The Dark Path (Doctor Who: The Missing Adventures)

Wow, I did not expect that, glad I didn't read the description or review here before I read the book. This old "missing adventure" 2nd Doctor novel is an origin story for a major DW character. The cover illo. does totally give it away, but I was expecting the traditional character disguise/deception story line, not the first time this character actively became how he is portrayed in 3rd Doctor stories, after being introduced in Terror of the Autons. This gives backstory with the 2nd Doctor.

I'm sure this origin was not carried forward in 21st century DW. There may even be other versions in the many novels I haven't read. I need to get through more of these that have been on my TBR shelf for 30 years.

Even has the first use of the Tissue show more Compression Eleminator. show less

http://nhw.livejournal.com/1145131.html?#cutid2

McIntee has managed to flesh out the future galactic federation with Draconians, Terileptils and a hexapod from Alpha Centauri; he brings the Doctor, Jamie and Victoria there straight from an adventure with the Menoptera on Vortis; and of course most gloriously he brings in a bearded gentleman called Koschei who has his own Tardis and (this is hardly a spoiler) by the end of the story has decided to call himself "the Master" in future.

Added to all of this, the plot actually makes sense! We have an isolated human colony under investigation by both Federation and alien fleets, and OK, we end up with a story that has certain similarities to Colony In Space except that it is better. Of course show more Koschei (the future Master) wants to seize control of the secret at the heart of the colony, and the Doctor must prevent him; but matters are complicated by the fact that Koschei has an assistant who is not aware of what he is up to, and who is herself not entirely what she seems. Giving him a travelling companion is a great idea, and it's amazing that it took the TV series until 2007 to do so (and then Lucy Saxon is not quite the same thing). All very good fun. show less