BBC Children's Books The Secret of the Stones Doctor Who Files 12: The TARDIS

Published

2007

The Doctor and Martha explory the mystery of Stonehenge.

• Time Traveller's Problem by Noe Geric

Time Traveller's Problem by Noe Geric 17/11/21

Continuing my discovery of the Doctor Who Files stories, I ended up reading what could be seen as the most predictable story ever written. From the title, I knew this would be about Stonehenge and its genesis. And of course I was right. And then, most of the plot is basically the most famous time-traveling joke existing.

Okay, characterization is fine for the Doctor and Martha; they're perfectly depicted and I could hear Tennant and Freeman's voices in my head while reading the text. There isn't really any guest cast, as most of the action take place in the TARDIS. Except for a guy with a prehistoric name, there isn't anyone.

The plot is simple: Martha wants to know the secret of Stonehenge's construction, and the Doctor accept at the condition that they do not interfere. He doesn't wants to change history in any way and even observing could have an influence on the past. You see it coming? Hmmm? Yes, of course the Doctor and Martha, while trying to avoid changing the past, will make it so that they're responsible for Stonehenge construction without knowing it, and I'm sure if the story was longer they would've taken the Pandorica there.

The problem with these stories is that, once again, the Doctor is responsible for human achievement. After 50 years on screen and other forms, the Doctor can be seen as the man who made humanity. If that concept was used as a story, I would not be against it. But here it's just the Doctor making history once more. With mentions of the Mary Celeste (The Chase) and the Princes in the tower (The Kingmaker) and yes, even in a nine pages story there are useless continuity references.

To conclude, the Doctor Who Files short stories aren't supposed to be fantastic, but here Justin Richards didn't do anything to produce something original. When it's aimed at children's, many writers tend to think that simplicity is the best way. Then we end-up with Forever Autumn, Art of Destruction and even this short story! Of course, some writers know how to make stories entertaining for everyone, but The Secret of the Stones isn't entertaining. Can we call it a secret when you know how it will turn out from the beginning? 3/10