I'd heard such good things about this box set's return to Peladon, and my word, does this first episode really deliver.

With its somewhat formulaic structure blend of new and familiar faces (including a welcome appearance from beloved Alpha Centauri), this episode really captures the feeling of the previous Peladon stories, truly feeling like a love letter to them.

However, its audio format allows the story to take place on a far larger scale than the TV stories, and effortlessly fleshes out Peladon from a mountain citadel to a rich and sprawling world. This new scale is supplemented by excellent sound design and a gorgeous soundtrack, and really succeeds in creating a fairytale atmosphere that's quite intoxicating to listen to.

There is a particular – and as far as I can tell, uncredited – cameo that perplexed me a bit, as the Tenth Doctor didn't seem to contribute much to the story aside from the weight of his presence, and did seem a surprising choice of Doctor for inclusion here. I'm giving that the benefit of the doubt, though, as there's every chance that his appearance will be paid off later in the box set.

Overall, a very strong start to a series obviously made with love.