A few words:

When I first agreed to be the official reviewer for the fourth season of Doctor Who: The Legacy, one of the first things I did was to read whatever I could find on the art of reviewing. I tried to prepare as best I could, I read all sorts of recommendations and tips, i.e. be impartial, don't focus on minute errors, and review the story as written, not the story you think the author should have written. All valuable advice for a novice reviewer like me.

But something was missing in what I read. It was all very dispassionate, clinical even. And I consider myself a reader, first and foremost. The purpose of any fiction story, whether a novel, short story, anything, primarily should be to entertain. This isn’t rocket science. Nobody wants to read something dull and boring, or some tale that the author doesn’t believe in. I want to enjoy what I read, I want to respond to it in a personal way, not in a neutral, this is the Legacy story and I must review it type of professional detachment.

That being said, I am only one person, and I realize other people may have widely different tastes from me in likes and dislikes. I could be described as a bookworm, really, mysteries, general fiction, poetry, are among my favorites. Of course, I’ve been a fan of science fiction since I was a pre-teen and when I first stumbled over Doctor Who on television, I was intrigued and delighted. But since I’m American and anything involving Doctor Who and Doctor Who: The Legacy has a uniquely British flavor to it, I might be at a disadvantage in appreciating or even getting some of the references. If some readers disagree with my opinions, great, all the better. That means they are reading and they do care. If anything, the previous three seasons of The Legacy have stories that will appeal to almost anyone, some are funny, some are suspenseful and some are gripping in their intensity. Are they perfect stories? Probably not, but they are some of the most creative and appealing stories around in fan fiction.

So, please, you don’t have to take my word on whether a story is thrilling or absorbing or not. Take a little time, sit down and just read the Legacy stories and decide for yourself. If I can prompt people’s interest by my opinions, I will have done my job well.