Doctor Who: The Drosten's Curse, by: A.L. Kennedy

I don't even know where to begin with this one.  I finished it over a day ago but I am torn on how to review it.  I enjoyed it because it is another Doctor Who story.  Made even better because it is another Doctor story that stars the Fourth Doctor, whom I kind of adore.  My only issue with it is it was weird to follow.  Not hard to follow, just weird.  It had a very Douglas Adams feel to the way the story was told.  Not a bad thing, I love The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy but something about this book's style of story telling rubbed me funny. With that said I still enjoyed it. I still got to go on a new adventure with my beloved Fourth Doctor. I give it 3 stars.

There are some spoilers in the below.  Just a warning. 


There are quite a few characters to follow and the point of view changes frequently.  My favorites were of course The Doctor and Bryony.  She is the "companion" in this story and she is very likable.  She is a beautiful strong woman who doesn't just accept her fate.  She wants to be in control of her life, understand the world around her...oh and go on an adventure.  Although at the moment she is stuck in a dead end job with a horrible boss.  The other "companion" is Putta.  He is a clumsy, awkward, red head who is absolutely in love with Bryony but too shy to say anything.  He also happens to be an alien but a good guy not the one trying to destroy the world.  The Bah-Sokar is the big baddie.  It can control minds, create things out of nothing, and is perpetually hungry.  It isn't in control of its wants/needs which makes it so dangerous.  

It actually was quite a fun adventure.  A mind controlling alien who sucks the life out of people, how very terrifying.  I felt terrible for Mrs. Fetch.  She was completely at the creature's mercy but having her alive showed the creature meant well, it had learned love and happiness.  It gave her an extended life, riches and grandchildren that she never had.  Unfortunately it also took many of her memories...the ones that made her sad along with killing many many people at her golf resort because it was "hungry".  The Doctor is his usual know it all alien self.  He is witty and sarcastic and sometimes a bit rude but that is why we love him.  He sees the potential in Bryony , even in Putta although he is a bit harder on him.  He was written quite well.  I could hear the fourth doctor speaking when I read his lines.

The grandchildren to me are one of the creepiest manifestations.  Yes the mind control is scary and the ground "eating" people isn't fun but creepy kids are the worst.  They seem like normal mischievous twin children but when the form out of walls, grow from the ground and attack people in water, I just feel like that is a nightmare waiting to happen.  But even they aren't the creepiest of this kids.  The one that gave me the worst chills was Paul Cluny Junior, aka Zandor.  He became the Jewel at the Heart of the Universe...he became the controller of the Bah-Sokar and he was 1000% evil.  His seething hatred for everyone, including his parents was unnerving.  He wanted to destroy everything and bend the world to his whims.  There was nothing good about him.  

Of course the Doctor succeeds and is able to defeat this horrible human.  With the Doctor's help, The Bah-Sokar realizes it prefers love over hatred and dethrones this bad egg.  And the creature being a good "egg" now, restores everyone.  It was a very Disney ending.  "Just this once, everybody lives."  Well except Paul...he didn't get a second chance.  Bryony and Putta get a happily ever after and the Doctor gains some new friends.  I did like how the Bah-Sokar has been spreading its eggs across the Earth.  They will lie in dormant until another Julia Fetch can awaken them.  So to prevent another disaster The Doctor gives his new friends the mission of collecting them all.  Talk about an adventure...even if it is bound to the Earth. 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books to give my honest review.