Father Time

Lance Parkin

for the defence: Just War (NA), The Dying Days (NA), Cold Fusion (MA)

for the prosecution: No criminal record... so far

It's another story in three acts, set during what Homer Simpson might describe as "that turbulent decade known as the eighties". In part one the Doctor acquires a daughter, in part two he ends up losing her, and in part three they reunite to save the world. The daughter then goes on to become Empress of the Universe. Which is nice.

Lance Parkin's prose is a delight in all his books, and this one is no exception. It's an engaging read, even when the actual story flounders. The book gives us "the Doctor as parent", from his engaging friendship with an unusually bright school girl, through his entirely misunderstanding her as a teenager, and ultimately stealing a Space Shuttle to rescue her. The story is basically a revenge saga but seeing the characters grow and change is where the book scores - it gives us another side to the Doctor, a far more vulnerable and emotional character than we are used to.

The Doctor has built a sonic suitcase, which does exactly what it says on the tin. This gives us the glorious line, "Not even the sonic suitcase can get us out of this one" on page 164.

On page 43 the Doctor has a half-memory of a hissing race of martians (the Ice Warriors of course).

Rather confusingly, we learn that the Doctor is already known to some of the aliens that feature in this story, their having encountered him before. Amongst other things he apparently (sorry, I should have said allegedly, in case the Doctor's lawyers are reading this) destroyed a whole planet. Whether this is a parallel timeline, an alternative reality caused by Gallifrey's destruction/erasure, or just a simple case of mistaken identity, is unclear. I don't know (at the moment!) whether this storyline is picked up in later novels but I'll let you know!

There's also a bizarre 'future dream sequence' on page 271 which may, or may not, foreshadow future novels. Again, if I may momentarily channel JN-T, Stay Tuned!

The dreaded Iris is mentioned in passing, during the middle section of the book. Apparently she popped round to help the Doctor with his memory, but ended up making him even more confused. Well that's women for you!

And finally, the Doctor visits Betty Stobbold as an old woman (the character appeared as a teenager in The Burning). The suggestion is that they have kept in touch all this time.

Lance Parkin's take on the Doctor is a man full of enthusiasm for life, and this book is full of reaffirmingly lovely little moments - there's a sequence where he plays chess with every member of the School Chess Club at the same time, and another scene where he talks to Miranda (his future 'daughter') about having two hearts. Later on he uses a matter converter to turn a derelict tower block into a pile of roses, which somehow seems precisely the sort of thing this Doctor would do. And he also very nonchalantly steals a space shuttle. As you do.

Oh, and in the mid-80s he sports a ponytail...

This Book: Another freebie, another birthday present, same lovely, lovely brother!

Running Score: £19.02 against RRP