| ZAMPER by Gareth Roberts |
| Story 41 Synopsis: The TARDIS lands aboard a test ship. Before it crashes, the Doctor and Bernice use one escape pod, Chris and Roz another. The Doctor and Bernice meet Smith, a scientist investigating the native slug-like Zamps, who use telekinesis to build warships, which is Zamper's main trade. The Doctor suspects there's more going on than the locals realise. He finds a secret cave where a strange machine is being prepared. The Zamps are connected to the Management, a computer entity which runs the business side of things on the planet. Having lured in the Chelonians to buy a new warship, because their empire has been torn apart by internal strife, the Zamps will use the new ship to launch themselves out into the universe. By tricking the Chelonians into plugging the gateway that separates Zamper from the rest of the universe, the Doctor is able to thwart the Zamps. |
| Review:- The comic wunderkind returns to his old stamping ground to bring back his success story from The Highest Science: the Chelonians. But times have changed, and the formidable tortoise-like warmongers are desperate... Soon separated from the TARDIS, the Doctor, Bernice, Chris and Roz find that Zamper has many things to offer, but the casino and the arms trade are as nothing compared to the native life: the Zamps, hideous giant-worm-like creatures, who use psychokinetic power to build warships. Too good to be true? Of course! But then, this isn't really a story about the arms trade at all. That's just background, and to provide a reason for the Chelonians to turn up. It seems that the former fearsome warriors are down on their uppers, torn by internal strife and seeking a return to their glory days. A bit like the Ice Warriors in The Monster Of Peladon, I suppose. The main two examples we meet, Hezzka and Ivzid, represent the two paths that the Chelonians could take - and at least that gives us a semi-reasonable Chelonian to take an interest in. They also provide clues about the true nature of the Zamps, Hezzka somehow recognising them as Arionites. The other Zamper locals are a mixed bunch. The Secunda is a walking cliche, Taal is too venal to be interesting, his new helper Christie is so manifestly rubbish as to be obviously hiding an ulterior motive, and Smith is a worthy but dull old stick, who sets off the Doctor on the trail of the Zamps. The Management, a simulation connected to the Zamps, makes a pretty tiresome mouthpiece once it breaks cover. Usually readers and viewers want bad guys to fail because they're evil, not because they're just irritating. Chris and Roz are pretty blandly written. There is some guff about Roz being different to other companions, but it's never convincing. Bernice does at least get the worthy subplot of expanding Hezzka's frame of reference, and so his death does at least have some impact. As for the Doctor, he soon gets on the right case, but is unable to do much to stop the Zamps. His actions in causing the Chelonians to take the fall for him is perhaps prescient of some of the New Series. Certainly, he seems to get through by the scruff of his neck. So, it's thankfully a short book, and provides some depth to the Chelonians. But it's lacking in too many other respects, not least that of interest. It smacks of a comic writer trying to prove they can also write 'serious'. Sadly, without any laughs to oil the machine, it creates a sense of boredom instead. |
| Disclaimer: I own a copy of this book. |