Doctor Who: The Doctor Trap (Doctor Who: New Series Adventures, #26)

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Doctor Who: The Doctor Trap (Doctor Who: New Series Adventures, #26)
By: Simon Messingham
Release Date: December 2, 2008 (First published October 23, 2008)
Publisher: Random House UK
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆
Series: Doctor Who: New Series Adventures(#26)
Summary:Sebastiene was human... once. He might look like a nineteenth-century nobleman, but in truth he is a ruthless hunter. He likes nothing more than luring difficult opposition to a planet, then hunting them down for sport. And now he's caught them all - from Zargregs to Moogs, and even the odd Eternal. In fact, Sebastiene is after only one more prize. For this trophy, he knows he is going to need help. He's brought together the finest hunters in the universe to play the most dangerous game for the deadliest quarry of them all. They are hunting for the last of the Time Lords - the Doctor!



Review: Just imagine the Doctor trying to outwit the most clever hunters in the universe. The search for the last Time Lord is exciting.

The Doctor Trap failed to deliver on its promise. Action is in the background. The author failed to explore the Doctor's character and rushed and muddled the plot.

A failed attempt at developing a complex and intriguing case of “mistaken identity with a twist.” Its length prevents it from providing the details needed to solve the mystery. One of the biggest flaws in the whole story is the key element which makes up a “fake” Doctor. Sebastiene brought in this “fake” Doctor to hunt him down as a “dangerous species” on his own planet as part of his plan to hunt the Doctor down.

Sebastiene and the impostor are not serious threats because their plans lack reasoning, and they are egotistical. It was also very frustrating to see Donna; instead of being assertive and compassionate, she was mis-characterized as selfish and whiny.

Throughout the book, Donna is absent from the story. The Doctor and his companion were separate, but Donna was nowhere to be found. The book was too reliant on outside characters and the middle part was boring. Despite her role being reduced to a minor one, Donna’s absence left an unsettled feeling. The book lacked her distinctive perspective and energy. Something was missing.

I'd recommend it solely if you've finished reading every Who book.