I admit it--I was totally lost at the end. Where did the ghosts come from? Why did they change shapes? Who didn't see the totally obvious origin for the pig-headed counselor?

The author cheated by setting up this big puzzle, then blowing off the climax with a huge time-paradox copout. It was an original idea---back in 1946.

Plus--the 8th Doctor and Sam didn't act like neurotic idiots. Minus--they didn't act like anybody!

I've noticed the weaker the story, the more it resembles an episode of "Star Trek" (Next Gen, DS9, or VOY). Don't the writers realize that the two shows are NOT interchangeable?

Interesting comment, Mike. During the last hundred pages I started thinking "this has all gone a bit Star Trek". A bit of a shame because the first half was turning into one of Bulis's better efforts with some descriptive writing and a sense of creepiness. Then it went into paint by numbers mode. Whoever was series editor at this point in time has a lot to answer for.

Well. I always knew the claim that the Doctor went round telling people on that stupid ship his name was absolute rubbish, but I think we can safely say that Silence in the Library has conclusively disproved it.

I always knew the claim that the Doctor went round telling people on that stupid ship his name was absolute rubbish, but I think we can safely say that Silence in the Library has conclusively disproved it.

Oh.

Unfortunately Name of the Doctor conclusively disproved the claim that 'there's only one time I could ever tell anyone my name...'

Might have made a decent short story. As a book it's an appallingly tedious waste of space. Other than its killer-shadow-creatures-with-glowing-red-eyes-and-twisted-limbs-and-improbable-silhouettes-who-are-of-course-your-own-future-selves, which were nicked wholesale for Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS.

'Sam noted [the TARDIS oil lamps] did not seem to burn down or need refilling quite as often as they should' - but she and/or the Doc DO have to refill said lamps every now and then? And what else, do the hoovering...?

'Like any hazard to shipping, it must be charted' - and...er...after you've duly charted the flickering, coiling, writhing thing in the space-time vortex you'll send the updated chart to WHOM, exactly, Doctor...?

There's a Federation in 3123? Surely that's too soon after the fall of the Earth Empire (NAs)/solar-flared flight of humanity on a Space Whale (New Who) to be building a Peladon-related FEDERATION just yet?

'The Doctor frowned. "What are they talking about? There's no other ship around here." "Besides us," Sam remarked idly.' - NO ONE can be THAT stupid.

'"But why would anybody want to stack a ship full of neutronium?" Sam wondered' - Sam knows what neutronium is?!

'Unfortunately your species are amazingly stubborn creatures. It's the Everest syndrome: it has to be climbed because it's there' - the Doctor's hardly in a position to complain, given that HE'S the one who pulled Sherpa Tensing to the summit...(Dying Days)

Is Chapter 3 the boringest thing EVER? Some unknown (but universally regarded as dead boring) engineer from some civilisation we've never heard of before is trying to enter a derelict ship, and we get to hear about it in MINUTE technical detail before he finally, mercifully, goes splat.

'The Doctor occasionally went under the transparent pseudonym of John Smith, but Sam had discovered that his real name was something quite alien and virtually unpronounceable' - leaving aside the fact that the Doc was actually going under the pseudonym of 'Dr Bowman' for most of the time Sam's known him...isn't it bad enough that he's flashing his name around to the crew of the Cirrandaria all the time? Did he HAVE to reveal it to Sam first for no readily apparent reason?

'With the greatest respect to the Smiths and Joneses of the galaxy, there are times when a more individual cognomen has its advantages when one wants to impress' - what, two paranoid empires will TOTALLY respect an unpronounceable foreign name...?

'A Moderator was an independent troubleshooter with virtually unlimited plenipotentiary powers' - er, exactly the same as an Adjudicator, you mean? So why not go with the label with some Old Who (and NA/MA) history?

'Obviously this whole ship is an experimental hyperspatial bridge' 'You can't be serious' - *sigh* After the Stones of Blood/Nightmare of Eden fiasco ('Hyperspace is a theoretical absurdity!' - Romana/Oops, any old INCREDIBLY STUPID human is roaming around in a hyperspace ship) you'd think the books would have the sense to leave this thorny issue ALONE...

'You see, I've also been a soldier, I have fought in wars you have never even heard of' - er...WHEN, Doctor?

The future planetary-empire's top photo-journalist uses FILM CARTRIDGES in her camera? These people are BARBARIANS!

'On it was printed in large clear type...a description of the control's purpose in perfectly legible English' - and Sam isn't USED to seeing such things? New Who makes it PERFECTLY CLEAR that Sexy graciously translates the written as well as spoken word.

'Sam ran as desperately as she ever had in her life' - I find that difficult to believe. Especially given that she's dragging Tane along with her. So presumably not exactly reaching her top speed.

Still, she and everyone else somehow manage to escape the pursuing monsters, despite them 'growing extra arms to haul themselves along the ladder-like handrails' and running 'upside down along the ceiling.' A likely story.

And yet another physical impossibility from Ms Jones - she crams her knuckles inside her mouth despite having her spacesuit helmet on...

Isn't it rather irresponsible of the Doctor to explain the workings of the hyperspace ship to a culture that hasn't developed hyperspace travel yet?

'"I prescribe an hour in the TARDIS's sleep room for you," the Doctor said. "Set the neural dampener on eight Then you won't have any bad dreams."' - sorry, since WHEN (in Old Who, New Who, Novels, Audios or Comic Strips) has Sexy had a SLEEP ROOM?

No one insists that the apparently-wounded vidstar sees a doctor...?

'She saw the concern in his face and felt the familiar frisson it sparked within her. One of the things she was most proud of in her life was that this man truly cared about her' - if the Doctor gave a toss about ME it would be THE most proud thing. (Plus, he doesn't REALLY care about you, Sunshine - just you wait till he spots your gravestone...)

Sam hits the (rocky) ground, fast, and gets knocked unconscious - but doesn't break any bones?

'After what's happened it won't take them long to deduce the alien ship's purpose' - especially when the photographer TELLS her Nimosian captor. Without thinking twice about it. A possibility perhaps Rexton could have thought about earlier, like when he and the Doctor were spilling all the beans in public.

Yeah, this whole Sam-encountering-disgusting-foetus-things has been done before. Better. In Alien Bodies.

Interesting that even after their cover is blown the Doctor refers to Sam as his 'assistant' rather than, say, FRIEND.

'"They have made an unauthorised landing on our ship in mysterious circumstances. I want to see this travel device they used." He looked at the Doctor. "Perhaps if you could demonstrate it, that might give some credence to this fantastic story." "I'm afraid it cannot be moved at present," the Doctor said' - never mind MOVING it, you've got this wonderful chance to avert a hideous destiny and you can't even be bothered to give a guy a quick peek at Sexy to prove your case!

So you've taken the enemy commander prisoner but you let him wander around your bridge?

Not really convinced by the 'ship was never created' stuff.

'Time has been more forgiving than usual' - THAT'S all the explanation we get for a planet having clearn air and sea and only a few pockets of low-level radiation a mere thousand years after it got the hell nuked out of it?

Presumably both the Nimos and Emindar empires had more than one habitable planet apiece (or why were they fighting interplanetary wars instead of just staying home) so why don't any other planets even get MENTIONED?

'Sam ran as desperately as she ever had in her life' - I find that difficult to believe. Especially given that she's dragging Tane along with her. So presumably not exactly reaching her top speed.

Well, it doesn't say she's running fast, it says she's running desperately, which actually implies that she is not going as fast as she wants to.

Ah, I SEE.

Still, she should have been more desperately running at SOME point in her life with the Doctor. What's the worst that can happen HERE? She gets ripped to pieces by some monsters. Whereas the universe was undoubtedly at stake in one or two of her previous adventures...

I always knew the claim that the Doctor went round telling people on that stupid ship his name was absolute rubbish, but I think we can safely say that Silence in the Library has conclusively disproved it.

Oh.

Unfortunately Name of the Doctor conclusively disproved the claim that 'there's only one time I could ever tell anyone my name...'

Aaaand then bloody Capaldi just had to open his big gob and mansplain to JODIE! how KIND she must be whilst waffling that children can hear your name sometimes if their hearts are in the right place, and the stars are too...

but she and/or the Doc DO have to refill said lamps every now and then? And what else, do the hoovering...?

Well, Twice Upon a Time ALSO helpfully reveals that SOMEONE has to get busy with a duster (and by 'someone' I definitely mean the nearest FEMALE).

There's a Federation in 3123? Surely that's too soon after the fall of the Earth Empire (NAs)/solar-flared flight of humanity on a Space Whale (New Who) to be building a Peladon-related FEDERATION just yet?

TARDIS Wiki:

'According to one account, the Federation was already in existence by 1979, with the Solar system already within Federation space. By this time, the Slarvians had petitioned to join the Federation many times, to no avail. (PROSE: Childhood Living)

By another account, the Federation wasn't formed until after the collapse of the Earth Empire, and complete failure of old alliances, during the first third of the 32nd century. Earth, New Mars, and Draconia were founding members. (PROSE: Legacy)'

*Helpless shrug*

'You see, I've also been a soldier, I have fought in wars you have never even heard of' - er...WHEN, Doctor?

And why, in that case, did you literally KILL yourself rather than fight in the Time War?

So you've taken the enemy commander prisoner but you let him wander around your bridge?

To be fair, I suspect this sort of thing just naturally happens a lot more in the Whoniverse than in our boring old universe - you've just gotta let the prisoners have the bridge (Earthshock) and/or corridor (Enemy of the World) cos it's easier to guard them there, honest...