Set Piece

Strangely enough, the first word that comes into my head when thinking about SET PIECE is "pleasant". Now, "pleasant" may seem like an odd way to describe a book that opens with a 30-page extended torture sequence filled with disturbing imagery and psychological terrors, and which is punctuated by scenes of people vomiting. Yet, as mesmerizing, shocking and disconcerting as those passages were, it was mostly the carefree and relaxed feel of the story that I ended up taking with me.The plot is robust and acceptable, but it mostly takes a backseat to the character study of the three protagonists. We see the Doctor coping, first with some extreme forms of torture, and then working his way through a science-fiction mystery threatening the whole fabric of space/time. Benny tries to adjust to life sans Doctor in 18th Century France, and makes a journey with an archeological expedition in an attempt to reunite herself with her TARDIS crewmates.But the character most focused upon in SET PIECE is, of course, Ace. She is thrown backwards in time to Ancient Egypt, becoming, at various times, a warrior, a bodyguard and a waitress. In short, pretty much everything that Ace went through during her television and book adventures is brought to the forefront and explored. It makes for a leisurely pace, but Orman's writing skills mean that it is never boring or dull. Even the relatively low-stakes subplots have a real weight and importance attached to them. When the three are eventually reunited, the plot from the beginning is brought back to the forefront, but it almost feels like an afterthought. The save-the-fabric-of-the-universe storyline is acceptable; it just doesn't carry the same gravity that the middle sections of the book do.The plot moves fairly slowly to the benefit of the in-depth look at the characters. The menace vaguely alluded to on the back cover remains mostly out of sight for much of the adventure, making but a few menacing cameos. There's no real sense of urgency about the alleged danger, yet this doesn't come across as a mistake since it's obvious that the focus of the story is not on the mechanics of the plot. The real story-mover comes in the form of Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart, an honest-to-God character rather than an ill-defined and vague alien menace. Her own inner conflict allows her to have some great scenes with the Doctor. The ambiguity surrounding her motivations and loyalties (brought about by a variety of reasons) feel authentic rather than gimmicky, and this allows her to be a genuinely unpredictable and dangerous character.The first time I read SET PIECE, I thought it was okay. Rereading it a few weeks ago, I thought it was better than I remembered. Skipping through the pages, to refresh my memory before typing up this review, I found myself liking it even more. It's quite a thoughtful book, and my appreciation increases the more I think about certain elements and events. There are great little moments that a

This is a wonderfully poignant swan song for the character of "Ace", delightfully crafted by Kate Orman. Here we see the Doctor at his most devious at points, but also at his most delicate; his sadness at saying goodbye to Ace is heartwrenching, and only the knowledge that she will reappear on odd occasions stops the tears from welling up! Plus, Kate manages yet again to put the Doctor through extreme physical pain - her opinions regarding the seventh Doctor and chocolate sauce are well known to all regulars of rec.arts.drwho ! It is also testament to her abilities as an author that, even though this novel focuses on Ace and the Doctor, Benny is still exquisitely realised, and her character still plays an integral part in the novel. The novel itself is wonderfully real, and the care and research for which Kate Orman is so very famous are obvious in every phrase. The rich texture of the prose never wavers and each character, however minor, is beautifully created and entirely "real". To sum up, this is one of the finest novels in the Dr Who New Adventures series, written by one of the finest authors discovered by the series. This novel is worth ten times the cost of buying it, and should be top of your list when looking for your next read!