Trading Futures (Doctor Who)

Rating:
Summary: The name's Who. Doctor Who.
Review: I should start off this review by admitting that I am not a huge fan of the James Bond movies. I have nothing against them, and, indeed, if pressed, I can spend a pleasant Sunday afternoon watching one (provided that there's nothing more interesting on television). They're fluffy, but it's a fluff that I can find vaguely enjoyable, even if I wouldn't go out of my way to obtain that aforementioned fluff. I just find them to be a bit lacking, in the seen-one-seen-them-all sense. The relevance to TRADING FUTURES is that this book is heavily influenced by that series of movies, and while it definitely has positive features that mostly outweigh its flaws, it will probably appeal more to Bond fans than it did to me.

I found the action sequences here to be much more interesting and entertaining than similar scenes found in other, more explosion-driven EDAs. Usually during such sequences I find myself peeking forward, secure in the knowledge that all I need to get out of such a scene is who emerged victorious, and who died a hideous and violent death. But in TRADING FUTURES the pacing is balanced just perfectly so the battle sequences never seem to go on for too long. The sometime-in-the-not-too-distant-future setting allowed Parkin to invent some very interesting and clever scenarios involving futuristic war technology, which was most helpful in keeping my interest.

The future setting was constructed very carefully and provided many of the best jokes. Lance Parkin obviously had a lot of fun stretching the business, technological, and political practices of today into absurd (and often hilarious) caricatures. It's written in a quick and amusing style that gives the impression of something not to be taken completely seriously. And in that way it ends up being fairly enjoyable. Even some of the portions that could be read as being padding end up adding a lot to the lightweight and entertaining atmosphere. While Fitz does get sidetracked for at least a portion of the story, his subplot had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. I have nothing against padding, as long as it's entertaining, and in the hands of a good writer like Parkin, Fitz can be wildly entertaining.

Surprisingly for a Lance Parkin book, none of the secondary characters jump off of the page. I suppose this is the nature of the genre, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed at the lack of any emotional connection with the people in this story. They do not fall into the trap of being indistinct, but even their uniqueness doesn't feel particularly inspired. Everyone has their purpose in the story and executes their role adequately; I just couldn't imagine any of these people existing outside of the confines of this particular tale. They were caught somewhere between being realistic characters and mere plot ciphers. This is a shame, especially when one notices how well defined the Eight Doctor himself is in this story. A pity that not everyone ended up being quite so adequately explored.

The story was fast-moving, and well constructed with all the pieces fitting together satisfactory. And yet, it didn't seem entirely engaging or consequential. It felt a bit slight and at no point did I really think that anything was going to go seriously wrong for the Doctor and his companions. I wasn't worried about whether he was going to win, nor was I finding myself totally interested in how he would escape from temporary dangers. Again, I realize that many of these faults are due to this being a James Bond pastiche and James Bond simply doesn't lose. As I think about this, I am beginning to conclude that, at least in book form, perhaps these two particular styles don't mesh together as well as one might imagine. There was a lack of tension, and events didn't seem as substantial as they should have.

The James Bond movies that I have enjoyed have been largely those that have enough style to rise above anything that they lack in substance. Ultimately, TRADING FUTURES does barely manage to do that. It's a fun book with a lot of good jokes, but it lacks the emotional impact of JUST WAR or FATHER TIME, and neither does it contain the sheer epic scale of THE INFINITY DOCTORS. Paradoxically, the lightweight feel is both the story's strongpoint as well as its greatest weakness. The book doesn't aim terribly high, but it does manage to hit that target. As a light and breezy read that will help one pass a few hours quickly, TRADING FUTURES is effective. But it probably won't be a book that you'll be mulling over for very long.

Rating:
Summary: The name's Who. Doctor Who.
Review: I should start off this review by admitting that I am not a huge fan of the James Bond movies. I have nothing against them, and, indeed, if pressed, I can spend a pleasant Sunday afternoon watching one (provided that there's nothing more interesting on television). They're fluffy, but it's a fluff that I can find vaguely enjoyable, even if I wouldn't go out of my way to obtain that aforementioned fluff. I just find them to be a bit lacking, in the seen-one-seen-them-all sense. The relevance to TRADING FUTURES is that this book is heavily influenced by that series of movies, and while it definitely has positive features that mostly outweigh its flaws, it will probably appeal more to Bond fans than it did to me.

I found the action sequences here to be much more interesting and entertaining than similar scenes found in other, more explosion-driven EDAs. Usually during such sequences I find myself peeking forward, secure in the knowledge that all I need to get out of such a scene is who emerged victorious, and who died a hideous and violent death. But in TRADING FUTURES the pacing is balanced just perfectly so the battle sequences never seem to go on for too long. The sometime-in-the-not-too-distant-future setting allowed Parkin to invent some very interesting and clever scenarios involving futuristic war technology, which was most helpful in keeping my interest.

The future setting was constructed very carefully and provided many of the best jokes. Lance Parkin obviously had a lot of fun stretching the business, technological, and political practices of today into absurd (and often hilarious) caricatures. It's written in a quick and amusing style that gives the impression of something not to be taken completely seriously. And in that way it ends up being fairly enjoyable. Even some of the portions that could be read as being padding end up adding a lot to the lightweight and entertaining atmosphere. While Fitz does get sidetracked for at least a portion of the story, his subplot had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. I have nothing against padding, as long as it's entertaining, and in the hands of a good writer like Parkin, Fitz can be wildly entertaining.

Surprisingly for a Lance Parkin book, none of the secondary characters jump off of the page. I suppose this is the nature of the genre, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed at the lack of any emotional connection with the people in this story. They do not fall into the trap of being indistinct, but even their uniqueness doesn't feel particularly inspired. Everyone has their purpose in the story and executes their role adequately; I just couldn't imagine any of these people existing outside of the confines of this particular tale. They were caught somewhere between being realistic characters and mere plot ciphers. This is a shame, especially when one notices how well defined the Eight Doctor himself is in this story. A pity that not everyone ended up being quite so adequately explored.

The story was fast-moving, and well constructed with all the pieces fitting together satisfactory. And yet, it didn't seem entirely engaging or consequential. It felt a bit slight and at no point did I really think that anything was going to go seriously wrong for the Doctor and his companions. I wasn't worried about whether he was going to win, nor was I finding myself totally interested in how he would escape from temporary dangers. Again, I realize that many of these faults are due to this being a James Bond pastiche and James Bond simply doesn't lose. As I think about this, I am beginning to conclude that, at least in book form, perhaps these two particular styles don't mesh together as well as one might imagine. There was a lack of tension, and events didn't seem as substantial as they should have.

The James Bond movies that I have enjoyed have been largely those that have enough style to rise above anything that they lack in substance. Ultimately, TRADING FUTURES does barely manage to do that. It's a fun book with a lot of good jokes, but it lacks the emotional impact of JUST WAR or FATHER TIME, and neither does it contain the sheer epic scale of THE INFINITY DOCTORS. Paradoxically, the lightweight feel is both the story's strongpoint as well as its greatest weakness. The book doesn't aim terribly high, but it does manage to hit that target. As a light and breezy read that will help one pass a few hours quickly, TRADING FUTURES is effective. But it probably won't be a book that you'll be mulling over for very long.

Rating:
Summary: The Man with the Titanium Time Machine
Review: If "Trading Futures" is supposed to be James Bond done "Doctor Who" style, it's obviously a Roger Moore film.

Most of the advance word I heard about "Futures" led me to believe I was going to read a vastly serious book, with straightforward action and a whole smattering of "Doctor Who"'s own brand of left-wing realpolitik. What I got, however, was a knee-slapper, an out-and-out comedy, by my estimation the third one of these the EDAs have put out in the last 12 months or so (along with "Earthworld" and "Mad Dogs and Englishmen", and that's not even counting "The Slow Empire").

The basic plot appears to tie in with the recent Sabbath arc. A mysterious time-traveler comes to the 2130s to auction his machine to the highest bidder, in exchange for the defense secrets that might well spark off war between the United States and the European Union. But the bidders include an ancient Scottish secret agent (and his sidekick "Penny Lik"), a couple of undercover agents from the future, and... time-traveling rhinoceroses, looking to inherit the secrets of Gallifrey, and wearing those silly Time Lord hat-and-collar sets from the 1970s.

The villain here, Baskerville (there are no mention of his hounds) is a charming, over the top gangster reminiscent of Gert Frobe or Robert Davi. His rantings on politics are so surreal that one almost suspects Parkin believes them. There's an awful lot of second-unit photography -- locales include Athens, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Ibiza. The paragraph on page 8 describing the retro-1990s cafe is probably the funniest paragraph ever to appear in "Doctor Who", but I can't reprint it here.

Bottom line, "Trading Futures" is a fast, funny book, with small flashes of sincerity and an awful lot of irony. Three different characters die seconds after proclaiming that bullets can't harm them. If you were expecting a hard espionage thriller right out of Robert Ludlum... be thankful you were wrong.

Rating:
Summary: Trading Futures
Review: Lance Parkin, in the case of this dashing, ultra-satisfying novel, has created a near-perfect Dr Who adventure.

The great things about it would take too long to list, but perhaps I can name a few. Just assume that what I have forgotten is in this book, and even more impressive than what I have mentioned.

The plot is a rip-roaring success. It's the Doctor versus Baskerville, some guy who wants to sell time-travel to the highest bidder, on early 21st Century Earth. It's a nifty variation on the overused plotline of having everyone after the Doctor's time-vessel. He's got to deal with spies, robots, exotic women, unreal entities, lurking overlords, foreign governments, and rhinoceros-headed aliens getting ahold of someone else's time-machine.

The Doctor's Companions--Fitz and Anji--play vital roles in the novel. While mainly separated from the Doctor, they perform exceptionally, and their bits are definitely not filler. I don't think I have ever been more dazzled by what has been going on with the Companions--no need to get right back to the Doctor's scenes.

Then again, the Doctor hits an all-time high. He does stunts we've never seen before. Lance Parkin really knows how to generate witty dialogue, spread liberally around, with the very best lines saved (of course) for the Doctor.

The plot, by its very nature, has some sly comments to make on war and capitalism, as well as the innate potential for all intelligent beings to be just a bit too pompous for their own good.

The action never ceases. Characters are bang-on, without shortshrift, but this one puts the "story" in storybook.

Finally, a Who newcomer could probably pick this novel up and find his or herself hooked within twenty pages.

Rating:
Summary: Would you like a little Bond in your Who?
Review: One thing that Doctor Who, ever since the television series, has been good at is ripping off...ahem, I mean paying homage to other genres. Trading Futures is pretty blatantly a James Bond pastiche, even down to the cover (with silhouetted women posing provocatively and a couple of other exciting scenes, all in a big target image). The question is, is it a good pastiche? Thankfully, yes it is.

This is a book that never stops. It's certainly not introspective at all, moving from action set piece to action set piece. It's kind of surprising coming from Lance Parkin, who usually has more event-driven, monumental books. The scene shifts drastically from a resort on the Mediterranean Sea to Athens to California to Toronto and to Russia, with a few places in between. You almost have to stop and catch your breath at times. There's a lot of gunfire, robotic tanks and other robots, and daring leaps. Personally, I rather enjoyed all of this, but if you don't, you may want to skip this book.

Not to say that characterization is neglected, though it's not as good as most of Parkin's books. The Doctor and Anji have plenty to do (though, in Bond tradition, Anji spends a lot of time dressed in a bikini). Both of them are very well-characterized, with Parkin capturing almost perfectly the Doctor's combination of whimsy and intelligence. Anji actually uses some of her economics background to work out part of what's going on, and she has some marvelous scenes with Baskerville, the man with the time machine to sell. Fitz is pretty good too, with an often hilarious sequence where he's mistaken for the Doctor and has to try and improvise.

The other characters are also fairly good. Cosgrove is a British agent who is trying to get the time machine for the Eurozone. Or is he? He is given some great motivation and it's very interesting as things unfold around him and the reader gets to find out what's really going on. Baskerville is given some great scenes as well. He's very well-rounded and not just a dastardly villain. Malady Chang is a CIA agent that becomes attached to the Doctor. She's a little bit more one-note, but she is given some interesting things to do. The other minor characters don't suffer too badly, but they're not as complete as these.

The plot is also very intriguing. The differing factions can be confusing sometimes, but it's usually pretty easy to figure out what's going on. There's lots of humour to go with the action. Watching Fitz try to talk his way out of trouble is always a treat, and there's some great byplay between the Doctor and Malady as well. The only thing that's a bit too cute for me is the name of the alien race: a race of alien rhinos called Onihrs. C'mon Lance, that's bad.

Personally, I think Parkin can do no wrong, and he hasn't disproved that feeling yet. Trading Futures is probably the weakest of his books, but it's still well above some of the other Who books out there. This book is entertaining to say the least, and also moves along the arc that's been carrying through the 8th Doctor books recently. If you like your Who with a dash of Bond, then definitely pick this one up. It's also a very easy story to get into if you have never read a Who book before.

Rating:
Summary: Would you like a little Bond in your Who?
Review: One thing that Doctor Who, ever since the television series, has been good at is ripping off...ahem, I mean paying homage to other genres. Trading Futures is pretty blatantly a James Bond pastiche, even down to the cover (with silhouetted women posing provocatively and a couple of other exciting scenes, all in a big target image). The question is, is it a good pastiche? Thankfully, yes it is.

This is a book that never stops. It's certainly not introspective at all, moving from action set piece to action set piece. It's kind of surprising coming from Lance Parkin, who usually has more event-driven, monumental books. The scene shifts drastically from a resort on the Mediterranean Sea to Athens to California to Toronto and to Russia, with a few places in between. You almost have to stop and catch your breath at times. There's a lot of gunfire, robotic tanks and other robots, and daring leaps. Personally, I rather enjoyed all of this, but if you don't, you may want to skip this book.

Not to say that characterization is neglected, though it's not as good as most of Parkin's books. The Doctor and Anji have plenty to do (though, in Bond tradition, Anji spends a lot of time dressed in a bikini). Both of them are very well-characterized, with Parkin capturing almost perfectly the Doctor's combination of whimsy and intelligence. Anji actually uses some of her economics background to work out part of what's going on, and she has some marvelous scenes with Baskerville, the man with the time machine to sell. Fitz is pretty good too, with an often hilarious sequence where he's mistaken for the Doctor and has to try and improvise.

The other characters are also fairly good. Cosgrove is a British agent who is trying to get the time machine for the Eurozone. Or is he? He is given some great motivation and it's very interesting as things unfold around him and the reader gets to find out what's really going on. Baskerville is given some great scenes as well. He's very well-rounded and not just a dastardly villain. Malady Chang is a CIA agent that becomes attached to the Doctor. She's a little bit more one-note, but she is given some interesting things to do. The other minor characters don't suffer too badly, but they're not as complete as these.

The plot is also very intriguing. The differing factions can be confusing sometimes, but it's usually pretty easy to figure out what's going on. There's lots of humour to go with the action. Watching Fitz try to talk his way out of trouble is always a treat, and there's some great byplay between the Doctor and Malady as well. The only thing that's a bit too cute for me is the name of the alien race: a race of alien rhinos called Onihrs. C'mon Lance, that's bad.

Personally, I think Parkin can do no wrong, and he hasn't disproved that feeling yet. Trading Futures is probably the weakest of his books, but it's still well above some of the other Who books out there. This book is entertaining to say the least, and also moves along the arc that's been carrying through the 8th Doctor books recently. If you like your Who with a dash of Bond, then definitely pick this one up. It's also a very easy story to get into if you have never read a Who book before.

Rating:
Summary: Better than usual for the Eighth Doctor ...
Review: You used to be able to pick up any Doctor Who novel and start right in; at worst, you'd need to adjust to the new companions and that'd be it. Near the end of the New Adventures series, that changed -- the series became almost completely divorced from the original Who, and the books referred more to each other than to the television series. That didn't change when the license went back to the BBC and they started making the Eighth Doctor books -- if anything, it got worse.

"Trading Futures" is a welcome respite from that. It's a fun, fast-moving action adventure, something like the Third Doctor might have gotten up to. It's not so much a spy adventure as it is a Tom Clancy book played for laughs.

More than that, though, it's new Who that *isn't depressing* and *doesn't require you have read the previous eight books in the series to understand it*. For me, that's enough!

Rating:
Summary: Better than usual for the Eighth Doctor ...
Review: You used to be able to pick up any Doctor Who novel and start right in; at worst, you'd need to adjust to the new companions and that'd be it. Near the end of the New Adventures series, that changed -- the series became almost completely divorced from the original Who, and the books referred more to each other than to the television series. That didn't change when the license went back to the BBC and they started making the Eighth Doctor books -- if anything, it got worse.

"Trading Futures" is a welcome respite from that. It's a fun, fast-moving action adventure, something like the Third Doctor might have gotten up to. It's not so much a spy adventure as it is a Tom Clancy book played for laughs.

More than that, though, it's new Who that *isn't depressing* and *doesn't require you have read the previous eight books in the series to understand it*. For me, that's enough!