River Song is the perfect choice for a spin-off series, as this first story proves. The Boundless Sea has her at a 1927 archaeological dig, the female Indiana Jones we always knew she could be, but when even stranger and more exciting adventures. River needs no Doctor, just a gun and her sonic trowel to fight off a typical Doctor Who monster -- a thing that starts off pure HP Lovecraft but is really a product of sci-fi, or at least science fantasy. And she gets the best dialogue: "I have exactly no time for zombie snakes." That's right, zombie snakes. Zombie scorpions, too. Pulpy goodness! ( )