Happy Endings

An utterly absorbing confection! For longtime readers only, as this book is essentially one giant party bringing together characters and concepts from all previous 49 books (as well as much of the TV series). But what a party. Delightful, moving, witty, outrageous, sweet, inventive, and just downright charming.

This is the 50th book in the Virgin New Adventures and after five years of publishing books instead of producing Doctor Who tv shows, it's time to celebrate. In traditional Doctor Who style, anniversary celebrations mean bringing back past characters. In this case, Cornell writes in connections to all 49 previous books in the series. If you're like me and only read select few of the books in the series it means I don't know who a lot of these people are, but it doesn't prove to much of a problem.The setting is the English village of Cheldon Bonniface, the same place featured in Cornell's Timewyrm: Revelation, and the occassion is Bernice Summerfield's marriage to Jason Kane. Berenice's main plot is basically sitcom hijinx about getting show more into fights with Jason over his perceived infidelity and then having makeup sex. It's so embarrasing it's unbearable. Luckily, there's a lot more going on. Ace, now going by the name Dorothee, is there as a bridesmaid and boasting about her sexual conquests, hoping to add Jason to the list (the books are VERY different from the tv show, no?). Both UNIT and a some Ice Warriors are there as an honor guard (they end up brawling in a village pub). Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson enlist Roz to aid them in solving a mystery. And there's a very long cricket match where the wedding guests challenge the villagers.It's all rather cornball and daft. It's not much as a book, but it's a fun celebration of the continuity the Virgin New Adventures had created in keeping Doctor Who alive at a time when the show returning seemed unlikely. Obviously, this one is for fan's only. show less

While the plot is extremely thin, this book must be included in my list for purely nostalgic purposes. It's great to see the return of characters we've all grown to know and love.

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Happy Endings was the 50th New Adventure overall, and the 41st with Benny. It's a rave-up celebration of the series so far: Bernice is marrying Jason in the village of Cheldon Bonniface, and many characters from previous Who stories, particularly the New Adventures, turn up either as guests or as potential spoilers. Paul Cornell is always great when expressing his love for Who (or indeed other things that he loves) and this is awfully good fun, particularly for the further characterisation of Benny as uncertain bride.