The Master and Morski face more problems as they head for the Doctor’s location…

Setting aside for a moment the game-changing last couple of lines of this story, Lisa McMullin’s continuation of the Hearts of Darkness saga sees pirates and more get in the Master’s way as he tries to carry out his mission for Narvin to find and kill the Doctor. There’s some almost lyrical passages as the titular pirate thinks back to the key events that shaped her into the person she is now, and how her interaction with the Time War has made her make choices that no one should need to do.

Derek Jacobi and Colin McFarlane make a strong pair – the latter’s Morski is a cross between Han Solo and Jack Harkness, with the cockiness of both (although sadly there’s no Wookiee making loud groaning noises next to him). Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo’s Scaramancer gets more rounded as the story goes on – she starts off a bit like the Vogon captain killing anything that displeases her, but you begin to understand what (or rather who) has made her be like that. Sandra Huggett’s Dorada has some interesting surprises up her sleeve – and the aforementioned closing lines have the potential to change how we regard her considerably.

Verdict: Plenty of intrigue keeps this rattling along. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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