Doctor Who - The Maze of Doom – By David Solomons – BBC Books

 

 

The Maze of Doom is a new story by David Solomons, author of the award winning My Brother is a Superhero. The suggested age range for this book is seven and up, although it reads very much like a Target novelisation from back in the day.

 

After finding an ancient artefact in a bag of mouldy jelly babies (guess whose old coat pocket they were found - here’s a clue, a long scarf was on the same hook in the TARDIS wardrobe), the twelfth Doctor, Graham, Ryan and Yaz are thrust into a new adventure that takes in ancient Greece, contemporary London, a Bond like villains layer in Switzerland and the Aegean Sea.

 

The book is stacked in Greek mythology, that is actually quite educational. Imagine if the legend of the Minotaur had the labyrinth based still in Crete, but on a crashed Nimon ship. There are some great ideas here that are for the most part, very well executed. Stand out pieces include Daedalus telling his son Icarus that “they should get him out of the sun.” (which made me chuckle). There is also a frantic chase in London’s underground that involves a moving (quite fast) giant bronze Nimon statue and our ‘Fam’ that was very reminiscent of The Web of Fear, there is also a massive finale set on a Nimon ship, deep in the Aegean sea.

 

The book is very well written, engaging and at 288 pages, fast moving. The key characterisations are pretty much pitch perfect – which all results a rather enjoyable read. If I had anything slightly negative to say about the story is that the book can come across as quite continuity heavy. I counted eight references to the classic show in quite a small amount of the book. This is great for us rabid fans, but may put off newer inductees.

 

The Maze of Doom is available from various outlets from 30th April 2020.