I really ought to re-read these 8th Doctor books in order. ( )

I liked the part where it just barely made sense. No, really. I liked it. ( )

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2018088.html

This is the first of the books setting up the Faction Paradox timeline which I have enjoyed. The Doctor and Fitz return to Gallifrey in Compassion-as-Tardis, and find themselves implicated in a power struggle between President Romana and one of her predecessors, resurrected by the Faction Paradox. It contains the seeds of numerous ideas which we have seen in later stories, particularly the Gallifrey audios (though they of course feature Romanas I and II, whereas here it's clearly another Romana), and ends with the original Tardis regenerating itself and the Doctor stuck on Earth with amnesia - both picked up more recently in Big Finish continuity. Most importantly it rounds off a significant story arc, going back to the start of the BBC Eighth Doctor series in some ways, and does so very satisfactorily. Sometimes Who stories playing with Gallifreyan drama and temporal paradoxes get too clever for their own good, but this is just about right. Very satisfying. ( )

I enjoyed Ancestor Cell quite a bit. At first I didn't care for the 3rd incarnation of Romana, but she grew on me as the story progressed. The Doctor is left out of the action a bit and is quite powerless through a good part of the book, but I thought it was a fitting end to the arc. I enjoyed Fitz in Ancestor Cell more than I usually do. Not that I dislike Fitz. I liked Faction Paradox as the baddies. It ended with a bang, kept me riveted the whole read and furhtered the 8th Doctors story. ( )