Torchwood: Something in the Water...

[fajrdrako]

Today I read the novel Torchwood: Something in the Water by Trevor Baxendale. Unlike most of the other Torchwood novels, there is only one plot, a fairly stratightforward one: Cardiff is menaced by a Water Hag, spearhead of a watery alien invasion. It's quite creepy, nicely written in a smart and simple style.

The characterization of the Torchwood team is good - with the possible exception of Jack, who is fairly grim most of the time here. But there's nothing personal. Though it seems to be set in the timeframe of the first part of series 2, there's no hint that Jack and Ianto are lovers. Gwen mentions Rhys once, maybe twice. Basically, it's a Water Hag story.

Unlike with Another Life, I didn't keep feeling the urge to quote things. Two exceptions, the first from p. 34, a description of Jack from a man who used to know him:

He was a glory-hunting maniac and the kindest man I ever knew. Saved my life twice in '73, and then left me for a chorus girl from Boston.'

The other passage is from page 178, at a point where Jack is trying to kill an alien who won't stay dead:

'Here we go again,' said Jack. '...Y'know, I kind of prefer it when the dead stay dead.'

'Pot. Kettle. Black,' Owen said.

'Yeah,' agreed Jack with a shrug. 'The difference is, I do it with style.'

Comments

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

I really do need to start looking for all these Torchwood novels. You give such enticing reviews of them.

I liked both those snippets of dialogue you quoted. Is the rest of the writing in the book like that? light, and clever? One can have a dire-threat-approaching story and still make it flippant in a good way, y'know.

I wonder. You point out that there are no personal mentions in the book. It must not be the easiest thing for an author to grasp both the overall character of the show/group, and also get a handle on the subtle characterizations. Goodness knows, I've seen fanfic written with love that got some excellent characters totally wrong, not only from my own biased perspective but from canon characterization out of the show itself.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You give such enticing reviews of them.

Glad you like my reviews. They tend to be more like 'adventure fiction' than the kind of psychological-adventure-romance I'd like to see, but that's all right. They are quite well written.

It must not be the easiest thing for an author to grasp both the overall character of the show/group, and also get a handle on the subtle characterizations.

Why not? We've all seen exceptions, but most fans who are paying attentiong can do it with no problem. And these writers have the guidance of the producers. It could be, though, that the writer wasn't sure when the book would be released - had to make it vague.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

Why not? We've all seen exceptions, but most fans who are paying attention can do it with no problem.

That might be the key factor. Any given writer who writes a Torchwood book for publication might not care at all about the characters; fans, on the other hand, care intensely. Just a thought.

Agreed -- not knowing when it would be published, in relation to the airing of the episodes, a person would have to make some things vague!

Is there an entire series of Torchwood books, then? A series of Doctor Who books...?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Any given writer who writes a Torchwood book for publication might not care at all about the characters; fans, on the other hand, care intensely. Just a thought.

Probably true, but these books as so well written I think the authors do care. I think also that you don't need to care to include mention (directly or by implication) that certain characters are lovers - if they, canonically, are. In other words, I have no problem with the way the characters are written, I just find it strange what got left out. Not just Jack and Ianto - the whole of series 2 plays on the fact (in various ways) that Tosh has a huge crush on Owen. This isn't mentioned, either.

Is there an entire series of Torchwood books, then?

Six print books. Several audio-books - three others, I think. I have the link to them on Amazon in my post.

A series of Doctor Who books...?

There are - I don't know how many Doctor Who books. Hundreds. They have been publishing them for decades - since the mid-1960s - and there are now more than ever. There are books about the adventures of each of the Doctors and even new books about old doctors, and a whole series of audio-plays by a company called Big Finish that does new stories about earlier Doctors with the same actors in the roles. There are audio-books read by David Tennant (I have a couple of them!). And there is a whole range of reference books - behind-the-scenes books, episode guides, history, and so on. Not to mention books for kids, and sticker books, and colouring books, and comic books, and - see? It's infinite.

Which is sort of suitable for a story beyond space and time.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

I think it was hard for me to digest the notion that these Torchwood books are well-written, really written well, mainly because the Star Trek books that I have tried have mainly been pure tripe, written with very little sense of any of the characters nor with any touch for the things in the Star Trek universe that I find intrinsic.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think it was hard for me to digest the notion that these Torchwood books are well-written, really written well, mainly because the Star Trek books that I have tried have mainly been pure tripe

Yes, but there are exceptions. Look at the Vonda McIntyre book. And the Peter Davids.

The Torchwood novels are not nearly as good as Vonda McIntyre, and the last one is more like the utterly superficial Doctor Who novels I've recently read. (Haven't reviewed them because it really wasn't worth it.) But the sense of the characters and the universe is pretty good.

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

Vonda MacIntyre Star Trek book? Peter David Star Trek books? I need to know these (that at first came out: I knead to know these). Was that her book called The Entropy Effect? That was so cool! Offhand and sensible uses of real, hard science.

Which reminds me that the weekly newsletter Science News has suddenly decided to go to a biweekly magazine-type publication. Shock me much! I live Science News. It was my only source for the early reports of what later became known as AIDS and HIV. It was like... well, like an apa, but more frequent! Which also reminds me: is there an Apaplexy collation coming up?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Peter David Star Trek books?

I really, really liked Imzadi. He did others that I didn't like so much, but that was great. The only instance where I actively liked Ryker and Troi.

From an online site:

McIntyre wrote the best-selling novel versions of the screenplays for three of the popular Star Trek movies: The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage Home.

All good, as I recall. You know what a good writer she is.

is there an Apaplexy collation coming up?

Yes - a week from this coming Saturday. I.e., May 17. I'm still working on my mailing comments. Not sure I'll have much more. Some recipes, maybe. I've been doing so little - what's to say?

[neadods.livejournal.com]

In retrospect, this was my favorite of the latest trilogy.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I quite liked the "Water Hag" plot. I don't know which was my favourite of three - each had its good points, and each had some interesting characters.

Have you heard the ones that are on CD but not in book form? What are they like?

That's a very nice Donna icon.

[kittykat2305.livejournal.com]

I just recently listened to Hidden read by Naoko Mori and it was pretty good, I haven't had a chance to read the books yet, I'm getting them as a birthday present so I was forbidden to buy them for myself. I also have Everyone Says Hello read by Burn Gorman, but haven't had a chance to listen yet and then the third one isn't out yet.

Hidden was pretty good, But I have to say I never was a huge fan of audio books, I would much rather have them in print.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Generally speaking, I prefer to read things in print form - the only thing I do that I like listening to readings while doing, is walk - and I prefer walking without sound. Still. It's fun sometimes to listen to things, and I occasionally put on an audio-tape while doing housework.

I would like to hear the Torchwood audio-books. I don't know if I like Burn Gorman's voice much - will have to see what it sounds like. Looking forward to the Naoko Mori one.

I listened to a good part of Another Life as audio-book after I'd read the print version, and though listening to Barrowman's voice was a treat, I was disappointing by the way it was so drastically abridged: they took out many of my favourite parts.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Have you heard the ones that are on CD

Yes - these days, I go through more audiobooks than regular ones. I wish I knew what was up with the third audio, the one that suddenly got delayed and almost "disappeared," but of the two that came out, Hidden has a poor plot (but Naoko is an excellent book reader, it's a damned shame she won't be doing more) but I rather liked Everyone Says Hello.

Mind you, I like the Sarah Jane audios even better... not the Big Finishes (sorry BF!) but the two SJA audios read by Lis.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

. I wish I knew what was up with the third audio, the one that suddenly got delayed and almost "disappeared,"

Do you think we'll ever hear it?

Hidden has a poor plot

That's too bad. I like the title! I have the CD, but haven't listened to it.

but Naoko is an excellent book reader

I'm not surprised. She certainly has a lovely voice.

the two SJA audios read by Lis.

I didn't know about those - must look for them.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to doubt we will ever get that last one, but I still don't know why it suddenly disappeared.

There are two SJA audios read by Lis - The Thirteenth Stone and The Glittering Storm. Storm's better, but they're both fun. Check my SJA tag; I've got reviews.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'll look at your reviews. Sounds like just the thing!

I've now seen "Genesis of the Daleks" and I really liked Sarah Jane in that. And I love The Sarah Jane Adventures - can't get enough.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I think I like the SJA just a tiny bit more than Doctor Who.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I think I like the SJA just a tiny bit more than Doctor Who.

For me, it depends on the episode. I love the Doctor and I love Sarah Jane and I wouldn't mind seeing more of them together.