| BYZANTIUM! by Keith Topping |
| Story ? Synopsis: Byzantium, 64AD. The Romans rule a divided city. The TARDIS arrives nearby, and the Doctor is persuaded to allow his companions to visit the city. He fears danger. But they spend a week there with no sign of trouble. On their final day, they meet in the marketplace, but are separated when the Zealots cause a small anti-Roman riot. Ian is found unconscious by the Romans. Vicki is saved and taken in by a Greek family. Barbara makes her way to a Jewish temple, and is given protection by a Jewish family. The Doctor finds he was rescued by a group of Christians, who are in the early stages of writing the New Testament. Ian manages to convince the Romans he is not a spy, rather a freedman from Britain. Vicki finds it hard to accept life with her new family, especially after witnessing the crucifixion of two Christians. Barbara tries to plead clemency to the Jews, but is aghast to find the head of the house plans to marry her. The Doctor learns the TARDIS has disappeared. Vicki is taken away by the Romans on suspicion of being a spy. Barbara leaves her new home. Vicki's interrogation establishes she is not a threat, but when two slaves who are Christians offer her a chance to join their attempt to flee the city, she takes it. Ian brings together two feuding statesmen, who take action to thwart a plot against them. As Vicki flees, she runs into Barbara. They are nearly killed by a zealot, but Ian, having learned of Vicki's survival, has been tracking them. They all seek refuge with the Greek family who looked after Vicki. The Doctor learns Vicki is alive and well, and goes to Byzantium to try and find her. As Ian, Barbara and Vicki head out to return to the TARDIS, they are met by the Doctor. They learn the Ship was taken to Rome, so they set off to walk there. |
| Review:- History again, as Topping cunningly creates a gap between The Rescue and The Romans, to give Vicki her first adventure, and take a longer look at Europe in 64AD, under the rule of the Roman Empire. Byzantium (later Constantinople, later still Istanbul) is one of the most important cities of the time, and we get to see the many different groups who live there, through the cunning expedient of splitting up the time travellers to look at each one. Vicki joins a Greek family, where she finds it hard to fit in, although she does eventually come around to it, after witnessing the horror of a crucifixion, and nearly coming a cropper with a Roman guard. Barbara is helped by Jews. She tries to persuade the patriarch of the family to moderate his intolerance of other faiths. In turn, he decides she would make a good wife. But she rejects him, and this makes him rescind his earlier moderation. Since she is the history teacher, and the keenest to visit Byzantium, it is perhaps apt that she learns the harshest lessons. Ian is fortunate to be taken in by the Romans, and wise enough to insist he is a freedman from Britain. He makes a good ally in the general, Calaphilus, and finds himself the subject of female attention. It is he who makes the most positive strides to bring some peace to Byzantium, albeit inasmuch as a place with that scale of religious discord can be said to have peace. He also saves Barbara and Vicki in the nick of time. As for the Doctor, he makes the oddest journey of all. Saved by Christians, he spends most of the book out of the city, recovering from the attack in the marketplace, and giving some help to the writing of the New Testament. By keeping him away from the city, he is more plausible than if he were trying the patience of one of the many groups living therein. His foreknowledge of the importance of the Bible gives him an eyewitness account of the most important plot in the book. Had he been amongst the Romans, it would not have been the same. Their separate stories churn on well, until finally, the threads are brought together, with Vicki's seizure by the Romans proving the catalyst for reunion. It's possible the Topping sums up his own book best when Ian says that they didn't solve anything. Despite this, the narrative is still engaging, and fulfils the old remit to be educational, as well as entertaining. I suppose the nicest thing I can say is that I started reading it in dread, and finished reading it in a happier mind. |
| Disclaimer: I've read the book. |