Wishing Well

"People always like stories about lost treasure."

Writer: Trevor Baxendale
Format: Novel
Released: December 2007
Series: NSA 19

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

The old village well is just a curiosity - something to attract tourists intrigued by stories of lost treasure, or visitors just making a wish. Unless something alien and terrifying could be lurking inside the well. Something utterly monstrous that causes nothing but death and destruction.

But who knows the real truth about the well? Who wishes to unleash the hideous force it contains? What terrible consequences will follow the search for a legendary treasure hidden at the bottom?

No one wants to believe the Doctor's warnings about the deadly horror lying in wait - but soon they'll wish they had...

Verdict

Wishing Well was a brilliant novel and a real joy to read. It was a simple task to complete this book in just one day as it really was terrific. The tone was set right away with Nigel and co digging in the tunnel for treasure followed by the Doctor and Martha being warned by Barney about Creighton Mere. There was instant mystery and I really liked that. The focus being the village's wishing well was great and I really enjoyed the tales of the highwayman and how he dumped his stolen loot down the well to evade the authorities. Every village has their myths and legends but the Doctor's initial reaction to the well made you believe that it was all true. The characterisation of David Tennant's Tenth Doctor during this novel was fantastic which always makes for better reading and I thought the feel of Series 3 was very well captured. I'd love to read the adventure where the Doctor took Martha to the Frozen Castles of the Ice Warriors though! Some of the characters in the book were very good with Gaskin and Angela the obvious standouts. Their history was intriguing and despite a troubled past following the death of Roger, I loved how the events of this story brought them closer together and went some way to mending their relationship. Their disagreements over the well were good and the reason why would soon come to light with the Gaskin Tunnel. The story behind that was very good and I liked how he was in on the treasure hunt with Nigel, Duncan and Ben. The middle's relationship with Martha was great and I liked how he did eventually manage to ask her out following some tumultuous events. He really went through a lot in this book as he was transmogrified by the Vurosis. The concept behind this monstrous enemy was brilliant and I loved how it had been growing dormant beneath the well, waiting. Nigel's connection with its brain was quite disturbing and the battle to prevent the brain being retrieved by the mutated Duncan was fantastic. The Gaskin household took a battering and the Doctor somehow put a toilet into effect as a reasonable and logical way to prevent an alien from getting what it wanted. It wasn't even silly. It didn't work for long but it was quite something. The Doctor getting lowered into the well and not returning was terrific and I liked how he always seemed to know a little more than everybody else. The pace of the book was perfect and quite quick which made for a very exciting tale. I was a very big fan. I thought the climax was fascinating and I thought the way the Doctor, Martha, Duncan, Angela and Goskin came together to overpower the Vurosis was a wonderful end. The perfect ending was incomplete though as once the danger was averted, the treasure revealed itself! I thought that was quite poignant and a very nice touch. Overall, a fantastic novel!

Rating: 9/10