Darkstar Academy

"Why do your prefects carry guns?"

Writer: Mark Morris

Format: Audio

Released: March 2012

Series: NSA 12

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

When the TARDIS is buffeted by "time slippage", the Doctor experiences a terrible vision of the end of everything. Tracking the source of the disruption, he takes Rory and Amy to what appears to be an English public school in the 1950s. But as the friends are about to discover, there are some very unusual things about Darkstar Academy. For a start the prefects carry guns, and then there is the strange forcefield that surrounds the perimeter. Not to mention the foot-long, crab-like creatures with spiny, armoured bodies... 

When the Doctor learns the truth about the Academy, he also discovers that the whole place is in terrible danger. But with a swarm of carnivorous creatures on the loose, what can he, Amy and Rory do to help prevent a terrible disaster?

Verdict

Darkstar Academy was a very good little audio to continue making my way through the original Eleventh Doctor audio adventures, albeit on a somewhat sporadic basis. I thought this was a solid tale and Alexander Armstrong did a great job as a narrator. He's an interesting choice but he is of course known in the Doctor Who universe as the voice of Mr Smith and also after appearing in The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe, which is most likely where the connection came for him to voice this tale. I enjoyed some of the throwbacks to the Fourth Doctor era in this story with it beginning by Rory and the Doctor playing chess. I enjoyed that a lot, but from there we were thrust straight into action as the Doctor collapsed and was seemingly engulfed by static which was quite unique. My instant thought was Daleks, but that would be unlikely given the format and range, and it actually turned out to be temporal disruption that the TARDIS had soaked up and very nicely placed in the Doctor's head which was quite amusing. I liked the threat of the Doctor being given a vision of the future, especially one that showed the end of everything as that's quite a big threat to live up to. Honestly, I don't think it really delivered on that scale but what we got was still good. The TARDIS arrived near the source of the disruption in a stable and the cricket reference that came with the Doctor was terrific. It appeared they'd arrived in 1950 which seemed a good setting at a public school, except the prefects had guns which was a little different to say the least! Canyon was a decent character as the headmaster and the initial encounter he had with the Doctor and co was very good with the psychic paper coming to the rescue showing the trio as inspectors. Amy encountering the forcefield was interesting and I think a little more could actually have been made of that. The Doctor though soon deduced that they were far from 1950 and were in fact in the 28th century as he recognised the vehicle repair in the cargo bay. It was all a bit strange. Rory had a good showing and I liked how he saved Milton from the school bullies, along with Amy's reaction to her man doing that. The sudden howls that engulfed the school was brilliant and the insects emerged in intriguing style, although I wasn't sure if they were entirely needed. The Doctor's constant passing out as a result of the time disruption was great and seemed perfectly suited to Matt Smith's incarnation. I can imagine him revelling in pulling this story off if it were televised. The Doctor describing how there was a bomb made out of time in the cargo was exciting as that was an excellent concept. The revelation that the prefects were actually security droids wasn't too surprising but was a good development and I liked how everyone ended up heading for the Pit. The school was actually a replica as the Darkstar Academy and was actually a satellite. Those within were the sons and heirs of the rich, something Amy looked on at with distain until she found that there was something similar and bigger for the daughters. The Doctor obtaining a spider creature was good in the specimen box and I liked how the objective of the conclusion was laid out as the priority was to disable the time machine before time collapsed. The action packed sequences that followed were very good. Amy and Milton had a good relationship together and I loved how the former guided the latter when it came to him encountering the TARDIS for the first time. Milton's father being revealed as a culprit and a man with a lot of enemies was interesting, but the bigger story was finding that an older Milton from the future was the cause of the time machine that the TARDIS had now landed within. The description of the rudimentary console was brilliant and I loved the concept of Milton building a time machine on the memories he had of the TARDIS. The Doctor very much didn't enjoy his motive of revenge on those who bullied him which was great and this Milton was clearly impacted by the time distortion. The Mexican standoff at the end was really good and I loved how the older Milton couldn't risk wiping out his younger self. That was really clever. Overall, a great little story!

Rating: 8/10

The Monster in the Woods

"There was no such thing as a completely ordinary place."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2017

Printed in: Tales of Terror 03

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

In the town of New Alverton on Halloween, something that has lurked within the woods for over sixty years is ready to leave. The Doctor tracks a deadly signal, and instead of attending a Halloween party he comes face to face with his greatest enemy...

Verdict

The Monster in the Woods was an excellent adventure to continue my way through the Tales of Terror collection of short stories! I really enjoyed this one and with how things started with a trio of children ready to go on their trick or treating for Halloween, I didn't expect to find them encountering a Dalek in the woods. That image as I turned the page was unexpected but worked so well and was a perfect use of how an illustration should be used in a story of this kind. It's perhaps a little cliche to go straight for Halloween when it comes to having a story within this collection, but it was actually a lot of fun particularly with the idea of Jo being dressed up and wanting to go to a Halloween party she and the Doctor had been invited to by Miss Hawthorne! That was some nice continuity from The Daemons but the Doctor didn't show too much interest in travelling back to Devil's End for a mere party. That seemed quite typically stubborn of the Third Doctor, whose characterisation was brilliant throughout. Jo being dressed up as a cat with whiskers was quite the image and definitely something I think Katy Manning would have pulled off with a lot of fun. I could just picture Benton coming in with another costume to provide a fun and humorous moment,  which was probably a missed opportunity even in this format! The Doctor's reaction to that outfit was also a good comical moment. The use of the woods setting within the village was good and I loved the idea of the Dalek within being referred to as Starman and having a legend in the village with people historically going missing and disappearing. The Doctor picking up the signal the Dalek was sending into the Time Vortex to try and get saved was good and the Dalek realising that and wanting his greatest enemy brought to him was terrific. The concept of the Dalek being a leftover from Day of the Daleks was great and I enjoyed how Jo reacted to those events. One element of the adventure I adored was the reference to The War Games and how news of the Doctor's exile had spread with his enemies rejoicing. That was magnificent and something that could be played on a little more. The Doctor wanting to take the Dalek back to UNIT HQ was intriguing and good to play on his exile desperation. He indicated that he was willing to help the Dalek, but even Jo knew that he was after the time travel codes of the Dalek. The image of a Dalek journeying in the back of Bessie was hilarious and once we returned to UNIT, it was clear that the Dalek was no typical native of Skaro. At least, not anymore. The Dalek had developed a conscience as we saw in the woods with Ian being let go and it even saying a thank you in a kind of Dalek way by mentioning how the children's lives had been spared. For a Dalek, that was a big deal! The Dalek laughing was creepy and I loved how Jo's reaction was described. It sold a lot for that which was very beneficial. This Dalek was just a lowly trooper and it didn't even have the access to time travel codes. The Doctor wasn't too fussed with that! The Dalek now had just one purpose and that was to destroy the Doctor which would be done by self destruction. The Doctor having to literally melt the heart of the Dalek before it could obliterate itself was brilliant and made us even seem quite sorry for the Dalek! Overall, a terrific adventure. 

Rating: 9/10

The Plotters

"It's Guy Fawkes, going down to the cellar, the lantern in his hand."

Writer: Gareth Roberts
Format: Novel
Released: November 1996
Series: Missing Adventures 28

Featuring: First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki

Synopsis 

'If anyone tries to interrupt this opening of Parliament, there'll be fireworks!'

London, November 1605. The TARDIS materialises at a crucial moment in British history. While Ian and Barbara set off for the Globe Theatre, Vicki accompanies the Doctor on a mysterious mission to the court of King James.

What connects the King's advisor Robert Cecil with the sinister hooded figure known as 'the Spaniard'? Why is the Doctor so anxious to observe the translation of the Bible? And could there be some dastardly plot brewing in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament?

As a history teacher, Barbara thinks she knows what to expect when she encounters a man called Guy Fawkes. But she is in for a very unpleasant surprise.

Verdict

The Plotters was a tremendous novel! I really enjoyed this one and even though it was quite clearly stated at the start and apparent throughout that the historical element of the story wasn't exactly accurate, I think that was a large part of its charm! I was a huge fan of the setting go 1605 in November with the potential of Doctor Who's take on the Gunpowder Plot being such a great idea. I think the choice to go with the First Doctor was excellent and I was hugely impressed with how perfectly this book fitted in with the early era. This could have so easily been a televised story and would have been superb as an educational story despite some of the false takes on historical characters and events. It was amusing for the Doctor to be so confident that he had returned Ian and Barbara to their own time, with his only miscue apparently being that they'd landed in Dundee. In fact, they did end up in London, just 360 or so years too early. Barbara and Ian being intrigued by when they had landed and wanting to do some exploring was really nice to read and I would definitely be the same! I also loved how sneaky the Doctor was in wanting to do some particular exploring of his own without his school teacher companions present. He was more concerned with the translation of the Bible that was ongoing at this time and it was just another example of his curiosity overcoming him which I always enjoy. Splitting the quartet of main characters worked really well and it's nice to explore the relationship between the Doctor and Vicki, something that I think gets forgotten with Susan more fondly thought of in hindsight. Vicki had an amusing story having to follow a similar predicament as in The Crusade where she took on the appearance of a boy where, as Victor, she caught the eye of none other than King James! He was a fun historical character and didn't seem too fussed on performing the duties that came with his monarch status. That damned speech! Robert Cecil is a name I am familiar with from my historical studies in which I have briefly touched over the events of the Gunpowder Plot, albeit not in as much detail as I might like. He was a good character here and his central role in knowing that the Doctor was not one of Divinity and seeing through Vicki's disguise was good, but the Doctor was able to counter him with his foreknowledge of the plot. When any of the TARDIS foursome revealed the intricate details of the plot when they couldn't possibly know of them, the reactions were a great deal of fun. The characterisation of the First Doctor in this one was fantastic and I loved his reaction to being referred to as a winter apple! He privately defended how he was quite a looker in his day which was just magnificent. Barbara realising when exactly in 1605 they had arrived and encountering Guy Fawkes herself was very good, but I was very surprised when she revealed all of her journeying through time and space! I enjoyed the plot device of Vicki stealing and then losing the TARDIS key from the First Doctor, and there were no spares! That provided quite the tricky predicament. However, things would get much trickier when it came to ensuring history occurred on its right path with Ian inadvertently ensuring that Guy Fawkes was killed before the Gunpowder Plot was uncovered! That was a sublime way to end the chapter. Hay served as a good lead villain and I was very surprised to find that not only was he also disguised as the mysterious Spaniard, but also Sybil! I was taken aback by the latter revelation in particular but it was fun for everyone to react and realise how his clothing took in all three of his personas. The Doctor being believed as a Great Behemoth was also very good and I loved how he quickly utilised the advantage he was provided with that status. I thought the ending was good with Hay taking the place of Guy Fawkes in history with the help of Cecil, and the statesman gratitude to the Doctor whilst also never wanting to see him again was great. Everyone catching up on events inside the TARDIS was very good and I liked how the Doctor wasn't exactly in everyone's good books! Overall, this was a fine story and I'm so glad it was a pure historical, even if some of the historical elements went a little long. An excellent read!

Rating: 9/10

Mastermind

"An interview with the Master! Wish me luck."

Writer: Jonathan Morris
Format: Audio
Released: July 2013
Series: Companion Chronicles 8.01

Featuring: The Master, Ruth, Charlie

Synopsis

The Vault – an archive of alien artefacts securely stored deep beneath the Angel of the North.

There's also a prisoner in the Vault. An extraterrestrial known as the Master. He has been on Earth for some time, but now he's under lock and key.

This is his story.

Or, as Captain Ruth Matheson and Warrant Officer Charlie Sato discover... perhaps it is theirs.

Verdict

Mastermind was a great Companion Chronicle! I am really glad that we returned to the setting of the UNIT Vault, also known as the Museum of Terrors, alongside the familiar voices of Ruth and Charlie. This one focused on one particular aspect rather than the entire Vault as was the case when we were introduced to the location in Tales From the Vault, and that was a fun little twist. The idea of the artefact being the Master was fantastic! I liked how things started with it still clearly early days for Charlie as a UNIT employee and the prospect of them actually having Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, was quite majestic. What I really loved was the inclusion of a grandfather clock within the Vault, but I wasn't actually expecting the Master to be a prisoner! He was so deadly that he was locked within a vault in the Vault and the clock had quite the history having been found in Ancient Egypt having been there for three millennia. There was also evidence of Dalek weaponry scorches which was good. I found it a little weird that the Master only awoke once every five years for an hour, but while he was conscious it was clear that he would get away. The protocols put in place by UNIT of not having any individual with the Master for more than ten minutes was good, along with the failsafe locking in and the willingness to kill the other. He was a master of hypnosis and UNIT weren't messing around when it came to the Master. Charlie's reaction to knowing that the Master was the prisoner was fun and I enjoyed the description of Roger Delgado's incarnation that he expected to see. We had nice references to The Mind of Evil and The Daemons as it was clear that Charlie had read the UNIT file! I was not expecting the events of The Movie to be so important as it got referenced and I didn't expect this incarnation of the Master to be post-events of that story. I did like that Grace had given a file to UNIT depicting those events and from there we had an interesting tale of the Master being in a vaporous state and yet another new body. I was very intrigued by the concept of the Master always reverting back to his natural state that we presumably would see in The Deadly Assassin. We then got a strange little tale of the Master's life on Earth from 1906 onwards and I found it amusing that he was on the Titanic! He also became the leader of the Hudson Dusters gang and had numerous bodies throughout the century. After conquering New York, he headed for Las Vegas and controlled the casinos. I mean, there's a whole Master spinoff from Big Finish possible in the events of the Chronicle. He needed electrical power to become a Time Lord again, but the best he could achieve was keeping one body for 40 years. His plan of always having a ready body by going through a family by generation was wonderfully disturbing, if maybe seemingly uncharacteristic. Frankie working out the chain was fun and I liked how his threat was killing himself. Ruth telling us the story of how the Master was detained back in 1993 amidst Croatia's independence from the Soviet Union was very good as he lost consciousness and then nicely mentioned the Brigadier and Jo. Ruth's idea of the Master working for UNIT was never going to end well and I thought it rather strange that she bargained with books and movies. The Master's plan of offering to change the past for both Charlie and Ruth and a traumatic event that occurred in their lives with a father or fellow soldiers respectively was very good, and once the offer was made the Master's escape was already complete. Charlie went back to the earthquake that took his father, but then when Ruth started bringing him back into thinking straight the Master had vanished! I liked that. Charlie thinking that he was actually the Master was also quite fun. The Master had hypnotised the pair of UNIT soldiers quite brilliantly, the alarm was dead and it was all a plan to retrieve something of his from the Vault. The best way of doing that? Become an artefact yourself. The way things ended with the failsafe already hit and Ruth and Charlie stuck was really good. Overall, a great audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Enemy of the Daleks

"The enemy doesn't leave survivors."

Writer: David Bishop

Format: Audio

Released: May 2009

Series: Monthly Adventures 121

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Hex

Synopsis

Bliss used to be a paradise planet. The Galapagos Islands of space.

But when the TARDIS brings the Doctor, Ace and Hex to Bliss, it's been over-run with ironweed plants, and the air is heavy with the stench of burnt silk and static electricity. 

Worse, the Daleks are coming, on the trail of a last patrol of starship troopers. Holed up in the Roarke 279 research facility, Lieutenant Beth Stokes is preparing her last stand against the invaders.

But there's a secret on Bliss, a secret guarded by the obsessive Professor Shimura... This time, could it be the Daleks who need saving?

Verdict

Enemy of the Daleks was a brilliant audio adventure to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures from Big Finish! I really enjoyed this one and I was glad that there was no messing around when it came to introducing the Daleks as they pretty much kickstarted the story. It's always a little annoying when a story title reveals that the Daleks will be present, only for a part one cliffhanger to have them revealed. It's always a little bit of a let down. Here though, we had the Black Dalek making a triumphant opening and it was nice to get this particular Dalek encountering the Seventh Doctor. The setting of Bliss worked well and I was intrigued that a planet with that name seemed to have a lot of industrialisation occurring, something that the Doctor knew wasn't right. I liked how the enigmatic personality of the Seventh Doctor was on show as he was up to something and wanted Ace and Hex to stay in the TARDIS. Of course, that wouldn't be happening. I liked the background music throughout the adventure a lot and it was almost like an action movie at times which was great. The use of the insect swarm that was coming for the Doctor and his companions was really good and when the end seemed to be near, I thought it was a lot of fun to have Hex suggest to Ace they engage in meaningless sexual activity. She abruptly declined which wasn't too surprising! The concept of the valkyrie unit that was a female force comprised to battle the Daleks was excellent and the characters of Beth and Khan were excellent. I was a big fan of both. Hex's relationship with the latter was definitely a highlight of the audio and his reaction when she sadly passed away, as well as his general comments to all of the death he has encountered on his travels, was telling and powerful. The Doctor knowing that events here on Bliss contributed towards a huge Dalek atrocity was interesting and I liked how his companions reacted to that. It was a nice twist for the Doctor having to ensure that the atrocity occurred, but its meaning wasn't fully realised until after part one. I thought Ace was terrific in this adventure and definitely one of her best in a while with her use of Dalek knowledge from past encounters shining through here. She was very impressive. Sistermatic was a lot of fun and the idea of the contagion being contained and something potentially eating its way out of victims was disturbing. Shimura was another good character and I enjoyed his interactions with the Doctor. He had summoned the Daleks to Bliss to test out his Kiseibya creation. It was formed in a metal womb and despite an iffy moment with the joke about feasting on the Doctor's flesh, the concept behind it of feeding on metal and being the combination of silk worm and piranha locust DNA was quite something! Shimura had created something to prey on the Daleks which was fantastic and the fact that he had turned his colleagues into Kiseibya incubators was terrifying. The breeding of the Kiseibya was rapid and the way we almost felt sorry for the Black Dalek after its outer casing was fed on was very powerful. It almost seemed to want the Doctor's help which was superb! There was a lot of action which was fun and the Kiseibya that was head of the pack and first to be created made for a really good enemy. The Doctor getting to question the Daleks on what it felt like to be a species regarded as lunch was tremendous and I also enjoyed how Hex clung onto life because where it was, there was hope. I wasn't so sure about him giving up the Daleks though, especially as he didn't know of them prior to this adventure. One element of the story I enjoyed was how badly the Dalek labour camps were sold as. They were just a place you didn't want to end up which was terrific. The question of what happened for the Kiseibya once the Daleks were gone was good to leave hanging over the story and I was quite surprised by how Shimura offered himself to his creation to lay their eggs as he wanted to live on in their offspring and the next generation. Talk about disturbing! The Doctor knowing that events on Bliss were fixed was very good and him being questioned on why he wanted to wipe out a race capable of ending the Daleks and their wars seemed more than justified. The similarities and reference to Genesis of the Daleks were fantastic, particularly with the use of wires to detonate the Black Dalek to wipe out the Kiseibya. The last remaining Daleks sacrificing themselves just showed how deadly the Kiseibya threat really was and worked very well as an ending, along with Beth's sacrifice. Overall, a fantastic audio!

Rating: 9/10

Something at the Door

"Who's to say that the supernatural isn't as real as everything else we've encountered?"

Writer: Mike Tucker
Format: Short Story
Released: September 2017
Printed in: Tales of Terror 02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie

Synopsis

Exploring the innards of the TARDIS corridors, Polly, Ben and Jamie stumble across another control room and find a Ouija board. Will there be anyone on the other side in this place? Spirits come to devour...

Verdict

Something at the Door was a great little story to continue my reading of the Tales of Terror collection of adventures! I thought this was definitely an improvement on the first outing and a really fun way to use the horror theme with a quite brilliant quartet of main characters. I was quite surprised by how little the Doctor featured in the story for the first two-thirds or so of the adventure, but that didn't matter one bit as the interaction between the three companions was just wonderful. I am a huge fan of Polly, Ben and Jamie together and they really didn't get enough adventures together during Season 4. Thankfully, a number of their stories have been animated in recent years and this was just fantastic to get an extra story in a different format here. Now, I'm going to mention this early as when I turned the page and caught a glimpse of the singular illustration that went with the short story, I almost scoffed at how horrendous it was! The drawing of the Second Doctor was decent with a good likeness of Patrick Troughton depicted, but when it came to the companions they were completely different! It was quite startling and reminded me of some of the Classic-era Doctor Who Annual short story illustrations. It really was laughable, with Ben in particular being so incredibly far removed from how Michael Craze looked during his time in Doctor Who. I think it was definitely beneficial that it came late on in the story because I was really enjoying up to that point. It was quite clear that events here were set soon after The Highlanders as Jamie was still coming to terms with the size of the TARDIS interior which was really fun. Exploring the TARDIS is always something I'm a big fan of and I enjoyed how Polly was taking the male companions around on a whim as she was quite lost. Ben was keeping track of some of the collected mementoes which was good and I loved how they ended up in the secondary control room we wouldn't see on screen until the era of the Fourth Doctor! I am a massive fan of eras clashing and this was right up my alley. I liked how mysterious it seemed for the companions to see similarities in the control rooms. The reference to The Tenth Planet with the Doctor's change of appearance mentioned was good, but then the entire premise of The Power of the Daleks was made obsolete in one sentence as even though he witnessed the change, Ben really didn't believe his own eyes when it came to the Doctor's identity. That was a little slip. Having a Ouija board in the TARDIS was a lot of fun and that style of story with the supernatural occurring within the TARDIS itself was fantastic. I liked the analogy of the Vortex being an ocean with Ben realising that the TARDIS wasn't alone in travelling through time and space. Jamie being used as a gateway for the enigmatic supernatural intent on devouring was good and that is definitely a unique way to get on board the TARDIS through subconscious! The Doctor's incantation in the control room was also very good and I think Patrick Troughton would have been a delight there. I'm not sure what to make of his words being just a recipe and the idea of some creatures thinking they could be defeated, but I did enjoy that it was in Ancient High Gallifreyan. Overall, a very fun and thoroughly entertaining adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Murder in the Dark

"It's our job to make that dead body talk."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2017

Printed in: Tales of Terror 01

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis

The First Doctor and his companions Steven and Dodo end up being engrossed at a halloween party, playing games like apple bopping and musical statues. But once murder in the dark is the game of choice, they soon realise they are playing more than just mere party games...

Verdict

Murder in the Dark was a decent start to the Tales of Terror collection of horror-themed short stories! Now, I'm a big fan of the horror genre when it comes to watching movies, and Doctor Who has definitely had some great stories that could be considered something along the lines of horror such as The Unquiet Dead or even Blink, but devoting a whole collection to terror adventures for the first twelve Doctors is a great idea! I was intrigued by how things started here with the First Doctor and I liked that the less common trio of him, Steven and Dodo were present. There really aren't enough Dodo stories so it was really good to get some more of her and she was the focus for much of the first half of the adventure. The way this story played on the famous part of The Chase where all the supposed evil occurrences were just part of an attraction was pretty good, but maybe a little too resemblant. I think comparisons would be less drawn if it featured a different incarnation of the Doctor than the first. For much of the story, we were playing typically halloween party games with the likes of apple bobbing and musical statues. I thought that worked well and with the events being so unfamiliar to Dodo, and especially Steven, it was really fun for them to interact with these elements and be clearly quite terrified! It seems a little silly now, but that was good to play around with. Dodo initially being frightened of what she thought was a Monoid was good and something I would have liked to come back to. The reference of The Ark was good though and it was nice to follow that up with references to the trio's recent outings in The Celestial Toymaker and The Gunfighters. It's always nice for them to reflect on recent adventures and experiences, and for this trio there wouldn't be too many more! Dodo initially thinking that the party guests were controlled by the music whilst playing musical statues was very funny and even though he didn't appear for a huge amount of time, the calmness of the First Doctor amidst all the weird ongoings was magnificent. The game of murder in the dark, a great title for this story by the way, was interesting as the Doctor was dubbed the detective with both Steven and Dodo the murderers. The idea of him having to choose between his companions was good and I thought more could have been made of that before each companion confessed to the murder neither had committed! The Doctor winning the game by revealing the true killer as the Celestial Toymaker was most unexpected, especially so soon after the events of their initial meeting! I would have preferred that story didn't get referenced earlier on, and whilst his revelation came far too late with only another two pages to follow, it was a fantastic moment that admittedly put a smile on my face. I really didn't see it coming. Some more explanation as to how he survived would have been good, but the ending with another TARDIS arriving in the Toyroom suggesting the battle was far from over was chilling. It was a perfect end for a story in a collection like this one. Overall, this was a fun little tale that probably was a tad repetitive on blurring the lines between reality, but it was terrific to have the First Doctor encounter the Celestial Toymaker once again! 

Rating: 7/10

Gardeners' World

"This monument doesn't belong here."

Writer: George Mann

Format: Audio

Released: February 2017

Series: Short Trips 7.02

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

Strange occurrences plague the village of Colston Burghley – a medieval monument has appeared on the village green, postboxes have disappeared... and there's trouble in Meredith Bright's back garden. When Mike Yates finds himself at a loss, it's down to the Doctor and Jo Grant to get to the root of the trouble...

Verdict

Gardeners' World was a fantastic little Short Trips audio! This was a real delight to listen to on my lunch break and was just a fun and simple (relatively) adventure. I thought it captured the era of the Third Doctor really well and I liked how well the relationship between him and Jo was also written. It just felt like it would slot in perfectly at pretty much any point between Seasons 8 and 10. That's a big compliment, but I honestly didn't expect anything less from George Mann as he is definitely one of my favourite writers. I liked how things started mysteriously with the strange goings on in the village of Colston Burghley and I initially figured that the new monument that had arrived on the green was the Master's TARDIS! It would make sense given the era for the Doctor and it just seemed like a feasible option as monuments don't tend to arrive out of thin air! I was expecting a situation similar to The Keeper of Traken. I was a big fan of how the Doctor's love of Bessie shone through when it came to getting to the village, and from there we found that the monument was actually quite old and full of moss. It gave ill effects to anyone who touched which was interesting, and I loved the deliberate use of language from the Doctor when it came to the monument not being alien and also not of this universe. His explanation of the parallel world theory was magnificent and I also enjoyed that Jo knew of and mentioned the events of Inferno despite not being with UNIT at the time. Having Yates as another familiar character in the story was good and I was intrigued when he was getting shocked by some plants. There was dimensional dissonance and the roses had mysteriously been adapting to their surroundings! They were a living alloy which heightened my interest. Meredith Bright was a fun character and I liked how she had been tending the roses in her garden. They were pretty and unusual and as a gardener, she'd found herself talking to these new additions. Incredibly, they seemed to provide her with luck before they had grown uncontrollable and attracted pests. These pests being time parasites that feed on causality in the form of Fidians was really good! They were essentially alien technology that had clung onto a meteorite that struck the village a century earlier. Each flower of the roses represented a different thread of possibility with each whole rose being a divergent point. The plants were designed to navigate future histories which I thought was just tremendous! This was how Meredith got lucky from the plants because she had unknowingly learned how to control it. The concept of the Fidians in thriving on chaos was great and I loved how they were attracted by shifting timelines and the flowers had to adapt to survive. Yates being unable to leave the garden grounds was a humorous moment and I enjoyed how it was down to Meredith to fix things with her control and find a future where nothing had happened. The Fidians impacted the process though and temporarily wrote Yates out of existence! The Doctor letting them feed on the much juicer TARDIS was good and the use of the cloister bell showed how bad things were for it. Meredith making another effort and succeeding was decent and a timeline had been found where the meteorite never destroyed the church so the Fidians never came. It was a bit paradoxical, but it worked. Overall, a terrific listen!

Rating: 9/10

Wormwood

"The tyranny of distance has just been abolished."

Writer: Scott Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: June-October 1998
Printed in: DWM 266-271

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Izzy, Fey, Shayde

Synopsis

The Doctor has regenerated, or has he?

The TARDIS arrives in Wormwood, an American village, in 1880. However, the Doctor and his companions soon discover they are not on Earth, but the Moon. They have been lured into a final confrontation with the Threshold...

Verdict

Wormwood was a fantastic finale to the Endgame graphic novel! I thought this was a really impressive comic strip to bring an end this run of adventures. It's been a great start to life for the Eighth Doctor in this format and I liked how the arc concluded here, albeit there not being massive linkage between stories which I think actually worked in its favour. Following on from the epic conclusion to The Final Chapter with the apparent regeneration of the Doctor, I can't imagine what it would have been like reading the first four parts back in 1998 with not even an indication that the Eighth Doctor would be returning. It's such a bold idea and it worked really well with the personal chameleon perception and the use of Shayde and a Matrix personal imprint. As if all that wasn't enough, we were taken to a terrific setting of Wormwood which was an amalgamation of twentieth century brilliance and all the sites to see from Earth! I thought the artwork for the panel showing the likes of the Hollywood sign and Empire State Building was outstanding and I was certainly a big fan of the setting. The return of the Threshold wasn't too much of a surprise, but the sudden way in which they were inserted into the adventure at the end of part one was great. I really enjoyed the reactions of Izzy and Fey to the Doctor's apparent regeneration as they couldn't quite believe what had happened! That was really fun and I loved their reactions at the end of part four when the real Doctor emerged. It was certainly weird for the first four parts to have the 'Doctor' with an unfamiliar appearance, but that was part of the charm reading in hindsight and knowing that the regeneration was a fake. The reference to Marco Polo was really nice and I also liked how the Doctor mentioned Ace, albeit not by name, as the previous owner of the baseball bat Izzy wielded towards the end of the story.  I thought the cliffhanger at the end of part three was superb with all of outer space being destroyed! I mean, it doesn't get much more emphatic than that. The plan of the Threshold being to basically use the event as a profit-making scheme was just absurd in a brilliant way. With the universe in perpetual panic, they were quick to send out an information video with the help of the Doctor, unwillingly, providing universal translation. The Pariah and Abraham linking and actually having very different aims was very good and the action of the former to just move Wormwood one second into the future and essentially destroy the Threshold was unexpected but worked very well! The Pariah and Shayde doing battle was terrific and the cliffhanger of part five with the latter crushed was quite something! I enjoyed Shayde being likened to Rassilon's action figure very much. Great line. The pace of part six was very exciting and I admired how Fey provided the willpower required to keep Shayde alive, even if that meant the two had to become one. Of course, I have already read the Oblivion graphic novel so I know a lot of what eventually happens there so it was nice to actually get the origin. The cost of not reading things in order! I thought the conclusion itself was good, but there is definitely a little stretch in how everything was put back to being all well in the universe by blowing up the Moon. Izzy's reaction to that was sublime. Oh, and while I remember the Shayde Doctor's reply after Izzy corrects him on her name as "is he?" was just marvellous. Fey going off as Feyde was good and fitting after it was revealed she had been an unwilling spy all this time and I liked how Izzy also confided in the Doctor at the end. Overall, a brilliant comic strip!

Rating: 9/10

The Final Chapter

"'The Doctor': Fact or Fiction?"

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: March-June 1998

Printed in: DWM 262-265

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Izzy, Fey, Shayde

Synopsis

Fey and Izzy return the Doctor to Gallifrey, where he enters the Matrix to save himself. When an Academy dropout takes an unhealthy interest in him, the Doctor and his companions are lured into a society that threatens the existence of Gallifrey... and Rassilon himself.

Verdict

The Final Chapter was an excellent comic strip story to get me back reading through the Endgame graphic novel! I'm a big fan of any adventure that takes us to Gallifrey, and this one did so much more than just give us a visual of the Eighth Doctor being on his home planet. It followed on from the ending of Tooth and Claw very well and whilst it was a little quick for the Doctor to be recovered, the way that his mind was taken into the Matrix was very good. The Doctor encountering Rassilon always seems like a big occasion and this was no different. It's not exactly unique for it to have been envisaged that there is a time where Gallifrey falls victim, but this was the case once again here with the threat of the Elysians being very real. I thought the cliffhangers were very strong in the one, particularly that of part one where the future showed that the Doctor needed to die. At least, to the Elysians that was. The quick emergence of Shayde to save the day was wonderful and some really great continuity. I loved the idea of the Doctor being a legend on Gallifrey and the references to the likes of The Deadly Assassin and The Invasion of Time of what he has achieved on the planet were terrific. Whilst I am not sure if the continuity is sound (let's be honest, when is it ever?), the idea of the Gallifreyan people not knowing if the Doctor was fact or fiction was superb. I would have liked a little more mentioned regarding that, but the idea in itself was so good that there didn't need a huge amount of elaboration. The talk of the Type-40 TARDISes being decommissioned, except one, is always fun and that was certainly the case once again here. I really liked the Elysians as the enemies and them thinking of themselves as the Final Chapter was excellent. I was a big fan of that and their efforts to go back to year zero and change Gallifrey's history as we know it was fantastic! I loved seeing the moment, albeit briefly, of when Rassilon gave the Time Lords their power through the Eye of Harmony and took on the task of guarding Time. That's pretty monumental and following The Timeless Children, I wonder if anything will soon come of that for the Thirteenth Doctor. Xanti being used to power the planet that in itself was almost cross-figured into being a makeshift TARDIS was tremendous and the imagery of the pillar being a central column was incredible! I didn't see that coming and thought it was very clever. Lucifer being revealed as the true enemy was really good and I enjoyed Uriel's interaction with the Doctor and telling all about the Elysians. Their history was very interesting and just extended everything that comes with Gallifreyan past and what had occurred on the Doctor's planet. The sacrifice the Doctor made at the end of the story to stop Gallifrey from being rewritten was brilliant and I liked how willing he was to sort things out. He knew that he was needed as a time brain and didn't give it a second thought, quickly ushering his companions into the TARDIS and then shifting them off with a fake Dalek distraction. The way things ultimately concluded with Rassilon sourcing the Eye of Harmony as was written thanks to a last gasp time jam was great, but how things ended with the Eighth Doctor seemingly regenerating were just outstanding! A sublime cliffhanger and I am very intrigued to read how this might be resolved. It doesn't get much better in terms of a cliffhanger finish to be honest. Overall, an excellent comic strip adventure.

Rating: 9/10

Death on the Mile

"I was attacked by huge green aliens in my kitchen."

Writer: Donald McLeary
Format: Audio
Released: August 2018
Series: Lady Christina 1.04

Featuring: Lady Christina

Synopsis

Lady Christina has been offered a job; the heist of a lifetime. She simply has to break into Edinburgh Castle.

At the same time, UNIT are investigating alien activity at the Military Tattoo. And where there's treasure and treachery, there are also Slitheen...

Verdict

Death on the Mile was a great conclusion to the Lady Christina spinoff series! I have really enjoyed this boxset and I do hope that it is not the last of her adventures with Big Finish. Michelle Ryan has been a joy to listen to in this lead role and I loved that things finished with another familiar enemy in the Doctor Who universe. It started well with Elaine calling Jackie regarding her husband's change in attitude and personality with him just consistently being nice. Given the front cover of the CD, us listeners obviously knew the reasoning behind it. The Edinburgh setting was magnificent and it's a fantastic city and one of my all-time favourite places I have visited following a surprise anniversary gift for a trip there last year. I thought the concept of a treasure hunt for Christina was perfect and so much fun. The history of the Seven Years War being told was good and I liked the idea of a war chest of George II's being lost, until now. Sam Bishop from UNIT returning alongside Christina was a lot of fun and it was nice for them to continue building their relationship that has developed over the series. The Military Tattoo parade to go along with the Edinburgh setting was good and with Christina tasked with breaking into Edinburgh Castle, her efforts of trying to bluff her way in were a lot of fun. Edinburgh Castle is an imposing attraction and works really well for this kind of adventure. The use of the alien truth venom to discover her way of entry through the council bin collection was terrific. Once she had acquired a bin lorry, her attempt to get into the grounds was great as she was caught by Biggsy who noticed she wasn't actually a 62-year-old called Derek. The violence she resorted to in order to gain entry was rather amusing. Sam being caught by Handley was a good moment and I liked how a large number of the cast we had already been introduced to turned out to all be part of the Slitheen family. Christina's entry into the anteroom was good and I liked how the map didn't correlate with what she could see. The treasure actually laying beneath the foundations of Edinburgh Castle was a good issue to provide Christina with and the way Edward, revealing himself as also being a Slitheen, was able to provide the firework distraction was very good. Coupling that with the revelation that the whole theft was a Slitheen rouse was great and I liked how they utilised Christina's matter displacement device. The meeting again between Christina and Sam was good natured and I liked how the latter referenced UNIT's involvement in Aliens of London/World War Three when it came to knowing that the Slitheen were behind events. Also, their zipper was showing! Sam's description of the Slitheen was impressive and made them out to be horrific mercenaries, if not going slightly over the top but it definitely gave them a lot of credence. This section of the Slitheen family was a different side to those we saw battle the Ninth Doctor. These had been hiding and were building theirs means of getting off the planet. The one thing about the Slitheen that's amusing is how easily they can be defeated, as evidenced here with three of them being knocked off in one go by some pickled onions. That led to the Slitheen excellerating their plans and liquefying the rock beneath Edinburgh Castle, which sat upon a no longer dormant volcano. There was a lot going on and the action packed bus journey to retrieve the treasure was really good. The similarities and references to Portrait of a Lady were fantastic and it was rather amusing to have some vinegar from Jackie's dinner setup knock off another two of the family to leave just Sir Edward. I thought he could have showed more compassion towards his lost family members in all honesty. One of the first tourist sites I visited on my trip to Edinburgh last year was the Wallace Monument, so the image of it being turned into a rocket taking off at the hands of the Slitheen was quite something! As was the crash into Arthur's Seat! That was a tough climb and doing it on our travel day after arriving into the city was unique to say the least, so Christina plugging the hole of the volcano with Edinburgh Castle itself was quite the image! I love a story that takes place in a familiar surrounding. I thought it was fun to find that the treasure was actually just the first printed money and now worthless. I kind of expected something along those lines but that didn't take anything away. Christina managing to escape from Sam again was a wonderful way to end and I like the idea of her going to Iceland and meddling with some Metebelis crystals. What could go wrong? I do hope we get to hear that story one day. Overall, a very good end to the series!

Rating: 8/10

Portrait of a Lady

"A great warrior of Sontar, reduced to the status of a dog."

Writer: Tim Dawson
Format: Audio
Released: August 2018
Series: Lady Christina 1.03

Featuring: Lady Christina, Sam

Synopsis

When her plot to steal a priceless painting runs into trouble, Christina crashes into an undercover UNIT operation – and Sam Bishop.

Soon, her Number 200 bus is racing from Europe to South America and into the depths of the Pacific, chasing a mysterious and unstoppable foe...

Verdict

Portrait of a Lady was a fantastic audio adventure to continue along the first series of Lady Christina! This was a thoroughly enjoyable story from start to finish and I liked how things began somewhat mysteriously beneath the International Gallery with Leon and Lucy targeting a theft after being given some orbs as a means of entry from the enigmatic El Guapo. The change of the opening theme was interesting with it meeting the theme of the story, but I don't think it was as good as the traditional one we returned to at the end. That's quite funky and suits Christina well. The arrival of a Sontaran in this adventure was delightful as they are right up there when it comes to my favourite enemies and I have been longing to blog a story featuring them! It was quite interesting that Grunt was serving Kamen, an apparent human, as that just didn't seem to be a traditional Sontaran activity. The value of the Perfection painting that was stolen seemed incredibly high which was fun and I enjoyed getting a featured performance from Sam alongside Lady Christina after his cameos in the first two outings. I was surprised that they weren't referenced, particularly the call in It Takes a Thief, but that wasn't a big issue. His impersonation of Juan Paulo was terrific and he certainly had Leon and Lucy fooled. I was loving it when Grunt told of his love for the glory of battle and the voice by the returning Christopher Ryan being so wonderfully resemblant of the modern era's Sontarans was outstanding. I was a huge fan of that uniformity and continuity. Kamen was an intriguing villain and his sights being set on Perfection were very good. Hearing of how he was controlling Grunt made me feel quite sorry for the Sontaran given the brain implant that meant he thought of Kamen as his commander. Christina's late arrival into the audio was emphatic as she attacked the probic vent of the Sontaran before revealing that she was in fact El Guapo! I thought that was magnificent. Perfection being so valuable because of its alien origin was logical and I also loved how Sam could see the value Christina might present to UNIT. If she ever ended up joining the UNIT audios from Big Finish, well that would just be marvellous! Her meeting Kate would be so much fun. Getting some emotion from Christina when she said the only person she'd work for was the Doctor but he rejected her was good and from there things got really fun as she and Sam embarked on a jolly bus outing. They'd headed to a secret secure auction house in the Amazon in Argentina which was certainly unique and with Kamen and Grunt following, an action packed chase ensued which was really entertaining. The use of the bus and the shields failing before embarking underwater was brilliant! It really was so much fun. The reveal of sharks with the same implants that Grunt was under was unexpected and I liked the idea of them guarding something. The arrival of Leslie Plush into proceedings was handled very well and it was clear from the off that she was in charge. She was the keeper of the International Gallery where the initial theft had occurred, but here underwater was her own private gallery away from the grubby hands of the eternal public. I enjoyed that a lot. Plush being so confident in her surroundings that she left Perfection with Christina was good and I was a little taken aback when the painting began to speak! Within was a woman trapped in the canvas in pain and sick of being pursued. She just wanted things to stop and that was quite emotional. Being trapped in a painting must be quite horrific! Sam's encounter with Grunt was excellent and I loved how he mocked Sontaran honour and wanted a traditional fist fight. His appeals led Grunt to realise that he wanted vengeance on Kamen for controlling him and he was able to die with honour like any good Sonataran by taking his forced commander out with him. That was a fitting way to end his adventure. He was Marshall Scraal after all! Christina taunting Plush and questioning whether she had let herself see Perfection was great and it was clear she was a little scared. After some pushing, Perfection was able to be free once Plush opened herself up to it which was a fitting end, but not before some marvellous humour as Christina escaped from Sam on her bus after pickpocketing her keys! Ah, so much fun. Overall, a brilliant audio!

Rating: 9/10

Skin Deep

"Everyone's doing Amber."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2018

Series: Lady Christina 1.02

Featuring: Lady Christina 

Synopsis

Sylvia Noble always knew she deserved better. So, when a chance encounter with aristocracy propels her out of Chiswick and into high society, she's delighted. 

But the beautiful people have their own agenda – and Christina is surprised when those plans involve her father.

Verdict

Skin Deep was a decent continuation of the Lady Christina spinoff series! I thought it was certainly an interesting pairing to have her alongside Sylvia Noble and whilst I'm not sure what the thinking was behind that, it was certainly unique! Their chance meeting at a salon was good and from there they fostered a really nice friendship. Christina used her talents to take Sylvia to the opening night gallery and from there she was living the high life. The introductions of Tamaraind and Malia were good and I liked the idea behind the Amber product that would rid a wearer of their wrinkle lines. My intrigue peaked when a man jumped to his death for being too pretty and claiming he should be ugly. That set the tone in a dark way which was good. Sylvia referencing Donna and how she was off with her husband was nice and it's just lovely to know that she is enjoying her life, even if her mother thinks she could have done better than her other half! Christina noticing the ATMOS sat-nav from The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky was excellent and I liked how Sylvia's story for all of Donna's time with the Doctor meant her 'travels'. The line about Donna not being able to take her souvenirs was heartbreaking though and a stark reminder of how difficult it must be for Sylvia to ensure Donna doesn't remember her time with the Doctor. Christina forcing her way into a tour of the Noble household was great and I loved how she was even interested in Wilf's shed. Sylvia later realising that she was scoping the house for alien tech or artefacts to steal was hilarious. The gathering of elites was a good setting for much of the second part of the story and I was fascinated that Christina encounter her father! It had been three years since their last meeting and they clearly had an iffy relationship at best. It was nice character development and he turned out to be quite a likeable character. His knowing all about Christina's actions and actually calling her a disgrace to the family was unexpected though. The elite and rich theme throughout the audio was a little tiresome if I'm being honest and I was getting a little annoyed of listening to them. The Partners in Crime reference from Sylvia and her likening of the Adipose to Amber was very good, except this time around the product was just for the select few which was definitely an important distinction. Malia and Tamarind mocking Sylvia for being old was a shame but it was a good twist when they told her about Christina's thieving. Sylvia soon realised that she was merely in attendance as a distraction for Lady Christina's latest scheme. She was soon feeling under the weather though because of Amber and the needs of the enemy to plant their eggs and have tastier skin was interesting to say the least. Sylvia cracking one of their shells and hearing the beetles emerge was a little weird, but from there I thought things got slightly silly with Amber. I was also very surprised that when Sylvia mentioned the Doctor, Christina didn't even react and them talking about the Doctor as that was the one common thread between the characters really ought to have happened. The Amber voice was possibly even more annoying than their human form which was a shame as the concept was actually decent. Christina's dad getting to take the initiative and pretend to help the Amber by offering them help in exchange for youth was very good and his sacrifice was certainly admirable! The image of everybody being wrapped in cocoons was amusing, as was Sylvia's reaction when she learned of the alien intent in Christina's theft. Sylvia not being overly effected by the Amber poisoning was good and I thought it was nice how it was a ring from Donna that sent healing waves around there that prevented her from the fate that befell the rest of the invited guests. The way it was used in the conclusion was great and I thought it was fantastic to have Sam Bishop again show up at the end and provide Sylvia with antibiotics not yet on the public market. I look forward to him getting a full adventure with Christina. Sylvia's appeal to Christina's dad at the end and how she blamed herself for pushing Donna too close to the sun with the Doctor was quite emotional and I'd just love for a meeting between Christina and Donna in the future! For now though, this was another good little tale. 

Rating: 7/10

It Takes a Thief

"I've never been found guilty of anything."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: August 2018

Series: Lady Christina 1.01

Featuring: Lady Christina

Synopsis

The French Riviera has always provided rich pickings for the aristocratic cat-burglar. Lady Christina is enjoying the high life while adding to her collection.

But when suspicion falls on her after a robbery-turned-murder, Christina decides to catch the culprit herself...

Verdict

It Takes a Thief was a brilliant start to the Lady Christina series! I must admit that even I was surprised and sceptical by the idea of this character getting her own spinoff, but Michelle Ryan pulled off a triumphant return to the role and this was a very fun hour of audio drama. It started well with the murder of Maud Hunter and the theft of the tiara and given our knowledge of the series lead character, it appeared that this was carried out by Lady Christina. The fact that Maud was part of French nobility was intriguing and I should also mention the funky opening theme for this series. I thought it was really good and definitely suits the kind of story I expect from Lady Christina. The setting of Nice was great and the whole riviera vibe fit perfectly for a theft-themed adventure. Ivo was a fantastic character to have Christina alongside and the action packed start where she helped him get his wallet back after it was stolen was a lot of fun, especially with the car chase and how she put on the brakes in front of the thieves! This seemed to be a little bit of time removed from the events of Planet of the Dead and I liked how Christina had personal issues since then. She definitely seemed a little more lighthearted and I loved that this was attributed to the Doctor's impact on her life. Ivo having in his possession a very valuable ring of his grandma's was terrific and it was very coincidental (not really!) that both he and Christina were staying at the same hotel. Their being greeted by INTERPOL was very good and Flavia Santos made for a really great villain in the end. Christina being accused of Maud's murder worked well and I thought it was wonderful that her alibi was that she was actually in Monte Carlo stealing a necklace. She seemed intrigued by this theft and likened it to an amateur given the murder to go alongside it. Finding out that Christina had planned all along to steal Ivo's ring away was not too surprising but very fun but I was surprised that she hadn't orchestrated the theft of his wallet. Of course, the intentions there were even better by the end. It was interesting to discover that there was a recent meteor crash in the area and it turned out that the jewel in Maud's tiara was not of this Earth. That was intriguing and it soon led Christina and Ivo to go to the scene of the crime and find some unearthly scorch marks. Her detective insight was impressive. She didn't understand why they missed some valuable items but took little other bits that were actually found later at Christina's penthouse in an effort to frame her. She worked it out by this point and the arrest and cliff jump that followed was spectacular! Carla was a lovely character and the plan C that involved her meeting up with Christina whilst she was in hiding was terrific. I thought the continuity of her having Barclay's phone and calling UNIT was outstanding and it was really good to have her converse with Sam Bishop! Even if he was in the middle of a pterodactyl problem. His confirming that recent ongoings in the area involved extraterrestrial technology was fun and I liked how he knew of her after reading the file of the wormhole. Flavia wanting the alien technology that Christina had was fantastic, although I'm not sure why her parking of the 200 bus on top of the hotel made things so confusing for our culprit. Ivo sneaking in and putting Flavia out for the count was good and I loved the twist that he was actually a part of INTERPOL! Christina knew that as well though which was excellent. The recording of Flavia's confession was good, but she was soon back up and not out for the ten minutes that Ivo had claimed she would be! The revelation that INTERPOL had actually paid the thieves at the start of the audio was great and they'd known of Christina all along. There were some great twists. The fight scene with Flavia to see her off was effective and quick but the way things ended with her hug actually being a way for her to get the ring she had desired all along was magnificent. Sam calling Ivo at the end revealing that was very good and Carla's farewell on Christina's behalf was a wonderful way to end things! Overall, this was a super fun audio adventure.

Rating: 9/10

Psi-ence Fiction

"If I can imagine it, it must be true."

Writer: Chris Boucher
Format: Novel
Released: September 2001
Series: PDA 41

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

It's Reading Week at the University of East Wessex, but not everything comes to a stop.

The wood is still haunted. Experiments in telepathy, remote viewing, precognition and other paranormal phenomena continue in the Parapsychology Department. The department heads still think the Kellerfield Research Fellow is out for publicity rather than psychic results. A grisly murder remains unsolved by local police. The students are still holding seances in the graveyard.

When the TARDIS arrives in Norswood, the Doctor and Leela are caught up in events that are spiralling out of control. Leela is chased by a phantom, and the Doctor takes the waters. But soon it isn't just the Parapsychology Department's funding that's in question – it's the whole of existence.

Verdict

Psi-ence Fiction was an outstanding novel! I loved this one from start to finish and it was an absolute joy to read. The opening chapter set the tone in superb style with Chloe being introduced and the atmosphere was set and it never wained. I thought the eery feeling and playing with the theme of parapsychology was wonderful and right up my alley. I couldn't help but feel throughout that the adventure would have made for a terrific horror movie and that is a great compliment. I thought the author nailed the characterisation of both the Fourth Doctor and Leela and that made for an even better read. The setting of the University of East Wessex campus and the nearby Norswood was fantastic and was just perfect for a story concerning mental powers. Some of the characters were excellent with Barry Hitchins, or his full Ghostbuster nickname as Leela was intent on saying every time, was good and having spent four years at two different universities, I couldn't imagine one of my lecturers doing an experiment on me the way that was portrayed here. Maybe that's what they did in the sciences? I didn't get that during my History Bachelor's or Master's! The way the university lifestyle was written was terrific and I thought the group of students that much of the story was centred on was a fine example of capturing what uni life is like. There was the right mix of male and female and the banter and harmless sexual innuendo was very well done. I was a big fan of that. Chloe was a great character and the passages where she was locked in the experiment naked and thinking she was dying with blood poring out of her pores was superb. I was a huge fan of the way Boucher wrote this book with a number of lengthy passages that were just downright creepy, but very informative. The one with Leela in the woods as she saw darkness within darkness and then eventually coming into sight with the TARDIS was fantastic. The Doctor being impacted by the local time disturbance of the multiverse overlap was very fun and I loved that he was often forgetful and not quite being able to remember things. That worked well for the fourth incarnation and I can just imagine Tom Baker would have played that well. The similarities drawn in this book to The Face of Evil and Leela likening the demon to the Tesh were wonderful and a great use of the main characters. She had a really strong outing and the way her getting teased by the Doctor was handled was a big positive. I thought she was lovely with Chloe and her tribal instincts playing a part with the threat in the woods was magnificent. Joan was a good character and the passages with the ouija board were great! I was taken aback by her suicide though and the police investigation that followed and tying in with a death in the woods six years previously was very good. It tied in nicely and we soon learned that Finder was the true villain of the story. The disturbances were caused by his efforts to go back in time and stop himself from killing his daughter in anger. That was very powerful and the need for a psychic was intriguing. Josh Randall being the one that was showing heightened powers and the subtlety with how the Doctor found out was really good. His dealing with the water that was given away freely at the university was also very fun and he was convinced throughout that there was something more to it, except that he ended up getting drugged by the bottle rather than its actual contents. That was a lot of fun. I thought the conclusion with the Doctor being thrown through time but the machine Finder had concocted not having the stabiliser that the TARDIS did was very well done and combining it with what Leela was seeing in the darkness was fantastic. The TARDIS actually saving the day worked very well and tied in very nicely with how she chose to land there at the start which I thought was really good. The fact that it ended up change the timeline and the events of the story technically never having existed was very good and the little epilogue passage of sorts with all of the students together again was very nice. The way darkness was used and the adult language gave credence to the story as a whole and the university setting which I was very much a fan of. Overall, this was just a joy from start to finish!

Rating: 10/10

The Dance

"Is it worth it?"

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: January 2017

Series: Graceless 4.04

Featuring: Abby, Zara

Synopsis

In the flood and the fire, 

In the heart of the sun, 

We were lost, we were dying, 

We have only begun,

And the rest of the song, 

Remains to be sung, 

So we'll dance through the night, 

And the dawn never comes, 

Just the two of us.

Verdict

The Dance was a sublime conclusion to the fourth and final series of Graceless! This really did finish the spinoff in a spectacular way and was certainly an improvement from the previous episode. I liked the idea of dancing at the end of the universe and it's always interesting when Abby and Zara's powers are made immobile. There were an abundance of familiar voices heard during this adventure as Pool went around asking those impacted by the actions of the wicked sisters if what they did was worth it. The general concept behind the adventure was outstanding and it was terrific to initially go back to Marcella running the cafe and her being offered a wish. She wanted to stop a war, any war, and that was despite knowing she would die in the imminent missile attack. The theme of choice throughout the story was tremendous and I was intrigued by what was clearly troubling Pool. I wanted to know as he seemed so determined at the end of The Ward. He was changed here. The idea of the tune behind the dance having power was brilliant and I loved how one had to synchronise with it to get in touch with the mysterious others also taking part. The brief returns of Chaff and Gutierrez were good and that's where we learned that the story would focus on questioning if the choice was worth dying for. I liked that a lot. Zara being direct to the other beings was good and perfectly in line with her character and the humour that came was refreshing to the beings from out of time. It was also fun to have their true being as something unexplainable as I like concepts that are impossible to comprehend. Oblong and Triangle were terrific characters and they seemed to quite like the sisters at first. General Dodyk showing up from The Bomb for a question on the worth of the wicked sisters' actions was great and the contrast of Pool asking someone who had survived instead of died was very good. I was a huge fan of the background music throughout the audio and it enhanced the theme in an excellent way. The threat of a shadow creeping through existence was wonderful and I liked how the others quite clearly feared it. All of time was being erased at its doing which was clearly a big danger! Annie getting a little cameo was nice and Oblong's demise soon after was very sudden and a big shock. The others being likened to black holes was good and the sisters soon realised that they were being used as a way to save the others by sacrificing themselves. Heading back to the Moon and encountering Slink and Onara was fantastic and from there I thought Triangle's emphatic answer of no was very powerful. She had no doubt that there was no worth and the music stopping was very good. Pool confronting Graves over the worth after telling him how they'd be responsible for his death was intriguing, but what came next was very surprising in outstanding fashion! The Grace had sent Pool to deliver judgement on the actions of the sisters as they were blind on the future and they didn't like that, except Pool turned out to be the Chaos Pool! It was so blindingly obvious that it was hidden in plain sight that he was the Grace in human form all along. The Grace was envious of the sisters which was very fun to play with and he wanted to understand their experiences. Abby and Zara making the song theirs was terrific and I wasn't surprised that after Pool had asked thirty million people if it was worth it, the majority didn't rule in favour of the sisters. The pair getting to reflect on their journey since The Chaos Pool was just superb and their development was clear to hear as they told how they learned to take control of their powers. But for the Grace, it didn't have time t become sentient with the shadow looming. The shadow that was formed by Abby and Zara was a fun revelation as it was they that would destroy the universe. They had made so many changes with their efforts to do good and they were draining the Grace. The power had to come from somewhere, and now it was on the brink. It was the Grace's choice to decide if they were worth it even if it was at its own cost. Abby suggesting they ask the older Zara we saw at the start of the series was a nice way to bring things full circle and the Grace accepted death to keep Abby and Zara's actions in reality. The others were left with the choice now, but the dance was over. I adored Abby's passion to continue in existence and doing good, but the warning that came at the end with the Doctor's sorrow over their actions was sublime. I look forward to the Fifth Doctor boxset featuring the sisters' return later this year. But for now, I have thoroughly enjoyed this spinoff series despite a couple of iffy episodes. On the whole it's been a joy and this was a wonderful conclusion!

Rating: 10/10

The Ward

"We save who we can."

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: January 2017

Series: Graceless 4.03

Featuring: Abby, Zara

Synopsis

For more than a decade, Space Dock has had an exemplary health and safety record, not least because of the wicked sisters working in its hospital, bringing the dead back to life. But what are they really doing there, and what's it got to do with one poor nurse's love life?

Verdict

The Ward was an average continuation of the fourth and final series of Graceless in my opinion. I couldn't help but just feel a little let down and sad as I was listening as I am really not sure what this fourth series is achieving and it is somewhat tarnishing the fantastic end to Series 3. Things did start humorously with Zara's impression of an ambulance siren to get through the crowd to help out one of those injured. After the way The Room ended, I was expecting some kind of immediate continuity, but instead we jumped straight into a new adventure with the sisters seemingly having been there for over a decade! That was rather strange to find them both working in hospital and giving those in need the kind of help that shouldn't be possible, such as fixing broken legs and curing diabetes. Oh, and bringing the dead back to life! That was quite unexpected, but a hospital did seem the right place if Abby and Zara wanted to help others and not impact anybody else as is so often the case with their efforts. Gutierrez as a clinical consultant was okay but I wasn't a fan of her character to be honest. There just weren't many likeable qualities and I could fully understand the clear dislike Zara had for her. So I was quite taken aback when it was revealed that the pair were actually involved in a relationship! That was very strange. Zara working as Doctor Polminate was good though and I thought the focus on brain surgery and her teaching was really good. It was also nice to hear how much she was impacted by the loss that went on at the hospital. Gutierrez at the party really was the definition of a party pooper with her talk of it still technically taking place on hospital property. Ugh, she was boring. The Space Dock setting was definitely intriguing and I liked how there was a need for independence there. The comment where Zara apologised for someone's death and then Gutierrez had to ensure that she knew the apology was one of sadness and not any wrongdoing to cause the death was brilliant. More of a focus on that would have been beneficial and could have provided a more meaningful plot, as there didn't really seem to be a huge amount actually happening in this adventure. Abby and Chaff made a more logical couple, but there was too much history being discussed of their time together which didn't work because we didn't know anything about it! The tribunal with Zara terminated came a bit suddenly and it was a little predictable to have Chaff and Gutierrez end up together, even if it was a good dynamic. There should have been more of them after that revelation. Annie the cleaner was a fun little character though and definitely spoke a lot of sense which was welcomed. Zara now working for the shelter was admirable, although it was a bit rushed but it was nice that she wanted to make a difference. The story of the missing crate and the discussion of the accidents and coincidences that led to the hospital formation was very good and I liked the idea of the importance of the small things. Abby and Zara revealing that they knew of a virus that was to come was telling and poignant for the current social climate as they told all of what would happen with the sickness still getting out despite quarantine. They revealed how Chaff worked to save thousands but didn't make it. And then, that was that as the sisters once again somewhat failed to do good. I can't help but feel sorry for them! Pool's return from The Bomb was not a surprise, but finding out that he was part of the Grace definitely was! I look forward to where that sets things up for the finale and how he hadn't seen the pair for 20,000 years. He seemed to indicate that he knew the reactor would return their powers at the start of the series and their desire to save had to be their choice. But now the Grace needed the sisters, and I think that will provide a fun finale. Overall, some good elements but this was very vanilla. 

Rating: 6/10

The Room

"There is no war on the moon."

Writer: Simon Guerrier
Format: Audio
Released: January 2017
Series: Graceless 4.02

Featuring: Abby, Zara

Synopsis

Buried under steel and iron and concrete, and protect by high security, there's a secret room. From here, General Onara Cormorant directs the Gloit forces as they wage war across the whole planet. But stopping the war will take much more than just getting into that room...

Verdict

The Room was a decent continuation of the second series of Graceless! This was a solid tale and definitely an intriguing one, although I was hoping for more of a narrative link between this and The Bomb. It felt strange with how things started as we heard Abby back in her familiar younger voice describing the war and how Shardine was the billionth casualty. The narration that was the pre-credits was definitely informative, but it seemed a little left field for the series as a whole. The talk of the moon was good and I liked the idea of it being defended and just the subject amidst a war. Abby seemed to be a general and launched missiles towards the moon instructing to wipe out all 20,000 inhabitants! Obviously, once the opening theme occurred we would learn how we reached those events and throwing Abby and Zara into a swamp was quite fun. The latter sister was inundated with the serpent they had come across and had planned to be there just before the imminent destruction of the entire habitat. Zara wanting to save Chris the snake was somewhat a reach when it came to justifying their efforts to alter history yet again and interfere with the war, but I couldn't help but find it amusing. I liked how Abby wasn't so keen on wanting to get involved in history again because of all those they had hurt in the past and I thought she had a pretty strong outing in this story. Their togetherness was excellent again and I liked how they were persuading Onara to bring about peace in the war that was costing so many lives. Them bringing her and Slink to the Moon for almost a peace conference was nice and their intentions were right fir diplomatic discussion. The threat of the moon dust was good and could have been utilised a little more in my opinion. I was a big fan. The incoming security vehicle that ended up separating the group worked well and it was great to play with the idea of Abby and Zara being given new family now. They didn't have an immigration pass which was a capital offence, and in order to become citizens they had to carry out work. It was a sound concept in theory but you lived as long as you worked which was a nice twist. Abby not believing that Zara was dead was good and I enjoyed how she knew that it was just to make her conform. The war itself against the Gloit was a good focus for the adventure and the desire to win on both sides was clear. Abby not being used to her younger body was great and I thought the shower humour she shared with Onara was lovely. Their relationship throughout was definitely a story highlight. Less could be said for Zara and Slink and the latter's story of how she quite literally had a story scratched into her skin was shocking and just screamed torment. Onara and Slink coming together and both being hardened to the persuasion techniques of the sisters was great and I liked how the anger between the pair was clear to hear. The way things circled back to the audio's beginning was pretty good, but the conviction in Abby's voice didn't sound as clear which didn't make much sense. Abby's desire to force Onara into asking Slink for help to stop the missiles was terrific though! However, the sisters had failed in their mission and that's become a sad theme associated with them. They try to do good, but they don't often get it right. Abby knew it was right to try which I appreciated and her confidence in believing she had ended the war anyway was magnificent. I like her a lot. The forces apparently had combined to destroy the missiles, and these were now heading for the sisters to avenge what had happened to the moon. Abby wanting it to actually succeed was a momentary surprise, but it would enhance their partnership and stop then war with the sisters just being able to absorb the impact, right? The cliffhanger finish might suggest otherwise. Overall, a decent little tale!

Rating: 7/10