The Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Collection. Eleven Classic Adventures. Eleven Brilliant Writers. One Incredible Doctor. Dreams Of Empire by Justin Richards laughs in the face of the Troughton era. At least it does when it comes to budget. I can not imagine how this story could be pulled off by Team Troughton when it comes to the sets, the villains (who sound like a cross between a VCR player and a vitamin) and the visuals; however, the story isnt really unlike anything we got from late 1960s Doctor Who. This is, at heart, a base under siege story, that old trap which most of the second Doctors stories fall into. Looking beyond the base under siege-ness of the novel, which doesnt emerge until the halfway point, theres a real foundation of a plot, which, sadly, we dont get to see much of. Richards points out in his introduction that the starting point for Dreams was the Romans and their Triumvirate (Caesar, Crassus and Pompey) and the roads not taken by them. This was shown in the first chapter and just feels like a much more powerful and captivating storyline than another basic Troughton base plot. What did work with this line of narrative, however, was that the Doctor and co (as well as the audience) dont arrive until the characters were reaching the end of their adventure, which just brings a different and invigorating pace to Doctor Who, showing that the author has a strong imagination and likes to keep things fresh for the average Who fanatic. Another thing Richards mentions in his introduction is that the second Doctor is the hardest to write for, with Pat Troughton having such a strong pull on the audience with his actions and the array of faces he can make. I have always agreed with this and often find the poor little cosmic hobo uncatered for properly in the world of Who outside the television programme. Richards gives it a really good go here, often giving too much description work, which dragged for this reader, although I have to admit it did help get the second Doctor inside my mind and created a much stronger visual of my favourite incarnation of the Time Lord. The other two TARDIS members, Jamie and Victoria, werent written with any thought or conviction. Jamie was too interested in wanting to fight on the front lines and too bored for tiresome speeches and chess, something which I can imagine in the television series but not as often nor as strong as its laid down here. Meanwhile Victoria didnt really do anything. Often the novels and audio adventures are a way to give the companions more to do, something the television show is often criticised for in hindsight, but the writer decides not to do this here. Its impossible to say hes wrong for doing this, as it becomes more realistic for the show at that time, yet I cant help thinking I wouldve liked more from my companions. Throughout the book I was in two minds, its clearly a step-down from Ten Little Aliens, but it isnt a bad book. Its certainly not the greatest of Richards many Who achievements (and hes had some belters), the story isnt the strongest and the companions are pretty dull but his version of the second Doctor is a successful one and did bring a smile to my face more than once as I was reading oh my giddy aunt one more time. The Doctor returns in...Last Of The Gaderene by Mark Gatiss.