Torchwood: Border Princes...

[fajrdrako]

Today I read the third of the Torchwood novels, Torchwood: Border Princes, by Dan Abnett. I'd been saving it up till one of those days when first series Torchwood was long gone, second series was a glimmer in the distant future, and I was feeling desperate for new Torchwood material. Besides fanfic.

Of the three novels (the others being Another Life by Peter Anghelides and Slow Decay by Andy Lane), this is not the strongest. But I loved it still.

Its weaknesses are that it gets less into the personal viewpoint than the other two novels - especially Another Life, which has some magnificent passages about Jack. In fact, Jack is featured much less in this book, and not in any depth, and he seems to be in a bad mood most of the time. At least he's there.

The novel's strengths: well, I loved the plot. It's a slow reveal, though I guessed what we were dealing with before it was explained. I thought it was a wonderful bit of sleight-of-hand suspense, SF adventure and beautifully sustained action.

Don't read on if you don't want spoilers.

Basically, Torchwood is dealing with four situations:

• an alien puzzle that affects minds;
• an alien warrior-robot that an old man keeps in his garden shed;
• a door-to-door salesman who is way too persuasive;
• alien bodyguards who appear to be human, but who have superpowers and are bent on protecting their Principal:

...and then there is James, who is not a case, but one of the Torchwood team, and Gwen's lover, and all-round likeable guy. But who is he? Does he even know?

The answer of course is that he is the Principal and that he is a Border Prince, and no, he doesn't know. This reminded me of the Cylons on Battlestar Galactica, infiltrating humanity undetected. But the Border Princes are not enemies. They are, so to speak, neighbours: aliens who live on one of the many other sides of the Rift, who patrol the Rift to protect their worlds just as Torchwood does to protect ours, except that they have far greater technology. And a higher sense of honour. And technologically enhanced superpowers.

So cool.

I did wonder why the Border Prince (i.e., James) knew our culture well enough to pass as a native and outdo Gwen on actor-and-music-recognition trivia, when his soldiers/protectors got concepts and terminology wrong and were unfamiliar with ice cream. (But make no mistake - they liked it. Frozen flavoured animal fats. Yum.)

There were passages I loved and wanted to quote, but I didn't take notes this time and won't find them again till I reread. I did love the running gag about "twenty-seven" that starts right on page one:

'Scale of one to ten?' Owen asked...
'One being slightly pressing and ten being insanely urgent?' Jack wondered from the passenger seat.
'Yeah.'
'About twenty-six, twenty-seven,' Jack replied mildly.

I also particularly liked some of the incidental characters, like Davey Morgan, and Shiznay. Too bad we didn't get more about Ianto or Toshiko. Owen, as in all the novels, was quite fun.

So now... I have to wait. Till there's another series aired. Till more books are written and published. I see there are more advertized on amazon.co.uk: not, sadly, by the same authors. There's "Torchwood": The Twilight Streets by Gary Russell, and Torchwood": Horaizan by David Llewellyn (who at least sounds like the right nationality to get the locale right), and Torchwood: Something In the Water by Trevor Baxendale. Will they be as good as the first three Torchwood novels? I doubt: I really thought they were far superior to most novels based on Tv shows, and superior also to many which aren't.


None of the others will be out to March at least - probably much later in Canada, as they aren't even advertised on amazon.ca yet. And what is Torchwood by Jill Magi? Or Torchwood: back Stories by David Llewellyn?

Comments

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I am so frustrated about international TV. You'd think it would be so easy for them to show British shows in Canada and vice versa. But they just don't.

Sarah Jane Canada, BBC Kids

[mickeyk.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's right, not CBC, but the Kids BBC channel in Canada has apparently got it and will run it I think early in 2008. *sigh*

I saw it on a post on imdb.com, I think in the Doctor Who 2005 board. Anyway, checking for the kids version of it here should eventually let you know if I'm right.

*gazes lovingly at your icon* Yes, please, may I have at least one of him, wrapped in a bow? ;)

I suppose you saw we're not getting the rest of TW S1 until at least January? *sigh*

Re: Sarah Jane Canada, BBC Kids

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

the Kids BBC channel in Canada has apparently got it and will run it I think early in 2008. *sigh*

I've never had a reason to get the kids' BBC channel before. In fact, I didn't even know there was a BBC kids' channel, but it makes sense.

Yes, please, may I have at least one of him, wrapped in a bow? ;)


Aw, go ahead, take two!


I suppose you saw we're not getting the rest of TW S1 until at least January? *sigh*

I think the CBC should treat that show much, much better than they do.

On the other hand, it's nice to think I have an excuse to watch "Captain Jack Harkness" again in a few weeks.

Re: Sarah Jane Canada, BBC Kids

[mickeyk.livejournal.com]

I've never had a reason to get the kids' BBC channel before. In fact, I didn't even know there was a BBC kids' channel, but it makes sense.

Here you go: http://www.bbckids.ca/

And no, I won't be getting it, just to see Sarah Jane.

Yes, please, may I have at least one of him, wrapped in a bow? ;)

Aw, go ahead, take two!

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo... thank you!

Heh, love your icon today, too, the Dear Santa letter. I was just thinking last night, as I was shovelling the snow, that if the TARDIS showed up, I'd run in to avoid doing more, even if it meant trying to run for my life! *grin*

I suppose you saw we're not getting the rest of TW S1 until at least January? *sigh*

I think the CBC should treat that show much, much better than they do.

I do too. I don't think they even recommend the other show, on each page on CBC (ie., if you like TW, you might like DW, if you like DW, you might like TW).

I guess you also saw that in the U.K., they'll air the "adult" version... and a few days later, an edited "family friendly" version? WTF? I thought TW was supposed to be the so-called "adult" and "edgy" spin-off? If it was, you'd think it'd be kind of hard (or impossible) to edit it, so that there's a family friendly version (ie., take Pulp Fiction, think that could be edited down and make sense?). To me, it makes a mockery of all the 'oooooooooooooooooh, we're so adult and edgy and sexy!' promotion for S1. Otoh, I can see that BBC2 would want to get as high ratings as possible for TW, and that it'll need high ratings to be picked up again. If I could edit S1, all shots of naked!Owen and naked!Rhys would be gone (well, maybe the naked!Owen hands cuffed in front of him in the 2nd ep would survive).

On the other hand, it's nice to think I have an excuse to watch "Captain Jack Harkness" again in a few weeks.

Heh, when a friend was watching that ep on BBC America, I watched it, too. It still packs the most emotional wallop for me, and is the most watchable (ie., don't fast forward anything). I was agreeing with my friend, when she wanted Ianto to do it again, and this time, take a headshot at Owen. *grin*

Re: Sarah Jane Canada, BBC Kids

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I won't be getting it, just to see Sarah Jane.

I am able to substitute one channel for another without extra charge, and since I'm rarely watching anything on life TV these days, it wouldn't cost me anything to get it - I think. I don't expect the DVDs will come out in Canadian or American editions - but you never know.

I don't think that they plan any version of Torchwood to be exactly kiddy-fare, it's just that they'll have a version without the sex scenes. I'm not sure what I think of that. As long as we can still get a grown-up version, I suppose I'll be happy. Especially if it's well written. That's what I hope and pray for.

It still packs the most emotional wallop for me

For me too. I think it's the only episode of Torchwood that is very well written - lovely pacing and structure, and all the characters well-drawn.

When it comes to Ianto drawing the gun and threatening Owen, all my friends were shouting. "Shoot him! Shoot him!" and were of course very glad when Ianto pulled the trigger. We need more of that. Owen target-practice. Owen, the character I love to hate. Though I do hope he'll be a little more bearable in series 2.

Re: Sarah Jane Canada, BBC Kids

[mickeyk.livejournal.com]

I am able to substitute one channel for another without extra charge, and since I'm rarely watching anything on life TV these days, it wouldn't cost me anything to get it - I think. I don't expect the DVDs will come out in Canadian or American editions - but you never know.

Oooooooooooooo... I hope you'll be able to! That would be very cool. :)

"I don't think that they plan any version of Torchwood to be exactly kiddy-fare, it's just that they'll have a version without the sex scenes. I'm not sure what I think of that. As long as we can still get a grown-up version, I suppose I'll be happy. Especially if it's well written. That's what I hope and pray for."

I think it's drop the sex scenes, and drop the f-bombs, and cut down on the violence. Here's a bit from one of the latest articles I've seen, mentioning the family version:

Spin-off

Last series' Dr Who companion Martha Jones will be appearing alongside Captain Jack in spin-off show Torchwood next year.

Young fans will be able watch this series because there will be a special version of the show for a family audience.

"This year there's a pre-watershed repeat - that means before 9pm. We take the episode, we edit it down. But it's safe for younger viewers to watch."

"For me too. I think it's the only episode of Torchwood that is very well written - lovely pacing and structure, and all the characters well-drawn."

Mine are "They Keep Killing Suzie", which was then bumped out of place by "Out of Time", I enjoyed Jack a lot in "Combat" and that everyone had something to do so I'm totally willing to give Noel Clarke a chance to write more, if I liked Gwen "Random Shoes" would also be near the top. And yes, CJH wins hands down, no contest. I hope I'll love her S2 eps.

When it comes to Ianto drawing the gun and threatening Owen, all my friends were shouting. "Shoot him! Shoot him!" and were of course very glad when Ianto pulled the trigger. We need more of that. Owen target-practice. Owen, the character I love to hate. Though I do hope he'll be a little more bearable in series 2.

Heh, when two friends were watching it on BBCA, and I was chatting online, both of them wanted Ianto to take a headshot. *grin*

I hope Owen'll be more bearable (and Gwen too, for me) in S2. At this moment, I'm totally willing for both characters to disappear, never be seen again.

Re: Sarah Jane Canada, BBC Kids

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I hope Noel Clarke does write more. I thought "Combat" was excellent.

There was a time I wished Owen would just disappear. Or be shot in the head by Ianto. So satisfying. Or maybe by Jack, who sometimes puts up with too much. I actually believe that some of Owen's misbehaviour is an acting-out thing to get Jack's attention.

Still, I thought his character was very well written.

And I love Gwen with an unjustifiable if woobly love. But "Random Shoes" looses a lot of points because of Jack's absence. I like Gwen best when she's interacting with Jack. Come to think of it, I like everybody best when they're interacting with Jack.

Another problem with Gwen and Owen is that they tended to overshadow Ianto and Tosh with both screen time and character development - not to mention taking time away from Jack himself, who is the character I really want to see.

I'd love to know Ianto and Tosh better.