Story: A nameless planet living in fear of technology – this is the setting of this Missing Adventure. The Doctor, along with Jamie and Zoe, arrive on this rain-sodden world just in time to become embroiled in a confrontation between the classes. On one side, The Knights of Kuabris, who are the anti-science police who rule this town with fear and intimidation. On the other, the creatures who live beneath the city, in the fabled “Menagerie of Ukkazaal.” These two sides could not be more different. The Knights have little or no knowledge of the existance of these subterranean societies, yet the three groups who live below (the Dugracs, a species of bipedal rat-men; the Rocarby, a race of apelike Sasquatch men; and the Taculbain, who are described as bipedal bee-men) all know of the surface dwellers, and don’t trust them a bit.
Of course, the age-old scenario which allows the story to flow rears its head: Separate the TARDIS crew. The Doctor is arrested and brought to the Castle where he is questioned by the Knights. Zoe is also brought to the Castle, but she is mistaken for a prostitute and is sent to the slave market for sale (I’ll bid ten grotzits!). And Jamie evades capture and manages to rope a few of the city folk into the adventure.
Review: I had a real good time reading this book, the only downside being the rather stupid names people are given: Argaabil, Xaelobran, Zaitabor, and Defrabax, to name just a few. With so little of the second Doctor’s adventures available on video (or CD) one tends to forget how good he can be. But this is a good example of how to write for him. The placing of this book just before The War Games is quite sad though, knowing that to be his last adventure in that body, and knowing of the depressing destiny which awaits both Jamie and Zoe. But, I still have many more second Doctor books to read, and hopefully they are as good as this one. I’m giving it, believe it or not, 9/10. I can’t say that it is the be-all-and-end-all-of the second Doctor’s adventures, but I enjoyed it a lot.
Year: 1994
Author: Martin Day
Publisher: Virgin