{REVIEW} Pick of the Brown Bag: Hollow Men
Rayctate
by
Ray Tate
Who Review 98 #16
Title: The Hollow Men
Authors: Keith Topping & Martin Day
ISBN#: 0-563-40582-1
'Paul, watch the door for the vultures. She's coming around.'
'Right, Eliot.'
The woman moans and presses her hand to her brow. She
runs her finger around the outline of the adhesive strip. She
opens her chestnut-brown eyes. Eliot smiles.
'Are you all right?'
She nods then winces.
'What's your name?'
''Holly. Who are you?'
'Eliot Ness, and my tall obscenely good-looking friend is Paul
Robeson.'
'Flattery will get you everywhere, Eliot.'
'THE Eliot Ness. Why--Why are you here? That man--he broke
in, and--'
'It's all right. He's not going to hurt you again, and I came here to
ask you some questions?'
'About what?'
'CAM. Cameron Hersch.'
'Poor CAM.'
'Did you know the bruiser?'
'No. Do you think he killed, Cammy?'
'I don't know. We can't be sure until we find out who he is, and
why he wanted to hurt you. You don't know him. So the last one
will be harder to discover.'
'He didn't have a wallet?'
'No, he didn't. Just this address on a slip of paper. You were
targeted, Holly.'
'It's not my real name. Holly Althia is something--I made it up.
Better than Tempeste Garet.'
'Why?'
'Tempeste's just a hick girl who came to the big city looking for her
dreams. They were shattered. So, I recreated myself.'
'How's Holly Althia doing?'
'She's been better.'
'Better when with CAM or without?'
'Without, I'm sorry to say. It's wrong to speak ill of the dead.'
'What happened with you and CAM, Holly?'
'I got tired of him. He's--He was obsessed about the Doctor
and his origins.'
'The Doctor. All roads seem to lead to him. Did he mention
the Blood-Eyed Looming Goat Inn--I think that's what they call it.'
'I know what you mean. Can I have a cigarette?'
Eliot produces his cigarette case and his lighter.
'Thank you.'
She drags deeply from the cigarette and breathes two streams
of blue-gray smoke from her nose.
'CAM hated them. It's a queer situation from what he told me--
every two or three seconds. One origin pits the Doctor as
coming from some fake baby-making machine. Though he
doesn't come out as a baby. The other one is that the Doctor
is half-human.'
'The Doctor's in town. Why didn't he just--'
'How did you know?'
'I'm the public safety director. When someone like the Doctor
steps through the gate, you want to know what's already inside.
So, why didn't CAM just ask the Doctor and settle this?'
'He did. The night before he was murdered.'
'And where were you, when CAM was murdered?'
'When?'
'Between eleven and twelve midnight.'
'Hops' Drugstore. It's on the corner of First and Bleeker. I was
making eyes at the soda jerk. He'll remember me. Freckles all
over his face.'
'Eliot, vulture alert.'
'Holly, reporters are going to start asking you questions. It's
always best to tell the truth, and don't go into the spare room.
Some men from the forensics lab will be here to collect what's
inside.'
Holly nods her head.
'Fire-escape, Eliot?'
'Fire-escape.'
HERE BE SPOILERS
A blend of genres mingles in the cauldron of Keith Topping and
Martin Day for "The Hollow Men." Lasting horror imagery stalks
the countryside in the form of shambling scarecrows--hardly a
spoiler since the BBC is kind enough yet again to ruin any surprise
by stitching an animated effigy to the cover. Science fiction draws
from a televised story to offer a rational explanation for the overtly
occult occurrences and contrasts the fairy-tale like quality to the
central theme with an unsavory twist at home in a medical thriller.
Most surprising of all, a pulp sub-plot impacting on the meat of the
menace makes a welcome added ingredient that would not be out
of place in a Shadow or Spider escapade.
Not to worry, the Doctor though still a cosmic vigilante of sorts
remains removed from his literary cousins but not so distantly.
The Doctor functions in the novel as an ingenious ratiocinator and
nothing more, but the mystery is greater than a simple blackmail
scheme and requires an understanding of time to observe the full
range of its consequences. It would take a legacy of detectives,
an immortal character or, of course, a time traveler to make sense
out of the undercurrent of threat bubbling to the surface of Hexen
Bridge. This novel then makes the Doctor intrinsic to the story,
but although a Time Lord and an experienced adventurer, he still
requires multiple visits, painlessly included in the narration and
dialogue, to reach a point of near comprehension he exhibits in
the novel.
Here, he isn't an unfathomable alien force of nature. The authors
allow the reader to experience his point of view and show that he
must work for his victories like any other champion. They display
his almost fatherly faith in Ace, a reliable and effective Watson when
the book's staging pays tribute to "The Hound of the Baskervilles,"
and they convey a genuine compassion in his brogue when
orchestrating the dialogue.
"I'll tell you everything I know about_____," said the Doctor,
which certainly seemed to capture the attention of the police officers
in the van. "But let the girl go."
It is at this point in the novel that the differences between this Doctor
and previous attempts to characterize him become apparent. The
girl the Doctor refers to in a lesser author's hands would become a
pawn in one of the Doctor's pretentious and hideous games where
his ends justify his means, but Mr. Topping and Mr. Day base their
characterization on the Doctor from the television series and nothing
else. This Doctor does not play chess and can be touched by the
fate of a single individual life without the risk of losing sight of "the
big picture." This Doctor knows for whom he fights: the good people
he meets by the roadside and the friendly folk who ask him innocent
questions about the English monetary system; no those scenes were
not padding.
The reinforcement of the Doctor as a heroic figure does not
undermine the maturity of the novel nor insult the intellect of the
reader. The Doctor's humanity builds on the authenticity of the
miniature epic. The death of the girl motivates The Doctor and his
allies, but she becomes a tragedy not the Doctor's toy. Indeed,
none of the deaths in "The Hollow Men" are accountable to the
Doctor's interference. The strength of Mr. Topping's and Mr.
Day's novel is that the events would have occurred regardless of
the Doctor's presence. He does nothing to set them in motion. He
becomes swept up by the violence of the personal histories being
played out in the novel.
His only consolation would be the surprise on the faces of the
three men when a man with a completely different face would
sit up after the shooting, asking where he was, what was going
on and could they possibly direct him to his TARDIS?
The Doctor doesn't know what's going on. He doesn't leave
himself notes to clue his past self into the future events--though the
authors do address this erroneous facet in a typically whimsical
fashion. He in fact is forced to stay in the periphery in what
could have been a skillfully rendered apocalyptic novel, but the
plot changes when the Doctor escapes. The plot must change.
Character makes the plot, and the Doctor's meddling saves lives.
His hundred score years of experience ultimately moves the climax
of the adventure novel embedded in the larger surreal science fiction
story to an earlier stage and quietly cripples the larger of the menaces
without robbing any of the Doctor's show-stopping magic.
Casting the Novel
The Doctor--Sylvester McCoy
Ace--Sophie Aldred
Judge Jeffreys--Tim Curry
Rebecca--Penelope Keith
Trevor--Dylan McDermitt
Matthew Hatch--Patrick Macnee
Kenny Shanks--Billy Drago
Ian Denman--Bryan Brown
Nicola Denman--Juliette Landau
Mr. Chen--James Hong
Steven Chen--Dennis Dun
Johanna Matson--Diane Ladd
Steven Matson--Ronnie Coltrane
Reverend Baber--Peter Cushing
The Priest--Paul McGann
S.C.R.A.M.: None
Creator of the Cthulhu mythos, H.P. Lovecraft was a pioneer
in the melding of science fiction and horror.
Joseph Turner was the father of impressionism before the
genre was invented.
Francis Thompson was a real English poet. Apparently, the
Doctor took him back through time to enjoy a cricket match,
perhaps as part of his recuperation for his opium addiction.
Hexen was one of the first alleged documentaries made about
witchcraft.
Thanks to Ben Varkentine for helping me clarify the approach
of this review.
The Pick of the Brown Bag is Copyright 1998 Raymond Tate. You
may of course copy the POBB for your own amusement or to share
with your friends as it is intended as a public service. You may
quote from it if you find some of my ramblings accidentally praise
your comic book project. Plagiarists will face a patrol of Special
Weapons Daleks.
"I'm half-human, on my mother's side."--The eighth Doctor
james ambuehl
Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos: Does THE HOLLOW MEN contain actual
references to these elements? If so, are they fairly extensive, as in a
few of the New Adventures by such as McIntee, Lane, and Hinton (an MA,
actually).
As a longtime Lovecraft/Cthulhu fan, I am looking forward to your
answer!
Thanks!
-- Jim
Keith Topping
>HERE BE SPOILERS
>Casting the Novel
>
>The Doctor--Sylvester McCoy
>Ace--Sophie Aldred
>Judge Jeffreys--Tim Curry
Niiiiiice!
>Rebecca--Penelope Keith
Too old - Becky's 27.
>Trevor--Dylan McDermitt
... same age as him!
>Matthew Hatch--Patrick Macnee
Too old - Matt's 38
>Kenny Shanks--Billy Drago
... same age as him!
>The Priest--Paul McGann
bwahahahahahah!
>Francis Thompson was a real English poet. Apparently, the
>Doctor took him back through time to enjoy a cricket match,
>perhaps as part of his recuperation for his opium addiction.
He's the man who wrote one of the few decent poems about cricket in the
English language, 'At Lord's' ("And I look through my tears on a
soundless clapping host/As the run stealers flicker to and fro/To and
Fro/O, my Hornby and my Barlow, long ago!") He died in 1907, and the
Doctor simply remembers an afternoon with him at Lords "long, long ago"
(which is, obviously, a punning reference to the poem itself) [page 51].
There's no direct suggestion of time-travel and I must admit that
thought wasn't in my mind when I wrote that sequence (I just thought it
was the kind of thing the 5th Doctor, for instance, might have enjoyed).
But, now you come to mention it...!
I've just sent a copy of this review to Marty with the following note:
"*See*, we *DID* touch people with it..."!
Mark down somebody else on the Christmas-card list...
Keith --- Net Day 1006
"everything begins, and ends, at exactly the right place..."
Keith Topping
>Very interesting review, Ray. I am most curious about your footnote re:
>Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos: Does THE HOLLOW MEN contain actual
>references to these elements?
>As a longtime Lovecraft/Cthulhu fan, I am looking forward to your
>answer!
I'll field that.
SPOILERS...
Page 245:
'Cobbler matey' said Ace. 'They're evil, and they'll be back. Haven't
you read any H.P. Lovecraft?'
'And you have?' asked Trevor.
'I've been around' said Ace. 'The Doctor says that ancient evil can be
found everywhere. It exists because it *is* ancient, and it *is* evil.
There's no other reason.'
First direct reference to Lovecraft in a DOctor Who novel? Probably not,
but we stuck it in anyway!
james ambuehl
Thanks for answering my Lovecraft question directly! I've just added
THM to the top of my 'BBCs next to acquire' list! (Of course, as a
Pertwee-era and UNIT fan, I've long had DEVIL GOBLINS -- but I'm saving
that one for a bit because I want to save the best for last!).
Anyway, as you said, surely not the first direct Lovecraft mention in a
DW novel -- but from what I gather it is the first in a BBC novel, at
any rate . . .
. . and hopefully not the last. As in the stories and novels of Conan
the Cimmerian, I think the Cthulhu Mythos works very well in DOCTOR WHO
as well!
-- Jim
Keith Topping
I think you'll like The Hollow Men - a west country horror story with
aspects of ancient evil, walking scarecrows and loads of politics and
drugs. An everyday story of love between man and subway set in Europe in
the 50s... no, sorry, that was something else...
Keith --- Net Day 1006
"where's me aadvark?!"
Eng6gcgs
[snip]
> This [seventh] Doctor does not play chess
Then he can't really be based on the TV portrayal now, can he? :)
[snip]
_________________________________________________________________
'What does it profit a man if he gain the world but lose his soul? It profits
him the *world*, of course. Don't ask stupid questions.'
('0blivion', by D.S.)
Mike Sivier
>I think you'll like The Hollow Men - a west country horror story with
>aspects of ancient evil, walking scarecrows and loads of politics and
>drugs.
When did you meet me, then?
--
Mike, a west country horror story with aspects of ancient evil; a
walking scarecrow full of politics and drugs.
Rayctate
>Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos: Does THE HOLLOW MEN contain actual
>few of the New Adventures by such as McIntee, Lane, and Hinton (an MA,
>actually).
>
>answer!
Well, if I may add to Mr. Topping's
reference, Image of the Fendahl and
Awakening from the television series
are practical tributes to the man.
And I'm big on Lovecraft myself, bar
none, the master of the creepiest
description imaginable.
Ray
Rayctate
>>
>>The Doctor--Sylvester McCoy
>>Ace--Sophie Aldred
>>Judge Jeffreys--Tim Curry
>
>Niiiiiice!
Thank you. Those top two were
gimmees though.
>>Rebecca--Penelope Keith
>Too old - Becky's 27.
>
>>Trevor--Dylan McDermitt
>... same age as him!
>
>>Matthew Hatch--Patrick Macnee
>Too old - Matt's 38
Basically, I'm going for actors in their
prime. In the previous reviews I
listed David McCallum as one of the
cast for one of the other author's
characters but added circa 1960.
I just thought I could drop them,
but I guess not.
>>The Priest--Paul McGann
>bwahahahahahah!
Yeah, I thought everyone would
like that, but if you close your eyes
as Nicola is confessing, you can hear
Paul McGann talking back. Well, I did.
Re: Francis Thompson
>He's the man who wrote one of the few decent poems about cricket in the
>There's no direct suggestion of time-travel and I must admit that
>thought wasn't in my mind when I wrote that sequence (I just thought it
>was the kind of thing the 5th Doctor, for instance, might have enjoyed).
>But, now you come to mention it...!
I misunderstood. See, I thought you meant
Turner painted it on the day he was with
Francis and the Doctor. Since Thompson
was born in 1859, and Turner died in 1851
I thought time travel was implied. I didn't
think they were two different visits.
>I've just sent a copy of this review to
>Marty with the following note:
>"*See*, we *DID* touch people with
>it..."!
>Mark down somebody else on the Christmas-card list...
Both yours and Mr. Day's comments
are appreciated. When I put out any
review, I never expect the author to
actually read it, and I'm always tickled
when they do.
Rayctate
Ben warned me someone would pick this
up, Gregg. Here's what I relayed to him.
In Curse of Fenric:
Except it was "the game of traps" as I understand it. Where in the rules
of chess does it say two different
colored pawns can get together
and overthrow one color? I did
consider tossing the chess reference
out, but it fit with the whole idea of the
Doctor not using Nicola as a pawn.
Dave Roy
rayc...@aol.com (Rayctate) saying:
>>>The Priest--Paul McGann
>>bwahahahahahah!
>
>Yeah, I thought everyone would
>like that, but if you close your eyes
>as Nicola is confessing, you can hear
>Paul McGann talking back. Well, I did.
Ummmmm.....if you close your eyes while reading a book, isn't it kind
of hard to know what they're saying? :-)
Dave Roy
Keith Topping
>Re: Francis Thompson
>>He's the man who wrote one of the few decent poems about cricket
>>There's no direct suggestion of time-travel and I must admit that
>>thought wasn't in my mind when I wrote that sequence (I just thought it
>>was the kind of thing the 5th Doctor, for instance, might have enjoyed).
>>But, now you come to mention it...!
>
>I misunderstood. See, I thought you meant
>Turner painted it on the day he was with
>Francis and the Doctor. Since Thompson
>was born in 1859, and Turner died in 1851
>I thought time travel was implied. I didn't
>think they were two different visits.
Ah right. Well, the Turner landscape doesn't exist though the cricket
match it describes did take place(!) Hambledon were a village cricket
team from (I think) Hampshire - certainly somewhere vaguely south and
west - who, in the late 1700s were known throughout the land when in
1796, they beat an "All England" side in a match on their village green
(I suppose the euqivilant in todays terms would be something like
Liechtenstein beating America at baseball or something). The game was
celebrated in song, poem and (quite often) painting. To the best of my
knowledge, Turner (more known for his epic, apocalyptic seascapes than
gentle village-green studies) never painted this subject... but in my
universe he did!
The following lines, about Thompson, describe another occasion.
But it's a lovely thought to link them together.
>Both yours and Mr. Day's comments
>are appreciated. When I put out any
>review, I never expect the author to
>actually read it, and I'm always tickled
>when they do.
Feedback is *always* importent - critical analysis (so long as it's
accurate) is what makes the job worthwhile.
Thank *you*.
Keith --- Net Day 1007
Paul Andinach
> Except it was "the game of traps" as I understand it. Where in the
> rules of chess does it say two different colored pawns can get
> together and overthrow one color?
My theory is that the Doctor explained the rules of chess to Fenric by
analogy ("this is my army, this is your army, certain soldiers are
only allowed to move certain ways..."), then spotted that by doing so
he'd allowed the above move.
Paul
--
"I think I turned into myself this morning. But I'm not sure. I
certainly don't feel any different."
- Samuel Stoddard
ke...@tooon.demon.co.uk
>>I think you'll like The Hollow Men - a west country horror story with
>>aspects of ancient evil, walking scarecrows and loads of politics and
>>drugs.
>
> When did you meet me, then?
Michael, I told you *never* to call me at work...
--
Keith a north country horror story, in every way shape and form...
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