Some highlights of the latest EDA I’ve read (Halflife).
I took these screens while reading, along with my reactions. As usual, this is full of spoilers.
I only knew two vague things about this book beforehand. One: shippers kept mentioning it. Two: it was apparently a return to basics after a complicated arc. And so, obviously, I was expecting a fun and simple adventure on some alien planet. Instead, here I am, at the end of this book, with an existential crisis on my hands and trying to figure if an entire arc of mediocre-to-bad books didn't completely destroy my idea of what a good Doctor Who novel was.
On paper, yes, this is a simple alien invasion story, one that the TARDIS team is trying to understand before it's too late to save anyone. In practice, it turns out it's an excuse to redefine the main characters, to address some specific past plot points of the series, and to reflect on a core idea in a multitude of ways: how much do our past actions define who we are in the present? Literally everything here is related to that idea, from the location to the menace(s) and, of course, to the regulars.
Speaking of that location, I wish we could have spent more time exploring it, more time to unravel how a society so desperate to escape from the control of our colonialist and capitalist hellhole can't quite escape from its past by trying to ignore it altogether. That's my only criticism: I wanted more of a good thing.
I'm fascinated by Halflife. It couldn't have existed in this form at any other point than near the end of such a long series. Maybe I'm just burnt out after so many mediocre books in a row. Maybe it's not THAT good. Maybe this note is too high. Who cares. What a breath of fresh air. 9/10
Are we sure this is an alien planet cause that sounds like any place near the Mediterranean sea
I like the worldbuilding so far
A potato from outer space!
Oh that's a really cool alien design
Nooooooooooo don't kill the cool alien!!
Low-key hoping it's radioactive or some shit, that would serve dad well
Roasting the imperial family in the first paragraph where they're mentioned. Power move
Do you, Eight? Do you really blend in perfectly?
EIGHT OH MY GOD
HERE WE GO AGAIN
No Trix it's normal I can guarantee you that Anji felt the exact same way
LMAOOOOOO
THIS IS SO STUPID AND FUNNY HELP
Okay okay not gonna lie it's ALSO a bit worrying and alarming BUT crucially it's hysterical
Well here's some novelty for you: amnesiac Fitz
I mean, it wouldn't be a proper EDA without some torture
Ok no, he talks weird. Fitz wouldn't say that. Something bad happened
WAIT WAIT WAIT. WAIT IS THAT ACTUALLY EIGHT. DID THEY SWITCH PLACES. IS IT A FREAKY FRIDAY TYPE OF SITUATION
meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee me me me me. relatable content
mmmmmm where did I hear that before let me think
mistakes from the past yadda yadda
any resemblance with colonisation of various large landmasses would be purely accidental
Surprises: none
This worldbuilding bites and stings, which means it's really good
"EVERYONE HAS HISTORY" yes yes yes damn right
(^your local historian)
UH OH DO I HEAR THE SOUND OF MY THEORY GETTING CLOSER
"EDAs and botanical metaphors" goes hand in hand with "EDAs and torture"
"I love weird" :D I love him
Wouldn't it have been hilarious if "Madame Xing" was also a guy like that messenger for maximum confusion
I like Calamee she's cute
LMAOOOOOOO
this could get very ugly very fast
"How could he have forgotten them?!" Well, very easily, as it turns out
oh this is GOOD. this is great actually. I love that
Oh my goD I JUST NOTICED THE PARALLELS WITH THE SETTING. This is all happening on a world where everyone is trying to ignore the past but it keeps creeping back into the culture
GODDDDDDDDD this is making that random death in the previous book worth it
Here's a paragraph singlehandedly better than the entire previous book. Scratch that. Here's a paragraph singlehandedly better than the four previous books combined
THE COLOR OUT OF SPACE
HELPPPPPP what is he even DOING
sdfghjsdfghjkDFGHJKDFGHJKL
I love this book I LOVE this book I LOVE THIS BOOK
Oh I'm having flashbacks from the little spy automatons from His Dark Materials
"SEE? SEE? MY FREAKY FRIDAY THEORY!!" screams guy who's probably wrong about everything
Ohhhhhhh how the turntables have, uh turned
Jokes aside this is a clever way to give a reason for Trix not to put on any disguise in an adventure. "Not wanting to do blackface" is very valid. I wonder if it's the book where her character is finally going to click for me
Wait I just realised that Fitz was acting very Doctor-ish but that the Doctor was also still sort of Doctor-ish. Maybe it only happened one way? Or maybe they didn't swap completely?
SEE? SEE?? I'M RIGHT (probably not)
Our dear and chronically forgetful Eight :)
SEE. SEE.
♫ ALL I DO IS WIN WIN WIN ALL OF THE TIME-
Please appreciate this scene where Doctor-Fitz is all excited and Trix is being very rude lol
Me with every animal
LMAOOOOOO
On one hand I'm glad we're FINALLY getting real, actual character development for Trix. On the other hand she's being AWFUL right now and my kneejerk reaction is "I liked it better when you were hiding in the Tardis"
sdfgsdfghDFGHJEDFGHJK
Okay Trix actually suggesting blackface out loud was NOT in my bets
"Trix kinda sucks actually: the book"
(this is a good thing by the way, I'd rather have a character that kinda sucks to be around than no character at all)
This book has no rights being this fucking funny
UH HO. Okay, the alien ship seems to have brought some kind of The Thing-like situation
Actually wheezing
I love this entire page
This just in: the great trickster has been tricked by a kid
So the alien was the goo? Or was controled by the goo? I'm not entirely sure
Trix. Trix listen to me. Listen to me Trix. You could play a man. You totally could. The only reason you aren't doing it is because you are a coward. shut up and play a man Trix
Problems commence in 3, 2, 1
I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT
oh my god Trix is in the Sunken Place
Is Reo a thing that arrived in that ship
it's the Thing except you can talk to it while it slowly replaces every cell in your body
or the face-eater from that other EDA, except good
throwback to the times he let himself be drunk on purpose in previous books
chill Calamee, you're like sixteen
idk why I'm so charmed by that description of that Princess' room
to be fair that is concerning
and now here's a paragraph designed to make us hate one guy in particular
they hated him for his autistic swag and his sample collection
the urge to draw stuff from this book is getting stronger
Sorry, I'm more or less screenshotting this entire part because it's fascinating. I think this is the first time I've seen a story argue that you can live a perfectly nice and interesting life with some memory loss, and that nobody should pressure you into remembering everything if you don't want to even if it's a real possibility. And the Doctor's perspective on it makes complete sense as well.
I recently lost my grandmother, who had severe memory problems caused by a mix of dementia and brain damage. Her short-term memory was completely shot, and she could only remember stuff from about half an hour ago, or vague and patchy things from her past. Thankfully her brain had found an explanation for her not being at her home: she was on vacation, and she had just arrived, and everyone was really nice there. That's what she kept explaining to me every time I'd call her on the phone or when I visited her. She had no idea I was her grandson, she thought I was a friend she couldn't remember clearly, but she was always happy to see me. Telling her otherwise only had one effect, and it was making her sad and anxious for about half an hour before she forgot once again, because nothing would stick. My parents however kept trying to jog her memory to no avail, just making her anxious every time. She was happy for the first time in years! Leave her alone!
I know Eight is in a totally different situation (he knows he can't remember some things and willingly decides to stay this way), it just reminded me of that a little bit. Sorry for that tangent.
MEANWHILE FITZ IS HAVING A DREAM WHERE HIS BUTT IS GLUED TO THE DOCTOR'S BUTT I'm HOWLING this is the funniest way to describe the mixed personalities thing what the FUCK IS THIS
Oh his subconscious knows about Reo possessing Trix on some level, interesting
10 out of fucking 10 what the absolute fucking hell am I reading
Scherzo except it's a buddy comedy
Oh. Uncomfortable flashbacks from Earthworld when Fitz was kicking himself for thinking for like 1 second that a teenager looked somewhat attractive. It was already uncomfortable when it was Fitz and the fact that the Doctor finds it disturbing when he's doing it now because of the whole mixed personalities thing only makes it stand out more. I don't know if I hate this or find it really interesting. Maybe both.
Meanwhile Eight is also dreaming?
Ohhhh the quilt represents Six's coat?
I'm sorry I'm screening most of this scene but this is so cool
So he just wasn't affected?
Hmmmmm I'm not buying it
POWERED BY TECHNOBABBLE SDFGHJK
this aged really well lmao
THE MELODRAMA CIRCUIT
Oh my god we've come full circle since Dominion
Oh so they know the night beasts?
HELPPPPPPPP
This is cartoonish but in all the best ways
I love the writing so much
this is so silly oh my god
STOP MAKING ME LAUGH
Eight please try to focus
Eight please try to focus 2 electric boogaloo
great job everyone
okay so the night beasts are reprogrammed drones working for the Thing. got it
FITZ NO
she doesn't even want to steal that sdfghjklm
I'd also love to hear it please
That was predictable but it's still pretty funny
Fitz reacting to the Doctor swearing is killing me
DOOOO WEEEEEEEE OOOOOOOOOO
I love everyone in this car crash
idiots idiots idiots I love them so much
even the teenager thinks Fitz is dumb
She gets it!
Oh, wait, now the cover finally makes sense
This is weird and freaky and I approve completely
Previously on Halflife: everyone gets hurt
JESUS FUCKING CHRIST TROVE
breaking news: sentient alien flower creature is more against war than some actual human beings
Oh interesting. The situation is more complex than I thought it would be. Go on.
the comparisons are absolutely killing me
Oh nooooooo oh shit
this whole "exchange of personality traits" thing is so simple in concept yet so interesting and so effective to redefine how these characters work and what makes them what they are even after all the adventures and the character development that already happened
unexpectedly funny lore from the Earth arc??
Reo is now in control and a fight immediately happens, because of course it does
To be fair Trix has been out of the loop for quite some time at this point
Oooooooooh and just when I was starting to think we needed more Trix chara dev!! Also this is horrifying! Thanks!!
story of his life
good writing good writing good writing
again, absolutely horrifying
sdfghjkdfghj did the Doctor just do the Columbo thing
IDIOTSSSSSS I LOVE THEM
I feel like this is supposed to be a reference but I can't figure out what it is. Maybe it's from something I haven't read, or maybe I'm just dense.
Yeah you're kinda comparing apples and oranges there
oh this is cute
I mean... that's one way to solve this
Wait. Wait so we've been misgendering Reo this entire time
Well, I mean, he's got a point
oh interesting. still wish there was more about this planet because I love its worldbuilding
EXCUSES EXCUSES DOCTOR
oh my goddddddd Doctor no
UNTIL DAWN TYPE OF DECISION
Oh my god what is he cooking I'm clawing my chair
WAIT IS IT BECAUSE HE'S REMOTE
the imagery is so weird I can't get enough of it and I'm sad we're almost at the end of the book
THE THEMES! THE THEMES!!
it took me this long to realise how similar 8 and fitz were in that regard
Ok emo
Fitz sdfghjklm
is it. is it really
Wait. WAIT WAIT WAIT I'M SO DENSE. was Xing Compassion this entire time oh my god
slow clap going increasingly faster
Oh wow, that's a rare case of a child not traumatised by a Doctor Who adventure
Aww
oh my goD YES. YES YES YES. SHE'S GOING TO EXPLORE SPACE REGARDLESS YES
Excellent, nearly masterful book. love it love it love it
wait that's right, I just realised, the show had started again at this point. I wonder if someone picked up this book after watching the tv show and was subsequently confused by it lol
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