vivdunstan

Jotting down some thoughts about this. Mainly a note to self, but sharing here too in case it's of interest to others.

We have very little time to watch TV series things together. Often just one episode's worth a week, total, given how heavily sedated I am, including typically having to go back to sleep between dinner and supper. And that's after being asleep all day before then ... It really is phenomenally restricting.

However making plans! And as top priority I hope to rewatch the Fifth Doctor Peter Davison era of Doctor Who, now we have almost all the Fifth Doctor Blu-ray remastered season collections, and will get the last one in late March. I've seen very few of these episodes again since original broadcast back in the early 1980s. Martin has seen very few (he didn't have a TV at home when he grew up). So it will be fun to watch/rewatch. Plus watch some of the bonus extra features like documentaries etc on the new Blu-ray season boxes. I will also be referring throughout to the hardback copy of the latest Celestial Toyroom annual Martin got for me for Christmas, after I dropped an unsubtle/heavy hint. This year's annual looks back at the Fifth Doctor era, including writings about each story. The Lulu-printed hardback version of the annual is *gorgeous*.

Before then though we need to finish our watch of the BBC 1988-1990 Narnia TV series. We are almost through the first story, and will go on to the other two after (Prince Caspian! Tom Baker!). Martin has seen BBC's "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" before from a video copy we had long ago. But he has never seen the others. It is all a rewatch for me. There is also a very in-depth new documentary on the new BBC remastered Blu-ray Narnia box. Will watch that too.

Once that is out of the way we will be able to return to our once a week Babylon 5, as well as starting the Fifth Doctor stories. We are now in early Season 3 of Babylon 5, and approaching some big episodes. Very much looking forward to more. I constantly reassess my favourites, though often end up with the same results. It all feels comfortably familiar. I have lost count of how many times we have rewatched this series.

We also need to watch The Rings of Power season 2, preferably before season 3 airs! Although we will probably be slow getting to the latter. Still have to watch Sandman season 2, but me managing to get through episodes of that given how heavily sedated I am may be very tricky. And we will definitely prioritise watching the Good Omens final wrap up, when that airs.

Almost forgot: we still have to finish watching The War Between the Land and the Sea, which I haven't even managed to stick to an episode a week pace, even outside the Christmas period. Frankly it's very very talky, and often I don't feel up to watching more. But we will finish it. Hopefully soon. 2 episodes to go.

There are probably more things, but that's enough for us to be going on with for now.

Sharing this for other fans of sometime Doctor Who companion Bernice “Benny” Summerfield, whether in novel, comic or audio form. I’m not sure why Big Finish are posting this on YouTube now, 2 years after Benny’s Big Finish 25th anniversary. But it is a nice documentary regardless.

I will be resuming my listen through of the Big Finish Benny audios in the New Year.

My current main reading, on my Kindle, so I can read with the utterly gargantuan font that helps me keep reading with my progressive neurological illness. The 6 books shown are the ones I'm currently mainly cycling through. A mix of fiction and non fiction reads.

The series is 62 years old today.

I am particularly pleased that the imminent release of the New Who Season 10 soundtrack has been announced today. Peter Capaldi's final season, which Murray Gold was glacial about releasing music for. There are some fab themes in there.

And the TARDIS is at Stonehenge today too ...

But yes, happy birthday Doctor Who!

Another bunch of books finished since my last post.

( earlier books )
1. The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi
2. The Fiddle in Scottish Culture: Aspects of the Tradition by Katherine Campbell
3. Voices of Scottish Librarians: The Evolution of a Profession and its Response to Changing Times edited by Ian MacDougall
4. Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor: Volume 1: Terrorformer (graphic novel)
5. Some of Us Just Fall: On Nature and Not Getting Better by Polly Atkin
6. The Whisperwicks: The Labyrinth of Lost and Found by Jordan Lees

Of the newly finished ones, The Lantern of Lost Memories was a novel idea, and explored a serious subject, but was rather unbalanced in its few main sections, and frustratingly left some key questions unanswered. It did feel reminiscent of, though not as good as, the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series of books. It certainly fits into that genre of Japanese fiction.

The fiddle history book was clearly a repackaged PhD thesis, and full of interesting content, but often lacking sufficient analysis, or otherwise unbalanced. Somewhat frustrating to be honest. Though not so much as how unobtainable the book is today, having been originally printed in a very limited print run, and going out of print rapidly. I was lucky to be able to borrow it from my local library in Angus, sent over from their Forfar store.

More successful for me was the collection of working memories from librarians working through twentieth and early twenty-first century Scotland. I was most interested in their accounts of their working lives, revealing changes in library practice over time, but there were many other pages to wade through of earlier childhood experiences. I cherry picked the most relevant portions for me.

The Doctor Who graphic novel was a Twelfth Doctor and Clara one. But very disappointing. Too much tell and not show, and hefty info dumps mid way through each story, about things I couldn't bring myself to care about. It was also plagued by repeatedly splitting into multiple POVs, with muddy artwork not differentiating them clearly enough.

Polly Atkin's book was good, and overall I rated it 4/5. But it felt overlong to me, and often padded with lengthy digressions, which made it hard for this chronically ill person to keep reading and following. Though it was very interesting to hear her story, not least as the sister of a friend.

The first Whisperwicks novel was a children's book, telling the story of a child drawn into a mysterious steampunk-like world of magic and quests, and much danger. Felt very Harry Potter like, but original in its approach. I could certainly see me reading the sequel.

Onto this story, after last time’s pivotal one. Going into major spoilers ... ( Beware! )

Just starting the second Eleventh Doctor boxset with audio companion Valarie. The Doctor isn't played by Matt Smith, but Jacob Dudman is doing a good job. And the first story is awesome.

Still on operation reduce the piles of books around the house, giving most to charity. Managed to find 20 more books to donate in a couple of short bursts this evening and just now. Had set myself that target today. Plus a chunky limited edition OOP Big Finish Doctor Who boxset. Going to Oxfam's.

We still have far too many books I'm not using and won't be able to use even more as my neurological disease progresses. Would like to get some floor space back. At the moment too many places in our bungalow resemble my former PhD supervisor Charles's office, which was filled with book piles too!

Today's book grab was an eclectic range, including book history (journals and academic books), cultural history, roleplaying game books, and comic books. Some alarmingly chunky books among them! Can see a sense of progress in the study. But much more still to clear out. For another time.

Onto another one, and this time one that's set in Ancient Greece, that sees Benny and Jason meet Socrates.

This feels like such a novel setting for the range, after a long run of futuristic (for us) scifi adventures. Benny and Jason used to have time rings that the Doctor gave them as wedding presents, though in this case I think they're using one or more time rings from the Braxiatel Collection. It's a shame these are not used more often. It's not even clear listening to this story why they've decided to use them this time, except it's on orders from Bev. And there's a strange cliffhanger at the end, which is also muddled. Though that's something that can happen a lot with this range, with confusing/under-written arc elements. Not least with the awkward split between the books/short stories and the audio adventures.

But that aside it's a refreshing and light-hearted adventure. Albeit with the threat of a devastating plague hanging over Athens ... Socrates is a superb quasi-companion for Benny, and there are lots of clever insights into Athenian society and democracy. It's particularly amusing when Benny dresses up as a man to go into the Assembly. And then Socrates dresses up as a woman ...

Jason's side plot works well, and it's just all round fun. I think this was maybe the first Benny audio that Scott Handcock wrote for Big Finish? If so it's a great start.

Onto another Fourth Doctor audio. So much about this one gives me joy. And what a guest cast.

( spoilers re some dialogue )

We're going into Broughty Ferry for my eye test tomorrow, and will be taking tons of Big Finish audios to Oxfams. Which is why I've been trying to get through some more of my backlog this week.