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A review by hammard
Doctor Who: Nightshade by Mark Gatiss
4.0
I believe this was the first 7th Doctor VNA I read. It made sense as it was available on the BBC website and was the first standalone after the opening two arcs. As such it made quite an impression on me and is one I have returned to often.
It is the first book in the series that really makes use of the novel length to do what is an old fashioned gothic horror style. The actual action doesn't get going until about two-thirds of the way through, instead getting such cliffhangers "The Doctor looked up from his book and chewed his lip thoughtfully" or "The Doctor looked at her steadily. Ace nodded. She knew where."
Yet this is never boring, as Gatiss manages to convey a real sense of creeping menace and emotional consequence. He also outlines a very important theme for this series, that you cannot wallow in nostalgia and have to move forward.
There are a couple of points that do drag it down a bit for me. First of all some of the elements are a touch similar to Timewyrm Revelation. Whilst it probably wouldn't have mattered as much at the time, coming 8 months after, reading these opening volumes over the course of a few weeks it is noticeable. Secondly, the ending is disturbing even by the VNA standards, and whilst it is haunting I don't feel the explanations we will get for The Doctor's actions really justify the narrative choice.
But overall a great book, I probably put only Cornell's work higher in these early days of the series.
It is the first book in the series that really makes use of the novel length to do what is an old fashioned gothic horror style. The actual action doesn't get going until about two-thirds of the way through, instead getting such cliffhangers "The Doctor looked up from his book and chewed his lip thoughtfully" or "The Doctor looked at her steadily. Ace nodded. She knew where."
Yet this is never boring, as Gatiss manages to convey a real sense of creeping menace and emotional consequence. He also outlines a very important theme for this series, that you cannot wallow in nostalgia and have to move forward.
There are a couple of points that do drag it down a bit for me. First of all some of the elements are a touch similar to Timewyrm Revelation. Whilst it probably wouldn't have mattered as much at the time, coming 8 months after, reading these opening volumes over the course of a few weeks it is noticeable. Secondly, the ending is disturbing even by the VNA standards, and whilst it is haunting I don't feel the explanations we will get for The Doctor's actions really justify the narrative choice.
But overall a great book, I probably put only Cornell's work higher in these early days of the series.