We're All Stories In The End 17 - Conundrum

I love it when we get a good mash-up...

Conundrum by Steve Lyons

Seventh Doctor Adventures number: 22

Originally published: January 1994

Companions: Ace & Benny

"Doctor, we're talking about an old man who used to dress up in a skintight white jump suit and fly around New York catching super-villains. Don't you think there's something just a bit unusual about that?"

A killer is stalking the streets of the village of Arandale. The victims are found one each day, drained of blood. And if that seems strange, it's nothing compared to the town's inhabitants.

The Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice think they're investigating a murder mystery. But it's all much more bizarre than that. And much more dangerous.

Someone has interfered with the Doctor's past again, and he's landed in a place he knows he once destroyed. This time there can be no escape.                                    

I'm going to keep this short, and state this from the off - I *loved* this book.

I mean sure, I figured out that this was a return trip to the Land of Fiction pretty early on. But the execution of that idea, and the fun that Lyons has along the way is what makes it such a joy to read.

And because it's the Land of Fiction he can get away with pretty much anything.

It's not tied to one genre. We get Enid Blyton parody, world-weary former superheroes, Chandler-esque detectives, satanic rituals, serial killers and witchcraft - and it all works together brilliantly. And the presence of the "Writer" as the narrator means the book is self-aware - it knows all the typical Who clichés of cliff-hangers at the end of chapters, miraculous escapes from certain death and continuity errors - and revels in them. 

But what's also key to the success of the novel is that the silliness is balanced with real moments of character development and sadness - even though you know that pretty much every supporting character isn't real. Yes I know strictly speaking, none of it is real, but you get my point.

Benny and Ace actually get stuff to do and their conversations both together and apart give real insight into their feelings. Ace admitting her anger at the Doctor's manipulations  - and how she wants to beat him at his own game - was an important moment, even more so because she shared it with her travelling companion first. And Benny's care for Norman Power really shines through, right up to his terrible, tragic end.

If I'm honest, It's the best I have seen them both written for quite a while.

If I have any criticisms, its that the story strand with the "Adventure Kids" didn’t seem to have much point, beyond a perfectly good homage. Although I did like the continual problems with Carson the dog and his ultimate fate - it made me think of the infamous "Five Go Mad In Dorset" by the Comic Strip, which is never a bad thing.

But that's a minor quibble amongst so much stuff to like - 

• The TARDIS becoming a gingerbread cottage.
• The life-sized game of Mousetrap.
• The Doctor's conversation with the Master of the Land via a Scrabble board.
• Explaining the power of "Meanwhile…."
• The brilliant line - "This time I want the real McCoy".
• John and Gillian, the Doctor's "real" "Grandchildren" from TV Comic
• Mentions of the Kleptons and the Trods, also from the comic strips.

I'm guessing that the author might also be a DC comics fan with characters named Corrigan and Shade. But the *really* deep cut comes with an appearance from the mechanical Dredlox - who appeared once in an early 80s issue of  - of all things - "Power Man and Iron Fist". 

I imagine Lyons had a *lot* of fun writing this,

I rattled through the book very quickly, which is always a good sign. I wouldn't want every Who novel to be this madcap, but it's refreshing to have it every now and again.

It'll be a good long while before we get to another Steve Lyons book - "Head Games" I think ?

If it's as good as this one, then it's really something to look forward to.