Doctor Who

Ghosts of India

By: Mark Morris

Narrated by: David Troughton

Length: 2 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

An abridged reading of a BBC Books novel featuring the Doctor and Donna (as played by David Tennant and Catherine Tate in the hit BBC One TV series).

India in 1947 is a country in the grip of chaos - a country torn apart by internal strife. When the Doctor and Donna arrive in Calcutta, they are instantly swept up in violent events. Barely escaping with their lives, they discover that the city is rife with tales of "half-made men", who roam the streets at night and steal people away. These creatures, it is said, are as white as salt and have only shadows where their eyes should be.

With help from India's great spiritual leader, Mohandas 'Mahatma' Gandhi, the Doctor and Donna set out to investigate these rumours. What is the real truth behind the 'half-made men'? Why is Gandhi's role in history under threat? And has an ancient, all-powerful god of destruction really come back to wreak his vengeance upon the Earth?

This title features the Doctor and Donna as played by David Tennant and Catherine Tate in the hit series from BBC Television.

©2008 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2008 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

One of my favorite Doctor Who audio books

I enjoyed the Ghandi storyline. The narrator's characterizations were nicely done. The best moment was the effect that Ghandi has in the final part of the story.

Not my favorite

I've listened to two other Doctor/Donna stories (Beautiful Chaos and Pest Control) and this is my least favorite. I don't feel like any author has really captured Donna's voice and personality in any story I've come across and they compensate by just making her yell at the Doctor all the time. The story didn't keep me very interested either, and the whole Gandhi thing felt weird, kind of fake in a way. It has a low re-read factor.

Some potential but still extremely juvenile

I never understand how the writing for the TV show is usually so brilliant and the writing for these audio novels are so mediocre. The whole Ghandi meeting is most interesting part of the book. I kind of got hooked on the Dr. Who novels recently since I have been a little desperate for more stories since the last season ended. I keep getting continually disappointed. Frankly, the only Dr Who stories worth purchasing are read by David Tennant. He is such a brilliant actor that his reading makes even these god-awful Dr. Who novels interesting. If the actor playing, "The Doctor" is not the reader, then my suggestion is, give up on the novels and just wait for next season's tv show

No Ghosts, only Blandness

Would you try another book from Mark Morris and/or David Troughton?

David Troughton is a decent reader, but I think I'll avoid Mark Morris in future.

Has Doctor Who turned you off from other books in this genre?

I'm still interested in soft scifi. Doctor Who is always a bit variable.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The pacing was okay.

What character would you cut from Doctor Who?

I would cut any two of the supporting characters selected at random, maybe even three. The weakness in the cast comes from a little bit of characterization spread too thin over a stock Indian Boy, medical figure, big pompous Olde Worlde Mustache, etc. Narrowing focus on a few of these characters to flesh out the tangled relationship between imperialist conquerer and oppressed people afraid of the chaos the empire will leave in its wake.

Any additional comments?

The Doctor and Ghandi would have been more interesting if they didn't get along, especially if they highlighted some of his less savory character traits. While the Doctor would admire ghandi, I think he might be frustrated with the absolutism of his ideals sometimes, and the man who blamed the Jews for not just submitting to the Holocaust is not going to see eye-to-eye with somebody who usually kills serious threats to humanity.
Most of all, though, i was annoyed because the white organic automotons are in no way ghosts. We've had LOTS of doctor who monsters that were much more ghost-like in episodes that didn't even mention ghosts.
I like doctor who stories with ghost-like things. :(