Kinda, The Visitation, Black Orchid, Snakedance, Mawdryn Undead, Enlightenment, The Awakening, Frontios and The Caves of Androzani- boring? 
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Note that I’m saying these stories are not boring!
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Yup… On TV I find less so but on audio there are sooo many boring Five stories and like a handful of good ones
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I have to agree with @Tian here and say this is another one of Five’s pretty boring stories, although I do agree with @deltaandthebannermen in his review that the sound design and the feeling of Ancient Egypt is very well done.
I went into this blind and didn’t even realise this was Erimem’s introduction story until I heard her name, then I was quite excited as I always enjoy moments like a brand new companion being introduced. She was a good, strong character but we didn’t really learn a lot about her. She sounded exactly like Nyssa to my ears, I did wonder for a moment if it was the same actress!
The actual story was just a bit bland wasn’t it? The Doctor is poisoned and that is treated like a really big deal, being the cliffhanger for not one but two parts - terrible cliffhangers because I didn’t believe for a second he was in any danger. And turns out he just got better!
Then the villain is another alien mind control creature. A very overused trope.
And the moment when Erimem first steps into the TARDIS was a bit disappointing too.
The TARDIS being reprogrammed at the start was a mystery that never led anywhere, wasn’t it!
Despite all that, it was the best Fifth Doctor audio I’ve listened to so far, and it didn’t feel like it dragged on forever like the others have, plus I liked the atmosphere and thought Peri was brilliant in this so I give it 6/10.
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I finished this one today. It’s one I’ve always enjoyed—I love historical stories, and this one is close enough to a ‘pure historical’ to capture that lovely, First Doctor-esque vibe. We need more pure historicals in Doctor Who! Even Big Finish barely do them anymore. It feels like such a missed opportunity, because they work so well in audio.
Plus, the sci-fi element of this story is small enough to feel incongruous against the background of historical politics, intrigue and battle. I honestly don’t think the story needed it. The plot’s pretty standard, but fun, and I love Erimem. It’s a pretty great introduction to her character—her adventure with Peri in episode 2 was the highlight of this audio for me. They’re brilliant together, and they’ll only get better.
Solid 8/10 for me. More history in Doctor Who, please! And more ancient history especially.
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The Settling (MR #82) by Simon Guerrier is an excellent, if very emotionally heavy pure historical with McCoy, Ace and Hex separated in Cromwell’s Ireland during the Battle of Wessex.
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Relistened to that one not too long ago! In love it when stories go really heavy and horrifying with the weight of history. I’d throw The Peterloo Massacre into the mix as well.
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Listened to this one again on Saturday. I love this one. Erimem is an excellent new companion. Brave, smart and quite capable. The world is well realized and the worldbuilding is well done. I enjoyed the supporting cast and thought Yanis was a great villain who sounded a lot like Vinny Jones (who should totally be in an episode of Doctor Who). The Doctor being sidelined for an episode did feel a little out of place for the Davison era, but I’ll forgive it because it gave Peri and Erimem a chance to really shine in the spotlight. My only major quibble is that this TARDIS team doesn’t return for another fourteen stories until MR #38.
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I found this to be pretty boring. The villain is hilariously one-dimensional, and I didn’t find Erimem to be that interesting here. Pseudo-historicals aren’t really my thing, and frankly neither is the Fifth Doctor, so the script had an uphill battle for me that it just couldn’t overcome. 5/10
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