Subject: Who-Reviews: St.Anthony's Fire, A Doctor Who novel

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 17 Jul 1995 21:50:09 GMT

Who Review Volume II #4
				 by
         		      Ray Tate

St. Anthony's Fire: Mark Gatiss

	Not everyone will like St. ANTHONY's FIRE.  Those who are deeply
religious may be offended by the book.  I on the other hand am an agnostic,
and I enjoyed the swipes at fundamentalism in all its forms.  Mr. Gatiss
uses religion to create an inquisition-inspired cadre of hateful aliens and
shows how religion taken to an extreme can result in an endless cival war
between the Cutch and the Imstech.
	The characterization of the soldiers is remarkable in depth, and you
never forget that though these aliens have feelings similar to our own, they
are still alien.  the villains make Dalek thinking look postively
reasonable.  In less gifted hands, the deadly inquisitors could have been
campy and shot over the top, but you can tell Mr. Gatiss really hates these
creatures, and his hatred forges almost perfect representatives of evil.
The Daleks are the perfect racists.  The Cybermen are the near perfect
non-emoters.
	The Doctor cannot regenerate.  He is forever stuck in the guise of
Sylvester McCoy--not a bad thing.  However in this book, he regenerates his
mind instead of his body.  This Doctor is playful.  He is not the
manipulating Time's Champion.  He is merely a renegade Time Lord whose only
crime is tourism.  This change in character can be readily seen in his
relationship with Ace who he used time and again throughout many of the
novels.  In ST. ANTHONY'S FIRE.  The Doctor is Ace's friend.  He considers
her almost his daughter.  He does not play her like a chess piece, and Mr.
Gatiss strengthens their relationship by switching the roles they played in
his excellent NIGHTSHADE and by showing the Doctor openly display affection
for his oldest companion.
	Mr. Gatiss' descriptive passages come alive.  With this heatwave
burning across the nation, you ought to really feel as though you are in the
jungle or in a dirigible on your way to Porsim.  Benny gains a strong voice
and seems three-dimensional.  I'm guessing Professor Summerfield is the
hardest character to write for as she was never part of the series, and you
cannot hear an actress' voice or use her mannerisms.  Enjoy this book.

%A Mark Gatiss
%T St. Anthony's Fire
%I Virgin Pub. Ltd.
%C London
%D 1994
%G ISBN 0-426-20423-9
%O pb; U.S.A. $5.95
%S New Doctor Who Adventures
					"The Doctor opened his eyes...Captured
					 again."--The Doctor

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