The Invasion of E-Space

"Then he took out his gun and he shot Adric." 

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: 31st October 2010

Series: Companion Chronicles 5.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, Adric

Synopsis

Trapped within E-Space, the Doctor, Romana and Adric are searching for a Charged Vacuum Emboitment - the gateway back to our universe. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack. 

Then, by pure chance, a brand new CVE rips into being. Its makers are the Farrian, a warlike race who have the technology to break into E-Space. They have come to invade and plunder this new territory, and the riches of the planet Ballustra are their first target. 

Verdict 

The Invasion of E-Space was a very good Companion Chronicle audio story and I really liked how we got an extra performed story set during the infamous E-Space Trilogy. Lalla Ward is a wonderful actress and her Romana II is right up in contention for my all time favourite companion. And she narrated this story very well. I really liked the story, despite the lack of drama an invasion of a whole world (or universe, take your pick) should have. But the idea was there and that was more than enough to make this a very enjoyable listen. With the Companion Chronicles being focused on the companion, as you can guess, I liked how the Fourth Doctor's absence was accounted for when the TARDIS was sort of crashed into. Romana and Adric had come off bumped and bruised but the Doctor had taken the worst hit and needed the Zero Room to restore him to full health. Adric, my least favourite companion of all time, wasn't depicted too bad here. His arrival on the TARDIS in Full Circle, which was nicely referenced here, wasn't bad at all but immediately his character was easily unlikable. Speaking of stories, Warriors' Gate was nicely mentioned by Romana herself prior to telling us of this untold adventure. I liked how she'd been of massive help after staying behind in E-Space and it's nice to know her decision was the correct one. Although, she mentioned liberating many worlds from the evil we saw in the Trilogy, and I question, can't we have a small spinoff depicting these adventures? The more of Lalla Ward the better! The audacity of setting a Chronicle inside the E-Space Trilogy was brilliant and as it's always been described that the TARDIS trio were trapped in the alternate universe for months, which three TV stories doesn't seem long enough for, more adventures in the universe I welcome! The fact that an invasion was occuring from N-Space was absolutely brilliant and I loved how the Farrian could actually manufacture CVEs. The TARDIS had its way out. And I was massively intrigued to discover that the Doctor, during the infamous Trilogy, had actually gotten back to N-Space in the TARDIS with Marni. But of course he went back for his Time Lord compatriot. Marino herself, the other casted character in the story, was fantastic. A really lovely women and her anger at what she thought were murders was terrific. I loved how once the CVE that caused devastation to a planet had come into existence, there was the TARDIS right in position to be blamed. The Doctor always gets that spot on. The cliffhanger of the story was terrible to be honest, basically a teleportation. There wasn't danger or even something major revealed! It hurt the story midway sadly. Thankfully though, part two was tremendous and the scenes panned out really well! The climax was excellent and I really liked how the Farrians were destroyed. Great and logical methods. The way the TARDIS was prevented from leaving E-Space was clever and also simple and keeps the TV Trilogy more than intact. But now, thanks to this Chronicle, it's more than just a TV Trilogy now! I just wish that the invasion had a lot more power, intensity and suspense that you'd expect from such an occurrence. Nonetheless, a very enjoyable listen! 

Rating: 8/10