A Sting in the Tale

"That pig was not sent to enlighten you."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Audio

Released: December 2009

Series: Hornet's Nest 04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor arrives in a bleak English midwinter of long ago. Plunging into the snowy landscape of the Dark Ages, he learns that wild dogs besiege the local Tilling Abbey every night. When he is given shelter by the sisters of the abbey, the Doctor begs an audience with the Mother Superior they fiercely protect. Something unearthly has already happened here – and if the Doctor is right, it's connected to hs recent encounters with an ancient enemy.

As night falls again, the dogs can be held off no longer – and the sisters' secret is about to be revealed. Forced to draw his enemy off into the depths of the TARDIS, the Doctor finds himself in a nightmarish chase through his own ship – but is he the pursuer, or the pursued? As they fight him on his own ground, the hornets are determined to possess his mind...

Verdict

A Sting in the Tale was another really good story to continue the Hornet's Nest anthology! I thought this was really well done and before I venture too much into the audio itself, I have to mention how wonderful the CD cover artwork is! It is magnificent and definitely one of the favourite designs I have come across with my recent audio listenings. I liked how in the Doctor's recollection of this encounter there was immediately more mentioning of Mike and it was good for him to get a bit more dialogue between scenes, although I still think there should be slightly more. This adventure taking us to Tilling Abbey in 1039 was really good and I liked how it was a place for religious observants womenfolk. The mentions of demonic insects was fun and I liked that the Doctor was in this period to find the first indication of the Hornets' presence. The devil's hounds were great and a good description and I liked how the Doctor wanted contact with the Mother Superior. What I wasn't expecting was for her to be a pig. That was certainly unique! The sisters were clearly caught up with the Hornets and they were within the pig, as the Doctor could hear within due to that dreadful hum drone. The Queen of the Hive being within was good and something a little different. This one was nice and action packed especially with the Queen transferring presence into the wolf, who we'd later dub Captain which was good. The concept of being t-total as a way to ensure the Hornets could go within was certainly unexpected and came out of nowhere, but the Doctor's efforts to rid the Hornets from the universe and trying to take advantage of them all being within the wolf at one place were fantastic. He wanted to use something to lure them away and be gone with them and the connection with The Dead Shoes and the treats was amusing. The wolfhound in the TARDIS was excellent and I liked how urgently the Doctor was ushering them into his ship. His linking the Mandragora to the Hornets and the TARDIS not being impenetrable was really good stuff. I thought the nuns being contaminated by whiskey was a tad ridiculous but funny and I enjoyed the revelation that they'd kept the Queen prisoner within the pig as a result. It was ludicrous but enjoyable. The Doctor boasting at taking the Hornets out of time was great and the scenes deep within the TARDIS were fantastic. Even the Doctor was entering rooms he didn't even know were within! The Hornets taking over the Doctor was a good effort and I liked that their purpose was to protect the Queen. The Doctor mentioning the Pescatons and Krynoids in an attempt to block his thoughts from the hive was magnificent, but in vain as it appeared they had taken him over and were headed for Earth. The way this linked with The Circus of Doom was excellently done as they left the Doctor in search of humans with complex minds and dangerous thoughts. As we know, this would be Antonio as it was quickly learned the TARDIS had landed in Venice in 1768 and linked everything up with what we have heard thus far very nicely. It all came together well and explained the different paths on the timeline for the Doctor and the Hornets. As expected, the Doctor was completely responsible for the Hornets and what he has encountered in his recollections. Percy Noggins was the one who drew him in the first play and the Hornets had lain dormant in Ernestina which was great. Everything had ended up here at Nest Cottage and we're back where it all began ahead of the final confrontation. I have enjoyed the build and it's been steady and consistent and I hope we get quite an eventful and impactful finale! The Doctor explaining that he hadn't placed the advert for Yates was an unexpected and intriguing way to finish with the suggestion that it was Wibbsey causing confusion amongst both the Captain and the Doctor! What role will Mike have to play? As they emerge from the basement, I look forward to finding out! Overall, a great audio.

Rating: 8/10