The Diary of River Song: A Requiem for the Doctor
by Jacqueline Rayner (Big Finish, 2018)
A somewhat predictable story overlaid onto its historical setting (rather than using it to any intrinsic purpose). Alex Kingston and Peter Davison work well together but cannot mitigate the feeling of treading water. The Doctor’s new companion is presented without any explication.
Doctor Who: The Stone Rose
by Jacqueline Rayner (BBC, 2006); abridged audiobook read by David Tennant (BBC Audio, 2006)
David Tennant’s narration goes some way towards saving this novel, but for all his exuberance the plot remains structured around obtuse main characters and a pantheon of dei ex machina. (Additionally, the Doctor’s escapades at the Flavian Amphitheatre form a new nadir.)
Doctor Who: The Water Thief
by Jacqueline Rayner (BBC, 2012)
Like many Eleventh Doctor authors, Rayner enjoys capturing the superficial interactions between the Doctor, Amy and Rory, yet never manages to portray a convincing threat. The monster of the day is little more than an arbitrarily functioning excuse to explore Ancient Egypt.