Timelash

Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #105

by Glen McCoy

London W H Allen, 1985. First Edition in fine, clean, tight condition. Glossy pictorial boards, w/o dj as issued.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy

144 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1985

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a novelization of the fifth Doctor Who adventure from the twenty-second season of the show, which was broadcast in March of 1985. The Doctor is in his sixth regeneration, and is accompanied by Perpugilliam (Peri) Brown. Glen McCoy adapted his own original teleplay for the book. It's a somewhat complex and confused story, heavy on political pontificating and temporal contretemps. The novelization occasionally condenses long scenes and exchanges into a paragraph of summary, and then stretches minor and insignificant bits into pages of description. There are several references to H.G. Wells, and then the big surprise is that one of the guest characters known as "Herbert" is in fact him. There's a pervasive misogynistic feel to the book, too... not one of the better Target books, and one of the worst covers, too.

[Tony · Rating 1 out of 5]

Timelash is a disappointing novelization of a story much unloved by Doctor Who fans, but which is great fun if you're in the right mood. The problem is the book is pretty bland. It does add a few bits and pieces to the TV episodes but nothing too exciting - which is occasionally the problem with Target novelizations with their firm page number limits.

Having said that I'm not sure how much you could pad out Timelash anyway. It's a pretty straightforward story of moral vacuum scientist becomes dictator, throws people into the Timelash as punishment, and generally wants to destroy everything to become the ruler of his world. The Borad - for it is he - has become a mixture of Karfelon and Morlox (a large and fearsome carnivore) - and wants to populate Karfel and hear the pitter-patter of tiny Morlox feet. To this end, he decides that Peri would make the perfect bride. After she's been half-chewed by a Morlox and turned into The Boradette.

Peri is treated abominably in this story. The Borad is another alien whose just in it for the sexual assault. Indeed, the book has a problematic attitude to Peri - and women in general. I quote, from p44:

"Katz, still very much a woman despite her torn and frayed battledress, adjusted her hair in a pool of water at the far end of the cave."

I mean come on Glen McCoy! What is this nonsense?

Anyway, it's not a great novelization of a story that is really only enjoyable for the hints of a previous visit, by the Third Doctor and Jo Grant, and the fact that on television at least you have the joy of some majestically theatrical - and in one instance really bizarre - performances. You need Paul Darrow in full Richard III ham mode to make this an enjoyable experience. On the page it is just awful.

Sorry.

[Michael Sigler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not nearly as good as the episodes. Seems to be written almost as a compilation of episode outlines instead of a novelization, even though it was written by the same person as the said superior episodes.

[Ian Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Takes a little while to kick into gear but eventually becomes a lot more exciting than its scripted counterpart. Characterisation is minimal but the story makes more sense and the stakes feel higher. Bland and unexceptional but it does the job.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glen McCoy's "Timelash" is one of the most infamous turkey's in "Doctor Who" history; the thought of the novelization must have filled people with incomprehensible horror. To his credit, the prose version of this debacle ends up being a serviceable, even enjoyable, rescue operation worthy of the great Terrance Dicks himself, complete with numerous attempts to address plot logic and tone down the loopier ideas. It will never escape the cellar of opinion, but McCoy manages to transform infamy into interesting...and that alone is worth all three stars.

[Raj · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novelization of the 6th Doctor story was, if anything, worse than Terrance Dick's efforts. The writing was quite awful and was sorely lacking a good editor although the story itself wasn't that bad for a 6th Doctor story. I think this one will be going to a charity shop pretty quickly.

[Rob Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Timelash the TV story. It's so naff and Paul Darrow hams it up big time as villain Tekker.
This adaption is ok, it does the job but in translating it to page it loses the low budget, the poorly realised Bandrils and the charm of the TV original. It even omits Darrow's legendary line "Save Your Breath for the Timelash, Doctor! Most people depart with a scream!"

[Gareth · Rating 2 out of 5]

A crash down to earth this one after the Two Doctors, and the worst Target novel I've read in this run of reads / rereads.
The story it is based off itself is not a strong one, but unlike with the Twin Dilemna, the writing style doesn't counteract some of this.
Instead, the writing possibly compounds the issue, with it's mixture of skipping dialogue, and even action into summarised versions that really weaken the story, and at times it seems to skip important stuff in this fashion, in favour of dialogue / scenes that aren't really that interesting. E.g. Peri going down a corridor looking at plants is detailed, but her escaping outside after a cliffhanger in the book is just quickly summarised.
On top of that, we seem to get some casual misogyny going on, with how the Doctor is treating Peri (and their general bickering in here isn't great, is understandable in Twin Dilemna, but by this point is really out of place, and goes backwards on how their relationship had developed previously), and the descriptions of other characters, and their thoughts behind their actions (so not something seen on TV really). The apparent sudden treatment of Katz as an equal by Sevon near the end, despite having been treated as an equal throughout, is one instance where this is in your face.
The plot itself isn't that great, really hard to understand how the people let the main antagonist get into power and run with what he was running with - while he and his motivations were somewhat reasonable plot wise, his ability to nearly carry it off wasn't so much. Plus it being a sequel to an adventure that hadn't actually been portrayed was a bit weak, removing some interest really.
The one off characters are really a mixed bag, some somewhat fleshed out, but many seem cardboard cutouts, and fates of some characters are really unclear with the way it abbreviates scenes.
Overall, not a great read that I struggled at times to keep reading, only thing that will make me reread in future is that it is a Doctor Who book, and I was able to finish it, so not a truly abysmal book where I can't even finish it.

[Andy Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this a weak one. The standard of writing is fine and respects the character of the Sixth Doctor and Perri and there actually aren't as many escapes-recaptures-escapes as soke though there is a few, but the plot devices aren't really handled that well. The visited planet has a time tunnel with 12th century Earth at the other end. Not quite clear why it has to be a time tunnel at all. It is called the timelash although the physical effects of going through it aren't punitive physically. It is used for banishment but who knows why as the Borad (evil leader) is not that bothered about just disintegrating people willy nilly. In fact his end goal is a planet of people as ugly as he is (he is half Morlock monster) with no beautiful humanoids it. He does fancy Perri so decides to make her half ugly monster too - not sure what. This linking of perceived ugliness with evil is pretty distasteful but the Doctor here enters into the spirit of it with some of his comments which is a shame (I'll be vehemently defending the preachy new Dr Who adventures next). Anyway, the other device is that the Doctor following the planets only power supply key (not great engineering) down the timelash meets up with H.G.Wells - I may have lost focus as I am not clear why he was in 12th century Scotland. He was doing some ouija nonsense or something (all science teachers like a bit of black magic I suppose) and maybe that was related - who knows? The screenwriter knew of Wells that he wrote the Time Machine and had a bit of a way with the ladies. He proceeds to have nothing to do with the ladies but follows the Doctor round taking notes that will no doubt form the basis of his novel accept that what happens to him has very little bearing on that work. Anyway, I will no doubt keep up the occasional nostalgic dip into Classic Who while I wait to see whether Amazon can make anything of the reboot. I wish I was a writer on that.

[David Layton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Glen McCoy's only contribution to Doctor Who was this story. It was the weakest of Colin Baker's maiden voyage season in the TARDIS. Basically, this is story is a victim of too many ideas. We have a time corridor, a dictator-scientist, a planet that The Doctor has visited before, human / wild beast amalgamations, an impending interplanetary war, and so on. To top it off, McCoy has to get young H.G. Wells into the thing so that whatever happens becomes the "inspiration" for his most famous science-fiction works. The thing does not really hang together very well. The novelization doesn't help. Most writers of DW scripts who novelize them take the opportunity to clarify and embellish. McCoy's novelization is the laziest I have read of the Target series. He skips over large amounts of dialogue, replacing it with short, unilluminating, and boring exposition. The writing is dry and factual, with little regard for creating the scene in the reader's mind. It is really an opportunity missed to rescue the original TV serial.

[Julian White · Rating 2 out of 5]

pdf, 100 pages

The novelisation goes some way to redressing a few of the faults of the televised version - though not, it has to be said, completely. There are probably too many ideas competing for page space but the central conceit of having HG Wells as a temporary companion (and therefore getting the idea of The Time Machine) works because that revelation is kept until the very end. The book is able to tone down the over-bright studio-bound setting (not least the twinkly tinselly Timelash) and also makes the odd native fauna possibly believable (even if the ecology of the planet makes no sense). Throw in another explanation of the Loch Ness Monster, a pictorial reference to a previous incarnation of the Doctor and Jo (Peri knows who she is) and some twaddle about a life destroying bomb from an invading force from a different planet allowing the Doctor to show off his technological wizardry with some time tricks... And Kerr Avon, masquerading as a weaselly sub-villain...

The latest installment of The Perils Of Peri has her threatened with physical morphing (again!) as well as her being chained to a rock to await a predator (the Morlox)... Not quite a 'Release the Kraken!' moment but close.

Not the worst Target book ever - but far from being near the best, even if it improves on the original.

[Pete · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doctor Who : Timelash (1985) by Glen McCoy is the novelisation of the fifth serial of the twenty second season of Doctor Who.

A time disturbance takes the Doctor and Peri to Karfel. There Borad is a cruel dictator who subjects people to the timelash and generally behaves very badly. He has an army of androids and plans to wipe out the people on the planet by using another species who buy food from the planet, the Bandril.

It’s one of the weakest Doctor Who books. The sixth doctor acts without charm and the plot doesn’t work.

[Bart Lammey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glen McCoy has done me a great service by letting me experience this story without having to look at its television production. He’s done Colin Baker a dis-service, however, mistaking his lovable bombast for condescending asshat. A fine line, I suppose.
Accurately represents the story, which is to say dumb, awkward, fumbling action that tries to distract you with bright colors and things that go fzzt.
2.5 stars

[Joe Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went in expecting to hate this but the brevity of the (admittedly overwritten) prose meant that you can skip through this action packed, bonkers b movie very quickly. Plus it excises a ton of clunky dialogue and does add a few layers to the world and the characters. It’s not great, but it breezed past with some charm.

[Phillip Gipson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Total choda pani.

[Rosie · Rating 1 out of 5]

every sentence in this book is at least 3x longer than it needs to be. a book which could've been an e-mail

[Damon Habbin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed the TV version, and the book isn't bad as always it's an easy read, explores the story a bit more 3 stars

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://nhw.livejournal.com/1068930.html?style=mine#cutid4

It's not a fantastic book, but it is at least at the level of quality of the average Who novelisation, unlike the original series which; it makes you realise just how much the TV original suffered from a) Paul Darrow's overacting as Tekker and b) the pathetic hand-puppet monsters. One of those cases where the reader's imagination is better at supplying the effects.

https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/timelash-by-phil-pascoe-and-glen-mccoy/

Rewatching the TV story, I was so annoyed by its flaws that I rather forgot that there was a plot, and reading the novelisation was a useful reminder that there was some purpose to all the running around. Some (but not all) of the sillier lines are cut. A surprising amount of the action is reported indirectly rather than in dialogue.

Given that McCoy wrote the book as well as the series, this is the first Doctor Who novel by a non-white writer.

[Travis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another instance where I'd hoped the novel would fix some of the problems I had with the TV story, but even with the guy who wrote the script working on the book, it still feels disjointed and a bit bland.

Not terrible, not wonderful, but all the stuff that bugged me about the TV show are still there.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always find people go in to Timelash all wrong. Regardless of how they attempted the serial to turn out, it is essentially a B-movie. Peri's encounter with the big lizard monster even screams B-movie cheese, and I personally enjoy it for that aspect. I thought this book was a fast paced read, rarely settling and kept the action going well. Nothing profound but fun anyway.

[Becci · Rating 3 out of 5]

HG Wells joins the crew - odd story, but worth the read

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original rating 3

[Reuben Herfindahl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm pretty forgiving... but this is awful. It's actually worse than the serial it's based on.

Stay away.