| COMBAT ROCK by Mick Lewis |
| Story ? Synopsis: The TARDIS lands on a colourful beach, on Jenggel. Jamie goes to a club, whilst the Doctor and Victoria have a more pleasant meal. But there are evil, powerful forces at work on Jenggel. A mumi appears to come to life, spitting poisonous snakes at unsuspecting tourists. There are cannibals. An elite team of killers are at work under the authority of President Sabit. But the biggest threat, besides the mindless violence, is a purple vegetation which takes over people's minds. The Krallik, a nemesis from the Southern Islands is manipulating people through their consumption of it. The Doctor deduces that the Krallik was behind the mumi attacks, and is lucky to escape with his life. Jamie and Victoria have some close scrapes too, but all return to the TARDIS. |
| Review:- Yes, OK, another synopsis which doesn't perhaps do justice to the text. Most reviews I've read of this book are positive. Well, guess who's going to balance that out! Some say the Doctor gets one of his best renditions, given that it's a popular complaint that the PDAs and the Missing Adventures struggle/d to capture the Troughton persona. I can't say I've ever noticed a problem, but then I've not much to go on. Here, he seems fine. Jamie seems less true, despite a similar set-up to Ben in Ten Little Aliens, last month. His women trouble just doesn't ring true. As one of the more violent companions, it seems a bit goofy to have him so overwhelmed so often, despite a level of local weaponry not too far off dirks and daggers. Victoria reads like a huge advert for something unpleasant. Zoe could have fitted in just the same, and with no differing impact on the story. Dull, dull, dull. The fact that it's the purple fungus that's the enemy just smacks of the attitude that people are blameless for their sins, which isn't true. So much just isn't good enough. The fact that the sand on the beach is not yellow doesn't make for easier visualisation, it just means it's a beach - so what? Mick's comments suggest a fondness for cannibals, and the book can easily be seen to have a subtext imploring tolerance of other cultures, and wouldn't it be groovy to go on holidays into jungles. Yeah! Er, no. Jenggel = jungle. How long did that take, I wonder? I hope Mick is happy with his girlfriend. So happy that he never writes another book, let alone another Doctor Who book. This is so irredeemably bad, I'm just grateful I finished it. |
| Disclaimer: I've read this book. |