Published 2006The first thing I look for in a TV tie-in novel is for the characters and feel of the series to be faithfully reproduced. Of the three Torchwood books released last December, I chose to home in on Andy Lane's story, because he has previously written some fantastic Dcotor Who and proven to be a very clever writer. He has not let me down here.
The recent Doctor Who novels, tied-in to the new TV series, have generally disappointed because they have to cater for a younger, easier audience and lack sufficiently advanced concepts. Torchwood, it would seem, has no such similar concerns, allowing Andy Lane to weave a much more involving 'adult' concept into his 'episode'. There may also be benefits from having several regular human characters to work with, rather than just one omnipotent time-travelling alien and a daft assistant.
After a shaky start, the vibe and humour of the show is rendered quite well against the backdrop of the drama, and there is even a very good sense of character development.
Lane takes good advantage of the opportunity to get inside everyone's heads and have a good look at what makes them tick. Backgrounds are subtley fleshed out in addition to the detail provide in the series, and there are even overlying story-arc hints dropped - all as if this genuinely were a 'missing episode' within the structure of the first season.
In some ways, it might be sucessfully argued that Torchwood gains from portrayed in novel form. Sci-fi concepts and personal storylines can be more deeply explored and noone is subjected to John Barrowman's acting!
Well-rounded and easily devourable, with little of the usual remorse associated such trash.
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