Doctor Who: Beautiful Chaos

My expectations for this novel were not high, I'll admit: I've read all the Rose-era novels, and for the most part they're forgettable. I did enjoy some more than others - Jacq Rayner's Winner Takes All stands out for snarky Nine and Mickey, and some rather nice Nine and Rose segments, but the Jack novels were mostly awful because of very poor Jack characterisation - no more than a caricature. The Ten and Rose novels were mostly readable, but I've read far, far better fanfic.I think overall my issue with the novels is something that isn't really the authors' fault: they're aimed at a teenage audience, for the most part. The focus isn't intended to be characterisation or character development; for the most part, the audience wants familiar characters and a plot that has enough twists and scary bits to keep them interested. Personally, I tend to need a bit more than that to keep me interested, in particular character development and relationship development - and I stress that I mean relationships of all kinds: family and friendship above all.Beautiful Chaos gave me all that and more, and above all characters I could recognise, whose dialogue leaped off the page such that I could hear it in my head as I read, and really developed Sylvia and Wilf, and Donna's relationship with them, beyond what we see on-screen and made the Mott/Noble family so very much richer as a result.The book actually starts post-Season 4, with Sylvia visiting Wilf up at the allotment, and we get to see the impact on the two of them of what the Doctor did to Donna - whether or not any of us feels that he had a choice, it can't be denied that he left Wilf and Sylvia with an enormous burden and didn't do anything to help them cope with it. This prologue, and the epilogue, are close to heartbreaking.The main story is set some time before that, after The Doctor's Daughter and before the Library episodes. The Doctor brings Donna home for the first anniversary of her dad's death, and of course he gets caught up in an adventure. It's a rattling good alien adventure - the Mandragora tries to take over Earth - but there's the backdrop of Donna's family dynamics, her conflicted relationship with her mum, the secret of what she's really doing with the Doctor which she and Wilf are keeping from Sylvia - and Wilf's lady friend, who is an Alzheimer's sufferer.The Doctor, surprisingly, even seems willing to play domestic, at least a bit - but Russell gets him perfectly as well, including his manipulative side. And the Doctor-Donna close friendship is played perfectly, as is Wilf's love and protectiveness for Donna. He and the Doctor understand each other perfectly on that one, which make the post-Journey's End bookends even more poignant.Much to my surprise, this book gave me a much better understanding of, and even sympathy for, Sylvia. I'm expecting that the other Donna novels won't live up to this standard. Whether they do or not, if you're a Doctor Who fan and loved Donna's time as the companion, this one should be added to your reading-list post-haste.

Author Gary Russell has also been a script writer for the TV series and in this book does us all a big favor. It starts and end with the time when Donna Noble has all memories erased by Doctor Whoto save her life. In between is a very good story. Typical of other Doctor Who books with an evil force wanting to take over the Earth and universe. What makes this special is Donna Noble. The author knowsCatherine Tate, who played Donna on TV, and perfectly captures the spirit of Donna in this book. The best part, for me, was the interaction between Donna and The Doctor. In looking back at all my DVDsof seasons with Doctors nine to eleven and then old ones I have bought I have to say that Donna Noble is my favorite associate. Her grandfather is also very well handled and always was interesting.We like Clara well enough as well as Amy, Rory, Martha, Rose and Sarah Jane. However Donna Noble adds something extra. And Catherine Tate herself is an excellent actress, more experienced than anypast or present associate. A brilliant writer herself.

Gary Russell has written a classic Doctor Who tale, which focuses on the thing that endears us most to the Doctor, the relationship between the Doctor, his companion, and the people they meet. While the story itself is pretty typical, alien intelligence tries to take over Earth, it is the interaction of the Doctor, Donna, and her family that truly make the story interesting.The story starts after Donna has all her memories of her travels with the Doctor blocked, but then flashes back to when she was still traveling with the Doctor. The story takes place on Earth during a time when Donna is back visiting her family. The theme of family and memory are really the basics of the tale, and the author really nails the personality of each of the main characters. It reads just like a TV episode, and I could easily see it as a Doctor and Donna episode. If you like the 10th Doctor and Donna, you will enjoy this book.

The Doctor and Donna in action again! Well, not really, more of a flash back, but that still counts. Chaos is coming and it has been here before. In fact, I've met it before too. The evil we are about to face was in Doctor Who, during the Fourth Doctor's adventures. That's right, Tom Baker fans, a certain evil from Italy is back. If you have no idea what I am talking about, I would suggest you get  Doctor Who: The Masque of Mandragora (Story 86) .Outside of the threat to Earth, Mankind, the Universe and so on, the focus seems to be on the Noble Family and, mostly, on Wilf, who is a great character and I hope they have more books with him. Or maybe his own spin off series!Well, maybe not, but still it is a good book to sit down with, have some tea and cookies, and just enjoy it on a rainy day.

By far the best Who book I've read so far. Captures the characters as we know them, while adding so much more to their stories, not only to Donna but Wilfred and Sylvia as well.. This a good story which is enhanced by the beatiful tie back to the end of Donna's travels with her skinny spaceman, it's a must for every Donna fan.It is such a shame Donna has been had so few stories told, especially as she has to one of the most loved of the current run and a character that really leaps off the page. Wilfred is another fabulous character we should have had so much more of.I have this story in hardcover, kindle and audio (Bernard Cribbins is lovely to listen to) and will also buy the 50th anniversary paperback, as it is one story my family and I just love to revist.

This is the story chosen to epitomise the Tenth Doctor (as played by David Tennant) era in the 50th anniversary celebrations of Doctor Who. As such, it has a prologue and epilogue that may be a bit confusing to those not familiar with the relationship and events of the Doctor's travels with Donna Noble. However, that's not insurmountable to an interested reader.Unfortunately, I felt that this story suffered, as a Doctor Who story, in being far too much about the trials and tribulations of Donna's family life and not enough about a Doctor-related event. It read a bit like a family saga, where the author has suddenly remembered they're supposed to be writing a Doctor Who book so they bring in an old enemy from the Fourth Doctor's time and try to tie that into Donna's family saga - not very successfully in my opinion.This book has charm in its amusing anecdotes about the Doctor, and Donna, and her grandfather seems like a lovely old chap. But there's a lot of familial angst which doesn't sit well in the story, and there's a lot of rather hastily cobbled together action scenes (well, they seem hastily cobbled together to me). So the result is not so coherent, and not so interesting as you might like it to be as a Doctor Who story, particularly as a story that is indicative of the Tenth Doctor era in the 50th anniversary series. A pity, as I felt it could have added up to much more.

An oroginal Doctor Who novel, telling an all new story that hasn't been seen or heard before in any other medium.It runs for two hundred and thirty seven pages and is divided into shorter chapters plus a prologue and an epilogue.It's suitable for readers of all ages.It features the Tenth Doctor and his companion Donna Noble.And the characterisation of the leads is perfect and you can easily imagine the actors who played them saying the dialogue.The prologue and epilogue centre on Donna's mother and her grandad Wilfred Mott, and what comes in between is Wilf remembering an occasion when the Doctor and Donna came to visit. In time for an uneasy family reunion on a certain day. And to see Wilf receive an honour.But at the same time an old enemy of the Doctor's is waiting to strike again. And the fate of planet Earth hangs in the balance.This book concerns itself a lot with Donna as a character and her relationship with her mother and as a result both have something of an emotional arc to work through. It also tries hard to characterise supporting cast members so you do get potted histories of their life every time someone new is introduced.This does mean that the main plot is simmering away in the background for a lot of the first third of the book but it doesn't really spoil that as it does feel as if things are moving along at just the right pace.Those who are unfamiliar with the old enemy in question shouldn't have any problem getting into the story as there is enough exposition in regards to it. And there are some pleasing continuity references for those who are.Once the plot really does kick it things move along nicely and it does keep you turning the pages in time for a pretty decent resolution.A slightly above average entry in this range.

This is quite possibly my favourite Doctor Who novel that I have read. So many links to previous episodes, brilliant foreshadowing and accurate characterisation. I love how we found out more of Donna's backstory and why her relationship with her mother is the way it is. For once the alien invasion seems to have taken a backseat as this story focuses on a more human aspect: family. It's a bit gritty but I mean that in a good way. I won't give too much away but the prologue and epilogue will make you emotional. All in all, this book is bloody brilliant and you really have to read it.

I just loved David as the doctor! And since he left and I've read all his books I was really looking forward to this book .. And it didn't disappoint! Once I got into reading it I found my self really enjoying it, I also found myself reading the voice of the doctor in my head how David plays the doctor ! Haha hope I don't sound too mad ! But this is a really great book and a great addition to my collection on my kindle

I enjoyed watching the 10th Doctor but i have to say that Donna Noble was never my favorite companion so i was a little unsure how well her character was going to translate into book form but i needn't have worried as this novel is just the right parts of Doctor & Donna with Wilfred along for the adventure.Mystery,aliens and some excellent comedy moments.4 & a half/5