The Secret of the Stones

"To observe is to change."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story 

Released: August 2007

Series: Doctor Who Files 12

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

Martha Jones wants to visit history's greatest mysteries. The only problem is, the Doctor has been to most of them. But a request to see how Stonehenge was built is granted and the Doctor wants to know its purpose...

Verdict

The Secret of the Stones was a great little story to continue my way through the Doctor Who Files! I'm not quite done yet but this is the last of the original releases that came alongside Series 3's broadcast so it certainly makes sense for the adventure to feature the contemporary TARDIS duo of the Tenth Doctor and Martha. I do think this is a pairing that often gets overlooked due to the emotional attachment of Rose and the comic value of Donna (heightened by her return in the sixtieth anniversary specials), but I would say overall that Series 3 is the Tenth Doctor's strongest. So it was nice to revisit that era and I wasn't sure what kind of story we would get when I saw that the Doctor Who File was focused on the TARDIS. It is an obvious candidate to have as a title in this range and I think the significance of the story is one that could quickly be overlooked. I don't think this range is anything to take seriously but I love the implication of the TARDIS being part of the reasoning for why Stonehenge exists. Annoyingly, I am still yet to visit the historical site and considering I spent three years living in Bath and a year in Bristol which aren't exactly far away from Salisbury Plain, it is high on my bucket list to tick off. I am fascinated by the construction of it and I like that the Doctor was also really interested in the why. What does it actually do or mean? The idea of Martha wanting to solve some of history's greatest memories is sublime companion quality and I think it's something I would certainly be invested in if time travel were possible. I think the reference to The Chase was delightful when it came to Martha wondering on what happened to the Mary Celeste, and it's not the first time it's been referred to in this range which is fun! I thought the use of the TARDIS and seeing year by year how Stonehenge came to be constructed was intriguing and not exactly a typical way of exploring the past. I liked it though and appreciated how unique it was. The snapshot feature was what I initially was expecting the story to focus on in regards to the TARDIS, but it was so much more! The Doctor's whole spiel about not interfering with history even just by observing was very amusing given the fate of his actions in the story. For so many years, at the same point every year, the TARDIS arrived to take its snapshot and check in on the progress of Stonehenge. And unbeknownst to the Doctor, it was the TARDIS that was becoming the inspiration for the entire site! I think that's delightful and the use of Mangoor as a scavenger that looked upon the TARDIS and saw it as a column shape within the sun's rays was great stuff. I think this story will be at the forefront of my mind when I do eventually visit alongside that of The Time Meddler. I really appreciated the gravitronic beam reference when it came to getting those massive stones on top of one another with ancient technology. The Doctor being perplexed and none the wiser by the end of the story as to why Stonehenge was built was lovely stuff. Overall, a really strong and intriguing story! Honestly, it just seemed to end a little suddenly and a tad more Mangoor would have been really beneficial. But still, a fantastic little read. My rating almost seems harsh!

Rating: 8/10