The Library of Alexandria (#7.10)

  Big Finish, Companion Chronicles


Though this story reminds me of The Flames of Cadiz, I liked this story much more than that one. Flames of Cadiz is really two stories in one while this tale hinges on one thing, the library of Alexandria. There are many theories about who destroyed it and why and with this being Doctor Who, the explanation is aliens. Naturally. But that didn’t bother me at all as there was a real explanation leading up to the arrival of the aliens. And there is interplay between Ian and Barbara, with her being jealous of his friendship with Hypatia, the woman who is actually narrating the story.

The TARDIS team lands in Alexandria and gets to stay for awhile, getting wrapped up in the politics and people of the time. The story centers on Ian and his ongoing studies at the library. It’s very well done and I really liked this story overall. There is a bit of craziness with the interpersonal relationships and the ending is quite cute/clever. The Doctor gets on his usual high horse and somehow Hypatia gets involved with the team. The strange thing is that supposedly she is killed by a riot but she isn’t during this story. And the Doctor implies that her death would happen while they were there. So how could she be relating this story? And who would she relate it to? And why are there no records of it later? It’s little things like this that make it not excellent but very good. Love those Simon Guerrier stories overall!


William Russell (Ian Chesterton) and Susan Franklyn (Hypatia)

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Director: Lisa Bowerman

Release: April 2013

© Laura Vilensky 2019