The Library of Alexandria

"You've broken the cardinal rule - you've become involved."

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: April 2013

Series: Companion Chronicles 7.10

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis 

The port of Alexandria, 5th Century AD.

The Doctor, Ian, Susan and Barbara have taken a break from their travels, and are enjoying a few weeks in the sunshine - and the chance to appreciate the magnificent Library of Alexandria.

Ian also takes the chance to enjoy friendship with the philosopher Hypatia - but things here will not last forever.

The time travellers know that library will soon be lost to history.

What they are about to discover is the terrifying reason why...

Verdict 

The Library of Alexandria was a lovely Companion Chronicle adventure! The appeal of the story was there right for me prior to even listening to a minute of the story. The name was more than enough to suffice for my interest as I just love History and particularly on television I really do love the historically set adventures and after some audio stories set in the past that weren't exactly great (The Emperor of Eternity) it seems my thoughts on them are improving massively. Maybe it's just luck in the way that I've picked the stories I've listened to, I'm not sure but I really enjoyed this one. William Russell was as brilliant as ever reprising his role as the fantastic Ian Chesterton, infamous for being one half of the very first companions. Judging by the dialogue in this story, it was set somewhere between seasons one and two at my guess because the quartet were more than familiar with each other, had some terrific witty banter and just seemed to get along and showed concern for one another which to me suggests compassion. The setting of the Library of Alexandria is just wonderful. If I had a time machine then the Library is certainly a place I'd love to have visited. And it also seems just the perfect place for the Doctor and his companions - particularly Barbara. I found myself for the first time really relating to Barbara thanks to the love of History we both share. She knew that the burning couldn't be far away so I loved the fact that she wanted to leave before she saw something of such beauty destroyed and perish. I was intrigued by the theme of relationship throughout the story which was of course centred around Ian who seemed to attain a love interest in the lovely Hypatia. It was splendid listening to how well the pair got along and they really did enjoy each other's company because of the fascination of science. I loved the Doctor echoing his comments to Barbara in The Aztecs here. They were visiting a key and memorable part of human history and had to be careful they didn't change anything. I'm sure they'd all learned not to tamper with things after Barbara's actions in the aforementioned serial. Speaking of stories, I loved the reference to The Transit of Venus and Ian regretting not having talked more to James Cook. Hypatia firmly ridiculing the idea of the Earth orbiting the Sun was excellent and it's just so fascinating to think that she was a leading scientist in her field at the time and that was her firm belief. That's why I adore History so much. Things were just so different, almost incomprehensibly so on occasions, and I loved how Ian was subtly trying to open her eyes to the fact that this was indeed the case. But he couldn't change her beliefs that really she assumed as fact based on her own findings and evidence. I liked the recollection of him being careful not to mention any futuristic scientific findings or words such as gravity. I liked how his conversing with Hypatia was almost frowned upon by the rest of the TARDIS crew. For the first time during the period Ian and Barbara travelled with the Doctor, there seemed to be references and a strong feeling of them being more than friends. Now we know the pair did tie the knot as seen in Hunters of the Burning Stone but I found it pleasantly surprising that this was so unsubtly mentioned here. Could the very first companions have been more than friends whilst travelling with the Doctor and Susan? I would argue no but based on her reaction it seemed Barbara wanted there to be much more to their relationship than just friendship. Things were even more complicated for Chesterton when it appeared Hypatia asked him on a date. Not bad going considering this was 5th century Egypt - he'd certainly settled in quickly and become accustomed to his female counterparts. The arrival of the Mim wasn't my favourite moment in the world and I think making this a partly pseudo-historical story is what brings my rating down a little from what it could be. My only previous experience of the creatures was in Shadow of the Past and I don't recall being their biggest fans then. Their ability is very good and I liked how it was thought out how to defeat them, but sadly their arrival spoiled things a little for me. How they'd wrote and misplaced a book was quite baffling but I liked how they didn't want to interfere in human history. The Doctor though brilliantly declared that they had and scared them away but not before they set fire to the prized Library. Barbara and Susan were heroes in saving people but not all the incalculably valuable scrolls would survive the inferno. Although, due to their immense value, the Doctor and Barbara kept more than a few for themselves - so much so that the TARDIS control room was so full that it was a struggle to move. I love that! Overall, a lovely little story of both history and more than a hint of love. 

Rating: 8/10