Written
by Terrance Dicks
Published
by Tandem Publishing Ltd
For
Target in 1976
There are many alien
creatures with a thirst for dominance of a far weaker species, and yet they all
seem to think that Earth is going to be such a push over. It always seems to be
the arrogance of the alien species that likes to brag about its deeds to the
one person who can easily overthrow their plans, and if failing to enable them
to see sense, will thwart every single plan of theirs.
Of course, without the
might of the Doctor and UNIT, although to be fair, the Brig only has the
regular weapons known to man at his disposal and its this kind of military
screw up that can push the might of an alien race to declare war on earth,
rather than using a more diplomatic approach, or capture the Doctor and watch
him take your ship apart and use it against you.
I love a good Zygon story
and if I’m pushed to choose between which alien species I like the most, it’s a
tie between the Daleks and the Zygons at every turn. Both of them are
determined as ever to dominate a planet and begin cultivating it to their own needs.
Both have tunnel vision. They see only the end goal and a means to get it, but
don’t figure on the might of the human race or the meddling Doctor.
In both stories involving
Zygons (in book form) that I’ve read so far, although a little bit more advanced
in the 10th but still, the end game amounts to the same, but at
least the Skarasen isn’t a threat in the 10th novel unlike it seems
in this.
The Skarasen I felt sorry
for. Most cyborg creatures which were created to do their masters bidding, are
often only doing it because they have little choice, and the Skarasen is no
different. It becomes the Loch Ness Monster for the story because those were
the waters it grew up in, and wearing attached Zygon technology, it charges
towards the very person holding the device in order to snuff them out, or at
best, to crush the device into the ground, so it can go back to peaceful
waters.
The only problem with
killing a Skarasen is that you’ll need a nuclear weapon in order to do so.
The Fourth Doctor is
helped by Harry Sullivan, Sarah Jane Smith and UNIT which includes the Brig.
I’ve always liked the Brigadier but reading through the old novels of the
classic series, I am beginning to question what it is about the military fool
that I liked so much – because the writings at the time gave UNIT more of a
Keystone Cops approach to tackling the alien races that came to earth to
dominate us human species.
Maybe I’m not giving UNIT
enough credit. Back in the days of the 3rd and 4th
Doctors, the world was a much different place, and UNIT were only just coming
into being, the stiff upper lip and male arrogance was rife back then. And
maybe the odd alien landing, Daleks and Zygons and other species I’m still
learning about, including the Master, are species that UNIT are only just
understanding. Perhaps I shouldn’t be poking a stick at them wondering why
they’re not as on the ball as I’d like – especially when you look at UNIT now,
it’s more of a military likeness to Torchwood. On the ball with alien species.
Has an arsenal of weapons in order to defeat a mighty army and has the daughter
of the Brigadier in charge – and you don’t want to mess with her.
As you’d expect, the Loch
Ness Monster story is set in Scotland, and around oil rigs that are being
destroyed, the reason of which you will discover towards the middle of the
story. It’s a wonderful read and you can’t help but smile at Broton and his suckered
band of maniacs as they are thwarted at every turn to take over the world.
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