| THE TIME MONSTER by Robert Sloman |
| Story 64 Synopsis: Professor Thascalos is undertaking time experiments under the TOMTIT project. Wootton near Cambridge is the epicentre, and the Doctor is soon onto it. But before he can stop Thascalos, an experiment causes lab assistant Stuart Hyde to become 60 years older. The Doctor realises that Thascalos is the Master in disguise, and is trying to use a crystal from Atlantis to summon and control a Chronovore, Kronos. Following the Master back to Atlantis, the Doctor is unable to prevent the Master killing King Dalios, usurping power and using the Great Crystal to unleash Kronos. Kronos destroys Atlantis, and aims to make the Master a prisoner, but the Doctor pleads for his enemy's freedom, which Kronos grants. Hyde is restored. |
| Review:- I bought the novelisation as part of Star Books' policy of reprinting 3 books bound in 1 volume. This was paired with The Daemons, and like that this sees an end-of-season romp with the Master and a super-being of great power. There is a popular claim that almost all Dr Who stories which have the word "time" in the title are notably bad, and that this tale is no exception to the rule. Well, I disagree with the rule, and agree that this is no exception. The Chronovores are an intriguingly presented creation, particularly when you consider them as beings of limitless power. OK, let's be honest, any Dr Who story featuring beings of limitless power is okay by me. But in this instance the presentation of Kronos' power is mainly suggested, and becomes all the more impressive for the effect it has on other people. I am glad that the Chronovores made a comeback in No Future. Since this is Doctor v Master, round 7, we get a good look at the sparring jabs between the two, with the "disrupting experiments" routine, and the "TARDISes-within-TARDISes" skit. But the Master manages to convince, running rings around Benton, and keeping the right people under his thumb. His swatting of Dalios, and control over Galleia is textbook villainy, and sometimes it helps when villains actually do that. The Doctor does his level best with what comes to hand, but finds himself repeatedly playing catch-up. Then, when all's said and done, he gets hoodwinked into saving the Master from eternal torment, and with little to show for it. But considering he gets cast into the Vortex, and destroyed in the fall of Atlantis, he does well to even cross the finish line at all. Jo has little to do, and does it. Hyde and Ruth Ingram make a half-decent team, and put a lie to the suggestion that only Robert Holmes wrote good lines for double-acts. Benton outshines the Brigadier, getting a good deal of action, which is nice. I like this story. |
| Disclaimer: I've read the book, and also seen the telly version. |