd already posted about them, but apparently not.  

The Torchwood Encyclopedia is nothing special, but has plenty of basic reference on the series.  I was very pleased to get the '80s book though - looking on-line and in more specialist shops, I found that the series goes for silly prices.  That's a shame because (as regular readers of 'Doctor Who Wednesday' will realise) I'd rather have the volumes on the '60s and '70s.  I despaired of ever seeing them at reasonable prices.

So imagine how pleased I was to find this in the same charity shop last week!

In addition, I picked up these specials "from the publishers of Doctor Who Magazine".  Anything that has Roger Deladgo or the Brigadier on the cover is for me!  And they're full of good background stuff. 

This one focuses on the first two series of the New Series.  In addition to episode guides, there's plenty of background in these too, including some nice concept art...

Doctor Who Wednesday #22

Welcome to the first Doctor Who Wednesday of 2018!

In fact, this is the first DWW since August, which is far too long a gap.  Hopefully that won't happen before DWW #23 as I have some Doctor Who figures in my intended AHPC output.  Watch this space...

So, with very little to comment on, here we go.

Target Books

Yesterday I came across a whole pile of Doctor Who novelisations in a charity shop.  I've never really bothered with these because, a) many seem to be written for children, b) many are also no good and, c) there are hundreds of the buggers.   I'd appreciate feedback from people with more experience.  Are they worth bothering with when they can be picked up cheaply?  I'm wondering what inspiration they might provide for some solo gaming.

Having said this, I couldn't resist buying these Target Books.  Which have an obvious nostalgia appeal.

For those who don't know, Target Books were published from the 1970s onwards (detail can be found on Wikipedia) and include both novelisations of broadcast serials and, later, newly commissioned works.  They're sometimes useful as they can contain back-stories which have been since been recognised as canonical.

The addition of these four brings the total of my Target Books up to six, which I suppose can be considered a nascent collection.  As you can see, I'm not too fussed about condition.  I'm not going to go out of my way seek then out, but if they cross my path, I'll pick more up

For the record, I currently have

2nd Doctor

• Doctor Who and the Cybermen (1975), based on the 1967 serial 'Moonbase'.  Apparently contains some back-story 0f the Cybermen now considered canonical.  This was one of the serials episodes of which the BBC destroyed or lost after broadcast.  It was recently released with animations filling the gaps.



Yetis!

• Doctor Who and the Web of Fear (1976), based on the 1968 serial 'The Web of Fear' - Yeti on the London Underground and worth getting for the first appearance of Colonel Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart.  Also one of the 'lost serials'

3rd Doctor

• Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters (1974), based on the 1970 serial 'Doctor Who and the Silurians'.  I'm not sure what the reason for the change of title is - Wikipedia tells me that the book avoids the name 'Silurians' but not why (rights issues?).  The answer will be out there, and I may look for  it when I read the book.
• Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks (1974), based on the 1972 serial 'Day of the Daleks'
• Doctor Who and the Green Death (1975), based on the 1973 serial 'The Green Death' remembered for the departure of Jo Grant.

4th Doctor

• Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (1979), based on the serial 'Destiny of the Daleks'.  This is the only one of the six that I've read - it's a fairly ropy novelisation of a ropy serial.  But it's got Davros and marks the regeneration of Romana from actress Mary Tamm to Lala Ward.

Gratuitous Sara-Jane Smith Photo

Doctor Who Wednesday #21

Tenth Series (NS)

I really should say something about the recent series.  I don't have the energy to write a full critique (and I'm sure if you wanted one you'd be reading a different blog).  Suffice it to say that I disagree with those who say that the writers have run out of steam.  I thought that this series put up a good showing.

A few highlights:-

Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts.
A very short-lived companion it has to be said, but she made a big impression.  She acted the socks off recent companions - showing that Jenna Coleman (despite the guff about Clara Oswald being 'the impossible girl') was merely decorative.  I hope to see more of her.

Michelle Gomez as Missy.
It will be no secret to regular readers of Doctor Who Wednesdays that I am a follower of the Master.  Equally, they will not be surprised that I wasn't very impressed by John Simm's portrayal of him.  Now, I've been a fan of Michelle Gomez since 'The Book Club', and was wondering how Missy would develop with her in the role.  I wasn't disappointed.  Yes, there was comedy, but there was also menace and some ambiguity.  The interaction with the Doctor and John Simm's Master was done very well.

Constructive use of Classic Monsters.
In recent years there has been danger of the programme turning into "Doctor Who Verses the Daleks" as the old pepper-pots were seriously overused.  Daleks are best seen when they demonstrate just how powerful they are: remember Christopher Ecclestone and Billy Piper almost loosing the Earth to a solitary, damaged Dalek?  When a whole planet of the beasties can be beaten before breakfast, something is wrong.

Hot on the tail of Daleks in the 'overused villain stakes' have been Cybermen, yet the writers brilliantly turned that on its head with the reintroduction of the Mondasian Cybermen.  "World Enough and Time" was one of the best episodes we've see for ages.

Never again will I refer to these as 'the Black-
and-White-Minstrals-of-Cybermen'!

And what can you say about the Victorian Army battling Ice Warriors on Mars?  Spiffing!

Can we have Yetis and Sea Devils next?

13th Doctor

Now, as a Doctor Who fan I know that I'm supposed to have strong views about the casting of Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor.  If you believe the press, the whole world is split between people who violently approve and those who violently disapprove.  Well I'm neither.

I've not seen much of Jodie Whittaker - she was good in 'Attack the Block', but that was all I've seen her in.  But I'm sure she's a fine actress.   We'll see how she does as the Doctor.

Perhaps it's because it's my nature to avoid conflict, or because I've had enough real things to get worried about in my life.  If I'm in a forum (social media) or otherwise where people are Dicks, I leave.  I really don't see much point in getting upset about a TV programme (no matter how much I enjoy it).  The truth is, some people want to make their opinion heard, whatever the subject is, and it's in the interests of the media to facilitate them.  I'm not interested in other people's random opinions: if there's a phone-in on the radio, I will turn it off.  There was someone who wrote in to my local paper on the matter, sounded off and then said he hadn't watched the programme since William Hartnell's days!  On the other hand, some people feel that they have 'a stake' in the show because they are part of 'the fanbase' (whether they actually watch it or not!).  I suppose there's an argument for that, but, honestly, it's a story about a piratically immortal time-travelling alien - how can you say that he can't change into a woman?!

For as long as I remember the debate about the whether it was time for a black or female Doctor has been going on.  The writers had quite clearly signposted that it was going to happen.  It's been Canon for some time that an elderly, male, white Time Lord can regenerate into a younger, black female ('Day of the Doctor'), and Michelle Gomez has shown how changing the sex of a character can bring some fresh air into it.

Personally, I was secretly hoping that they would find a way for Capaldi to regenerate into Gomez!

Rant over.  I'm aware of the irony of complaining in my own personal blog about people forcing their opinions on others, but there we are!

Charity Shop Finds

I was lucky enough to find these two in the Charity Shop recently.  Although tempted to keep them, they have found their way down to Devon as my nephew's 10th birthday present.  He already had the board game (his brother pointed out that it would do for spares, good lad!), but the inflatable was put to use.

Warlord Games

In the gap between Doctor Who Wednesdays Warlord's much heralded miniatures game has come out (which just shows how long it is since I posted).  I'm sure there are plenty of the dreaded unboxing videos and on-line reviews out there, but I'm afraid I can't add anything to them.  Because I haven't been around any forums, I don't even know what kind of reception it has received.

I downloaded the free pdf rulebook, but have barely glanced at it.

Now I have a quandary.  I have a £10.00 voucher for Warlord products that expires on 6 August.  Do I buy the core set, which gives me a hard copy of the rules (which I assume I don't really need), twelve Daleks and twelve Cybermen (which I certainly don't need) and various cards, markers etc?  Even at £25.00 that seems a lot of stuff I don't need.  Or do I dip my toe in and get (say) three Sea Devils for £1.99 plus postage?  Certainly, I won't be paying £11.99 for them!

The above was written some time ago.  When I eventually attempted the use the voucher it wouldn't work on their Dr Who material.  I sent an e-mail asking whether the Who stuff was included in the offer and Warlord replied (after a week) that they it wasn't and that they weren't minded to include in in any offers.

Gratuitous Sara-Jane Smith Photo

"There's a little something on your back.."

Doctor Who Wednesday #20

If you've already read about the Companions elsewhere, still with me, there's more news below.

On the Painting Table

Last weekend saw the final bonus round of the Analogue Painting Challenge - 'Characters/Scene from a Scene from a Movie, TV Program, Book or Piece of Music'*.  Sadly the vignette I bought with this round in mind is still languishing in the plastic bag it arrived in before Christmas.  So, in order to have something to submit, I've had to fall back on my old favorite for the Challenge - Doctor Who.

*You've still got time to go and vote for your favorites.

I therefore present you with six 28mm Not-Doctor-Who Companions (they're even more Not Not-Doctor-Who now as most are OOP since Warlord Games got the official licence to produce Dr Who figures).

River gets the 'Alien Sand Pit' treatment.  As the other characters are mostly seen on Earth, they are on the lawn of whichever English country house UNIT is currently occupying.

The Amy Pond on the right is the only one of these figures not by Crooked Dice.  It's by Heresy Miniatures and still in production (they changed the name to 'Girl' and the colour of her hair in their pictures).

I'm not sure why I see the Paternoster Gang as Guinness drinkers, but I do.  Possibly it's easier to paint than a whiskey and soda...

Spotted On the Web

Cybermen are in the news and trending on Facebook.  Apparently, some time ago Peter Capaldi was asked in an interview which classic villain he'd like to see reintroduced into the series: being of a certain age, he chose Mondasian Cybermen.  Stephen Moffat is supposed to have said it wasn't going to happen* - but they will be back for Capaldi's last bow.  The Word on the Street is that we'll also get Ice Warriors in Season 10, which can only be good news.  Yetis next please!

*Quite possibly because they resemble the Black and White Minstrels. 

We'll have to see whether this works.  But Black Tree Designs will presumably be happy, given that they keep 'finding' old stock of them*.  I may even get around to painting up my laser team...

*Other Cybermen are available.  Warlord Games have a box-set of Cybermen-through-the-ages.

In other news, Warlord is now accepting orders for the Tetrap miniatures I mentioned in Doctor Who Wednesday #19, and they've also announced the release of a Professor Yana and Chantho set.

Derek Jacobi is a fine actor, and many of us were disappointed not to see more of his version of The Master.  Here's our chance to remedy that!

Gratuitous Sarah Jane Photo

Dr Who Wednesday #19

Doctors: Past, Present and Future

If you have the remotest interest in Doctor Who you would have had to be living under a stone to miss two recent news items.  First. the sad death of Sir John Hurt and, secondly, the fact that Peter Capaldi is to stand down as the current incarnation.

Tens of thousands of words have been written about John Hurt (after all he had a long and very distinguished career), and I have very little to add to them.  In a way his role in Doctor Who was a minor one - the War Doctor only appeared in a couple of episodes, but the character was a piece of genius retconning.  Without a doubt the concept could have fallen flat if he had been played by a lesser actor.  Hurt gave it a huge dramatic punch.

And Capaldi?  He had his annoying bits and pieces (which seem to be a necessary part of playing the Doctor these days), but on the whole I think his has been a good incarnation.  Let's see what he does in the coming season...

We're now faced with the old questions - "Can the next Doctor be a woman/be black?".  I'm not going to go down that line.  All I can say is that the writers made it very clear in the episode 'Hell Bent' that a male, white Time Lord can regenerate into a  black woman.  Some of the names mentioned as potential Doctors (and I'm thinking Idris Elba here) are too 'big' to be able to devote the time needed to being the Doctor (there's so much more work than merely shooting the show).  

All I will say is that I think the BBC will go with a young Doctor again - Capaldi was apparently lacking 'yoof appeal' and wasn't sufficient of a heart-throb.  It is said that 'they' want to appeal to the yoof market (more of which later) and ratchet up the sexual tension with the Companions.  Really, they're harking back to the David Tennant glory days...

The third bit of actory news was that it was Tom Baker's 80th birthday in 20 January.  This launched a lot of nostalgia on social media.  It also prompted the BBC Store to have a special offer on several of the Fourth Doctor seasons.

These special offers are worth looking out for.  For example, this week marks the 40th anniversary (yes really!) of one of the best stories in Doctor Who - the incomparable Robots of Death.  To mark it, the BBC Store is selling it's robot bundle (a collections of serials from Hartnell to Capaldi) at half-price if you use the code ROBOT50 (possibly someone was too young to spot the error).

Viewing

Recently I've been watching Class.  It's a Who spin-off aimed a the said 'yoof'.  Initially is was only shown on BBC3 (the BBC's web-only channel), but is currently on BBC1 (I believe it's soon to debut on BBC America).  It's set in the Coal Hill Academy (as the old grammar now is).  Apparently all the timy-wimy stuff that's been going on there since the sixties has left the space-time barriers very thin and prone to incursion (one exchange in the first show was 'So it's like we're on a hellmouth?', 'No, a bit more like The Vampire Diaries'.  Nobody said 'Oh!  Exactly like Cardiff is in Torchwood before it got all wierd').  So it's down to a group of ethnically-diverse sixth-formers (plus an emigre alien prince and his slave/bodyguard/prisoner) to Save the World.  Basically it's a cross between the Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood before it got weird.  Those of my readers who don't like sex in Doctor Who (especially gay sex with aliens) better not watch.

On the Paint Table

I do have some Who figures on the paint table, but as per the rules of the Analogue Painting Challenge I won't discuss them until they've featured there.  That was supposed to be this week (I'm one of the Monday crowd), but that was stymied by a bad chest cold.  Hopefully next week.  All I will say is that they are Companions.

I was going to do a TARDIS for the 'Terrain: Home' bonus round, but have completely buggered up construction of the (two-piece) model.

Gratuitous Quill Photo

Dr Who Wednesday #18

Lately it's been hard to stop these posts being advertisements for Warlord Games.  That's because I've been doing very little Dr Who related and they've been doing rather a lot!  Hopefully that will change once I get my chops in gear for the Analogue Painting Challenge - we'll see.

Spotted on the Web

Dr Who fans of my vintage will fondly remember the Weetabix promotions of the 1970s.  The artwork was the work of Gordon Archer, and it's now available in various formats through a website run by his son, Yellow Planet,  (as is the work he did tied-in with Star Trek and other popular shows).  Great fun!

OK, now for Warlord...

One of the things the company promised when it took on the licence, is that they would produce a mixture of 'New' and 'Classic Who' figures.  A couple of forthcoming releases show that they're coming good on their promise.

First is the newest of 'New Who' - figures from the 2016 Christmas Special.  You don't get much more topical than that!

Secondly, we have some 'Old Who' monsters: the Tetraps.  These are pretty obscure chaps - only seen in the 1987 episode 'Time and the Rani' (Sylvester McCoy's first story) - basically humanoid vampire bats.  An interesting choice - but release dates seem to be tied to getting approval from the BBC, etc, rather than any Grand Plan (see the interview below).

Fir those of you who want to read about Warlord's plans from the horse's mouth ("read... from the mouth"?  Surely something wrong there?)  there's an interview with Paul Sawyer:  Part 1 and Part 2.  There's a lot in the pipeline it seems!

Personally, I'm impatient for Sea Devils!

Gratuitous Sarah-Jane Picture