EDAs: The Shadows of Avalon

Since the Internet here is too slow to begin watching Classic Series five (Second Doctor), I decided to focus on the expanded universe novels instead.  I got tired of goody-goody Sam two novels in and skipped ahead to number thirty-one,The Shadows of Avalon, where the alien Compassion undergoes a wonderful transformation.
I don't feel like bothering with spoiler warnings or explanations, so if you ever plan on reading this book and being surprised, just stop reading now.
I'd already read both Interference novels, which introduced Compassion and her species, the Remote. Basically, they're gigantic receptor dishes, absorbing any media signals and responding accordingly. At some point, the Doctor adjusted her receivers to only respond to the TARDIS. In this novel,  the transformation culminates in Compassion's rebirth as a type 102, humanoid TARDIS (which President Romana then attempts to kidnap and force into a breeding program, but I can't judge the rationality of that, as I haven't read how she became evil).
Most of the novel is set in the dream dimension of Avalon, with the Brigadier trying to recover from his wife's death. I'm really glad he had a role in this novel--it made me care about the events of the story more than if the Doctor was interacting with some random character. The author seemed to really understand the Brig's character and how he'd react to loss. The scenes describing battle between Avalon and England tend to drag, but the rest of the story is fairly good.

Bullet Time

The Doctor.
It was a name Sarah hadn't heard in a long time, but never forgot. His shadow remained on her no matter what. Wherever she went, sooner or later she would meet someone who knew him, or had met him, or had heard of him and wanted to know what he was really like.
Images rose unbidden in her mind. Other places and other times; creatures of wonder, creatures of horror. Freedom and terror. Half-remembered joys, and half-forgotten nightmares; the gaps filled by appropriate obfuscation and illusion, all hung on just enough truth to be the past of a life.

--Bullet Time

The other night, one of my Tumblr followers posted a link to the Eighth Doctor Adventure Novels.  By  going up a level, I found more novels, including Bullet Time, featuring Sarah Jane Smith and the Seventh Doctor.  I'd seen enough references to it in fanfiction that I knew the final plot twist, but most of it was a surprise to me. Set shortly before the British turnover of Hong Kong to China (1997), Sarah Jane's investigation o f a business sets her up with some dangerous enemies, including a man known as Pendragon...

SPOILERS: Seven is not my favorite Doctor, but his actions in this novel shove him way down the list. While serving as a drug lord, he accidentally sets Sarah up to be raped--but manages to fight off her invaders--discredits her journalist career, and puts her in a position where she is shot.  If this is how he protects his friends, I'd rather be an enemy, thank you. To be fair, Seven is pragmatic to other companions as well, especially Ace in "Curse of Fenric," but this just seems too fair out of character for him. 

With the EU, I have varying degrees of what I consider canon; this one is going under the happened-once-but-Time-War-erased-it. Especially since there's a strong implication that Sarah died.

Touched by an Angel

Well, the Weeping Angels are up to their old tricks. Early in the book, we learn about different 'types' of the Lonely Assassin, a partial explanation for the differences between "Blink" and "Time of the Angels/Flesh and Stone." Another intriguing aspect of this story involves much shorter time displacement--within one's own time stream, which adds the potential for paradox as well as time energy

Dead of Winter

When an accident leaves the TARDIS trio injuries, they end up at a turn-of-the century sanitarium. The creepy atmosphere is increased by the epistolary format, giving many people's views of events. While some of the novels I would love to see filmed, the events of this one are best seen in one's imagination. One benefit of books is that they can create uncertainty in a way images can't, and that skill is used to full extent here.

The Way through the Woods

This novel, by the same author as The King's Dragon, is another brilliant exploration of myths that turn out to be true. It felt like a tale of Faerie, a kingdom that no one could escape. Rory is left waiting again, with the acknowledgement that he's good at that. I don't want to say much more, or I'd give it away. 5/5

The Ghosts of India

In this novel, the Doctor and Donna end up in India during the end of the colonial period and investigate a mysterious plague. One clue may be found in a nearby temple where the Hindu goddess Shiva has been seen.

While this is not one of the best novels, it is still an enjoyable read. Donna's personality clashes brilliantly with the mores of colonial India, and the introduction of Gandhi as a character is an inspired touch, leading to a great resolution to the story. Some of his conversations with the Doctor are intriguing, touching because of the Doctor's background.

Three of five stars

Apollo 23

This story of the Doctor and Amy starts with an astronaut walking into a burger joint, and a woman in a red coat dying on the moon. The two time travelers are drawn into an adventure on America's secret moonbase.

While I wouldn't rate this as one of the best novels, I really enjoyed seeing the how the Whoniverse's space programs compare with ours. After all, if Britain has a secret moonbase in the 21st century (referenced in the SJA episode "Death of the Doctor), America should have something. And they do. Oh, boy, do they ever.

Three stars.