Primeval

"Evil is relative."

Writer: Lance Parkin

Format: Audio

Released: November 2001

Series: Main Range 26

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

Nyssa will die at dawn, and the Doctor doesn't even know why.

To save her life, he must make a desperate journey to the only place in the universe where a cure might exist to heal her. 

When even that fails, the Doctor has a choice - let Nyssa die, or make a deal with the devil. 

After all, the road to hell is paved with good intentions...

Verdict 

Primeval was a very good audio story and I really liked how it explored the history of Traken, a well known planet in the Whoniverse. Famous for the Master gaining a new body from there, for it being Nyssa's home planet and for it being destroyed. I liked the start of the audio with Nyssa on death's door, that's not what you expect just seconds into the story! The setting of Traken was wonderful and even more so with it being set in the past, as it had to be obviously, sometime before the events of The Keeper of Traken. The exploration of the Traken Union was really good and I just liked the knowledge that was fed to us about the history of the 'perfect' planet. I admired how the Doctor refused to believe the society was perfect as it had the death penalty and that perfection should just be something strived for, never achieved. Nyssa was great as always and the more audios I listen to her in the more I'm liking her (not that I didn't like her in the first place, I think she's terrific!). I've noticed with the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa pairings that the atmosphere always seems to be similar, which is a good thing. I found it not too dissimilar to that of The Land of the Dead and Winter for the Adept. Kwundaar was a really intriguing figure! I didn't like his voice as at times it was a little difficult to hear what he was fully saying, but overall I did like the character. The way his followers worshipped him unquestionable was particularly intriguing! Does religion exist in a perfect society? Are there really gods? I would argue not. Shayla was a good character also and I liked her a lot. The other guest cast were great also with Anona and Sabian standing out. I found it particularly intriguing that Traken had a space port! The history of the source was a magnificent part of the story and I liked the revelation regarding how it was Kwundaar who created the source and was then overpowered from it. The simplicity in how he tricked the Doctor into blacking out Traken's sun was brilliant! The reference to Nyssa's attire after swimming was quite comical and I thought it was hilarious that the Doctor still managed to keep on his attire. It's quite rare that we'll see the Doctor out of familiar clothing! The way the Doctor defeated Kwundaar was very clever and the climax was great. I was intrigued to have a setting on Traken with no Keeper, but I think it's quite fitting that the Doctor was there when the first Keeper was established! I was quite surprised by the Doctor when he seemed to be edging towards leaving Nyssa behind to remain on her home planet, but she declined. She was moving forward not going back and I admired that. 

Rating: 8/10