Doctor Who: Time Lord Fairytales

I don’t think I could have made a better choice than to use my Audible credit to purchase this gem of an audiobook. I loved every minute of every story. I wasn’t always sure what fairy tale a story was based on, but that didn’t matter to me, because they all had the feel and sound of a fairy tale, and that was exactly what I wanted. The first is a wonderfully creepy tale involving the Angels, and while it felt familiar to me, I couldn’t quite place its origin in the fairy tale canon. However, most of the other stories were immediately obvious, even if you’re not paying attention to the titles, including one that was an interesting version of Sleeping Beauty and another equally interesting version of Hansel and Gretel. There are also versions of Cinderella (which is one of my absolute favorites), Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White, Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, and several other well-known stories.

Normally, I’m not one to re-listen to an audiobook, but I think Doctor Who: Time Lord Fairy Tales might be the exception. I also want to add the hardcover edition, which is supposedly beautifully illustrated like a children’s storybook, to my collection. This is definitely one of the books every Doctor Who fan should have. ( )

This is a collection of fairy tales that Earthlings might recognize, but they have been given a Doctor Who twist. Part of the fun of this collection is spotting the parallels between the original fairy tale and the version being presented here. Many of the tales in this collection place women at the forefront, asserting their agency and bravely defending themselves and their families against the alien threat. The tales I found the most clever or enjoyable were The Three Little Sontarans, Cinderella and the Magic Box, Helana and the Beast (because I am a Beauty and the Beast fangirl), and The Scruffy Piper (this one nearly made me chuckle out loud with glee at the bus stop when I realized how it had been Doctor Who-ified). Honourable mentions to Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday, and The Three Brothers Gruff.

In the audio version, each tale is read by a different reader, so the listener’s enjoyment may rise and fall depending on their affinity with a particular reader. Sometimes readers would read too fast or too breathlessly, or their vocal range would be limited, making characters hard to tell apart. My favourite readers, in no particular order, were Dan Starkey, Nicholas Briggs, Ingrid Oliver, and of course Tom Baker. I particularly enjoyed Briggs’s take on The Scruffy Piper, and Dan Starkey is the king of Sontaran narration, in my books.

I did find myself a bit weary by the end of the collection, but that’s more down to me than to the collection; I was going through one of my audio slumps. When I was in audio mode, I found this a delightful diversion. ( )

Though I really enjoyed this collection, I did feel a little disappointed since it wasn't what I expected it to be. I had expected completely original fairytales from Gallifrey as the title is "Time Lord Fairytales" but most of these stories are re-tellings of classics or adaptions that somehow include technology and the Doctor somehow. While this difference did feel like a bit of a let-down (my own fault), it was easy to enjoy the stories after getting over myself.

I did read the physical copy but, from the reviews I read, I may have to also buy the audiobook. However, I do feel like I should also point out that the physical copy does include some pretty amazing artwork for those who are still deciding which version to read.

Overall, I would collectively give it a rating of 3.5 stars! Individual reviews and ratings for each of the stories are below:

Garden of Statues - 5/5 stars
Probably my favorite story of the entire collection. I think I may have liked it most because it didn't feel like a retelling where the author just changed the names and fit the Doctor in somehow. It was a classic story you can expect of Weeping Angels, but with a fairytale vibe.

Frozen Beauty - 3/5 stars
While I did enjoy this adaption, I feel like it was less than it could've been. There was more room to play around with, but it felt like only the setting was changed.

Cinderella and the Magic Box - 3.5/5 stars
Like the previous fairytale, I found this story enjoyable, but still lacking. I enjoyed the spin that took place at the ball, but still felt it could have been better embellished.

The Twins in the Wood - 3/5 stars
While it was predictable, it was still enjoyable. Bonus points for actually involving Gallifrey!

The Three Little Sontarans - 2/5 stars
I did not enjoy this story as much as the others. I mean, it wasn't bad, but it didn't really draw my interest.

Jak and the Wormhole - 2/5 stars
Like the previous fairytale, it didn't have enough appeal to draw me in. It fell a little flat.

Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday - 5/5 stars
I was almost about to lose hope that this book was a downhill read but then this little gem popped up. It was cleverly inventive and felt like a real fairytale. I really loved that Snow White wasn't a princess that was targeted by the Queen for her beauty, but rather a clever servant girl. It was a welcome change in the adaption of the original tale!

Little Rose Riding Hood - 4/5 stars
At first, I thought I would really hate this. I was super scared as soon as I read the title that it would play off 'Bad Wolf' too much. However, it was wonderful! I love Rose's walk through the woods and her meeting with the Ninth Doctor!

The Gingerbread Trap - 3/5 stars
While enjoyable, it felt rushed near the end.

The Scruffy Piper - 4/5 stars
Cleverly connecting the Second Doctor with the Pied Piper of Hamelin... Success! It was really great to see a Classic Doctor included in this collection as well as New Who Doctors!

Helana and the Beast 3/5 stars
I enjoyed this retelling of Beauty and the Beast, especially the inclusion of the Librarian (*wink* *wink*) character. However, I do feel like the actual relationship between Helana and the Beast was seriously underdeveloped. There is no way she could've fallen in love with him, or he with her...

Andiba and the Four Slitheen - 2/5 stars
I didn't enjoy this fairytale as much as others... It was okay, but it felt a little dull. It did kind of make me miss the Slitheen though.

The Grief Collector - 5/5 stars
Very good tale! I actually didn't connect the fairytale to Rumplestilskin until much later. It was very unique and didn't feel like it was a simple copy-cat of an original tale.

The Three Brothers Gruff - 2/5 stars
I wasn't very interested in this story and kind of zoned out for a bit. I feel like it could've been better if it added something more original that would refresh the classic tale.

Sirgwain and the Green Knight - 4.5/5 stars
And a lovely story to take it home! I really enjoyed this fairytale and loved the unpredictable ending! ( )

This is a fun collection of 'fairy tales' that are either original tales involving Doctor Who characters, or more traditional fairy tales that have been given a Doctor Who makeover.

Sweet stories for children with a time lord twist. If I had kids, I would definitely read these to them. I heard some sample of the UK Audiobook, and they sound even better read by English actors than I imagined. I'm tempted to by the audio just to listen to them being read to me like a kid. ( )