This is Terrance Dicks' best novel for some time. As
usual, the author has returned to some of his favourite stomping grounds,
including a flashback for the Second Doctor in World War One. The Sixth Doctor
and Peri arrive in South Africa just an assassin takes a pot shot at the young
Winston Churchill. Having saved Churchill's life, the Doctor believes that more
sinister forces are at work, manipulating the actions of the Boers. Hindsight
is the Doctor's greatest ally and his greatest fear: how much must he interfere
to insure Churchill's future? Events come to the fore in the 1930s, spurred on
by the intrigues of the Nazis, accompanied by the mysterious assassin... This
is an excellent adventure story, very much in the mould of Indiana Jones or
even Colonel Blimp. Familiar faces from the past reappear to aid the Doctor,and
the 'Players' may turn out to be very old enemies indeed... Despite believing
the Doctor to be an archetypal character, Dicks has got the Sixth Doctor
exactly right here. This may even be the Sixth Doctor at his best, and it's a
pity that it's never going to be on TV, for Dicks allows the Doctor to ditch
that dreadful coat, to be replaced by a costume that Colin Baker might have
preferred. 'Players' surpasses 'Exodus':
although it employs real life characters from the same period, its overall
slant is contrary to the earlier book and far more tasteful. I gave this a high
mark because I didn't expect to enjoy it, but I did. However, Terrance Dicks
could win higher marks if only he tried to do something a bit more original.
Kevin Mahoney
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