Exhilarating and timeless.
Join the Doctors and their companions on journeys through space and time.
Spanning the entirety of the Doctor Who series run, this anthology caters to a broad fan base by balancing original and post-reboot Doctors while also giving the Doctors’ companions their own stories. In “Gatecrashers” by Joy Wilkinson, the 13th Doctor and her fam visit a locked alien world, where lives are trapped by technology. Both murder mystery and foreshadowing of modern society, this story also analyzes the beauty found in dark places. “Grounded” by Una McCormack begins with Ben, his Dad, and his Dad’s friend as they cover conspiracy theories and aliens; it’s a quiet and charming tale compared to the more action-packed stories. In “We Can’t Stop What’s Coming” by editor Cole, the eighth Doctor, Fitz, and Trix investigate time distortions facing hostile Neanderthals, relying on empathy and their wits rather than Time Lord technology. “Pain Management” by Beverly Sanford steals the show with its spot-on characterization and tone. It features the 12th Doctor, Bill, Nardole, and Missy, who, while trying to be good, accidentally cause massive havoc. From captive Doctors to brave companions, invading aliens, lifesaving missions, explorations of war and humanity, and the universe’s beauty, these 15 short stories are as varied and intriguing as the series itself. The stories vary in terms of accessibility depending on readers’ familiarity with all the Doctors’ various incarnations, which may encourage further viewing of this classic.
Exhilarating and timeless. (Science fiction. 13-adult)Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-78594-474-1
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Penguin Group UK
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2020
An unforgettable story of survival and the power of friendship—nothing short of a science-fiction masterwork.
Weir’s latest is a page-turning interstellar thrill ride that follows a junior high school teacher–turned–reluctant astronaut at the center of a desperate mission to save humankind from a looming extinction event.
Ryland Grace was a once-promising molecular biologist who wrote a controversial academic paper contesting the assumption that life requires liquid water. Now disgraced, he works as a junior high science teacher in San Francisco. His previous theories, however, make him the perfect researcher for a multinational task force that's trying to understand how and why the sun is suddenly dimming at an alarming rate. A barely detectable line of light that rises from the sun’s north pole and curves toward Venus is inexplicably draining the star of power. According to scientists, an “instant ice age” is all but inevitable within a few decades. All the other stars in proximity to the sun seem to be suffering with the same affliction—except Tau Ceti. An unwilling last-minute replacement as part of a three-person mission heading to Tau Ceti in hopes of finding an answer, Ryland finds himself awakening from an induced coma on the spaceship with two dead crewmates and a spotty memory. With time running out for humankind, he discovers an alien spacecraft in the vicinity of his ship with a strange traveler on a similar quest. Although hard scientific speculation fuels the storyline, the real power lies in the many jaw-dropping plot twists, the relentless tension, and the extraordinary dynamic between Ryland and the alien (whom he nicknames Rocky because of its carapace of oxidized minerals and metallic alloy bones). Readers may find themselves consuming this emotionally intense and thematically profound novel in one stay-up-all-night-until-your-eyes-bleed sitting.
An unforgettable story of survival and the power of friendship—nothing short of a science-fiction masterwork.Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-13520-4
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: Feb. 9, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and...
A deliciously creepy page-turning gem from first-time writer and illustrator Brosgol finds brooding teenager Anya trying to escape the past—both her own and the ghost haunting her.
Anya feels out of place at her preppy private school; embarrassed by her Russian heritage, she has worked hard to lose her accent and to look more like everyone else. After a particularly frustrating morning at the bus stop, Anya storms off, only to accidentally fall down a well. Down in the dark hole, she meets Emily, a ghost who claims to be a murder victim trapped down in the dank abyss for 90 years. With Emily’s help, Anya manages to escape, though once free, she learns that Emily has traveled out with her. At first, Emily seems like the perfect friend; however, once her motives become clear, Anya learns that “perfect” may only be an illusion. A moodily atmospheric spectrum of grays washes over the clean, tidy panels, setting a distinct stage before the first words appear. Brosgol’s tight storytelling invokes the chilling feeling of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), though for a decidedly older set.
In addition to the supernatural elements, Brosgol interweaves some savvy insights about the illusion of perfection and outward appearance. (Graphic supernatural fiction. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-59643-552-0
Page Count: 224
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 18, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2011
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