Doctor Who_ Nightshade - Mark Gatiss [113]
the possibilities of the Earth. But the idea of sending it to In the original plan, it was Vijay who died, not Holly, but feed off the exploding star is very neat as is the very I remember becoming much fonder of his character as I Quatermass-esque idea of the Civil War explosion being scribbled away so it was poor Holly who got it in the neck. I caused by the Sentience going backwards in Time to when quite like the idea that some of the Sentience’s victims the star first went nova. On reflection, it would’ve been almost welcomed it as a release from their grief.
much neater if it had been that star that had somehow Reading this again, I find Trevithick’s last stand rather collapsed on itself and become a Black Hole rather than moving. The old man becoming the TV hero he always having the Sentience roam around a bit, snacking, before wanted to be. I find any goodbye unbearably sad. I saw in a getting snared!
documentary the other day that Chaplin’s brother used to The Stone Roses reference leaps out a bit, doesn’t it? I cry at every sunset. I know that feeling. I cried when think it was my attempt at being hip and it’s as Magpie ended. I cry when Blue Peter presenters leave, even uncomfortable to read as I felt doing it! Mind you, Ian if I’ve never seen them. On that subject, I remember tuning Brown was very sexy in those days before he turned into an in a few years ago when, quite by chance they announced, emaciated ape.
“for older viewers”, that Goldie had died. I fell to bits. And And now the ending. The Doctor tricks Ace and never don’t get me started on The Green Death...
returns
Crook
Marsham.
Under
normal
“Why do people have to keep dying?” opines Vijay. Well, circumstances, it says here, he would have done but ‘there it’s grim up North.
was more at stake now’. What does that mean? I don’t know!
I only know that I was told it would be wrapped up in the Chapter Eleven and Epilogue
next book and I remember picking up Love and War only to find there was no reference to it whatsoever! No fault of In the church, Locock uses tattered military colours to Paul Cornell’s, of course, but I was just baffled. How could spear the WWI ghost. This was directly inspired by the she forgive the Doctor so easily? Was it ever referred to Durham Light Infantry chapel in Durham Cathedral where again? Answers on a postcard please.
such colours hang, quietly mouldering, to this day. I’ve So that was my first Doctor Who book. I was thrilled at always found them sinister.
how it was received and then found myself unable to come 318
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up with another. Virgin turned down a curious space opera called The Black Death and a massively over-elaborate Jack the Ripper story called The Maniac’s Tear before finally letting me have another shot with St Anthony’s Fire - for which I have no fondness whatsoever. I remain deeply grateful to Peter Darvill-Evans for giving my first break and for being so encouraging. I still think it’s the best original idea I’ve had.
It’s been very nice to revisit Nightshade but nostalgia, as you should know by now, is dangerous. I promise not to think of it again until I’m in an old people’s home. If you happen to be sitting next to me and I start banging on about the old days, just keep your eyes peeled. There might be something emerging from the shadows. Something huge...
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Table of Contents
Chapter Three
Epilogue
Prologue
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine