"Pest Control"
by Peter Anghelides

In a Doctor Who first, the eponymous Time Lord and his companion appear in a novel exclusively on audio. Peter Anghelides's Pest Control, released by BBC Audiobooks following similar Torchwood and Sarah Jane adventures, is a two-part adventure available on a double-CD or for download. It's also the first appearance of Donna Noble in a longer spin-off tale which, combined with the presence of David Tennant as the story's narrator, makes this something of an event for fans of the show.

The plot is an exciting and fast-paced one, which concerns the TARDIS crew's arrival in a battlefield on an alien world, where the Doctor and Donna have to deal with soldiers transforming into nightmarish insects. It combines all the traditional elements of a Who story, with darkness and tension and excitement aplenty, showing Anghelides's immense skill as a writer.

The audio medium really gives the story an epic feel - whereas the devestated war zone or the hundreds of transformed insects may have been hard to depict on screen, Anghelides's vivid description, Tennant's energetic narration and some nice sound effects combine to create a clear mental image. It's fantastic that, despite being an audio story, Pest Control feels so visual and vibrant, really firing up the listener's imagination.

And David Tennant . . . David Tennant is amazing. He's already demonstrated his abilities as a narrator in three audiobook versions of the New Series Adventures, but he really does shine in Pest Control. His reading is engaging and easy on the ear, and conveys tension and humour expertly. He gives every character a unique voice and personality, and seems genuinely enthusiastic throughout.

His interpretation of Catherine Tate's Donna is perhaps the highlight - brilliantly accurate in tone, with fantastic comic timing. Right from the first "Your parking is rubbish, Doctah!", she's as scathing, as confident, and as loveable as Tate has made her on screen. Tennant's portrayal of the feisty companion is well worth the price of entry alone.

The addition of background music and sound effects to Tennant's reading is successful, with the score gently complementing his narration rather than overwhelming it, neatly setting the tone and bolstering the drama, particularly in action sequences where it rattles along with a military beat. The generally excellent sound design adds more depth to the listening experience, providing an extra dimension that previous Who audiobooks have lacked, and makes this feel like more of a 'real' Doctor Who adventure than it would otherwise have done.

All in all, this is a phenomenally well-produced story, and if you're a fan of New Who, it's absolutely essential. Excellent stuff.