Doctor Who: The Stone Rose

By: Jacqueline Rayner

Narrated by: David Tennant

Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Mickey is startled to find a statue of Rose in a museum; a statue that is 2,000 years old. The Doctor realises that this means the TARDIS will shortly take them to Ancient Rome, but when it does, he and Rose soon have more on their minds than sculpture. While the Doctor searches for a missing boy, Rose befriends a girl who claims to know the future; a girl whose predictions are surprisingly accurate. But then the Doctor stumbles on the hideous truth behind the statue of Rose, and Rose herself learns that you have to be very careful what you wish for. Featuring the Doctor and Rose as played by David Tennant and Billie Piper in the acclaimed hit series from BBC Television.

©2006 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)2006 BBC Audiobooks Ltd

Great Series Book

The writing on this book gives a very authentically Rose and the 10th Doctor feeling. A great story. Well read by the actor who plays the doctor. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Just Wonderful!

If you could sum up Doctor Who in three words, what would they be?

Exciting, weird, sweet.

What did you like best about this story?

It's very true to the format of the show. The author really nailed the twisty, confusing, "how did you make that all make sense" style of my favorite TV episodes. Also I may be a little partial to David Tennant's voice.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I got the giggles when David Tennant voiced Mickey. Spot on. I had to rewind because I was laughing so hard I missed some of the conversation.

Great Story

I really liked this story, it was intense and engaging, without being to dark.
And of course David Tennant's performance was on spot.

An enjoyable and intellegent story

If you could sum up Doctor Who in three words, what would they be?

My 9 year old loves this one. Not too spooky or hard to follow with a great story featuring the best doctor/companion combination. It's a shame Jacqueline Rayner hasn't written more Dr Who stories.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rose, she is the best companion by far. Then Jackie who is always a treat.

What about David Tennant’s performance did you like?

Everything, from his ability to read well, his funny voice work (particularly Jackie and Mickey) and his dreamy accent of course!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was just plain enjoyable.

Any additional comments?

Definately recommended for the younger Who fan but is great for any age.

Adventure, suspense and humour

Another terrific narration from David Tennant. He does a great job of bringing to life characters we know from the TV series (Rose, Mickey), as well as new ones (including a deliciously sinister sculptor).

Yes, Doctor Who is a series, so we know everything will work out in the end, but there is suspense along the way, and some touching moments. (There's even a nice bit of trivia about the origin of the name Vanessa.)

We listened to this as a family on a long holiday drive and it was a perfect entertainment.

Loved it

Great story and always the wonderful David Tennant did a marvelous narration of the story

Great book

I loved this book it was so much fun. It was also was great to hear a real Doctor telling the story

Back and forth to solve the answer, again...

When the Doctor finds a statue of Rose, he and her head back to the time the statue was apparently made to find out why. Here they come across a plot involving a sculptor with unusual gifts, a woman who can predict the future awfully well, and a case of several missing persons (mostly slaves). Being the Doctor, he has stumbled right into the middle of plots nefarious.

Jacqueline Rayner asks the question that a lot of us have wondered at some time or another: why doesn't the Doctor use his time machine more as a time machine? Why doesn't he fly off to some distant future or another and get a miracle cure, or a miracle machine, or go back prior to things getting really bad and fix them at the start? The mythos of the show (and additionals) set down some rules to prevent this; but it always feels like the rules could be broken a little bit here or there. This is not to spoil exactly how things go down, but you do find one answer: it feels a little like a cop out. As the reader (or, well, listener); you feel little left out when everything can be solved by creative off-screening. The last third or so of this book deflates, rapidly, whatever tension that first two thirds has established.

Not poorly written, though, and fairly interesting; and David Tennant does a wonderful job as narrator (especially delightful is when he switches from his reader's voice to the voice of the Doctor). On all technical accounts, I was pleased. I was just not too sure about the way it was all resolved. Fits right in with the "a little too magical" elements of the 10th Doctor's first season, I suppose.

A Must for Doctor Who Fans!

I've read several of the Doctor Who books and was happy to find them here. The Stone Rose is, in itself, one of the better stories I have found, and David Tennant's narration is perfect! Not only is it so engaging to have the actual voice of The Doctor, he does every voice wonderfully, with wonderful impressions of known characters and just as good a job done on bit parts. This is a great download, just as good as (and in some cases better than) an episode!

Solid Story, Excellent Reading

As others have stated, it could easily have been made into a TV episode. It's not a terribly ground-breaking story; the first two-thirds is the common "pleasure trip to the past uncovers a dark secret" plot. However, it's a very well-told story, so feels fresh, and the characters behave like you'd expect they would in the series; Rose's sassy charm and Ten's cleverness are readily apparent.

David Tennant's narration is top-notch, and comes very close to capturing the energy of a full-cast dramatization. His reading demonstrates both his experience as a voice actor and a thorough understanding of the show's other major characters.