'There are many beasts and monsters in the universe, it is true. But the worst of them is Man.'

A terrifying alien army is sweeping across the landscape, decimating towns and subjugating everyone and everything in its path. With their astute military tactics and advanced weaponry, the invaders seem unstoppable.

But this is no distant star, no alternate timeline. Trapped in a frightened city, the Doctor and his companions discover that this is Earth history, and they are powerless to intervene. The impending slaughter of thousands is a matter of grim historical fact.

Not everyone within the city is prepared to accept their fate. Desperate people embark upon desperate courses of action. They may even succeed.

For, deep beneath the city, something truly alien is stirring...

This novel features the First Doctor, Steven and Dodo.


Chapter Titles

Prologus - Separatio        Separation
Codex I - Cecidit de coelo stella magna        A great star fell from heaven [from Revelation 8]
I - Tempestas ex oriens        Storm from the East [Title of book/series on the Mongols]
II - Labyrinthus        The Maze
III - In truitina mentis dubia fluctuant contraria        In the wavering balance of my feelings set against each other [from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff]
IV - Eripe me de inimicus meis        Deliver me from my enemies [from Psalm 142]
V - Confutatis meledictis, flammis acribus addictis        When the doomed can no more flee
from the fires of misery [from Dies Irae]
VI - Rosa rubicundior, lilio candidor, omnibus formosior, semper in te glorior        Redder than the rose, whiter than the lily, lovelier than all others, I shall always glory in you! [from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff]
XVII - Mortus in anima        My soul is dead [from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff]
VIII - Lamenta        Weeping
IX - Terra Firma        Solid ground
X - Laqueus        Trap
XI - Libertas        Freedom
XII - Sors immanis et inanis, rota tu volubilis, status malus        Fate - monstrous and empty, you whirling wheel, you are malevolent [from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff]
XIII - Dies irae, dies illa, solvet saeclum in favilla        Dreaded day, that day of ire, when the world shall melt in fire [from Verdi's Requiem]
XIV - Quid sum miser tunc dicturus, quem patronum rogaturus, cum vix justus sit securus?        Wretched man, what can I plead, who can I ask to intercede, when the just much mercy need? [from Verdi's Requiem]
XV - In flagrante delicto        [in the very act of committing an offence, literally meaning In blazing crime]
XVI - Somnus ex sanitas        The sleep of reason [my attempt to translate the beginning of Goya's famous etching entitled The sleep of reason produces monsters; I have been told I've ended up with Sleep for the cause of sanity!]
XVII - Insania        Insanity
XVIII - Via lata gradior        I travel the broad path [from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff]
XIX - Pestilentia        Plague
Codex II - Est hic finis fabulae?        Is that the end of the story? [from Alexander Lenard's Latin translation of A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh (Winnie ille Pu)]
XX - Deus absconditus        The Hidden God
XXI - Oblationes et holocausta        Oblations and holocaust [from Pslam 50]
XXII - Lux aeterna luceat eis        Let eternal light shine upon them [from Elgar's Lux Aeterna (Nimrod) and Verdi's Requiem]
XXIII - Bellum gerens in caelo        Waging war in heaven
XXIV - Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam        (I have) heard tidings of joy and delight [from Psalm 50]
XXV - Libera me de sanguinibus        Deliver me from blood [from Psalm 50]
XXVI - In extremis        At the point of death/in great difficulties
XXVII - Deux ex machina        [unexpected power or event that saves a seemingly impossible situation, especially in a play or novel, literally meaning God from the machinery]
XXVIII - Angelus        Angel
XXIX - Orbis        Circle/sphere
XXX - Memento mori        [a reminder of death, like a skill, literally meaning Remember that you have to die]
Epilogus - Sic itur ad astra        This is the path to the stars [the Day family motto!]