| THE COLONY OF LIES by Colin Brake |
| Story ? Synopsis: The TARDIS arrives in a spaceship. Exploring, the Doctor and Zoe become separated from Jamie, who has made a new friend, Billy Joe. They are on Axista Four, a colony founded 100 years before, but which has now split into two groups, Traditionalists and Realists. A troop ship from Earth has arrived, as a vanguard for a shipment of 80,000 refugees. An other ship has landed, and it contains the Tyrenians, who want revenge for the attack on them a century ago. The troopers are out to kill the Tyrenians, but the Doctor finds that they are the responsibility of colony founder Stewart Ransom. They were a genetic experiment that went awry. With the help of the troopers, the Doctor manages to negotiate a settlement between all sides, so that they can all share the planet. |
| Review:- Well, this has been a slightly-anticipated book. Colin's previous effort, Escape Velocity, got some of the worst reviews for a Doctor Who story ever. I should say that I was in the minority who liked it. This time, he has got better reviews. Thankfully, I can add my voice to them. The story is split into 6 parts, each of 3 chapters, which makes the book quite simple to read. Certainly, I found it welcome. The narrative is pretty reasonable too. Compared to many recent BBC books, this is a straightforward tale with understandable characters with decent motivations, and intrigue. The plotting is well paced, and I was certainly kept guessing. The two factions are well established, the Tyrenians are given a little depth to make them more than just a race of 'dog-men' (the Alisorti are a touch not seen since Shadowmind), and the troopers become decent 3-dimensional people as they go on (Cartor's final act underlines that he isn't just an unthinking grunt). The Doctor feels true to his character, and Jamie and Zoe get some useful action (Jamie gets rather more, it has to be said). I didn't feel annoyed with any characters seeming odd. On the whole, I would recommend this book heartily. |
| Disclaimer: I own a copy. |