Unnatural History (novel): Difference between revisions

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* The Doctor might have got caught [[skinny-dipping]] with a pretty female cousin of his in one timeline.
* The Doctor might have got caught [[skinny-dipping]] with a pretty female cousin of his in one timeline.
* The Doctor contacts [[UNIT]] through General [[Adrienne Kramer]] concerning what's going on in [[San Francisco]].
* The Doctor contacts [[UNIT]] through General [[Adrienne Kramer]] concerning what's going on in [[San Francisco]].
* The Doctor summons the [[Little Brother (Unnatural History)|Little Brother]] of the [[Faction Paradox]] using a ritual and an extract of his [[biodata]].
* The Doctor summons a [[Boy (Unnatural History)|boy]] of the [[Faction Paradox]] using a ritual and an extract of his [[biodata]].
* The Doctor and his father's names were banned in one potential origin when they left [[Gallifrey]].
* The Doctor and his father's names were banned in one potential origin when they left [[Gallifrey]].


Line 93: Line 93:
:* Returned a [[Triceratops]] infant to its mother.
:* Returned a [[Triceratops]] infant to its mother.
* The Doctor phones Dr [[Grace Holloway]].
* The Doctor phones Dr [[Grace Holloway]].
* [[Aaron Blinovitch|Blinovitch]] was a member of the Faction Paradox according to the Little Brother.
* [[Aaron Blinovitch|Blinovitch]] was a member of the Faction Paradox according to the boy.
* The Doctor mentions [[Tubby Rowlands]].
* The Doctor mentions [[Tubby Rowlands]].
* Professor [[Daniel Joyce]] has a tattoo on the cuff of his sleeve that he looks like he has tried to get rid of. He has a red headed assistant called [[Larna]].
* Professor [[Daniel Joyce]] has a tattoo on the cuff of his sleeve that he looks like he has tried to get rid of. He has a red headed assistant called [[Larna]].
Line 140: Line 140:
:* He'd caught a [[cobblemouse]].
:* He'd caught a [[cobblemouse]].
:* Mr [[Saldaamir]] is present.
:* Mr [[Saldaamir]] is present.
* Little Brother comments on "the whole post-destination thing with the [[Vervoid]]s," and the way the Doctor "tricked the [[Dalek Empire]] into tangling their timeline so bad that their history collapsed under the weight of the paradoxes."
* The boy comments on "the whole post-destination thing with the [[Vervoid]]s," and the way the Doctor "tricked the [[Dalek Empire]] into tangling their timeline so bad that their history collapsed under the weight of the paradoxes."


=== Time travel ===
=== Time travel ===
* Little Brother uses a [[Blinovitch generator]] to create copies of himself and time travels using the energy built up from crossing his timestream.
* The boy uses a [[Blinovitch generator]] to create copies of himself and time travels using the energy built up from crossing his timestream.


=== Theories and concepts ===
=== Theories and concepts ===
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* Whilst writing ''Unnatural History'' both Kate Orman and Jon Blum didn't deliberately make it part of "the War arc"; however:<blockquote>"When it comes to the Faction Paradox / War stuff, there is one big bit of foreshadowing for "Ancestor Cell" -- but we had no idea that we were foreshadowing it, we intended that bit as a red herring at the time! There were, however, deliberate bits of foreshadowing for the Earth arc, which went onto the drawing board while we were writing the book."<ref>[http://p102.ezboard.com/fthedoctorwhoforumfrm4.showMessageRange?topicID=7.topic&start=276&stop=300 Jonathan Blum on 'Ask Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum' - The Doctor Who Forum at Outpost Gallifrey (Page 12) (ezyboard membership required)]</ref></blockquote>
* Whilst writing ''Unnatural History'' both Kate Orman and Jon Blum didn't deliberately make it part of "the War arc"; however:<blockquote>"When it comes to the Faction Paradox / War stuff, there is one big bit of foreshadowing for "Ancestor Cell" -- but we had no idea that we were foreshadowing it, we intended that bit as a red herring at the time! There were, however, deliberate bits of foreshadowing for the Earth arc, which went onto the drawing board while we were writing the book."<ref>[http://p102.ezboard.com/fthedoctorwhoforumfrm4.showMessageRange?topicID=7.topic&start=276&stop=300 Jonathan Blum on 'Ask Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum' - The Doctor Who Forum at Outpost Gallifrey (Page 12) (ezyboard membership required)]</ref></blockquote>
* There are suggestions in various fan-reviews that Daniel Joyce is Professor Chronotis (from [[Shada (TV story)|Shada]]), but there are only (very vague) hints; he has a tattoo on his arm which ''could be'' a mark of an exiled Time Lord. The house that he gives the Doctor a key to has some vague similarities to Chronotis' rooms from Shada. However, this has been denied by Blum on Usenet:<blockquote>''Oh, and about the Chronotis connection -- the only connection between Professor Joyce and Chronotis is that Robert DeLaurentis, who heavily influenced Joyce's character, was in turn inspired by "Shada". Other than the surface connection of the university, though, I don't think there's many other similarities... Joyce is much more connected to the world outside the university than the dried-up old don. :-)''<ref>[http://groups.google.co.uk/group/rec.arts.drwho/msg/c1d45b12d98e3bcd?hl=en& Jonathan Blum on 'Joyce and Savar! (SPOILERS)' - rec.arts.drwho]</ref></blockquote>
* There are suggestions in various fan-reviews that Daniel Joyce is Professor Chronotis (from [[Shada (TV story)|Shada]]), but there are only (very vague) hints; he has a tattoo on his arm which ''could be'' a mark of an exiled Time Lord. The house that he gives the Doctor a key to has some vague similarities to Chronotis' rooms from Shada. However, this has been denied by Blum on Usenet:<blockquote>''Oh, and about the Chronotis connection -- the only connection between Professor Joyce and Chronotis is that Robert DeLaurentis, who heavily influenced Joyce's character, was in turn inspired by "Shada". Other than the surface connection of the university, though, I don't think there's many other similarities... Joyce is much more connected to the world outside the university than the dried-up old don. :-)''<ref>[http://groups.google.co.uk/group/rec.arts.drwho/msg/c1d45b12d98e3bcd?hl=en& Jonathan Blum on 'Joyce and Savar! (SPOILERS)' - rec.arts.drwho]</ref></blockquote>
* Following a deal with the Faction Paradox, their Representative (the Little Brother) asks the Doctor some interesting questions about his past:
* Following a deal with the Faction Paradox, their representative asks the Doctor some interesting questions about his past:
:* "Is this the version where they banned all mention of his name, and yours, for consorting with aliens? Or the one where he got every record of himself deleted from the files?"
:* "Is this the version where they banned all mention of his name, and yours, for consorting with aliens? Or the one where he got every record of himself deleted from the files?"
:* "Maybe you didn't use to have a father."
:* "Maybe you didn't use to have a father."
:* "Maybe you're living in the middle of a time war. Maybe there's an Enemy out there... who's rewriting you when you're not looking."
:* "Maybe you're living in the middle of a time war. Maybe there's an Enemy out there... who's rewriting you when you're not looking."
::This can actually refer to several things, the [[Second War in Heaven]], which does involve the Enemy. However it can also refer to the [[Last Great Time War]].
::This refers to [[the War]], in which the Time Lords fought [[the Enemy]].
:* "Maybe you weren't always half-human."
:* "Maybe you weren't always half-human."
::First mentioned in the  ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'' TV movie.
::First mentioned in the  ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'' TV movie.
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* Youkali was mentioned in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Return of the Living Dad]]''.
* Youkali was mentioned in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Return of the Living Dad]]''.
* Joyce states/accuses the Doctor of toppling governments on his spare weekends (a long list but for example): [[TV]]: ''[[The Happiness Patrol]]'', ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]''.
* Joyce states/accuses the Doctor of toppling governments on his spare weekends (a long list but for example): [[TV]]: ''[[The Happiness Patrol]]'', ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]''.
* When the Little Brother of the Faction tries to tell the Doctor of his future exploits he says, "No spoilers," a statement that would come back to him in [[TV]]: ''[[Silence in the Library]]'', but also because he doesn't want to know about the future he first learned of in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Alien Bodies]]''.
* When the representative of the Faction tries to tell the Doctor of his future exploits he says, "No spoilers," a statement that would come back to him in [[TV]]: ''[[Silence in the Library]]'', but also because he doesn't want to know about the future he first learned of in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Alien Bodies]]''.
* The Doctor last dropped acid in 1968 and nearly got transformed into an Aztec god in [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Left-Handed Hummingbird]]''.
* The Doctor last dropped acid in 1968 and nearly got transformed into an Aztec god in [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Left-Handed Hummingbird]]''.
* The events of [[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'' began the anomalies throughout San Francisco.
* The events of [[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'' began the anomalies throughout San Francisco.

Revision as of 21:33, 22 July 2017

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prose stub

Unnatural History was the twenty-third BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures novel. It was written by Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum. It featured the Eighth Doctor, Fitz Kreiner and two versions of Samantha Jones. This novel explained several issues concerning Sam Jones that were introduced in Alien Bodies.

Publisher's summary

"They called it the Millennium Effect", said the Doctor. "But the millennium was only beginning."

San Francisco has changed since the start of 2000. The laws of physics keep having acid flashbacks. There are sightings of creatures from outside our dimensions, stranded aliens and surrealist street performers. The city has become a mecca for those who revel in impossible creatures — and those who want to see them pinned down and put away.

Sam's past is catching up with her — a past she didn't know she had. The Doctor is in danger of becoming the pièce de résistance in a twisted collection of creatures. And beneath the waters of the Bay, something huge is waiting.

With time running out, the Doctor must choose which to sacrifice — a city of wonders, or the life of an old and dear friend.

Plot

to be added

Characters

References

Books

Biology

  • Griffin manipulates the Doctor's biodata, removing his awareness of violet and all the UV ranges.
  • Fitz states that there are several unconfirmed "cryptozoological sightings."

Culture

The Doctor

  • The Doctor once again uses the alias "Doctor Bowman".
  • The Doctor tells Sam (upon seeing her light up) that he gave up smoking "six or seven lifetimes ago".
  • The Doctor might have got caught skinny-dipping with a pretty female cousin of his in one timeline.
  • The Doctor contacts UNIT through General Adrienne Kramer concerning what's going on in San Francisco.
  • The Doctor summons a boy of the Faction Paradox using a ritual and an extract of his biodata.
  • The Doctor and his father's names were banned in one potential origin when they left Gallifrey.

Drugs and medicines

Fashion and clothing

  • Fitz wears a fedora and a long black coat while gathering information from his "contacts". He also wears small round sunglasses like John Lennon.
  • Fitz's hair is still growing back after his experiences with communist China.

Foods and beverages

  • The Doctor pours out a bottle of beer in Kyra Skye's memory.
  • Sam takes her coffee black; Fitz, white with two sugars.
  • Daniel Joyce offers Sam some tea. She says she prefers coffee.

Gallifrey

  • The Doctor is not sure who is President of Gallifrey at this point, Romana II or Flavia.

Individuals

  • The Doctor tells Sam (dark haired) "about being President Elect of the High Council of Time Lords, keeper of the Legacy of Rassilon, Defender of the Laws of Time and Protector of Galloway. Or something."
  • Sam is originally dark-haired. This original version of her lives in a King's Cross bedsit.
  • Sam has sex with Fitz.
  • Sam's parents have postcards and letters that Samantha Jones had/will been sending to them from:
  • The Doctor tells Sam Jones (dark-haired Sam) that "his Sam" (blonde haired Sam):
  • The Doctor phones Dr Grace Holloway.
  • Blinovitch was a member of the Faction Paradox according to the boy.
  • The Doctor mentions Tubby Rowlands.
  • Professor Daniel Joyce has a tattoo on the cuff of his sleeve that he looks like he has tried to get rid of. He has a red headed assistant called Larna.

Languages

  • Despite Fitz' months in Mao's communist people's collective in China, he never learnt how to read much Chinese.

Locations

Media

Occult

  • Kyra Skye says she is a witch.

Planets

  • The Doctor cleared up the after effects of Daniel Joyce's visit to Youkali.

Individuals by profession

Psychic powers

Species

  • A Kraken comes from the higher dimensions and floats in the void, almost twisting itself through incomprehensible space. It grazes on exotic matter, plumes of raw cosmological power, fountains of energy in the upper reaches that is undetectable in N-Space. It's big enough to flatten San Francisco.
  • The unicorns can teleport, but the Scar prevents them from escaping San Francisco.
  • Griffin takes apart an artificial chimera making her simpler, so she is once again a dragon, a lion and goat.

Technology

Timeline

  • The boy comments on "the whole post-destination thing with the Vervoids," and the way the Doctor "tricked the Dalek Empire into tangling their timeline so bad that their history collapsed under the weight of the paradoxes."

Time travel

  • The boy uses a Blinovitch generator to create copies of himself and time travels using the energy built up from crossing his timestream.

Theories and concepts

  • The paradox agent takes the Doctor's Volkswagen Beetle as payment for information, intending to take it back in time and melt it down, ensuring that its own steel would be used in its construction: a paradox.
  • Kyra Skye is killed by Griffin by folding her through the higher dimensions.
  • The Wild Hunt is part of the Scar's healing process, energy washing out in a reverse ripple. When it hits Sam she experiences alternate timelines and if the energy catches her up in it minutely alters her biodata.

Vehicles

Notes

  • Whilst writing Unnatural History both Kate Orman and Jon Blum didn't deliberately make it part of "the War arc"; however:

    "When it comes to the Faction Paradox / War stuff, there is one big bit of foreshadowing for "Ancestor Cell" -- but we had no idea that we were foreshadowing it, we intended that bit as a red herring at the time! There were, however, deliberate bits of foreshadowing for the Earth arc, which went onto the drawing board while we were writing the book."[1]

  • There are suggestions in various fan-reviews that Daniel Joyce is Professor Chronotis (from Shada), but there are only (very vague) hints; he has a tattoo on his arm which could be a mark of an exiled Time Lord. The house that he gives the Doctor a key to has some vague similarities to Chronotis' rooms from Shada. However, this has been denied by Blum on Usenet:

    Oh, and about the Chronotis connection -- the only connection between Professor Joyce and Chronotis is that Robert DeLaurentis, who heavily influenced Joyce's character, was in turn inspired by "Shada". Other than the surface connection of the university, though, I don't think there's many other similarities... Joyce is much more connected to the world outside the university than the dried-up old don. :-)[2]

  • Following a deal with the Faction Paradox, their representative asks the Doctor some interesting questions about his past:
  • "Is this the version where they banned all mention of his name, and yours, for consorting with aliens? Or the one where he got every record of himself deleted from the files?"
  • "Maybe you didn't use to have a father."
  • "Maybe you're living in the middle of a time war. Maybe there's an Enemy out there... who's rewriting you when you're not looking."
This refers to the War, in which the Time Lords fought the Enemy.
  • "Maybe you weren't always half-human."
First mentioned in the Doctor Who TV movie.
  • "Maybe you weren't always a Time Lord."
The television story Silver Nemesis suggests something of the sort; a scene cut from Remembrance of the Daleks suggests that the Doctor is "more than just another Time Lord".
  • "Maybe you originally came from some planet in the forty-ninth century. Fleeing from the Enemy who'd overrun your home."
"The Pilot Episode" mentions the 49th century, an "enemy overrunning your home" can be anything from the Enemy (first mentioned in the novel Alien Bodies) to the Daleks (who destroyed his home), first mentioned in the television story Dalek.
  • "Maybe there's no one left on Gallifrey..."
Quite possibly refers to the Time Lords abandonment of Gallifrey seen in the novel Dead Romance.
  • "Maybe they all left. Or maybe the whole planet's being destroyed, and undestroyed, and destroyed, and you just caught them at the wrong moment."
The novels The Ancestor Cell and The Gallifrey Chronicles both cover this concept.
  • BBC Books has announced that a "print on demand" reprint edition of this novel will be made available as of 30th September 2011 as the imprint revisits adventures featuring the first eight Doctors.[source needed]

Continuity

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Jonathan Blum on 'Ask Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum' - The Doctor Who Forum at Outpost Gallifrey (Page 12) (ezyboard membership required)
  2. ↑ Jonathan Blum on 'Joyce and Savar! (SPOILERS)' - rec.arts.drwho
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