The Death Pit

"Doctor, you were the one who fainted."

Writer: A. L. Kennedy
Format: Short Story
Released: December 2013
Series: Time Trips 01

Featuring: Fourth Doctor

Synopsis

Something odd is going on at the Fetch Brothers Golf Spa Hotel. Receptionist Bryony Mailer has noticed a definite tendency towards disappearance amongst the guests. She's tried talking to the manager, she's even tried talking to the owner who lives in one of the best cottages in the grounds, but to no avail. And then a tall, loping remarkably energetic guest (wearing a fetching scarf and floppy hat) appears. The Fourth Doctor thinks he's in Chicago. he knows he's in 1978. And he also knows that if he doesn't do something very clever very soon, matters will get very, very out of hand.

Verdict

The Death Pit was a very good start to my reading of the Time Trips adventures! I have been very keen to delve into this series of stories since they were announced but for one reason or another I just haven't managed to get stuck in. That all changes now thanks to the library having the whole collection and we started off in impressive fashion with a great solo outing for the Fourth Doctor. The characterisation of Tom Baker's incarnation was fantastic throughout with a very well-captured likeness which made his passages very enjoyable indeed. His arrival was handled very well and his continued determination to take credit for everything that went well was a delight to read as he wasn't really in control of what was happening, not least in appearance anyway, but that didn't stop him from boasting. In comes Bryony here and she was just absolutely magnificent! She really was one of the very best characters ever written for just one story. She had everything. I just know she would make an incredible companion and I was quite surprised and somewhat disappointed that the Doctor didn't even offer her one trip in the TARDIS after he was shown to fully appreciate and adore her brilliance. I fully appreciate that she then would go onto have her relationship with Patterson, or Puta, but it was her relationship with the Doctor that intrigued me right from the offset. He was another very good character and his love for Bryony was so unquestionably obvious and it made me feel a little bit sorry for him. He was so in love with this women and he seemed to get giddy when she just smiled at him! She was smiling because she liked him too, and reading her thoughts and regarding him as potential boyfriend material despite finding out he was an alien was terrific. The Doctor had less accommodating thoughts regarding where exactly he was from and even though he was a predator of predators, the Doctor questioned what right he had making that decision. He never quite seemed utterly serious though and I liked that because it's a great trait of the Fourth Doctor in particular. The setting of Arbroath in 1978 was very good and utilised pretty well alongside the golfing theme. Now, I'm not at all a golf fan but I did enjoy the idea of a deadly bunker eating people in. Literally. What was most disturbing was perhaps that the victim didn't feel pain as they were devoured. What must go through the mind at that point? It beggars belief. Agnew was a horrible character and reading of his death, despite how utterly gruesome it was, somewhat pleased me. It seemed fitting for somebody who'd go for a massage after what was essentially murder. The Sandmaster made for a good creature to be put to evil use and I thought the use of good thoughts to see it off was good, and I loved Bryony's role in understanding that, but I was less so convinced by the fact that one that occurred it would just go off and explode! That seemed a little convenient to me. Despite that though, I really did like this adventure! Overall, a great story.
Rating: 8/10