Ingeniero Industrial

The main problem seems to be the lack of plot and tension. The story revolves around an arms limitation conference that rogue Time Lord Braxiatel (here in only his second appearance I believe) hasset up on an artificial island floating just outside Venice. As such the set-up so already reminiscent of the rather dull Peladon stories (and yes, the Ice Warriors do put in an appearance) and –utterly predictably, one or more of the alien races are planning to pull a fast one. As it stands this is a rather boring and obvious scenario, but Lane has simply just not got enough story to fill thebook, so the plot depends on a case of mistaken identity (apparently the Doctor and Cardinal Bellarmine are the only old men with white hair in the whole of Venice) to sideline the Doctor with extraneousinvestigative material for fully half of the novel. The scenes of the TARDIS-team running around Venice with Galileo are light and readable, but ultimately add little to the plot. Even when theconference is finally revealed the plot struggles to give all the characters something to do, culminating in Steven having to impersonate Galileo while he takes his place as the Doctor’s companion for noreadily discernable reason.

On the positive side the regulars are handled well enough, and though I’m not wholly convinced by Steven’s newly revealed homosexual leanings it’s done subtly enough notto be too off-putting. As a whole, the location and characters easily win out over the insipid plot. The novel as a whole has an oddly light feel, with it’s tension-free rambling storyline, yet despiteending in farce when the Doctor and Vicki have to go onstage during the inaugural performance of MacBeth, it’s not funny enough to work as an outright comedy. The lack of threat is also a realmistake, with the likes of the Sontarans being robbed of any power by attending a talking shop, and the ‘evil aliens’ having a spectacularly inept plan and a penchant for Yoda-speak.

All in all, for...