DOCTOR WHO: HARVEST OF TIME
Featuring the Third Doctor, Jo Grant, UNIT and the Master
A novel by Alastair Reynolds
Available 6th June 2013, from BBC BOOKS
“Nastiness comes in all sizes”
The Doctor
Current TV Time Lord Matt Smith may not be back on our screens until later this year, but DOCTOR WHO fans have lots to celebrate in this anniversary year with the Doctors of the past-splendid fellows, all of them!- within BBC BOOKS continuing evolving range of original fiction. Acclaimed British sci-fi author Alastair Reynolds follows Stephen Baxter’s prominent footsteps in helming his first, and hopefully not last, original DOCTOR WHO novel set within his favourite Doctor/era from childhood. Pacily written, Harvest of Time joyously captures the spirit of that five-year earthbound period starring the beaky nosed, cape-swirling hero Jon Pertwee.
Set at some point between the Classic WHO stories The Daemons and The Sea Devils, the incarcerated mind of evil that is the Doctor’s deadliest nemesis from Gallifrey, the
Master, is up to his old tricks again-desperate to escape his confinement and using the past, present and future as his weapon. But strange things are afoot linked to his unique presence. Time seems to be changing around him. And why are his UNIT captors suddenly and inexplicably starting to lose their memory of their Public Enemy Number One? What’s causing this “time fade? And can it be stopped?
Even with this looming threat of forgetfulness, however, a bigger catastrophe is quickly beckoning our heroes attentions, as the Doctor’s favourite planet is in danger once again. There’s metal killer crabs, pockets of Earth’s oceans being diminished or disappearing, collapsing North Sea oil rigs and an ancient alien ship which should be destroyed but isn’t, its lethal cargo intact and ready for revenge…
One of the most belligerent and vicious life forms who exist to conquer by sheer numbers, the Sild, have made their arrival on Earth, emerging from its once blue seas…and they want it!
The warm, comfy hint of the shows halcyon seventies days remain intact and finely recreated by Reynolds. The affectionate relationship between the mature Doctor and young Jo Grant recreates the charisma of stars Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning (even if they are separated for the vast majority of the book), whilst Pertwee’s mannerisms and dialogue in the overall scheme of things all feel right. So too do the UNIT regulars (the indomitable Brigadier, likable Etonian Mike Yates, reliable Benton), all given sturdy moments in the sun.
The story’s new supporting players are solid whilst keeping to the era: there’s corrupted ministers and lackeys, an oil rig boss with an important past and future history, and the disposable soldiers always getting killed by the threat of the week, set against some nice WHO location backdrops- an abandoned nuclear plant, oil rigs, dying planets and an epic-size spaceship, the former two appearing when the story kicks in to big sci-fi concept mode during its second half: Chapter Twenty-one, in particular, has a brilliant ending that’ll make you want to keep reading on into the night…
But it’s the Master that reigns supreme in this adventure- his hypnotic visage, diabolical evil, supreme intellect and all-round charm as personified by the late, magnificent Roger Delgado. His eventual and inevitable team-up with the Doctor, which was such a big and vital element of that era’s success, continues with aplomb.
With some nice links to old and new series, and one fun little plot element/tribute that fans of Douglas Adams time on WHO will greatly enjoy, Harvest of Time is easily one of the best original DOCTOR WHO novels in a very long time, and a true pleasure to read. A well-thought out, classic mix of nostalgia and sci-fi trappings within a lovely tribute to the TARGET books of old, but with added sophistication.
All we need now is some imaginary RADIO TIMES episode clippings made real, to give us some teasing plot elements and a cast list, and our nostalgia senses for Classic WHO are fully primed!
KOOL TV REVIEW: A lovely tribute to seventies tea-time horror and imagination-the spirit of Jon Pertwee, and the shows then dedicated and highly creative seventies production team, lives on! 5 out of 5
Get hold of HARVEST OF TIME here:
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