Slow Decay (novel): Difference between revisions

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{{title|''{{PAGENAME}}''}}
{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Other Novels|
|image          = Slow Decay.jpg
novel name= Slow Decay |
|series         = [[BBC Torchwood novels]]
image= [[file:Slow_Decay.jpg|250px]]|
|number         = 3  
series=[[BBC Torchwood novels]]|
|main character = [[Jack Harkness|Jack]], [[Gwen Cooper|Gwen]], [[Toshiko Sato|Tosh]], [[Owen Harper|Owen]], [[Ianto Jones|Ianto]]
number= 3 |
|featuring     = Rhys Williams
main character=Captain [[Jack Harkness]]|
|featuring2    = Jimmy Mitchell{{!}}Mitch
featuring= |
|featuring3    = Janet (Everything Changes){{!}}Janet
enemy=<ul><li>[[Dr Scotus]]</li><li>[[Alien tapeworms]]</li></ul> |
|enemy         = [[Scotus]], [[Alien tapeworm]]s
year= [[Earth]], [[Wales]], [[Cardiff]] |
|setting        = [[Cardiff]], mid [[2000s]]
writer= [[Andy Lane]]|
|writer        = Andy Lane
publisher= [[BBC Books]] |
|read by        = [[Burn Gorman]]
release date= January, [[2007]] |
|publisher     = BBC Books  
format= Hardcover Book, 251 Pages |
|release date   = 11 January 2007
isbn= ISBN 0-56348-655-4 |
|format         = Hardcover Book, 251 Pages, 20 Chapters
previous story= [[Border Princes (novel)|Border Princes]] |
|isbn           = ISBN 0-563-48655-4  
next story= [[Something in the Water]]
|prev          = Border Princes (novel)  
|next           = Something in the Water (novel)
|clip          = Torchwood Slow Decay
}}{{prose stub}}
}}{{prose stub}}
'''Slow Decay''' was the third release in the [[BBC Torchwood novels|BBC ''Torchwood'' Novels]] series.
'''''Slow Decay''''' was the third release in the [[BBC Torchwood novels|BBC ''Torchwood'' Novels]] series.
==Publisher's summary==
When Torchwood track an energy surge to a Cardiff nightclub, the team finds the police are already at the scene. Five teenagers have died in a fight, and lying among the bodies is an extraterrestrial device. Next morning, they discover the corpse of a Weevil, its face and neck eaten away, seemingly by human teeth. And on the streets of Cardiff, an ordinary woman with an extraordinary hunger is attacking people and eating her victims.


The job of a lifetime it might be, but working for Torchwood is putting big strains on Gwen's relationship with Rhys. While she decides to spice up their love life with the help of alien technology, Rhys decides it's time to sort himself out -- better music, healthier food, lose some weight. Luckily, a friend has mentioned Doctor Scotus's weight-loss clinic...
== Publisher's summary ==
When [[Torchwood Three|Torchwood]] track an energy surge to a [[Cardiff]] [[nightclub]], the team finds the police are already at the scene. Five teenagers have died in a fight, and lying among the bodies is an extraterrestrial device. Next morning, they discover the corpse of a [[Weevil]], its [[face]] and [[neck]] eaten away, seemingly by [[human]] [[teeth]]. And on the streets of Cardiff, an ordinary woman with an extraordinary hunger is attacking people and eating her victims.


==Characters==
The job of a lifetime it might be, but working for Torchwood is putting big strains on [[Gwen Cooper|Gwen]]'s relationship with Rhys. While she decides to spice up their love life with the help of alien [[technology]], Rhys decides it's time to sort himself out — better music, healthier food, lose some weight. Luckily, a friend has mentioned Doctor [[Scotus]]'s [[Scotus Clinic|weight-loss clinic]]...
*Captain [[Jack Harkness]]
*[[Gwen Cooper]]
*[[Toshiko Sato]]
*[[Owen Harper]]
*[[Ianto Jones]]
*[[Lucy (Slow Decay)|Lucy]]
*Dr [[Scotus]]
*[[Craig Sutherland]]
*PC [[Jimmy Mitchell]]
*[[Marianne Till]]


==References==
== Plot ==
*There are very subtle references to [[Ianto Jones|Ianto]] keeping 'something' secret in the Torchwood vaults. ([[TW]]: ''[[Cyberwoman]]'')
''to be added''
 
== Characters ==
* Captain [[Jack Harkness]]
* [[Gwen Cooper]]
* [[Toshiko Sato]]
* [[Owen Harper]]
* [[Ianto Jones]]
* [[Rhys Williams]]
* [[Lucy Sobel]]
* [[Marianne Till]]
* Dr [[Scotus]]
* PC [[Jimmy Mitchell]]
* [[Craig Sutherland]]
* [[Rick Dennis]]
* [[Geraint Morris]]
* [[Dai Morris]]
* [[Idris ab Hugh]]
* [[Designer (Slow Decay)|Designer]]
* [[Martin (Slow Decay)|Martin]]
* [[Receptionist (Slow Decay)|Receptionist]]
* [[Jodie Williams]]
* [[Shaven-headed man]]
* [[Thug (Slow Decay)|Thug]]
* [[Goon (Slow Decay)|Goon]]
 
== Worldbuilding ==
* The sky over Cardiff is compared to an [[Edvard Munch]] painting.
* Gwen states that they stopped wearing [[bowler hat]]s in the [[Civil Service]] in the [[1950s]] as they went out of fashion, like [[tea trolly|tea trollies]] and [[waistcoat]]s. Jack compares the Civil Service to an administrative version of the [[Ku Klux Klan]].
* [[Jack Harkness]] uses a two-year-old playing near [[poison ivy]], [[Rose|rose bushes]], [[hawthorn]], [[spade]]s and [[secateurs]] as a metaphor for humans and alien technology.
* Jack lists examples of small talk: [[fashion]], [[politics]], [[house]] prices, [[sport]].
* Gwen goes on a date with Rhys to the [[Indian Summer (restaurant)|Indian Summer]].
* Jack once parked the [[Torchwood SUV]] in the middle of the [[Taff Bridge]].
* Torchwood investigate an incident at a nightclub off [[St Mary Street]]. Five bodies are found with [[Folding knife|folding knives]]. The victims are [[Craig Sutherland]], [[Rick Dennis]], [[Geraint Morris]], [[Dai Morris]] and [[Idris ab Hugh]]. Gwen theorises that there are three locals and two students from [[Cardiff University]].
* Jack suggests getting [[Laurence Llewelyn Bowen]] to decorate the [[Torchwood Hub]] with swags and velvet and stencilled [[oak]] leaves.
* Gwen says that Torchwood has a responsibility not to disturb the crime scenes, "like the [[Country Code]] only a lot weirder".
* Owen wipes blood from his hands with a [[Kleenex]].
* Owen questions whether a device found at the crime scene is an [[iPod]].
* Tosh uses a [[hyperspectral scanner]] to confirm where the device comes from.
* Gwen quotes her old tutor from [[Hendon]].
* The device is part of a batch which arrived on Earth sometimes in the [[1950s]]. Own compares them to [[Apostle Spoon]]s.
* Rhys includes swapping [[Radio 2]] for [[Radio 1]] among the radical changes he needs to make.
* Gwen cooked Rhys [[Chicken|chicken breasts]] marinated in [[lime juice]] and [[orange juice]] and wrapped in [[parma ham]] with [[asparagus]] and [[parmesan]]. To drink they had [[white wine]] and for dessert was a [[coffee]] [[crème brûlée]]. They usually made do with [[pasta]] in sauce.
* Rhys and Gwen had [[CD]]s of [[The Flaming Lips]] and [[Suzanne Vega]], which included the track ''[[Luka]]''.
* Gwen and Rhys used to buy [[recipe book]]s and go through the recipes. They made [[Turkey (bird)|turkey]] with [[milk chocolate]] and [[chilli pepper]] sauce, noting they should have used [[dark chocolate]] instead of milk. They also made [[brie]] wedges in breadcrumbs, [[pork]], [[paprika]] and [[pear]]s, and [[barbecue]]d [[Cuban lamb]] marinated in [[Coca-Cola]]. For a dinner party with [[Andy (Slow Decay)|Andy]] and [[Rebecca (Slow Decay)|Rebecca]], Gwen once made [[peanut butter and apple soup]].
* Owen mentions [[GQ]].
* [[Heart disease]] is mentioned.
* The [[Red Dragon Centre]] is in Cardiff.
* A [[San Miguel]] is an alcoholic drink.
* Owen uses a [[Sig Sauer P226]]; Tosh uses a [[Walther P99]].
* Torchwood Three uses [[Teflon bullet]]s and [[Glock 17]].
* Rhys goes shopping in [[ASDA]].
* [[St Edmunds Pippin]], [[Mère de Ménage]], [[Catshead]], [[Ribston Pippin]], [[Ashmead's Kernel]], [[Mannington's Pearman]], [[Lodgemore Nonpareil]], [[Devonshire Quarrenden]], [[Cox's Orange Pippin]] and [[Golden Delicious]] are varieties of [[apple]].
 
== Notes ==
* The plotline of medical malpractice and treatment using an alien parastite is similar to the ''Torchwood'' television story ''[[Reset (TV story)|Reset]]''.
* In the novel, [[Owen Harper]] quickly comes up with [[Tapanuli Fever]] to falsely describe the condition of [[Marianne Till]]. Tapanuli Fever is fictional illness from the [[Sherlock Holmes]] story ''The Adventure of the Dying Detective''.


==Notes==
=== Audio release ===
*The plotline of medical malpractice and treatment using an alien parastite is similar to [[TW]]: ''[[Reset (Torchwood story)|Reset]]''.
* The story was released as an audiobook on 3x CD read by [[Burn Gorman]].
*''Slow Decay'' is also available as an abridged audiobook read by [[Burn Gorman]]
* The audiobook is also available as a download from the [[AudioGo]] website.


==Continuity==
== Continuity ==
''to be added''
* Gwen secretly takes an [[emotional amplifier]] from [[the Hub]] to use in her private life. Many of the team previously borrowed items. ([[TV]]: ''[[Everything Changes (TV story)|Everything Changes]]'')
* Toshiko finds Ianto acting strangely around a chamber in the [[Torchwood Archive]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Cyberwoman (TV story)|Cyberwoman]]'')
* Tosh again recalls [[Operation Goldenrod]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Another Life (novel)|Another Life]]'')
* Jack asks Ianto to make a call to [[Jubilee Pizza]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Everything Changes (TV story)|Everything Changes]]'')
* Tosh knows its a touchy subject to talk about what happened to [[Torchwood One|Torchwood London]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'')
 
== Gallery ==
''<gallery position=center captionalign=center hideaddbutton="true" >
Slow_Decay.jpg|Original cover
Slow Decay German.jpg|German edition
Slow Decay Audiobook.jpg|Audiobook cover
</gallery>''


==Timeline==
== External links ==
*Slow Decay occurs between: [[TW]]: ''[[Ghost Machine]]'' and ''[[Cyberwoman]]''
* {{Penguin|1073900/torchwood-slow-decay/}}
{{dwrefguide|torchwood_n03.htm|Slow Decay}}
* {{whoniverse|twn03|Slow Decay}}
{{TorchwoodNovelsandShortStories}}
{{Weevil stories}}
{{TitleSort}}


==External links==
*[http://www.drwhoguide.com/torchwood_n03.htm Doctor Who Reference Guide - Detailed Synopsis: '''Slow Decay''']
*{{whoniverse|twn03.php|Slow Decay}}
{{TorchwoodNovelsandAudio}}
[[Category:Torchwood novels]]
[[Category:Torchwood novels]]
[[Category:2007 novels]]
[[Category:2007 novels]]
[[Category:Stories set in Cardiff]]
[[Category:Stories set in Cardiff]]
[[Category:Weevil stories]]
[[Category:Weevil novels]]
[[Category:BBC Books novels with audiobook readings]]

Latest revision as of 20:45, 4 November 2024

RealWorld.png

prose stub

Slow Decay was the third release in the BBC Torchwood Novels series.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

When Torchwood track an energy surge to a Cardiff nightclub, the team finds the police are already at the scene. Five teenagers have died in a fight, and lying among the bodies is an extraterrestrial device. Next morning, they discover the corpse of a Weevil, its face and neck eaten away, seemingly by human teeth. And on the streets of Cardiff, an ordinary woman with an extraordinary hunger is attacking people and eating her victims.

The job of a lifetime it might be, but working for Torchwood is putting big strains on Gwen's relationship with Rhys. While she decides to spice up their love life with the help of alien technology, Rhys decides it's time to sort himself out — better music, healthier food, lose some weight. Luckily, a friend has mentioned Doctor Scotus's weight-loss clinic...

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The plotline of medical malpractice and treatment using an alien parastite is similar to the Torchwood television story Reset.
  • In the novel, Owen Harper quickly comes up with Tapanuli Fever to falsely describe the condition of Marianne Till. Tapanuli Fever is fictional illness from the Sherlock Holmes story The Adventure of the Dying Detective.

Audio release[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The story was released as an audiobook on 3x CD read by Burn Gorman.
  • The audiobook is also available as a download from the AudioGo website.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Original cover

    Original cover

  • German edition

    German edition

  • Audiobook cover

    Audiobook cover

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

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Weevil stories
For the purposes of this list, a "Weevil story" is one in which one living, authentic Weevil plays a part within the confines of the story, outside of flashbacks to previous stories and cliffhangers that lead into the following story. Stories like Day One, End of Days, Sleeper, Fragments and The Pandorica Opens are also not included due to the Weevils' appearance being of no consequence to the plot of the story.
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