The Forgott en Son Hello, Soldier
Last seen heroically sacrificing himself as the Cyber- Brig in “Death In Heaven”, Alistair LethbridgeStewart’s early days are about to be explored in a new series of novels from Candy Jar Books. Licensed from the literary estate of original creator Mervyn Haisman and his writing partner Henry Lincoln, the books take place between the then- Lieutenant Colonel’s first encounter with Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor in 1968’ s “The Web Of Fear” and their next meeting in “The Invasion”.
“That was an obvious decision as it meant that we had a gap of about four years to initially play with,” says range editor Andy Frankham- Allen, who is also writing first volume The Forgotten Son before passing the baton onto Lance Parkin, David McIntee and Nick Walters. “It’s a period of the Brig’s life that has never really been touched on in Who media, so it is in part an origin story in that we get to look at the man before he became a legend and what turned him into the character that became such a mainstay and an important part of the Doctor’s life.”
While licensing issues mean that the Doctor is conspicuous by his absence, The Forgotten Son pits Lethbridge- Stewart against another of Haisman and Lincoln’s creations in the shape of the Abominable Snowman. “The Yeti are in it, which in itself suggests the return of another old enemy…” teases Frankham- Allen. “It’s a very personal story for the Brig. It’s very much about the private man he keeps separate from the military man he’s most known for. It’s set a week or so after ‘ The Web Of Fear’ and brings back a few characters from that story, which has a huge impact on the first novel. It also sets up the series as a whole and there’s a link to the current series, which you’ll either get or you won’t.” Lethbridge- Stewart: The Forgotten Son is published on Sunday 22 February.