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A review by faiazalam
Doctor Who: Dancing the Code by Paul Leonard
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A powerhouse of a story, with a strong political aspect thrusting The Doctor, Jo and UNIT into a world that they're much less used to, and one that's infinitely more terrifying than any aliens they may have to face. This story gets so much right, it's astonishing to consider that I don't hear more about it.
The main element of the tale is humanity's inherent ability for cruelty, an ability oft disguised as a game of politics. Having our main crew face the ramifications of political instability and the beaurocracy of worldly matters, they find that their task isn't so black and white as finding a group of alien invaders and kicking them back. There's no resolve they can offer here, there's no solution that can be presented. It's all they can do to save themselves and maybe as many lives as possible in the process. An astonishingly strong premise, brilliantly executed.
The characterisations of the main crew, namely The Doctor, Jo, The Brigadier, Captain Yates and Sergeant Benton, are all spot on. Jo's journey into trying to fit the maelstrom of human conflict into her version of perfect morality is extremely compelling, more often than not bringing her to loggerheads with The Doctor and the Brigadier. It's a shame this novel was written after the conclusion of the TV series, as it would have been a delight to see how she develops after this tale.
It's very rereadable, often giving a new insight into the supporting characters with each read, and allowing us to dig out more parallels with the world in which we live.
The breadth and scope of this tale is astounding, and it's really one I wish the television show was capable of at the time that it had aired.
The main element of the tale is humanity's inherent ability for cruelty, an ability oft disguised as a game of politics. Having our main crew face the ramifications of political instability and the beaurocracy of worldly matters, they find that their task isn't so black and white as finding a group of alien invaders and kicking them back. There's no resolve they can offer here, there's no solution that can be presented. It's all they can do to save themselves and maybe as many lives as possible in the process. An astonishingly strong premise, brilliantly executed.
The characterisations of the main crew, namely The Doctor, Jo, The Brigadier, Captain Yates and Sergeant Benton, are all spot on. Jo's journey into trying to fit the maelstrom of human conflict into her version of perfect morality is extremely compelling, more often than not bringing her to loggerheads with The Doctor and the Brigadier. It's a shame this novel was written after the conclusion of the TV series, as it would have been a delight to see how she develops after this tale.
It's very rereadable, often giving a new insight into the supporting characters with each read, and allowing us to dig out more parallels with the world in which we live.
The breadth and scope of this tale is astounding, and it's really one I wish the television show was capable of at the time that it had aired.