Doctor Who: Death’s Deal (Destiny Of The Doctor 10) by Darren Jones (CD review).
It’s the turn of the Tenth Doctor to follow his destiny and down on the plant of Death’s Deal, all is not well. The Doctor and Donna receive a distress call from the surface but, when they arrive to help, they don’t get any from the visiting tourists. Apparently, these are old messages that circle the planet, echoes of the horrible fates that befell unwary travellers. Stranded on the ‘Deadliest Planet In The Galaxy’, they find that’s not a title handed out lightly. Together with the now marooned tourists, the pair must fight their way across and under the surface of Death’s Deal using all their wit and wisdom to stay alive. As usual, nothing is as it appears and it’s not only the local wildlife that causes them trouble. Along the way, Donna makes a friend and the travellers witness the terrible truth about the planet that everyone has been trying to hide.
We again hear from the Eleventh Doctor and his special request to his former self. It’s fairly incidental to the plot and all the shenanigans and doesn’t trouble the continuity too much.
Gruesome and visceral on occasions, this is almost a horror story in ‘Doctor Who’ guise. It is reminiscent of ‘King Solomon’s Mines’, with the characters replaced by colourful aliens. There is quite a high body count which seems to be de rigueur in this Doctor’s incarnation. He just isn’t any good at saving anyone except perhaps himself and Donna, just.
‘Death’s Deal’ is well-executed by Catherine Tate with assistance as two guest characters, Big Finish regular Duncan Wisbey. Tate is more than worthy to take on this task. She was always my favourite new companion, although I was as sceptical as anyone before she took over. Donna was dealt a dirty hand by the scriptwriter at the end of her travels with the Tenth Doctor. I hope one day she returns to slap somebody’s face again. All hail to Doctor Donna.
Sue Davies
November 2013
(pub: Audio Go/BBC. 1 CD 69 minute story. Price: CD: £ 5.76 (UK), Download: £ 3.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1471311765)
read by: Catherine Tate and Duncan Wisbey
check out website: www.audiogo.co.uk
