Review reposted from KateKintail’s Book Journal
Title: The Undertaker’s Gift
Author: Trevor Baxendale
Fandom: Torchwood
My rating: 3.5/5
SPOILERS BELOW!
I never felt like I really got a good sense of what was going on in the book overall. This is partly because the characters don’t know things for the longest time either. And we’ve got new characters popping up and in danger who know even less than our favorite Torchwood team. What we do know is that Jack is being targeted and the world is in serious jeopardy. People are dying. Threats and getting through. And, in the midst of all this, Gwen goes missing and Ianto gets ill.
Okay, so the hurt/comfort lover in me rather liked the Ianto storyline. And I liked Gwen’s adventure all right as well. I even liked the blogging civilians who get pulled into the whole situation and try to figure out what’s going on by dropping names (like Torchwood) and seeing what happens.
The ending wasn’t a convenient reset or giant explosion, which I like. But I never felt like I really understand everything that seemed to be going on. I felt like I was fighting with the story, wanting more than the author was willing to reveal at any given moment. So it felt more like a struggle than a fun adventure with the team. I suspect that fight for answers is what the author wanted me to feel (success, buddy). There are definitely some great moments in the book I’m glad I read 🙂
*head perks up* Hurt/comfort? Ooh, I’ll have to read this one. I only just recently got into Torchwood, but I want to start reading the novels. Are there any others you recommend?
If it’s h/c you like, I highly recommend The Dead Wire audio drama as well. Some great hurt!Jack moments with Ianto & Gwen coping (and Ianto being adorably devoted).
This is actually only the first TW novel I’ve read in paper form, though I’ve earread some of the books that are available on audio. The others were good, I’ve liked them more than the Doctor Who books so far, and I’ve got a set of books mocking me from Mt. To Be Read… but I still find myself reading more fanfic than the actual tie-in novels.
Thanks for the rec! I know about the audio dramas, but haven’t yet listened to a single one. I think of all the things that one must do to “catch up” in Doctor Who fandom and I feel exhausted. 😉
I, too, mostly stick to fanfic in any fandom that has novels. I’m a Jack/Ianto shipper, so I figure it’s easier to just go straight to romance fic than to look for little pieces of romance in a Torchwood novel.