"Lungbarrow" is one of those stories which promised to be oh-so-good but could have been oh-so-terrible. The Doctor's past, reunions with numerous past companions, and returns to Gallifrey have been staples of fan fiction for over two decades, and so while a book exhibiting all this certainly looks to be a thrilling event, it also threatens to be little more than fan abasement: a "Blood Harvest"-style regurgitation of old characters and old stories, with hype and momentary fan-oriented thrills substituting for genuine plot and characterisation.

Fortunately, Marc Platt does a very good job indeed of maintaining the novel's integrity while including a lot which will appeal to longtime fans of Doctor Who -- a sort of latterday "Timewyrm: Revelation". It is fortunate, though, that "Lungbarrow" comes at the end of one branch of Doctor Who canon, as it really does reveal far too much about the Doctor's personal history. "Lungbarrow" dispels most of the mysteries built up in Seasons 25 and 26 as well the entirety of the New (and Missing) Adventures, and this would surely dampen the Doctor's mystique were the New Adventures to continue for many subsequent books. Only the question of the Doctor's half-humanness is not dealt with directly, but is instead expertly skirted, leaving the question alluded to but unanswered.

Plotwise, Platt does a good job of handling several different threads. He avoids fannish excesses with a hearty dose of minimality: when K-9 Marks I and II are reunited, he doesn't dwell on it -- it happens, serves its purpose, and then is not referred to again. (Although the utter disappearance of the K-9s and Andred in the latter half of the book is a little unbalancing; it would have been nice to have had just one scene with them toward the end to wrap up their role in the drama.) He provides a great framework within which the Doctor's secrets are revealed, and fortunately he avoids making those revelations the entire point of the novel -- there is a lot going on besides showcasing the Doctor's past, and while this is of course a key element, there is still much more of substance: the book could pretty much have survived having the entirety of the revelations excised. This is another way "Lungbarrow" differs from most fanfic; whereas fans generally devise the continuity explanations and craft a story around them, Platt instead has delivered a strong story within which the continuity explanations fit nicely.

Platt's strength, though, is in the atmosphere he creates. Much as in "Ghost Light", the scenes set within "Lungbarrow" have an air of creeping, claustrophobic gothic horror. Lungbarrow isn't merely a place for the action to happen in, but is an integral part of the novel: it is the madness and horror seeping from every nook and crevice which helps generate suspense and interest.

This is fortunate, as the characters themselves are, in the main, surprisingly flat. This is perhaps a result of Platt having so much to do in the novel: *something* had to give. While the Doctor, of course, comes off very well -- it's rare to see him reacting against something of such a personal nature, and this yields added insight into the complexity of the character -- as does Romana, Leela lacks the verve and conviction which made her so interesting on television, and Dorothee feels uncomfortably inserted into the proceedings. Chris Cwej's characterisation, on the other hand, is a casualty of the plot, which dictates that he just isn't himself for most of the book. It's too bad "Lungbarrow" is his final story, as it's not much of a sendoff, revolving as it does, around the Doctor instead. But in the few scenes where he does behave normally he is, at least, well-portrayed.

As for the guest cast, while their eccentric nature certainly adds to the atmosphere of the book, none of them really develop proper personalities in their own right: they are truly children of the plot, there to play their roles and depart, rather than achieving any true depth or complexity.

Finally, of course, there's the big revelation itself. Herein is revealed pretty much everything, from the nature of The Other to Susan's relationship with the Doctor. Platt (and others -- this is really the product of many people's efforts over the past nine years) has done a commendable job of creating an interesting and satisfying history from the Doctor... certainly better than simply the old "bored and left Gallifrey" idea. The New Adventures have done wonders both to flesh out the Doctor's own motivations and to provide Gallifrey with some depth and originality, and Platt does not fail this tradition. While I'm sure many will dislike the ideas as presented (particularly those who choose to ignore scenes like the infamous "Brain of Morbius" mind-battle if they don't fit into their personal view of Doctor Who continuity), I believe it to be one of the most intriguing and believable theories presented so far. My one quibble is a lack of any resolution of the whole "Time's Champion" thread... but I suppose one book can only do so much.

"Lungbarrow" is an immensely satisfying read, let down only by the rather lacklustre characterisation throughout. I can scarcely imagine a more fitting farewell for the Seventh Doctor... and, almost, the New Adventures themselves. After faltering slightly with "Downtime", Platt is back to form here.

8/10.

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