Torchwood: Something in the Water...

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.'