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DOCTOR WHO | THE FEAST OF THE DROWNED

 
"...Rose, remember what I told you.

We trust the people to tell the truth.

We trust them not to harm us..."


PLOTLINE
  

When a naval cruiser sinks in mysterious circumstances in the North Sea, all aboard are lost. Rose is saddened to learn that the brother of her friend, Keisha, was among the dead. And yet he appears to them as a ghostly apparition, begging to be saved from the coming feast... the feast of the drowned.

As the dead crew haunt loved ones all over London, the Doctor and Rose are drawn into a chilling mystery. What sank the ship, and why? When the cruiser's wreckage was towed up the Thames, what sinister force came with it?

The river's dark waters are hiding an even darker secret, as preparations for the feast near their conclusion.

COMMENT

The sign of a gripping, exciting and intriguing novel is often the first sentence, and, if you can gird yourself, the final sentence.

"How could something so big sink so fast?"

There in a single set of manipulated & randomised vowels and consonants the reader is asking questions within 3 seconds. Sink? Water. Big? Powerful. Fast? Sabotaged.

Steven Cole's previous contribution to BBC BOOKS , featuring the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) was stunningly dark, threatening and based upon elemental human fears but, unfortunately, was produced as an audiobook.

THE FEAST OF THE DROWNED is set around the mysterious UK Naval cruiser, recovered from the North Sea and towed to the very heart of the City of London from which 'ghosts' of the lost & drowned appear tempting their loved ones to come to their aid. A modern-day tale of drowning and love.

If you loved THE CHRISTMAS INVASION (2005), you will love this. In fact, this story could easily transfer to television.

Naturally, the Doctor and Rose (accompanied by "Defending of the Earth, Mickey Smith) take charge with the Doctor infiltrating official government agency, and Rose managing the "domestic" aspects (which, ironically, shows Rose a future-what-could-have-been if she had resigned herself to be a bored shop girl instead of swaning off across time & space).

Once the basics are clearly defined the story accelerates from chips-in-foil-trays, to a secret underground science laboratory, to the dissected skeleton of the 'ghost ship', and a 007-speed boat race down the Thames.

Relishing every word, David Tennant's soft and spiriting reading is immediate engaging as he, like a chameleon, switches from 'his' garrulous and confident Doctor to wide-boy Mickey Smith to the chillingly dry Crayshaw. And the cameo from the newsagent shop owner is a absolute delight.

The script is as quirky as the television series, with the Doctor particularly well pitched with the rambling and "talking-aloud" explanations that at times head in a completely different and inconsequential direction.

You instantly forget that there is no loud sound effects or interfering music as the story races to a gripping conclusion with characters that you care about. Without well-written characters that have background & motive and absorbing story listening becomes, often, tiresome where the sound of a boiling kettle (and the aroma of freshly brewed tea) becomes more attractive. Thankfully, THE FEAST OF THE DROWNED hooks the listener/reader from page 1 scene 1.

The kettle remains cold, so a flask of prepared refreshment is recommended.

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EOH CONTRIBUTOR

MATTHEW WALTER

EOH RATING

4/5 RATING

INFORMATION

DOCTOR WHO - DAVID TENNANT is the Doctor
DOCTOR WHO - THE FEAST OF THE DROWNED [2006]
ENLARGE IMAGE


Released 03.07.2006RRP: £9.99

Duration: 2 hrs 30 mins

 

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