The Infinity Doctors

"For thirty thousand years, on a thousand planets, we fought the Time Wars. The devastation would have destroyed the universe had it not been for the intervention of certain higher powers. Since that time, time has been stabilised. It is impossible to change Gallifrey's past, or to know its future."

Author: Lance Parkin
Format: Novel
Released: 16th November 1998
Series: PDA 17

Featuring: The Doctor

Synopsis

"Sing about the past again, and sing that same old song. Tell me what you know, so I can tell you that you're wrong."

Gallifrey. The Doctor's home planet. For twenty thousand centuries the Gallifreyans have been the most powerful race in the cosmos. They have circumnavigated infinity and eternity, harnessed science and conquered death. They are the Lords of Time, and have used their powers carefully.

But now a new force is unleashed, one that is literally capable of anything. It is enough to give even the Time Lords nightmares. More than that: it is enough to destroy them.

It is one of their own. Waiting for them at the end of the universe.

Featuring the Doctor, this adventure celebrates the thirty-fifth anniversary of Doctor Who.

Verdict

Well, The Infinity Doctors was certainly an extremely intriguing read. A story featuring the Doctor, something that's not so ironically common, yet we are never told which incarnation of our favourite Time Lord is the Doctor and where in the Doctor's life the story takes place. I personally like to think that the Doctor in this novel is an incarnation far into the future of the current Doctor (Peter Capaldi, no.12) where he has grown tired of exploring the universe, saving Earth and showing humans the wonders of time and space. I wouldn't think it possible for the Doctor to ever get bored of travelling, but even one day the Doctor has to return home. I liked the description of the Doctor's room on Gallifrey, all full of clutter, books and Earth relics. Just how anyone would have imagined. The story revealed, from my perspective at least having not read any PDA novels previously, much information regarding the Doctor. He was born in the House of Lungbarrow and his mother's name was Penelope. Any information about the Doctor's family is certainly welcomed, but a huge shock to me was that the Doctor had a wife! Not the TARDIS (The Doctor's Wife) or River Song (The Wedding of River Song), but the former wife of Omega! The relationship they had in Part Three of the novel was lovely but it shocked me how compassionate, affectionate and admiring the Doctor was of his unnamed wife. The novel told a lot of the history of Gallifrey which was outstanding, explaining how the Gallifreyans became Time Lords and harnessed the Eye of Harmony. Rassilon being in the novel, although not really part of the story, was great. Omega as the villain proved to be just as sinister and brilliant as he was in The Three Doctors and Arc of Infinity. His description was very similar and I loved how he was trapped in the anti-matter universe where he ruled purely by will. But thanks to Savar (a terrific character) crashing his TARDIS and creating the Needle which in effect was the Effect, his influence was growing on the Matter universe. His almighty conquering will was intriguing as it seemed at one point that he wanted to be like the Doctor. Omega wanted freedom as a man. The sub-plot of the Doctor trying to bring peace to the age old war between the Sontarans and the Rutans was excellent and provided some good comedy and ultimately an end to the war! So, we learn that the war does come to an end, the question TV narratively is, when? I adored the character of Larna, the stand out character of the book by far! Almost like a companion, she was the most promising student of the Doctor which was a nice touch but she felt something a bit more for him. I was utterly shocked by the fact the Doctor killed her at the end of part two to reach the Needle. But he got her restored to life thanks to Omega. But still it wasn't expected! The many past story references were good and the climax was great! A tremendous book but it doesn't quite get full marks from me because with an unspecified incarnation of the Doctor it hurts the imagination needed when reading. I also wish the Doctor's (and Omega's) wife was named. Overall, a story well worthy of the 35th anniversary!

Rating: 9/10