Royal Blood

          The Doctor and Clara emerge from the Tardis and find themselves embroiled up to their necks in a game Of thrones mini-sode..of sorts.On a world where technology is falling into a state of retrograde condition and where even the stone work is beginning to crumble> They are caught up in a series of machinations that give them a birds eye view of a state ..in a state of decay. It feels like a story excised from the first series of peter Capldis turn as The Doctor. Actually it feels very much like one of those episodes where there seems to be more time spent in Clara's company than The Doctor's. The characters are spot on though, all the dialogue coming out of the right faces in the right manner..er, if you follow me.
            Una Mc Cormacks last Doctor Who book was set during the Matt Smith era( The Kings Dragon ) and it had a similar medieval world feel to it and it is obviously a period and an atmosphere that lends itself well to a character like The Doctor. One which does not require a gun to solve problems.(Not when The Doctor can get some one else to use one on his behalf as Davros might suggest.Oh that Davros, he never has a good word to say about anyone.) Interestingly,that previous novel serves as an illustration for just how different the atmospheres are each Doctor brings to his era. The novels may share a sort of period feel in terms of fantasy world themes but the very different Tardis teams give each novel a very distinctive feel.Imagine for yourself if Tom Baker had visited Peladon in his first season as Jon Pertwee had done in his last.
              Now imagine Peter Capaldi setting down on that same stormy medieval world bedevilled by ghosts and Ice-warriors and royal Beasts.
               The Eye-brows Of Aggedor.