Book Review: Tales Of Trenzalore

Author: Various
Title: Tales Of Trenzalore
Publisher: BBC Books
Publish Date: Feb 27,2104
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

The Eleventh Doctor's Last Stand: never-before-told exploits from the Doctor's 900 years protecting the town of Christmas.

As it had been foretold, the armies of the Universe gathered at Trenzalore. Only one thing stood between the planet and destruction – the Doctor. For nine hundred years, he defended the planet, and the tiny town of Christmas, against the forces that would destroy it.

Some of what happened during those terrible years is well documented. But most of it has remained shrouded in mystery and darkness. Until now.

This is a glimpse of just some of the terrors the people faced, the monstrous threats the Doctor defeated. These are the tales of the monsters who found themselves afraid - and of the one man who was not.

(Tales of Trenzalore collects four of the Doctor’s adventures from different periods during the Siege of Trenzalore and the ensuing battle:

Let it Snow – by Justin Richards

An Apple a Day – by George Mann

Strangers in the Outland – by Paul Finch

The Dreaming – by Mark Morris)

Review:  First let me say, if you haven't watched The Time Of The Doctor, do not read this. Because, as River Song would say...SPOILERS! Not to mention the authors take some liberties with an alternate ending. The stories in this book fill in the gaps of time that the episode didn't show.

The seize of Trenzalore lasted hundreds of years with every Doctor Who foe imaginable showing up to try to kill the Doctor one last time.

In Let It Snow, it is the Ice Warriors that land. I have to say, their appearance in this story was much better than their appearance in Series 7 episode Cold War. I also liked that this story was early on, in the Doctor's stay on the planet.

As each story progresses, you get closer to the time where Eleven regenerates and truthfully that makes me sad, because I really felt close to this particular incarnation of the Doctor.

An Apple a Day features the Krynoids and those things are quite creepy. These are pod creatures that take over a body and devour all the animals on the planet until they are no more 'Nuff said there, right? I felt so bad for Pieter being taken over by one of those nasty things.

I think this was my favorite of the four stories. I loved The Doctor's interaction with Theol as they attempt to save Christmas.

The Autons are the foe in Strangers In The Outland. These guys are just as scary now as they were back when they first appeared in the Jon Pertwee days of Who in Terror Of The Autons.

Lastly there's The Dreaming..which features The Mara. Another creepy foe. I almost thought that the foe was going to be The Dream Lord.

The last two stories are actually a bit depressing because you see Eleven aging. He's lost his leg!! And that disturbs me. Who wants to think of the Doctor dying? Not me.

All in all these four stories are a great addition to Doctor Who canon.

Rating: 4 flowers