Reviewed: Sting of the Zygons (WHO)

Sting of The Zygons

Written by Stephen Cole

BBC Books  (2007/2014)         

Out Now - Price £7.99

The Tenth Doctor (as portrayed by David Tennant) and his companion Martha Jones (as played by Freema Agyeman) are featured in this novel set in the Lake District in Northern England. The year is 1909 and the population of a small village is under attack by the “Beast of Westmoreland”. The Doctor and his companion find themselves joining the search; the doctor discovers that he is facing a dangerous adversary that he has encountered before...

In general, I don’t enjoy books based on television series; after all, it is usually the other way around isn’t it? Sometimes these books come off more like fan fiction (which I do enjoy reading on occasion) rather than a self-supporting novel . In this case, however, author Cole has created wonderfully authentic portrayals of the characters of the Tenth Doctor and Martha. The language of their conversations brings the two characters to life in my head. I could “hear” them speaking the words written on the page. Furthermore, the physical description of the Zygons is quite complete; even if one hasn’t seen them before (newer audiences were reintroduced to the shape-shifters in the recent Fiftieth Anniversary episode - the cover depicts that design), he or she certainly can form a good mental image of these creatures.

The Zygons were quite... Zygonian in nature. Although the shape shifting got a bit tedious after awhile, I was surprised at least once or twice. The action was steady; the storyline depicted both the gravity of the situation and provided a bit of fun along the way. The book is populated with a bevy of characters from a nasty nanny to members of the village gentry. While the supporting characters aren’t deeply evolved beings, I felt that the variations of class and personality rounded out the village.

Doctor Who fans that enjoyed David Tennant and Freema Agyeman in the television series will get a kick out of this one. Actually, Whovians in general should find the book enjoyable.