Shell Shock (Doctor Who)
| Author | Simon A. Forward |
|---|---|
| Series |
Doctor Who book: Telos Doctor Who novellas |
|
Release number
|
8 |
| Subject | Featuring: Sixth Doctor Peri |
| Publisher | Telos Publishing Ltd. |
|
Publication date
|
19 June 2003 |
| ISBN | (standard) |
| Preceded by | Wonderland |
| Followed by | The Cabinet of Light |
Shell Shock is an original novella written by Simon A. Forward and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Sixth Doctor and Peri. It was released both as a standard edition hardback and a deluxe edition () featuring a frontispiece by Bob Covington. Both editions have a foreword by Guy N. Smith.
The Sixth Doctor and Peri find themselves stranded on an alien world that is mostly covered by water. The Doctor manages to make it to shore, where he has to work out a way to save Peri, the TARDIS and himself. Peri, however, is swallowed by an alien life-form intent on making her its god.
The TARDIS lands on a derelict vessel floating on the sea of an alien world almost completely covered by water. As Peri goes scuba diving, the derelict explodes. The TARDIS sinks to the bottom of the ocean, apparently taking the Doctor with it, and although Peri tries to find dry ground, she eventually sinks beneath the waters and drowns. She is rescued, in a way, by an alien creature that forms a mental link with her even as it begins to eat away her body. She relives some of her most terrible memories, including her sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather, in a desperate attempt to retain her identity and individuality. Forward published a "first draft" of Peri's experiences in the Memory in the fanzine Mythmakers #14: Personal Reflections[1] instead of recalling Peri's sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather, she recalled her wild youth, pregnancy and resultant abortion. Forward stated that the change in the final manuscript was made at the request of editor David J. Howe, who thought it would be better to link the story to a fan theory about Peri's relationship with her stepfather, though not based on her character as seen in the television serials.
The Doctor, meanwhile, has been rescued by a giant crab called Scrounger, who was designed to fight in a war but is now surviving with others of his kind on a nearby island. Shortly after being taken there, the Doctor meets the only other humanoid around, Ranger, who is suffering from shell shock as a result of the war. He also shares a mental link through something called "The Memory", which used to issue orders during the war but has now fallen silent. As the Doctor struggles to communicate and come up with a plan to save himself, Ranger is attacked by an enemy crab, bigger than the others. He survives, and nicknames his attacker "Meathook".
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