When you become part of the great, sprawling mass of any organized fandom, you get to know the names of many people you will never meet in person. However, you feel that you come to know them…through their online chats, through interviews, and through their writing.
Craig Hinton was one of these people (go to this link, and scroll down to December 3rd). He was a wonderful Doctor Who author, who specialized in stories that took continuity-heavy plots and transformed them into snazzy, eye popping epics. Between his writing, his magazine reviews, and his online personality as a friendly, warm, self-depreciating & modest man, he became much loved in Doctor Who circles. In fact, the phrase “fanwank” (the overload on continuity and back story) has been attributed to him.
Craig was found dead at his home on the weekend. He was only 42 years old, and his death is having a rather explosive impact in the Doctor Who fan universe. He was far too young, and had so much left to give. Having suffered many set backs in his life, I certainly hope he has found the peace he deserves.
In honour of his contributions to the Whoniverse, I highly recommend reading his novels, especially the following two…
A wonderful look at the culture of the Ice Warriors — natives of the planet Mars, and one of the big baddies in the Doctor Who universe — who turn out to be the Doctor Who equivalent of the Klingons, with their own rich culture and traditions of honour. Throw in a well-presented examination of human hatred and xenophobia, some sly links to The Dalek Invasion of Earth, and a wonderful focus on the Doctor/Roz partnership, this is a massively underrated book, worth a second look.
Definitely NOT underrated! This is one of the most epic, cross dimensional, battle-heavy stories in the entire canon of novels…and manages to fit in all sorts of massive continuity references, from the Yeti stories of the 2nd Doctor to the Valeyard – the Doctor’s evil future incarnation. It is also the story that single-handedly rehabilitates the 6th Doctor & Melanie partnership of 1986, breathing fresh new life into cardboard characterization, and lots of emotion. Grand, sweeping, and majestic, if Millenial Rites isn’t one of the best Doctor Who books ever, it’s certainly the most fun.
Rest in peace, Craig. You’ve given fandom a great deal of pleasure and happiness over the years…thank you.
