| RECKLESS ENGINEERING by Nick Walters |
| Story 63 Synopsis: The TARDIS arrives in an unfamiliar Bristol, apparently in the year 151, where they unwittingly save a young girl named Aboetta, who agrees to be a guide for them. She takes them to the Totterdown settlement, but they claim it to be the year 160. The Doctor learns that a great event happened at Year 0, the Cleansing, connected with Jared Malahyde. The Doctor uses the TARDIS to return to 1843 to prevent the incident, but instead helps cause it. He takes Isambard Kingdom Brunel along as help. In 1831, he sees the moment Malahyde got his inspiration, follows through to the Eternium, then returns to Totterdown. Fitz has become affected by the settlement. All go to Jared's home, Ashton Court, where Jared has a Utopian Engine in his cellar. It was designed by the Eternines to fuel their dying pocket Universe. The Doctor's prevention of its full operation has bought them all time, but when he links the machine to the TARDIS, Watchlar, the operating Eternine, revives and tries to start the process again. Using the power of the Utopian Machine, the Doctor rolls back time to prevent the Cleansing and the Malahyde Process, warning Jared to avoid the place where he met the Eternines. Satisfied that the anomaly has been corrected the Doctor plots a course to take the TARDIS to 2003, and check that history is correct again. Fitz is now having doubts about the Doctor, Anji is keeping the peace, and there is a mysterious woman called Natasha hiding in the TARDIS... |
| Review:- Well, the continuing saga continues, with a tale of altered history that builds on the tension of saving history, by featuring a notable historical character, a straightforward plot, some unexpected twists, and no Sabbath. It's an improvement on The Domino Effect, that's for sure, and Nick's previous effort, Superior Beings. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I am reminded on the NA Blood Heat, with its alternative Earth, heavy Bristol air, and destructive conclusion. But hypocritically, I liked that book, and this book has enough variation to make it seem bold. The main moves of the book are the development of a relationship between Fitz and Anji, and the return of Fitz' memory problems (see Earthworld) leading to his doubting the Doctor's mission to save the Universe. Whether this is to be further developed in the coming months, I guess we'll see. But this does seem like a quiet month for the two of them. The Doctor himself is dynamic and desperate, struggling to do the right thing, and know what the right thing is. We get some nifty TARDIS-work in the 2nd half, after a pretty anonymous 1st. The two stars of the book are Jared Malahyde and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Malahyde, the frustrated poet-cum-violinist, is rather a victim of the whole adventure, although he seems more likeable than the Totterdown residents. His guilt is quite convincing, and it is only the appearance of his younger self that spoils his effect. Brunel only turns up about 60% of the way along, but bristles and burns with such conviction that he really helps the rest of the book glow. His confidences with the Doctor are moving too, and he comes off quite well for a "real" figure. Top hat and cigar at all times, it is a shame the cover blots out his face in favour of a skull. Ah well... The other characters are hit and miss. Father Gottlieb seems certain to be some kind of special agent, but he turns out to be as vulnerable as anyone. Robin Larkspar is misguided pretty much all the time, and Aboetta Cigetrais is quite bland. The alternative Bristol certainly shines more here, and the ideas developed from the "40 years in 40 seconds" gimmick are quite clever. No animals, no birds, and the ecosystem starts to go insane. Cannibalism bares its ugly teeth, and the Wildren are an amusingly named idea. On the whole, a book that brings the EDAs back on track, and just in time for the events of The Last Resort... |
| Disclaimer: I own a copy. |