30 April, 2008

Torchwood

Torchwood:  Trace Memory
by
David Llewellyn


Abby borrowed two of these Torchwood books from friends, i suppose because she has seen the television programme and wanted to read the book. Perhaps the programme is necessary, because for me, not having seen it, this was not a good investment of time.

The story was all right, though difficult to follow because it jumps about in time rather disconcertingly; there is a sort of resolution, though not by any means a happy ending, and no real explanation of all the events, including the antagonists, who seem to be some sort of creature from primeval time, yet are nattily dressed in suits and bowler hats from last century (and the reason they are even vaguely humanoid in form is...?). The characters, likewise, are all right, though there is no real definition or development ~ i suppose Llewellyn is depending on the reader already knowing them from the programme, which is pretty sloppy writing, as far as i’m concerned ~ i certainly don’t care about them or their futures any more at the end of the book than i did at the beginning.

Another problem for me, again more than likely a leftover from the appeal of television, is that all of a sudden, out of nowhere, two of the characters are indulging each other in sex which, at the very least, has to be seen as exploitative on the part of the main character, Jack Harkness, who sleeps with the completely lost young time-traveller whose appearance triggers the entire plot.

Overall, it is pretty easy to see that i won’t be reading another of this series, as it’s not done a thing for this television non-watcher.


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