BASIC PLOT
When a Thal platoon arrives on a planet investigating reports that Dalek artifacts have been detected, they are unprepared for what they find. In an underground room is a stranger, a Professor, or so he claims, with no memory of who he is or why he is there.

DOCTOR
Unknown, but almost certainly a future Doctor. Annoying, we don't get any sort of description whatsoever, except that he likes to wear black trousers, a white shirt and keep his hair tidy. Thanks for that.

COMPANIONS
None, although page 118 suggests that the Doctor's last companion didn't come out of things too well.

MATERIALISATION CIRCUIT
Pg 130 The Daleks are in possession of the TARDIS, although it's more likely it originally materialised elsewhere on the planet.

PREPARATORY READING
None.

CONTINUITY REFERENCES
Pg 19 The character named Tar'ant is a clear homage to Terry Nation, who liked characters with that name.

Pg 21 "I'm on my hands and knees before it like it's one of the vengeful, blood-smeared gods of the old world." The old world of the Thals is Skaro. This is likely a subtle hint that these events take place after Remembrance, with said old world long destroyed.

Pg 95 The insects impersonate the first Doctor.

Also, the Daleks' entire operation is the flipside to Evil of the Daleks, as the title suggests.

OLD FRIENDS AND OLD ENEMIES
Pg 130 The Daleks and their emperor.

NEW FRIENDS AND NEW ENEMIES
Jomi, Kye, Captain Yalen.

CONTINUITY COCK-UPS

• Pg 71 "But then again, they have being behaving out of norm recently." Huh?

PLUGGING THE HOLES [Fan-wank theorizing of how to fix continuity cock-ups]

• The Doctor's mangled syntax is a clue that all is not as it seems.

FEATURED ALIEN RACES
Pg 14 Thals.

Pg 29 Leeches.

Pg 31 Grimps, in flashback. They're hard-shelled creatures with two dull-brown clam-like shells, tiny stalked eyes and soft fur.

Pg 41 Telepathic insects, who can collectively disguise themselves as people.

Pg 82 Dragonflies.

Pgs 83-84 Bloodsucking plants.

Pg 84 Daleks.

Pg 87 Butterflies the size of a hand.

A variety of animals appear in the Dalek zoo. All are technically part-Dalek, having been adapted from their original species. They include:

Pg 93 A long-limbed beast

Pg 110 A man-shaped creature that seems all pointed teeth and bristling red hair.

A long-limbed creature with a forth of pale yellow hair.

Pg 114 A mottled purple, pink and white creature from which masses of tentacles erupt, each with a glistening eye, entirely covered in slime.

FEATURED LOCATIONS
Pg 19 An unnamed planet in the Quadrille.

IN SUMMARY - Robert Smith?
An excellent tale, with some truly haunting imagery and the perfect downbeat ending to the Telos novellas. The first person narration seems a bit odd, given what ultimately happens, but it isn't unwelcome. The stripped-down version of the Doctor we get is still recognisably the same character we know and love. The only problem, which should be minor but isn't, is that we simply get no description of him! Is this the same Doctor seen in The Cabinet of Light? Another one? Is he tall, short, old, young, what? We get no sense whatsoever. A criminal omission that damages the book far more than it probably should.