The Well-Mannered War

"Soon you will crave the luxury of extinction."

Writer: Gareth Roberts (Adapted by John Dorney)

Format: Audio

Released: April 2015

Series: Novel Adaptations 05

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, K9

Synopsis

The edges of space, the far distant future, an era even the Time Lords are not supposed to visit. 

Laid claim to by disputing factions of humans and Chelonians, the planet Barclow has become the catalyst for an unusual war. In two hundred years of hostilities not a shot has been fired, and the opposing combatants are the best of friends.

But when the Doctor, Romana and K9 arrive, they discover the peace is not going to last. Something dangerous is happening behind the scenes. An election looms. Bodies are piling up. Tensions are growing. Someone, somewhere is trying to make this well-mannered war very angry indeed. 

Only the time-travellers can save the day. But that might be their biggest mistake.

Verdict

The Well-Mannered War was an excellent audio adventure! This was one I debated on listening to prior to reading the novel but I thought why not. Everything that comes my way would be a big surprise and with me not yet owning the novel and a huge backlog of books to catch up on before I even think about purchasing it, I felt it was safe to listen to this adaptation. I had no idea prior to listening of pretty much anything within the store and that was fun as there is quite a significant plot twist near the end with the return of the Black Guardian! I'm glad that I was not spoiled that and hopefully I'll forget about it by the time I do come to eventually blog the book. I'm a huge fan of the pairing of the Fourth Doctor and Romana II and they didn't disappoint here. It did feel like their relationship was very much how it reads in prose which is intriguing and the continuity with The Romance of Crime in having Menlove Stokes return was magnificent. I really didn't see that coming and whilst he was less focused on selling his art this time around, he was still a bit of a useless nuisance who was mostly just in the way. But he filled that role marvellously and Romana's reaction to him being present said all that was required. I thought the concept of the time spiral was fun and the Doctor having to adjust to it with the component that Romana had just found was obviously too much for coincidence, but it was wonderful in going to a time so far in the future where even the Time Lords didn't like to venture. That's a fascinating concept and whilst things didn't seem as distant as the likes of Utopia, it still did seem pretty futuristic. K9 was on hand to provide all the logical humour and I just thoroughly enjoy his presence and what that brings. The fact he ended up running for President in an election was not something I could envisage but the tagline of being the logical choice was tremendous. Top notch stuff. I thought the whole notion of a war that wasn't really a war was fascinating but I loved the politics behind it. On the inside both parties were quite chummy and could not believe it when it was suggested that some actual conflict be initiated. There were those on both sides that did actually want to get the war into action but after centuries of nothing happening, things started to get testy. I thought the returning Chelonians were good but it was definitely the Darkness that stole the show. The idea of a hive mind is strong and it was very clear almost immediately that the buzzing of flies was going to become significant. I suppose if I had read the book prior to listening that would be something I would have appreciated knowing the twist to come. The fact they came every two-thousand years for a feast and were lured in here by the Fembots and ultimately destroyed by the Doctor. I thought Stokes stumbling on a crystal and being the one that was in place of the pilot who could actually manually pilot the ship when the computer went wrong was fun stuff and the link back to the Key to Time with the crystal here seemingly being another segment or at least something similar was fantastic, especially when the Black Guardian emerged as one of the main villains of the piece! I had no idea he would show up but with the heavy focus on the Randomiser in the TARDIS it makes sense. I thought the Doctor evading him again by using the same console button of emergency departure in The Mind Robber that saw him taken out of reality altogether was impressive as that's some way to deal with the hive mind. It's a shame we don't get a next audio in a series to hear where the Doctor and Romana ended up, but I'm sure reading the Missing Adventures series will reveal all at some point. Overall, a fantastic story! 

Rating: 9/10