Bloodtide

"We are but animals. It is only through our arrogance that we put ourselves above them."

Writer: Jonathan Morris
Format: Audio
Released: July 2001
Series: Main Range 22

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Evelyn

Synopsis

The prehistoric Earth is dying. Thunderclouds roll across the skies, cloaking the land in darkness. The seas crash and boil as the rain turns to acid. The remnants of the Silurian race place themselves in suspended animation, deep below the surface.

One day they will awaken and reclaim their world...

The TARDIS has landed on the Galapagos Islands, a desolate outcrop of rocks shrouded in mist and fear.

In the settlement of Baquerizo Morena, there are rumours that prisoners have been mysteriously disappearing from the gaolhouse. A fisherman has been driven insane by something he saw in the caves. And the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn are not the only new arrivals; there is also a young natural philosopher by the name of Charles Darwin...

Verdict

Bloodtide was an outstanding audio adventure! I really loved the plot and an audio debut of the Silurians was extremely welcomed, especially as they were undoubtedly villains in this story which I very much like. Not that the stories where they're not villains as a whole aren't good (The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood), but that's the beauty with the dormant Earth rulers, they can be bad or good. And in this adventure, they were brutally bad! They stored humans, or apes as they still refer them, for food. A shocking dynamic from the Silurians we're used to but this is a much different colony of cold bloods than we've previously met so changes are to be expected. Just like The Silurian Gift, the Merkyr's appearance was much more successful when it couldn't be seen. I thought the Sixth Doctor and Evelyn were terrific together and I adored the surprise the Doctor had in store for his companion, to meet Charles Darwin at the time he came up with his infamous theory of evolution! I think it was just wonderful how the Silurians were somewhat the final piece in Darwin's puzzle of evolution. Just magnificent! Tulok was a fantastic Silurian villain and his disgust to towards the 'apes' was really good, and the prospect of him claiming to have modified the whole human race was just incredible! A lot of revelations in this story about Earth's history no doubt. The guest cast were all brilliant particularly Greta who enjoyed a good relationship with the Doctor, as well as Captain Fitzroy and the Silurian accomplice Governor Lawson. The climax was very good and showed a realisation of that evil isn't what the Silurians are, at least from Sh'vak's perspective! She stopped Tulok and helped the Doctor and co escape to the safety of the surface. Overall, fantastic!

Rating: 9/10