Doctor Who #013 and the Curse of the Peladon

When the (third) Doctor takes Jo on a test flight of the Tardis, they little know what they are in for. Directed by the Time Lords, the Tardis has landed in the far-future on the planet of Peladon. A delegation from the Galactic Federation are on Peladon to consider the planet's entry into the Federation, and there is someone who wants to make sure that Peladon maintains its independence, and they are willing to kill to see to it that it doesn't happen. Can the Doctor unravel the mystery of who is the mysterious killer? You bet! That is, if he can survive long enough. Overall, I found this to be a very good Dr. Who story. I like the combination of the third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo Grant (Katy Manning), and thought that the story did a good job with them. It had great action, adventure, intrigue, mystery, and (dare I say it?) a hint of romance. I really liked this book and highly recommend it.

Interstellar diplomacy, with castles and monsters. The Third Doctor arrives on a planet and is mistaken for a late arriving alien diplomat. He gets caught up in a plot to do with a local monster of legend, and political nastiness that just may involve the odd old Ice Warrior friend. There are some very entertaining aliens here. 3.5 out of 5

By the time Doctor Who's ninth season had rolled around, it appeared that the production team were bored with the "exiled on Earth" format. Following the time travel of 'Day of the Daleks', the Doctor and Jo found themselves off in space again in this story, adapted by its original author, Brian Hayles.The Doctor invites Jo to join him on a test flight in the TARDIS, and they land on a stormy mountainside. The landing is not a good one - the TARDIS is perched precariously on the mountainside, and falls after the travellers disembark. Trying to climb to a castle they can see above, the Doctor and Jo find the entrance to a confusing series of underground passages, neatly foreshadowing the political maze they will soon find themselves embroiled in.They have landed on the planet Peladon in the far future. Peladon is being considered for entry into the Galactic Federation, and an assessment committee is present, including natives from the star systems Alpha Centauri and Arcturus, as well as Ice Warriors from Mars. The Doctor is mistaken for the committee's chairperson from Earth. In this role, both he and Jo are drawn into the centre of the intrigue.Exactly who is plotting what is something that can only be found out at great peril.The book features illustrations, but not ones that particularly assist in evoking the original serial.One of the examples of political commentary in the show's history, it mirrors the consideration that Britain was giving to becoming a member of the European Common Market. It is also, quite simply, an excellent story. It has been released on video, if you prefer.