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pinksoniaSo, I've reached the last bastion of Dr. Who fandom. I found the new series which led me to the classic series. I listened to audios first the new audiobooks, and then some from Big Finish, I read new series adventures and even went to a convention (twice). Now finally I have read my first book with a classic setting. Namely: Goth Opera.
I greatly enjoyed it, yet some how, once again, I find my favorite parts are the non-who bits (let me tell you how much I want a rom-com period drama which is essentially Human Nature/Family of Blood without the Dr. Who bits). In the case of this novel, it is the treatment of faith and it's intersection with Vampires with regards to how personal faith will protect you.
And then there is the delightful bit from the Doctor that you just know had to be there. But hey, if you are going to name check my favorite, I'm all for that.
Also, for the LOLZ and the True Facts! there is:
"What do you reckon this lot are up to anyway? What do they want?"
"To rule the world, I assume. That's the usual job description. I wonder if
any of them ever consider what a tiresome job that would actually turn out
to be."
This is all now definitely in my personal canon of Vampire lore. Other people's vampires sparkle, mine are defeated by works of literature.
I greatly enjoyed it, yet some how, once again, I find my favorite parts are the non-who bits (let me tell you how much I want a rom-com period drama which is essentially Human Nature/Family of Blood without the Dr. Who bits). In the case of this novel, it is the treatment of faith and it's intersection with Vampires with regards to how personal faith will protect you.
Tegan's hand had reached behind him, and stealthily grabbed one of the
books on her table. As Jeremy closed on her neck, she slammed the spine
of the Gideon Bible into the back of his head.
The vampire screeched and swished off the side of the bed like a cartoon
character. Tegan leapt out of bed, brandishing the Bible before her. It
seemed that a lot of the stuff Grandad had said was spot on.
Sanders was clutching his skull in pain. Amongst his immaculate hair, a tiny
white cross had burnt through to the flesh, a reflection of the one on the
book's spine. "Very clever of you," he told her. "But that only worked
because you thought it would. You have no real religious faith, certainly not
in that collection of pious lies you're holding. You can't hold me back with
it." He took a step forward.
"Yeah, but you couldn't hypnotize me, could you?"
"Indeed. You have great strength of will. All that means is that this is going
to be more unpleasant for you."
"I've got faith in lots of things. Qantas, the republic, James Reyne."
"None of which you can bring strongly enough to mind at present. You'll
have a go, fail, and then I'll eat you. Wouldn't it be better to go out with
some dignity, old girl?"
Tegan glanced about the room, looking for some familiar icon. If she'd been
at home, it'd be easier, but hotel rooms weren't full of objects of faith.
Exactly the bloody opposite. Then she glanced down at the book she'd
knocked onto the floor. She squatted quickly and grabbed it. "Try this!" she
called, making herself step towards the advancing vampire. "I've got faith in
the words of Primo Levi!"
Sanders faultered. "You really shouldn't-"
Tegan flicked open a page and began to read at random and with force,
drowning out the vampire's words. She kept on walking until she was nose
to nose with the creature. "You can't lay a finger on me, can you?" she told
him. "I've got a good book in my hands, and a dirty great snake in my brain
so get back!" She emphasized the point with a finger stuck very nearly up
Jeremy's nose. "Or I'll bite your head off"
Jeremy looked around, distraught. "We'll return," he told her. "You can't
keep this up forever."
"Yeah? Well, my mate's a Time Lord, and if I had any Aussie wine handy
it'd be like holy water, so you just flap off and terrorize someone else, you
big wuss."
books on her table. As Jeremy closed on her neck, she slammed the spine
of the Gideon Bible into the back of his head.
The vampire screeched and swished off the side of the bed like a cartoon
character. Tegan leapt out of bed, brandishing the Bible before her. It
seemed that a lot of the stuff Grandad had said was spot on.
Sanders was clutching his skull in pain. Amongst his immaculate hair, a tiny
white cross had burnt through to the flesh, a reflection of the one on the
book's spine. "Very clever of you," he told her. "But that only worked
because you thought it would. You have no real religious faith, certainly not
in that collection of pious lies you're holding. You can't hold me back with
it." He took a step forward.
"Yeah, but you couldn't hypnotize me, could you?"
"Indeed. You have great strength of will. All that means is that this is going
to be more unpleasant for you."
"I've got faith in lots of things. Qantas, the republic, James Reyne."
"None of which you can bring strongly enough to mind at present. You'll
have a go, fail, and then I'll eat you. Wouldn't it be better to go out with
some dignity, old girl?"
Tegan glanced about the room, looking for some familiar icon. If she'd been
at home, it'd be easier, but hotel rooms weren't full of objects of faith.
Exactly the bloody opposite. Then she glanced down at the book she'd
knocked onto the floor. She squatted quickly and grabbed it. "Try this!" she
called, making herself step towards the advancing vampire. "I've got faith in
the words of Primo Levi!"
Sanders faultered. "You really shouldn't-"
Tegan flicked open a page and began to read at random and with force,
drowning out the vampire's words. She kept on walking until she was nose
to nose with the creature. "You can't lay a finger on me, can you?" she told
him. "I've got a good book in my hands, and a dirty great snake in my brain
so get back!" She emphasized the point with a finger stuck very nearly up
Jeremy's nose. "Or I'll bite your head off"
Jeremy looked around, distraught. "We'll return," he told her. "You can't
keep this up forever."
"Yeah? Well, my mate's a Time Lord, and if I had any Aussie wine handy
it'd be like holy water, so you just flap off and terrorize someone else, you
big wuss."
And then there is the delightful bit from the Doctor that you just know had to be there. But hey, if you are going to name check my favorite, I'm all for that.
"Barbara Wright!" the Doctor gasped manically. "She became a housewife,
you know, and makes a rather good upside-down cake! She and her
husband Ian have a son called John!" Jake snatched back his hand as the
Doctor moved forward, staggered by the force of his words. The Time Lord
was staring intently into his eyes as he pushed Jake back to the railings.
"My granddaughter, Susan! My friend Adric, who gave his life trying to save
others! I have great faith in these people, whatever your name is, and if
there's one thing that you can count on in this turbulent and uncertain
universe it's that I'll never allow any of them to come to harm if I can
possibly . . . help it!" He snatched a cricket ball from his pocket and tossed
it expertly through the railings.
you know, and makes a rather good upside-down cake! She and her
husband Ian have a son called John!" Jake snatched back his hand as the
Doctor moved forward, staggered by the force of his words. The Time Lord
was staring intently into his eyes as he pushed Jake back to the railings.
"My granddaughter, Susan! My friend Adric, who gave his life trying to save
others! I have great faith in these people, whatever your name is, and if
there's one thing that you can count on in this turbulent and uncertain
universe it's that I'll never allow any of them to come to harm if I can
possibly . . . help it!" He snatched a cricket ball from his pocket and tossed
it expertly through the railings.
Also, for the LOLZ and the True Facts! there is:
"What do you reckon this lot are up to anyway? What do they want?"
"To rule the world, I assume. That's the usual job description. I wonder if
any of them ever consider what a tiresome job that would actually turn out
to be."
This is all now definitely in my personal canon of Vampire lore. Other people's vampires sparkle, mine are defeated by works of literature.