To celebrate Halloween, 2012, we discuss the mind-blowing and arguably frightening Virgin New Adventure, The Pit by Neil Penswick. From the back cover:
For
two weeks now it has been the same message again and again, and it’s
getting stranger; death and destruction, the end of all things,
ARMAGEDDON.
In
an attempt to lift the Doctor out of his irritable and erratic mood,
Bernice suggests he investigates the mystery of the Seven Planets – an
entire planetary system that disappeared without trace several decades
before Bernice was born.
One of the Seven Planets is a nameless giant, quarantined against all intruders. But
when the TARDIS materializes, it becomes clear that the planet has
other visitors: a hit-squad of killer androids; a trespassing scientist
and his wife; and two shape-changing criminals with their team of
slaves.
As
riot and anarchy spread on the system’s colonized worlds, the Doctor is
flung into another universe while Bernice closes in on the horror that
is about to be unleashed – a horror that comes from a terrible secret in
the Time Lords’ past.
If you’re wondering who Neil Penswick is, then you’re not alone; this novel was his single contribution to Doctor Who canon. It was only after a little hunting that we were able to track down an interview with him (see the link on our blog page). To
the best of our knowledge, he’s currently working in an office, so when
it all comes down to it he has one up on me, as I’ve never even tried
to publish a novel.
Fun links:
"The Pit" on Amazon. (Yep, it's cheap!)
A detailed synopsis at The Doctor Reference Guide. (Spoilers, sweetie!)
The Doctor Who Ratings Guide regarding "The Pit".
An interview with Neil Penswick. (Source unknown.)
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