Your opinion - Chris Wing

Name: Chris Wing

Age: 32

Tell us a little about yourself: I work for local authority during the day and love writing. I'm currently writing an 'archaeological thriller' set in Oxford and had a Short story published in the Short Trips anthology "How the Doctor Changed My Life"

What Doctor Who book are you currently reading: Judgement of the Judoon (with an eye on Synthespians or Darksmiths bk 4)

What I love about Doctor Who books is: I used to love that, for me, the Virgins and EDAs were basically the main Who for most of the relative durations and could push the boat out and make the Doctor Who universe their own. I liked that, if you were a long term reader, the rewards seemed greater.

What frustrates about Doctor Who books is: That the NSAs don't/can't have that. I feel that the current run of NSAs *could* do this before 11th Doctor books come out, but they are still stand alone. What frustrates me the most is that I fully understand why this is so.

My favourite Doctor Who book is: The Dying Days or Lungbarrow (so many to choose from)

Because: The Dying Days brought the 8th Doctor to life and showed how he could be done - it was so fresh for a final novel. Lungbarrow is great because I love the extending of the mythology - There is so much in this book that you HAVE to re-read it a few times and it gratiously ties directly into the TV movie.

My least favourite Doctor Who book is: Winner TAkes AllBecause: It just came across as a kiddified caricature of Doctor Who. The 'monsters were did not suspend my disbelief, I'm afraid and any book which introduces a new 'craze', just comes across a bit 'Mary-Sue', if you see what I mean.

Favourite covers: Coldheart. Scarlett Empress. Eater of Wasps. Jon Sullivan NA covers (like Room with No Doors).

Least favourite covers: Any NA which is poorly drawn

My favourite Doctor Who author is: So many that I love! If I had to choose one... Trevor Baxendale.

Because: Just read Prisoner of the Daleks and Deadstone Memorial and you'll know what I mean. He writes books that grip me!

My least favourite Doctor Who author is: A bit of a contradiction, but Terence Dicks. Because: I think his was excellent in his niche of Targets (I even liked his Timewyrm book), but later books just did not so very much for me.

The funniest moment in Doctor Who fiction is: The Doctor and Fitz rubbing bottoms - I can't even remember why they were doing it (or which book it was in)! An abstract and baffling scene which you just had to laugh at - also showed the security of their friendship - Fitz is an all time great character/companion.

The scariest moment in Doctor Who fiction is: In Coldhear where Compassion dives of a cliff to catch a fallling character, does so and braces for impact, thinking she will cushion his fall. She succeeds but was incorrcet in her assumption. The character simply gets crushed by the impact and Compassion pretty much betrays her name b showing little.

How do you select which book you are going to read: WIth the NSAs, I read them as they come out. In the interim, I have set up a system whiere I have a rota of NA, EDA, MA, PDA and read each range in a rota, in resective order of release - don't know why! Just to mix it up, I suppose!

Where/when/how do you like to read: Sat in bed, at night, in the quiet. Or on the bus.

Best novel Doctor: 7th

Best novel companion: Fitz Kreiner

Worst novel Doctor: Maybe the fifth. They're all well represented,I just feel there are less memorable 5th Doctor ones.

Worst novel companion: I love ALL the novel only companions. I only feel there are more that are poorly represented (like Grant Markham and Cat Broome)

Most overated Doctor Who author and why: I'm sure I can answer this directly. I think that LAwrence Miles is great, but I find the 'Lawrence' who speaks when interviewed is sometimes 'too honest'. I keep away from his reviews of the New Series for this reason alone. I htink that Terence Dicks' reputation has allowed him to get away with some steamers - he can do so much better!

Most underated Doctor Who author and why: Many one time NA/EDA authors. I might have to say Simon Guerrier (not sycophancy, honest) as he had a great PDA at the end of it's run and I feel his Slitheen novel was better than it seems to have been received - and he's a really nice guy (the only DW author I have met so far, the standard has been set!)

Which Doctor Who book do you wish you had written and why: Perhaps Alien Bodies. The whole EDA range seem to have been influenced by this book - you'd be mad to, but it's a perfect point to jump on as this is where it all started.I think MArc Platt did a stupendous job with bringning the 7th Doctor's run in the NAs to a close. He really brought Gallifrey and the House of Lungbarrow to life - I wish I had that kind of scope.