DW: Step Back in Time

Yes, another Doctor Who book, Step Back in Time.

First one is Extra Time by Richard Dungworth. [This was paired with an earlier story, but it got swapped, most likely when they realised they could theme the two stories.] You really like English soccer, don't you? In fact, don't you have really fond memories of the World Cup in 1966? And don't you want to have an excessively tense soccer match described, when the story is constantly telling you how everything will turn out? Yes? Then this is the story for you! And only you. For the rest of us, the whole soccer thing is a complete non-event. On the other hand, we get the obligatory alien invasion, which involves running around (as you do) and that is far more interesting. However, it's all very basic and very middle of the road.

The other one is The Water Thief by Jacqueline Rayner. This has the problem of being children in some writing segments, but once action switches to ancient times (or, at least, a highly sanitised version, suitable for children's television) it gets a lot better. There's strangeness going on, and while there's a lot of wandering around, it's where the decent action is. The ending is a little rushed, where it becomes "aha, I have a solution, and quickly implement it in largely off screen actions that I refer to in dialogue!" Jac's done better than this.

A middling book all round.

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