| BEAUTIFUL CHAOS by Gary Russell |
| Story 25 Synopsis: The Doctor takes Donna home on the 1st anniversary of her dad's death, whilst he checks out a new computer system. Wilf invites him to a special dinner to mark his spotting a new star, but the Doctor realises it actually heralds the return of the Mandragora Helix. Using descendants from San Martino, where he last defeated it, it attacks the Copernicus Relay, and begins to uses its M-TEK machine to gull the human race. The Helix is after a new body, and plans to take over the Doctor. But he tricks it into trying to take over Netty, Wilf's new lady friend who has Alzheimer's Disease. In the process, the Helix is lost, and the crisis passes. |
| Review:- Although the first 3 NSA books to feature Donna made play of taking her into space, it was maybe inevitable that such a strong family background would be used, and here it is. The cover depicts Wilf and his telescope, which plays a mildly pivotal part of the story, allowing the Doctor to attend the special dinner where he meets Netty and twigs that the Mandragora Helix is coming back. The return of said Helix is given away early on when Madam Delphi mentions having waited 517 years since her last attempt (in The Masque Of Mandragora). Also, her henchman has the dreary anagrammatical name of Dara Morgan, which I didn't pick up on at first. Anyway, for those who like old enemies coming back, then Gary plays it straight, and gets in a few digs about astrology, which the Helix is using to fool people and announce its intentions etc In fact, the Helix is almost equal to the sub-plot involving Netty and Wilf. The tactless arrival of the anniversay of her father's death prompts Donna to try and clear the air with her mother, to little avail.To be fair, though, the book does more to make Sylvia Noble likeable than was ever achieved on screen. Wilf of course is still brilliant, loyal to the Doctor, tender with Netty, defiant in the face of evil (!). It would have been a major error to let Wilf down, but the book doesn't. And so, to Netty, who drives an unwitting wedge between Sylvia and Wilf, and whose illness eventually provides the salvation of the Earth. I am fairly appalled and stunned that BBC Books okayed such a plot point which is quite offensive to sufferers of mental illness. Even though the Doctor repeatedly explains that Alzheimer's is incurable, he uses an innocent woman as a trap. If anything, that would surely make Sylvia turn against him forever, but hey. I also suspect that there was a deliberate comparison being made with Donna's ultimate fate, but it just doesn't work. The other bungle of the book is the redoubtable Miss Oladini, who gets no description of note until after 50-60 pages we learn of her heritage/background, which comes as a surprise. On the whole then, whilst the Helix is pretty much a one-note villain, and the mental illness aspect is very poor, there is a lot of good characterisation and plotting, and I did enjoy it. |
| Disclaimer: I've read the book. |