This month we will be reading The Crooked World by Steve Lyons. From the back cover:
The people of the Crooked World lead an idyllic existence.
Take Streaky Bacon, for example. This jovial farmer wants nothing more from life than a huge blunderbuss, with which he can blast away at his crop-stealing nemesis. And then there's Angel Falls, a racing driver with a string of victories to her name. Sure, her trusted guardian might occasionally put on a mask and menace her for her prize money, but that's just life, right? And for Jasper the cat, nothing could be more pleasant than a nice, long nap in his kitchen — so long as that darn mouse doesn't jam his tail into the plug socket again
But somebody is about to shatter all those lives. Somebody is about to change everything — and it's possible that no one on the Crooked World will ever be happy again.
The Doctor's TARDIS is about to arrive. And when it does... That's all folks!
Wow. Just wow. When this one came out back in 2002, I (that being Sean) took one glance at the back cover and said, "I'm not reading this! They need to file this away in the 'WTF Were They Thinking' drawer!" But I've mellowed since then, and I've read many more Doctor Who novels -- some very good, some worthy of the dung heap -- and now I can say I'm really looking forward to this. (I know, I know, I've said it before and proved myself wrong.)
Another plus is that it's written by Steve Lyons, who holds the special claim of being "Sean's Favorite Doctor Who Writer of All Time" (sorry, Gareth Roberts). We've already read and loved Conundrum, and then there's Time of Your Life (violence!), The Witch Hunters (tear-jerking!), The Murder Game (murder mystery party!), and many more. I could go on and on about how I would like to enter into a common law marriage with the man and how I'd love to buy him a drink, but it looks like it will never happen what with the court order.
Until you hear us next, please kick back and enjoy (hopefully) The Crooked World.
Fun links:
Steve Lyons' Wikipedia Entry
The Doctor Who Reference Guide (Spoilers, sweetie!)
The Doctor Who Reprint Society
Cats in Sinks!
