| THE DEATH OF ART by Simon Bucher-Jones |
| Story 54 Synopsis: The Doctor gets tipped off by Ace, and brings the TARDIS to Paris, 1897. With Chris in the police, and Roz trailing an artist, the Doctor carries out his own search. Roz narrowly escapes death, as her artist friend is mutated into a beast. Chris aids a tired copper, Jarre, who is being kept off limits by his superiors. The Doctor tracks down an elusive Dolls House, and meets Emil Montfalcon. They narrowly avoid death, but inside the shop they meet Emil's father, Dominic. Roz falls into the clutches of the nasty Montague. The Doctor realises that Emil is mildly possessed by very tiny aliens called Quoth, who have allowed some humans access to incredible psi-powers. He organises a trap for Montague, to allow the Quoth to all unite, and grant peace to the humans again. He then finds a new home for the Quoth, out in space. |
| Review:- The ongoing psi-powers arc really kicks in now with a pivotal tale that follows on somewhat from the American tale seen in Christmas On A Rational Planet. The intrigues of the Shadow Directory intersect with the feud between the Family and the Brotherhood... The story actually works well at sustaining interest and mystery, hand in hand. The Doctor's searches bring him to the heart of the puzzle of the Dolls House, whilst Chris and Roz are following different routes. Chris' work with the weary Jarre and his later assumption of the Doctor's identity is a foretaste of later events. Roz finds herself down in the sewers and then at the mercy of the bad guy, where she is helpless. And whilst all this is going on, comes the story of the Quoth, who turn out to be miniature aliens who've accidentally caused all the trouble. Because of their tangential influence on the story (which is nevertheless crucial), they feel quite superfluous to events, which doesn't do anyone any favours. Their pretty nebulous names eg Truthseeker, add another layer of tedium to the mix. Easier to grasp is the villain, Montague, and the elusive Grandmaster. Montague's villainy is simple to grasp, and the way that innocents are brutally mutated into new shapes is quite a scary thing to do. The only downside is that there seems no reason for these fates not to befall Roz, and her continued survival becomes a plot weakness. On the other hand, we have Emil Montfalcon, who jumps from body to body, and whose father Dominic is pyromaniac, and as for his mother... The domestic aspect anchors these characters so that their frailties are more forgivable, and it's clear to see why the Doctor has sided with them. The other angle of interest is Paris at the end of the 19th century. There is some gubbins about the effects of the Quoth on the cultural denizens, but that seems pretty obscure, as if a plague only affected solicitors. The title presumably fits in with this idea, but it doesn't really match. Overall, then, this is better than Miles' confuseathon, and an intriguing first effort from Bucher-Jones. The psi-powers story moves on a step, and Roz' fate grows nearer... |
| Disclaimer: I own a copy of this book. |