DOCTOR WHO
"THE GHOSTS OF PELADON"
In beneath the cruel dagger of history.
Starring the Sixth Doctor, Peri and Frobisher
Starring the Sixth Doctor, Peri and Frobisher
Time always found ways to fight back. On the planet Peladon, something stirs in its stormswept peaks. For the Doctor, Peri and Frobisher, it's a trial by ordeal as they attempt to survive a world yet to reach out towards the stars. Stolen to the medieval world by forces beyond their control, the TARDIS trio are separated. The Doctor, marooned in the Village of Walpole, attempts to keep the Pels alive under the Citadel's tyranny. Peri drudges away in the castle's kitchens, while Frobisher entertains the ruthless king as his droll. All three prisoners of history. But the Long Cold draws nearer and it may soon be time for Peladon to make sacrifices. Have the Doctor, Peri and Frobisher arrived on the eve of disaster? Full Version:
WHO'S WHO? (SPOILER-FREE)
This novel can be read with no prior knowledge of this Doctor or his companions.
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Addenda:
Author CommentarIES for "THE GHOSTS OF PELADON" (*Spoilers) by alan camlann and afj kernow
Alan Camlann
- Believe it or not, the Sixth Doctor, Peri and Frobisher's journey to Peladon was almost entirely unexpected. The Ghosts of Peladon began, originally, as a short story intended for A Sparkle of Doctors - Volume 1. However, it soon became clear, during the development process, that a much richer tale remained to be told. To that end, this novella features a prominent element of that collection in a cameo appearance. As well as a nod or two to several short stories featured in the A Sparkle of Doctors trilogy.
- The village of Walpole owes its name to one of the first originators of Gothic fiction, Horace Walpole. Author of The Castle of Otranto. Similarly, its sister village, Stokebram, is a distortion of another prominent author in the genre, Bram Stoker of Dracula fame. There's more than a touch of Hammer Horror to the tale told here.
- The planet of Peladon, much like Vortis or Skaro, remains one of Doctor Who's most readily realised worlds. If the Time Lord Tribunal had determined that the exiled Third Doctor would be better served on Mount Megeshra, than in northern Europe, would we have been terribly surprised? After all, it shares many of the same growing pains as the Doctor's twentieth-century Earth.
AFJ Kernow
- The Ghosts of Peladon is dedicated to Brian Hayles, creator of Peladon, Aggedor and its fascinating history. His novelisation of The Curse of Peladon expands the television version. You can easily picture the moody, flame-lit corridors, the religious fervour of Hepesh and the youthful enthusiasm of Peladon. The multi-coloured changes of Alpha Centauri, depending on its mood, are lovingly described too.
- The version of Peladon in our story is more primitive and brutal than that we saw in The Curse of Peladon. King Peliak is a cruel despot compared to the more enlightened King Peladon. More recently, Peladon’s story has been extended by Big Finish Productions and other Doctors, besides Jon Pertwee’s Third incarnation, have visited the planet.
- The Doctor has a great deal of fondness for Peladon, and we too look forward to more stories from Aggedor’s homeworld.
"Frobisher, meanwhile, waddled down the hallways of the Citadel alone, trying to find a quiet place to sleep."
Image by Doctor Who and the Midjourney
Image by Doctor Who and the Midjourney