Colgan’s prose is efficient and readable. Turns of phrase won’t stick out but you’ll speed through the novel with ease. It’s clear that it was fun to write at times, the joy leaping off the page. As ever with original Who fiction, there are nods and winks to past adventures (including The Myth Makers) for those who get them. Before we know what kind of threat the Doctor is facing, the story is reminiscent of early Historicals. There are no aliens involved bar the solo-sojourning Time Lord, and the mysterious fire that attacks anything above the surface of a bay.  The Doctor arrives and is immediately noted as being similar to Loki (this before Joss Whedon even suggested Tom Hiddleston for the role). Being Doctor Who, the story explains many an historical event as being caused by the Doctor, including the Lewis Chessmen. The opening works almost as a Pure Historical. While a lot of research has gone into the tale – with evocative descriptions of sights, smells and sounds of island life – the story is grounded in relationships.  For those screaming “Fie! A rom-com! A soap opera! Kill it with fire!”, stop that. It’s unseemly and narrow-minded. Anyway, Colgan is surprisingly brutal at times, and there’s no coming back from the dead for those consumed by the fire. Instead, a fate similar to that of Astrid Peth awaits some, but handled more deftly. There are some notably haunting self-sacrifices before the final happy ending. Elements of the finale are glossed over (some people survive pretty much because it’d be nice, with pat explanations at best) in favour of more emotional beats. The Doctor’s solution is surprisingly merciful considering, fitting in with the note of cautious optimism.  Where it succeeds is in its depiction of a time and place, in the educational remit of the original series. There’s a child-friendliness to the book, with the island Chief having both young and teenage sons, and with the depictions of peat-walled dwellings, seal blubber candles and rabbit stew. It conjures up a vital image of island life, as well as the wider world and the Vikings of the time. Some are characterised as typically bloodthirsty, others are at sea because their parents thought it best for them, or because the lifestyle had been oddly romanticised.  Characterisation is another strong point, Colgan balances the Doctor’s unhelpful witterings with the sense of a keening and regretful mind. The supporting cast are well drawn, with a satisfyingly irksome human villain, and stopgap Viking companions who regard the TARDIS as unimpressive in nearly every way, apart from one (which is for linguistic reasons). There’s also a non-annoying little boy, Colgan clearly taking note of Matt Smith’s affinity with child actors.  With no more titles of this ilk announced, we’ll have to wait for the ensuing eBook to see what Colgan comes up with next. Meanwhile, Dark Horizons will place her as the third and final (for now) author in an otherwise unlikely triumvirate of her, Abnett, and Michael Moorcock in writing standalone Eleventh Doctor novels.  Ignore the cover blurb  (“Still at least they have the Doctor on their side…don’t they?” SPOILERS: They do) and the title (which feels like another title was rejected first, and then someone came up with Dark  Horizons in a panic). Colgan, growing up on Terrance Dicks, has produced an equally readable take on the Doctor that screams: “Read me. On Skye. Over a weekend. In a wigwam. In the rain.” Dark Horizons is out now in paperback. Please, if you can, support our charity horror stories ebook, Den Of Eek!, raising money for Geeks Vs Cancer. Details here.