For those who cannot have enough of the renowned TV series Doctor Who, it is a delight to discover the Puffin Classics crossovers, a series of highly entertaining reads published by BBC Children’s Books.
The series features crossovers between Doctor Who and some of the best known classic literary works. Imagine, for example, the 13th Doctor transported to the magical land of Oz, the 10th Doctor wielding swords in Camelot, the 5th Doctor trapped in Alice’s Wonderland, or the 1st Doctor confronting Dracula.
The 7th book in the series, Frankenstein and the Patchwork Man, is written by Australian author Jack Heath. Featuring the 9th Doctor and his companion Rose, the story takes place in a remote village in Wales, where the pair is dropped off by the TARDIS.
As usual, the sentient time machine chooses its destinations for specific reasons. In this case, there is a monster lurking in the dark, gloomy forest shrouded in mist, fearsome and deadly murderous, constantly preying on the locals.
Referred to as the Patchwork Man, the monster is made up with body parts of recently buried villagers, “all the town’s ghosts, stitched together by the devil’s seamstress”. To Rose, he “smelled like one of her mum’s Christmas hams – in February”.
The Doctor and Rose eventually track down the “other doctor” the monster intends to kill. It turns out that VINCENT Frankenstein has read Mary Shelley’s work and is now experimenting with technologies way ahead of his time, hoping to “master the science of life and death”.
As usual, there is a certain Third Party involved (hint: think of Gwyneth in the 2005 episode “The Unquiet Dead”). It is a lot of fun seeing the Doctor and Rose running around and bantering, with Rose being sensitive, caring and frequently taking the lead.
Meanwhile, the Doctor remains his happy-go-lucky self, and his last-minute problem solving skills are truly brilliant. As Rose observes at one stage: “Impossible situations were the Doctor’s speciality.”
Perhaps the most impressive character is the Patchwork Man, formidable in his physical might and intellectual insight. Like the creature in Shelley’s novel, he yearns for love and acceptance and is relentlessly vengeful. Yet, thanks to the Doctor and Rose’s help, he is able to choose a different ending to his story. It gives us hope.
Indeed, reading this book feels just like watching a Doctor Who episode – dazzling pace, splendid quasi-science, that heart-warming yet tricky relationship between the Doctor and his companion, and endless optimism (even when dealing with monsters, because everyone deserves a second chance).
The author does a great job capturing the Doctor’s focus on human potentials and his everlasting compassion for all living beings. Just as the 11th Doctor explains: “I am and always will be the optimist. The hoper of far-flung hopes, and the dreamer of impossible dreams.” Highly recommended.
Note: This book review was published under the title “A smart and funny read” by Ranges Trader Star Mail, April 21, 2026, P.14.
Voices under the Sun 陽光下的聲音 