"Martha in the Mirror"
by Justin Richards

Regular Doctor Who novelist Justin Richards pens Martha in the Mirror - his fourth book in the New Series range. It tells the story of the Doctor and Martha's arrival in Castle Extremis, a huge fortress where peace negotiations are taking place between the opposing peoples who live either side of the castle. A cloaked figure and a lonely girl haunt the corridors, and an imposing mirror has secrets to hide.

The title "Martha in the Mirror" is an unusual one, given that Martha spends merely a matter of pages "in the Mirror", and doesn't interact with it anywhere near as much as other characters do. It seems that the title has been chosen purely because of the success of The Stone Rose, and any hardcore Martha fans are likely to be disappointed if they expect this to be her novel.

That minor niggle aside, the central concept of being able to cross from one reality to another through a mirror is a brilliant one, if a little unoriginal, and Richards executes it well. There's a nice 'fairy-tale' tone to the book, with the environments described really offsetting the action nicely. This is a story of magic, of shadows, and of mysteries - almost Harry Potter-like, Martha in the Mirror has a really fun feel to it.

The characters are the book's weakest feature. Of the one-off cast members, only Janna and the amusing robot workmen Bill and Bott feel realistic and hold one's attention, and that's probably because 'playful child' and 'comedy double-act' are familiar enough cliches to make them recognisable. The other key players make very little impact, sadly. Of the two lead characters, the Doctor is spot-on in Richards' portrayal, and Martha isn't half bad either - although she does occasionally seem to slip out of character, seeming uncomfortably like a generic Classic Series companion.

Some of Richards' previous books have been heavily criticised by readers, so it's interesting that a couple of ideas seem to have been lifted from his back catalogue. The character of Gonfer is the successor of The Resurrection Casket's Drel McAvity in that his name seems to have been chosen purely to set up an annoying pun early in the story, and the final scenes seem extremely similar to an idea used towards the end of Time Zero. In a novel that feels new and fresh in its tone, and is arguably the author's best New Who outing to date, it seems strange that these things recur.

As a whole, this is a rather good book. The ideas are solid and enjoyable, and minor flaws in the character work don't damage the pace or lessen the intrigue significantly. If you buy Martha in the Mirror for a tale that revolves around the eponymous companion, you're out of luck; but if you buy it for a generally strong Doctor Who romp, you'll be delighted. Recommended.