Description :
The Doctor, Vicki and new companion Steven arrive in what the Doctor claims to be the 11th
century. Steven is sceptical, and the wristwatch they find in a nearby forest seems to prove his
point. However, Saxons and Vikings abound, and the mysterious Monk has plans that could change
the history of the entire world.
Information :
Number 126 in the "Doctor Who Library", published by Target, and division of W.H. Allen and Co.
Based on the television serial of the same name, which was scripted by Dennis Spooner.
Review :
This book stands out to me as an extremely enjoyable and intelligent story. It is not just good
Doctor Who, it is a good story in it's own right. We have an interesting historical
setting that is well described and portrayed. The historical setting is important to the story
and the realistic feeling helps the story to "work". We have a kind of historical story
sub-plot, with the Viking raid and the consequences in addition to the storyline with the Monk
trying to change the course of history.
The Monk is a very interesting character, who is amusing and menacing at different times. The
part where Steven and Vicki read his diary is very funny. He really wants to help, but hasn't
thought through the consequences. One minor irritation is the fact that the Monk doesn't have
hardly any gadgets or anything past, oh, around the 1960s or from other planets.
One wonders whether the Monk will ever be caught by the Time Lords and put on trial for
interference like the Doctor was in The War Games. It's a pity that the Monk only made
one other appearance in the series. The ending was a little bit of an anti-climax. The Doctor
gets rid of all the Monk's things and sabotages his TARDIS. Surely the Monk could still cause
trouble. He wouldn't need neutron missiles to alter history if he made a few inventions ahead
of their time. It is, on the whole, an extremely good story aided by a good novelization.
Rating :
Four Stars (Out of Five)
Notes :
The Monk has a "Mark Four" TARDIS, which he claims to be superior to the Doctor's TARDIS.
However, the Doctor's TARDIS is later stated to be a "Type 40" TARDIS. It is possible that
"Mark" and "Type" are two different standards, and the Monk's TARDIS is a Type 41 or higher.
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