| HISTORY 101 by Mags L Halliday |
| Story 58 Synopsis: Earth, 1937, and on a visit to Sartre, in Paris, the Doctor realises that Picasso's famous painting of Guernica has been altered perceptually. So, he sends Fitz off to see the actual attack on Guernica. Whilst that's going on, Anji and the Doctor travel 5 months back in time, where the TARDIS unfortunately shuts down. There is a creature, an Absolute, on Earth, and it's taking samples to understand the human race. But the Doctor messes its survey, and the creature begins to go insane, affecting the perceptions of the locals in Barcelona. Fitz sees Guernica attacked. Then he sees it happen twice more. He has been accompanied by Sasha, but on returning to Barcelona, Sasha vanishes. The Doctor realises what is affecting the TARDIS, and tracks down the Absolute, and the mutant creature he has created. He transports them to the centre of Guernica, jolting the creature out of its phase, and lifting the perceptional paralysis which was affecting those fighting the Spanish Civil War. Relieved, Fitz and Anji join the Doctor in the working-again TARDIS, and leave. |
| Review:- This story kept reminding me of Autumn Mist, and I can't say I understood that book a lot! I suppose setting it in Spain makes a change, and the reflections of Paris, Barcelona and Guernica make for an intriguing read. Actually, the last author who was as openly keen on research was another writer with a middle initial credit, namely David A. McIntee. There's something in this, I'll warrant... Oh, the story? Well, Sabbath turns up again, although I had expected that Sasha was him in disguise, so I was a little ahead of that game. His appearances have no mystique to them at all. The Spanish Civil War is intended to get depth from the varying perspectives people have, and different sides, but it all feels terribly insulting. Not to mention the attack on Guernica. Whether relatives of its victims feel better for it is another matter. Anji does a good turn, yet still goes and gets captured for no good reason! I also want to say that Anji has a more successful time than Roz ever did in the past. Fitz has a harrowing time, proves his capability, and still manages to get caught in a fight, and troubled. The Doctor has a fairly quiet time, apart from collapsing. When he starts to piece together the solutions, he is rock-solid convincing all the way. His summoning of the creature is very impressive, and the creative escapade with a magic trick and a page from a book are just sublime. That's the way to do it! Brains, not brawn! George Orwell makes a 'secret appearance', as Eric Blair, who turns out to be a sadist, but only when possessed. Hmm. Sabbath is less obvious than he was in Anachrophobia, but serves the same end. This had better lead to a good finish, or else... Oh yes, the cover's pretty good, but the title is just atrocious! At least it's a well-written and interesting read, if you ignore the plot. |
| Disclaimer: I own a copy. |