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So, I finally got around to reading Steven Moffat's old short story 'Continuity Errors' and loved it so much that I wanted to recommend it to any of you that have not read it yourselves.
Here is a link to read it online: Continuity Errors by Steven Moffat
The story is from 1996's Decalog 3: Consequences and is about Seven, Benny, and poor Andrea, the Librarian. You may have heard about it already, as it's come up a few times in fandom recently in relation to the fact that it has a very similar conceit to 'A Christmas Carol' (i.e. where the Doctor rewrites a person's past to get something he wants in the future). When I found out about it, I knew that I had to read it. I'm really, really weak for explorations of such a darker aspect of the Doctor and, after 'A Christmas Carol,' I knew that Moffat could really do such a plot justice.
Plus, well, I'm also a sucker for Seven.
Anyway, as I said, I highly recommend it. It's scary and creepy, but also quite humorous at the same time (albeit in quite a dark way, in many aspects). It's also got some really great dialogue and an interestingly structured narrative. For example, I personally love all the subtle changes in the text (and, by extension, Andrea) as the story progresses. It was all very, very clever, IMO, and I look forward to catching more upon re-reads.
Here are some teeny-tiny excerpts for anyone curious (I picked my favorite bits about rewriting the past, a theme that is big in the current incarnation of the show):
How far would he go? If someone got in his way – someone he couldn’t influence by the normal means, someone who stood between him and his need to impose his will on the Universe – just how far would our heroic, benevolent Doctor be prepared to go?
+ + +
The Doctor is a time traveller. Never forget that because it is central to an understanding of what makes him so terribly dangerous. Most of us, in our tiny, individual ways, are involved in the writing of history. Only the Doctor is out there rewriting it.
+ + +
‘Sometimes, when the past gets tough to deal with, I go back and rewrite it. I change things.’ She [Benny] looked hard at Andrea. ‘The Doctor does that too. But with better equipment.’
Enjoy the fic! And definitely feel free to comment with your impressions on the story as well. I'd love to chat about it with someone!
Here is a link to read it online: Continuity Errors by Steven Moffat
The story is from 1996's Decalog 3: Consequences and is about Seven, Benny, and poor Andrea, the Librarian. You may have heard about it already, as it's come up a few times in fandom recently in relation to the fact that it has a very similar conceit to 'A Christmas Carol' (i.e. where the Doctor rewrites a person's past to get something he wants in the future). When I found out about it, I knew that I had to read it. I'm really, really weak for explorations of such a darker aspect of the Doctor and, after 'A Christmas Carol,' I knew that Moffat could really do such a plot justice.
Plus, well, I'm also a sucker for Seven.
Anyway, as I said, I highly recommend it. It's scary and creepy, but also quite humorous at the same time (albeit in quite a dark way, in many aspects). It's also got some really great dialogue and an interestingly structured narrative. For example, I personally love all the subtle changes in the text (and, by extension, Andrea) as the story progresses. It was all very, very clever, IMO, and I look forward to catching more upon re-reads.
Here are some teeny-tiny excerpts for anyone curious (I picked my favorite bits about rewriting the past, a theme that is big in the current incarnation of the show):
How far would he go? If someone got in his way – someone he couldn’t influence by the normal means, someone who stood between him and his need to impose his will on the Universe – just how far would our heroic, benevolent Doctor be prepared to go?
+ + +
The Doctor is a time traveller. Never forget that because it is central to an understanding of what makes him so terribly dangerous. Most of us, in our tiny, individual ways, are involved in the writing of history. Only the Doctor is out there rewriting it.
+ + +
‘Sometimes, when the past gets tough to deal with, I go back and rewrite it. I change things.’ She [Benny] looked hard at Andrea. ‘The Doctor does that too. But with better equipment.’
Enjoy the fic! And definitely feel free to comment with your impressions on the story as well. I'd love to chat about it with someone!
