The Lords of Terror

The Time War #2.1

Released: 10 July 2018

Listened: 1/19/22

This boxed set starts off with much the same tone as the previous, essentially, dark and horrible. Jonathan Morris is the author this time, rather than Dorney or Fitton, but the tone stays the same. The Doctor has taken Bliss back to her home, although whether for a visit or to stay is unknown. Unfortunately, the Time War has changed the planet’s history, and it’s now the victim of a Dalek attack 20 years ago, after which the Time Lords converted it to a missile factory. If Bliss’s family still exists in this timeline, there’s no sign of them. The main thrust of this one is not just Bliss’s personal anguish at the destruction of her planet, but also the Doctor confronting just how far his people will go to win the war. There’s no Ollistra this time, just a new incarnation of Tamasan, but she’s definitely incorporated the “ends justify the means” attitude. Unlike in the previous box, though, the Doctor gets to keep the moral high ground and be as righteous as he likes. There’s a handful of good twists here, and that mixes nicely with the moral issues.