The Stealers From Saiph

"You shall see that the stars are not shining properly."

Writer: Nigel Robinson
Format: Audio
Released: June 2009
Series: Companion Chronicles 3.12

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana I

Synopsis

It's 1929, and the TARDIS crew is holidaying in Antibes. While the Doctor practises his painting, Romana attempts to fend off the playful advance of young Tommy Creighton. All is peaceful and idyllic except for the portentous warning of astrologer Madame Arcana, and the fact that personal items are being stolen from the hotel's guests.

What is the secret of the cave on the beach? And why do some of Romana's new acquaintances suddenly behave so strangely? As her newfound socialite existence suddenly takes a turn into danger, Romana finds that the whole planet Earth is faced with a deadly threat...

Verdict

The Stealers From Saiph was sadly a pretty bang average Companion Chronicle story! I was quite glad that I got to listen to this one for free on Scribd as I really did struggle to get engaged with it. Admittedly, I am not the biggest fan of the first incarnation of Romana and whilst Mary Tamm's narration was fine, I didn't find her all that exciting. I think that was a bit of an issue for the story as a whole to be honest. It just lacked exciting and needed that big moment to happen or for something good to be led to, but it just never came in my opinion. It was a little odd in that we got no context of why or where or how Romana was telling this story and it was only Tamm as the actress for the entire audio! I definitely think she could have been aided by another cast member. Surely it would have been better if Tommy was played by somebody else? I was a little disappointed with how little the Doctor featured and whilst I know he isn't needed much in this range, I felt the story would have benefitted if he was referred to more. I felt like where he was featured, Tamm could have at least tried to impersonate the Fourth Doctor as I think one criticism I would have is that this adventure lacked the feeling of a tale during his era. Now don't get me wrong, it definitely worked well for its setting of 1929 and I liked the idea of cave exploration and all the dangers that can come with that, but for all it was set out to be it just had the feeling of something I can only describe as Downton Abbey. I get that comes with the setting itself, but on a personal level that is something I'm just not a fan of so I struggled to get into this adventure. I did enjoy the cave exploration and the links with Saiph, but I think the damage was already done by that point. I actually quite welcomed the cliffhanger so I could have a little break as I had forgotten that the Companion Chronicles can be two parts. I didn't think it was the greatest of endings though. Part two certainly seemed to start somewhat weirdly as well. Madama Arcana was an intriguing character and I felt like her relationship with the Doctor could have been explored a bit more. The use of personal links and small items going missing from people's hotel rooms was pretty decent, if not a little predictable when it came to the handkerchief that Romana had parted with the night previously. Something I would like to be followed up on with this TARDIS pairing is the idea of Romana conducting a thesis on the Doctor. We had that mention in The Ribos Operation and even though it has been an eternity since I listened to The Auntie Matter, I do plan on making my way through the second series of Fourth Doctor Adventures with this pair and hopefully my opinion changes on this incarnation of the companion. Sadly, this audio did not do much to alter my feelings but I am aware I'm being slightly unfair as I have only watched the Key to Time season once, barring the first story, and that was seven years ago. Romana's role in the story was actually pretty good, but I would have liked to have seen some more Time Lady sophistication. Overall, a somewhat decent but unspectacular adventure.

Rating: 5/10

Combat Rock

"Whores is whores. You always gotta pay."

Writer: Mick Lewis
Format: Novel
Released: July 2002
Series: PDA 55

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria

Synopsis

When 400-year-old tribal mummies inexplicably return to life and begin murdering tourists on an exotic alien island, the Doctor's initial urge to investigate lands himself, Jamie and Victoria right in the middle of a jungle holocaust.

Ferocious cannibals and deadly beasts stalk the swamps, mummies lurk amongst the tress and the peaceful, civilised locals are reverting to long-forgotten head-hunting practices. Something is giving a clarion call to savagery, something that can only be found in the deepest darkness at the heart of the hostile rainforest.

It could well be the end of the river for the TARDIS companions as they find themselves involved in a horrific jungle conflict between desperate guerrilla tribesmen and merciless colonial forces. Cannibalism could be the least of their worries as evil stirs the pot and the dead reach for the living...

Verdict

Combat Rock was a rather interesting read shall we say. It was unlike anything I've ever read from the Doctor Who universe before and it was far from what I would expect from a Second Doctor tale. I was quite stunned and shocked at how adult-orientated this novel was and even then, it was still incredibly uncomfortable. Never in my wildest imagination did I expect words like whores and penis to be endlessly repeated in a Doctor Who story. I just couldn't believe what I was reading on times. There is no way this book would have received the go ahead nowadays, but it's incredible to think just how different times were even as recently as 2002. There was so much sexual referencing, but it wasn't anything to do with love or romance, it was purely sexual drive from a male perspective and a derisory attitude towards women. I think of myself as a feminist and one third of my MA History essays provided them with a voice that they hadn't got in historiography before, so I'm a big advocate of women but the way they were written here was just horrific. I might sound a little hypocritical here, but I did somewhat like the idea of placing the TARDIS somewhere incredibly uncomfortable. It did add to the realism and believability that the Doctor could end up taking his companions anywhere and encountering any kind of situation. Why wouldn't they come across cannibals and men who just lived through life whoring? That's a horrible word but I don't see any substitute. Having Victoria as the companion was an intriguing dynamic and I liked how horrified and grossed out by everything she was, but I had to draw the line on the way she was viewed by Pan and how she was sexually subjected at every turn. We didn't need a description of her thighs for goodness sake. Jamie on the other hand initially liked his new surroundings and his dreamy-eyed reaction to seeing half-naked women in the bars was exactly what I'd expect of him. That was well done and it added something to the relationship between him and Victoria which was nice. I thought the characterisation of the Second Doctor was nothing more, nor worse, than okay and his reaction to seeing heads on a spike when getting close to the Krallik, who I thought was a bit of a let down as the main enemy after a very lengthy build up. I thought the reveal of just what it was lacked impact as it adorns the cover and the revelation that the real Krallik was actually Kepennis just came a bit out of nowhere. I didn't like that much at all to be honest. One thing I have to say was that I couldn't understand why there was so much written about Pan and the Dogs. It went on for a long time in some instances and with the Doctor, Jamie and Victoria all split up from each other, I just felt that unnecessary. Victoria did eventually find her way to them but that was only towards the conclusion. I thought the ending itself was a little flat and just a bit messy sadly. One thing I was a big fan of in this adventure though was the alien forest setting. I thought that worked brilliantly and I like the uncertainty associated with it. Anything can happen and it isn't often used in Doctor Who so it was quite refreshing. Santi and Wima were also great characters, but I thought Wemus changed too drastically from when he was trying to get the Doctor and co to join the trip and then being on the trip itself. Clown and Drew were also rubbish I thought. Overall, an extraordinary read but not always for the right reasons.

Rating: 5/10

Mistress of Chaos Part 1

"The terrorist known only as 'The Doctor' has struck again."

Writer: Scott Gray

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 19th September 2019

Printed in: DWM 543

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor, Yaz, Ryan, Graham

Synopsis

The Mahuika Power Station is in meltdown. Everywhere within a fifty mile radius is moments away from disaster. Segonus IV will never be the same again and there's no time for help to arrive... Until the TARDIS dematerialises. But the Doctor and her friends soon find that there's a larger plan at work.

Verdict

Mistress of Chaos began in excellent style with this fantastic first part of the adventure! More of that shortly, but this looks set to be another stellar issue of Doctor Who Magazine! I really enjoyed last month's exploration into the plot devices of each decade of Classic Who and I'm excited to see it continue on a smaller scale with the post-regeneration story. I would love for this kind of thing to become a regular feature as it really is a great feature. The DWM Review is always good (if I've covered the content being reviewed), and I'm delighted to see from my initial flick through that the recent B+M action figures are the subject! I actually purchased the War Doctor and Dalek pack recently from there so I'm sure I'll enjoy that. Andrew Cartmel and Sophie Aldred should be very good interviews as they are synonymous with the Seventh Doctor era and whilst that may not be my favourite time in Doctor Who's chronology, I always find the plans and discussions going on around that time very intriguing. The Nathan-Turner Years is also something I'm looking forward to and I'm intrigued to read just what exactly it will be dealing with from that era as the title is quite vague. The look at regeneration itself in the Cheating Death feature is also of particular interest to me, along with Galaxy Forum which will be quite heartfelt given the recent and tragic passing of the amazing Terrance Dicks. I didn't grow up reading the Targets but in my collections and reading through what I have collected, I was always excited when his name was on the front cover. A true legend to the show as a whole as well and he obviously played a huge part in my all-time favourite story of The War Games. I'm sure an issue in the immediate future will pay more of a tribute and I await that graciously. Now, back to the comic strip and I thought this was one of the strongest opening parts for any of the Thirteenth Doctor adventures we've had so far in DWM. I was really impressed and I liked how Team TARDIS were just thrown straight into torrential chaos with a meltdown literally 15 seconds away. The Doctor was a genius, luckily, and saw to that being averted and I hugely enjoyed the characterisation of Jodie Whittaker's incarnation. It was absolutely spot on. Her attempt to save Harold who was on a wonky ledge was devastating as her very appearance led him to die rather than jump into her arms and to safety. I was shocked by that and I was expecting something along the lines of a resembling Doctor like in The Enemy of the World, but that wasn't to be. It was actually the slander of Berakka Dogbolter which I liked for its comic strip continuity. The use of the flashbacks to The Warmonger were terrific and I think where it now feels a long time since we've had any Doctor Who on screen, the continuity with the current team was very much welcomed. The companions were quite quiet which was good as this one was all about the Doctor and her anger. They had helped people, whilst the Doctor was not so lucky. She was going to show Dogbolter an angry Doctor and that was the cliffhanger finish. I loved that. The Doctor was angry and that's something we haven't seen an awful lot of in this incarnation. I'm looking very forward to the ramifications in the next part but for now, this was a strong opener.

The Vengeance of Morbius

"You're going to bring Morbius back to life."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: August 2008

Series: EDA 2.08

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

The universe is in grave danger.

The very fabric of time and space is being altered.

The Doctor and Lucie must race against time to prevent the destruction of everything they hold dear. They may have to sacrifice everything to save then universe.

Even themselves...

Verdict

The Vengeance of Morbius was an excellent conclusion to what has been a consistently great second series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! I have definitely enjoyed this series more than the first with the Doctor and Lucie getting more familiar together and I think including a lot of returning elements was a positive move and it gives some depth to the range which is always good. This one followed on immediately where Sisters of the Flame left off and the Doctor and Lucie were temporarily spared from being dispersed. Orthena was willing to let the Doctor know why he had to die which was how they got out of the cliffhanger ending and what was revealed was hugely intriguing. This really was a continuation of The Brain of Morbius which I didn't quite expect, but I very much enjoyed it. I thought the cover was good as we got a new image of Morbius that wasn't something resembling Frankenstein, and all of the references to that Fourth Doctor tale were excellent. The Doctor couldn't quite believe that Morbius may be resurrected, but a fragment of the brain had survived the fall and was retrieved by Zarodnix, a worshipper and member of the Cult of Morbius. He had scoured the universe for any kind of object relating to Morbius and had them all. Now, he wanted to bring the man himself back to life and the Doctor was understandably horrified. I thought the inclusion of the Time Lords was a brilliant move and with them demanding that all of their 'errant children' return to Gallifrey to ensure that Morbius could not be reborn sold just how awful and terrifying he would be if he was resurrected. The idea of them all being accounted for was quite interesting as surely the likes of the Master, the Rani and the Monk would not run back home? Straxus was the problem though as he was on his way to Karn and ready to play his role in bringing back the tyrant to life. The analogy with Jurassic Park from Lucie was actually really helpful and without it I don't think I'd have bought that Morbius could be resurrected in the way he was. Using an existing Time Lord and the brain fragment and triggering a regeneration could bring Morbius back. I thought that was quite clever but also very interesting and it could feasibly see any Time Lord return in the future which is an exciting, and also problematic, prospect. Morbius was suffering though and constantly needed Straxus when his health started failing. That would obviously one day run out and the Doctor might be needed after him. The shift in time of a decade into the future was the only element of the audio that I thought was a little questionable as not much was actually made of his ten years ruling. Surely he would have caused chaos if the Time Lords were so scared? His effort, and partial success, in ridding Gallifrey of the power used from the Eye of Harmony was great and I love the idea of helpless Time Lords. Specifically the Doctor. But he was able to find a way to defeat Morbius once again, and it again involved a big fall on Karn. Except this time, the Doctor fell with him and became an established part of events in order to rewrite the timeline and ensure that the Cult of Morbius never existed in the first place. Lucie Miller was devastated and she was not impressed with the Time Lords. I'm intrigued to see how the Doctor can get around this one! What a way to end a series. I look forward to the next one very much so. Overall, a fantastic end!

Rating: 9/10

Sisters of the Flame

"Sacred flame. Sacred fire."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs
Format: Audio
Released: July 2008
Series: EDA 2.07

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

The richest man in the galaxy has just bought a backwards planet with no obvious mineral wealth in the outer reaches of the universe. An obscure Mystica sect has been revived after centuries of neglect. A new race of aliens are hunting for prey. Why?

As the Doctor and Lucie attempt to discover the answer, it becomes clear that someone is attempting to resurrect the past – and they need a Time Lord to help them achieve it.

Verdict

Sisters of the Flame was a very good penultimate adventure in the second series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! However, despite its obvious quality, it really did have the feeling of just setting things up and I would have probably preferred to have known that this was a 'part one' of a wider series finale. I thought the pace was quite slow and that worked well with the whole working backwards element of the plot and learning how the Doctor and Lucie had been separated and came to be where they were following the mini cliffhanger before the opening titles. Now, I have to mention the opening titles at some point and I think now is the right time. I thought the overlapping sound of themes from different eras was because of all the timey-wimey nature of Dead London, but it's stuck and has grown on me now. There have been several returning elements in this series and taking things back to Karn is definitely exciting. Including the Sisterhood of Karn in that is pretty much a no brainer, but I really liked that they were no longer on their home planet. That was a great revelation and definitely something I didn't see coming. I guess it could have been worked out really given that Lucie was heading there and she wouldn't have been that distanced from the Doctor since the pre-titles. They were no longer there because of the Cult of Morbius and I won't try and hide my foreknowledge of his presumed return in the series finale. It's something I can't wait for and I'm extremely intrigued to see just how it is tackled. For now though, we had to get there and Lucie hearing the whispers about the sacred flame and fire was interesting and something I hope continues in the second part of this adventure. She seemed troubled which was good and not something I usually associate with her but it is definitely a good element to explore. The return of Straxus was another unexpected part of the story and I liked how Lucie took advantage of his lack of confidence and what have you. He may be from a powerful race, but the Doctor's companion definitely knew how to handle him which was good. Zarodnix being the richest man in the galaxy was quite good and I think there is more to come from him so it is a little early to judge things in that regard. That's the feeling I got throughout the entire audio as it just isn't complete, but I still am endeavouring to give it a singular rating despite having a different approach for the televised two-parters. The Trell were a good little (well, big) species and Lucie's reaction when she asked for a police officer but found that she was facing one was terrific. She wasn't expecting that at all! I like it when that happens to companions and it was good that she apologised for being what she perceived to be as racist. The ending was unexpected with the cliffhanger and I was so engrossed in the story that I didn't realise so much time had elapsed! I was stunned and now I look forward to seeing how the Doctor and Lucie can escape their fate of dispersal and instant death. I'm sure it'll be a lot of words or the doing of Morbius himself, but one thing for certain is that I can't wait to learn more about the Cult. Overall though, a good story of setting things up.

Rating: 8/10

The Zygon Who Fell to Earth

"He's scared of confronting the person he was back then."

Writer: Paul Magrs
Format: Audio
Released: June 2008
Series: EDA 2.06

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

"There are no monsters this time... are there?"

Ten years later and Aunty Pat is in her prime. She's snagged herself an ex-rockstar at the Kendal Folk Festival and now, in the brave new world of the early 1980s they manage together a snazzy hotel on the poetic and shingly shore of Lake Grasmere. However, still waters run deep and friends from the past are returning, intent on milking the old cash-cow...

Verdict

The Zygon Who Fell to Earth was an excellent audio adventure and my favourite story of the second series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! It may actually be my favourite EDA as a whole as it really was quite superb. I was really intrigued by the title but it was a little different to what I expected and that was a good thing. I thought it might be something along the lines of The Woman Who Fell to Earth but there was no literal fall from the sky like the Thirteenth Doctor did in that story. Trevor was actually a Zygon who had took on his human form and stayed that way for over twenty years. He was tired of leading a Zygon group and just wanted to enjoy human life in peace. He was actually known as Haygoth and his former clan wanted him back as their warlord. He was not willing and was far more happy with his partner, Lucie's Aunty Pat. Her return after Horror of Glam Rock was definitely welcomed as she was one of the rare good elements of that particular story and I thought she was even better here. I really liked her relationship with both her niece and the Doctor and her continued reminders to the latter that she wasn't his aunty were very humorous. The Doctor would quite clearly not be calling her by any other name. I thought it was good that she knew that her lover was in fact a Zygon and didn't seem at all perturbed by that. Lucie was stunned at that! With the Zygons appearance not being a surprise due to the story's title, I was glad that they weren't kept hidden for much of the adventure and were quite quick to be revealed. The Doctor knew of their presence early on as well which was good due to the body print technology he came across, and I found the timeframe and links with Terror of the Zygons very good. The theme of a Zygon diaspora is excellent and has so much room to be played with. I also thought the reference to The Bodysnatchers was wonderful and quite unexpected! That was a brilliant novel and it does quite seem that the Eighth Doctor and the Zygons make for a superb story. They haven't let me down so far. The other Zygons in this story were trying to get Haygoth to return and lead them and they were quite insistent upon it. Their arrival at the hotel was good and I liked the eeriness that came with their businessmen persona. Trevor was less than pleased to see them. The use of the song remix throughout the audio was a good little addition which gave it a slightly different feel. I was delighted once again with the relationship between the Doctor and Lucie and they're quickly becoming one of my very favourite pairings. At this rate, they might eclipse even the Eighth Doctor and Charley! I thought the ending was very good with Trevor betraying the Zygons and the cataclysmic finale with Auntie Pat dying in the melee along with the other Zygons was a huge surprise. Lucie couldn't understand as she'd known her in her personal past and in the future from this story, but then Trevor had just about survived and would now take on the woman he had loved and give Lucie the auntie she had always had. It was a pretty poetic ending to what was actually a really emotional adventure. Overall though, an excellent story!

Rating: 9/10

Grand Theft Cosmos

"If you created an entire universe, why would you want to see it destroyed?"

Writer: Eddie Robson
Format: Audio
Released: May 2008
Series: EDA 2.05

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

"Here's to crime, Doctor!"

The Doctor and Lucie visit nineteenth-century Sweden and become embroiled in an attempt to steal the infamous Black Diamond of Claudia Tardelli. But they are not the only would-be thieves attempting the heist of the century; the Headhunter is back and this time she's brought a friend!

The Stone, however, is guarded by forces not of this world...

Verdict

Grand Theft Cosmos was another good audio in what has been a great second series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! This perked things right up after a pretty serious and impactful story in The Skull of Sobek and was much more fun and adventurous in a daring kind of way. The dangers never seemed on the same scale as the previous story and I thought it was delightful that the Doctor was so excited to be on a train in 1898 that couldn't quite reach 70 miles per hour. Lucie was much less impressed and while she thought the mode of transport was nice enough, she was just wanting to put her headphones in and listen to her MP3 player along the way. Of course, the Doctor reminded her why that was impossible. The pair are proving wonderful together and they definitely seem settled in their adventures now which always makes for fantastic listening and that was certainly the case here. One element of the story I was shocked by was the return of the Headhunter! After playing such a prominent role throughout the first series of EDAs, I didn't think she would back so soon and at the midway point of the series. Due to the nature of me listening to this second series through Scribd, I always read the synopsises prior to listening (that's not my usual approach as I like to go in with a clear mind) and they bloody reveal that the Headhunter is back in it! I didn't quite understand that. The Autons appearing in Brave New Town as a surprise was magnificent so I'm not sure why the same wasn't adhered to for this story. The impact would definitely have been greater. One element of her involvement in the adventure that I loved was that she wasn't alone now. She was joined by Karen who has a long history with Lucie so I liked how that could be played with. The Headhunter didn't really care much for her though, that much was clear. The robbery plot was utilised terrifically well and with the inclusion of a decoy and possible miniature, I liked the mystery without there really being an investigation. The Diamond was an interesting piece and I liked the enigmatic feel of its artist Claudia Tardelli. When he did eventually appear, I didn't at all expect what we got! The painting was actually its own little universe and it was one that Tardelli controlled. I thought that was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed Lucie's reaction to finding that out. She was quite stunned by the concept! That was really good. Anders was a humorous character too with his getting easily hypnotised by the Headhunter and the use of Elvis Presley as the way to send him into the mode of being controlled. The Headhunter's reaction to seeing that the Doctor and Lucie were present was one of disdain and I thought that was excellent. Her desire for the painting and the riches that came with it were a good motive and I'm sure we'll see her again, probably in the next series now I would have thought. The ending, and the story as a whole, was well paced and a lot of fun and I think that is more than doable in a story concerning theft. The casualties are not usually quite on the same scale that we usually get and that itself is refreshing. Overall, a really good little story that was entertaining and fast paced!

Rating: 8/10

The Skull of Sobek

"All wild and savage and dark."

Writer: Marc Platt
Format: Audio
Released: April 2008
Series: EDA 2.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

Too much perfection's dangerous.

On the isolated planet of Indigo 3, far out in the wastes of the Blue Desert, lies the Sanctuary of Imperfect Symmetry. It is a place of contemplation and reflection. It is also a place of death.

Something from another time, from another world, has found its way inside the hallowed walls. Something with a leathery hide, a long snout and sharp pointy teeth.

Tick tock. Here comes the crocodile...

Verdict

The Skull of Sobek was another decent story to continue the second series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! However, it was a noticeable little slip in terms of the quality but it only dropped slightly and was still an enjoyable story. I thought it was good that we got to hear another side to Lucie and her brashness and confidence was knocked for six during the proceedings of this one. We got to learn about her nightmares concerning crocodiles and now here she was faced with them upright and talking. She definitely didn't do well to handle that! The Doctor even seemed a little surprised to see that she did have more of a sensitive side, but he didn't make any effort to mock that which I thought was good and definitely the right thing to do. I continue to love this pairing and I'm starting to understand why they are so famed and revered by Big Finish fans that are well ahead of me in my listening of the audios. I can't wait for further adventures with the pair! The plot concerning something along the lines of an ancient religious relic was good and that is a plot device that has been used quite a few times before and I'm generally a fan of it. It can definitely be done on multiple occasions as the setting is always different and what the actual relic is, in this case a skull, and what it means are always different. The arrival of the Doctor and Lucie to Indigo 3 was good and the comical elements that came from Lucie refusing to believe how symmetrical the sand dunes were and also that everything was all blue. Literally everything. The TARDIS fitted in well there. They wanted salvation and eventually got it after some persuasion and from there they learned a great deal about what was going on in this society. There was disorder and order at the same time which was intriguing, but I thought we just needed a little bit more about the Skull of Sobek itself and its significance. Maybe a little flashback or a large bit of a dialogue or narration about it would have been beneficial. Abbot Absolute was a good character, but I wasn't a massive fan of the voices and mannerisms of the Crocodillians. I also thought that was a naff name and a little lazy. The death of Brother Tangent having an impact on Lucie despite her not knowing him was really good and added some realism to their travels. She didn't want to get used to death. The Old Prince was a decent enemy and his championing of Lucie was an unexpected moment! Lucie having to go up against the Doctor was a good prospect but it obviously didn't come into full fruition. The Doctor managed to talk her out of the spell and she would soon be okay. I felt like the ending was where my rating dropped below the series average (that I have awarded) because it was a bit quick and lacked considerable clarity for me. The Skull was still there in fragments? That seemed very dangerous and the Doctor even acknowledged that. I felt like things should have been mopped up more, but it could provide a sequel and there's always some people who enjoy ambiguity. I'm probably against that for the most part, and definitely so here. Overall though, still a very good little adventure!

Rating: 7/10

Brave New Town

"Your town was built on an island."

Writer: Jonathan Clements
Format: Audio
Released: March 2008
Series: EDA 2.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

"It's like The Village That Time Forgot!"

The inhabitants of the quiet seaside town of Thorington in Suffolk are living the same day over and over again. What's so special about the 1st of September 1991? Why haven't the villagers noticed that the same song has been number one for years? And just where on Earth has the sea disappeared to?

The Doctor and Lucie must solve the mystery before the 'visitors' return...

Verdict

Brave New Town was another very good story to continue what is turning out to be a very consistent second series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! And it's consistently good which is crucial to my enjoyment. I'm really liking the pair of the Eighth Doctor and Lucie, considerably more so than in the first series, and things were no different here as they arrived at a rather unique location. This was one of the rare stories where I actually read the synopsis prior to listening and I just figured that with Thorington and its people being stuck on the 1st of September 1991, there was a time loop that had been enacted around the town. But that was far from the case! It was something much more complex and brilliant. I really didn't expect it. The return of the Autons and the Nestene Consciousness in an audio tale was fantastic and I was quite stunned to find that they were back. There was no hint that they would be returning and I'm glad that another incarnation of the Doctor gets to do battle with the famous foes. But they were unlike any Autons we'd seen before, that is at least up to the show's chronology by this audio and in the context of 2008 Doctor Who. I'm sure this adventure will have influenced the sentient Autons we would see in The Pandorica Opens and that's hardly surprising because it is a great idea and there's a lot that can be done and played around with. Autonomic Autons. Autons that don't even know they're Autons. That has so much potential and I'd love for some kind of sequel on a larger scale, but what we got still worked very well. The initial arrival to Thorington was intriguing and I liked how Lucie immediately knew something was wrong. She likened her surroundings to the situation that occurred at Chernobyl. She just knew that something wasn't right. The residents knowing that each day was the 1st of September 1991 was quite weird, and what was even weirder was that they referred to their yesterday as the same date and the day always being Sunday. When pushed by the Doctor, they knew it sounded stupid but this was all because of the voice inside their heads. The Nestene Consciousness was doing its work. The story concerning Jason and his daughter was quite sad, but it helped the Doctor deduce that they were actually very far from Suffolk and were instead in oil-ridden Uzbekistan. The Doctor mentioning Marco Polo was terrific, but not quite as much so as Lucie asking if he was famed for the mint. I really did chuckle at that one I have to say. The Autons pondering that they were human when an instruction came through to go against humanity was a great moment and I liked the second guessing that came with that. The links with the fall of the Soviet Union came to be a good element of the story, and I just liked the ending even if things were a little simplistic. I had wished for perhaps a little more action and excitement, but I was largely happy with what I got! The first meeting of the Eighth Doctor and the Autons. What's not to like? Overall, a great story!

Rating: 8/10

Max Warp

"War is easy... Peace is much more difficult."

Writer: Jonathan Morris
Format: Audio
Released: February 2008
Series: EDA 2.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

Welcome to Max Warp! Broadcast live from the Sirius Inter-G Cruiser Show. Hosted by outspoken columnist and media personality Geoffrey Vantage, with spaceship-guru-extraordinaire O'Reilley and daredevil pilot Timbo 'the Ferret'.

When a test flight of the new Kith Sunstorm ends in disaster, the Sirius Exhibition Station is plunged into a web of murder and intrigue. Someone – or something – is trying to reignite a war between the Varlon Empire and the Kith Oligarchy.

As the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance, only two investigators, the Doctor and Lucie, can hope to uncover the truth.

So strap yourself in, engage thrust, and preparer... Max Warp! 

Verdict

Max Warp was a great continuation of the second series of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was a really fun tale from Jonathan Morris and definitely recognisable as being his work. I thought the galactic setting worked well and I really enjoyed the adverts that were inserted across this story. It was never too much or too frequent and did serve as a good addition to the ongoing plot. Things got going quite quickly once the Doctor and Lucie arrived to see Timbo 'the Ferret' have his accident that would go on to spark political tension between long-time rivals the Varlon and the Kith Oligarchy. I thought there could have been a tad more on the background behind that conflict, but it was nice to just have the Doctor and Lucie thrown in at the deep end as it looked like war would resume between the two parties once again. I thought the premise was good and upon further research after I completed listening, I was surprised to find that it bore incredible resemblances to Top Gear. Now, I'm not a fan of that longtime British show so I didn't quite hear the similarities, but I did like the idea of the show on a galactic and spaceship scale here. However, I definitely won't be going back and watching the present day, or even the 2008, versions. It just isn't for me but I still really liked how things went here! The Doctor and Lucie were terrific together in this adventure and it was nice that they were by each other's sides for most of it. Their taking on the role of the investigators for the supposed murder of Timbo was excellent and they both played the role pretty well. Lucie still needed some physical nudging in the right direction when it came to their positions and their being there getting questioned. That was quite humorous as she didn't seem to fully grasp why she couldn't be honest. Her mocking of the TARDIS also provided a comical element and you just know that the Doctor would be quite saddened by her likening it to a shed. Her own version of the TARDIS acronym would not be welcomed by the Doctor. Whilst this was very much a whodunnit kind of story, I was glad that it wasn't wholly an investigation in the same form of my recent listening of Whodunnit? There was more going on and more to explore and that came with the prospect of war. President Varlon was a good character and I thought the use of her spindroid was very good. Lucie thinking she had all the answers was another good element of the story, particularly because she was saying so with very little confidence. Her attempt at advertising was also good but I was a little annoyed by Vantage's inability to broaden things out and refuse to be politically correct. Now, political correctness is a shaky concept in my eyes but this story was released 11 years ago and things have changed a lot since then! He wasn't a very likeable character, but then I guess that was the point. The Doctor's summary of events with all of the guest characters together at the end of the story was decent and I liked how the clue of the Doctor and Lucie's experience in the simulator came full circle and Timbo was actually alive and disguised as the President's spindroid replacement. I wasn't overly surprised by that, but I did quite like how the Doctor had worked it out. I do sometimes wish he would let Lucie in on his knowledge sometimes, but might take away from the enigma that is the Doctor. The ending was nice with another peace treaty enacted and all seemed to be well. Overall, a fantastic little adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Dead London

"Roman London and 17th century London side by side."

Writer: Pat Mills
Format: Audio
Released: January 2008
Series: EDA 2.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

"Someone's playing with us. Manipulating time and space for their own ends."

The TARDIS lands in London. But which one? The Doctor and Lucie find themselves trapped in a maze of interlocking Londons from Roman times to the present day.

But they are not alone in this labyrinth: a killer is on their trail.

Verdict

Dead London was a very good start to the second series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! This one was a lot of fun with the jumping around in time and it was certainly a format that worked for me. I was quite surprised that things started as quickly as they did with the Doctor and Lucie far apart, particularly with this being a series opener, but it hasn't quite been a year since I completed series one so I didn't mind that at all. I thought the moment where the Doctor's trial for a parking ticket due on the TARDIS shifted to the Old Bailey in the 17th century and a sentence of execution was excellent. I knew right there that I was going to really enjoy this one and I wasn't wrong! I thought the take on the theme was a nice touch as well and something I should mention sooner rather than later. I thought Paul McGann was brilliant as the Eighth Doctor and I really liked the relationship with Lucie once the pair were reunited. The idea of different Londons side by side is terrific as that is a city with a very rich history and a lot can be played with there. It was a little similar to my all time favourite story of The War Games so I definitely appreciated things, but it expectedly was not quite up to the same standard. I would have liked a little more playing around with the idea of the blackout killer in the First World War but I do understand that there were limitations with that not being the sole setting. Lucie's reaction and frustration towards the Doctor for, what she presumed, landing them some way from the 21st century. She was determined to find her way back to him and the present day and I really did like how she took the situation in her stride. Instead of being flustered, she was just seeing how she could help her situation and get back to where she needed to be. She's starting to become a really good companion and I actually think this might have been one of her better outings. Sheridan Smith is always great and this was no different. With her away from the Doctor though, we had Sophie, or rather Spring-Heeled Sophie, filling the companion void alongside the Time Lord which was an intriguing approach but she was very likeable and it worked well. When she eventually was introduced to Lucie, their initial meeting was rather humorous. The Sepulchre was a decent villain but I thought it took a little long to reveal itself after the Doctor named them and mentioned their planet. I'm not sure why it took the Doctor talking in their language to convince them that he knew more than he should. The use of avatars from the hive consciousness of the Sepulchre was good and that meant the Doctor had to get to the epicentre. The way he got there and actually dealt with the enemy was quite simplistic but sometimes it is quite nice for things to just be a little easy and that definitely seemed like the right approach to go with in this adventure. It just worked well and whilst it wasn't extraordinary, it maintained the fun feeling factor of this audio adventure. I look forward to hearing where things go from here!

Rating: 8/10

The Lost Flame

"Why was everyone so scared of doctors?"

Writers: George Mann & Cavan Scott
Format: Audio
Released: July 2017
Series: NSA 29

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Alex, Brandon

Synopsis

The TARDIS makes a bumpy landing on Karn, home of the legendary Sisterhood. There, the Doctor encounters his old acquaintance Ohio, who denies all suggestions of involvement in recent unusual activities on Earth.

The Doctor, Alex and Brandon move on to the planet Escalupia, a medical hub for Earth's First Great and Bountiful Human Empire. There they find squalid living conditions and sinister, hovering drones preying upon the populace. Why does everyone fear doctors; and who is the Angel they seem desperate to see?

When Alex is captured by the drones, the Doctor discovers that the slums are test labs for huge medical companies, with the humans as lab rats. Furthermore, the mysterious Angel is someone they've encountered before – someone well known to Ohio...

The stakes are high, as the travellers and the Sisterhood fight to end an injustice and escape with their lives.

Verdict

The Lost Flame was a decent little story, but a somewhat slightly underwhelming conclusion to the 'Lost' series of Twelfth Doctor audio adventures. It was far from bad but after quite a lengthy buildup, I really would have expected a little more from the likes of George Mann and Cavan Scott. The end goal just seemed a little weird and not really headed towards and I also felt that the companions could have been better utilised whilst they were there. I'm sounding really negative here which I don't quite intend to be, as I did still rather enjoy my listen, but it was just missing that bit of oomph and excitement that I would associate with a finale. I know it wasn't marketed as being like that, but at the end of the day it is the final of four connected stories and it should feel exciting! I thought the moments on Karn were probably the most entertaining as it is a planet that is so unique and just brilliant. Ohila returning after her appearances in The Night of the Doctor and Hell Bent was a nice moment and I thought Clare Higgins did a pretty good job as the narrator. It was always going to be a tough ask to top Dan Starkey after The Lost Magic though! I was a little disappointed that it initially seemed like the Sisterhood of Karn had no involvement in the ongoings of John Dee and the mysterious women in his mirror and the setting quickly shifted to Escalupia and that just wasn't quite as exciting as Karn. I did like that it had connections with the First Great and Bountiful Human Empire which was some very good continuity from the Series 1 era and it definitely seemed to fit into that mould. The idea of everyone being scared of doctors is something fun to play with given our hero's name and the reaction of the locals when he revealed his titular name was quite humorous. He doesn't often have that kind of effect on people! The drones were an intriguing element to proceedings and I liked the idea of a subscription for preventing disease in the future. That wouldn't be surprising at all, especially with the inclusion of a service protecting you against diseases that weren't already around yet! Exploitation at its finest. The mystery of the Angel was good but I felt there needed to be a little more to it given the ongoing theme and alluding to her in previous stories. The Doctor infecting himself with Venusian flu was excellent though and perhaps my favourite part of the audio! It was so obviously something he would do and it did work pretty well in getting him where he wanted to be to sort things out. I noticed in this story more than any other how limited the companions were, especially in a single actor narrated adventure, as there really wasn't a great deal for them to do for the most part which is a big shame. The fate of Alex was somewhat unexpected with her getting left behind and I was stunned with how easily Brandon went along with things and just returned home. What on Earth would he tell his parents? It was quite a hasty exit for the pair after a decent run alongside the Twelfth Doctor, but I sadly think they will be rather easy to forget which is a shame. I felt things could have improved but the truth concerning Ohila was good, but there needed to be more impact concerning the overall plot. As a whole, still an enjoyable tale!

Rating: 7/10

The Lost Magic

"The day the Spanish Armada were spotted..."

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Audio
Released: May 2017
Series: NSA 28

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Alex, Brandon

Synopsis

People laughed at John Dee for years, dismissing the astrologer as a madman or a fraud. Then one day a face appeared in his mirror, a face that was not his own. He was given secrets from beyond time: how to mix potions; how to tame the elements; even how to trap a demon. But Dee's magic was lost, his library ransacked, his spells and hexes stolen. A dread prophecy was made: "the Earth will burn"...

When the TARDIS lands on a Spanish galleon, caught in an unnatural storm, the Doctor, Alex and Brandon are shipwrecked and separated from each other. Between them they must discover who is waging supernatural war before the planet is pulled apart. What connects John Dee with Sir Francis Drake and the impending attack of the Spanish Armada?

Verdict

The Lost Magic was another very good audio adventure in the 'Lost' set of connected stories featuring the Twelfth Doctor! I thought this was quite barmy throughout and was definitely a bold story in terms of what was being told and the use of historical characters, but it worked pretty well for me and I think a lot of that might have been down to Dan Starkey's narration. He's obviously best known for being a Sontaran, both on screen and in the audios for Big Finish, but here he was just playing all sorts of roles and narrating the adventure and doing it just wonderfully. His impression of Peter Capaldi's incarnation was absolutely brilliant and definitely the best of the three 'Lost' stories so far. It really was impressive and made for a considerable ease of listening. Alex and Brandon were not quite as good as companions in this one, but they were far from bad. I just felt they could have offered a little bit more but it is definitely difficult to get attached to new companions when there is no familiarity and they don't have voice actors of their own. There's very little to get on board with there, but that really is quite alright for a set of adventures this small. I do wonder why the Doctor is so keen to take them to Earn after only promising one trip in the TARDIS at the end of The Lost Angel. They spread that into three stories by having The Lost Planet take place within the TARDIS itself but now that all seems to have been forgotten and the Doctor will be taking them somewhere dangerous. How events led to that though were good and I thought the setting of July 1588 was utilised very well. I liked that Brandon got to realise that they had arrived on the day the Spanish Armada were spotted off the south coast of England and after a school project, he knew all about the dangers that might pose. John Dee was a fantastic historical character and I liked the revelation that it was he who had written the letter the Doctor so desperately wanted answers to. How could he possibly know or even comprehend Old High Gallifreyan? It turning out to involve the summoning of a Tenabrious Glist was unexpected but I did like its connection with the time storm that ravaged sixteenth century England. The degeneration cycle in the Doctor that was caused from that was magnificent and I thought Starkey did a stellar job with his brief impressions of all twelve previous incarnations of the Doctor. It really was just magnificent and I couldn't help but marvel at how good it was. I also liked that things didn't stop at an aged First Doctor too as we often forget that he would've been much younger at some point during that incarnation. It was something resembling the Doctor we saw in Listen in the Gallifreyan barn. The time storm also helping Alex by reversing time for her and having made her never get infected was good and I just have to mention the humour of the Doctor's Krynoid line when Brandon was getting sea sick after the TARDIS landed on a boat. The ending was quite barmy and action-packed and I now look forward to another adventure on Karn. Overall, a very good audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10

The Lost Planet

"Hirolth is the end of all things."

Writer: George Mann
Format: Audio
Released: March 2017
Series: NSA 27

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Alex, Brandon

Synopsis

The TARDIS is under attack. Alien planets have taken root in its corridors, strange flowering tendrils that threaten to rip the Doctor's ship apart. New companions Brandon and Alex venture into the heart of the TARDIS to discover the source of the infestation.

Instead they find a secret door, and a forgotten world. The Doctor has unfinished business with the Arborites, living trees with long memories. Centuries ago he fought to prevent a galactic catastrophe – but now his past has come back to haunt him in ways he never thought possible.

Can the Time Lord rescue his young friends before they are destroyed by his past mistakes, or will Hirolth rise to leave utter devastation in its wake?

Verdict

The Lost Planet was a great audio adventure to continue the 'Lost' series of stories with the Twelfth Doctor and his new companions Alex and Brandon Yow. I really didn't expect the whole story to, technically, be contained within the TARDIS given how The Lost Angel ended with all sights set to the sixteenth century. This was an intriguing detour and I am a huge fan of exploring the TARDIS where possible. It hasn't been done a huge amount and that gives it both a fresh and familiar feel. It was rather different to what we saw in The Doctor's Wife and Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS, but more closely resembling the scale witnessed in The Invasion of Time which was a good approach. I thought Alex and Brandon's relationship was great once again and I liked how the latter is still having a feeling of trepidation about being in the TARDIS. Well, that was after his sister was in immense danger. She didn't really get victimised in the previous story like here so the danger was quite different to the Rickman building site. The Doctor's characterisation was a little different in this adventure and more like his earlier self seen in Series 8 when it came to caring for those close to him. He didn't really meet Alex's situation with urgency or danger and actually jokingly accused Brandon of what had happened to her! It was hardly his fault but the Doctor still placed blame on him which was a little surprising. I thought the concept of a planet being placed within the TARDIS on a cycle was good and I actually really liked the washing machine analogy. I thought that was excellent and extremely helpful for comprehending what had happened to the planet. The Phage made a good enemy and whilst I think a little more background on the Doctor's past meeting with them would have been beneficial, what we got still sufficed. Nicola Bryant did a very good job as narrator and I was very impressed with her impression of the Twelfth Doctor! I also liked the little mention of Peri and the failure of the TARDIS to try and translate her American accent, given that his new companions were of the same nationality. That was a nice subtle homage that I approved of in a big way. I was quite surprised with how much the companions dominated this story, but it was a good way of further reestablishing their characters and showing that they were here to stay. The mystery of the overlapping arc was quite forgotten with what went on in the TARDIS and Alex being the one that became subjected and part of Hilroth was good. The conclusion was not perhaps as exciting as it could have been as I think the audio went on a little longer than it needed to, but the Doctor basically taking the virus and expunging it in what was basically photosynthesis was great and quite unexpected. It was more complex than that, but this was the primitive explanation. I was a little surprised with how nonchalant the Doctor was regarding what he'd put the planet through by simply forgetting all about it and allowing the virus to take over, but I guess you can get away with that with this incarnation of the Doctor. Overall though, another good adventure and continuation and all sights are set on 1588.

Rating: 8/10

The Lost Angel

"We saw a living statue."

Writers: George Mann & Cavan Scott
Format: Audio
Released: January 2017
Series: NSA 26

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Alex, Brandon

Synopsis

All Alex Yow wants is to become a photojournalist and break her first story. All Brandon Yow wants is for his sister to keep out of trouble and come home. But that's not going to happen, because Alex has taken a picture of a statue. A statue that can move.

A statues that makes people disappear. A statue that is hunting them down.

In upstate New York, the Doctor is chasing weird energies that should not exist. Teaming up with Alex and Brandon, he discovers a powerful force enslaved to another's will. Who controls the lonely assassins that prowl the streets? What secrets are the residents of Rickman hiding? And will Alex and Brandon survive the night of the Weeping Angels?

Verdict

The Lost Angel was a fantastic audio adventure to kick off my listening of these connected adventures featuring the Twelfth Doctor! It has taken me far longer to start these than I would have anticipated as I had hoped to do everything for this Doctor during his initial run, but finances and situations just didn't allow me. And now I'm quite grateful that was the case as all of the stories were available for free through Cardiff Library on BorrowBox so that was a big win for me personally. I wasn't really aware who Kerry Shale was prior to some research for this audio adventure but I actually enjoyed his narration and telling of the story. His impression of the Twelfth Doctor wasn't amazing, but it was recognisable as being that of Peter Capaldi's incarnation so that was a big positive. I thought he played the other parts very well and he enjoyed the luxury of there being no other familiar characters. We would be introduced to some characters that will become familiar in this set of stories though in the form of Alex and Brandon Yow. Their relationship as brother and sister was very good and provided an interesting dynamic to what companions will be. I look forward to that being explored in the next adventure featuring the pair. They were also a humorous addition to Doctor Who chronology from a personal point of view as they share the names of myself and my best friend and even though the two of us are male and the companions are not, the idea of Brandon and Alex going on adventures with the Doctor is quite comical. I certainly would want more than just the one adventure though! The use of the Weeping Angels in a story of this format was handled excellently and I can't say that is surprising given who the writers were. George Mann is a particular favourite of mine and I thought the Weeping Angels were excellent, even if they were being used as assassins. The link with Old High Gallifreyan language and the stone from the same planet was very interesting and I look forward to the Doctor's investigations into how that came to be written during the sixteenth century. The idea of Time Lord magic was also very fascinating and its development almost arriving as a way to try and trap the Weeping Angels was brilliant. I really liked a lot of what was going on here. Jane was a good character in the story too and even though it was very predictable that she had been zapped by an Angel in the future and sent back in time, I liked how she reacted when the Doctor knew. Alex wanting to get her scoop as a photojournalist was great and I do hope she shares some companion traits with Sarah Jane as that could be quite terrific. Brandon seems less eager to travel with his sister which I find baffling, but he wouldn't let her go alone so the Doctor was joined by some new temporary companions. I was a little surprised with how accepting he was of this pairing, but the characterisation of this incarnation throughout was really quite superb. It definitely had the feel of the break between Series 9 and 10 which was certainly good. The ending was exciting and logical with the Doctor finding the man responsible for using the Angels and then trapping them in cement, pretty much destroying them. The use of the construction site for a new mall freeing them was good and it was nice to come full circle with it providing the basis for how they were defeated. Overall, a brilliant start to this little audio run!

Rating: 9/10

Someone I Once Knew

"They go back and fix things before we've even broken them."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: September 2018

Series: The Diary of River Song 4.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, River Song

Synopsis

River has tried in vain to keep the Discordia away from the Doctor. Now, as devils run riot through universal spacetime, her own past with her husband is being rewritten. There is one last hope for the universe. A love story – but one that must find an ending...

Verdict

Someone I Once Knew was a great conclusion to what has been a rather terrific fourth series of The Diary of River Song! It's quite fitting that the fourth series is where River meets the Doctor and I think it was the past Doctor meeting that worked best in terms of it not altering established events and memory. Time was literally rewritten so they never technically met which worked well and formed some excellent protection for events that wouldn't really begin until Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead. River's reaction when she walked into the TARDIS and found the fourth incarnation of her husband was fantastic and I liked the shift in having this Doctor know all about her because of how time had been altered. She'd always been with him! The little history event check of all they'd gone through was wonderful and paid homage to some good episodes, with the most humorous mention coming when it was claimed that River made the Doctor dress up as Salamander in the events that would have been The Enemy of the World! That was magnificent and just something perfectly reminiscent of what the Fourth Doctor would say and be like. I really liked the chemistry between Tom Baker and Alex Kingston and I think with a few more adventures under their belt, there would be something special with a pairing like this. I think some wiggle room could definitely be made with some kind of delay before time was reset to allow that, but alas I doubt it will happen. The Doctor's thoughts on the Discordia were great and I also liked how River Song had to tread carefully when it came to discussing the Time War. Given the nature of time travel and the issues of personal timelines and chronology, I've always found it intriguing to tackle events being different for characters from different times. For River, the Time War was long in the past but for the Doctor it was five incarnations in the future but here they were together in the same time. It was complicated, as acknowledged. What I didn't expect was for River to be a love interest of the Discordia! That really did come out of nowhere and was very surprising, and I'm not sure I was the biggest fan of it, but I liked that it didn't even turn out to be the love story that saved the day. That was all in the hands of the Emperor and so River and the Doctor encouraged him to go back and stop the Discordia from developing time travel and allow his past love to be with him once again. Except, he went a lot further and destroyed the planet altogether before the Discordia could even be formed. It was quite extraordinary and something beyond drastic for the situation! Garen was a good little character and the quickness with which she dealt with Dante could have been fleshed out a little more, but it worked pretty well despite that. This was all about the Fourth Doctor and River Song though, and I loved them together. Hearing a Classic era Doctor genuinely in love was magnificent and I just can't help but want more of the pair together! The little moment at the end where they briefly meet once their memories are wiped is terrific. Overall, a great conclusion to the series!

Rating: 8/10

Whodunnit?

"There's been a murder."

Writer: Matt Fitton
Format: Audio
Released: September 2018
Series: The Diary of River Song 4.03

Featuring: River Song

Synopsis

Melody Malone finds herself in a castle with an assortment of strange companions. But guests are being murdered, one by one. Time is running out for a mystery to be solved. And Franz Kafka is hiding something in the attic.

Verdict

Whodunnit? was a brilliant audio adventure to continue the fourth series of The Diary of River Song! Things got right back on track with this one and I liked that it was mostly a standalone adventure whilst having a grander purpose in the arc of the boxset. There is something special about a murder mystery story and I like that they haven't been overdone in Doctor Who so far. The finest example is surely Unicorn and the Wasp which is just brilliant, but I imagine they may increase in the Jago and Litefoot spinoff series with the Victorian setting that seems to be the go to setting for a story of this nature. Time was playing up in this location though, which turned out to be a castle in Prague, and I liked the idea of pages being missing which provided gaps. As if a murder mystery wasn't already difficult! It wasn't hard to follow though which was good and I really liked how the events played out. River taking on the persona of Melody Malone was terrific and I liked how she was expected and somewhat revered by the residents of the castle. The use of the Doctor was very intriguing in this audio with him supposedly having been in a car accident with River prior to where the story started. I liked that it turned out all to be a fiction and her plan to trap the Discordia and rid them from the universe for good. Fiction is a wonderful concept to play with and the desperation of River Song to escape from the Discordia was on full display in the flashback sequence where she approached Franz Kafka for a mystery that would keep her conscious mind busy. Whilst she was solving a murder, unconsciously she'd be finding a way to defeat the Discordia. And she found it. She'd hoped to trap them in the fictionalised creation of a dying writer and have his death take them with him for good. It was an audacious plan but one I absolutely loved! I was a massive fan of The Mind Robber so playing with fiction again here was right up my alley. I enjoyed it very much. The Doctor actually making things difficult though with his interference, which was unheard for the listener, was quite typical and now the Discordia were still free. And they were on a mission. General Dante, who had excellent played the role of investigator after adopting a sense of humour, was determined to change history anywhere she'd stepped foot and also to alter her future. The Discordia didn't like someone getting the better of them. But for their new mission, they needed approval from the enigmatic Emperor. I do look forward to meeting him and also for the Doctor to join River Song in what is sure to be a phenomenal finale! I am very excited for what is to come. River suspecting things early on was good and showed why she was such a good investigator, but the only qualm I had was it not being totally clear that her memory was faded and hazy. Other than that, this was a fantastic audio adventure and when you can't see things, a murder mystery story somehow gets an added dimension and even more of an enigmatic feeling. Imagination really can run wild. Overall, an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

Kings of Infinite Space

"Professor River Song is dead."

Writer: Donald McLeary

Format: Audio

Released: September 2018

Series: The Diary of River Song 4.02

Featuring: River Song

Synopsis

With the Discordia on their tail, River and her friends run for their lives across time and space. But when your opponent can twist cause and effect to ensure victory at every turn, then escape may well be impossible.

Verdict

Kings of Infinite Space was a pretty decent continuation of the fourth series of The Diary of River Song. I must admit it was quite different to what I expected things to be after such a strong opener, but it was still an enjoyable story and definitely did well in setting the rest of the boxset up. But that is perhaps why it didn't score quite so highly in my rating because it definitely felt like a filler rather than a great adventure in its own right. I never quite got on board with what the end goal in this audio was for River Song as she just kept on running away from the Discordia. It really was like this spinoff series version of The Chase and that was certainly fun in some parts, but I was wondering when it would come to an end. I was quite saddened by the lack of impact in Gammarae's death as she was a very good little character and a very important part of Time in a Bottle and after all she experienced there, I was surprised she was killed off so easily. There was definitely a shift in how Melak was presented as an enemy and his fascination and history with River Song definitely provided an added interest so that was a positive. I thought it was great that we got some development on Spod and he got to enjoy more time with River Song as a pairing together as he was good, but the effects of the constant time jumps were taking its toll and that was saddening to hear. The little mention of Warwick Industries was a nice touch and I enjoyed the continued use of River's sonic trowel. One thing that was fantastic about this adventure was River selling just how terrible and almost unconquerable the Discordia were. She was desperate and needed the Doctor for help. but she realised that them interfering in his timeline could have huge ramifications, something we saw on display in Turn Left. I like that dilemma and I'm sure it'll end up being how River Song is able to meet the Fourth Doctor. I'll also be very surprised if their abilities to alter time is how the Doctor will presumably hold no memory of meeting his future wife. That's all to come though and I look forward to it very much. I wasn't a massive fan of Rattus I must say and that element of the adventure just seemed to be thrown in too late to make too much of an impact. The pre-credits ending with River being mortally wounded and thrown into a vacuum was excellent and I was quite stunned with that opening, but one thing I'm never a massive fun of is the good guys (in this case River) almost always getting killed when they're actually duplicates. She was essentially a perfect copy so why does the real River never die? I'm glad she didn't though and I actually thought the android was pretty humorous. The tie in at the end with it finally getting access to the Discordia computer mainframe and disabling the time travel was terrific. I really liked that and it definitely ended things on a big positive for a story that at times fell into a feeling of filler. I'm sure things will improve from here. Alex Kingston was magnificent as River Song again and I really like the raunchiness she brings to the role. I can't wait for more. Overall, a good continuation.

Rating: 7/10

Time in a Bottle

"How can Time be removed?"

Writers: Emma Reeves & Matt Fitton
Format: Audio
Released: September 2018
Series: The Diary of River Song 4.01

Featuring: River Song

Synopsis

River is recruited by a rival to explore a star system where time no longer exists.

Professor Jemima Still has picked up a signal from an impossible source and takes an expert team to investigate.

But their mission is about to unleash hell upon the universe.

Verdict

Time in a Bottle was an excellent way to kick off the fourth series of The Diary of River Song! I have been a huge fan of this spinoff range since the start and I'm glad I'll now get to hear River Song meet the Fourth Doctor, but that is yet to come. For now, River Song had a brilliant tale of her own. The Doctor was used as a way to lure her in, but that was his only feature in the story which worked very well. Revisiting some of her past by having an old archaeologist who was on the same course as her was great and Jemima was a really good character. I thought she was failing to offer much as the story went on but then the plot twist occurred in tremendous fashion and it turned out she had planned the whole thing. I really didn't see that coming so I was a big fan. Gammarae was another intriguing character and that wasn't just because she was far from being human. She reminded me a little of the Racnoss with her shape and voice but alas she wasn't to be. The respect she earned off River Song was very good though and I like the idea of River revelling in her reputation. She did get a little miffed when her status became almost mythical though! That was a pretty humorous moment. Spod joined them on their voyage and him being a warborg was very interesting. He was also quite modern and hip with his "amazeballs" thrown in and whilst that isn't something I'm usually a big fan of, I thought it worked well here and was suited to the story. The four of them made quite a quartet and their heading to Lyparia was really fascinating. That system intrigued me massively as it was a place without Time. Trying to comprehend that is a struggle but one I love exploring. River was needed to use Gallifreyan technology to get to the place and use a time bubble that would transfer them through their timeless surroundings. It was a concept and plot basis that sounds bonkers but worked tremendously well. I was a big fan. The conflict that ensued from the clashing of personalities there was very good, with Jemima and Gammarae particularly disagreeing once the former's true intentions were revealed. Her threatening to literally stamp on the one remaining hatchling of her species was horrific and even River seemed a little surprised. She's usually so assured of herself so that was testament to how awful the threat was. The mentions of the Time Lords were good and I like the idea of them also being thought of as mythical, especially since the Time War. The enemies for this adventure, and presumably the boxset as a whole, were the Discordia and I thought they were fantastic. They go back in time to reengineer it so that they always win and whilst they may get caught up in a paradox, they would still be victorious. They were pretty formidable and they took on the DNA and extended the gene pool of those they conquered. They were like extreme Krillitanes! I thought the shift in expecting the husband sending the signal to be the Doctor to actually be Melak, Jemima's husband, was tremendous and I really liked how well she played everyone. I didn't see why though as she hardly seemed to love him! She just wanted credit for his research. She really was horrible. But she met her fate as it was revealed that Melak was Discordia all along! River managed to get the others and the hatchling to safety, and the Discordia were still a scourge that needed defeating, and all that will come. Overall, a fine opener!

Rating: 9/10

Night Flight to Nowhere

"One day he would get himself a companion who didn't talk so much."

Writer: Unknown
Format: Short Story
Released: August 1982
Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1983

Featuring: Fifth Doctor

Synopsis

Tegan has convinced the Doctor to bring her to Heathrow Airport to catch up with her best friend from stewardess training, but she finds that Julie Harris is not acting of her own free will. She's due to steward a flight chartered by Rupert Masters of the Masters Corporation...

Verdict

Night Flight to Nowhere was a very decent way to conclude my reading of the 1983 Doctor Who Annual! Any story featuring the Master is usually a good way to lure me in and I was delighted that he appeared in a brand new adventure with the Fifth Doctor that was actually produced at the time of his era. The historian in me kind of views this as a primary source and for me to not have explored it until now made for delightful reading. I was bitterly disappointed to find that my copy of the Annual, purchased on eBay some time ago, had the last two pages of this story ripped out which left me with somewhat of a tarnished feel. I really wish I had checked when I bought it some time ago, but thankfully my girlfriend's Scribd subscription allowed me to complete the story in its whole. The plot is an audacious one with the Master essentially hijacking a plane and its crew, as well as several of the world's best-positioned people who he could do with what he pleased. I was quite stunned at how similar the story was to Aliens of London/World War Three with his ultimate aim something resembling a future Slitheen plan. Why didn't the Master take credit for the plan when he announced the reopening of Downing Street in The Sound of Drums? It's certainly something I'd expect him to do, but I do question how seriously Russell T Davies would have taken the Doctor Who Annuals. Their questionability continued in the usual form of the illustrations with the Master looking something like an older version of Roger Delgado's incarnation. Now, there's nothing at all wrong with that and I would love to get more adventures with that version of the Master before it all collapsed in The Deadly Assassin, and we did get that with A Doorway to Hell, but I'll assume here that it wasn't the intention. I'll ignore intentions though and say that the Fifth Doctor has met the first on screen Master. I like the thought of that. I thought Tegan did well as companion but I couldn't help but laugh, probably for the wrong reasons, at the Doctor's line about her that I just had to use as my opening quote for the adventure. Their relationship really is rather unique in Doctor Who history and this is just another element to add to what is a disdainful past and time together. Nyssa didn't have much to do in this story which was a shame but I liked how she seemed so normal compared to Tegan. The Master's painfully obvious disguise for the corporation was magnificent and exactly what I'd hope for at this time in the character's chronology so that was terrific. I thought we could have learned a little more about the plane's intended destination of the Master's domain through the gash in the sky which was a little bit of a shame, and I felt a little let down about the ending. I can fully appreciate the word restraints but the Doctor just shifting everyone into the TARDIS, which didn't seem possible with the minimal time left before entering the gash, seemed a little cheap to me. It was too easy and it didn't have the Doctor deal with the Master. He knew he'd come back though which was fantastic. Overall though, I still really liked this tale and thought the plan of the Master was excellent and would be better served in a story that had the capabilities to expand upon it.

Rating: 7/10

The Penalty

"Night waited for the Doctor."

Writer: Unknown
Format: Short Story
Released: August 1982
Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1983

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

The Fifth Doctor is in the TARDIS and has been passed out for two days. Tegan and Nyssa are understandably worried. He is suffering from Ponassan fever, but nobody knows how long it will last. The Doctor though is having a nightmare...

Verdict

The Penalty was a pretty decent little story but there definitely could have been some improvements to see this story receive a higher rating than I awarded. It was the first time in over a year that I have done a blog entry from the 1983 Doctor Who Annual and after finding my copy at the bottom of a cupboard following my move out of Bristol and back home (I wasn't even aware I had it with me in Bristol!), I was able to get back into reading it. This was the penultimate story in its pages and I find it quite staggering that I did the first story in this collection way back in 2014! It will all come to an end very soon though I'm sure as it usually doesn't take me to long finish something once I'm on the last. I look forward to that but for now this was quite an interesting little tale. There wasn't much at all for Nyssa and Tegan to do which was a little shame as they are companions that work well together and have very different attributes in terms of what they can bring to a story. They opened it up so I figured they were going to play a big part so I was quite surprised when that didn't turn out to be the case. It was all about the Doctor and his suffering from Ponassan fever. That essentially meant he was having a nightmare, and this is where I think the artwork let the story down a little bit. The Doctor Who Annuals of the Classic era are quite renowned for having shall we say questionable illustrations accompanying their short stories, but this one wasn't bad at all. It just wasn't quite correct. Or at least correct enough. I loved all of the moments where the Doctor was hearing little comments from his past companions and it was often quite obvious who it was that was saying the lines. So why couldn't the illustrations have matched? It was a missed opportunity in my book. I can appreciate that the Doctor was said to also be seeing enemies and Time Lords, but surely some art depicting the likes of Jamie or Jo would have been terrific. There was something close to a redemption when it was said that the Dren was some sort of amalgamation of all the Doctor's enemies, a staggering concept when you think about, but it also had the addition of being all of those the Doctor saw die. That must be quite the struggle to deal with so perhaps it wasn't that surprising when it was revealed that the Doctor was having a nightmare. The pondering of why people have nightmares was quite intriguing but I'm not sure if I can agree with it. Is it really a punishment for having a nice day? If that's true, well I haven't had a nice day for around 16 years! I may have a struggle some days, but that's pushing it quite far if I do say so. I think this story plays with some interesting concepts but it felt a little too much like a post-regeneration adventure with the Doctor's reaction to the fever. I think the nightmare element could have been incorporated into a previous regeneration but with what occurred in Logopolis with the Watcher and in Castrovalva with the Zero Room, there wasn't a lot of room to play with in that regard. Overall though, it was still a decent little adventure.

Rating: 6/10