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Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #42
Doctor Who - The Masque of Mandragora
Novelization of the Doctor Who TV episodes/story of the same name.
Forced off course by the Mandragora Helix, the Tardis lands in the province of San Martino in fifteenth-century Italy. Here, the court astrologer, Hieronymous, has been taken over by the Mandragora energy-form — Hieronymous and the other members of his star-worshipping black magic cult will be used as a bridgehead, enabling the Mandragora Helix to conquer the Earth and rule it through their chosen servants.
The Doctor has to defeat not only the Mandragora energy, but the evil schemes of the murderous Count Frederico who plans to usurp the place of his nephew, the rightful ruler of the province.
Forced off course by the Mandragora Helix, the Tardis lands in the province of San Martino in fifteenth-century Italy. Here, the court astrologer, Hieronymous, has been taken over by the Mandragora energy-form — Hieronymous and the other members of his star-worshipping black magic cult will be used as a bridgehead, enabling the Mandragora Helix to conquer the Earth and rule it through their chosen servants.
The Doctor has to defeat not only the Mandragora energy, but the evil schemes of the murderous Count Frederico who plans to usurp the place of his nephew, the rightful ruler of the province.
123 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
4 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Philip Hinchcliffe
19 books15 followersPhilip Hinchcliffe was producer of Doctor Who from 1975 to 1977. He also novelised stories.
He appeared on camera only once in the series, as one of the faces that appears in the Doctor's mental battle with Morbius.
He appeared on camera only once in the series, as one of the faces that appears in the Doctor's mental battle with Morbius.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 5, 2021
I genuinely love the stories set in past, but for some reason this pseudohistory set during the Italian renaissance seems to be missing something.
There's a clear attempt to make the show more grown up as this opening serial from Season 14 shows.
Firstly a new TARDIS console room, whilst Elisabeth Sladen had asked to stay on as she heard about this story and wanted to make it.
Imagine Leela in this one instead!
The story is actually quite interesting and explores the changing period of the middle ages to a more modern world, though an intelligent power called the Mandragora Helix wishes to rule the Earth.
It's been quite a while since the series has explored the history of other countries and there's even a reference as Sarah wonders how she can understand what the Italians are saying.
The show would mainly visit other places during the Hartnell era, so maybe that's why it doesn't fully connect with me.
It's a pretty straightforward telling of the televised adventure, I think I may have heard the audiobook first as the DVD was released a year later.
This range always has a great mix of narrators for the various releases, well know British actor Pigott-Smith (played Marco in this story) adds something a little extra to this tale.
There's a clear attempt to make the show more grown up as this opening serial from Season 14 shows.
Firstly a new TARDIS console room, whilst Elisabeth Sladen had asked to stay on as she heard about this story and wanted to make it.
Imagine Leela in this one instead!
The story is actually quite interesting and explores the changing period of the middle ages to a more modern world, though an intelligent power called the Mandragora Helix wishes to rule the Earth.
It's been quite a while since the series has explored the history of other countries and there's even a reference as Sarah wonders how she can understand what the Italians are saying.
The show would mainly visit other places during the Hartnell era, so maybe that's why it doesn't fully connect with me.
It's a pretty straightforward telling of the televised adventure, I think I may have heard the audiobook first as the DVD was released a year later.
This range always has a great mix of narrators for the various releases, well know British actor Pigott-Smith (played Marco in this story) adds something a little extra to this tale.
November 27, 2021
This is a novelization of the first serial of the fourteenth season of Doctor Who, which was broadcast in September of 1976. The story stars the fourth, most popular classic Doctor, and the companion who was probably his most popular, Sarah Jane Smith. The adaptation by Philip Hinchcliffe is based on the original teleplay of Louis Marks, and sticks quite close to the filmed version with few additions or deletions. It's quite clear and straight ahead, and I would have thought it one of Terrance Dicks' books were Hinchcliffe's name not on the cover. I did quite enjoy his account and description of the TARDIS interior, and Sarah's reaction to the back-up control room. It's a historical story set in a fictional fifteenth century Italian city, San Martino, loosely patterned after Hamlet, with interesting political conflicts and a malevolent alien power summoned by an astrologer. This is eighth of ten Doctor Who novelizations that were reprinted in the U.S. by Pinnacle Books in an attempt to introduce the show to North America. They got Harlan Ellison to write an enthusiastic introduction which was printed at the beginning of the whole series.
April 23, 2009
Phillip Hinchcliffe's novelization follows the Terrance Dicks model--retell the story without necessarily adding too many embellishments.
For some stories it works. For "Masque" I wish the story had been expanded a bit more. With the printed page, you can take certain liberties with the televised story to heighten the drama or to keep the reader more interested. Instead, we get a straight-forward re-telling of what we saw on screen.
The audio version is well done and a marked improvement over the Tom Baker read stories from this era.
For some stories it works. For "Masque" I wish the story had been expanded a bit more. With the printed page, you can take certain liberties with the televised story to heighten the drama or to keep the reader more interested. Instead, we get a straight-forward re-telling of what we saw on screen.
The audio version is well done and a marked improvement over the Tom Baker read stories from this era.
March 24, 2018
While the Doctor Who books are not the greatest written novels they are usually highly entertaining. I always enjoy them.
November 26, 2024
My favorite one yet! Visualized the story from start to finish and couldn't put it down. The adventures continue to be amazing, fun, and a true page turner.
September 14, 2020
I watched this story fairly recently. The novelisation written by the stories producer, Philip Hinchcliffe doesn't try to reinvent the wheel and is a fairly workman like version of the story as we saw it on screen and reads rather well. You don't get the grandeur that Portmeirion brings to the story which is a major part of television story but otherwise the story is quite exciting in parts athough it is a shame that Sarah spends much of the story being kidnapped and nearly sacrificed in pretty much three out of the four episodes which is not great for her. In general I did like this novelisation. Like a lot of the novels it gives a great feel for the story and compliments it well.
April 16, 2015
2 1/2 stars
Review to follow
Review to follow
April 18, 2024
The Masque of Mandragora is an overlooked Philip Hinchcliffe serial. One of the few times the Hinchcliffe era really attempted a historical setting (the other two being Pyramids of Mars and The Talons of Weng-Chiang) and it’s quite resplendent in its Italian Renaissance setting. It’s also one of four serials to be written by Louis Marks who novelized none of his stories, three novelizations falling to Terrance Dicks and Doctor Who and the Masque of Mandragora falling instead to Philip Hinchcliffe. This isn’t the only serial Hinchcliffe would adapt for the Target Books range of novelizations but in terms of adapting the story it’s one of the ones that is perhaps difficult to talk to. While Terrance Dicks famously adapts stories to be close to the story but with his easy to read style, Philip Hinchcliffe shows that there was a clear reason as to why he didn’t really write for the show. Doctor Who and the Masque of Mandragora reads almost too straightforward in terms of what happened, making the prose have a tendency to just be glossed over in reading the short novelization. In its shortness there is almost a paradox to the novel, it took me several days to get through because of how bland Hinchcliffe’s prose is, not helped by The Masque of Mandragora being a story which while having its fair share of action scenes, is more a contemplative piece in many ways.
On television the story was propped up by director Rodney Bennett’s use of location shooting in Portmeirion to serve as Renaissance Italy, and sadly Hinchcliffe doesn’t really add much to the descriptions. There’s a sequence early on in the serial involving orange trees and the way Hinchcliffe translates it makes it feel normal when in the serial we have a beautiful forest and some sparkling dialogue leading into action. The only thing that really does sparkle is the main dynamic between the Doctor and Sarah Jane, Hinchcliffe clearly being close to Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen through their three years on production. Hinchcliffe actually does some small additions to the dialogue for the Doctor in particular which makes for a pretty fun addition, especially when putting the bombast of Tom Baker against the villain Hieronymus and the Cult of Demnos. The events of the story are there and it’s perfectly fine as a novel.
Overall, Doctor Who and the Masque of Mandragora is essentially an example of why some people are better suited to suggesting ideas to produce instead of writing, something exemplified by Big Finish Productions as they adapted some of his unused ideas with scripts by other people. It makes a solid story come across as incredibly bland on the whole, making the shortness of a Target novelization feel much longer and honestly leave me with little to actually say about it. 5/10.
On television the story was propped up by director Rodney Bennett’s use of location shooting in Portmeirion to serve as Renaissance Italy, and sadly Hinchcliffe doesn’t really add much to the descriptions. There’s a sequence early on in the serial involving orange trees and the way Hinchcliffe translates it makes it feel normal when in the serial we have a beautiful forest and some sparkling dialogue leading into action. The only thing that really does sparkle is the main dynamic between the Doctor and Sarah Jane, Hinchcliffe clearly being close to Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen through their three years on production. Hinchcliffe actually does some small additions to the dialogue for the Doctor in particular which makes for a pretty fun addition, especially when putting the bombast of Tom Baker against the villain Hieronymus and the Cult of Demnos. The events of the story are there and it’s perfectly fine as a novel.
Overall, Doctor Who and the Masque of Mandragora is essentially an example of why some people are better suited to suggesting ideas to produce instead of writing, something exemplified by Big Finish Productions as they adapted some of his unused ideas with scripts by other people. It makes a solid story come across as incredibly bland on the whole, making the shortness of a Target novelization feel much longer and honestly leave me with little to actually say about it. 5/10.
April 22, 2021
This wasn't a bad book, but also not that good a book for me, especially after the Seeds of Doom.
The plot itself is an interesting one, and the time period set in a fun period to be set in as well, and another one with a scientific explanation to potentially metaphysical events which I always find quite cool, even if I can also enjoy the ones suggesting of purely metaphysical goings on.
However, it is somewhat let down by the way the characterisation of the various characters, with readers apparently able to judge all the characters based on their looks - bad looking people are the bad guys, good looking people are the good guys, which felt somewhat old fashioned.
Also, some of the interesting twists were spoiled prematurely I felt, could have been done better if we had the twist occur to us at the same time as occurred for the characters, as opposed to it being spoiled somewhat offhandedly earlier in the piece, but at the same time portrayed as if supposed to be a surprise to the reader, when it does occur to the characters.
While the Doctor and Sarah in general good form here, and I like seeing the Doctor showing some good swordsman skills (though interesting that happy with a sword, but not with a gun, albeit a sword can be used defensively without hurting other people, whereas a gun not so much), even then at times their interactions with characters seem to be based on their looks as well.
So not a bad read, but too many flaws to be a particularly good read either.
The plot itself is an interesting one, and the time period set in a fun period to be set in as well, and another one with a scientific explanation to potentially metaphysical events which I always find quite cool, even if I can also enjoy the ones suggesting of purely metaphysical goings on.
However, it is somewhat let down by the way the characterisation of the various characters, with readers apparently able to judge all the characters based on their looks - bad looking people are the bad guys, good looking people are the good guys, which felt somewhat old fashioned.
Also, some of the interesting twists were spoiled prematurely I felt, could have been done better if we had the twist occur to us at the same time as occurred for the characters, as opposed to it being spoiled somewhat offhandedly earlier in the piece, but at the same time portrayed as if supposed to be a surprise to the reader, when it does occur to the characters.
While the Doctor and Sarah in general good form here, and I like seeing the Doctor showing some good swordsman skills (though interesting that happy with a sword, but not with a gun, albeit a sword can be used defensively without hurting other people, whereas a gun not so much), even then at times their interactions with characters seem to be based on their looks as well.
So not a bad read, but too many flaws to be a particularly good read either.
November 18, 2021
This particular Doctor Who adventure feels a little dated now, but it's still pretty solid. It has a lot of the usual tropes of the era including Sarah Jane disappearing a few times AND getting hypnotized (again!).
Tropes aside though, there's a lot of interesting stuff happening here that ties together the mysterious Helix Energy that disrupts the TARDIS but also how the Mandragora ties back to some hooded figures that can only be cultists. Throw in multiple figures vying for control of Italy including one who uses false predictions as a cover for murdering those who stand in the way of his succession.
The build-up takes a lot of time with skulking around, Sarah Jane getting into trouble, and the Doctor stumbling through things without discovering solid leads right away. How no one suspected the fortune teller of being a lot more than he presented himself to be. He totally walks around with nefarious villain vibes and why people believe his predictions as being innocent is really on them.
The second half really picks up on multiple fronts and that's what really keeps things going. You just have to get through the catacombs of the first few acts to get there.
Tropes aside though, there's a lot of interesting stuff happening here that ties together the mysterious Helix Energy that disrupts the TARDIS but also how the Mandragora ties back to some hooded figures that can only be cultists. Throw in multiple figures vying for control of Italy including one who uses false predictions as a cover for murdering those who stand in the way of his succession.
The build-up takes a lot of time with skulking around, Sarah Jane getting into trouble, and the Doctor stumbling through things without discovering solid leads right away. How no one suspected the fortune teller of being a lot more than he presented himself to be. He totally walks around with nefarious villain vibes and why people believe his predictions as being innocent is really on them.
The second half really picks up on multiple fronts and that's what really keeps things going. You just have to get through the catacombs of the first few acts to get there.
September 23, 2025
Based on a script by Louis Marks this number 42 in the Target catalogue. The first cover is by Mike Little. The second cover is by Alister Pearson. The Pinnacle edition cover is by David Mann.
Another classic from the classic era of classic Who. I don’t care what anyone says the Baker/Sladen stories are the single greatest period in the Whoniverse. It’s not quite in my top 10 of all time, but it’s certainly close.
There are a few subtle embellishments adding detail which isn’t the broadcast version most of it is good. The one extra bit I didn’t like was the Doctor ruminating about Sarah not acting like herself. It made the reveal that he knew she was drugged a little too obvious. I like how it was handled in the TV version better.
I did also notice 1 small scene missing where Hieronymous was begging for extra power and Mandragora told him to button it (I’m paraphrasing). The story works without the scene, but I felt it was nice background into Heirnoymous.
And oranges are now peaches, though this isn’t a major plot point.
The prose is evocative and the pacing even, making it a quick, easy, and enjoyable read.
Another classic from the classic era of classic Who. I don’t care what anyone says the Baker/Sladen stories are the single greatest period in the Whoniverse. It’s not quite in my top 10 of all time, but it’s certainly close.
There are a few subtle embellishments adding detail which isn’t the broadcast version most of it is good. The one extra bit I didn’t like was the Doctor ruminating about Sarah not acting like herself. It made the reveal that he knew she was drugged a little too obvious. I like how it was handled in the TV version better.
I did also notice 1 small scene missing where Hieronymous was begging for extra power and Mandragora told him to button it (I’m paraphrasing). The story works without the scene, but I felt it was nice background into Heirnoymous.
And oranges are now peaches, though this isn’t a major plot point.
The prose is evocative and the pacing even, making it a quick, easy, and enjoyable read.
March 27, 2022
Tres estrellas de cinco, aunque es una valoración que me costó mucho asignar. El libro no es bueno, pero la historia es lo suficientemente interesante como para mantenerte leyendo hasta el final. Creo que es importante recalcar que no he visto el capítulo en el cual está basado la novelización, ni siquiera sabía que existía. Compré este tomo porque pensaba que sería interesante la experiencia de disfrutar de la historia como alguien de la época.
El estilo narrativo de los primeros capítulos es completamente diferente a las páginas finales, como si al autor le hubiese costado encontrar el ritmo. El principio parece un guion escrito en forma de novela donde se narran hechos en vez de contar una historia ("pasó esto y esto. El Doctor reaccionó así. Luego pasó esto. Después..."). Se sentía como el lenguaje descriptivo de las películas para las personas con discapacidad visual. Pero luego mejora bastante y es por ello que se merece las tres estrellas.
El estilo narrativo de los primeros capítulos es completamente diferente a las páginas finales, como si al autor le hubiese costado encontrar el ritmo. El principio parece un guion escrito en forma de novela donde se narran hechos en vez de contar una historia ("pasó esto y esto. El Doctor reaccionó así. Luego pasó esto. Después..."). Se sentía como el lenguaje descriptivo de las películas para las personas con discapacidad visual. Pero luego mejora bastante y es por ello que se merece las tres estrellas.
October 28, 2021
A decent enough novelisation of the TV story. I haven't actually seen the serial so this was my first exposure to it.
I both read the novelisation and listened to the audiobook read by Tim Pigott Smith. The narration heightened my enjoyment of the book, as Pigott Smith is an excellent narrator.
Hinchcliffe's writing is also terrific, which helped my appreciation of the book.
However I felt there were some downsides as well.
Sarah Jane Smith seems to get little to do apart from getting kidnapped and almost sacrificed. However I did enjoy her growing friendship with Guilamo.
I also felt that the Doctor was rather different than the one I am accustomed to. This might just be my thoughts or a conscious choice but it just threw me off a bit.
I did enjoy the book but it doesn't count as one of my favourite novelisations that I have read so far.
I both read the novelisation and listened to the audiobook read by Tim Pigott Smith. The narration heightened my enjoyment of the book, as Pigott Smith is an excellent narrator.
Hinchcliffe's writing is also terrific, which helped my appreciation of the book.
However I felt there were some downsides as well.
Sarah Jane Smith seems to get little to do apart from getting kidnapped and almost sacrificed. However I did enjoy her growing friendship with Guilamo.
I also felt that the Doctor was rather different than the one I am accustomed to. This might just be my thoughts or a conscious choice but it just threw me off a bit.
I did enjoy the book but it doesn't count as one of my favourite novelisations that I have read so far.
October 8, 2021
Growing up this was always one of my favorite episodes, so I was really looking forward to reading this book. It was as good as I remember. I love Sarah Jane and the 4th Doctor I think they work really well together they are one of my favorite duos. I really enjoyed Sarah Jane's and Giuliano's flirtation and wouldn't of mind if we had seen more between the two of them. All in all a good story.
July 10, 2023
Doctor Who and the Masque of Mandragora (1977) by Philip Hinchcliffe is the novelisation of the first serial of the fifteenth season of Doctor Who.
The Doctor and Sarah have the TARDIS interfered with and wind up in fifteenth century Italy where the Duke of San Martino is dying. His brother, Count Frederico is trying to preven this nephew Giuliano from becoming Duke. Meanwhile the astrologer Hieronymous is acting suspiciously.
It’s not a bad historialish Doctor Who serial.
The Doctor and Sarah have the TARDIS interfered with and wind up in fifteenth century Italy where the Duke of San Martino is dying. His brother, Count Frederico is trying to preven this nephew Giuliano from becoming Duke. Meanwhile the astrologer Hieronymous is acting suspiciously.
It’s not a bad historialish Doctor Who serial.
September 21, 2024
Like its television original this is a slow-burn of a story (even at 120-something pages!) but is still a decent read. Reading it you discover that what was a quite lavish-looking serial only had 5 guest characters. Some lovely set pieces but a book that would have benefitted from the increased page count of later years.
September 16, 2022
Another entertaining Doctor Who story, this time in the Italian renaissance, but unfortunately not the best one. After a while I`ve lost count how many times the Doctor was hit on his head or how many times Sarah was kidnapped to be sacrificed.
November 16, 2025
Better work than Hinchcliffe's on The Seeds of Doom for a story I like less, I think. It is very funny that he keeps trying to push Sarah/Giuliano when everyone I've ever encountered viewing this serial thinks Marco is his boyfriend...perhaps telling of the kind of fan spaces I hang out in?
January 31, 2018
Of the two stories from his era that "Doctor Who" producer Philip Hinchcliffe novelized, it is clear that much preferred this Renaissance adventure. The adaptation is sparse but mostly satisfying.
February 1, 2021
Really enjoyed this book I know there is a lot of running around the catacombs back and forth but I didn't mind that.
Again a book that is better than the TV version.
3.5 out 5 star's.
Again a book that is better than the TV version.
3.5 out 5 star's.
March 23, 2024
6.5/10 - 4th Doctor and SJS what more could one ask for ?
Straightforward retelling of the TV story.
Straightforward retelling of the TV story.
May 11, 2024
The penultimate Sarah Jane serial! The story itself was decent, but I especially loved it because of the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane; they were an incredible team.
June 3, 2025
3.75 stars
Like the setting. The story could be better but still enjoyable.
Like the setting. The story could be better but still enjoyable.
May 19, 2022
Great Dr who!!!
February 9, 2019
Sometimes it feels as if the Target books show how weak a Doctor Who story is. In this case I know that The Masque of Mandragora is regarded as a classic episode. After reading this I'm not sure how strong of a story it is.
The plot of the of the story is that the Doctor must stop the Mandragora Helix from destroying the Earth, via Italy in the 15th century. What you have also going on is a power play for becoming the Duke of San Martino. Where to start on this mess.
I think the biggest disappointment in the story is seeing how often Sarah Jane was captured, drugged, escape, and captured again to be a sacrifice. I know that sometimes the companion is not used very well, but this is the worst I remember in a while.
The other aspect of the plot, the power play, just feels like a standard run of the mill. The uncle trying to keep the nephew from taking power. His henchmen being bad, etc., etc. It just felt tired. The last part is how by luck the Doctor escapes, or resolves an issue. It is built up, then quickly resolved by either someone hesitating, or the Doctor already knowing the danger.
To top the whole things off, is Philip Hinchliffe's writing. He ended a lot of his sentences with an exclamation point. Even one of the chapters had an exclamation point in it. The writing in a Target book did seem it was oriented towards the younger ages. I would like to think that this is due to the Target restrictions, or just trying to get a book out.
By the end I was looking forward to just getting this book done. Even though I have not seen the episode, I hope that the televised story seems better. At this time just skip this book, and hope that the televised version was better than the book made it out to be.
The plot of the of the story is that the Doctor must stop the Mandragora Helix from destroying the Earth, via Italy in the 15th century. What you have also going on is a power play for becoming the Duke of San Martino. Where to start on this mess.
I think the biggest disappointment in the story is seeing how often Sarah Jane was captured, drugged, escape, and captured again to be a sacrifice. I know that sometimes the companion is not used very well, but this is the worst I remember in a while.
The other aspect of the plot, the power play, just feels like a standard run of the mill. The uncle trying to keep the nephew from taking power. His henchmen being bad, etc., etc. It just felt tired. The last part is how by luck the Doctor escapes, or resolves an issue. It is built up, then quickly resolved by either someone hesitating, or the Doctor already knowing the danger.
To top the whole things off, is Philip Hinchliffe's writing. He ended a lot of his sentences with an exclamation point. Even one of the chapters had an exclamation point in it. The writing in a Target book did seem it was oriented towards the younger ages. I would like to think that this is due to the Target restrictions, or just trying to get a book out.
By the end I was looking forward to just getting this book done. Even though I have not seen the episode, I hope that the televised story seems better. At this time just skip this book, and hope that the televised version was better than the book made it out to be.
January 16, 2017
This episode I haven't seen in a while. There were portions I did not recall.
One part of the narration gave us a view into the Doctor's constant battle against tyranny; the reason he is fighting the Mandragora helix, because it would eliminate humanity's ability to decide for itself what it should think, do, and feel. His most powerful trait indeed. An aspect I did not fully grasp how deeply it had molded me in my childhood because, those are certainly values I hold myself.
Another portion I had forgotten was the promise of the alignment of the stars, once again to enable the Mandragora to attempt to overthrow human agency, is 500 years hence. What a fun theory that would be to ponder.
I noted that the Doctor said he did *not* get to meet Leonardo da Vinci, yet, we know in City of Death (which does happen to be several seasons hence, of Tom Baker's tenure) that he did know da Vinci.
This episode is the first appearance of the secondary console room--my favorite. Now that "steampunk" is a term, I can express the simultaneous vintage, and futurist look of that room.
Another 'first' I noticed is an explanation for why the Doctor and companions can always undertand the language, wherever they travel. He says it is a "Time Lord give that he shares {with her]". A absolutely prefer that concept because he does make a closer companionship link. I realize the modern incarnation of the series gives a different reason that is more detached, and part of the TARDIS function.
After a spate of readings by Tom Baker, this is by Tim Piggot-Smith, like so many readers of the audiobooks before him, participated in the episode narrated. He offers a fine performance from this seasoned actor.
One part of the narration gave us a view into the Doctor's constant battle against tyranny; the reason he is fighting the Mandragora helix, because it would eliminate humanity's ability to decide for itself what it should think, do, and feel. His most powerful trait indeed. An aspect I did not fully grasp how deeply it had molded me in my childhood because, those are certainly values I hold myself.
Another portion I had forgotten was the promise of the alignment of the stars, once again to enable the Mandragora to attempt to overthrow human agency, is 500 years hence. What a fun theory that would be to ponder.
I noted that the Doctor said he did *not* get to meet Leonardo da Vinci, yet, we know in City of Death (which does happen to be several seasons hence, of Tom Baker's tenure) that he did know da Vinci.
This episode is the first appearance of the secondary console room--my favorite. Now that "steampunk" is a term, I can express the simultaneous vintage, and futurist look of that room.
Another 'first' I noticed is an explanation for why the Doctor and companions can always undertand the language, wherever they travel. He says it is a "Time Lord give that he shares {with her]". A absolutely prefer that concept because he does make a closer companionship link. I realize the modern incarnation of the series gives a different reason that is more detached, and part of the TARDIS function.
After a spate of readings by Tom Baker, this is by Tim Piggot-Smith, like so many readers of the audiobooks before him, participated in the episode narrated. He offers a fine performance from this seasoned actor.
December 5, 2012
I bought this book in Hay on Wye because when Sarah talked to Jo in the episode of the Sarah Jane adventures she mentioned travelling with the Doctor to renaissance Italy and I didn't remember having seen the episode. I started to read this and became aware that I had in fact seen it, I think I thought it was set on a strange alien planet! This was the first time I read a novelisation after seeing the show but I still enjoyed it and it made me want to go back and rewatch the episode. In many ways this was a very dark story. Poor Sarah had no fun at all, she was almost sacrificed to a dark god twice, hypnotised into attempting to kill the doctor and locked up in a medival torture chamber! The only nice thing that happened was dancing at a masqued ball! The plot was a nice blend of sci-fi and occult horror. An evil alien presence gave a secret cult power to destroy and there were some raher unpleasant bits, bits that were probably a bit to nasty to have made it into the actual show. There were also two villians on different sides which made the plot a bit more interesting. Hincliffe is not my favourite of the Dr Who novelisation authors as he tends not to add much to the stories but this felt like there was more there than his other ones and I did quite enjoy it. Doctor who novels definitely became my fluff reading last year and will likely continue to be so this year. They really capture the spirit of the old show and the old episodes really well.
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April 8, 2009http://nhw.livejournal.com/1046178.html#cutid7[return][return]As with Hinchcliffe's treatment of The Seeds of Doom, we have a much less clownish, dark Doctor, and much more horrific elements in the story - horrible frazzling of the Helix's victims, also the Doctor casually slaying Count Federico's guards. But the other thing that struck me was Sarah's relationship with the Prince - much more romantically presented here than it was on screen, and basically her closest approach to romance in the entire canon, I think. Not an outstanding novelisation but not bad either.
August 12, 2016
This was a little ambitious for such a small book. I have read 600 page books with less complex narratives. But isn't that expected of Doctor Who and the BBC? They are tiny compared to the goliaths of American television. So actually the story did not let it down. It was the quality of the writing that was abysmal. There were moments when I realised I had been thinking of something completely different and had no idea on what was happening. Also, I know it was written in the 1970s, but there is no excuse for the savage abuse of exclamation marks at the end of every other sentence.
Ahhh... Finally a bad review. That feels better.
Ahhh... Finally a bad review. That feels better.
January 4, 2014
This did feel like classic Doctor Who and so well read by Tim Piggott-Smith who captures Tom Baker's 4th Doctor so well that at times I forgot that it wasn't Tom Baker reading his own lines.
I'm not sure that the most was made of the period Italian setting - were it a TV story it would be different, but overall the story had a nice energy to it, and the interplay between conventional political machinations and alien forces worked well.
I'm not sure that the most was made of the period Italian setting - were it a TV story it would be different, but overall the story had a nice energy to it, and the interplay between conventional political machinations and alien forces worked well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews