The novel “Only Human” by Gareth Roberts was published for the first time in 2005.
The Ninth Doctor wants to bring Rose Tyler and Captain Jack Harkness to Kegron Pluva but the Tardis detects a time distortion caused by a “dirty” time machine. The planned trip has to wait and the Doctor reroutes the Tardis to the Earth at the beginning of the 21st century.
The travelers discover that there’s something strange when they learn that a man dressed like a caveman was involved in a brawl. When they go to the hospital where he was taken, where his presence is covered by a false Ebola alarm, the Doctor realizes that he’s a Neanderthal. Speaking with him, he understands the origin of the time distortion, which must be eliminated to avoid further problems.
“Only Human” is part of a series of novels connected to the new “Doctor Who” series. They’re targeted to a wide audience by being linear enough to be appreciated even by very young readers but sophisticated enough to interest more mature readers.
This novel is set during the first season of the new “Doctor Who” series, after the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler met Captain Jack Harkness and he started traveling with them. In this case, however, he doesn’t go very far.
The beginning is typical, with the Doctor detecting something wrong during a journey in the Tardis. Sometimes it’s a rescue signal, in this case it’s a time distortion. The origin is on Earth and the investigation leads to the discovery of the use of a dangerous time travel technology.
The story takes place between the present and the past, even if the source of the problem comes from the Earth’s future. Das, a Neanderthal, ended up in the 21st century but the time machine used with him has somehow “polluted” his body and the Doctor can’t bring him back to his time without killing him.
Poor Das is forced to stay in the 21st century and to adapt to living among homo sapiens in a technological civilization. The Doctor decides to leave Jack Harkness to be his nurse for some time while he goes to the past along with Rose to understand who is using the “dirty” technology.
In the distant past, the Doctor and Rose discover what looks like a scientific station operated by humans from the future. The members of the expedition are part of a civilization that after a catastrophe that destroyed the existing technologies has developed differently from the previous ones, focusing on biological sciences.
In the future, human beings can control their emotional state but also other mental factors with a sophisticated use of chemicals. In the area close to the scientific station in the past there are a tribe of homo sapiens and one of Neanderthals. This allows Gareth Roberts to develop the underlying theme of “Only Human”, humanity in its various forms.
We don’t really know Neanderthals’ psychology so the author can only speculate about it. Probably he did some research because in the novel he mentions hybrids and the fact that homo sapiens have genes inherited from Neanderthals, a fact confirmed in recent years thanks to the advances in genetic analysis.
The books in this series have a limited length that doesn’t allow major scientific and philosophical insights, in this case about what it means to be human and the possible variants of humanity. In fact the novel generally has a light-hearted tone, comedic, and the encounters between humans of different species and different eras has usually funny effects. However, the actions and reactions of the characters can also provide food for thought.
Gareth Roberts is an expert author who has written several novels and screenplays for “Doctor Who” and I think “Only Human” is a novel that within its limits is definitely good. Maybe Jack Harkness’ fans will complain because the Captain has a limited role but in general I believe that the story has a good blend of action, character development among the protagonists and those especially created, humor and contents.
I believe it’s no coincidence that “Only Human” is among those selected for a reissue int he occasion of the 50th “Doctor Who” anniversary. I haven’t read all the Ninth Doctor’s novels but I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the best so I recommend it to all the show’s fans.
