Birthright

The TARDIS has been split apart stranding Benny is early 20th Century London, Ace on a barren world in the distant future, and the Doctor gone. Whilst trying to work out has happen to the TARDIS (and the Doctor) Benny must deal with grisly murders that make the Jack the Rippers murders pale in comparison and Ace must lead a group of human guerillas against a race of alien, um, bugs.What better way to flesh out character relationship than to thrust them into an adventure involving just the both of them, (Newer companion Benny and hardened war soldier Ace) without the focal point of the novel (The Doctor) to get in thier way. The most important part of this relationship is Benny seeing Ace's point of view regarding the Doctor's meddling and using her as a pawn in on of his games.Benny's part throughout the novel is by far the better, with her off-the-cuff very likeable type of manner and the eerie 1909 setting of London streets , whereas Ace's character is still continuing the very unlikeable, bitter, untrusting person since she rejoined the team 3 stories ago.Another good point is the introduction of the hermit, Muldwych, who seems to play another part of the Doctor's little known history. (Frustratingly, as in accordance to other novels that deal with the history of The Doctor, you're left in Wonderland Limbo again)Most importantly, being a companion novel to ICEBERG (where you find out where the Doctor has been) doesn't mean you will have to read ICEBERG to enjoy and understand what goes on in BIRTHRIGHT. RECOMMENDED reading!!!!

While the Doctor is resting in his room, the TARDIS is blown apart and two halves of the ship arrive in two separate times and places: with Benny at the beginning of the 20th century, and with Ace in the 220th century. Without the Doctor, how will they reassemble the TARDIS?This book is set concurrently with Iceberg, where the Doctor has an adventure without his companions. With two very strong character as Bernice and Ace, it is possible to write a novel without the series' lead character.Nigel Robinson's second original Doctor Who novel is an improvement on his first (Timewyrm: Apocalypse), which seemed too bland for my tastes. By focussing in on the two companions, amongst the most popular in the series history, and having two interesting and strangely linked settings, he appears to have hit upon a combination that suits him.