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Doctor Who: Survival

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The Doctor takes Ace back to Perivale, where she wants to catch up with her old mates. But none of them seem to be around, they and others have just vanished, and there have also been deaths amongst the domestic pets. There is something preying on Perivale...

The novelisation of the last regular Doctor Who TV serial, the story is somewhat ironically themed around the concept of the survival of the fittest, and what that can mean to different people. Bringing Ace back home, especially in light of the two preceding TV serials ('Ghost Light' and 'The Curse of Fenric'), seemed a logical step and the story, focusses on her response to a changed home town in comparison with the Doctor's perspective (if you like, an internal and external view of the problem).

While it seems to start off on a small scale, the story grows as the initial oddities prove to be minor manifestations of bigger issues, and the Doctor and Ace find themselves embroiled in a conflict that not only impacts upon Perivale's safety, but places them both under considerable threat - and I'm not just talking mortal peril here, if things go the wrong way they could end up quite different people.

A little overshadowed by the "end of an era" feel, this book is however well written and worth adding to your collection. And you can take heart in the truth of its name: despite cancellation as a TV serial by the BBC, Doctor Who continues going strong to this day. Sometimes survival depends on the ability to change!