For the past few months on rec.arts.drwho, whenever a question has come up about the EDAs post The Ancestor Cell Lance Parkin has replied "read The Burning".
Now that I have, do I share Lance's catchphrase?

The Burning is an important book in the EDA range for several reasons. Firstly, it follows on from The Ancestor Cell - the resolution to story threads which began with Alien Bodies. Secondly, It is the first book to be commissioned by Justin Richards, following the emergency filler of The Banquo Legacy. And thirdly, it is the first book of the first new story arc, setting up events for future releases.

The novel starts off well, setting up the events of the book. Richards paints the reader a vivid picture of Middleton, a dying town, its industry exhausted, left behind by progress, setting the scene for The Doctor's first adventure since the events of The Ancestor Cell.

The arrival of a stranger, Roger Nepath, sets events into motion, the first indication of things to come. His arrival affects the entire town, including bring back jobs for locals, but for what purpose? The Doctor's arrival into events is at first unnoticed, but as soon as he speaks the reader can immediately tell he IS the Eighth Doctor, although without the majority of his memories.

The Doctor's arrival at Middleton is linked in to the goal of Nepath's plans, having been led to the town by the TARDIS, which soon grows, being affected by the forces Nepath is about to unleash.

The Burning grips the reader, enticing them to read on to the conclusion, reached after 241 pages, making it a little short for such an important novel.

Characterisation throughout the novel is held up well, with each character given an independent personality, meaning that secondary characters don't merge together, which helps keep the book so engrossing for the reader.

As the book races on towards a fiery conclusion, unfortunate similarities to The Banquo Legacy begin to emerge, although these similarities are a different facet of the relationship seen in The Banquo Legacy.

Also, some parts of the conclusion of the novel are signposted throughout the novel, making some sections predictable, but Richards' prose glosses over this.

Throughout the novel The Doctor is clearly The Eighth Doctor, from physical description to personality and actions, although he isn't wholly there, as can be seen from the conclusion of the novel.

A final comment, the "villian" of the novel I found confusing in nature, and had to reread the sections of the novel dealing with the way it works, but at the end of the novel I still feel as though we haven't been told the full story, yet.

Overall, The Burning is an excellent start to the Richards era, a bold new start for Doctor Who. Oh, and before I go, read The Burning!

8.7/10

Next time: The Doctor investigates what other horrors are facing wounded soldiers in 1917 England...

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