Arthur Darvill

*As always, there will be spoilers*

Summary: The Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory land in Egypt in the Victorian era and stumble across an archaeological dig. After Rory accidentally spills tea over the strange purple papyrus found my Mr. Hunt and Mr. Grenfell, it unleashes a deadly parasite that sucks the moisture out of everything it touches. The Doctor and Amy go back in time to the first appearance of the purple reeds that were used to make the papyrus and find that it was being used to prepare bodies for burial- dead or alive.

I liked this book, but there’s something about the Puffin series that makes it feel more like a kid’s show than a proper Doctor Who story. Other than the description of how bodies were mummified in Egyptian times, I’d say that this story bordered on a darker story of the Sarah Jane Adventures, but I still enjoyed it and think it’s worth a read.

I liked Rayner’s portrayals of 11 and the Ponds, I liked how she portrayed their dynamic, but I did think she made Rory a little on the dumb side, especially when he though Amy said something along the lines of ‘spider’ so he throws himself at her and that’s what knocks over the tea onto the papyrus. Brave, but you know, stupid.

I really like the little scene after Amy and the Doctor start investigating a death that turned out to be a murder, and Amy makes a comment about how short and insignificant human lives must seems to the Doctor, and he corrects her, quoting from John Donne, “Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.” (Pg. 84). I really liked that scene because we finally get an explanation of the Doctor’s attitude towards his adventures, and even get a bit of a look inside his head when he talks about his ‘professional detachment’ to those different situations.

For something that felt like a kid’s book, it really touched on some pretty deep topics.

As this book was only 159 pages, I recommend this book to anyone who prefers shorter stories with lots of action. I’m giving this story 7/10 TARDISes, just because of Jacqueline Rayner’s portrayal of Rory >_<.

Thanks for reading, next month I hope to be giving a review of ‘Star Tales’, but I will be going back to making my usual poll for recommendations :).

Hi, so I'm new on this. I've watched Matt Smith's and David Tennant's runs as the Doctor like a million times because they are obviously the best (of the new Doctor Who, i've never seen the old. I also haven't seen Jodie Whittaker as the doctor but don't want to coz heaps of people say it's trash)

I have to say, I absolutely love the Ponds, and every single time I watch Matt Smith's run I love them even more, like impossibly more. They are by far the best companions the doctor has ever had (mostly Amy coz Rory didn't really like hanging out with the Doctor whereas Rory only wanted to hang out with Amy.)

And then as I get towards the end I get really sad coz I realise they are gonna leave, same with Matt Smith's Doctor. I'm ok with Tennant's run being over because Matt Smith is my absolute favourite of all time, but i seriously need more episodes with the Doctor (Matt Smith) and the Ponds. Like I would seriously watch 15 seasons of them no questions asked.

Also, another thing i don't get is like the Pond's exit. It doesn't make sense to me at all. i get that he can't go back to New York in that year coz of the paradox, but still why can't he go like a few years later, or they change their location. There is no logical and reasonable explanation as to why they couldn't come back. I just don't get it. And i'm not happy with it. And also, if he couldn't see future version of them because of whatever reason, why doesn't he just go back to one of those years that he left them alone and take them. Like just run away from time because that is what he does. And I want more Ponds and Doctor because their run together was iconic and also really sad (like literally everything that happened to them was so sad) but also really beautiful and they are genuinely best friends and the best Doctor/Companion relationship (between Amy and the Doctor, and then Rory and the Doctor was good but like honestly Rory was only good because of his relationship with Amy, but he did annoy me when he underestimated how much Amy loved him)