Timewyrm: Revelation

"There's no point in sleeping unless you dream."

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: Novel

Released: December 1991

Series: New Adventures 04

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

Verdict

Timewyrm: Revelation was a great book to conclude the Timewyrm story arc that has kicked off the New Adventures series of novels! I thought this was a really good conclusion to what has been a fantastic series of connected reads! It's a bold idea to spread a story across four books, but I think this definitely worked well and it was good to finally get an end to the Timewrym. The style was different to the first three books and that was set almost immediately with how much of a dark atmosphere was established. The very idea of a sentient church on the Moon and the Doctor literally dancing with Death, as fascinatingly depicted on the front cover, is more than enough to whet the appetite. I liked the continuation of the relationship between the Doctor and Ace and I really do hope that continues as I embark further on this range of books. The events of The Curse of Fenric are still very much felt for Ace and learning that the Timewyrm claimed to be there, among other landmark adventures, was really intriguing. I thought the presentation of the Timewyrm here was interesting in that it felt like it had just had enough of the Doctor now. Its efforts to use Ace against the Doctor was brilliant and I thought the use of dreams and uploading people as memory data extracts was a clever way to have all sorts of things happen to the characters. Exploring Ace's childhood as Dotty was quite the insight into her past and having her become that young girl again was really good. Learning of her moments with Chad Boyle and how he attacked her with a brick was shocking, and in the events constructed by the Timewyrm she actually died! Chad's reaction to seeing that she was alive and much older was good and it was clear he wasn't all there mentally. He wanted to really hurt her, so it was nice to learn that in reality where he hadn't killed Ace that he'd gone on to lead a successful life. The Doctor was presented in a unique way here and I quite liked that he was presented as being weak and vulnerable. It really sold how much of a threat the Timewyrm was, and the Doctor reminding us of the story where the Time Lords in their early days foresaw the Timwyrm was excellent. The Doctor's remorse towards his actions in resulting in Ace dying was superb, but I was glad that we found out that the image of the Doctor looking on as Ace died was actually the Timewyrm having taken his form. The only qualm I had with the book was the use of the Third and Fifth Doctors. I didn't think they were really needed and it just seemed a bit overkill in exploring the Doctor's past and providing more Doctors. We've already had it in nearly every book in the series so far. I did love that we had a subtle appearance from the First Doctor in the library, but that's where it should have stopped in my opinion. I wasn't too sure about Saul as a sentient church, but I did like the characters of Emily and Peter and the former's descent into the realm in her effort to save Ace was exciting. The word ace being used to remind 'Dotty' of who she really was also worked well. I liked the ending with the Timewyrm being trapped in the baby that had been present all along, and her now going to grow up as Ishtar with some nightmares seems a fitting fate for the god-like being. Overall, this was a really good read to conclude the story arc!

Rating: 8/10