Customer Reviews

Doctor Who: The Aztecs

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There is just too much plotting and scheming going on in this one for me. I found the first half of the story somewhat overdone with the Tlotoxl's plans to kill the Doctor's party. The fixation on the Aztecs practice of human sacrifice was a bit over done as well.

The Doctor and his companions (Barbara, Ian and his grand daughter Susan) find themselves in an Aztec temple in the early 1500's, a few years prior to Cortez's arrival. Led by Barbara but opposed by the Doctor (who maintains history cannot be altered), they set off on a campaign to change history and stop the Aztec practice of human sacrifice. The story improves in the second half, but not enough to keep this as one of the lesser stories in the novelizations of the Doctor Who franchise.

The Aztecs is novelised by its original writer, John Lucarotti. In this story, the TARDIS crew arrive towards the end of the Aztec civilisation and, unsurprisingly, find themselves unable to re-enter the tomb in which the TARDIS materialised. They must deal with the Aztecs (in whose city they have arrived) in order to find the way back to the ship.

Comparing this book with the television story that it is based upon is inevitable. On the screen, very strong performances (in particular by Jacqueline Hill as Barbara and John Ringham as Tlotoxl) bring the story to wonderful life, so it is disappointing that the novel is not as engaging.

It does, however, contain an excellent storyline. Barbara is mistaken for a reincarnation of a previous high priest, and is determined to moderate the more bloodthirsty aspects of Aztec society in the hope that the Spaniards won't wipe them out and the good aspects of their civilisation can be preserved (Barbara obviously has a higher opinion of colonial powers in the thirteenth century than I!). She enters into this plan against the advice of the Doctor.

Speaking of whom, the Doctor's unintentional (?) romance during this story is quite delightful, but again the original performances by Bill Hartnell and Margot van der Burgh (playing Cameca) are better to watch than reading this book.

Early in Doctor Who's history, it was quite possible for the travelling companions to play the most important role in a story, and this story is certainly Barbara's. However, the novel is not exactly awe-inspiring and so, given a choice, I'd watch the video.