Well priced monster compendium This heavy hardback book is closer to A5 than A4 size, and unlike some hardbacks it feels thick. Each monster, or in some cases villain, has a two full-colour page pictoral and written summary. In each case there is a primary and one or two secondary paragraphs of concise text taking up the equivalent total of 30% of one page. There is usually a main backdrop picture and between 1 and 3 further ones inset.The author has chosen, in no particular order, 100 monsters, of which about a quarter have not appeared in the new series, and a much smaller proportion which have so far only appeared in both. The emphasis, then, is very much new series, and a monster who has only appeared in one story gets the same level of summary as say the Daleks.Each monster has a section containing three brief summaries Origin, Doctors Encountered and Description. Sadly, the middle section will cause this book to increasingly be out of date, as already the Cybermat section does not include information from the penultimate episode of series 6 (Closing Time). Also there is a subjective Fear Factor scale. Next to a normal font sized mark out of ten is a large colourful meter-like scale which perhaps goes some way to suggesting the reading age. In fairness, in the programme there is often little information about a monster, just some brief points summarised by the Doctor, about the monsters origins. Monsters are very much a visual experience so perhaps this book has the right balance of picture to text.Overall this is a coffee-table book suitable for any fan, but probably aimed at the age group that play Top-Trumps. It is sufficiently informative to provide information even to the more ardent of fan who cannot possibly be expected to remember the details of monsters that have only appeared once, let alone come up with succinct summaries for them.The book is well priced to begin with in comparison to other Doctor Who books and perhaps would make a good companion or an alternative to an annual. As a adult collector I am not disappointed by it, so perhaps to the younger audiences as it is intended it could be closer to five stars. For the older collector there is the subjectivity factor, particularly when they see a more deserving monster or villain omitted. This would have been partially rectified had the book been called 100 Scary Monsters.
Excellent Choice for Any Dr. Who Fan I purchased this book for my 10 year old grandson who loves the Dr. Who series. I was pleased to discover that the quality is excellent with top quality binding and nice shiny pics of all the monsters that he loves so much. He loves that there is just enough information given on each page to remind him of the episode but plenty of room for a nice, big picture of the ugly guy. I recommend this choice for any Dr. Who lover.
Visually creative, intelligently written and comprehensive; a simple concept but expertly executed Call me sentimental.I’ll wait until you do so.Done?Thanks, and I don’t mind that label as I regard the past as a more comfortable place to be cosseted by than the present/future. The past is safe but the future is uncertain; you can relax into it, as you know it, lived through it and can learn from it.So, in randomly scanning through BBC BOOKS (from Penguin Books) release, DOCTOR WHO – 100 SCARIEST MONSTERS I was relieved that a phalanx of CLASSIC SERIES aliens & assorted perennial troublemakers are analysed shoulder-to-shoulder with the more recent creations that have attempted to undermine our beloved last of the Time Lords.From Sea Devils to Scarecrows, from Mr Sin to (NEW SERIES) Macra, from Carrionites to Caan, from Kraals to Krillitanes, and from Time Beetle to Terileptils.Across 210-pages, printed & `bound’ to the highest of quality (question: why cannot British industry compete with the Chinese printing industry to produce such publications?), unfortunately SCARIEST MONSTERS echoes the previously released MONSTER MISCELLANY publication (see review) in content and, therefore, fans may feel cheated by such duplication and duplicity on behalf of BBC BOOKS in an blatant act of `wallet-dipping’. In fact, each publication is written by Justin Richards.However, and I am pleased that there is a `however’, not only is this latest offering increased value for money in comparison (£9.99 for an extra 24% page count with a larger page size format) but its content is all-new, intelligently written, complimented with a cascade of never-before-seen photographs and a creative layout design. It’s a revelation and far superior than the MONSTER MISCELLANY.The content is, of course, biased toward the 2005-2011 series (70% of its content) but the acknowledgment of the CLASSIC SERIES is be welcomed but the choice of “scariest monsters” is debatable (maybe that this one of reasoning behind the publication; to spark debate amongst fans?).Is a Quark scarier than Scaroth of the Jagaroth splintered across time? Is the pedestrian plodding of the Wirrn more scary than the careering invisibility of a Zeta Minor `antimatter creature? Surely, the alien parasite within the Keller Machine more scary than a Draconian? And are Adipose Children scary? And where is the Mara infestation if the Midnight Entity is included?The book’s highlight is the catalogue of photographs that accompany the (all too brief) text throughout. Simply, the picture research is excellent. There’s even a slight appreciation to the James Bond film franchise; see if you can spot it.Pedantically, there are only a few errors and these are so minor that only one could be highlighted. Page 205 states that the “Ironsides” are described as “Daleks in khaki World War II `livery'”. Khaki is actually a `yellowish drab shade’ and not green as the casing were painted. Yes, I did say that it was minor.DOCTOR WHO – 100 SCARIEST MONSTERS is the perfect companion for fans this Christmastime; visually creative, intelligently written and comprehensive.
Well priced monster compendium This heavy hardback book is closer to A5 than A4 size, and unlike some hardbacks it feels thick. Each monster, or in some cases villain, has a two full-colour page pictoral and written summary. In each case there is a primary and one or two secondary paragraphs of concise text taking up the equivalent total of 30% of one page. There is usually a main backdrop picture and between 1 and 3 further ones inset.The author has chosen, in no particular order, 100 monsters, of which about a quarter have not appeared in the new series, and a much smaller proportion which have so far only appeared in both. The emphasis, then, is very much new series, and a monster who has only appeared in one story gets the same level of summary as say the Daleks.Each monster has a section containing three brief summaries Origin, Doctors Encountered and Description. Sadly, the middle section will cause this book to increasingly be out of date, as already the Cybermat section does not include information from the penultimate episode of series 6 (Closing Time). Also there is a subjective Fear Factor scale. Next to a normal font sized mark out of ten is a large colourful meter-like scale which perhaps goes some way to suggesting the reading age. In fairness, in the programme there is often little information about a monster, just some brief points summarised by the Doctor, about the monsters origins. Monsters are very much a visual experience so perhaps this book has the right balance of picture to text.Overall this is a coffee-table book suitable for any fan, but probably aimed at the age group that play Top-Trumps. It is sufficiently informative to provide information even to the more ardent of fan who cannot possibly be expected to remember the details of monsters that have only appeared once, let alone come up with succinct summaries for them.The book is well priced to begin with in comparison to other Doctor Who books and perhaps would make a good companion or an alternative to an annual. As a adult collector I am not disappointed by it, so perhaps to the younger audiences as it is intended it could be closer to five stars. For the older collector there is the subjectivity factor, particularly when they see a more deserving monster or villain omitted. This would have been partially rectified had the book been called 100 Scary Monsters.
Excellent Choice for Any Dr. Who Fan I purchased this book for my 10 year old grandson who loves the Dr. Who series. I was pleased to discover that the quality is excellent with top quality binding and nice shiny pics of all the monsters that he loves so much. He loves that there is just enough information given on each page to remind him of the episode but plenty of room for a nice, big picture of the ugly guy. I recommend this choice for any Dr. Who lover.
Visually creative, intelligently written and comprehensive; a simple concept but expertly executed Call me sentimental.I’ll wait until you do so.Done?Thanks, and I don’t mind that label as I regard the past as a more comfortable place to be cosseted by than the present/future. The past is safe but the future is uncertain; you can relax into it, as you know it, lived through it and can learn from it.So, in randomly scanning through BBC BOOKS (from Penguin Books) release, DOCTOR WHO – 100 SCARIEST MONSTERS I was relieved that a phalanx of CLASSIC SERIES aliens & assorted perennial troublemakers are analysed shoulder-to-shoulder with the more recent creations that have attempted to undermine our beloved last of the Time Lords.From Sea Devils to Scarecrows, from Mr Sin to (NEW SERIES) Macra, from Carrionites to Caan, from Kraals to Krillitanes, and from Time Beetle to Terileptils.Across 210-pages, printed & `bound’ to the highest of quality (question: why cannot British industry compete with the Chinese printing industry to produce such publications?), unfortunately SCARIEST MONSTERS echoes the previously released MONSTER MISCELLANY publication (see review) in content and, therefore, fans may feel cheated by such duplication and duplicity on behalf of BBC BOOKS in an blatant act of `wallet-dipping’. In fact, each publication is written by Justin Richards.However, and I am pleased that there is a `however’, not only is this latest offering increased value for money in comparison (£9.99 for an extra 24% page count with a larger page size format) but its content is all-new, intelligently written, complimented with a cascade of never-before-seen photographs and a creative layout design. It’s a revelation and far superior than the MONSTER MISCELLANY.The content is, of course, biased toward the 2005-2011 series (70% of its content) but the acknowledgment of the CLASSIC SERIES is be welcomed but the choice of “scariest monsters” is debatable (maybe that this one of reasoning behind the publication; to spark debate amongst fans?).Is a Quark scarier than Scaroth of the Jagaroth splintered across time? Is the pedestrian plodding of the Wirrn more scary than the careering invisibility of a Zeta Minor `antimatter creature? Surely, the alien parasite within the Keller Machine more scary than a Draconian? And are Adipose Children scary? And where is the Mara infestation if the Midnight Entity is included?The book’s highlight is the catalogue of photographs that accompany the (all too brief) text throughout. Simply, the picture research is excellent. There’s even a slight appreciation to the James Bond film franchise; see if you can spot it.Pedantically, there are only a few errors and these are so minor that only one could be highlighted. Page 205 states that the “Ironsides” are described as “Daleks in khaki World War II `livery'”. Khaki is actually a `yellowish drab shade’ and not green as the casing were painted. Yes, I did say that it was minor.DOCTOR WHO – 100 SCARIEST MONSTERS is the perfect companion for fans this Christmastime; visually creative, intelligently written and comprehensive.