BBC Books The Slitheen Excursion

Author	Sion Guerrier
ISBN	1 846 07640 4
Published	2009

Synopsis: 1500BC: King Actaeus and his subjects live in mortal fear of the awesome gods who have come to visit their kingdom in ancient Greece. Except the Doctor, visiting with university student June, knows they're not gods at all. They're aliens. For the aliens, it's the perfect holiday Ñ they get to tour the sights of a primitive planet and even take part in local customs. Like gladiatorial games, or hunting down and killing humans who won't be missed. With June's enthusiastic help, the Doctor soon meets the travel agents behind this deadly package holiday company: his old enemies the Slitheen.

• A Review by Justin Eclath

A Review by Justin Eclath 10/2/17

The Slitheen are a wonderful enemy from New Who. Some may say that they are babyish or lackluster, but I strongly disagree. Remind me to read The Monsters Inside one of these days... They were featured in three episodes/two stories in season one and also in Sarah Jane Smith. They also starred in three short stories and several comics. But on with the review!

This was the third DW book I ever read, and I still think it's one of the best. It features the Tenth Doctor without a companion, whose role is taken by one-off June, a student from modern day visiting Greece who helps foil a plot to blow up the Acropolis. She then meets the Doctor, who takes he to the Acropolis circa 1500 BC. I personally liked the cast of supporting characters, including King Acteus and fellow time traveler Cecrops.

Onto the Slitheen. Costmato, Mamps, Leeb and Hisk were created originally for this novel. I found this interesting and better than simply naming a few Slitheen, as Simon Guerrier (the book's author) explores the inter character dynamic between them. Their plan includes a temporal attraction. I wish that more detail would have gone into how they acquired time travel, but this is a minor qualm.

I am also fond of the Doctor in this book. He seems very true to his television portrayal. Of course, I may be a bit biased, as this is my favorite Doctor. My second and final qualm is how the gray and blobby aliens seen at the beginning are not explained; they seem forgotten as the rest of the book moves along. The Doctor calls one of them Bartholomew, which suggests he knows them.

Other books of this era include Autonomy, The Krillitane Storm and The Sontaran Games. The Slitheen Excursion is not only better than them but uses a better enemy... okay, now I may be getting off track. I would recommend The Slitheen Excursion to many people. If you adore the Doctor and/or the Slitheen, then this book is for you.

Final Verdict: 9.7/10