The Coup

"Tower Bridge is missing a tower!"

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Audio

Released: December 2004

Series: UNIT 1.00

Featuring: Brigadier

Synopsis

LONDON, THE NEAR FUTURE: UNIT is finished. The UK Division prepares to cede its authority to a new organisation... But who is attempting to sabotage the hand-over?

Verdict

The Coup was a very interesting little audio adventure which serves as a lead-in to the spinoff series of audios that will follow on this blog over the next four days! I have always been interested in this series because of its release date and knowing that it slightly precedes the debut of modern Doctor Who in Rose, would it have any tie ins? We of course have the link to the organisation we would see so often during the Classic era with our old favourite Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, strangely referred to here as a General, delivering a speech intended for ICIS to take over the daily proceedings of UNIT. The idea of that is a good one and I think it would form a good basis for the spinoff series because it is so obvious that it is not going to end well and that they are there to do good. One thing I struggle a little to buy into for this audio though is the very idea that UNIT's UK Division would cede their control to another organisation. Now, I'm willing to let it slide because I haven't even got into the series itself yet, but that is definitely something I'm hoping gets answered. I'm also praying that the Brigadier has a big role in the series as he's such a wonderful and likeable character and seeing him post-Battlefield and in the 21st century is something I would absolutely love to hear. The change in the speech from the Brigadier (regardless of what he's referred to throughout this story, I will always call him the Brig) was excellent and I liked the problems it posed for the UNIT-ICIS merger. The plan to hide the destruction of Tower Bridge was quite humorous given how much of a major landmark that is and the cover up being London's drivers was a rather weak one I thought. That wasn't an issue with the story though and I like the idea very much of UNIT coming into the public eye, particularly the organisation at a time somewhere between the Classic and modern eras of Doctor Who. The inclusion of the Silurians and an attempt to broker a peace between humanity and their ancient species is a great idea and I love that the Brigadier is brokering that peace after his despicable actions in Doctor Who and the Silurians. I'm sure the Doctor would now be proud! The references to the likes of The Invasion, The Claws of Axos and Terror of the Zygons were fantastic and I find it a little humorous that the press and everyone watching shouldn't really know what they were so the words might not mean anything. But to us fans it means a lot! I'd love to know just when the Quarks were dealt with by UNIT too as that is a story, should it exist, I have yet to come across which is a shame. The Brigadier introducing the Ambassador to the press was intriguing and the aftermath of what will come is something I'm very interested to hear next. Will there possibly be a relationship between humanity and the Silurians? I do kind of hope so for the dynamic it would bring. The adventure as a whole was interesting and a good setup for what's to come and I'm looking forward to a full adventure of a 21st century UNIT that precedes the modern series. Overall, a good lead in.

Rating: 7/10

The Pirate Planet

"Are you sure this planet's meant to be here?"

Writer: Douglas Adams
Format: TV
Broadcast: 30th September - 21st October 1978
Season: 16.02

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana I, K9

Synopsis

The Doctor and Romana arrive on the planet Zanak, looking for the second segment of the Key to Time. Although priceless gems are scattered on the streets, and the night sky changes with the dawn of each new prosperous age, the townsfolk live in fear.

For in a fortress overlooking the city, the terrifying Pirate Captain is in control of the most destructive force in the galaxy...

Verdict

The Pirate Planet was a great adventure and a decent continuation of the Key to Time season! It definitely more of a standalone story than The Ribos Operation and I actually forgot all about the quest until it was mentioned in part two in a way that seemed like Douglas Adams had forgot to include it! But he’s a fantastic writer so I’m sure that wasn’t the intention. I do think just a little line in part one would have been an improvement but there was no damage done, particularly as I was watching it as a stand-alone story for the first time. I mentioned in my recent blogging of The Stealers From Saiph that I wasn’t a big fan of Romana’s first incarnation and this adventure did nothing to change my mind. I’m not sure what my issue is and it seems a little harsh to say that it’s all done to Mary Tamm, but I just don’t enjoy her as a companion. I think a little bit of the issue might be just how much I adore Lalla Ward’s second incarnation of the Time Lady. I was a little surprised by how K9 featured sporadically and I thought that was an interesting use of a companion that is so useful and yet so restricted at the same time. It was really good and I loved how even when his batteries were failing, he could still outwit the Doctor and tell him where a power cable was to recharge him. The only highlight for me with Romana was the humour associated with her flying the TARDIS by the books. It was a brilliant contrast to have the Doctor surprisingly announce they were exactly where they aimed for, except they were on the wrong planet! The significance of that would of course come later on. I thought the madness of the Captain was terrific and I really liked him as the main villain for the first three parts. The cliffhanger to the end of part three is outstanding and certainly one of my very favourites of the Classic era. I often state the fire cliffhanger in The Reign of Terror as my favourite, certainly of the Classic era, but on second viewing the Doctor walking the plank to a 1,000 foot drop might beat it! Whilst on the Captain, I thought the directing for his introduction was interesting and I was half expecting his face to be revealed as the cliffhanger to part one, but alas he was revealed much sooner than expected and looked rather interesting to say the least. My memory of this television story was somewhat lacking as it had been seven-and-a-half years since my only viewing, but I read the James Goss novelisation last year so I remembered a lot of elements. I was quite surprised by how little the new Golden Ages of Prosperity played a part as I remember them being so common in the book. It still worked well here and was an intriguing contrast across formats. Xanxia served as a surprising villain at the start of part four after seeing her withered and dying form being kept alive by the time dams. Their use and how the planet was mining other planets for power to keep them going was very good and a nice plot development. It all worked rather tidily which is always good! However, I wasn’t overly impressed with the performance of Rosalind Lloyd as the actress as I felt she needed more aggression for a character like this Queen, especially considering the buildup. The Mentiads were pretty good but looked a little ridiculous in their match and I think it needed to be clearer early on that they were using telepathic power to avoid being wounded by gunshot. The conclusion was pacy which worked well and was in line with the rest of the story, but I thought the Captain’s reputation was severely damaged by the end of part four which was a shame. The overall sealing of the plot was good though and I still really liked the story. A very intriguing tale - and the planet itself was the segment of the Key to Time! Overall, a great little adventure. 

Rating: 8/10

The Doomwood Curse

"The whole world will become fictional."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner
Format: Audio
Released: August 2008
Series: Main Range 111

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis

Curses and tombs, revenge from beyond the grave – and Dick Turpin!

England, 1738. On the trail of a lost book, the Doctor and Charley arrive at the beautiful county estate of Sir Ralph and Lady Sybil. But all is far from idyllic. There's a murderer on the loose, and the nearby woods are the haunt of the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin.

And that's not all. Something else has journeyed here. Something that could destroy the very fabric of reality. The Doctor and Charley have just forty-eight hours to solve the mystery before the whole world succumbs to The Doomwood Curse.

Verdict

The Doomwood Curse was a great audio adventure and certainly a lot of fun! I would not have expected anything less from Jacqueline Rayner as she is a favourite writer of mine and she didn't let me down here. I am longing to find out just what will, and can, happen with the Sixth Doctor and Charley's travels given that she's already had a lengthy run as the Eighth Doctor's companion starting in Storm Warning. How can he not remember her? I'm sure there will be answers soon enough as Charley once again showed cracks when it came to her cover story that the Doctor easily picked up on. He isn't letting it be known that he knows she isn't all that she seems as I think he is very intrigued by her. I'm a fan of that. The Sixth Doctor and Charley work really well together and they were probably the perfect pairing for a fictional historical. It is still a little strange listening to them together as I'm so used to them being in separate eras, but I'm really enjoying them so far. The Grel were fascinating enemies for this story and their obsession with facts was superb. I liked them a lot and I think there's a lot of potential in them for a future adventure. They seem like they would work perfectly with the Fourth Doctor for some reason! Anyway, the Sixth Doctor was here and terrifically played by Colin Baker and I liked how he posed them a well-known conundrum and they just couldn't draw a conclusion. That was a good way to draw a distraction and quite a humorous moment. Despite being the enemies for this adventure, the Grel barely appeared and I actually thought that was really effective. They were there at the start and the end and that was all that was needed. The playing on fiction was done really well and I'm a huge fan of incorporating it into a story. It worked so well in The Mind Robber and Invasion of the Mindmorphs so to see it incorporated again here was good. And it was also great that it was in a unique way with the Doctor and Charley living out fiction despite there being some resemblance of reality. It was not like they were within the book, it was the Grel wanting to turn fiction into fact and so stories had to happen. That was quite an extraordinary concept really, but one I was very much a fan of hearing. India Fisher got to try something new with her accent and whilst I thought it was a little questionable, it was different and it was nice to see a different side to Charley when she was meeting her novel-love in the form of Dick Turpin. Her failure to hide the allure she felt around him from her reading of Rockwood was quite humorous as she was actually there in his era and her sentiments would not be shared for highwaymen. I liked how he was the link to the Grel in being both fact and fiction and the Doctor putting trust into Charley and condemning himself to being consumed by the fiction was fantastic. He doesn't know a great deal about her and he knows she's deceiving him, but he firmly trusts her so that presents an intriguing dynamic. The ending with the pair vocalising facts at such a fast pace and telling their own story was a nice way to be ridden of the Grel, but I do hope they come back at some point in the future as they could be a lot of fun. Overall, a very good adventure!

Rating: 8/10

The Ring of Steel

"I thought the whole idea of protesting was that one person can make a difference."

Writer: Stephen Cole
Format: Audio
Released: August 2010
Series: NSA 08

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands on Orkney in the near future, the Doctor and Amy arrive to find a large demonstration in progress over the construction of new electricity pylons. The Doctor tries to break things up peacefully – but suddenly the road splits open without warning and swallows police, security guards, and protestors alike. Separated from the Doctor, Amy takes charge of transporting the wounded to hospital – but the rescue mission becomes a terrifying ride as the pylons come to life and begin to walk and the road rears up, erupting with boiling tarmac...

The Doctor, meanwhile, has even more than metal monsters and rebellious roads to deal with. Who is sucking the life out of the power company's employees – and just what is lurking inside the Astra-Gen headquarters?

Verdict

The Ring of Steel was a very good little audio adventure to continue along my sporadic listening of the Eleventh Doctor Tales from BBC Audio. From a performance standpoint, they are nowhere near the levels of Big Finish with the lack of a cast, but I felt that Arthur Darvill did a good job as this story's narrator. I thought he was a somewhat strange choice for this story as there was no Rory, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed his impressions of the Eleventh Doctor and Amy, somehow evoking the likenesses of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan whilst sounding like himself. That's a pretty good trait if you ask me! Stephen Cole is a veteran to the NSA series, usually in the books, but I was glad to be doing another story of his and the mix of reality and sci-fi in this audio was really good. I liked the idea of the setting being Orkney and the initial arrival did fool me. I'm no Scot and I've only ever visited Edinburgh, so I firmly believed that the Doctor was taking Amy on a journey to the planet of the Orkadians. I loved that I was duped, but of course Amy was a resident and proud Scotswoman so she would not fall for the Doctor's trick. I'm not really sure why the adventure was set in roughly 2025 as that didn't seem at all relevant and it could just have easily worked in the present day, but alas there was no real issue there. I liked the idea of a protest in favour of the landscape and the Doctor and Amy not really wanting to get involved and be seen as favouring either side put them in a bit of a difficult position. The guest characters were really good and the fact that they were Scottish gave them a really good and challenging attitude, but having Amy there more than countered that which I thought was excellent. The idea of pylons coming to life and roads rerouting themselves was quite scary and I think for a child, potentially listening on a car journey, this story would have been quite something. I thought the little analogy of going back to Amy's childhood and how she imaginatively would use her finger to take out the pylons as she passed them in a car was terrific and a really poignant moment for me as I was immediately taken back to my days of youth. Thinwood was a superb character and definitely the best of the non-regulars, and he really got on well with the Doctor which was good. His only taking up of protesting to get close to Lizzie was unexpected but the Doctor's reaction was very humorous, especially as he hadn't actually followed up on his feelings very much. The idea of a circuit on the scale that was featured in this adventure was quite something and trying to go from the circuits I remember creating with crocodile clips in chemistry lessons at school to thinking of it in terms of pylons and roads providing the connections was quite extraordinary! The Caskelliac made for good enemies and I thought it was a nice turn to have them not be wholly responsible for their intentions as they were just trying to survive. The ending was good in cleaning things up with the Doctor saying that he'd blown out their regenerative systems so they would have no other choice but to change their ways. Overall, a really good little story!

Rating: 8/10

The Master of Callous: Sins of the Father

"I structure my day around screaming."

Writer: Guy Adams
Format: Audio
Released: December 2018
Series: The War Master 2.04

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

On the mining colony Callous, Elliot King struggles to meet the demands of its governor, Teremon. The odds are stacked against him, and his options are running low. The world that once promised dreams now offers only despair.

A wild Ood stalks the forests, carrying an antiquated phone. The caller promises much – he claims he can change the world – but he always speaks a devastating truth.

He is the Master and the Ood will obey him... but to what end?

Verdict

Sins of the Father was a great conclusion to The Master of Callous! It wasn't quite all that I hoped for, but it was nice to finally see the Master at his best. I'm going to start talking of the ending and I was quite intrigued to find that war had not been finalised between the Time Lords and the Daleks so it seems that this whole adventure took place for the War Master before the actual genesis of the Time War. Although, where that truly starts is up for debate with the likes of Genesis of the Daleks and The Apocalypse Element all potential beginnings. Anyway, the Master had been acting under the instructions of the Time Lords to acquire some swenyo (again, still unsure on the spelling), but unlike the Doctor he wouldn't do so without a reward. This series tied in nicely to Only the Good and seems to be a slight prequel with the Master acquiring a chameleon arch in return for what he provided the Time Lords. The swenyo was used as a way of ensuring battleship ammunition hitting its target through a telepathic field which was good, and I was delighted to finally get some serious links with the Time War. It had been a long time coming! I really liked how unfazed he was by being subjected to Teremon's torture and actually quite enjoyed it. I loved the chills of him just laughing at being subjected to mega voltage levels of torture. He just didn't care and quite enjoyed it. Something this story made me realise was just how patient the Master is. It's quite incredible to think about really. He plays such a long game and he'd literally planned for years to get the swenyo by this way. He was clever, but he knew he wasn't quite perfect so he had a plan b. That involved the Ood and the moment they all came together and stated, in their incredible voice, that he was the Master and they obey him was sublime. It was probably my favourite moment of the entire series. It really was terrific. Cassandra went through a great deal in this story as she refused to give up the location of the swenyo to Teremon and so the Governor was taking no prisoners. She'd ordered the entire planet to be ridded of its population which was a big shock. I liked that in her madness, Cass saw her father and it was a shame that he hadn't physically come and seen her when he was alive. I liked that we got to hear a conversation between them though, even if he wasn't truly around. The locals of Callous going to hiding was quite surreal and reminded me of so much I've read during my studies of the Holocaust. It really did evoke that kind of feeling which was very impressive. Cats giving her people hope was nice though, and I liked that it was the Master who dealt with the Governor. The ease with which he assumed control was brilliant. I liked the tie in with The Persistence of Dreams with the chronology of the Master's conversation with Martine now known and he just didn't like Cassandra King, so refused to allow her to reunite with her wife. That's the Master I wanted. Overall, a strong conclusion to a series that ended on a high after a shaky start.

Rating: 8/10

The Master of Callous: The Persistence of Dreams

"People forget about me all the time."

Writer: Guy Adams
Format: Audio
Released: December 2018
Series: The War Master 2.03

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

On the mining colony Callous, Elliot King struggles to meet the demands of its governor, Teremon. The odds are stacked against him, and his options are running low. The world that once promised dreams now offers only despair.

A wild Ood stalks the forests, carrying an antiquated phone. The caller promises much – he claims he can change the world – but he always speaks a devastating truth.

He is the Master and the Ood will obey him... but to what end?

Verdict

The Persistence of Dreams was a great little audio and a much-needed improvement to The Master of Callous. I am probably going to sound a little contradictory in some of what I say for this blog entry, but this was definitely a lot better than the first two instalments of the series. Now, I'll get my big issue out of the way first and that was the incredible lack of the War Master once again. I was pretty shocked if I'm honest and I just can't comprehend why in a boxset of just four stories, you have someone as great as Derek Jacobi in just half of them! Ugh, it's so frustrating. I go back to what I said in my previous blog entries for this series in that I bought this set to get to know what the Master did in the Time War. But so far we have hardly had a mention of the Time War and the Master has only been prominent in one of the three stories so far. Maybe these blogs will come to look ridiculous after I listen to the final adventure and it will all be a great and grand plan. I do hope that is the case, but I'm not sure how confident I am regarding that. Now, back to the positives of what was a terrific individual story. I was very surprised with the direction taken by Guy Adams as he takes over the series from James Goss, but I very much enjoyed the torment that Martine underwent. The Ood were, or rather was just for the individual, used brilliantly and I was very glad that they had a more prominent role in the adventure. Martine was having a constant disagreement with reality and what was happening which was fantastic and I thought it was great to get to go into her head. We got to meet her mother and learn all about her relationship there, and we also got to fully understand how she currently feels about Cassandra. That surprised me a little, and I thought the apparent conclusion with her wife coming to rescue her was good. However, the Master had another idea and whilst the basics of what was going to happen were a little predictable, I enjoyed the anticipation very much. Martine really must have been going mad if Cassandra truly hadn't contacted her, but the Master seemed adamant. I look forward to finding out whether he was just trying to convince her of the fact or if that truly was the case. The presence of the Master in the form of the apparently deranged Orman was decent, but I would have much preferred some more time with Jacobi's proper incarnation himself. Alas, that wasn't the case but his decision to just leave Martine floating around in space after she revealed she had left the base was heartless and chilling and exactly what I want to hear more of! It was delightful and I do hope there's an abundance in the finale. The revelation that there wasn't even an Ood on the base with Martine was unexpected and I did like how this story truly showed us the effects of the swenyo and what it can do. It was pretty deadly and I do not see how Martine will survive now with the full circling of her oxygen levels running out. That was good writing. Overall, a fantastic story and I look forward to seeing what the finale offers us. Hopefully some chilling Jacobi and a link to the Time War. Fingers crossed!

Rating: 8/10

The Master of Callous: The Glittering Prize

"The darkness is hungry!"

Writer: James Goss
Format: Audio
Released: December 2018
Series: The War Master 2.02

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

On the mining colony Callous, Elliot King struggles to meet the demands of its governor, Teremon. The odds are stacked against him, and his options are running low. The world that once promised dreams now offers only despair.

A wild Ood stalks the forests, carrying an antiquated phone. The caller promises much – he claims he can change the world – but he always speaks a devastating truth.

He is the Master and the Ood will obey him... but to what end?

Verdict

The Glittering Prize was a pretty average continuation of The Master of Callous series. I was glad that we got a starring role for Derek Jacobi as the War Master in this one, but I was a little disappointed that he was doing good for the entire adventure! That just isn't what makes a good story for me when the Master is the main character. The Ood were used perhaps a little less which was a strange move as I would have expected something more from the Master regarding them, but instead we just got that he'd designated two of them as being called William and Mary. That was somewhat humorous I guess but I'm just wanting more to happen! This is definitely a slow burner and I can appreciate that things are being built up, but I hoped for a little more at this stage if I'm honest. Time went forward a whole year since the events of Call for the Dead which was very surprising after all of the setup work done there, but now the Colony was somewhat thriving and Cassandra and Martine were now rich. I would have liked a little more Teremon in her crafty role as the Governor, but it was enough to know that she had now raked up an agreement to have 50% of the mine's profits, and she was striving to see that increased now by a further 20%. Cassandra wasn't having any of that. The Ood basically going into shutdown mode was an interesting development, but I liked the courage of Cassandra in wanting to hide all of the valuable swenyo (sp?) for her impending arrival and inevitable search. She seemed to rather like stripping colonies rare and taking the financial benefits. That's what makes her a brilliant villain. I would really like to hear her go up against the Doctor, but the prospect of her now with the Master is something I am interested in and I hope we get an improvement in the next instalment. The Master and Martine, along with the stowaway Herschel, were transporting all of the swenyo through an asteroid belt and were oh so close to avoiding detection. You get the feeling that the Master is playing the long game throughout this story as a whole and in this moment, which I am surprised about given his excellent quote regarding the Time War that was raging on. But surely war requires action? I guess I don't know exactly what he's up to yet. I think the beauty of the Master's disguises work well when we don't know that he's about to pop out and reveal his intentions like in Time-Flight or World Enough and Time, but the idea of him doing good and aiding just about everyone in the colony as Orman doesn't fit the character. Particularly during a time of war as well! I want to just mention Kai Owen who I'm delighted to hear in a non-Torchwood role and I would be more than happy for his character's role to increase as the series goes on. A little side note as well, I am a little saddened just for the look of my blog that each individual story in this boxset doesn't have its own artwork! That's a big shame, but the cover is still sublime. So, good in parts but not a story that I'd want of the War Master so there were definite improvements to be made from my perspective. I'm glad there was more Jacobi, and I hope we get to see the Master's sinister side in the next story. Overall, pretty decent but things could be better.

Rating: 6/10

The Master of Callous: Call for the Dead

"Even in fairy stories, the good people don't always win."

Writer: James Goss
Format: Audio
Released: December 2018
Series: The War Master 2.01

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

On the mining colony Callous, Elliot King struggles to meet the demands of its governor, Teremon. The odds are stacked against him, and his options are running low. The world that once promised dreams now offers only despair.

A wild Ood stalks the forests, carrying an antiquated phone. The caller promises much – he claims he can change the world – but he always speaks a devastating truth.

He is the Master and the Ood will obey him... but to what end?

Verdict

Call for the Dead was a decent start to The Master of Callous, but I can't help but feel that it went slightly too long without actually doing an awful lot with the War Master. What they did set up was great and I really enjoyed learning more about the society of Callous and being introduced to some good new characters. I really liked Elliot King and he seemed like he was going to be the lead character against the Master for this series. His death was very surprising to me as he was so prominent to everything that was going on. Just when he had died, I figured that Jacques would then be the one to go and take over things, but then he died too! The manner in which the pair committed suicide was quite horrifying and whilst the Master didn't physically kill them, his influence in getting them to make that decision was very conniving. I get the feeling that if I hear another phone ring in a later episode in the boxset, it'll be very eery and chilling. Derek Jacobi was good as the War Master, but I really wanted him to feature more. Now, the Doctor doesn't appear in this series so as a buyer, I have given my money to explore more of the Time War incarnation of my favourite villain. I don't feel like I got that. It was fine and good with what was given to us, and I fully appreciate that this was just setting things up for what is come over the next three stories, but there really was a severe lacking of the titular character. Even the Ood, another familiar element from Doctor Who, didn't feature heavily. I am weary to not get ahead of myself and try to realise that this is just the first of a four-story arc, but I wanted more damnit! In all honestly, it was still very good despite their absences and I particularly liked the character of Cassandra King. It was emotional to learn that she was now 20 and hadn't seen her father for a decade. When her mother died, that must have been very hard. Martine, her wife, was not as likeable, but I'm sure I'll grow to enjoy her. This may be a slightly controversial comment, but I think that Doctor Who as a whole is slightly overdoing it when it comes to adhering to political correctness, but I think a lesbian relationship could be quite intriguing for the Master. I'm interested to see how Callous links with the Time War as we got absolutely nothing from this adventure, and the prospect of the Ood and Daleks meeting is fantastic. The Ood going mad is hardly surprising but I like where things can go. Now onto Teremon and she was a marvellous character. Basically, she was a bitch. And that was excellent. I'd love for her to meet the Master at some point as they would get on terrifically well. Well, only if she didn't charge him anything! Her constant exploiting of Elliot was devastating to hear, but it made her a brilliant villain and I look forward to hearing where her story goes from here. Cassandra struggling with the Colony now she was in charge was a good move and I liked the challenges posed by those wanting to be repaid for their shares with their founders fee. That would prove quite disastrous. The ending was good, if not a little predictable, with Cassandra finally answering the phone to the Master. Will she suffer the same fate as her father and his best friend when they answered the phone? I sincerely hope not. Overall, a decent start and I want more!

Rating: 7/10

The Caves of Androzani

"Sometimes in war the innocent die too."

Writer: Terrance Dicks
Format: Novel
Released: March 1985
Series: Target 92

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis 

From the moment they land on the planet Androzani Minor, everything goes wrong for the Doctor and his new young companion, Peri.

They become involved in the struggle between brutal gun-runners, ruthless Federation troops, and the hideously mutilated Sharaz Jek, who lurks in the depths of the caves with his android army.

Key to the struggle is spectrox, the most valuable substance in the universe. Suitably processed, spectrox is an elixir of life, but in its raw state it is a deadly poison – a fact which will cost the Doctor another of his Time Lord lives...

Verdict

The Caves of Androzani was an outstanding novelisation of what is one of the greatest stories ever. I have been wanting to do a Target novelisation for quite a while now and after the recent passing of Terrance Dicks, I was determined to do one his books and I was not let down. I mean, I cheated a little bit because I obviously knew that this was going to be great but the little expansions from the televised story are what makes Dicks so legendary as a writer. The story was so engaging and I had a huge smile on my face when I read the line stating 'that mysterious traveller in space and time known as the Doctor'. It's such a simple but apt description and I loved it. The way Androzani (both of the planets and the city itself) were written was fantastic and I really like the claustrophobic feel of this adventure. That is so evident on television and I think Dicks did a great job in transferring that into the prose. Sharaz Jek is a fantastic character and my thoughts were exactly the same after reading this story. His fascination with Peri is just downright creepy and I also like how conniving he is in getting a reduced rate on his arms and only departing with 2 kilos of spectrox instead of the agreed 5. Peri and the Doctor coming into contact with the raw spectrox so early on is excellent and I love that from there on in, they're dying and there's very little they can do about. The ending of this story was very pacy and perhaps could have been a tad longer exploring the Doctor's climb back up after retrieving the bat's milk, but I really am clutching at straws for what was a pretty perfect read. It was so easy to get through and was a nice break from a thus far dismal job search. I remember when I first bought the DVD of this story way back when I was collecting them and seeing the stories for the first time and often went off the cover. For this one though, I'd found out that the Fifth Doctor regenerated so I bought it for that. Little did I know that at that time, and being quite a way into the DVDs but not complete, that I would proclaim this adventure as my favourite of all time. I definitely had bias in picking this book to read because of that, but then The War Games came along and knocked it off its perch. And a few others pegged it down a bit, but there really aren't many better. What were the cliffhangers on TV were handled really well here and I think it was even less obvious in the novelisation that the Doctor and Peri that were shot were in fact androids. I liked that. The monster guarding the caves to the bat's milk also didn't seem so prominent and I think that worked in its favour a bit. The political aspects of the story are superb and I really liked all of the bickering between Morgus, Chellak and Salateen. The latter's android was handled really well and I liked it a lot when it came to be known that Sharaz Jek had always known the moves. He was one step ahead. Peri was written very well as the companion in what are very early days for her, but I think she works really well with the Fifth Doctor and I thought the initial moments where they are captured and correct each other on adding 'sir' to their sentences was wonderful. The ending is fast and quite sudden with the Doctor retrieving the bat's milk to tackle the spectrox disease, but he only has enough for Peri after clumsily ridding the phial of half of its contents when trying to open the TARDIS doors. The teamwork between the Doctor and Jek in uniting to save Peri was also good. The regeneration scene was something I didn't expect to be so quick, but the fact that it happens so suddenly makes for a hugely impactful reaction. The arrival of the Sixth Doctor is terrific and I like that we hear thoughts of the Doctor in choosing survival in order to not let the Master win. Overall, a sublime read!

Rating: 10/10

Critical Mass

"I don't think I can fix this."

Writer: James Moran
Format: Audio
Released: February 2011
Series: Short Trips 2.07

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

Ghosts are appearing in the halls as a war machine is primed for devastation.

Verdict

Critical Mass was a really great little audio adventure! This was definitely one of the better Short Trips from the first four volumes and it just fitted perfectly into its era of the late-Seventh Doctor (on screen at least). The incidental music was perfect and so resemblant of what we got on screen with the Seventh Doctor and Ace and that was just magnificent and made this audio a real joy to listen to. I thought Sophie Aldred did a great job narrating the adventure and for me it always helps when the actor or actress is actually playing their own part in a story. Ace was good within the story and I liked how her own past ingenuity, or lack of, went some way to providing the resolution for what was happening on this planet. One thing I've noticed a lot regarding these Short Trips is that they have so much potential but on times there just isn't enough length for it to have been fleshed out. Everything comes so quickly, which I can very much enjoy, but there's also something quite beautiful about a build and I think that might have been lacking a little here if I was to say a criticism. It seemed that in a matter of seconds the impending devastation went from having an effect on the building the Doctor and Ace were within to the whole solar system the planet was within! There needed to be a little bit more believability there, but I did really like that the Doctor wasn't sure that he would be able to put things right. That is quite a scary prospect! It is always nice to have the Doctor genuinely worried and I did get that feeling here, although I'm not sure why given that this was his seventh incarnation. This version of the Doctor is renowned for not letting his companion in on the whole picture, particularly Ace, and he knew from early on that his plan was guaranteed to work. With there being no evil or alien menace at work on this occasion, Ace could let it slide even though she was noticeably annoyed which I thought was pretty good. Louise Ryan was a good character and I liked how she provided some confrontation from the Doctor. He wasn't at all happy with the critical nature of the mass and the issues that it could provide, and he would make sure she would feel guilty. When the Doctor had fixed the situation, the concept of him pretending that everything went wrong just to give Louise that moment of despair was extraordinary I have to say! I absolutely loved it. It was fantastic and definitely the best moment of the audio adventure. I have no qualms in saying that it was not going to get the rating it has without that moment, just because of how quick everything happened despite the good ideas, as it really was that good for me. It was great writing for the Seventh Doctor and I liked how he wanted them to hold onto that feeling of despair. It was fantastic. Overall, a great little audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10

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