The Best of Me: Wilfred Mott

The Master: (to the Doctor) Oh, your dad’s still kicking up a fuss.
Wilfred: Yeah, well, I’d be proud if I was

...later

The Doctor: I’d be proud.

Wilfred: Of what?

The Doctor: If you were my dad.

Wilfred Mott is a companion in the sense that Samwise Gamgee is a Ringbearer--not for a long time, but his supporting role earns him the title, at least in my eyes. Not to mention that he dons the mantle officially in The End of Time. From his (initial) cameo in Voyage of the Dammed, to his reappearance as Donna's granddad in season four, he's a source of humor with a serious side. I also like how he's "older" than the Doctor, and sees through some of the things that "traditional" companions don't quite notice. And he has at least three wonderful scenes--the cafe, the Vinvocci spaceship where he begs Ten to take the gun, and the chamber at the Naysmith Mansion. I also have plans for him in my own fanfiction...

Fanfic Recommendations

All That it Takes for Evil to Flourish The Doctor's thoughts on the scene where Wilf urges him to take the gun.

Boxing Day:Written by the brilliant Lyricwritesprose, it has Wilf and Eleven meeting up on a beach. It's mostly conversation, but such a necessary one that it would be a shame for alien attacks to interrupt it.

Cup of Tea The cafe scene in End of Time from Wilf's POV. It's not one of my best stories, but I still like it.

The Doctor's Dad Slightly AU in that Wilf didn't get trapped in the box , but a wonderful exploration of the Doctor and Wilf.

Grasshopper Duet Time for a guilty confession...I ship Wilf and Sarah Jane. They both have seen the Doctor at low points, heard him say things he wouldn't say to anyone else, and still trust him even though they're "old enough to know better." This story doesn't approach shipping, except in my mind, but I still think they should have met on the show.

Gratias Astra Wilf gets a trip to the stars.

The Faithful Soldier A collection of five drabbles about Wilf in End of Time, it really gets inside his mind.

His Turn Tearjerker, but still good.

It's Time Based on Eleven's "farewell tour," it offers another reason the Doctor would surrender to the inevitable.

New Faces I love reading about Eleven and Wilf, what can I say?

Not Remotely Important Wilf and Eleven...again

On Her Behalf Wilf said he'd look up at the stars for Donna. A one-shot about the two of them stargazing together.

Two Old Men and a Park Bench Another time Wilf might have encountered Eleven.

(picture from Whoniverse Confessions tumblr)

Son of the Underground

Isaac Liu, son of the Chinese house-church preacher Brother Yun, grew up witnessing the cost of faith firsthand. His father went to jail several times, and his mother was sometimes denied the family's portion of food from the community storehouse. His simply-told story, without self-pity or exaggeration, stands as a vivid reminder to Western Christians of the sufferings faced by our foreign brothers and sisters in Christ. This book would be helpful for a Sunday School or small-group study on today's persecuted church .

The Best of Me: Donna Noble

When I first met Donna Noble in "The Runaway Bride," I found her shrill and annoying. But in season four, she undergoes amazing character development. And it's brilliantly realistic too, not a 180 degree turn in one episode, but the sensitive bits poke out from her abrasive exterior.

In Journey's End, the Metacrisis describes her as "shouting at the world 'cause no one's listening." It's a wonderful description of who she is, and all the development she underwent makes her fate even sadder. Go on, listen to "The Rueful Fate of Donna Nobble" without sobbing, especially if you watch the last few minutes of her in the TARDIS, as the Doctor-Donna. For character development, and not falling in love with the Doctor, she is one of my favorite NuWho companions.

Fanfiction Recommendations

Baby Talk

The Doctor speaks baby. A bit hard to follow at the beginning, but hilarious.

Doctor Who the TV Show

Features the Doctor and Donna entering our universe after season four just aired. A light-hearted fic, it still has more serious moments from trying to have them avoid spoilers.

Impossible Things

When Donna finds Verity's book about her grandmother Joan, some parts of it seem awfully familiar...

I See the Way You Look At Me

Set after the season four finale, contains Donna's thoughts about her grandfather's strange behavior.

Let Me Let You Go

Tearjerker set in the TARDIS after Donna's farewell. This author writes very good tearjerkers.

Lucy in the Sky Heartbreaking story about Donna...sorry, anything more would be spoilers.

notus memoria a beautiful story in which Donna finds purpose without needing to remember

Racnoss A drabble I wrote about Donna's first appearance.

Rosemary for Remembrance

Dealing with Donna's life post-End of Time, it manages to be sweet and sad all at once.

This is Tomorrow

An absolutely hilarious story in which Donna Noble ends up temping for Lady Christine and helps with a flying bus.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking

As the title suggests, this book focuses on the power of introverts in today's extroverted world. It is divided into four sections--the extrovert ideal, the influence of biology in introvert-ism, culture's effect on the extrovert ideal, and how to live as an introvert in today's extrovert world. The second section may be dull to some people and the third irrelevant, but the first and last sections are well-worth the time. As an introvert myself, I wanted to underline many passages, especially the ones about introverts being "differently," not less, social. I also thought it was interesting how the author tied a cultural shift from "Character" to "Personality" to the rise of extrovertism as the ideal. I also appreciated the tips in the last part about how to use introvertism, as well as ways to remain honest in situations that seem to call for extrovertism. I recommend this book to introverts and friends of introverts--very insightful.

Swipe

Dystopias are a rising trend in young adult literature, and Swipe joins the tide. It manages create a believable post-apocalyptic world without extensive info-dumps. The information even proves to be plot relevant, as the main character is studying for his “Pledge” and is concerned about how the united world he lives in came to be. At age 13, most people go in and take the Pledge, receiving the Mark that serves in place of all credit cards, paperwork, and forms. But 12-year old Logan is afraid—five years ago, when his older sister went for her Pledge, she never came back. And since then, he can’t shake the feeling of being watched wherever he goes.

The other main character, Erin, has already taken the Pledge, but is angry at her father for forcing her to move with him from the capitol city of Beacon to the back-water town of Spokie. When she looks at some of his confidential papers, she becomes obsessed with solving a mystery as her ticket back to Beacon. Her path crosses Logan’s, and they investigate together.

The story is fast-paced and appropriate for YA readers, with no sexual content beyond crushes and maybe a kiss, although there are several instances of threatened violence. The language is also fairly clean, with futuristic slurs such as “miser” and “tightwad” used against those who chose not to take the Mark. At the same time, it can also be a light read for older readers.

The Best of Me: Martha Jones

Martha Jones, second female companion of NuWho, tends to catch a lot of flake from Rose fangirls. From everything I can read, the writers deliberately set Martha up as the counterpart of Rose. These means a lot of Rose-fans see Martha as an interloper between the two, and Rose-haters claim Martha beats Rose into the dust. While I don't fall into either of these camps, I think the best way to see Martha is on her own merits. She walks the world during the Year that Never Was and manages to put up with racism in Human Nature/Family of Blood.

Fanfiction Recommendations:

1913: Doctor Who AU Romance:

A rewrite of Human Nature/Family of Blood, this story takes a harsher view of 'John Smith's' treatment of Martha that may annoy some readers.

Completely Human

A missing scene from Human Nature that's very well-done and sad.

From Someone on High

Suggests that Martha may have run into Harry when they were stranded in 1969.

Huntsman

An absolutely brilliant exploration of Martha Jone's relationship with the Doctor, including TARDIS conversations.

Inspiration

While exploring the universe with the Doctor, Martha hears about Nyssa of Traken. I love how Martha connects with what the aliens know of Nyssa.

The Journal of Impossible Things (chapter 3)

A reflection by John Smith on his peculiar housemaid.

My Empire of Dirt

Losterial recommended this on my post about Mickey, and it does help explain the seemingly random Martha/Mickey relationship glimpsed in End of Time.

Mysteries of Ward Forty

One of the longest and best AU's I've ever read, and really gives Martha a chance to shine. I'd say more, but I don't want to give anything away.

Shore Leave or Stop Me If You Heard This One; A Star Ship, A TARDIS, And Firefly Converge Upon A Deep Space Station.

The title says it all, really--Martha and the Doctor met the crew of the Enterprise and Firefly. A great crossover that's easy to follow, even if you haven't seen Star Trek or Firefly.

Sidera Vagari

A great story with an Expanded Universe character that will still feel familiar.

Trust Me(I'm a Lying Liar Who Lies)

When Martha and Mickey met up with two professors at an alien dig, she starts to wonder about them...absolutely great.

The Wolf and the Mockingjay

An AU in which Rose and Martha enter the Hunger Games. It has a lot of background detail and works the characters into Panem naturally, instead of just plopping them there.

Garden of Madness

The Biblical book of Daniel contains familiar stories such as the fiery furnace and the lion’s den, but also less well-known ones, such as Nebuchadnezzer’s insanity after setting himself up against God Most High. Garden of Madness focuses on the story through the eyes of Nebuchadnezzer’s daughter Tiamut. I enjoyed this imaginative retelling of a less-familiar Old Testament story, especially the details of how the monarch’s madness would have affected the kingdom’s stability. The author admits that her sources may not have been accurate, but draws the story skillfully.

The main character, Tiamut, starts out a bit stereotypical, a “rebellious princess” sort who enjoys running around the walls of Babylon as a way to escape from her mother’s watchful eye, but develops depth throughout the course of the story. She learns what is worth fighting for at any cost, as well as the truth of Babylon’s religions. The author manages to present the difference between Babylonians and the captured Jews without being overly preachy towards either side, working it naturally into the conflict.

While this book is based on a Biblical story, it’s possible to enjoy it without the background information. In fact, the tension is increases that way, making it more suspenseful.