By, Heather Maloney
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Step aside lads, the ladies are here to stay! “Doctor Who” fandom has been historically viewed as a man’s world while female fans hid in the shadows. Why shouldn’t there be female fans? Not only is the character of The Doctor fascinating and the storylines compelling, there has been almost fifty years of strong female characters right alongside our hero. The new book, “Chicks Unravel Time” sets the stage for many famous and world renowned female fans to discuss “Doctor Who” in a funny, relevant and engaging way. From authors and fans to academics, this book provides a glimpse into our beloved time traveler as women see him.
“Chicks Unravel Time” is brilliantly compiled into a volume that can either be used as a reference for “Doctor Who” or can be read as one amazing book. Each contributor takes on a season of the show and discusses their view of that particular Doctor and even sometimes focuses on one particular theme. With amazing sections such as ‘Nimons are Forever’ by Liz Barr, “David Tennant’s Bum” by Laura Mead and ‘I Robot, You Sarah Jane: Sexual Politics in Robot’ by Katie Walsh, this new compilation from Deborah Stanish and L.M. Myles has something for everyone.
One of the most interesting chapters is “No Competition” by Una McCormack. Many fans regard Sylvester McCoy’s Doctor as one of their least favorite Doctors. Una McCormack disagrees with this view and delves into why season twenty six is the best of all “Doctor Who”. Agree or disagree, it is compelling to obtain the author’s view on each season and opens a dialogue for intelligent debate.
Reading the book from cover to cover is a delightful experience as each season’s chapter is not in order. One travels from season one to season twenty six in the first 33 pages. The reader could also utilize this book while watching “Doctor Who”; after every season stop and read the analysis contained within the pages.
As a follow up to the 2011 Hugo Award winning “Chicks Dig Time Lords”, “Chicks Unravel Time” had a high bar to exceed, and indeed they succeeded. This is a must read book for any Whovian, male and female alike.
“Chicks Unravel Time” is available from Mad Norwegian Press on November 13th and can be preordered from Amazon and many other online retailers. Also, if you are attending Chicago Tardis, make sure not to miss Deborah Stanish and pick up a copy of this not to be missed book.
The Geek Port 