It seems like it was only a few days ago that I was reading a new Doctor Who novel by Justin Richards. Oh yeah, that's because it was only a few days ago. And having finished Option Lock yesterday morning, I put the new Jago and Litefoot plays on to listen to on the way home at the end of the day; and who do you thinlk wrote the first of them?

Anyway, Option Lock takes us to the present day, where the inheritor of an ancient alien conspiracy happens to be playing a key role in international politics. Once you accept the rather implausible premise that the bad guy allows the Doctor and Sam to cultivate his acquaintance and enjoy his hospitality in the first place, the plot careers along at a great pace, with twists and reveals which were just the right side of keeping me wondering what Richards would think of next rather than being irritated with him for jerking the story around on a whim. The biggest problem with the EDAs so far for me is the inconsistent characterisation of Sam; it would be nice if this developed into a protrayal of a young woman's personal growth, but I am not holding my breath.