Author: Jonathan Blum and Kate Orman

Originally published: July 1997

Read: June 2024 (and approx July 1997!)

Context:

Second EDA and the one where the 8th Doctor adventures really start to kick off. I remember reading this the first time, enjoyed it then and enjoyed this again.

THE REVIEW

What I thought: The 8th Doctor and Sam burst out of the pages here, fully formed and distinctive, much more so than the previous EDA (the 8 doctors). The vampires are well done, and it’s a new take on them, with the 8th doc trying everything to not have to wipe them out. The emotional, softer side of the 8th doctor comes out here. Sam is also well written, and in retrospective is a proto-Rose in many ways. A whole different take on companions, they have emotions, thoughts, they have mixed feelings bout things, shades of grey etc…we take this for granted now but back then this didn’t really happen on TV (and continuation of the NA’s in this regard).

Rating: 4 out of 5 Daleks (great start to the EDA’s properly; makes me eager to read more of them)

What I felt This one took me back again, and it’s a testament to how good this one is how well I remembered large parts of the story and the characterisation of the 8th Doctor in particular.

What am I left thinking?

• If the vampires return
• The impact of this adventure on Sam
• Is this the same VW Beetle as the one the 8th doc has in Dark Eyes???

Memorable bits

• The nightclub
• Funky vampires
• Ancient Gallifrey’s war with the vampires