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After seven novels in the Timewyrm and Cat's Cradle series, the New Adventures finally give us a standalone novel, and it's the best in the range so far. It's also the most traditional, the sort of story that could pretty much have been made as part of the original television series. For example, like Rembrance of the Daleks it features racism, but like that story the theme isn't hammered home. The Doctor is in a downbeat mood, talking of retirement to Ace. The TARDIS' arrival in the Yorkshire village of Crook Marsham a couple of days before Christmas 1968 looks like giving him the time he needs to think things through. Mark Gatiss effectively conveys both the location and time period. Both might be lightly sketched, but most British readers would easily be able to conjure up their own images of a village in the Yorkshire Dales in the middle of winter, so this isn't a problem at all. In fact, the novel's traditional nature allows him to get on with telling the story and giving us some great characters. First and foremost among this is retired actor Edmund Trevithick. His most famous series, Nightshade, is clearly based on Quatermass, and as well as the series itself, there are a few other nods to Nigel Kneale's creation, including a book the Doctor finds which borrows a line from Quatermass and the Pit. Spookily enough, while I was rereading Nightshade, Gatiss appeared on BBC4's Screen Wipe to pay tribute to Kneale, and his love of the series shows through this memorable character. The Doctor and Ace are also on good form, and I say this as someone who regards them as one of the television series' weakest TARDIS teams. The Doctor's desire to stop getting involved and being haunted by Susan's apparition, and Ace's romance with Robin Yeadon are well handled. Having said that, I didn't like the ending much - if this was television it would be like building up to a companion's departure only for the actress to decide at the last minute that she wants to stay on after all. The actual threat isn't anything stunning, but again it's well handled, and it provides some effective scenes of the inhabitants of Crook Marsham being haunted by their pasts. All in all, a cracking read, even though this was at least the fourth time I'd read it. A highly enjoyable story with a Christmas setting that the new television series would do well to emulate instead of serving up a specials with contemporary London settings that revolve around whooshes designed to impress six-year-olds. back to the top |
NIGHTSHADE |
