All-Consuming Fire (novel)

Publisher's summary
'I’ve been all over the universe with you, Doctor, and Earth in the nineteenth century is the most alien place I’ve ever seen.'

England, 1887. The secret library of St John the Beheaded has been robbed. The thief has taken forbidden books which tell of mythical beasts and gateways to other worlds. Only one team can be trusted to solve the crime: Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson.

As their investigation leads them to the dark underside of Victorian London, Holmes and Watson soon realize that someone else is following the same trail. Someone who has the power to kill with a glance. And they sense a strange, inhuman shape observing them from the shadows. Then they meet the mysterious traveller known only as the Doctor -- the last person alive to read the stolen books.

While Bernice waits in nineteenth-century India, Ace is trapped on a bizarre alien world. And the Doctor finds himself unwillingly united with England’s greatest consulting detective.

Characters

 * The Doctor
 * At the Academy on Gallifrey he failed practical theology but was highly commended for landscape gardening.
 * Is called "Kolchak the bleeding Nightstalker" by Ace.
 * Gets his third self kicked out of the Diogenes Club by showing him the answer to the crossword he was doing, making the third Doctor shout at him, breaking the silence rules.
 * Drinks sarsperella, and notices the smell of stricenine used to ferment the beer Watson drinks.
 * Doesn't believe in spontaneous human combustion, but will argue in favour of it in order to force open Watson's mind on more esoteric matters beyond his knowledge.


 * Bernice Summerfield
 * Says 19th century India is the most alien place she's been.
 * Dresses as a man for all of her time in 19th century Earth.
 * Sees Watson naked.


 * Ace
 * This is the first instance where it's suggested Ace lost her virginity to Sabalom Glitz.
 * Has a gun that can be disassembled into pieces.
 * Has read Iain M. Banks' books.
 * Most of Ace's smart missiles deserted her on Peladon to set up a union with the mining machinery.


 * Sherlock Holmes
 * Bludgeons Sherringford to save Watson.
 * Attempts to analyse the Doctor, only for the Doctor to take extreme pleasure in proving him wrong.


 * Doctor John Watson
 * Fancies Benny.
 * Whilst on R'lyeh eats some sort of native creature, which doesn't sit well.
 * The Doctor considers him more of a survivor and more flexible mentally then Holmes.
 * Adapts to conditions on Ry'leh by comparing them to events in his career as a field surgeon.


 * Mycroft Holmes
 * Is under the employ of the British government and/or the British Foreign Office.
 * Doesn't like being dismissed, even by Sherringford.


 * Sherringford Holmes
 * The eldest Holmes brother.
 * Is an agent of Azathoth.


 * Arthur Conan Doyle
 * Edits Watson's diaries (changing a few things here and there) and publishes them as fiction.


 * Azathoth
 * A god of anarchy and chaos.
 * The Silurians venerated him/them.
 * A cult of Shobogans also worshipped him.
 * Is the weakest of the Great Old Ones.

Foods and Beverages

 * Whilst dining on the train in India Sherlock and Bernice drink weak whiskey while Watson drinks a gin and tonic.
 * Mrs Hudson serves the Doctor tea and Madeira cake at Holmes' residence.

Libraries and archives

 * The Library of St John the Beheaded has been around for over 1000 years. It is located in London, St Giles Rookery.
 * The TARDIS library has among its books Every Gallifreyan Child's Pop-Up Book of Nasty Creatures From Other Dimensions with four dimensional pop-ups.

Planets

 * The planet Tersurus has clone banks and singing stones.
 * The Doctor still has clay and dust on his pants from Mexanus.
 * Bernice has loved in the slums of Avernus and a squat on Zellen VIII.
 * The Doctor dropped Ace early to Ry'leh to investigate.
 * Bernice thinks Ry'leh is stranger than Moloch (Lucifer's hollow moon).
 * Both Eusapia and Zeta Minor are half in this and another universe.
 * Malaga's crust is a shell covering a vast dreaming creature.

Races and species

 * The Rakshassi are named after Hindu demons. Their appearance may be based on the Mi-go.
 * The Great Old Ones include: Lloigor (ended up on Vortis), Yog-Sothoth (encountered as the Great Intelligence), the Gods of Ragnarok (who Ace might tell Benny about, if asked nicely), Hastur the Unspeakable (aka Fenric, who Ace will not tell Benny about, no matter how nicely she asks), Cthulhu (encountered by the Doctor and co in Haiti), Dagon (worshipped by the Sea Devils) and Nyarlathotep (who the Doctor hopes never to encounter).
 * Shlangii are the most feared mercenaries in the universe. They have five limbs and are stubborn beings even before surgery to make them immune to psychic control.

Continuity

 * MA: The Empire of Glass reveals who founded the Library of St John the Beheaded.
 * It was first mentioned of in NA: Theatre of War.
 * It also appears in MA Millennial Rites.


 * Lloigor appeared in DW: The Web Planet, Yog-Sothoth appeared in DW: The Abominable Snowmen and The Web of Fear, The Gods of Ragnarok appeared in DW: The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, Hastur the Unspeakable appeared in DW: The Curse of Fenric and Cthulhu appeared in NA: White Darkness.


 * Holmes and Watson attend Benny's wedding in NA: Happy Endings.
 * Bernice meets Mycroft Holmes in BFBS: The Adventure of the Diogenes Damsel.

Timeline
For the Third Doctor: For the Seventh Doctor:
 * This story occurs after TVC: The Wanderers
 * This story occurs before MA: Downtime
 * This story occurs after NA: Theatre of War
 * This story occurs before VD: Question Mark Pyjamas