Doctor Who and the Crusaders

De: Bill Strutton

Narrado por: William Russell

In Doctor Who and the Crusaders, the scene of adventure is the 12th Century Holy Land, where the TARDIS crew encounters Richard the Lionheart in his war against the Saracens.©2006 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2006 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A wonderful way to fill in the gaps

I’m grateful that I discovered these novelizations as a way of filling in the gaps from the William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton years. All of the ones I’ve listened to have been a delight, with first-rate narration enlivened with generous helpings of music and sound effects. This one is no exception. The writing is dated in places: I grimaced a bit when hearing Vicki and Barbara referred to as “the two girls.” But it’s a rousing yarn, and William Russell does a wonderful job. It includes brief snippets of an interview with him talking about the novel and contrasting it with his memories of the serial itself.

Excellent (If A Little Dark) Historical Doctor Who Tale

It’s a little crazy they end this saga with everyone laughing on the TARDIS, after everything that happens to Barbara. Anyway, fantastic story though, and well-read by William Russell, who played Ian Chesterton in the original TV serial. I enjoyed his tidbits at the end!

There's a problem here.

Okay, historical fiction is not usually intended to be entirely accurate, and Doctor Who is always to be enjoyed for its humor and adventure. Still, for a story that is clearly trying to be about cultural understanding, there is a problem. I just can't get past the repeated references to the Muslims drinking wine! This is just too wrong for me. Yes, there are some interesting characters and some fun scenes, and the narration is quite well done. I just cannot get past the one major cultural gaff of Saladin and his men serving wine.