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chicafrom3The world is on fire and I don't want to talk about it.
So have a Doctor Who post instead.
The Sixth Doctor and Peri bounce from the Boer War to London just before WWII to deal with a threat to the timeline in a loose sequel to the War Games. Winston Churchill is involved.
I really, really enjoyed this one. Six and Peri are at their best, genuinely enjoying each other's company and seeming to have fun even when things are at their worst; there's no moment when you're left wondering "why is Peri still sticking around" or "why hasn't the Doctor ditched her" like you are with some writers' approach to their dynamic. Also I just really want to shout out Peri herself here because she's so great; this is why I love Peri, she's snarky and charming and and funny and smart. There's one damsel-in-distress scene (because of course there is), where she's kidnapped by a Nazi (because I mean we're talking about a WWII book), but even that's subverted from how it would be in most stories involving Peri being kidnapped by a Nazi. The interrogation scene is so great:
See, writers? That's the girl who told the Master "I can shout just as loud as you can!". (And then the Doctor and Dekker ride in to her rescue only to find that she's basically rescued herself. It's GREAT ♥)
Sorry, I have feelings about Peri Brown.
Anyway, aside from that, Peri also just gets to have fun in general. She gets to go shopping and drink champagne cocktails and pretend to be an heiress and just generally get a break from the unceasing misery and abuse that Doctor Who writers like to heap on her for some reason. It's so lovely. (Fun fact: Peri read Swamp Thing as a kid. Why does she rank at the bottom of so many people's list of companions)
Oh, and DEKKER. He's also great. Apparently he's a character who Dicks brought back from a New Adventures novel that he also wrote. I have not read the New Adventures books yet, I looked that up. But he's a delight, this was a good choice.
Dicks also takes this opportunity to canonize season 6B. I salute you, sir.
The book's not perfect. As great as the Six and Peri voices are, the Season 6B segment features the Second Doctor and I didn't find the Second Doctor voice very good; I had to keep reminding myself that we were still in the flashback segment and it was supposed to be Two. The Players aren't quite developed enough to be very compelling as villains (although they are certainly overpowered enough!) The ending just kind of happens.
But the plot moves along at a good clip and I adored the characterization of Six and Peri -- and Dekker provides a fun counterpoint.
On a final note,
The Fourth Doctor and Harry Sullivan, several years after travelling together, battle an alien invasion of Earth taking advantage of the Y2K bug.
This is a sequel to the Missing Adventures book System Shock, which I have not read yet. Most of the relevant bits are exposited in Millennium Shock but I think I would've gotten more out of this if I'd read System Shock first. (I spent most of the book wondering when and how Naval surgeon Harry Sullivan ended up working for MI5. Apparently this is explained in System Shock.) Additionally, exposition just doesn't always take the place of familiarity.
The plot moves along reasonably well, but sitting here in the year 2022 and reading a book that has the plot hinge on everything shutting down on January 1 2000 because of computer chip failure feels a certain way. (And it's not like that's something the Doctor and Harry avert! It happens! They manage to fix it after the fact but, it happens! Widespread power loss and chaos!)
The Voracians are not particularly compelling villains, either. They believe organic life is inferior to technological life and they want to liberate all technology on the planet. They're also part office equipment (?) and they want to get a pen back from Harry that he got from Sarah Jane for reasons I was never entirely clear on (it has a chip in it that is special for some reason?)
There's a couple of fairly compelling supporting characters but they don't get much page time - George Gardner is funny and clever but disappears after making his initial contribution to the plot (he reappears very briefly at the end); Sylvia Webb, Harry's housecleaner who wants to be a lawyer, is very brave and stubborn and ultimately gets fridged.
There is some great Four & Harry interaction:
But overall not one of my favorites so far.
So have a Doctor Who post instead.
The Sixth Doctor and Peri bounce from the Boer War to London just before WWII to deal with a threat to the timeline in a loose sequel to the War Games. Winston Churchill is involved.
I really, really enjoyed this one. Six and Peri are at their best, genuinely enjoying each other's company and seeming to have fun even when things are at their worst; there's no moment when you're left wondering "why is Peri still sticking around" or "why hasn't the Doctor ditched her" like you are with some writers' approach to their dynamic. Also I just really want to shout out Peri herself here because she's so great; this is why I love Peri, she's snarky and charming and and funny and smart. There's one damsel-in-distress scene (because of course there is), where she's kidnapped by a Nazi (because I mean we're talking about a WWII book), but even that's subverted from how it would be in most stories involving Peri being kidnapped by a Nazi. The interrogation scene is so great:
Von Ribbentrop himself was handling the proceedings. He had changed into his black SS uniform specially for the occasion, a design intended to strike terror into the heart of any victim. In Nazi Germany perhaps it would have worked.
Peri, however, wasn't impressed. He looked like a reject from some cheap war movie. She'd had enough. The folding wooden chair she'd been pushed into was hard and uncomfortable.
[...]
Von Ribbentrop had then vanished. Nobody had spoken to her.
Peri had waited and waited. No doubt all this was supposed to break down her morale.
Peri had just got bored, and mad.
[...]
"You will do well to answer my question," said von Ribbentrop. "Remember -"
Peri said, "You're not actually going to say it, are you?"
The interruption made von Ribbentrop stumble in his tirade. "Say what?"
"'We have ways of making you talk!' And anyway, you haven't used, 'We will ask the questions!' yet. Isn't that supposed to come first?"
Von Ribbentrop looked so baffled, so helplessly angry, that Peri almost felt sorry for him. She burst out laughing.
See, writers? That's the girl who told the Master "I can shout just as loud as you can!". (And then the Doctor and Dekker ride in to her rescue only to find that she's basically rescued herself. It's GREAT ♥)
Sorry, I have feelings about Peri Brown.
Anyway, aside from that, Peri also just gets to have fun in general. She gets to go shopping and drink champagne cocktails and pretend to be an heiress and just generally get a break from the unceasing misery and abuse that Doctor Who writers like to heap on her for some reason. It's so lovely. (Fun fact: Peri read Swamp Thing as a kid. Why does she rank at the bottom of so many people's list of companions)
Oh, and DEKKER. He's also great. Apparently he's a character who Dicks brought back from a New Adventures novel that he also wrote. I have not read the New Adventures books yet, I looked that up. But he's a delight, this was a good choice.
After a while the Doctor muttered, "Can't we go any faster?"
"No," said Dekker.
The man drove, the Doctor noticed with reluctant admiration, exactly as fast as was safe and no faster.
Dicks also takes this opportunity to canonize season 6B. I salute you, sir.
The book's not perfect. As great as the Six and Peri voices are, the Season 6B segment features the Second Doctor and I didn't find the Second Doctor voice very good; I had to keep reminding myself that we were still in the flashback segment and it was supposed to be Two. The Players aren't quite developed enough to be very compelling as villains (although they are certainly overpowered enough!) The ending just kind of happens.
But the plot moves along at a good clip and I adored the characterization of Six and Peri -- and Dekker provides a fun counterpoint.
On a final note,
Peri finished her cocktail, and looked round the luxurious suite. Then she sighed theatrically.
"I guess I can handle staying here for a few days," she said.
The Doctor looked pleased. "Just until I can hire a house, of course. We'll rent somewhere furnished in a good part of town. Then there are servants to be hired... Oh, and we'll both be needing several new outfits. It'll mean a good deal of shopping, I'm afraid, especially for you..."
Peri sighed again and stretched luxuriously. "In a good cause, Doctor, I'm prepared to make any sacrifice! How about another of these champagne cocktails?"
The Fourth Doctor and Harry Sullivan, several years after travelling together, battle an alien invasion of Earth taking advantage of the Y2K bug.
This is a sequel to the Missing Adventures book System Shock, which I have not read yet. Most of the relevant bits are exposited in Millennium Shock but I think I would've gotten more out of this if I'd read System Shock first. (I spent most of the book wondering when and how Naval surgeon Harry Sullivan ended up working for MI5. Apparently this is explained in System Shock.) Additionally, exposition just doesn't always take the place of familiarity.
The plot moves along reasonably well, but sitting here in the year 2022 and reading a book that has the plot hinge on everything shutting down on January 1 2000 because of computer chip failure feels a certain way. (And it's not like that's something the Doctor and Harry avert! It happens! They manage to fix it after the fact but, it happens! Widespread power loss and chaos!)
The Voracians are not particularly compelling villains, either. They believe organic life is inferior to technological life and they want to liberate all technology on the planet. They're also part office equipment (?) and they want to get a pen back from Harry that he got from Sarah Jane for reasons I was never entirely clear on (it has a chip in it that is special for some reason?)
There's a couple of fairly compelling supporting characters but they don't get much page time - George Gardner is funny and clever but disappears after making his initial contribution to the plot (he reappears very briefly at the end); Sylvia Webb, Harry's housecleaner who wants to be a lawyer, is very brave and stubborn and ultimately gets fridged.
There is some great Four & Harry interaction:
"Time to leave then," the Doctor shouted back. "Abandon ship!" He reached for the door handle.
"I've tried, Doctor. The doors are locked."
The Doctor was pulling at the handle. "Harry," he exclaimed in surprise, "the doors are locked."
"He's a spin doctor. Works directly for the Prime Minister."
"He's a spin?" the Doctor repeated in puzzlement. "What do you mean, Harry? A spin? I've never heard of a spin."
"No, Doctor. He's a spin doctor.‟ Harry sighed. "I mean, he's a spin doctor, Doctor."
The Doctor was on his feet in a flash, finger held up as if in revelation. "Harry, he's a spin doctor."
"I could do with a sub-genron focusing regulator if you can find one." His hands paused in their sort through the componentry. "Though I'm not sure it's been invented yet."
"Fine, Doctor." Harry handed him the torch. "Why don't I go and get it invented while you make a start here?"
"Thank you, Harry," the Doctor said as he took the torch. "I always said wit was one of your strong points."
But overall not one of my favorites so far.
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