This is an interesting one to review. I've always said that I give a
rating based purely on how much I enjoy the story I'm reviewing,
ignoring such factors as importance to the history of the show,
production difficulties, received fan wisdom, and indeed quality -
except in so far as they affect my enjoyment, of course. When I can
explain why I enjoy something - whether it be because it's really
well done or just that it tickled my fancy - I do so, and likewise I
will point out the problems I perceive even if they don't affect my
enjoyment.
Anyway, I enjoyed Mark Michalowski's story - incidentally the very first Big Finish Short Trip - and therefore I rate it pretty highly (as you'll see in just a few paragraphs' time). So let me begin by gushing a little and say some of the things I enjoyed. There's one (minor) spoiler.
First is the tiny framing sequence, reminiscent of a device used in stories of a century or so ago in which the author claims that he is merely passing on a tale which has come into his possession in some way. These are often quite elaborate - Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote some fairly extensive ones, introducing the younger me to the technique, and Michael Moorcock did the same in pastiche many years later - but here it comprises a single sentence at the beginning and a short piece at the end. Combined with the lengthy poetic title, this helped prepare me for a reading experience set very firmly in the past. I notice that this has also subconsciously affected the way I have been writing this review, with somewhat longer, more complicated sentences than usual - even for me!
The prose perfectly emulates the style of the period in which is supposedly written (including names elided as R-, for instance), and this sets the mood well. It's very definitely a horror story, and if I saw it on TV I would have hated it (I saw Dragonfire for the first time last week, and thought what happened to Kane was far too gruesome); but in prose I can cope. The atmosphere is tense, the resolution satisfying.
Returning to the framing, there's a trick at the end that is highly reminiscent of The Nine-Day Queen; and this is where the spoiler comes along, because even though I won't mention his name the supposed author of the story - the Ersatz Author, if you like, or E- for short - is a real man, and if you know a bit more about him than I did you will be able to work it out. E- died shortly after the events of the story, and in his last days called out a name that matches one of the unidentified characters. A mysterious figure then visited the graveside, leaving roses and cognac. What is not mentioned is that this later became a ritual, repeated annually from sometime in the 1930s to 2009 - something clearly possible for the Doctor in his later lives. It's neat.
I've not read much by E-. I've read his most famous poem and one short story and seen a number of movie and stage adaptations, but wouldn't call myself an expert. Nevertheless, this story seems in keeping with his works (though happily not quite so archaic in style) and was a most enjoyable pastiche.
But. (You knew there was going to be a 'but', didn't you, from the way I opened this review? That's foreshadowing, that is.) Is this really a Doctor Who story? Why are the Doctor, Iananbarbara there? The few hints we get seem more like the actions of a later incarnation. also, their behaviour is close to their TV portrayals, but not quite spot on somehow. Normally this would be damaging for the story, but everything is seen through E-'s eyes and our heroes are kept at such a distance that it feels more like an unreliable narrator than dodgy characterisation. The nearest thing on TV I can think of is actually Love and Monsters, where everything is told from Elton's (heh, another E-'s) perspective; but that was focused very much on the Doctor, whereas this is another story that he has wandered into.
But then, that's what he does, much of the time. It's just that normally we are seeing it from his (or his companions') point of view. So I guess it is a Doctor Who story, after all.
Published:
Date: December 2002
ISBN: 1-84435-006-1
Rating:
7/10.
Next Time:
Either the (much-delayed) next part of Susan's Tale, or an off-topic discussion.
Anyway, I enjoyed Mark Michalowski's story - incidentally the very first Big Finish Short Trip - and therefore I rate it pretty highly (as you'll see in just a few paragraphs' time). So let me begin by gushing a little and say some of the things I enjoyed. There's one (minor) spoiler.
First is the tiny framing sequence, reminiscent of a device used in stories of a century or so ago in which the author claims that he is merely passing on a tale which has come into his possession in some way. These are often quite elaborate - Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote some fairly extensive ones, introducing the younger me to the technique, and Michael Moorcock did the same in pastiche many years later - but here it comprises a single sentence at the beginning and a short piece at the end. Combined with the lengthy poetic title, this helped prepare me for a reading experience set very firmly in the past. I notice that this has also subconsciously affected the way I have been writing this review, with somewhat longer, more complicated sentences than usual - even for me!
The prose perfectly emulates the style of the period in which is supposedly written (including names elided as R-, for instance), and this sets the mood well. It's very definitely a horror story, and if I saw it on TV I would have hated it (I saw Dragonfire for the first time last week, and thought what happened to Kane was far too gruesome); but in prose I can cope. The atmosphere is tense, the resolution satisfying.
Returning to the framing, there's a trick at the end that is highly reminiscent of The Nine-Day Queen; and this is where the spoiler comes along, because even though I won't mention his name the supposed author of the story - the Ersatz Author, if you like, or E- for short - is a real man, and if you know a bit more about him than I did you will be able to work it out. E- died shortly after the events of the story, and in his last days called out a name that matches one of the unidentified characters. A mysterious figure then visited the graveside, leaving roses and cognac. What is not mentioned is that this later became a ritual, repeated annually from sometime in the 1930s to 2009 - something clearly possible for the Doctor in his later lives. It's neat.
I've not read much by E-. I've read his most famous poem and one short story and seen a number of movie and stage adaptations, but wouldn't call myself an expert. Nevertheless, this story seems in keeping with his works (though happily not quite so archaic in style) and was a most enjoyable pastiche.
But. (You knew there was going to be a 'but', didn't you, from the way I opened this review? That's foreshadowing, that is.) Is this really a Doctor Who story? Why are the Doctor, Iananbarbara there? The few hints we get seem more like the actions of a later incarnation. also, their behaviour is close to their TV portrayals, but not quite spot on somehow. Normally this would be damaging for the story, but everything is seen through E-'s eyes and our heroes are kept at such a distance that it feels more like an unreliable narrator than dodgy characterisation. The nearest thing on TV I can think of is actually Love and Monsters, where everything is told from Elton's (heh, another E-'s) perspective; but that was focused very much on the Doctor, whereas this is another story that he has wandered into.
But then, that's what he does, much of the time. It's just that normally we are seeing it from his (or his companions') point of view. So I guess it is a Doctor Who story, after all.
Published:
Date: December 2002
ISBN: 1-84435-006-1
Rating:
7/10.
Next Time:
Either the (much-delayed) next part of Susan's Tale, or an off-topic discussion.
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