Monday, January 09, 2006
Army reviews 'Back in Time'
Glowing review of Back in Time: A Thinking Fan's Guide to Doctor Who (Damaris/Authenitc, 2005) from the Salvation Army's website:
'Back in Time is the latest in the Damaris Thinking Fan’s Guide series ‘written by fans for fans’. Couch, Watkins and Williams are established Christian writers on popular culture, and self-confessed avids of Doctor Who. With rigour and humour, they demonstrate their encyclopaedic knowledge which includes a brief history of the Time Lords, a 2005 episode guide and a 26-page Who’s Who. Trivia abounds... Whilst the facts, figures, obscure references and cross-links will delight Who fans of all generations, the book’s purpose is to encourage readers to ponder the themes and issues the series raises. Sci-fi it may be, but whether it’s in the fundamentalism of the Emperor-worshipping Daleks or the recurring theme of good overcoming evil, religion is never far from Doctor Who storylines. The parallels between The Doctor and Jesus – both having given their lives sacrificially, only to be ‘regenerated’ – are explored. Morality, ethics, meaning and purpose are studied, using episodes of the 2005 series as a reference. The tensions between science and religion are laid bare. Science fiction is skilfully weaved with spiritual fact as the writers take us on a journey from Eccleston to Ecclesiastes... Who fans are encouraged to approach faith in an intelligent, informed manner – just as their hero The Doctor might... Back in Time is accessible and well-written, designed to be read by Who aficionados regardless of background. It offers a cringe-free ‘way in’ to the Christian faith, grounded in concepts and language which will be familiar to sci-fi devotees. It’s also a good introduction to Who for anyone wishing to keep abreast of this most contemporary of cultural phenomena.' - David Giles
cf. www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.nsf/txt-0/ca8cd35484c63eae802570d9005bc99f?OpenDocument&Click=
'Back in Time is the latest in the Damaris Thinking Fan’s Guide series ‘written by fans for fans’. Couch, Watkins and Williams are established Christian writers on popular culture, and self-confessed avids of Doctor Who. With rigour and humour, they demonstrate their encyclopaedic knowledge which includes a brief history of the Time Lords, a 2005 episode guide and a 26-page Who’s Who. Trivia abounds... Whilst the facts, figures, obscure references and cross-links will delight Who fans of all generations, the book’s purpose is to encourage readers to ponder the themes and issues the series raises. Sci-fi it may be, but whether it’s in the fundamentalism of the Emperor-worshipping Daleks or the recurring theme of good overcoming evil, religion is never far from Doctor Who storylines. The parallels between The Doctor and Jesus – both having given their lives sacrificially, only to be ‘regenerated’ – are explored. Morality, ethics, meaning and purpose are studied, using episodes of the 2005 series as a reference. The tensions between science and religion are laid bare. Science fiction is skilfully weaved with spiritual fact as the writers take us on a journey from Eccleston to Ecclesiastes... Who fans are encouraged to approach faith in an intelligent, informed manner – just as their hero The Doctor might... Back in Time is accessible and well-written, designed to be read by Who aficionados regardless of background. It offers a cringe-free ‘way in’ to the Christian faith, grounded in concepts and language which will be familiar to sci-fi devotees. It’s also a good introduction to Who for anyone wishing to keep abreast of this most contemporary of cultural phenomena.' - David Giles
cf. www1.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.nsf/txt-0/ca8cd35484c63eae802570d9005bc99f?OpenDocument&Click=
