| SHINING DARKNESS by Mark Michalowski |
| Story 24 Synopsis: The Doctor takes Donna to an art gallery. She is promptly kidnapped by the Cult of Shining Darkness, who are colelcting the parts to a giant machine. The Doctor follows when the TARDIS is also transmatted away by a group pursuing the Cult to try and thwart their aim. The Cult leader, Garaman, aims to fulfil former leader Khnu's dream of taking control of all the robots in the galaxy. But by judicial use of a bomb, the Doctor is able to destroy both the remaining Cult members, and their big machine. |
| Review:- It's that old chestnut about the dislike of the unlike, not to mention the Turing test... Setting the story in the Andromeda Galaxy is great for two reasons. First, Andromeda is a familiar Who locale, and second, it gives credence to the idea of a galaxy-wide view on robots than would probably not work as well were it to be set around Earth, however futuristic. Also, the quest plot helps keeps things bubbling along nicely, with our separated heroes showing us events from both sides for the drama. Along the way, there is some fair discussion about judging by appearances, and treating people fairly. Although machines are the topic, it could as easily be any minority grouping. Donna's attitudes change, as she sees a humanoid robot as worth saving, but not when it's less human. The final crunch comes with a bit of side-swapping as an ally turns out to be an enemy, and it's fun that Donna gets a daredevil escape instead of it falling to the Doctor. Characterisation is quite thorough, although the need for a principal to suddenly reveal she was on the other side all along feels like a joke, not a credible development. Kids might find it a surprise, but adults will just laugh at it. There is also a brief sniggering critique of the Internet, of negative fans, which is a thinly-disguised parody of attacks on RTD's direction of the series. The book doesn't need it, and it just raises the hackles of people it attacks, rather than proving them wrong, or even trying to do so. But this is a small quibble, in a book which motors along well, asks some pertinent questions of the audience as well as itself, and manages to wrap itself up with a clever finish that you don't realise you saw coming. |
| Disclaimer: I've read the book. |