Book Review: Doctor Who: Engines of War by George Mann

Doctor Who Engines of War by George Mann

Paperback, 320 pages

Published September 9th 2014 by Broadway Books (first published January 1st 2014)

I am aware that Doctor Who novels don't need my help to be sold but I have a habit of doing reviews even short ones for everything I read. As a pretty young Whovian, I had never read a DW novel before. I had considered doing so many times. The reason I chose this one was because unlike most that I read about this one is actually meant to effect cannon and be somewhat of a prequel for the Day of the Doctor.

A little back story for the "War Doctor." I had fun reading this novel, reading 65% of it in one sitting on a flight. The prose style was simple YA friendly fare I was prepared for. With some neat images like battles Tardises and fleets of Daleks. It connected the story the the classic Five Doctors episode.

It was enjoyable read but I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. The story was very basic. It felt like a Doctor Who story but the War Doctor is very standard here. Not the war weary man who does not even feel comfortable being the doctor. I think I will have to seek Stephen Baxter and other well established Sci-fi writers who wrote Who novels.

I picked up a 12th doctor novel at the same time and will give that a shot at some point.