Hey Kids: Just Say No

On the twin colonies of Mendeb Two and Three, inhabitants left stranded by withdrawal of external support are left uncertain how to operate, develop or even understand their own living environments. An inspiring notion, providing a plethora of possible story avenues? A pity, then, that the writer opts to relate a rather predictable tale of war, slavery and oppression which reads very much like the template Doctor Who story Andrew Cartmel warned tv scriptwriters to avoid all those years ago.

Some might reckon that by nicking the moniker of a Hollywood blockbuster, Independence Day has a lot to live up to. The title is certainly indicative of the novel's problems, being overly straightforward and derivative. And what with characters given boringly generic names like "Madok" and "Horval", political squabbles not unlike those we already know from Tara and Peladon, and a docile, drugged populace bringing to mind early Blakes 7, any desire for novelty remains unfulfilled.

Indeed, the final sections of the book go beyond predictability and approach pointlessness; the text never hints at any possible directions for the plot to go other than those toward which it ambles, thus whenever anything happens, any potential surprise is minimised by a vague impression that we were already told that about a hundred pages ago. And a story lacking surprise isn't really a story at all. Independence Day could do with some subtlety, too - moral issues are plainly stated, never alluded to or discussed in any depth; slavery is wrong, it says here. Repeatedly.

The depiction of the seventh Doctor and Ace is representative of the book as a whole - they first appear likeable and in character, only to become less recognisable with each passing page. Similarly, the bright start and undeniably huge potential of Independence Day are wasted, as the novel breaks a key stricture of storytelling by becoming duller and less inspiring as it proceeds. Ultimately, the book isn't particularly bad - it's really just not very interesting.

It's got one thing in common with that movie, then.