Missy Chronicles.

"Know you Frenemy."..is what the blurb says on the cover. "Fenemy" being one of those hideous words that has crept into uncommon parlance like Russian mile a minute vines up a gable wall.  It is one of those words that have somehow pervaded the Whoniverse and no doubt will aserve as a harbringer of societal collapse. Not the best possible beginning to a book review I accept but it is entirely in keeping with the contrary and contradictory nature of the wicked Time Lady.
          Missy has proved ,for me, to be one of the best things about Peter Capaldi's time in The Tardis. that is probably all down to Michelle Gomez's performance in the role. She stole my heart, stuck a big hook through it and used it for shark bait. Speaking of stealing, she was also the most riveting thing about the recent two part finale, when it really should have been Mister Capaldi himself. Missy's inner conflict when staring into the face of the man she was and trying not to acknowledge the yearning despair in the eyes of The Doctor. It was, to co-opt a phrase, a master class performance.
             Yet I also have not forgot I was a bit disapointed when Missy' identity was actually revealed. I had hoped she would turn out to be Romanna. One of The Doctor's oldest and dearest and dearest friends, twisted and corrupted by the events of the Time War. Such was the potency of Michelle Gomez' in the role that I came around before too long. Mad, bad and dangerous to know, she was all this and more,Witty, brilliant and at times savagely and thoughtfully cruel.
               There are six stories here, written by some of the most talented voices in the extended Doctor Who universe. We begin with a story set shortly after her regeneration and end on board that huge Mondassian colony ship sticking out of the black hole. Each writer brings something fantastic to the table, all the while retaining streaks of dark humor that are Missy' signature tune. In these stories she does perhaps get away with levels of beastliness that may have proved too much for  transmission on Saturday night telly. But not so extreme that she no longer felt like the character we were getting to know so much better just as she died all alone.
               I will admit one of the stories stood out for me but I wont say which one. it is all so subjective anyway, we may all be looking at the same thing but not feeling the same way about it. I would not like to take away from such a fine collection wrapped up in such a fine cover (A lee Binding cover design. Effortlessly lovely.)
               Now how about a Michelle Gomez audio version....