Evolution (Doctor Who Missing Adventures) |
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John Peel
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Pages: 256 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0426204220
Pub: Virgin Books
Pub date: 1994-09-15
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 130916
Reader Reviews:
A Darwinian nightmare (1/1 people found this helpful)
John Peel has always been one of the classiest 'Who' writers and his latest Missing Adventure certainly doesn't buck the trend. The Fourth Doctor and his companion Sarah-Jane Smith arrive in late nineteenth century Devon and come face to face with not one but two of England's finest writers. The teenage Rudyard Kipling is a cheeky schoolboy who does his best to charm a resistant Sarah whilst Arthur Conan-Doyle is a young and idealistic ship's doctor. The time travellers soon discover that someone is experimenting on living human tissue and creating fantastical creatures - werewolves and mermaids amongst them. Just who is the enigmatic 'Ross'? And who his unctious manservant 'Abercrombie'? What is the mysterious beast that is marauding across Dartmoor, killing livestock and generating fear..? And why are street urchins disappearing steadily from the streets? Peel's novel is part Holmesian pastiche and part Island of Doctor Moreau; however it also forges its own identity as a classic Philip Hinchcliffe-era Gothic Doctor Who story. Following on chronologically from 'The Brain of Morbius' the adventure sees Sarah-Jane at her journalistic best - bolshy and winsome in turns until she gets what she wants. The Doctor is the implicitly alien man of action and the plot plays on the evergreen theme of man interfering with nature and the inevitable consequences this brings.
Traditional but pleasant romp (2/3 people found this helpful)
Evolution looks from the outset to have too many things going on - a central story riffing on Doctor Moreau-style fusings of men and animals, with guest appearances from both Rudyard Kiling and Arthur Conan Doyle, but with a light and pacy storyline this is a pleasant if unadventurous read. The characters - both regulars and new - are well drawn, and there are enough twists and turns to keep things interesting, the only real fly in the ointment is Peel's heavy-handed treatment of the Doctor being the influence for Sherlock Holmes. Easily John Peels best Doctor Who novel.
Classic Who (3/4 people found this helpful)
Brilliant. A nice period piece with an SF slant, and both the 4th Doctor and Sarah at their finest. An intelligent, witty story in the tradition of Tom Baker's gothic period. Buy it.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Science Fiction & Fantasy -> Media -> Doctor Who
Books -> Subjects -> Science Fiction & Fantasy -> Science Fiction
Books -> Subjects -> Children’s Books -> Ages 12-16 -> Characters & Series -> Doctor Who
Books -> Subjects -> Fiction -> General
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback
Books -> Refinements -> Condition (condition-type)