A Doctor Who novel, written by Terrence Dicks. The second of Virgin Publishing's New Adventures.
Previous story: Timewyrm: Genesys | Next story: Timewyrm: Apocalypse
WARNING! LOTS OF SPOILERS AHEAD!
Regular characters
The Seventh Doctor
Ace
Recurring characters
The Timewyrm
The War Chief
The War Lords
Lieutenant Hemmings
Major developments
The Doctor meets Hitler, and gains his trust. The Doctor defeats the Timewyrm again, dispersing her into the vortex as unfocussed energy.
My opinion
There are surprisingly few Doctor Who stories where we see the results of alterations to the proper course of history (the Day of the Daleks being the only one that immediately srings to mind), and that helps make this a good, fun story. Also interesting was the chance to see Hitler at several stages in his career, from his rather unsuccessful coup attempt to the apex of his power. I'm a little uneasy, however, with the way that Hitler's success is partly attributed to alien influence, with not one, but two different alien forces manipulating events. I think it's best to remember that Hitler and the success of the Nazis in Germany was a very human evil. That aside, this is an entertaining story and worth reading.
Quick outline
The Doctor and Ace arrive in London in 1952, to visit the Festival of Britain. They soon discover that history has changed; Germany won World War II and Britain is occupied by the Nazis. After being captured and escaping from the local BFK (Britischer Freikorps, led by Lieutenant Hemmings) the Doctor returns to their headquarters masquerading as the Reichinspektor General. He uses his position to investigate the point at which history has diverged from its proper course. He discovers that in this version of history the fleeing British forces were wiped out at Dunkirk.
The Doctor and Ace return to the TARDIS, but only after foiling Hemmings' moves to destroy the local resistance. As Hemmings goes to report to his superiors, the TARDIS appears before him, and he enters and is transported away - an event explained in a later book.
The Doctor and Ace travel to Munich in 1923, and witness Hitler's attempted coup. Hitler's followers are dispersed by the authorities, and Hitler himself is injured. The Doctor helps him get away, asking only that Hitler remember him. After watching him depart, the Doctor and Ace are fired upon by a shadowy figure with an energy weapon, and they return to the TARDIS.
Next, they travel to Nuremburg in 1939, and attend a Nazi rally, which the Doctor realises is more effective than it should be, leading the Doctor to suspect an outside influence. He meets Hitler after the rally, who remembers the Doctor as someone who aided him in his time of despair. Goering and Himmler do not trust this new rival for the Fuhrer's affections, but can not move against him openly. Amongst the senior Nazis is the deformed Dr Kriegslieter of the Ayran Research Bureau, who appears to recognise the Doctor.
In a private meeting with Hitler, the Doctor discovers that he is possessed by the Tmewyrm, who attempted to control his mind and use him to conquer the Earth, and eventually the rest of the universe. Instead, Hitler's powerful personality has trapped her. This has led to Hitler having occaisonal fits, and becomming increasingly unstable. Soon, Goering reveals to the Doctor that he plans to seize control if Hitler becomes too unstable, and wants the Doctor to aid him, but the Doctor declines. When leaving Goering's office the Doctor is arrested by Himmler, who suspects treachery.
Meanwhile, Ace has accepted an invitation sent to the Doctor to visit the Ayran Research Bureau, but once there is captured by Kriegslieter. When Himmler eventually allows the Doctor to leave, he follows after Ace and discovers that she has been taken to castle Drachensburg, the castle used by the Black Coven, and elite group of the SS that practice black magic and support Himmler.
The Doctor follows Kriegslieter and Ace to Drachensburg, and soon discovers that Kriegslieter is the War Chief, a renegade Time Lord, and the castle is being used as a base of operations by the War Lords. They plan to ensure that Hitler wins the war, then replace Hitler with Himmler and use the Nazis to produce the perfect soldiers for galactic conquest.
The Doctor, with the aid of Himmler, who did not know the extent of the War Lords' plans and remains loyal to Hitler, and Bormann, who the Doctor had earlier told of possible treachery at Drachensburg, foils the War Lords' plans and the castle is destroyed. The Doctor meets Hitler again and is horrified to discover that, after following some of the Doctor's advice, he has mastered the Timewyrm and is know more confident and capable than ever.
The Doctor and Ace travel forward in time again, this time to Felsennest, Hitler's command bunker, in May 1940. The Doctor goads the Timewyrm, angering her enough to break free of Hitler's mind, allowing the Doctor to disperse her into the vortex with a device he created from the TARDIS' telepathic circuits. Hitler is left shaken and weakened, and the Doctor is able to convince him to allow the fleeing British forces to escape from Dunkirk, restoring history to its proper track.