The Enchantress of Numbers

"I never get lost in the same maze twice."

Writers: Simon Barnard & Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: January 2019

Series: FDA 8.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Ann

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands in the grounds of Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire, in 1850. Mistaken for a medic and his maid, the Doctor and Ann are brought to meet Ada Lovelace – the mother of computing and daughter of Lord Byron – who has recently fallen ill.

But the travellers are not here by chance. Something odd is happening on Earth, and they've determined that this place is the centre of it.

Strange figures are walking the land. Strange figures wearing bird-like masks. What do they want with Ada? And how will it change the future of humanity?

Verdict

The Enchantress of Numbers was another brilliant story to continue the eighth series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures! I thought this was an excellent addition and another great outing for the Doctor and new companion Ann Kelso. I liked that there was an explanation regarding K9's absence and him recovering after the events of Planet of the Drashigs and having the TARDIS landing in a maze had me intrigued right from the start. Encountering plague doctors doesn't feel new but they have a look that absolutely works in Doctor Who so that excited me and I liked what their role later became. As part of Series 12 in Spyfall we saw the Thirteenth Doctor encounter Ada Lovelace but I actually think she was better utilised in this episode and that isn't much of a surprise given her position as the titular character. The Doctor's awe of her achievements and what she would contribute to computer code without her importance being recognised for a century was wonderful. I was a big fan of that. Ann being mistaken as the Doctor's maid was fun because she really didn't take kindly to that! Ada being ill added relevance to the Doctor's presence without him having to explain much and Ann immediately clocking onto Ada's filthy clothes was great, even if she was a little too forward with her accusations given the time period she was in. Hobhouse was a very fun character and his pride in knowing every inch of the Abbey was very good. Ada's illness being fears that she was going mad like her father Byron worked very well and her secret jaunts to gamble in the local pub were delightful! I enjoy a little bet now and then so I was certainly in favour of this. Hearing her play cribbage with the Doctor was terrific stuff, even if I don't know how to play the game myself. The ghost of Byron appearing and giving Ada a message in binary code was fantastic and I liked how his tomb was close, only for the whole church where it was situated to go missing! Ann and Hobhouse hiding in Ada's room when someone entered unannounced was really good and I loved the use of the audio landscape in how we heard Hettie's bundling around and then use of the secret exit that Ann so gleefully found. Finding out that Hettie was selling off Ada's notes to Scheutz was a good development and I liked his position as Ian investor. The little retro-scenes at the start of part two where we heard of the Doctor and Ann's initial efforts to meet up with Wheatstone and how that led them to Ada and the Abbey were excellent and the bird men being around every disappearance that even included streets was great. I loved the inclusion of block transfer computation in the adventure and that worked so well with Ada's mathematical abilities. The idea of a virus from the 71st century coming back in time to change history and corrupt the future of computer code was audacious and a threat on a very large scale that I thought was unique and exciting! The Doctor encouraging Ada into using the block transfer computation was fantastic and I thought Tom Baker had a really impressive performance. The maze turning out to be the atomic structure of the virus was a lot of fun and the bird men being software as part of that was magnificent. Everything tied up pretty well! Ada being willing to sacrifice herself showed what kind of person she was and the Doctor reflecting on her position in history was lovely. I thought the ending was decent with the Doctor tampering with Byron and burning the maze as physical form and how that led to Ada forgetting all about him and eradicating the virus in quick fashion. Overall, a really impressive audio!

Rating: 9/10