Sunday, October 12, 2014

Doctor Who Time Trips: A Handful of Stardust

Author:  Jake Arnott

First Publication:  2014

Source:  NetGalley

Summary:  The TARDIS is diverted to England in 1572, and the Sixth Doctor and Peri meet John Dee – ‘mathematician, astrologer, alchemist, magician, and the greatest mind of our time’. (‘Only of your time?’, the Doctor asks, unimpressed.) But what brought them here? When the Doctor discovers that Dee and his assistant have come across a ‘great disturbance in the cosmos, in the constellation of Cassiopeia,’ he realizes that they are all in terrible danger.

Jake Arnott is best known for his crime novels.  Based on what I could see this is his first time writing science fiction or Doctor Who.  Arnott does a good job with this short story.  He does an excellent job of capturing the feel of a very good Sixth Doctor episode.  The dialogue and characterization was spot on.  I especially like the way Arnott incorporates the various morality discussions concerning imperialism and colonization.

Highly recommended.

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