The Eyeless

Lance Parkin knocks it out of the ballpark with this novel, showing what the 10th Doctor is really capable of. Parkin has a gift for unusual sci-fi ideas and the the aliens known as the Eyeless fit that bill perfectly. Its refreshing that the Doctor never really completely understands where the Eyeless come from or what they are. The descriptions of the crumbling alien city, especially in the opening of the novel really brings the reader into the story with a sense of isolation. I found it ironic that the Doctor keeps lamenting that he does not have a companion with him, but I found the novel to work so well without one. Featuring such an unstable and dangerous young character in the person of Alsa was quite daring and lends the book an show more interesting edge. Its such a shame that the best Doctor Who these days is in print and not on screen. show less

This Tenth Doctor adventure features the Doctor on a planet where the vast majority of the inhabitants were killed by a mysterious weapon inside the equally mysterious Fortress, which materialized in the middle of the city one day. Ten is concerned about this weapon and its powers, and is even more concerned about keeping it out of the hands of a species that calls itself the Eyeless.

This is a reasonably quick read overall; it can easily be knocked out in an afternoon should you wish to do so (and I did). Ten is his usual bouncy, quick-with-a-joke self, and the action sequences were certainly breathless. I was slightly misled by the title and/or the name of the antagonists, though; I thought their main thing would be going around show more stealing people’s eyeballs for fun and profit. Only one of them actually does steal any eyeballs. I guess on the plus side, if you’re squeamish about eye things, there’s only that one to worry about…? show less

Lance Parkin is my third-favorite Doctor Who writer, so this was a welcome return to Doctor Who novels, his first since 2005's The Gallifrey Chronicles. It features the Doctor traveling alone following the events of "Journey's End", without a companion, and thus much of it is told from his point-of-view, a move I sometimes find a bit odd in Doctor Who books, and this one is no exception; a couple moments just didn't ring true for me. That niggle aside, Lance's usual gift for characterization is in evidence, though the especial strength of this book is setting; the depiction of the Fortress and the surrounding city of Acropolis are excellent. And the Eyeless are a pretty good alien species, creepy like the best Doctor Who aliens. A good show more showing from Parkin, and hopefully not the last. show less

Starts out rocky (feels like there was either some heavy-handed editorial tinkering or some self-restriction to keep from confusing the younger demographic), but smooths out quickly. Unpredictable and comparatively complex (in both plot and character), it’s the best of the BBC hardcovers. It’s always good to hear from the New Adventures writers again; this is exactly what I’ve been missing from the series.

Dr. Who is my current addiction, and so I did something I usually don't: I bought a book based on a t.v. show. I was at the store, with my eleven-month-old daughter growing increasingly restless, and there were so many choices that I chose one more or less at random. Which is how The Eyeless ended up on my bookshelf at home.

If you're a fan of the show, this book will not disappoint: it reads just like an additional episode of Dr. Who. The story is plot driven, with plenty of action and surprising twists, a bit of suspense, but still with a sufficient amount of character development. One major exception from the tv series is that the doctor is sans companion for this journey, which I rather missed, because his interactions with his show more fellow traveler is a huge draw for me. The author does supply temporary replacements along the way, but they weren't the same as Rose or Martha. The pithy interaction was replaced by more introspection on the doctor's part, and I think we see the darker side of the doctor much more clearly in this book. The typical sci-fi mystery was present, and appropriately complex, but it didn't interest me quite as much as the better Dr. Who episodes.

As the above indicates, my reactions to this book were mixed. As a fan of the show, it was very true to form, and felt much like just another adventure of the doctor. As a reader, the book was average. The writing certainly was not bad, but it was simply competent, with no special literary technique, theme, or stylistic flourish. Well, wasn't that the purpose of the author? To duplicate a Dr. Who episode. Reading this book was like watching an episode in print, but really, it just made me want to go back and watch more of the television show. On the other hand, I'm sure that I'll read more in the series, because I'd like to flesh out the fictional universe beyond what the television has to offer. show less

I’m a big David Tennant fan and I don’t think he was written as the 10th doctor I love. The 10th doctor I love is quirky, spontaneous and funny. In this story he was dark and brooding. Remembering all the loses in his long like and written as having a twinkle in his eye just before he kills the eyeless.

I didn’t like the character Alsa either she confused me. One moment she is nice the next she is teaming up with the baddies.

I did like the ending though I thought that was nice for the doctor and Alsa

I enjoyed this book. While this is an unusual story as it does not include any companions it was well written and entertaining. The idea of an ultimate weapon was interesting to contemplate. The insight into a group of people who survived when their world was destroyed was intriguing.