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Rating: 
Summary: A bit too cosmic for me
Review: Craig Hinton returns to the Doctor Who range with this book which, while I liked generally, got a bit overly cosmic for me. Essentially, following a particularly unpleasant finish to an adventure (never written, just referred to in this book), Mel decides to leave the Doctor and asks to be dropped off on Earth. The Doctor complies, but both are drawn into events arising from the TV serial 'The Time Monster' (which was not very good!).The book is weighed down with Doctor Who continuity and a seemingly desperate desire to straighten out the cosmology of the series. It also features several references to non-Who (Star Trek, comics, etc.) matters. I'm sure I missed several of the references. However, Mr. Hinton wears one influence very plainly on his sleeve - Garth Ennis' great comic series 'Preacher'. It is plain from the beginning how much Mr. Hinton enjoys this comic (which I'd recommend to most, although some with strong Christian beliefs may find some of it difficult). Unfortunately, Mr. Ennis did it a whole lot better (twice!), and I don't it works for me in this book. That said, my main problem is that (in my opinion) Doctor Who works much better on a smaller scale than this. I enjoyed Mr. Hinton's last novel ('Millennial Rites') much more than this, even though it was more cosmic than the usual Doctor Who fare, probably because it didn't go as far as this one. Do write again, Mr. Hinton, but on a smaller scale! I suspect this one is really for the die-hard Doctor Who reader, with the very high number of continuity references making it either semi-intelligible or possibly boring to casual readers.
Rating:
Summary: A bit too cosmic for me
Review: Craig Hinton returns to the Doctor Who range with this book which, while I liked generally, got a bit overly cosmic for me. Essentially, following a particularly unpleasant finish to an adventure (never written, just referred to in this book), Mel decides to leave the Doctor and asks to be dropped off on Earth. The Doctor complies, but both are drawn into events arising from the TV serial 'The Time Monster' (which was not very good!). The book is weighed down with Doctor Who continuity and a seemingly desperate desire to straighten out the cosmology of the series. It also features several references to non-Who (Star Trek, comics, etc.) matters. I'm sure I missed several of the references. However, Mr. Hinton wears one influence very plainly on his sleeve - Garth Ennis' great comic series 'Preacher'. It is plain from the beginning how much Mr. Hinton enjoys this comic (which I'd recommend to most, although some with strong Christian beliefs may find some of it difficult). Unfortunately, Mr. Ennis did it a whole lot better (twice!), and I don't it works for me in this book. That said, my main problem is that (in my opinion) Doctor Who works much better on a smaller scale than this. I enjoyed Mr. Hinton's last novel ('Millennial Rites') much more than this, even though it was more cosmic than the usual Doctor Who fare, probably because it didn't go as far as this one. Do write again, Mr. Hinton, but on a smaller scale! I suspect this one is really for the die-hard Doctor Who reader, with the very high number of continuity references making it either semi-intelligible or possibly boring to casual readers.
Rating: 
Summary: A highly Excellent Romp
Review: I agree with the other reviewer. I found it interesting someone would feel "The Time Monster" needed a sequel. This novel had the same feeling as the other Doctor Who novel "Divided Loyalties". A supposed sequel to the Celestial Toymaker. Was it really necessary? "The Quantum Archangel" is probably not a book for the casual reader/fan of the Doctor Who line. This one is for true loyalists of the series. There are references that will go over the casual fan's head. On the plus side, The Master is used quite well throughout most of the novel. I was always partial to Anthony Ainley's portrayal in the series and found that his character comes across smoothly in many of his scenes. One can just hear that sonorous laugh of his. I very much enjoyed the parallel universes the Quantum Archangel created for the novel's characters. Imagine getting your own personal universe where everything you ever wanted had come true! And then, along come the Chronovores to eat away at it! The end result being your dreams crashing in around you in the most horrific way possible. I probably would have liked this one a whole lot more had Craig Hinton kept up the parallel time-line aspect of the story. I wasn't disappointed in the novel, but neither was I totally satisfied. Again, casual readers may wish to pass. Come back to this one once you're more comfortable with the Whoniverse. Fans of the Sixth incarnation . . . well . . . you read it and see what you think. More Master, less Kronos. That was my take on it.
Rating: 
Summary: More Master! Less Kronos!
Review: I agree with the other reviewer. I found it interesting someone would feel "The Time Monster" needed a sequel. This novel had the same feeling as the other Doctor Who novel "Divided Loyalties". A supposed sequel to the Celestial Toymaker. Was it really necessary? "The Quantum Archangel" is probably not a book for the casual reader/fan of the Doctor Who line. This one is for true loyalists of the series. There are references that will go over the casual fan's head. On the plus side, The Master is used quite well throughout most of the novel. I was always partial to Anthony Ainley's portrayal in the series and found that his character comes across smoothly in many of his scenes. One can just hear that sonorous laugh of his. I very much enjoyed the parallel universes the Quantum Archangel created for the novel's characters. Imagine getting your own personal universe where everything you ever wanted had come true! And then, along come the Chronovores to eat away at it! The end result being your dreams crashing in around you in the most horrific way possible. I probably would have liked this one a whole lot more had Craig Hinton kept up the parallel time-line aspect of the story. I wasn't disappointed in the novel, but neither was I totally satisfied. Again, casual readers may wish to pass. Come back to this one once you're more comfortable with the Whoniverse. Fans of the Sixth incarnation . . . well . . . you read it and see what you think. More Master, less Kronos. That was my take on it.
Rating:
Summary: Fanwank incarnate
Review: I really enjoyed Hinton's previous Who books, but this one was just a bit too much. While it was said before the book was published that Justin Richards had encouraged him to use as much as possible, I went into fanwank overload while reading this book. The continuity references come fast and furious, swamping the reader. I enjoy continuity references as long as their done lightly, a sauce to add flavour to the book. In Quantum Archangel, you can taste nothing but the sauce. It was also too cosmic for my tastes. Hinton tries really hard to ground the narrative and make it personal, but he doesn't succeed enough. The technobabble starts to invade, and the book is lost. The ideas and concepts are too big and overwhelm the characters. I also don't like the Sixth Doctor. Too many times, he is a generic Doctor with Sixth Doctor mannerisms grafted on. Too many times, the Doctor repeats his words in an annoyed manner. To say something good, Mel was well characterized and I enjoyed the Master's part in all of this. I can't wait for Craig's next book. Hopefully it will be more down to earth.
Rating:
Summary: Fanwank incarnate
Review: I really enjoyed Hinton's previous Who books, but this one was just a bit too much. While it was said before the book was published that Justin Richards had encouraged him to use as much as possible, I went into fanwank overload while reading this book. The continuity references come fast and furious, swamping the reader. I enjoy continuity references as long as their done lightly, a sauce to add flavour to the book. In Quantum Archangel, you can taste nothing but the sauce. It was also too cosmic for my tastes. Hinton tries really hard to ground the narrative and make it personal, but he doesn't succeed enough. The technobabble starts to invade, and the book is lost. The ideas and concepts are too big and overwhelm the characters. I also don't like the Sixth Doctor. Too many times, he is a generic Doctor with Sixth Doctor mannerisms grafted on. Too many times, the Doctor repeats his words in an annoyed manner. To say something good, Mel was well characterized and I enjoyed the Master's part in all of this. I can't wait for Craig's next book. Hopefully it will be more down to earth.
Rating:
Summary: Quantum Freaky
Review: If you like your "Doctor Who" novel to be heavy on style points, "Quantum Archangel" may be just the book for you. It's a sequel to a 30 year-old TV serial ("The Time Monster"), and a followup to author Craig Hinton's previous book "Millennial Rites". It builds on some of the themes of the worst-regarded DW book in recent years, "Divided Loyalties". There's a boatload of returning friends and enemies and more references to past DW stories (real and apocryphal) then you could find in a series episode guide. Predictably, some parts of "Archangel" are more fun to read than others. When Hinton sticks to his "Time Monster" sequel -- reusing not only characters from the 1972 story, but also entire scenes -- I found myself smiling along. The Master's appearance is well thought-out and at times really fun to read. However, as one wag put it, "Craig has a degree in physics, and isn't afraid to use it!". So here we get the most expansive treatise ever on how the DW "universe" is organized. We learn about eleven dimensions and the Six-fold realm and the Lux Aeterna. There are Eternals and Chronovores (two characters switch from one to the other almost at random) and Six Guardians. There's a "Mad Mind of Bophemeral" (I've always wanted one of those). We see just how the Key to Time was created (remember the Key to Time?). For good measure a "Millennium War" is recreated -- in just a few pages! Keep the caffeine away from the typewriter, Craig! Of course, cartoon astrophysics may even appeal to you. In "Quantum Archangel" there's literally something for everyone, if you know which page to read.
Rating:
Summary: Quantum Freaky
Review: If you like your "Doctor Who" novel to be heavy on style points, "Quantum Archangel" may be just the book for you. It's a sequel to a 30 year-old TV serial ("The Time Monster"), and a followup to author Craig Hinton's previous book "Millennial Rites". It builds on some of the themes of the worst-regarded DW book in recent years, "Divided Loyalties". There's a boatload of returning friends and enemies and more references to past DW stories (real and apocryphal) then you could find in a series episode guide. Predictably, some parts of "Archangel" are more fun to read than others. When Hinton sticks to his "Time Monster" sequel -- reusing not only characters from the 1972 story, but also entire scenes -- I found myself smiling along. The Master's appearance is well thought-out and at times really fun to read. However, as one wag put it, "Craig has a degree in physics, and isn't afraid to use it!". So here we get the most expansive treatise ever on how the DW "universe" is organized. We learn about eleven dimensions and the Six-fold realm and the Lux Aeterna. There are Eternals and Chronovores (two characters switch from one to the other almost at random) and Six Guardians. There's a "Mad Mind of Bophemeral" (I've always wanted one of those). We see just how the Key to Time was created (remember the Key to Time?). For good measure a "Millennium War" is recreated -- in just a few pages! Keep the caffeine away from the typewriter, Craig! Of course, cartoon astrophysics may even appeal to you. In "Quantum Archangel" there's literally something for everyone, if you know which page to read.
Rating:
Summary: Quantum Freaky
Review: If you like your "Doctor Who" novel to be heavy on style points, "Quantum Archangel" may be just the book for you. It's a sequel to a 30 year-old TV serial ("The Time Monster"), and a followup to author Craig Hinton's previous book "Millennial Rites". It builds on some of the themes of the worst-regarded DW book in recent years, "Divided Loyalties". There's a boatload of returning friends and enemies and more references to past DW stories (real and apocryphal) then you could find in a series episode guide. Predictably, some parts of "Archangel" are more fun to read than others. When Hinton sticks to his "Time Monster" sequel -- reusing not only characters from the 1972 story, but also entire scenes -- I found myself smiling along. The Master's appearance is well thought-out and at times really fun to read. However, as one wag put it, "Craig has a degree in physics, and isn't afraid to use it!". So here we get the most expansive treatise ever on how the DW "universe" is organized. We learn about eleven dimensions and the Six-fold realm and the Lux Aeterna. There are Eternals and Chronovores (two characters switch from one to the other almost at random) and Six Guardians. There's a "Mad Mind of Bophemeral" (I've always wanted one of those). We see just how the Key to Time was created (remember the Key to Time?). For good measure a "Millennium War" is recreated -- in just a few pages! Keep the caffeine away from the typewriter, Craig! Of course, cartoon astrophysics may even appeal to you. In "Quantum Archangel" there's literally something for everyone, if you know which page to read.
Rating:
Summary: A highly Excellent Romp
Review: This was the first BBC Dr. Who novel that I read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The sixth doctor has always been my favorite and I felt that Mr. Hinton captured the characters of the Doctor and Mel. The character of the Master was complete and believable and it was enjoyable seeing his actual thought processes. It was a "real page turner," I could not put it down at night and had to pick it up in the morning. On the down side, I did have hard time wading through all the techno-babble. All in all an excellent read.
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