Doctor Who

Doctor Who in a cross-over with both The Professionals and The Simpsons.

Well, all right, not really. Or at least, while there's some truth in it, the end result rather less entertaining than that might sound. This is, basically, a comedy, and its tone is rather uneven, at times crossing the line into merely being silly.

For example, while there are three characters in it that certainly look like those from the The Professionals (for copyright reasons, they obviously have different names) they don't really act much like them, and aren't even a particularly funny pastiche of the show they're pinched from. At least using The Simpsons for comedy makes sense.

Okay, so the fusion with these two shows (and, actually, a few others) is really a very minor part of the book. But they are an illustration of how it wanders about, flitting between crazy humour and dark horror in a way that never quite coheres. Supporting characters are never really developed, and the whole thing feels rather patched together.

Which is a pity, because there are some rather good bits in it. The story features both the Second and Fourth Doctors, and the basic threat (once we get round to it) is quite a good one. There are some genuinely funny parts, as well as real menace when appropriate. If the author would only stop messing about and get some focus, this would be an easy four stars.

The Second Doctor parts are, on the whole, better than those with the Fourth. The set-up is interesting, the monster rather cool, and he and his companions are all well written and believable. That's what gets this three stars, rather than two.

But, on the whole, you rather get the impression that Stone is just trying too hard. Nor does the novel fit terribly well with its supposed place(s) in continuity, and there's the odd bit where things that are ostensibly ‘real world' don't make sense, either.

Final conclusion: should have been better, but could have been worse.