Reviews > Doctor Who: The Legacy > Ruins of Self I - Chapter Three
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Chapter Three Review by Elizabeth Medeiros

Chapter three continues the mesmerizing depiction of the Doctor in crisis, a Doctor who is now but an empty shell, a man who is losing everything, including himself. The way this chapter starts, with the Figure revealing that they are in the heart of what was once Gallifrey, grabs your attention and practically holds you captive until the very end. But there's a catch, because chapter three isn't really the end of this story. And I know that very well.

The Doctor-clone's deterioration is rapid now, and the transformation from a Doctor with complete confidence to one who is completely helpless is handled superbly by Andie. The Doctor is wasting away -literally falling apart with clumps of skin pealing off him- and it's a frightening and unforgettable portrait. What adds to that is Andie's lush description of the Temple as a holy shrine and the Vogans' belief that Time Lords are gods. That's not far from the truth sometimes, because Time Lords regenerate, have a very long life span, and have great abilities, so to watch this Doctor-even if he is a clone- disintegrate makes terrifically suspenseful reading.

Because the Doctor is the emphasis here, the thread with Alf and Nick being captured, though interesting, is somewhat in the background. Alf continues to be a mixed character, she's still violent, but now her doubts about herself are coming to the forefront. And Nick, well, he has the shock of his life when he discovers the truth about the Doctor. He's angry, confused and unsure about everything. Which is precisely how Ruins 1 ends, with all three characters in turmoil at a critical point in their lives. The final section I particularly loved, it's quietly expressive and touching, and it's a great cliffhanger leading into Ruins of Self 2. Don't miss it.

End note:
(I'm taking a break while my colleague Sally Wiget writes the reviews for Ruins 2. And as co-author, I hope you'll enjoy the next novella.)

Chapter Three Review by Paul Clement

If the last chapter was one of plot and action, then the final chapter in this the first part of Ruins of Self can be described as plot and in-action.

The cliffhanger that brought the last chapter to a close needed a strong image to take into the new chapter and Andie doesn't disappoint. The bodily degeneration of the Doctor had been much in evidence throughout the last chapter, but it really hits home in this chapter with the realisation that the mind is also being affected, so much so that mention of Gallifrey and The Matrix mean nothing to him. And when the Figure states that all the Doctor's memories have left the clone leaving him an empty shell, it's almost like a hammer blow.

The real problem lies in the fact that this story is in the middle of a season and not perhaps as it should have been, the season finale. The story has an anti-climatic edge to it resultant from the fact that we are already aware that the Doctor will survive to continue his adventures, based on the fact there are more stories to follow. If this had been a season finale it would have generated more of an impact and make the reader question whether there was anything to follow or was this the final end.

Unfortunately, the scenes involving Nick and Alf seem to have tapered off by this point. Whereas previously they had come across well and had served a vital purpose in the story by maintaining the impetus of the story through the use of action, they now only seem to be used as a break from the main plot. Perhaps this is a result of a lack of theme to their storyline, in as much as the whole plot device involving them has resided around their search for the Doctor, and there is only so far that any writer can take this. Instead, Andie now seems to be focusing on the blossoming relationship between the two and while the style of prose is as always a joy to read, the lack of action tends to make this final chapter drag in places.

The final scenes however, are both well written and well thought out. Nick's reaction is what makes this work, his emotions are churning and Andie really manages to express his confusion and anger as well as his perceived betrayal. The final part of the story, with a fully restored Tardis, but with the Doctor locked inside and Alf and Nick outside pose some serious questions to the future of the team, questions that I'm sure we won't be disappointed in when part 2 of Ruins begins.