2016, 2016 Challenges, 2016 Reviews, Books, Bout of Books, Ebook

Stranger than Fictional Characters writing fiction: A Review of Doctor Who: Summer Falls and Other Stories

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I saw a copy of this at my local big box bookstore and decided I didn’t want it because we weren’t yet caught up with the show. However, when Kindle offered it as one of their daily deals, I picked it up because I knew I would be reading it at some point–I LOVE that sometimes Amazon’s daily offers just get me.

Amelia Pond, best known as Amy Pond (the girl who waited) from the Who franchise serves up a trio of short stories that make their way as a book into the series (okay, so Justin Williams actually writes the book, but really, that’s just in this timeline). From a small village in England whose summer is ended abruptly to Melody Malone investigating the Angels in Manhattan to a tale including Strax, Madame Vastra and Jenny, Summer Falls and Other Stories does not disappoint Whovians of any age.

Summer Falls is a story in which we can see Amy Pond (as a child)–her name is Kate, but the story is completely based on Amy’s childhood. She is entrusted to solve a mystery and save the town she and her mother just moved to, but there are darker, colder forces at play and Kate will need all her wits about her to save the town from eternal winter.

The Angel’s Kiss is a thinly-veiled River Song story. In fact, the doctor and River use it within an episode of the series in order to solve a mystery, themselves. The setting is in Manhattan, and features the Weeping Angels, which happen to be one of my favorite Who villains of all time. I especially like that they stuck to the timeline within the episode. However, there are two important chapters that are missing (where the titles were just read) and I think longtime fans will know what I’m talking about.

Devil in the Smoke: An Adventure for the Great Detective is the final novella in this grouping, and features Madame Vastra (the Great Detective), Strax and Jenny in victorian-esque London. Two boys stumble upon a snowman that bleeds human blood and set forth a mystery to the likes which Vastra has never seen. And longtime fans will definitely appreciate the way she works the case, along with Strax and Jenny.

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I might, and I think it was the perfect read for this dreary week in California. The best books are always read curled up under a blanket in the midst of weather.

You can get a copy of this book for yourself in paperback and ebook formats–the stories, themselves are available individually in ebook format from your favorite retailer.

If your favorite show did a novella like this, whom would you want to be featured? Share in the comments below!


Challenges: Summer Falls and Other Stories by Amelia Pond satisfies the following challenges:
Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book that takes place during summer
LEP Reading Challenge: 45. A Book based on a TV show/movie (written after it aired)

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