Imperial Moon

One of the most steampunk Dr. Who novels, with the British space program of 1878. Seems in a lot of ways like a novel that had the "hey, let's bring in the Doctor" (or more likely, I got a Dr. Who book to deliver, let me add him to what I'm working on...) motif added in late in the game. That said, it works better than I would have expected though. The plot is fairly predictable, with a few oddnesses of characterization, but solid and some good scenes to visualize.

I liked the way the Doctor and Turlough found the Diary left by Captain Haliwell. I respected the way the Doctor decided not to read about what happened with him and Turlough in the Diary. I personally don't want to know about my future ahead of time. Another thing, the Phiadorians make very good femme fatales, especially when being possessed by the Vrall. I found that out when I read the end of the book. Next time Turlough could watch his back when meeting a pretty woman.

The 5th Doctor, Turlough, and Kamelion (though he's 'off-screen' for most of the story) join up with a British space expedition to the moon--in the late 19th century. What are the British doing in space almost a century before Sputnik & Gemini? What is the secret of the tropical pocket they've discovered hidden on the dark side of the moon? I'm a big steampunk fan (modern science incorporated into a Victorian setting), so I was inclined to like this story from the start. Along with the steampunk elements, there are traces of pulp science fiction reminiscent of the 1920's (beautiful alien women trapped in a fantastic jungle on the far side of the moon, for example) that make this a very fun read. There are a few weak spots, however--certain conflicts are resolved too easily, the final twist is fairly obvious, and the whole thing wraps up far too neatly for my tastes. And, for those who care about such things, this is not a 5th Doctor story per se--it's a story with the 5th Doctor in it. On the plus side, this means that Turlough and some of the other supporting characters get some good development (though a couple who need it don't). Finally, a couple times events just happen for no good reason that I can see (one character dies of a heart attack fairly early--no real need to, except that it's important for that character to not be around at the end of the story). Literary critiques aside, however, this is, all-in-all, a good, fun story, with a Doctor/Companion mix that's not too common in the novelizations.

'Imperial Moon' is a Doctor Who story set in 1878, which features the British conquest of space by its first manned moon flights. Whether this is an alternate universe, someone tampering with history, or some other explanation is one of the nubs of the story.Being set in 1878, Christopher Bulis has drawn from the literature of the time for the feel of the story. The ghosts of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, H. Rider Haggard and Arthur Conan Doyle appear to have been whispering in Mr. Bulis' ear. However, in advancing the story and bringing it to its conclusion, it is contemporary science fiction of Doctor Who that sets the tone.The Doctor is in his fifth incarnation (portrayed on TV by Peter Davison) and is assisted by the less than trust-inspiring pairing of Turlough (who joined the TARDIS crew to kill the Doctor for the Black Guardian) and Kamelion (a former slave of the Master). Like in real life, Kamelion plays a relatively minor role (the Kamelion robot proved too problematic to use prominently in filming the series), so it largely falls to the Doctor and Turlough, and their astral mariner allies, to deal with the mysteriously populated jungle crater on the lunar surface.The novel has obviously been well thought through by Mr. Bulis, who displays his influences proudly, and the moral dilemma of Turlough is well-portrayed and within the established scope of his character. The portrayal of the Victorian characters is good, and I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Queen Victoria and her gillie, John Brown, who open the book and... but that would be telling! Captain Richard Halliwell and Miss Emily Boyes-Dennison, who carry a moderate portion by themselves, appear to be included in part to show the impact of the "New Woman" on Victorian society.I found it a good read, which I believe would benefit from close attention however having the advantage of not requiring it. It seemed well-suited to the Davison-era of Doctor Who, although perhaps earlier than it is set as it doesn't suffer from the efforts of the script editor of the season it was set in trying to make the show more "grim and gritty".