ðɪ ˈeɪtθ dˈɑːktɚɹ ˈeɪdʒᵻz ɐbˌaʊt wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd jˈɪɹz dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðɪs nˈɑːvəl, bɪkˈʌz hiː tɹˈævəlz bˈæk ɪn tˈaɪm jˈuːzɪŋ ɐ ʃˈoʊləmlˈʌz pˈoːɹɾəl tə ʃˈeɪp ᵻvˈɛnts æt ðə tˈɜːn ʌvðə sˈɛntʃɚɹi, ænd ðˈɛn hɐz tə slˈiːp ɪn ɐ kˈæskɪt ɪnðə kɐθˈiːdɹəl tə ɹᵻtˈɜːn tə ðə pɹˈɛzənt.
The Eighth Doctor ages about 100 years during this novel, because he travels back in time using a Sholem-Luz portal to shape events at the turn of the century, and then has to sleep in a casket in the cathedral to return to the present.