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Second Flight: Back To The Vortex by J. Shaun Lyon
01/02/2007 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
Pub: Telos. 415 page illustrated hardback. Price: £ 30.00 (UK). ISBN: 1-84583-009-1. Paperback price: £12.99 (UK) ISBN 1-84583-008-3. Buy Second Flight: Back To The Vortex in the USA - or Buy Second Flight: Back To The Vortex in the UK  check out website: www.telos.co.uk
This is the sequel to the 2005 volume telling the history of the return of 'Doctor Who' to our television screens and its all change cos actor David Tennant is the tenth regeneration. Have you noticed that the older he gets, the younger the Doctor becomes? Maybe there's a lesson in there for all of us in getting our second childhood.
'Second Flight' documents from where the last book left off with the media and social reaction after Christopher Eccleston leaves and David Tennant takes over with the Christmas Special to the analysis of all of 2006's thirteen episodes. Must also be a record, cos we at SFCrowsnest get a mention again, albeit the joyous reaction of SF writer Robert Sawyer in an interview conducted at the time. Oddly enough, there is little Internet commentary otherwise although considering the number of websites Russell T had going and mentioned here relating to the series, methinks the rest would have been squeezed for space had they tried.
This is the kind of book that in the years to come will act as a social commentary of the time when this generation's children will be leaning back in their rocking chairs and telling their grandchildren what it was like to be here at the time. Mind you, the statistics of viewing figures will no doubt confuse them in proportion to the number of TV channels that is likely to exist later in the century but that's neither here nor there.
I don't think you would be picking up a book such as this unless you watched 'Doctor Who', though. It does make a useful companion to the second of its new seasons, filling you in with lots of interesting info. If there are areas of frustration its with the 'Scene Missing' item. Author Shaun Lyon seems to lapse into a seemingly endless list of questions and no attempt to rationalise even the simplest things like the Doctor and Rose can be away for months on adventures and still arrive back in early 2006. Time might be relative but it doesn't necessarily mean its passing is.
The division of info is usefully categorised for tracking down sonic screwdriver use to Torchwood mentions but fell down a little with 'The Girl In The Fireplace' by explaining the name of the spaceship. All right, you already know this but it wasn't at the beginning to the episode. Perhaps in future volumes, it might be considered to having a serious think about the order of things in relation to the synopsis. The reviews by the various people could have done with an opening line instead of a blank line, so at least you were aware of the change-over. At least, star grading was avoided. The ten reviewers are all seasoned experts on 'Doctor Who'. It's a shame that a member of a younger generation who only recently latched onto the new series couldn't be found to give a somewhat different perspective.
Although my comments above might seem either overtly critical, this is still a worthy book to get and own and spend time reading. Telos is cornering the market with unofficial books of this nature and they've even managed a photo section as well. Certainly, if you're paying a trip to Wales and what to see where some of the filming was done, this book will be an asset. It'll also give some keen insight to how and when the various episodes were done, so add to your shopping list.
GF Willmetts
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