written on the cards

I’ve just finished the first of the three new Torchwood books – Pack animals by Peter Anghelides.  I liked it but I wouldn’t say I loved it.  Other Torchwood books I’ve polished off in an evening but this one took several days.  I think it took me time to adjust to where it was in the Torchwood timeline but nice to have the old gang back together again.

The MonstaQuest set of game cards come to life unleashing aliens, beasts, weather events and freakish plantlife upon the people of Cardiff.  Amid much dismembering of bodies and a seemingly rival outfit called Achenbrite, Torchwood eventually save the day.

There are bits of the story you just feel like you’ve read or seen before – the cards coming to life, Ianto as the invisible man. Still, not a bad read.

just not harry

Yesterday I popped into town to pick up a copy  of  The tales of Beedle the Bard, the latest from J K Rowling.  Clearly I wasn’t as enthused as I have been about the Harry Potter books in the past as I didn’t rush in the day it was launched.  I finised reading the book before I even got home – waiting for the bus and during the short bus ride.  It was okay, but it wasn’t satisfying.  Then again I guess I’m older than the target market for the book.

Considering I went into the bookshop to buy only this book, I managed to leave with 5 books and a DVD.  I was very excited to see the new Torchwood books were in store and decided to grab all three. I’ll review those as I read them.

it has just got to stop

Torchwood novel

In the last month or so I’ve devoured 3 Doctor Who novels and 4 Torchwood novels.  What was I thinking? I keep telling myself I should be reading something more worthy but you know what, it’s winter, it’s cold and it’s perfect snuggling under the covers with a book kind of weather.

There are six Torchwood novels available and 3 more to be released at the end of November, those can be Christmas holiday reading if I can wait that long.  Every novel so far has been 250 pages but the font sizes vary so they’re not all the same length.  I love that I hear the voices of the characters, Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper, Owen Harper, Toshiko Santo and Ianto Jones as I read the books. It is a little disconcerting having to think about where they sit in a timeline with the television series.  I think the next three will be odder with Owen and Tosh still featuring.

I’ve enjoyed them all but Slow decay is my favourite.  It brings Gwen’s partner Rhys into the story and the monsters in that story are quite fascinating. Those other more improving books can just wait till I’ve finished my Torchwood stack.

information hygiene

You think carefully about what you put in your mouth.  You wouldn’t pick up food off a fotpath and eat it. You know you can eat chocolate or chips for every meal. You allow yourself some treats but you try to keep it in balance.

Do you think as hard about what you fill your mind with? I can never eat MacDonalds again after watching Supersize me. In the same manner I couldn’t ever bring myself to read a MIlls and Boons.  Any Jackie Collins novel is off my list too. There are so many great books out there and so many interesting and thoughtful blogs, I don’t need to be filling my mind with the written equivalent of junk food.

Every now and then you need to take a brain vacation.  Just like once in a while you treat yourself to sugary fatty snack sometimes you just yearn to read something which relaxes the mind. Or something which your mind processes as fast as candyfloss dissolves in your mouth.

I decided to treat myself to a Doctor Who novel – well okay, 2 Doctor Who novels.  Then I wondered how they compared with Torchwood novels. I’ve just picked up my second Woodie novel for the week. This is starting to feel like a binge. I managed to read a graphic novel as well. It is a history of a family who lived during the holocaust. It was an amazing story and so well done but the balance is still off and I thirst for more Torchwood. My brain is enjoying its holiday from worthier tomes.

stolen earth or stolen moment

**Doctor Who spoiler alert**

Can you feel their pain? Finally at last, so close to the big reunion and some random Dalek is there to mess things up.  Well, as David said in DW Confidential, they’ve got to leave something for the second part don’t they.  I did love the ending, the fact that they got a few moments for a gentle caress, a chance to stare at each other.

As for the time children reunion – hmm – it had its moments but it was a little bit naff in places.  The childish jealousy of Rose was annoying.  Honestly, Donna is no threat and nor is Martha, they’ve both matured and want other things. The Doctor’s hearts belong to Rose.  Does she have to be so annoyingly insecure about it all?

Another Ianto and Jack moment – how delicious.  You can never have too much of that.  Ianto’s obvious jealousy that Jack met some soldier in a bar.  Jack’s “strictly professional” response has you thinking “yeah right”.  Must admit, I’m a little disappointed in Jack seemingly giving up so easily, hugging his friends and waiting to die. He just needs to toughen up.

UPDATE Just watched it through again. I’d forgotten the line “It’s like an alien facebook” – I like that. Actually as silly as that whole reunion piece was I guess they needed to get the introductions over and done with without complicated stories.

Oooh and did anyone in the UK try phoning or texting that number? 07700 900461

the girls are back

**Doctor Who spoiler alert**

If you’d told me that I’d enjoy a DW episode with barely any scenes with the Doctor I wouldn’t have believed you.

Last week’s single set episode had an air of money saving about it and this week’s “flashback fiesta” was a bit the same.  Money is being stashed away for the finale and it had better be good is all I can say.

I’d also been thinking that by the time Rose finally returned I’d have got fed up waiting but I hadn’t.  She was like a mini Doctor, adopting his habits and behaviours.

The fortune teller was seriously creepy, more than the bug on Donna’s back. That time beetle – looked like something out of a toy shop. I regretted that they showed us the whole thing to clearly in the end as it was just creepier and more suspenseful seeing only small snippets of it.

Another market scene – did that remind anyone of pompeii? It felt a bit samey. And I kept thinking it was earth.  The opening scene just didn’t register and it wasn’t till Donna was talking about time machines and aliens so freely – I kept thinking why is she saying that to someone on earth – but of course she wasn’t.

Flashback annoyance aside I did like the tie-ins with the spin-off series – the Torchwood reference and the Sarah Jane link. A mention of Ianto and Gwen – so much <3 so much sadness.  And then my mind wanders to Captain Jack…

At the end, Donna’s whole realisation that her life was insignificant compared to the survival of the world – I’m still struggling with that. It just arrived too quickly. It felt like the end of the episode was rushed. Even at the moment she realised she needed to jump felt too rushed. The interval between the realisation and the action was so brief and it is in a parallel world so she won’t take that with her. In her “Rose” world she’s gone from ignorance to mind blowing awareness and self-sacrifice but in the “Doctor” world she’s been on the journey of discovery and ading real world emotion and reality to the Doctor’s world. In my head I can’t reconcile the two Donnas.

So overall I really liked this episode despite the flashbacks and woefully too few shots of that fabulous hair.  This “Turn Left” episode is still messing with my mind. I can’t wait for the finale.