Review: Delta and the Bannermen (Public)
Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen by Malcolm Kohll. PB, 142 pages, Target Books, 1991 (reprint of 1989 edition).
This Target novelization has the Seventh Doctor and Mel stopped at a tollbooth in space, where the Doctor (typically) can't find any cash. Luckily, they win a free vacation to 1950s Disneyland on Planet Earth and thus escape the toll. Mel's delighted! Too bad the unfortunate tourbus runs into some trouble and ends up in Wales instead, pursued by the Bannermen soldiers. The arrival of Chimeron Queen Delta is making this one exciting holiday, if anyone lives to remember it.
*Warning: SPOILERS* This story was my first introduction to the Seventh Doctor. The moment he referred to digestive biscuits as "structurally unsound," I went, oh yeah, I know that guy! It was also my first introduction to Mel, of course, and she came off well enough, although it did seem like Ray was playing the part of the companion far more than she was. I did raise my eyebrows a bit at her being described as "bubbly," but I suppose the writer had to come up with something to say about her.
The idea of "Nostalgia Trips: the most notorious holiday firm in five galaxies" was great, although I was disappointed when the entire bus blew up. Too violent, and I was hoping poor Murray would make it through. I liked that the plotlines didn't automatically resolve to a Ray-with-Billy ending, although it seemed like the author didn't quite know how to deal with Billy's interspecies, gene-altering romance.
There were Americans in this one! They didn't come off too well though. In fact, their whole plotline was fairly dull except when the one went crazy. More interesting was beekeeper Goronwy. Overall most of the minor characters came out well, there was lots of action and excitement, and nice intellectual planning by the Doctor. The fact that Gavrok was able to remain only a step behind the Doctor was a tribute to his ruthless intelligence. The end TARDIS-trap resolution felt a bit forced, but it was worth it to have the TARDIS in-scene but not available as a hideaway for most of the book. The idea that a bunch of interstellar tourists are heading to 1950s Earth seems a bit odd, but hey, it's Doctor Who!
ETA: Having read the episode guide, I must say that the campy fun didn't really come through in the book. Also, I was picturing Delta and her daughter rather differently. Oh well. There's some pictures here (scroll down), and I'm fairly certain that this wallpaper from the BBC is from that episode. Some characters, like Goronwy, look just as I would have pictured them, while others, like the tollmaster, are very different. Also, seeing all these photos of Mel made me realize one of my former classmates looked just like her, and could have easily cosplayed her.
This was quite good, it read quickly and was a nice intro to Seven. I've heard that the actual episode is good, so that may have had some effect on the novel, but overall I'd recommend it to Who fans.
BBC Episode Guide: Details -- Some spoilers