Well, this was an irresistable choice for me. A Doctor Who novel referencing one of David Bowie's best albums. And not only that, its using a perfectly formed Tardis Team; The Doctor and Bill. I wonder if Peter Capaldi felt the same way when he saw this lovely cover artwork. I had already seen a back issue of a Doctor Who Titan comic (When Mr Capaldi was lighting up Saturday nights on telly.) in which he pays homage to the Ziggy Stardust cover. I got that one framed and it hangs in the room I keep books. Or rather sits in that room as I have not got around to banging in a nail.
Anyway, you get a story set on a diamond extracting facility hanging in the Rings Of Saturn with The Doctor and Bill caught up in a series of events which threaten to escalate to an all out space war. Another Space War! Damn, theres so much room in space you would think sentient entities would find something better to do than blow each other up. What am I saying. we cannot even stop it on our homeworld, why would it be any different in space? And what setting for a dramatic tale. I think Saturn remains one of those planets its better to see from a distance than to actually visit. I may be wrong, I do not get around the Sol Solar system anywhere near as often as I would like. I still have not managed to get my Tardis functioning in the manner I would enjoy.Which is not to say capable of traveling through time, i would settle for dimensionally transcendental. something very strange is happening amidst the swirling debris of the Rings of saturn which also presents an epic location that defies the limitations of a BBC budjet. i still find myself translating so much of the stellar otherworldly events into restrictive budjeted visuals as favoured by the BBC in the seventies. The crumbling facade of my mind palace just about stretches to that. its a comfortable imaginarium off sortss, all balconies, red velvet cushions and curtains and suspiciously stained scarlet carpeting. My mind palace that is, not the Rings Of Saturn.
Mike Tucker brings this Tardis team wonderfully back, to a time when Bill was just experiencing the adventures her madly eyebrowed mentor was treating her too. It helps that he surrounds them with interesting and engaging characters that drive the story forward. A Federation Secirity agent, one Laura Palmer (Yes, I know.) lends the story an interesting Lynchian arc as the reader is drawn into her unrequited love for Saturn. And you can love a planet all you want, it will not love you back.
