What do you think?
Rate this book
Doctor Who: The Silent Stars Go By & Touched by an Angel
Direct to you from Doctor Who, the hit BBC television program that has enchanted fans of the fantastic for more than fifty years, comes this collection of two novels featuring the TARDIS-traveling Eleventh Doctor and his loyals companions Amy and Rory.
The Silent Stars Go By by Dan Abnett. The winter festival is approaching for the hardy colony of Morphans, but no one is in the mood to celebrate. They're trying to build a new life on a cold new world, but each year it gets harder and harder. It's almost as thouigh some dark force is working against them. Then three mysterious travelers arrive out of the midwinter night. Are they bringing the gift of salvation, or doom? What else lurks out there in the dark--and what else might be about to wake up?
Touched by an Angel by Jonathan Morris. In 2003, Rebecca Whitaker died in a road accident. Her husband Mark is still grieving when he receives a battered envelope posted eight years earlier, containing a set of instructions with a simple message: "You can save her." As Mark is given the chance to save Rebecca, it's up to the Doctor, Amy, and Rory to save the whole world--because this time the Weeping Angels are using history itself as a weapon.
Doctor Who: Two Novels is one of Barnes & Noble's Collectible Editions classics. Each volume features authoritatitve texts by the world's greatest authors in an exquisitely designed bonded-leather binding, with distinctive gilt edging and an attractive silk-ribbon bookmark. Decorative, durable, and collectible, these books offer hours of pleasure to readers young and old and are an indispensable cornerstone for every home library.
The Silent Stars Go By by Dan Abnett. The winter festival is approaching for the hardy colony of Morphans, but no one is in the mood to celebrate. They're trying to build a new life on a cold new world, but each year it gets harder and harder. It's almost as thouigh some dark force is working against them. Then three mysterious travelers arrive out of the midwinter night. Are they bringing the gift of salvation, or doom? What else lurks out there in the dark--and what else might be about to wake up?
Touched by an Angel by Jonathan Morris. In 2003, Rebecca Whitaker died in a road accident. Her husband Mark is still grieving when he receives a battered envelope posted eight years earlier, containing a set of instructions with a simple message: "You can save her." As Mark is given the chance to save Rebecca, it's up to the Doctor, Amy, and Rory to save the whole world--because this time the Weeping Angels are using history itself as a weapon.
Doctor Who: Two Novels is one of Barnes & Noble's Collectible Editions classics. Each volume features authoritatitve texts by the world's greatest authors in an exquisitely designed bonded-leather binding, with distinctive gilt edging and an attractive silk-ribbon bookmark. Decorative, durable, and collectible, these books offer hours of pleasure to readers young and old and are an indispensable cornerstone for every home library.
481 pages, Leather Bound
First published July 29, 2015
28 people are currently reading
578 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
December 26, 2015
The Silent Stars Go By: 4*
Touched By An Angel: 4.5*
Really, really enjoyed this, especially the second novel was absolutely brilliant and read just like an episode of Doctor Who.
Touched By An Angel: 4.5*
Really, really enjoyed this, especially the second novel was absolutely brilliant and read just like an episode of Doctor Who.
December 31, 2020
The Silent Stars Go By: 4.5 stars
Touched By an Angel: 5 stars
These two stories were wonderful! It was almost like watching an episode. They reminded me why Eleven is one of my favorite Doctors, and how great Amy and Rory are as companions. Also reading about the Weeping Angels is almost as terrifying as watching them on screen some how. Overall, fabulous book, glad I finished it before the year ended. Geronimo!
Touched By an Angel: 5 stars
These two stories were wonderful! It was almost like watching an episode. They reminded me why Eleven is one of my favorite Doctors, and how great Amy and Rory are as companions. Also reading about the Weeping Angels is almost as terrifying as watching them on screen some how. Overall, fabulous book, glad I finished it before the year ended. Geronimo!
April 1, 2019
Touched by an Angel is a particularly enjoyable story. Highly recommended for those longing to have Amy and Rory back!
September 10, 2017
Being a huge Doctor Who fan I'm probably inherently biased, but reading this book was like watching Doctor Who except without the waste of electricity and tiring my eyes out with electronics. Think Doctor Who but if it was a book series. It was one of the best books that I have ever read.
Both stories were very enjoyable to read but I am unsure of which I liked more, they are both unique and fun in their own ways. If you're a Whovian, I recommend giving this a read. (Just make sure you don't pay the full $25 for this. It's great but probably not worth that unless you really love the cover, then by all means. It's also worth noting that this is only available at Barnes and Noble but if you want to get the two books separately that should also be possible)
Both stories were very enjoyable to read but I am unsure of which I liked more, they are both unique and fun in their own ways. If you're a Whovian, I recommend giving this a read. (Just make sure you don't pay the full $25 for this. It's great but probably not worth that unless you really love the cover, then by all means. It's also worth noting that this is only available at Barnes and Noble but if you want to get the two books separately that should also be possible)
February 4, 2017
A monster has been born. It never actually occurred to me that someone might have been writing books about this jolly tv show! Now, I discover, I need not even use electronics to get my Dr. Who fix. To think I only bought this because the cover was gorgeous.
February 22, 2021
Okay first of all, this book is gorgeous. It’s just a really sturdy, well-made book, and I’m completely in love with the cover. I felt like I was carrying a TARDIS around with me. I love it.
Anyway…on to the actual reviews.
The Silent Stars Go By reads like a Doctor Who episode. Which might seem a bit of an obvious thing to say, considering it’s a Doctor Who spin-off, but what I’m saying is that I literally felt like I was reading an episode of the show, but as a book instead of filmed. The pacing, the concepts, the way the Doctor noticed plot-crucial details and tied them all together in a few very Doctor-style deductive monologues, the plot twists, everything just felt like it could’ve actually appeared in one season or another, which I actually really liked. It was fun, feeling like I was reading an episode of the show.
The characterization is spot-on. The dialogue, the inner thoughts, the way the characters react to things, I could absolutely see and hear Amy, Rory, and Eleven doing and saying all of it. I especially liked the scenes with Rory…they just made me smile and think “yes, that’s exactly what Rory would do.” And I could hear everything Amy said in that Scottish accent of hers.
The writing itself, though, is…okay. I’d put it firmly in the mediocre category. There’s some nice atmospheric descriptions, and quite few one-liner descriptions that made me smile because they just sounded so Doctor Who-ish, but a lot of the time it just feels…clunky. The author uses passive voice so much it distances the reader, and jumps around between characters points of view in an often confusing way.
But all in all, although the writing tended to be distracting/distancing, I did enjoy the story. It hit a lot of tropes I always like (climbing around in old vents and underground infrastructure, truth becoming myth over generations), the characters were delightfully in-character, and overall it just felt like Doctor Who. It was a fun, enjoyable read.
Touched by an Angel is much better on the writing front. I was never once distracted by the writing, and the story flowed smoothly and surprisingly un-confusingly, considering how twisted-up the timeline was.
This one read a little less like an episode and more like a novel, which I liked in its own way. It’s a very Moffat-esque story, with weeping angels, a nicely emotional ending, and a timeline that twists around on itself at least three times. The plot, which basically follows Mark along his timeline and team TARDIS’s attempts to keep the timeline stable, was fascinatingly complex, and the author did a really, really good job of keeping track of all the messy timeline details.
The characterization was just as spot-on, and in fact I liked Amy and Rory’s dynamic a lot better in this one than the first book in the collection. Mark was a super interesting character, and in a way more of a main character than the Doctor, Amy, and Rory. All in all, I really enjoyed this one, and I’ll probably be thinking about it for quite a while.
So yeah…5 stars for the cover, 3 stars for The Silent Stars Go By, and 4 stars for Touched by an Angel. Very nice collection!
Anyway…on to the actual reviews.
The Silent Stars Go By reads like a Doctor Who episode. Which might seem a bit of an obvious thing to say, considering it’s a Doctor Who spin-off, but what I’m saying is that I literally felt like I was reading an episode of the show, but as a book instead of filmed. The pacing, the concepts, the way the Doctor noticed plot-crucial details and tied them all together in a few very Doctor-style deductive monologues, the plot twists, everything just felt like it could’ve actually appeared in one season or another, which I actually really liked. It was fun, feeling like I was reading an episode of the show.
The characterization is spot-on. The dialogue, the inner thoughts, the way the characters react to things, I could absolutely see and hear Amy, Rory, and Eleven doing and saying all of it. I especially liked the scenes with Rory…they just made me smile and think “yes, that’s exactly what Rory would do.” And I could hear everything Amy said in that Scottish accent of hers.
The writing itself, though, is…okay. I’d put it firmly in the mediocre category. There’s some nice atmospheric descriptions, and quite few one-liner descriptions that made me smile because they just sounded so Doctor Who-ish, but a lot of the time it just feels…clunky. The author uses passive voice so much it distances the reader, and jumps around between characters points of view in an often confusing way.
But all in all, although the writing tended to be distracting/distancing, I did enjoy the story. It hit a lot of tropes I always like (climbing around in old vents and underground infrastructure, truth becoming myth over generations), the characters were delightfully in-character, and overall it just felt like Doctor Who. It was a fun, enjoyable read.
Touched by an Angel is much better on the writing front. I was never once distracted by the writing, and the story flowed smoothly and surprisingly un-confusingly, considering how twisted-up the timeline was.
This one read a little less like an episode and more like a novel, which I liked in its own way. It’s a very Moffat-esque story, with weeping angels, a nicely emotional ending, and a timeline that twists around on itself at least three times. The plot, which basically follows Mark along his timeline and team TARDIS’s attempts to keep the timeline stable, was fascinatingly complex, and the author did a really, really good job of keeping track of all the messy timeline details.
The characterization was just as spot-on, and in fact I liked Amy and Rory’s dynamic a lot better in this one than the first book in the collection. Mark was a super interesting character, and in a way more of a main character than the Doctor, Amy, and Rory. All in all, I really enjoyed this one, and I’ll probably be thinking about it for quite a while.
So yeah…5 stars for the cover, 3 stars for The Silent Stars Go By, and 4 stars for Touched by an Angel. Very nice collection!
November 20, 2017
I loved this book a lot. This book is a brilliant combination of two different stories. The first one, The Silent Stars go by, is about how the Doctor and his two friends, Rory and Amy, land on a cold planet with a mysterious set of people living there. This section of the book was amazingly unpredictable in the best way possible. The second story, Touched by an Angel, is about a man who is being hunted by a race of creatures that are called the weeping angels. This story messes with time and memory in an extraordinary way that not even an episode of Doctor Who could do it any justice. I would highly recommend this book to anybody that enjoys the Doctor Who series, or any kind of sci-fi novel. This is one of my favorite books, and I can't stress enough how many details are placed in only two stories.
December 24, 2017
Just in time for the regeneration episode, this features two books in one volume featuring Matt Smith's version of The Doctor as well as Amy and Rory. Silent Stars Go By inronically doesn't feature the Silents, but the Ice Warriors. It follows a very formulaic Doctor Who episode, and while it's fine it plays it safe too much with the writing and doesn't give you to much new. The other story, is much better! Having the Weeping Angels will make any story creepy, but here we follow a guy that's been sent in time to his own history and had to live life with all the knowledge he has now. I loved its use of time and pacing here. More of a deeper story on Doctor Who that was well done.
March 12, 2019
In "The Silent Stars Go By", Earth colonists on a distant planet are in the midst of terraforming efforts that are being reversed by colonists from Mars. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory find themselves needing to unite with the Ice Warriors from Mars to defeat another more deadly enemy.
"Touched by an Angel" pits the Doctor, Amy, and Rory against the Weeping Angels who have targeted an attorney, Mark, whose wife was killed in a traffic accident. They want to create a time paradox that they can feed from. Mark wants to save his wife from dying.
Both stories are fun reads and worth the time to read them.
"Touched by an Angel" pits the Doctor, Amy, and Rory against the Weeping Angels who have targeted an attorney, Mark, whose wife was killed in a traffic accident. They want to create a time paradox that they can feed from. Mark wants to save his wife from dying.
Both stories are fun reads and worth the time to read them.
January 31, 2018
Absolutely fantastic.
At first I didn't have high hopes for the stories. I bought it simply because the cover was too gorgeous (still wonderstruck by it). But as the stories enfolded (especially the second one), I was already so hooked that I could hardly put the book down (Note to self that reading in class is the most productive).
Anyway, I'm not saying that I haven't encountered some confusion due to the wibbly wobbly timey wimey timeline, which always occurs when the weeping angels involve. But wellll, this book is definitely worth every single penny!
At first I didn't have high hopes for the stories. I bought it simply because the cover was too gorgeous (still wonderstruck by it). But as the stories enfolded (especially the second one), I was already so hooked that I could hardly put the book down (Note to self that reading in class is the most productive).
Anyway, I'm not saying that I haven't encountered some confusion due to the wibbly wobbly timey wimey timeline, which always occurs when the weeping angels involve. But wellll, this book is definitely worth every single penny!
October 26, 2018
I was a bit intimidated by the book initially because it's so beautifully made and giant, but these stories ended up reading so quickly! They definitely got the anxious feel of a proper "Doctor Who" plot to come through the pages and I absolutely loved the "Touched By an Angel" story. I think it may be my new favorite Weeping Angel story, though they still are one of the most terrifying monsters.
February 24, 2018
The Silent Stars Go By - Cool Ice Warriors story with a unique take on colonists.
Touched By An Angel - Less than perfect Weeping Angels story. Started off well and then got kind of confusing. The central character acted in stupid ways, but at the same time it was emotionally touching.
Touched By An Angel - Less than perfect Weeping Angels story. Started off well and then got kind of confusing. The central character acted in stupid ways, but at the same time it was emotionally touching.
March 23, 2018
A fun little read. The authors manage to catch the spirit of the program and, oddly, the "voice" of Rory - of all characters. Amy and the doctor? Not so much. Kind of spotty at best.
Touched by an Angel was, by far, the better of the two.
Touched by an Angel was, by far, the better of the two.
October 28, 2018
Great book, story telling is different but fits well in a way you'd think you're actually watching a Doctor Who episode. Story wise, they're interesting and heartbreaking,uh, especially touched by an angel.
September 20, 2019
It was great revisiting Amy and Rory again. Loved the stories! I preferred touched by an angel, but then again, the angels are one of my favourite enemies of the Doctor. Both stories were an awesome read, almost as if it were an episode from the series. Good writing from both the authors!
September 11, 2021
This book is absolutely awesome. I have been in love with Doctor Who since I was a kid so seeing one of my favorite doctors in this book was amazing. I read it and it felt like I watched an episode of Doctor Who. Fantastic job, Dan.
July 7, 2017
The Silent Stays Go By (3/5)
Touched by an Angel (5/5) -wish this was an episode of Doctor Who instead of a novel but loved it. Beautifully written and heartbreaking so classic Who really.
Touched by an Angel (5/5) -wish this was an episode of Doctor Who instead of a novel but loved it. Beautifully written and heartbreaking so classic Who really.
October 26, 2018
The best Doctor Who books I've read!
January 18, 2020
I enjoyed the first story but the second one I had to trudge through to finish. It wasn’t a bad story, I just didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one.
September 16, 2020
A good set of stories overall. I could see them slotting into the TV series quite well.
February 1, 2021
This book has a gorgeous cover!! 😍😍😍 I really enjoyed both of the stories within it. If you enjoy Doctor Who, you should definitely check out the novels!
December 18, 2022
Really cool storyline!
January 21, 2023
Really loved the stories. And i wished there would be more leather bound Doctor who books. The weeping angels are one of my faveorite villains/monsters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2017
The cover was amazing to begin with, but the stories inside are just as good. I enjoyed both of them, and it makes me want to watch Doctor Who. Very glad I decided to pick it up and give it a chance.
March 5, 2017
Two great stories in this book. I think the first was slightly better, but that is my opinion. The Silent Stars features an old adversary of the Doctor, but I will not reveal the identity. Spoilers. Touched by an Angel gives away the foe in the title. It is not as suspensful as the original TV episode, but a good read nevertheless.
December 11, 2020
This is more of a nostalgia rating because I wasn't very fond of the writing in both of these stories. Weeping Angels are my favorite antagonists so my expectations were super hyped. I wanted more of Rory, Amy and Doctor and Angels rather than the heavy emphasis we got on Mark and his world, which left me unfulfilled.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed going back to the good ol' days of Doctor Who. Jodie is excellent as the Doctor but the writers haven't done her any justice with the recent terrible storylines!
I would recommend it to fellow Whovians.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed going back to the good ol' days of Doctor Who. Jodie is excellent as the Doctor but the writers haven't done her any justice with the recent terrible storylines!
I would recommend it to fellow Whovians.
September 30, 2016
This was much better than I thought it would be. I bought this book because it's Doctor Who and it looks awesome on my bookshelf. What a pleasant surprise that the two stories in it are so much fun!
September 28, 2016
Most people say the liked the second book best (this book is a 2-in-1 kinda thing.) I personally enjoyed the first book better. Both were good stories with complex storylines, but I laughed a lot while reading the first book. If a book can make me laugh, it has served a good purpose. Worth the read for any Whovians looking for a fix until the next season airs.
March 24, 2016
Technically, this is a dual-book review as this Barnes and Noble leatherbound edition contains two television tie-in novels: "The Silent Stars Go By," by Dan Abnett and "Touched by an Angel," by Jonathan Morris.
That being said, I much preferred the first story. In "The Silent Stars Go By" we have Amy and Rory (my favorite companions) with the eleventh Doctor (my favorite reincarnation) trying to make it home for Christmas. Which was unexpectedly seasonally appropriate, since I didn't start reading the book until near the holidays.
However, it's not a typical Christmas story. By which I mean, Christmas wasn't it's primary theme. That's the impetus for the story, but it continues on--as our dynamic trio end up on the wrong planet, in the wrong year--as a story of hope and the meaning of tradition and the truths hidden in history.
And I loved it. Absolutely loved it. Rory is spot-on in his characterization. The story is also told from his primary point-of-view, which I adored. On the show, it can often feel as though Amy is the Doctor's companion, and Rory is Amy's. At least at first. They definitely become equal in that respect as their storyline moves forward.
Which is why the second story, "Touched by an Angel," just wasn't as interesting for me. We still have all the same cast of primary characters, but the characterizations are just a bit off for Rory and Amy. I can't quite put my finger on it, though I have to say Eleven is perhaps larger-than-life. Which suits him.
This story, as I'm sure you can guess, has to do with the Weeping Angels. There's time-travel and morality and difficult choices to make. Honestly, I'm not sure the Weeping Angels work so well on the page as they do on-screen. That tension is missing when the lights flicker out and the next thing you know you're staring at a fanged statue in the face.
I also have wibbly-wobbly problems with the whole idea of the Weeping Angels. TV SPOILERS, but if Rory and Amy get sent back in time, can't they just wait a few years...maybe even a decade...move to, I dunno, Europe...and have the Doctor pick them up in the TARDIS from there? I was never keen with the whole time suck trapped forever plot resolution of the Ponds.
But that's not so much this book as the TV show. Still. I find the Angels problematic.
I still gave this book five stars. Reason #1: It's freaking gorgeous. A shiny, leatherbound, TARDIS-shaped book? Yes, please. Reason #2: Despite minor failings in characterization, the plots to both stories were impeccable and engaging. I enjoyed reading them and would recommend this book to any Whovian.
After all, Rory continually telling the Doctor that his name is not Rory Williams Pond will never get old for me.
That being said, I much preferred the first story. In "The Silent Stars Go By" we have Amy and Rory (my favorite companions) with the eleventh Doctor (my favorite reincarnation) trying to make it home for Christmas. Which was unexpectedly seasonally appropriate, since I didn't start reading the book until near the holidays.
However, it's not a typical Christmas story. By which I mean, Christmas wasn't it's primary theme. That's the impetus for the story, but it continues on--as our dynamic trio end up on the wrong planet, in the wrong year--as a story of hope and the meaning of tradition and the truths hidden in history.
And I loved it. Absolutely loved it. Rory is spot-on in his characterization. The story is also told from his primary point-of-view, which I adored. On the show, it can often feel as though Amy is the Doctor's companion, and Rory is Amy's. At least at first. They definitely become equal in that respect as their storyline moves forward.
Which is why the second story, "Touched by an Angel," just wasn't as interesting for me. We still have all the same cast of primary characters, but the characterizations are just a bit off for Rory and Amy. I can't quite put my finger on it, though I have to say Eleven is perhaps larger-than-life. Which suits him.
This story, as I'm sure you can guess, has to do with the Weeping Angels. There's time-travel and morality and difficult choices to make. Honestly, I'm not sure the Weeping Angels work so well on the page as they do on-screen. That tension is missing when the lights flicker out and the next thing you know you're staring at a fanged statue in the face.
I also have wibbly-wobbly problems with the whole idea of the Weeping Angels. TV SPOILERS, but if Rory and Amy get sent back in time, can't they just wait a few years...maybe even a decade...move to, I dunno, Europe...and have the Doctor pick them up in the TARDIS from there? I was never keen with the whole time suck trapped forever plot resolution of the Ponds.
But that's not so much this book as the TV show. Still. I find the Angels problematic.
I still gave this book five stars. Reason #1: It's freaking gorgeous. A shiny, leatherbound, TARDIS-shaped book? Yes, please. Reason #2: Despite minor failings in characterization, the plots to both stories were impeccable and engaging. I enjoyed reading them and would recommend this book to any Whovian.
After all, Rory continually telling the Doctor that his name is not Rory Williams Pond will never get old for me.
December 2, 2016
I swear I've seen an episode of Doctor Who that read almost exactly like The Silent Stars Go By, so that was a bit annoying. However, I LOVED Touched by an Angel. Eleven is my favorite Doctor and I love Amy and Rory. All of their on-screen personas bleed through onto the page, I could just hear all of the characters in the dialogue. Touched by an Angel was really well-written and kept me on the edge of my seat just like any other episode of the show. I've never read a book accompaniment to a show before because I usually think they are silly, but this was a great read for any fan who also appreciates decent fiction.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews