Festival of Death - Jonathan Morris

Title: Festival of Death
Author: Jonathan Morris
Paperback: 306 pages
Publisher: Ebury Publishing
Published date: April 2013
FTC: Received to review from TLC Book Tours


I am so excited to be part of the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Collection tour for TLC Book Tours.  In honor of the anniversary, Ebury Publishing is releasing a book for every Doctor from the series -- so if you know your Doctors that means eleven books.

When asked which Doctor's book I'd like to read, my first response was of course, the Fourth Doctor - played by Tom Baker.  You have to understand that I was born in the early eighties and some of my early memories was of watching Doctor Who with my dad -- and while I remember other Doctors there was really only ever ONE Doctor.  I was so excited to get to read this book that I immediately texted my brother that I was on this tour and he responded back "Tom freakin' Baker?!?!"  O yeah.

If you do watch the new Doctor Who series but have never seen the old shows you may not know who I am referring to.  The Fourth Doctor was such a character, always in his trademark scarf, floppy hat, and munching on jelly babies.

Come on, admit his outfit's pretty cool.

I'll admit I was a bit intimidated to try and read a Fourth Doctor book.  I mean, I haven't watch the old show in ages -- but it's on Netflix so I might have to do that.  Would I get the story? The inside jokes?  Have no fear, the book is awesome.

Back of the book:

The Beautiful Death is the ultimate theme-park ride: a sightseeing tour of the afterlife. But something has gone wrong, and when the Fourth Doctor arrives in the aftermath of the disaster, he is congratulated for saving the population from destruction -- something he hasn't actually done yet. He has no choice but to travel back in time and discover how he became a hero.

And then he finds out. He did it by sacrificing his life.


My thoughts:

Seriously so much fun.  I wanted to find a bag of jelly babies so I could curl up and immerse myself in the fun story. If you aren't familiar with the series, the Doctor is so funny. He's just got this laid back humor, even when everything is chaotic around him.  Back during this period of the series, the Doctor isn't the only Time Lord left and his companion is Romana, another Time Lord.  And of course K9.  O yeah.  Who could forget K9?  The most awesome Doctor companion ever (sorry Rose and Amy.)

The story is so much fun with the creepy but you could almost picture it happening in the future, a festival of death.  The side characters are hilarious, like the "hippy" lizard characters who are attending the festival for the ultimate "trip": death.  Zombies.  ZOMBIES! Even a depressed computer program named ERIC who just wants to be turned off and die - a little black humorous take off of HAL 9000.

Now I want to read more Dr Who novels.  Fortunately I am getting to review the Ninth Doctor novel in a few weeks. Woohoo!  But now I'm not intimidated to go back and revisit or visit for the first time other Doctors.

GIVEAWAY!!!!

Come back tomorrow and I'll be giving away either a copy of Festival of Death OR Who-ology.  Who-ology is an awesome fact book for anyone - whether you are a new or old Whovian. Oh and the giveaway will be INTERNATIONAL!!!

Doctor Who TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, May 13th  A Bookish Way of Life – Beautiful Chaos, Book 10

Monday, May 13th– Diary of a Stay at Home Mom – The Silent Stars Go By, Book 11

Tuesday, May 14th – In Bed with Books – Only Human, Book 9

Wednesday, May 15th - A Library of My Own – Festival of Death, Book 4

Thursday, May 16th – Speaking of Books – Fear of the Dark, Book 5

Friday, May 17th – Col Reads – Ten Little Aliens, Book 1

Monday, May 20th – Tiffany’s Bookshelf – Dreams of Empire, Book 2

Monday, May 20th – Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot – The Silent Stars Go By, Book 11

Tuesday, May 21st – No More Grumpy Bookseller – Only Human, Book 9

Wednesday, May 22nd – The Best Books Ever – Earthworld, Book 8

Thursday, May 23rd – Reading Reality – Festival of Death, Book 4

Friday, May 24th –  The Z Axis – Fear of the Dark, Book 5

Friday, May 24th – 2 Kids and Tired - Dreams of Empire, Book 2

Monday, May 27th - More Than Just Magic - Players, Book 6

Tuesday, May 28th – The Best Books Ever – The Silent Stars Go By, Book 11

Tuesday, May 28th – Bookish Ruth – Remembrance of the Daleks, Book 7

Wed, May 29th – A Library of My Own – Only Human, Book 9

Thursday, May 30th – Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot – Last of the Gaderene, Book 3

Friday, May 31st – Bookish Whimsy – Beautiful Chaos, Book 10

Friday, May 31st - 2 Kids and Tired - Last of the Gaderene, Book 3

Monday, June 3rd – Book Addict Katie – Beautiful Chaos, Book 10

Monday, June 3rd – No More Grumpy Bookseller – The Silent Stars Go By, Book 11

Tuesday, June 4th - Bookfoolery – Ten Little Aliens, Book 1

Wednesday, June 5th - Tiffany’s Bookshelf – Last of the Gaderene, Book 3

Thursday, June 6th – Booktalk & More – Earthworld, Book 8

Friday, June 7th –  Speaking of Books – Players, Book 6

Monday, June 10th  - The Z Axis – The Silent Stars Go By, Book 11

Tuesday, June 11th- No More Grumpy Bookseller – Remembrance of the Daleks, Book 7

Wednesday, June 12th – A Bookish Way of Life – Last of the Gaderene, Book 3

Friday, June 14th – Bookish Whimsy – Festival of Death, Book 4

Monday, June 17th – 50 Books Project – Beautiful Chaos, Book 10

Tuesday, June 18th – Bookfoolery – Festival of Death, Book 4

Wednesday, June 19th – Tiffany’s Bookshelf – Fear of the Dark, Book 5

Thursday, June 20th – In Bed With Books – Remembrance of the Daleks, Book 7

Friday, June 21st – Speaking of Books – Only Human, Book 9

Monday, June 24th – Bookish Whimsy – Players, Book 6

Tuesday, June 25th – Book Addict Katie – Festival of Death, Book 4

Wednesday, June 26th – No More Grumpy Bookseller – Earthworld, Book 8

Thursday, June 27th – Reading Reality – Ten Little Aliens, Book 1

Friday, June 28th:  Guiltless Reading - Beautiful Chaos, Book 10

Monday, July 1st – 50 Books Project – Dreams of Empire, Book 2