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“WHITE DARKNESS: WHEN VOODOO, ZOMBIES AND WORLD WAR I COLLIDE”

White Darkness boldly breaks from the sci-fi excesses of many early Virgin New Adventures, plunging the Seventh Doctor, Ace, and Benny into the sweaty, politically charged heat of Haiti during the early days of World War I. It's a setting dripping with intrigue—zombies, voodoo mysticism, colonial tension, and German saboteurs—and author David A. McIntee leans heavily into it. His foreword reveals an intense commitment to historical accuracy, and it shows: everything feels richly textured, from the political context of President Sam's regime to the uneasy American military presence.

But that same commitment to authenticity sometimes weighs the book down. The prose is intensely descriptive and atmospheric but can border on long-winded in sections, occasionally dragging the pace—especially in the early chapters as the pieces are methodically set in place.

THE DOCTOR, DRESSED TO KILL (OR AT LEAST INVESTIGATE)

Our brooding Seventh Doctor sports a new white linen suit and fedora, leaning into a more mellow, academic persona. He's neither the mischievous manipulator of Remembrance of the Daleks nor the clownish figure of earlier outings. He feels thoughtful and genuinely curious, showing a rare sense of calm. A lovely detail sees him wearing Cameca’s brooch from The Aztecs, a poignant nod that quietly links this very human story to his wider legacy.

Ace, meanwhile, is back in edgier form—tough, swearing, reckless, but also deeply brave. She does what Ace does best: charges headlong into chaos, fights her way out, and struggles with the moral weight of her actions. Her regret after a brutal killing adds some welcome depth. Benny is given a fantastic turn as well, especially in a tense sequence where she’s buried alive, nearly zombified, and then uses her smarts and tenacity to survive in enemy territory.

A THRILLER DRESSED AS DOCTOR WHO

Despite being a Doctor Who novel, White Darkness feels at times more like a James Bond thriller. The espionage is thick, the villains grotesque, and the tension palpable. The story lifts lines straight out of Fleming’s playbook (Live and Let Die, You Only Live Twice), and the cinematic flair of the final act—with zombies, ritual sacrifices, military ambushes, and explosions galore—gives the climax a proper Hollywood feel.

The plot weaves together historical and fictional elements: a German plot to weaponise zombies using drugs and voodoo magic, a telepathic cultist in contact with the Ancient Ones, and a Haitian uprising brewing in the background. At its best, it’s a rich cocktail of war, mysticism, and mad science. But it’s also rather overloaded, and the web of German, American, and Haitian characters can become confusing, with shifting allegiances and dense dialogue.

ZOMBIES, CULTS AND COLONIALISM

Zombies do appear, but perhaps not often enough. Despite being a central selling point, they’re mostly used for atmosphere and set dressing rather than central plot-driving menace. Mait, the villainous voodoo priest-turned-would-be-zombie-army-commander, has chilling moments—especially his use of telepathic mirrors to commune with the Ancient Ones, evoking The War Games—but he doesn’t always get the room to be the full-on horror antagonist he could’ve been.

Still, the atmosphere more than makes up for it. Benny’s scenes are among the best, from narrow escapes to smart defiance. Ace and the Doctor each get their own intense arcs, and there are proper moments of tension as the American occupation threatens to boil over into full-blown violence. The narrative balances mystical horror with wartime realism and a seething undercurrent of colonial critique.

THE FINAL ACT: EXPLOSIONS AND REFLECTIONS

As everything unravels in a chaotic, explosive finale, White Darkness hits its stride as an action thriller. The Doctor’s torture scene is a classic bit of Time Lord trickery—talking his way through danger and turning the tables. There's a tight cutting between different character perspectives, though not always smoothly done. And like many a Bond climax, everything ends with flames and ruin.

That said, the zombies never become the central threat the title promises, and the sheer number of players makes the conclusion feel a bit scattered. But the ride is tense, vividly described, and ultimately satisfying—if you can keep up with all the threads.

📝 VERDICT: 8/10

White Darkness may not be the most tightly plotted VNA, but it’s certainly one of the most evocative. The historical setting is beautifully drawn, and the mix of voodoo mysticism, wartime espionage, and zombie horror makes for a unique Doctor Who adventure. The Doctor is calm and clever, Ace is back in badass mode, and Benny shines with her usual resourcefulness. Though sometimes bogged down in dense prose and convoluted politics, this one’s got enough mood, mystery and mayhem to satisfy—and a climax that positively explodes with pulpy style. Just don’t expect a zombie masterpiece; they’re more flavour than focus.

15 - White Darkness

In the Doctor’s first full adventure in our past since Nightshade, the late David A. McIntee brings us to Haiti during World War I, where political unrest, imperialism, espionage, zombis, and Lovecraftian horror collide.  It’s an atmosphere-driven story that verges into James Bond territory at times, and although it misses the mark with its characterization of the Doctor at times, it’s a decent entry in the franchise that I recommend checking out!

After a rough reunion with Ace, the Doctor decides that the group needs a holiday, but misses his target of Florida and lands in Haiti in 1915.  If you are a history buff or are more familiar with Haitian folklore, this book is probably right up your alley; McIntee clearly did his research, and even credits his sources in the foreword.  This is a story that harkens back to the edutainment of the Hartnell era, in which the Doctor is inadvertently dropped into history and we watch it play out before his eyes.  Before long, he and his companions are caught between President Jean Sam and his murderous general Etienne, a regiment of US Marines, and the crew of a secret German base, while a mysterious force reanimates the dead into zombis.  The main villain, a former slave from 18th century Nigeria named Mait, has made contact with a “Great Old One,” who has extended his life while he helps it reawaken.  McIntee creates a thrilling atmosphere in the first half, as the Doctor dashes around uncovering the mysteries of Port-au-Prince with the help of a couple Richard Mace-like side characters.

Unfortunately, this book fails in its characterization of the Doctor, who lacks the defining traits that Seven has displayed in all of his other adventures thus far.  Based on his dialogue, I got an impression closer to Three, or perhaps Big Finish’s reimagining of Six, rather than the brooding but clownish little man I’ve come to know and love.  He even wears a different outfit, so maybe this is supposed to be Seven deliberately trying to present himself differently?  I wouldn’t call his character bad per se, but it’s not very consistent.  I also found there to be some pacing issues, particularly in the second half of the story; McIntee is clearly a good writer, but his prose style is clearly better suited for the quieter investigative passages than the action scenes, which make up a good portion of the climax.

I personally didn’t find White Darkness very memorable, but most of it was quite entertaining, and I do recommend it if you enjoy Hartnell-style historicals or have a particular interest in Haitian history.  Onward to Shadowmind!