Simon Guerrier's latest original Doctor Who novel sees the Timelord travelling alone once more; however it isn't long before he picks up a new companion in the form of Classics student June.
The story opens in modern-day Athens, where June arrives at the Acropolis where she has a holiday job, just in time to help a beleaguered Doctor prevent an alien attempt to blow the ancient monument up. It isn't made clear why they should want to do this until the end of the book, but it provides an excuse for The Doctor to join forces with June and whisk her off to Ancient Greece, where he promptly goes into a trance-like state. While he temporarily recovers in order to save June from being mauled by a lioness, The Timelord continues to remain cataleptic, while June is taken-in by some locals and makes a shocking discovery once she reaches their home...
Yes, the nefarious Slitheen family have made a welcome return; posing as gods and acting as inter-galactic travel agents, the family are once more out to expolit and hunt; their two favourite pursuits. The travellers quickly get caught-up in events, and are soon fighting for their lives in the gladiatorial arena. However, this murderous scheme is just the tip of the iceberg and the family have an even more devious plan in mind; one that will test The Doctor and June to their very limits...
Guerrier's prose is always engaging and never strays too far into technobabble. His version of The Tenth Doctor marries well with David Tennant's excitable yet damaged television portrayal, and he clearly had fun with the never far from comic Slitheen family. Student 'June' sometimes feels like a bit of a rent-a-companion, but until the TV series casts a more permanent associate for The Doctor, it doesn't matter too much. Overall this is another smashing entry in the BBC Books strand; light, accessible, occasionally informative and always fun.
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