Survival

 

"It's the law of the jungle."

Writer: Rona Munro

Format: Novel

Released: October 1990

Series: Target 150

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

'So what's so terrible about Perivale?' the Doctor asked as he caught up with her. 

Ace sighed again. 'Nothing ever happens here'.

Ace had wanted her homecoming to be spectacular. She had imagined the amazed greetings of her old old friends, the gasps of surprise as she recounted her time-travelling adventures.

But Perivale on a summer Sunday seems the least lively place in the universe. The members of Ace's old gang have gone away – disappeared. 

The Doctor has other things on his mind. What is killing the domestic pets of Perivale? Who are the horsemen whose hoofprints scar the recreation ground? Where have the missing persons been taken? Is the Doctor stepping into a well-prepared trap? And if so, can it be the work of the Doctor's old adversary the Master?

As Harvey the grocer said to his partner Len: "I'm telling you, you put a catflap in and you get anything coming into your house."

Verdict

Survival was a really good novelisation of the final story from the original Classic run of Doctor Who! This one didn't quite have the feeling of the end other than the postscript insert from the range editor at the end which was intriguing to read in hindsight about Target publishing the final story as of then, and I was quite stunned to see that the Doctor's monologue that is rather famous as he and Ace walk off into the sunset is completely omitted! I was stunned by that and slightly disappointed as I was looking forward to reading that and I was taken aback that the book didn't quite finish how I expected. I thought Rona Munro's prose style was certainly unique as there wasn't a lot of consistency with chapter and paragraph length which was quite strange but it definitely kept me on my toes when it came to reading! It was well fleshed out though and for a three part story, it easily worked in the 134 page count which is obviously a positive. It was quite clear to see where the three episodes on television finished in line with the chapters here and I have to say that it was even more noticeable in this format that the story was close to the modern era of Doctor Who with it taking us to Perivale and Ace's home. Her reaction to coming home was good because she didn't really want to be there and instead just wanted to check in on some of her mates. The Doctor immediately seemed preoccupied after arriving which was intriguing and I liked how the relationship with he and Ace continued to be partly contemptuous with him ignoring her emotion and feelings of being home. He was interested in the cats which I found amusing and I thought the image of the Seventh Doctor buying cat food in a shop magnificent being a cat owner myself. Of course, the main aspect of the feline kind was in the Cheetah People. I thought they were written so well and for me they were the highlight of this story in prose. I was a huge fan of how they were written and they definitely seemed more vicious and just more interesting. The entire concept of them hunting from one planet to the next was excellent and I loved that the Master had got caught up in their planetary affairs after causing a war involving them. The Doctor's reaction to the Master's presence was great but I loved how he enjoyed finding out that the Master was stuck. I thought the passage about midway through the novel where the Doctor and the Master's history together was explained along with the latter's hatred of the former was brilliant stuff and it really did sell their bitterness and unfriendly relationship in an outstanding way. It was perfect to be honest. The Doctor describing to Ace how he was his equal and one day he expected one of them to wipe out the other was great. I loved how the Master was infected with the power of the Cheetah planet and him needing the Doctor for help was quite the request. That was presented really well. His knowledge of Ace was interesting in creating Perivale as a target and it was fantastic for Ace to be reunited with her crew after being transported to the Cheetah world. Midge was a good character and I liked that the Master was able to use him to get back somewhere resembling normality. His efforts of stealing the TARDIS were wonderful with the Doctor popping up from behind. Karra and Ace's relationship was superb after the latter was taken by the planet's force and the entire idea of a planet being alive was magnificent. I was a big fan of that and throwing in that it was dying worked well. It saw the Master's fate presumably sealed as the Doctor gave him a clubbing blow that the author indicated was meant to be one of death, but the Doctor then accepted the planetary power just in time to jump back home which was the TARDIS. Karra's death was a powerful moment and I loved how the story was used for Ace to realise that she wanted her life with the Doctor, and nothing else. Overall, a great read!

Rating: 9/10