Join the Doctor and his companions as they explore the mysteries of life, death and the Universe, and ponder the implications of what they discover.
Join the Doctor and his companions as they explore the mysteries of life, death and the Universe, and ponder the implications of what they discover.
SHORT TRIPS: LIFE SCIENCE
The theme of Big Finish’s seventh short story anthology is more inspired than most: stories dealing with previously unknown forms of life. Rather than merely limiting stories to a particular period of time or style of story, this limits the science while allowing the themes to run rampant. As such, the stories in the collection have a stronger link than usual, but are the stories themselves any good?
Syntax — David Bailey — Third time’s the charm for Bailey, who showed flashes of brilliance with “The Canvey Angels” and “Soul Mates.” This story uses the concept of a sentient language alongside the eighth Doctor and comic companion Izzy — as I’ve never read the McGann comics, it’s a testament to Bailey’s ability that I got a strong sense of Izzy as a character. The Doctor shows some curious morality here, but the story is strong enough to support it with its perfectly tragic ending.
Primitives — John Seavey — There are certain types of story which need the Pertwee Doctor, and this is one of them. He’s at his best when he’s somewhat melancholy rather than preachy, and his knowledge of the coming Builder War lends itself to this. The Builders themselves are interesting, though the historical background, devoid as it is of context, is somewhat confusing.
The Northern Heights — Mark Stevens — Some excellent (and very rare) usage of the second person in Doctor Who, this story somehow manages to believably recreate the experience of encountering a creature capable of manipulating our perceived reality. It also features a very alien capturing of the Doctor which convinces. Very strong stuff.
Observation — Ian Farrington — Might have fit better in the previous volume, featuring the Doctor going back in time to observe Earth’s history and inadvertently causing the very change he intended to see. It’s basically as cliched as it sounds, though at least Farrington’s decision to use a first-person Turlough perspective is original.
Mortal Thoughts — Trevor Baxendale — The plot is great, and the final revelation is neat enough, but unfortunately Baxendale’s attempts to horrify don’t really work. It takes a very talented prose style to truly unnerve a reader — the body horror on display here is far too obvious and forthright. Still, the perspective on life as portrayed is thought-provoking.
Lant Land — Jonathan Morris — Morris is sometimes too good with his regulars: as with many times on television, I just wanted to slap Tegan throughout this story. Other than that, it’s very well-presented, but the big revelation at the end is painfully obvious. Fortunately, Morris saves the story with his writing, but this didn’t really interest me at all.
A Star Is Reborn — Richard Salter — Humorous, especially the “Military Hardware” joke, though that’s an interesting direction for the story given its setting. Still, Salter pulls off the switch with aplomb, and does a fine job of making an early Colin/Peri pairing likable.
The Southwell Park Mermaid — Kate Orman — It’s wonderful to see Chris Cwej back in a Doctor Who story, but it’s even more wonderful to see an NA short story written by someone that understood the NAs. Orman’s present tense prose is beautiful and fluid, her grasp of the regulars is perfect, and the X prove to be an intriguing concept. Brilliant stuff — the anthologies need more stories like this gem.
The Destroyers — Steve Lyons — For the second time in the collection, someone goes back in time to observe a historical event and ends up causing it. However, at least this time the someone in question isn’t the Doctor — in fact, she meets the Doctor on his way back to the TARDIS. Nothing particularly imaginative here, though Lyons plays around with unreliable narrative and presents a new perspective on the fourth Doctor. Unimpressive, coming from Lyons.
The Reproductive Cycle — Matthew Griffiths — It’s hard to believe this is the same author who brought us the awful “Corridors of Power” back in Steel Skies. This is a heartwarming, provocative tale of the sixth Doctor and Peri having to act as surrogate parents to a reflective child of Kamelion and the TARDIS — the idea is almost pure fanwank but the execution is wonderful. The end, too, is stunning.
Jonah — Todd Green — This reminded me a lot of the stories of the pseudonymous Tara Samms: real-world setting with awful things happening to real people. And though Jonah is suitably tortured, and Sterling’s terrible actions are well-meant, and the framing device is poignant, it all seems a bit forced. Perhaps the energetic eighth Doctor just isn’t appropriate for this sort of tale — or maybe it’s just hard to accept a relatively happy ending for Jonah. This might take more thought.
Scribbles in Chalk — Gareth Wigmore — “Never let continuity stand in the way of a good story” is on perfect display here — how else would we get a Katarina story where she’s not dead? The regulars are excellent, as with many Hartnell tales, but unlike Baxendale’s story Wigmore shows an amazing ability to horrify with his descriptions of bodily transformation. Great prose and a fine ending makes this another excellent story to go with his “Mire and Clay.”
The End — Alexander Leithes — Bizarre. One of those stories written to explain a continuity point, “The End” attempts to show why the Doctor is not supposed to travel past a certain point in the history of the universe. Though the concept works, and the suicides are appropriately retold, the philosophical discussion at the end between the first and eighth Doctors is far too esoteric and strange to be believed. A poor Hartnell certainly doesn’t help matters.
The Age of Ambition — Andy Campbell — Yet another excellent tale. Campbell uses Victoria’s perspective to brilliant effect, writing a convincing Victorian (ha!) narrative combined with a healthy dose of zombie horror. The discussion in section I perfectly sets up the story, and the coda is strangely haunting.
Echo — Lance Parkin — Another first-person narrative, and though Parkin expertly captures Ace’s internal monologue, he makes her as annoying as I’d expect her to be. So while the narration does little more than grate, Parkin teases the reader with the same concept seen in his offering for A Universe of Terrors. Is this building toward something? Otherwise it seems oddly pointless, though quite well-written.
A Rose by Any Other Name — Jim Mortimore — Leave it to Mortimore to write a story from the first-person perspective of a living, sentient suit and somehow make it perfectly convincing. Fern is a saddening character, the encounter with the bear is strangely hilarious, and the suit’s fate is terrifying, plus the regulars are on good form. Since the Campaign disaster, Mortimore might be the author the various ranges miss the most.
Overall, Life Science is an excellent anthology and a strong step up from its immediate predecessors. The prose standard is exceptional and most of the plots are strong as well — indeed, there are no below-average stories in the entire collection but there are several stellar offerings. Highly recommended.