Doctor Who Review: Shroud Of Sorrow By Tommy Donvaband
rating: 5
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Pages: 254 pgs Publisher: Broadway Books (US/Canada)/BBC Books (UK) SRP: $9.99 (US)/$11.99 (Canada)/£6.99 (UK) Release date: April 2, 2013 November 23rd, 1963. It was the day after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and the world was in mourning. The man who was hallowed as a great statesman, was taken too soon by gunfire in Texas' Dealey Plaza. The collective sorrow felt by the world that day is attracting a dangerous force. A force that takes the sadness we feel and feasts on it by using the guise of the dearly departed. Something's lurking in plain sight, feeding off of our emotions and using us as food. Thankfully, for our sake, a man's about to roll into town...a man who also sees November 23rd, 1963 as a personal milestone, albeit a positive one. If The Doctor and Clara aren't careful The Shroud will feast, and the world will die. Shroud of Sorrow is one of the three books in the initial run of The Doctor/Clara novels, and it's a cracker of a story. The date is no coincidence, as it not only provides the Kennedy assassination as a historical backdrop; but it also gives Donvaband a chance to drop references galore. One particular scene towards the end of the book has The Doctor recalling some of the most heartbreaking moments across all eleven incarnations, including a moment we have never been privy to until this very book. Shroud of Sorrow not only to drop some recognizable references that please classic fans (Eleven reverses the polarity of the neutron flow at one point, and Totter's Lane is the setting for the Prologue) but also manages to mention some recent names that haven't been mentioned in a while. The story itself plays like a cross between certain elements of Army of Ghosts and The Rings of Akhaten, with tons of freshness to spare. Credit, as always, must be given to the BBC, as they keep a good level of continuity with both the events of the show and the personalities of the principal characters. The ultimate purpose of tie in novels such as these is always to provide more adventures with the settings and characters we know and love, and you'd be surprised how easy it is to screw that up. Thankfully, that's not the case here, as the author has provided an quick, exciting read. Shroud of Sorrow captures the Doctor and Clara's chemistry as an effective team, while sending them on an adventure worthy of adaptation to Television. What's more, the author manages to do so in an effortless fashion that rivals the powers of even Steven Moffat himself. What say you, What Culture Republic? Is Shroud of Sorrow worthy of shelf space, or is it destined for the Bargain Bin? Chime in with your Comments, commentary, and links to preferred fan fiction below!