It’s big, bold, breathless, and unashamedly references names and places in the Who universe and plenty of other pop culture icons -everything from the Church of the Papal Mainframe, Stacy Townsend, Ssard the Ice Warrior, and a riff on Donna Noble’s notion of the Planet of the Hats, to Top Gear, EastEnders, and Last of the Summer Wine. If you enjoyed the Hustle-like team dynamics and time-twisting plot of the television episode “Time Heist” then you’ll enjoy this. That aside, the book’s enjoyment comes from the barbed wit exchanged between The Doctor and Bernice as they run a high stakes con to save the universe from a time gobbling ancient artefact -the Glamour, lodestone, key… whatever it’s called. Russell adroitly unpacks this baggage while ensuring the characters are appealingly funny and heroic for those about to encounter team Summerfield for the first time. Russell effortlessly brings you up to speed (and speed is the key word with this book) with her previous exploits, her extended family of son Peter (half dog-half human) and companions Jack (a red-eyed humanoid with grasshopper legs) and Ruth (a priestess of the temple of Poseidon from an alternate Earth’s Atlantis). If you’re unfamiliar with the character, don’t worry. ![]() ![]() For the uninitiated, Bernice (created by author Paul Cornell), who first appeared in the Virgin range of Who novels, begat her own spin-off stories when Virgin lost the license to publish original Who fiction, and has continued to appear in Big Finish audio plays, novels, and short story collections ever since. Sans Clara in this particular book, The Doctor’s reacquainted with former companion and 26th-century archaeologist Professor Bernice Summerfield. It compliments McCormack’s entertaining and thoughtful story about a Duke who is in denial about the reality of his city’s destiny, his son’s lineage and the death of tradition.Ī complete change of pace is former Who and Torchwood script editor Gary Russell’s “Big Bang Generation”. The Grail is a contradictory symbol one of disillusionment, disaster, and of enlightenment and redemption. The Doctor tends to be in the background, more concerned with the arrival of Lancelot (yes, that one) on the quest for the Grail, a concept that takes the book into an exploration of authenticity and belief.Īurelian’s power is fading and Varuz and the surrounding land is in decline much like King Arthur’s connection with ancient Albion. In the foreground, Clara is used as a pivotal character to explore these aspects of the story, including Aurelian and Guena’s blood ties and relationship with their disaffected son Mikhail, and a curious friendship with an ambassador from Conrad who’s not what he seems. “Royal Blood” tracks the intrigue and politics of civil war and the illusions and deceptions used by those in power and those who wish to overthrow them. One of the lovely stylistic touches McCormack uses is a first person perspective, courtesy of Bernhardt, that cleverly places the reader in the company of the ensemble in the chambers and halls of the palace. Clara, however, discovers that there’s a power struggle within Aurelian’s court and his wife Guena and his trusted friend Bernhardt are working behind the scenes to prevent war. The Doctor and Clara rapidly become aware that the trappings of power, in technology bequeathed to the city from long-vanished ancestors, have taken their toll on the buildings and on the inhabitants… as war brews with their neighbour Duke Conrad and The Doctor’s counsel is sought by Aurelian. Their knights wield laser swords and their palaces are lit by electric light, but this brings the city-state no glory. McCormack paints an interesting picture of this city and its people -on the one hand determined by protocols and traditions, but also struggling to maintain their rule through technology. The Doctor and Clara arrive in the dukedom of Varuz: a city-state in rapid decline, ruled by Duke Aurelian. ![]() Up first is New York Times bestselling author Una McCormack’s “Royal Blood”, which sees her return to the pseudo-medieval trappings and themes of her previous Who novel, “The King’s Dragon”. Indeed, they do build on the Glamour technology featured in those books -one capable of creating illusions and maintaining disguises, fastening onto your greatest fears and desires, and changing the fabric of Space and Time…. Three new Doctor Who novels from BBC Books, out next month, all form ‘The Glamour Chronicles’, and those of you who’re regular readers of the books will no doubt be asking if this refers to the Glamour’s appearance in “The Ghosts of India” and “The Glamour Chase”.
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