Doctor Who: The Drosten's Curse

By: A. L. Kennedy

Narrated by: Clare Corbett

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

An original novel by A.L. Kennedy featuring the Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker in the BBC TV series.

Something distinctly odd is going on in Arbroath. It could be to do with golfers being dragged down into the bunkers at the Fetch Brothers' Golf Spa Hotel, never to be seen again.

It might be related to the strange twin grandchildren of the equally strange Mrs Fetch – owner of the hotel and fascinated with octopuses. It could be the fact that people in the surrounding area suddenly know what others are thinking, without anyone saying a word. Whatever it is, the Doctor is most at home when faced with the distinctly odd. With the help of Fetch Brothers' Junior Receptionist Bryony, he'll get to the bottom of things. Just so long as he does so in time to save Bryony from quite literally losing her mind, and the entire world from destruction.

Because something huge, ancient and alien lies hidden beneath the ground – and it's starting to wake up....

©2015 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2015 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

wonderful!!! can't wait to listen again!!

this story is one of the best 4th doctor I've heard from my little collection!

Great

It cannot be described how good this is.

Narrator was good: check
Story was good: check

Everything was superb

A great doctor story!

True to the spirit of the doctor series and wonderfully read, a nice way to pass time!

The Doctors Golfing adventure.

This was a quirky tale. Staring my favorite Doctor number 4. This book was funny and serious at the same time. Combining golf and science fiction into a great Doctor Who story. Reminded me lot of Douglas Adams kind of humor. I wish someone would write more original stories about the adventures of the Fourth Doctor.

Ramble and padding.

Way over long. The story is heavily padded and the prose is tangential and rambling. It might have been good if it were much shorter. The background music and sounds go from incongruous at times to flat out annoying.

What is up with this music?!

What would have made Doctor Who: The Drosten's Curse better?

Just letting it be an audiobook and not trying to turn it into some half-assed radio play

Any additional comments?

I had to stop listening half way through and will be returning this book. It's a shame because I was enjoying the story and the reader was doing fine – but what the hell is that music in the background?! It is, first of all, bad music, the kind a schoolkid might compose on their GarageBand. Second, it cuts into the story at totally random times. It doesn't seem to be emphasizing dramatic moments or chapter transitions or anything - it's just sometimes on and sometimes off. Third and worst, it's so loud in the background that it distracts from the reading. At one point, I couldn't even hear the narrator because of some screeching noise that was apparently "music." I'm disappointed and deeply annoyed.

Facile psychodrama, too long

What could A. L. Kennedy have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

The Drosten's Curse needed a better plot and to be less long.The Doctor has Tom Baker's insouciance as well as his wardrobe and physical tics, but he's not pure Fourth Doctor. There are some new, possibly situational, powers, and a good bit of the lonely-god-in-a-goddess-box, think Matt Smith. The new companions are not completely unlike Amy and Rory Pond. Pleasant, inexplicably in love, a clever lass and a determined lad, she following the Doctor, he following her.The monster's too powerful, and the threats too big to be believable for the Who universe. There's nothing at stake, the resolution is telegraphed early on, and then the novel is dragged out by introducing setbacks, new opponents, and constraining the overpowered Doctor so he has to coach his companions through some things instead of doing them himself. Which is awkward as he does so very literally and telepathically, stripping these companions of most of the dignity and responsibility of thinking for themselves and making tough decisions that give weight to most companions.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Clare Corbett?

Clare Corbett's great, a pleasant voice, humorous, but dry. She only falls short of the best Who narrators in that she doesn't capture the Doctor's distinct cadences at all. I was regularly distracted thinking how Tom Baker would have delivered a line.The performance is marred by the choice to add background noise in many sections, sometimes the cloister bell and sometimes just weird shrieky or clangy atmospheric noise.