The novel “The Highest Science” by Gareth Roberts was published for the first time in 1993. It’s No. 11 in the “New Adventures” range by Virgin Publishing and follows “Transit“.
The Seventh Doctor is trying to locate the Fortean flicker, a peculiar metaphysical phenomenon associated with events that are supposed to be random, generating coincidences and removing people and things from their proper time and place. This search leads him and Bernice Summerfield to a planet that might be the legendary Sakkrat.
The travellers are forced to confront the Chelonians, an aggressive species that views humans as parasites. Humans transported from various places and eras are targeted by the Chelonians. Bernice is poisoned by a chemical that causes her to lose her memory. A spaceship reaches the planet carrying an entity created to pilot it and led by Sheldukher, the most wanted criminal in the galaxy.
“The Highest Science” marks Gareth Roberts’ debut as an author in the “Doctor Who” saga, to which he has contributed over the years by writing some novels and writing some episodes of the new television series.
The idea of a cosmic phenomenon generating otherwise meaningless coincidences underlies the encounter of many characters of various species on a planet that might be the legendary Sakkrat. Most of them ended up on the planet after being transported there, with negative results for everyone.
The novel introduces the Chelonians, a species of cyborgs resembling humanoid turtles. They consider themselves superior to humans, whom they regard as parasites to be eliminated, so they try to kill the ones they find on the planet. Their leader, General Fakrid, has laid sterile eggs, an event that has driven him mad.
Despite this dramatic premise, much of the novel has a tone that struck me as rather farcical. The situation should lead to a dark tone due to everything that happens to several characters, but Gareth Roberts’ style makes it difficult to take seriously the constant threats posed by the Chelonians’ actions towards all the other characters who ended up on the planet.
The Chelonians could be the protagonists of a tragedy, but they’re developed as a parody of arrogant warmongers who are aggressive in the most stupid ways possible. The way General Fakrid’s personal story unfolds reminds more of a soap opera than a tragedy. The response to humor is certainly subjective, so other readers might appreciate Gareth Roberts’ approach, but I found it underwhelming and, as a result, sometimes even boring.
The Seventh Doctor had moments of comedy in the classic series, so it’s easier to make sense of some of his behavior in this novel. In the end, the parts of the novel that focus on his actions are, in my opinion, the most successful. I hoped to see some development for Bernice Summerfield, but she spends much of the novel in a state of amnesia, so she has little room to shine.
For these reasons, the appreciation of “The Highest Science” depends heavily on the response to Gareth Roberts’ humorous approach. If the response tends to be negative, this novel will seem chaotic, with many characters thrown in and given very little development. Despite this, Big Finish adapted it into an audio adventure. It’s not among the novels that were expanding the “Doctor Who” fictional universe, so it can also be skipped by fans who are not interested in reading all the books connected to the saga. You might find a copy on Amazon USA, UK, and Canada.
