The Healers

"Find me the Daleks."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs
Format: Audio
Released: June 2004
Series: Dalek Empire 3.02

Featuring: Galanar, Tarkov, Saxton

Synopsis

Siy Tarkov must convince a doubting Galactic Union that a Dalek invasion is imminent. Agent Galanar is on a covert mission to find a definitive proof of menace of the Daleks. But the Border Worlds are being ravaged by a deadly plague infection. An infection the Daleks are offering to cure.

Verdict

The Healers was a great audio adventure and an immediate improvement for the third series of the Dalek Empire spinoff series! I really was quite sceptical going into this audio and the rest of the series after a pretty poor start with The Exterminators, but I was delighted with how this one went. We had much more of the Daleks which is obviously what I wanted from this spinoff and I loved the idea that they were the ones that had the cure for the NFS plague. It was quite an intriguing idea throughout and I really was fascinated by the prospect of the Daleks showing compassion. That's such an alien concept for them so seeing the effects of Dalek War – Chapter Four seeing through is terrific. I am really happy with that continuity and even though it has been four years since I listened to that second series, things are starting to come back to me now and I'm liking it a lot. My thoughts on this whole series and spinoff have changed instantly. I find it quite intriguing how separate Galanar's part of the story is from the rest of things concerning Saxton and the Daleks on Graxis Major. His feigning of being Dennis was something that interested me and I'm keen to know more about him and what connection he will end up having with the overall story arc of the series. My favourite character in this one was definitely Carneill with how he was trying to convince everyone that the Daleks were all good and knowing and would do right with the cure for the plague. Of course, that didn't quite end up being the case as they obliterated the base and took the primates along with those wardens that didn't quite manage to escape. I really liked Saxton once again and I am definitely still liking Kaymee as expected. I get the feeling that she is going to have a bigger role as this series progresses and if the Doctor was around, I would think that she would be the one who would be most likely to take on the role as companion. She's just really likeable and that's good because she hasn't really done an awful lot yet. She's asking all the right questions and her defence of the primates and their evolution in aiding her with the bandages was very good. The Daleks planning on geoforming all of the planets within the system was quite shocking. Saxton and co's reaction to that was fantastic and even though there was supposedly no sentient life on any of the planets, there was still life and that led to a defiant defence. The Daleks didn't welcome that though and even though they believed Saxton and her closest comrades to be dead, Carneill failed to tell them the truth that they had escaped. I guess he may actually not know that they were alive as there was no sign of them, but of course that didn't mean they were dead. The inclusion of the Dalek Supreme is something I am always a big fan of, and I really loved the ending to this one. This is where the continuity came around greatly with the emergence of Susan Mendes combining with the Dalek Supreme in a somewhat modulated form. I am very much looking forward to seeing this expanded upon and how it has an impact on the Daleks as a whole. Overall, a strong and much improved showing!

Rating: 8/10

The Exterminators

"There's probably not a soul in this galaxy whose life hasn't been tainted in some way by the Daleks."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs
Format: Audio
Released: May 2004
Series: Dalek Empire 3.01

Featuring: Tarkov, Saxton, Selestru, Galanar

Synopsis

At the end of Dalek Empire 2 – Dalek War, Galactic Union envoy Siy Tarkov set off from the planet Valyshaa with vital information warning of an imminent Dalek invasion of the galaxy.

Twenty years later, and the only proof Tarkov ever existed is a garbled message, calling for help. But no-one is listening.

Verdict

The Exterminators was sadly not the greatest of starts to the third series of the Dalek Empire spinoff series from Big Finish. I must admit, I was quite stunned to find that it had been over four years since I listened to this series and I was quite worried that I had left it too long and wouldn't remember at all what was going on. Thankfully, the following on wasn't that extensive and whilst what occurred in Dalek War – Chapter Four was very much present, it was explained well to the listener. Essentially, Tarkov was now 20 years into his future after going into cryogenic sleep and the story was all about an impending Dalek invasion. I was really quite stunned that a story that is titled what it is barely features the Daleks! That didn't sit right with me, especially considering it is a spinoff for the Daleks themselves. I didn't like that and felt a bit cheated to be honest, especially with this being the first episode of the series. Surely it would be realised that I am listening for the Daleks because I enjoy them as an enemy so much I want to hear what they get up to without the Doctor around? But instead we were introduced, to use the term lightly, to a brand new team of people who seem like the series will centre around. The little intro with Susan Mendes recalling the events of the end of the second series was good, but I do wish she was able to feature here as I loved her character. I'm also going to miss the presence of Kalendorf as he added a lot to this series with his history from The Sirens of Time. That leads me to mention how poor I thought the new characters were introduced. Why would I care about a surprise birthday party that wasn't wanted from Saxton when I barely know anything about her? There was a real lack of backstory which was a shame and whilst I hope that things get threaded out during the next five stories, I think it should happen in the first adventure. Even if it wasn't for all of the characters, there just needed to be more to get me invested. Maybe the Daleks featuring more would have made that less obvious but without them for the most part, there was just so much dialogue between characters I knew nothing about. That was really frustrating as a listener. I liked the idea of Tarkov suffering from disease and the struggles that were evident from that were interesting and I felt sympathy because he was already something of an established character. Of the new characters, I did like Saxton more as the story went on and I think I am going to really enjoy Kaymee. She seems like a likeable character and that's always important to have in a spinoff series. The looming invasion of the Daleks was something good to play on and I guess it was inevitable they would arrive at the story's conclusion, but I did like that Graxis Major was placed under the jurisdiction of the Dalek Empire. The primates could have been something that featured more given how Saxton was associated with them and all the warden connections, but I did really enjoy the brief moment of the Dalek threatening one. The mystery of who bandaged up Kaymee is good and I am keen to know more, but as a whole this story was just lacking in my emotional investment because the characters were mostly unfamiliar. David Tennant having a prominent role as Galanar will be intriguing for the series given that he would be cast as the Tenth Doctor, and his association with Selestru is something I look forward to more of hearing. Overall though, some good elements but character development is desperately needed.

Rating: 5/10

The Gemini Contagion

"Science shouldn't be afraid to make mistakes."

Writer: Jason Arnopp
Format: Audio
Released: March 2011
Series: NSA 11

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy

Synopsis

The ice-planet Vinsk, in the year 2112. The all-new anti-viral handwash, Gemini, has been laced with Meme-Spawn: a sentient micro-organism which makes the user fluent in every language in the universe. However, manufacturer Zalnex made one crucial mistake. They didn't test Gemini on humans, who are seized by the violent urge to communicate but speak every language all at once – with a manic, garbled shriek – and pass on the virus by touch. The Doctor and Amy arrive on an Earth-bound cargo-ship loaded with Gemini, where a human crew are succumbing to the virus which has nasty second and third phases in store. When the Doctor and Amy are separated, they both know that it's only a matter of time before Amy is infected. With the ship locked on course, and no way of curing the sufferers, the Doctor is faced with a terrible decision: does he save Amy, or Earth?

Verdict

The Gemini Contagion was a decent audio story and pretty good way to continue my way through the Eleventh Doctor Tales collection through BorrowBox and my local library. I am eternally grateful to be able to listen to these stories free of charge as they are a format of audio that I am probably least inclined to purchase myself. It is through no fault of their own, but the fact that there is usually just the one actor or actress makes it quite difficult to stay engaged with what I'm listening to. Sometimes I think the very nature of the BBC Audio originals is their own worst enemy which is a real shame. That is perhaps a little harsh but it is just my personal standpoint when it comes to my listening preferences. Meera Syal did a very good job as narrator for this story and she was definitely a favoured actress of mine from Series 5 following her performance in The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood. I thought her Welsh accent was a little bit off and stereotypical to be honest but that is only something I picked up on because I am Welsh myself. There were no major issues there! I liked the idea of the story very much and I thought it was a good move to have a futuristic but also quite near setting. This was just a century into the future and it seems that the advancements in technology skyrocket through the twenty-first century! It would take humanity all the way to Vinsk and I think a little more could have been made of the fact that this was an ice-planet. I must admit that I was rather sceptical when I read that this audio was going to be centred around a deadly hand wash. Whilst Doctor Who may have titles such as The Sinister Sponge and has shown how drawings can be evil in Fear Her, I initially thought hand wash was too far of a stretch. Thankfully, it didn't become the basis of the plot and it was actually more about one cubical element of the hand wash composition and that was Meme-Spawn. I thought the concept behind that was pretty good and intriguing and the idea of an infection in space is always great. I feel there just needed to be some more clarity regarding why Zalnex hadn't tested it on humans and how it came to be airborne. The crew getting infected and causing a death almost immediately after the Doctor and Amy arrived was good, and I thought it was humorous the way the Doctor reacted to being blamed for that. It really was textbook! The idea of the Meme-Spawn being fluent in every language they encountered was incredible and the Doctor reminiscing about hearing the language of his own people was quite lovely. I loved the idea of the struggles of the infected then trying to speak in every language all at once, but it should have been a little more impactful. There needed to be a little less buildup, especially as the story was quite lengthy for this format at 79 minutes, and more oomph factor happening. I felt a tad let down by the ease with which the Doctor eradicated the infection, but I did enjoy the turn of emotions at the ending with the decision to blow up the ship anyway to ensure that the infection was gone. Some of the characters seemed to come and go, but Musselbrook and Ramirez stood out most to me. Overall though, a decent little story that just needed a bit more impact.

Rating: 7/10

Chain Reaction

"You were trying to shoot that pigeon."

Writer: Darren Goldsmith

Format: Audio

Released: February 2011

Series: Short Trips 2.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

One single coin can set off a fascinating sequence of events... if you're a Time Lord.

Verdict

Chain Reaction was sadly not the best of ways to round out my listening of the second volume of Short Trip audios from Big Finish. I really didn't get along with this story which was a real shame as I thought Louise Jameson did a terrific job with her narration. That is hardly surprising though given how great of an actress and performer she is, but I was left a little disappointed that Leela didn't actually feature. Even though it happened at the very end of the story, I will get to the appearance of Sarah Jane Smith right away and I thought it was about the only decent thing that occurred in the adventure. I was rather mystified by the story's direction and I couldn't quite believe that everything centred around a pound coin and a pigeon. It sounds barmy and that's usually perfect for the Fourth Doctor, but without the natural wit of Tom Baker present, this one just fell flat on its face for me. The idea of basing a Doctor Who story around a chain reaction was one I was very excited about and thought would work really well wit endless possibilities across time and in space, but instead we got a coin. A coin! Ugh, I really didn't like it. Unfortunately, I found myself quite bored for much of the story and when the audio is already only fifteen minutes, it's not a good sign when it drags! I think the little synopsis for this story is a bit misleading as well as I don't see what the Doctor being a Time Lord has to do with anything concerning a chain reaction. Anyone could have rolled that coin and the events would still have occurred in exactly the same sequence. What the Doctor did to then revert things to a flow of events that weren't dangerous may only be achieved by a Time Lord, but the actual action of rolling the coin and setting the events in motion didn't matter at all. That's a little frustrating to read in hindsight. I wasn't a huge fan of the direction or sound for this audio which was a big shame and it was just strange the noise that occurred every time Jameson voiced the Doctor. I get that there has to be some sort of leeway in having her do an impression of Tom Baker's fourth incarnation, but something just felt very off. It definitely was off-putting. The idea of coins being fixed in time is just ludicrous and it shows how utterly ridiculous this whole audio was to be honest! It's such a weird idea and I wonder where it came from. It was strange. Dennis turning out to not be fixed in time was admittedly unexpected, but it came too late to make much of an impact even if the Doctor's reaction was humorous. Ahh, a frustrating one. Overall, not the best of stories I'm afraid but my progress through the endless catalogue that is Big Finish continues. 

Rating: 4/10

Peacemaker

"Those who pose as miracle workers are nothing of the sort."

Writer: James Swallow
Format: Novel
Released: December 2007
Series: NSA 21

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

The peace and quiet of a remote homestead in the 1880s American West is shattered by the arrival of two shadowy outriders searching for 'the healer'. When the farmer refuses to help them, they raze the house to the ground, using guns that shoot bolts of energy instead of bullets...

In the town of Redwater, the Doctor and Martha learn of a snake-oil salesman whose patent medicines actually cure his patient. But when the Doctor and Martha investigate, they discover the truth is stranger, and far more dangerous. Caught between the law of the gun and the deadly plans of intergalactic mercenaries, the Doctor and Martha are about to discover just how wild the West can become...

Verdict

Peacemaker was a fantastic novel! I really enjoyed this book and I was a little surprised that this was the case given the setting of the Wild West. I was sceptical going in because of that as it really is not a period of history I find remotely interesting and I consider The Gunfighters the worst story of the Classic era and the third Back to the Future film as comfortably the worst because of this. Now, I wasn't expecting this to be my least favourite Doctor Who novel, but I wouldn't have been surprised if it was the case. Far from it! It was definitely one of my favourite Tenth Doctor books I've read thus far and I whizzed through the pages in one day. The use of the setting was very good and I liked how things changed from Redwater to Ironhill around halfway through. That made things refreshing and injected the book with a new lease of life, not that it really needed it though. I liked the idea of Godlove and how there was a mystical healer going around curing smallpox without leaving any kind of trace. That was obviously impossible in the 1880s so the Doctor and Martha were instantly intrigued and involved in what was going on. I thought their relationship was written superbly well and was phenomenally in line with the feel of Series 3 and how the Doctor is still missing Rose. The moment where he reminisces about New Earth and how he obtained the liquid phials that save Jenny's life here was a great moment and Martha seeing her jacket made her realise once again that would never win him over, despite what she wanted. Godlove not being part of the book until the 100 page mark was a good move, but it was almost a seamless introduction after so much backstory without actually meeting him. His slave partner of Walking Crow was a really good character and I liked the moment where he betrayed his owner and it felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. A really nice moment. I did think more would have been made of Martha's skin colour, but perhaps the lack of a Southern setting contributed to that not being a heavy theme. This book obviously preceded Thin Ice by a good decade where it was more heavily featured. Kutter and Tangleleg being Clades made for good enemies and their desire to find the healer was certainly interesting. I wanted to know just why they were after Godlove and what the whole connection was. The Doctor did too and that was good to read. The characterisation of David Tennant's incarnation was pretty solid throughout which is always a bonus. The cure-all actually being a Clade as well was something I did not expect but I liked that thanks to some little details that almost go unnoticed, it didn't come as a big surprise and actually made sense. The way it had basically bitten Godlove before one of his latest uses was a good example of that. The Clades tracking down one of their own was good and I really enjoyed the brief backstory concerning their species. It was definitely beneficial in understanding just what this new species was. A good introduction. They were craven for conflict and they didn't care about ruling or winning. That makes for a good opposition to the Doctor in my eyes. The Clades shooting Martha was a brilliant moment and I loved that they made sure she would die slowly with the only chance of survival being Godlove. The Doctor had no choice but to make their acquaintance. Nathan was a tremendous character and the courage and resilience he showed in aiding the Doctor and Martha on their mission despite witnessing his father die at the hands of the Clades just hours prior was commendable. The little references to The Gunfighters were excellent and I was quite surprised that Martha liked the Wild West so much. It didn't seem like her cup of tea, but it was nice to get an insight into her family history. The conclusion with the Doctor battling a Clade within his own head was good and whilst it is something that has been done before, I liked seeing the Doctor struggle for control. The revelation that he was far superior to them intellectually and could think in more than the four dimensions they were adamantly programmed to, he was able to find their weaknesses and defeat them. I think the sonic screwdriver was bordering overuse throughout the book and I think a little more clarity might have been needed regarding how the Doctor got rid of the bad dreams for everyone, but as a whole this was a really enjoyable read. Overall, a brilliant book!

Rating: 9/10

Rage of the Time Lords: Darkness and Light

"They will talk of me as they would their own gods."

Writer: David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: July 2019

Series: The War Master 3.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, War Master

Synopsis

With the Master's plans near completion, his victory is threatened by the presence of his greatest friend and enemy: the Doctor.1

Verdict

Darkness and Light was a decent audio adventure to conclude Rage of the Time Lords, but I must admit that I was hoping this third series of War Master stories would finish in slightly better fashion. That's pretty harsh considering the fact I still gave it a strong rating, but I just love the character so much and having him here alongside the Eighth Doctor is fantastic and just a joy. I think this has definitely been Derek Jacobi's best boxset for his performances as the titular character and that didn't change with this story. I really did think things were going to be different in this one following on from The Missing Link and all the great things that happened there. This one always seemed like it was just waiting on that big moment to happen and in my opinion it never really came. Finding out that Mandrake wasn't all he seemed was interesting but I certainly wouldn't envy his mission set by the CIA! Not only did they want him to stabilise and bring them the weapon that the Master had created, but they also wanted the man himself. They clearly weren't asking for much. Taking things into the deep and distant past, history that is so unfamiliar in the Doctor Who universe, at the time of the Big Bang is quite incredible really. It was a concept I loved and I can't help but feel that it wasn't utilised as well as it could have been. The prospect that there may well be a little bit of the Doctor and the Master in everything was a delightful way to end things and it's just terrific that it could well be the case! Finding the result of the Master's experiment seemed a little underwhelming and needed a little more of an impactful moment for me. The Rage was a very interesting species and I liked the compassion shown to it by the two Time Lords who were in charge of things here on Xenotopia. I think we could have pulled on some of the traits that were extracted to give some continuity but I was fine with what went on here. The relationship between the Doctor and the Master was an interesting one throughout and I really liked their conversation regarding the Time War. They were both wanting no part but it was for very different reasons. That is definitely something that could be played upon should they ever return for a televised story. Throwing in Turma as the hired muscle seemed a little unnecessary for me and I do question what, if anything, he actually brought to the game. It's something fun to play on. One thing I was a fan of occurring in this story was having the Doctor forget the appearance of the Master to ensure that the continuity matched and it certainly did. Utopia is definitely still intact, don't you worry! The Doctor having a plan all along which involved the Rage actually killing itself was an unexpected element of the story, but one I am very grateful for. It worked well, perhaps a little too easily, and the little speech the Rage got to give before parting ways was good. It was a nice enough moment for sure. I would have liked a little more of the Time War itself in this one and I hope it features heavily in the fourth edition. Overall though, this was a good end to what has been a great villain. Overall, a very good audio adventure!

Rating: 7/10

Rage of the Time Lords: The Missing Link

"I've always been the stuff of nightmares."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: July 2019

Series: The War Master 3.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, War Master

Synopsis

On a desolate world in the distant future, the Master embarks on his latest scheme, aided and abetted by a team of brilliant scientists. But who is he truly working for? And in a universe at war, is there anyone left in all the cosmos who can stop him?

Verdict

The Missing Link was an excellent story to continue along the Rage of the Time Lords third series of adventures for the War Master! This time we finally got to see the incarnation take on the Doctor and it would obviously make sense that this would be the eighth incarnation given everything that comes with the Time War. It is a great shame that John Hurt passed away as the prospect of him and Derek Jacobi performing together would have been staggering. But alas, Paul McGann did very well and the way he was delayed in being introduced to proceedings was good and the right move. We hear a muffled reply through the door as Alice's physic abilities are enhanced and I just knew that her calls for help were going to be answered by the Doctor. It was fine that it was predictable too because it was the right way to go about things and was just an entertaining story. This was undoubtedly the audio where the War Master was at its best and after we learned that The Survivor and The Coney Island Chameleon were just two instances out of 523 (at least) where the Master preyed and captured beings with special traits or abilities was fantastic. It was a nice way of bringing everything together and it only seemed right that the Doctor would be the missing link needed to complete whatever whacky puzzle the Master is putting together. Derek Jacobi was just sublime in his calm evilness and it was almost certainly my favourite performance of his. I think Alice definitely has the makings of a companion, but I admittedly hope that things don't move forward from there with the Doctor. Her relationship with him was good and I liked that she knew who he was and what he meant based on the image planted from the Master's mind. It was masterful the way he manipulated events on Xenotopia to get things perfectly panned out for his plan. The deceit and feigning knowledge was terrific. One key quality of the Master being a villain is how cold he can be and I think that was best demonstrated by Anthony Ainley and Michelle Gomez's Missy, but it was on full display in this audio with the Master calmly instructing one of his scientists to short out the electrical feed by becoming part of the circuit and dying a horrible death. It was extraordinary stuff. Mandrake was a good character and I get the feeling he is going to be an important piece of the finale as he definitely seemed to be one of the more important scientists within the Master's employ. When the Master revealed that everything was all as part of the effort for the Time War, without explaining to what end, it was hardly a surprise but I was a little shocked by how long he had been carrying out the experiment. I think it's fun to play on the fact that the Master is clearly scared by the prospect of the Time War and with this experiment, he has removed himself from the front line as far as possible. And to be honest, why wouldn't he? He has no Time Lord loyalty. The Eighth Doctor being delirious and gradually so for all of the audio was brilliant and I thought it was going to be an explanation for how the Tenth Doctor wouldn't recognise him in Utopia, but that was proved wrong at the end. But it was far too late. The Master had his missing link of the Doctor who was exposed to the Time Vortex like no other. How will all these pieces pull together? I am very excited to find out. Overall, a fantastic audio!

Rating: 9/10

Rage of the Time Lords: The Coney Island Chameleon

"Freak shows? They're a thing of the past."

Writer: David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: July 2019

Series: The War Master 3.02

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

When the carnival arrives on Coney Island, it brings with it the most incredible specimens that New York will ever see. Unfortunately for the acts, not all eyes on them are friendly. Enigmatic businessman TS Mereath has taken a shine to the Coney Island Chameleon, for example... and he will seemingly stop at nothing to acquire her.

Verdict

The Coney Island Chameleon was a superb audio adventure to kick Rage of the Time Lords right into action! This was actually very similar in format and structure to The Survivor, but I think it worked a lot better with the Master very conniving and manipulative in his schemes. It really was a masterful performance from Derek Jacobi as the War Master and I thought it was great how he was after the Chameleon that was Esther. Her abilities were interesting and probably could have been explained a little more, but I guess the explanation is in the fact that she is a chameleon. Her being used as part of a carnival performance was good and it made me laugh a little that someone with her abilities was struggling financially and second fiddle to Sabatini. The Master's disguise as an American businessman was good and whilst it was incredibly easy to work out that his guise as TS Mereath was an anagram of 'The Master', I loved it. I really am a fan of the Master's deception, even when it is so obvious to us listeners, and whilst the accent was questionable, it was just good to have the Master up to no good. I find it fascinating that there is so much potential on Earth for use in the Time Lord as the human race wouldn't really have much to offer in a war of the scale between the Time Lords and the Daleks, but of course Esther wasn't human at all. The use of the carnival setting was fantastic throughout and the Master's ability to use that and everything that it provided for Sabatini and Esther in their lives was excellent. He wanted to buy Esther and offered an incredible sum of $2,000. Putting that into context, Sabatini's rent was $15-20 per month so he would obviously benefit greatly and be set for a very long time financially. The Master putting a horrific plan into action once his offer was rejected, which I was actually surprised was the case, and that involved burning down the hotel that Sabatini was staying at and then murdering his landlord of Fletcher. Things advanced very quickly from there and we had the War Master at his very best. It was brilliant and I think Jacobi does so well as being evil. I loved it. Sabatini and Esther going on the run was a good development of the story and it injected it with a good pace and a lot of excitement which was a shift from the mysterious atmosphere that has accompanied the War Master series so far. The Master tracking them down was always going to happen though and that meant he would soon meet Genevieve. I really liked her character as she was questioning her old flame and how she initially thought that Sabatini and Esther were seeing each other in more than just a carnival act, despite the huge age discrepancies. The ending was a very unexpected shift though with the Master trapping Sabatini in a force field and actually taking him in his TARDIS and leaving Esther free. I really didn't see that coming and I'm intrigued to see how things are followed up in the next instalment of the series. Surely a chameleon would be a better weapon in the Time War than some special DNA? I'm also looking forward to seeing how he will be used alongside Alice. Throwing the Eighth Doctor into the mix makes things very exciting and I can't wait to see how things pan out. For now though, an excellent audio story!

Rating: 9/10

Rage of the Time Lords: The Survivor

"We all have hidden depths."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: July 2019

Series: The War Master 3.01

Featuring: War Master

Synopsis

At the height of the Second World War on the planet Earth, Alice Pritchard wants for nothing more than the fighting to stop, and to do her bit for King and Country. But when the village priest offers her guidance, her life will change in ways she could never imagine.

Verdict

The Survivor was an intriguing and pretty good start to the Rage of the Time Lords boxset that serves as the third series of adventures for the War Master. I have been very excited for this series for a long time due to the prospect of the Doctor meeting the War Master for battle and I'm intrigued to see how the dynamic works with them technically being on the same side in the Time War. I'm always interested in throwing the Eighth Doctor into the Time War given that he claimed to not be a part of it in The Night of the Doctor so how things pan out will be very interesting indeed. I didn't expect the first story to be set during the Second World War and it basically served as a lengthy introduction to Alice Pritchard. I get the sense that she is going to be a pivotal part of the series and I must admit that until very near the end, where her background was hinted at being along Time Lord lines, I was a tad disappointed with what was going on as it seemed awfully similar in structure to The Master of Callous, which was not a traditional series and probably was not the best utilisation of the War Master. I really liked that he returned to his guise as Reverend Magister which was a lovely nod to the past and The Daemons which is really great continuity and just something simple that works very well. I'm very interested to know why the Master has so willingly gone to Earth during the Second World War and searched for and manipulated Alice into coming with him. The Time Lords obviously have a plan but I do wonder what she can provide against the Daleks. I'm really looking forward to finding out though! The use of the World War Two setting was excellent as the parallels that could be drawn with the Time War from the Master were brilliant. I really liked that and I thought it was good how insignificant he thought the conflict on Earth was. And to be honest, why wouldn't he think that? Lady Raleigh was a really good character and I was very surprised when she was killed off. I thought she might come back at some point further down the line in this series but that will not be possible now. I have read a review of this first story and Blogtor Who has used the word unsettling to describe this tale and I think that's an apt description. Slowly but surely we hear the Master's manipulation increase, but I'm not sure why he has to do this from the shadows. As I mentioned in my blogging of the second series, I bought the boxset because I want to hear Derek Jacobi as the War Master! I think there was a bit too much of the other characters and whilst I understand background is important, I think there could have been less without any issues. I also found it interesting that the story was initially meant to take place in the 17th century with the Master as a Witchfinder General, but that was vetoed due to the similarities with The Witchfinders. I was surprised that occurred given that the televised episode came out around a year ago now. How that has impacted the whole series remains to be seen, but for now this was a solid start that has left me wanting more.

Rating: 7/10

The Sensorites

"We must contain our emotions."

Writer: Nigel Robinson
Format: Novel
Released: July 1987
Series: Target 118

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

The TARDIS materialises on board a dark and silent spaceship. As the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara penetrate the craft's eerie gloom they come across what appear to be the bodies of two dead astronauts.

But the astronauts are far from dead, and are living in mortal fear of the Sensorites, a race of telepathic creatures from the Sense-Sphere.

When the lock of the TARDIS is stolen the Doctor is forced into an uneasy alliance with the aliens. And when arrives on the Sensorites' planet he discovers that it is not only the humans who have cause to be afraid...

Verdict

The Sensorites was a very good novelisation of the televised story of the same name. This is an adventure I know really well from several stop-start marathon views back in my younger years, but it's one I haven't seen for around six years so the novelisation brought back a lot of memories and I really liked when I remembered what was going to happen before reading it. I think it might actually be a slightly better story in prose and reading in this format made me realise just how little of the action actually takes place on the Sense-Sphere. It's quite incredible really that more than half of the story takes place on the spaceship! That's a very contained setting for what is a very long period of time without much of an alien threat. We don't even get to see the Sensorites take the TARDIS lock as in the televised format of the story which was an interesting deviation and I liked the Doctor and Susan's differing reactions to that having occurred. It's quite a mad concept really and you can tell that this would just have no place in the modern era. I like that though as it shows how experimental things could be in these very early days of the first season with very little being off the table. Carol was a lovely character and it was really nice that she had a large role for pretty much the entire story. Her relationship with John and how he was eventually cured was a terrific aspect of the book. One humorous thing that was so much more obvious than in the televised story was the lack of Barbara for about a third of the content. I'm sure it was something like a holiday or illness for Jacqueline Hill during the filming of what I think would be parts four and five, but then she just reemerges out of nowhere towards the end as if she's always been there! That was quite funny. The First Elder was a somewhat frustrating character with his inability to believe that any Sensorite could do wrong. That was good to play on and I loved the lightbulb moment that went off in the Administrator's head when Carol joked how she wouldn't even notice if any of their sashes of office changed. That set the evil Sensorite's plan into motion and he was very clever about. The way he ended up manipulating the Doctor and his companions into promoting him to Second Elder following the murder he'd committed. The political nature of Sensorite society was very intriguing and quite different to any that has been seen in Doctor Who before, and I thought it was great how Susan remarked that Barbara would not have approved if she wasn't left as a hostage in the ship. I do think this book could have deviated further from the televised story with regards to the fate of the Administrator. I think it's a little weak that amending a map in his handwriting has him banished. There could have been some further elaboration there or we could have read the moment where he was found out and how he reacted. That was my only qualm really. I really enjoyed the story and it was paced very well. The use of two chapters per TV part worked very well and I liked that the book finished within itself, rather than leading into The Reign of Terror as the televised format would have. Overall, a lovely little read.

Rating: 8/10

Picnic at Asgard

"Don't anger the Gods!"

Writer: Jenny T. Colgan

Format: Short Story

Released: February 2016

Printed in: The Legends of River Song 01

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, River Song

Synopsis

"Hello, sweetie!"

Melody Pond, Melody Malone, River Song... She has had many names. Whoever she really is, this archaeologist and time traveller has had more adventures (and got into more trouble) than most people in the universe.

And she's written a lot of it down. Well, when you're married to a Time Lord (or possibly not), you have to keep track of what you did and when. Especially as it may not actually have happened to both of you yet.

These are just a few of River Song's exploits, extracted from her journals. Sometimes, she is with the Doctor. Sometimes she's on her own. But wherever and whenever she may be, she is never far from danger and excitement.

This is just a tiny portion of her impossible life. But it will reveal more than you've ever known about the legend that is River Song.

Verdict

Picnic at Asgard was a good start to The Legends of River Song collection of stories! It feels a little weird to actually be starting a volume of adventures in a book that I actually own rather than a library copy, and who better to base a series of stories around than River Song? Her Diary of River Song audios from Big Finish have been wonderful in having her meet other incarnations of the Doctor from the Classic series, but here we got a bonus story with the Eleventh Doctor and her! This picnic at Asgard, although we didn't really see anything of the picnic despite the story's title, obviously came from a mention in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead and I am sure I will watch that story again in the future and I do hope I am able to recall this short story when it gets mentioned. It really is just fantastic to have an Eleventh Doctor and River story together on their own in the TARDIS. It is something I always wanted on screen and I guess I technically got it with Rain Gods but that barely lasted five minutes so I'm not counting it. They were wonderful together but I thought it was probably a mistake to have River narrate the adventure. I do hope the rest of the book doesn't follow in that vain with it being extracts from her journal. It wasn't bad at all but I think intermingling speech of a character who is also narrating can get a little messy and it didn't quite work for me. That's intriguing on a personal level as when I started reading and saw that River would be narrating, I was very excited but I actually turned out changing my mind. The Doctor and River going to Asgard was an incredibly good concept and obviously it wouldn't be the realm of Thor and Odin but instead was a giant theme park. You can just imagine how excited this incarnation of the Doctor would be in this environment and that definitely permeated across the pages which was positive. I found it really interesting that this particular tale certainly took place late in River Song's life as she was putting things into perspective and wanted to bring up the possibility of having children with the Doctor. I thought that was pretty extraordinary to be honest. I just wish they could have had the conversation instead of having to deal with a young hacker! I must admit, I wasn't a huge fan of that being the reason for the park's malfunctions and after a shaky moment in the middle where the story went a bit mad, I thought this was very good and initially well paced. The Doctor and River's reactions when the robot wiped out a row of the crowd was fantastic and I liked how even at short notice, the Doctor was always one pace ahead at minimum. That's exactly where he should be. His convincing in getting Caius a job at the park in the security department and patching up the faults that he broke through was a nice way to end things, but I do think Posthumus should have been killed when the cart went over him to make things more impactful. I am always in favour of characters dying/staying dead rather than being given a happy resurrection. It's happened far too often. Overall though, a fun little tale that was just delightful to have the Doctor and River travelling together. It just needed a bit more consistency in the middle for my liking to improve.

Rating: 7/10

The Way Forwards

"The future is the winner."

Writer: Steve Case
Format: Audio
Released: February 2011
Series: Short Trips 2.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Victoria

Synopsis

Chaos ensues when a young boy called Sherman discovers time travel for a science project.

Verdict

The Way Forwards was a very good little audio adventure to continue my sporadic and roundabout listening of the Short Trips series. The Doctor didn't feature a great deal but I have come to expect that in these short adventures and it really is okay. I think it's important to have that expectation going in, especially in these volume series where the stories really don't go much longer than fifteen minutes, as he doesn't really become the focus or have as much importance as he would in a traditional tale. That's absolutely fine as well. I liked the idea of playing time travel and I think it's quite intriguing how things work out for me personally after reading Touched by an Angel yesterday where time travel was very prominent! It was so again here but in a very different way whilst having an ordinary person travel through time. I loved the idea of Sherman having a time travel theory for a science project and he was determined to win first place at the fair with his proposals. He was worried though because he knew that it was too clever and complex for the judges to understand so winning may become unlikely. What I would like to know about the Doctor during this story is just why he was attending a science fair. That never came up but I can just picture the Doctor, particularly in his second incarnation as was the case here, fitting perfectly well in that type of environment. I really liked that we had a rare outing for just the Doctor and Victoria and whilst she didn't have a great deal to do in the companion role, it was just nice for there to be a slightly different dynamic. However, I do think Jamie's absence should have been addressed though as it doesn't fit in with any established chronology that he wouldn't be with the Doctor and Victoria. Her inability to fully grasp a paradox was great and it meant the Doctor could just say she was right by explaining everything she didn't understand. Sherman changing history once the Doctor gave him the right formula came out of nowhere and the surprise of our hero once Sherman vanished and the landscapes surrounding them were in flux was very good. I wasn't sure about the constant change in setting though as surely time should have rewrote itself so the TARDIS wouldn't still be there in the new surroundings? Or am I just reading a bit too much into things? Who knows. What I did like was that Sherman didn't have any evil intentions and he was trying to put things right himself. He was just way out of his depth and that showed when the Doctor showed up again to put things right. He was delighted to no longer be alone and needed the help to put things back on track. His reaction to the TARDIS interior, or rather lack of it, was unexpected as he didn't comment on it being bigger which was a shame. The ending kind of fizzled out a little bit but it was a nice little story. Overall, a very enjoyable little story!

Rating: 7/10

Touched by an Angel

"They're waiting for a paradox to happen."

Writer: Jonathan Morris
Format: Novel
Released: June 2011
Series: NSA 46

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

'The past is like a foreign country. Nice to visit, but you really wouldn't want to live there.'

In 2003, Rebecca Whitaker died in a road accident. Her husband Mark is still grieving. He receives a battered envelope, posted eight years ago, containing a set of instructions with a simple message: "You can save her."

As Mark is given the chance to save Rebecca, it's up to the Doctor, Amy and Rory to save the whole world. Because this time the Weeping Angels are using history itself as a weapon.

Verdict

Touched by an Angel was a sublime novel! This was an absolute joy to read from start to finish and was probably my favourite Eleventh Doctor book so far, eclipsing The King's Dragon. I knew from the start that things were going to be good given that the Weeping Angels featured and whilst the presence of a famed monster or enemy is by no means a recipe for success, I just had a really good feeling and I wasn't left disappointed. The story was based around Mark and you couldn't help but feel so incredibly sorry for everything he had to endure. Hearing how he lost his wife was saddening enough, but then he was thrown back in time by a Weeping Angel and would have to wait nine years for it all to happen again. Except this time he wanted to save her and was told that he couldn't. The jumping around of timeframes ranging from 1994 to 2011 was excellent and I loved the idea of the Doctor, Amy and Rory checking in on Mark from time to time. His interactions with his younger self were frequent and initially it seemed like he just couldn't help himself! The Doctor's reaction when he found out that Mark had already visited his mum was wonderful. The characterisation of Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor throughout was really great and I loved how he was able to use a Fez to distinguish between the two Rorys that came to be in his TARDIS. Mark's letter was a big focal point of the story and his failure to disclose to the Doctor the final message from his future self, or so we thought, regarding saving his wife was intriguing. He knew about the ramifications of changing history now that he'd met the Doctor, yet he was going to do it anyway. He was kind of justified though as if he didn't, then the letter wouldn't be true and that would mean history would be changed. I liked the use of the Weeping Angels in this book as there needed to be something more to them than just being scary as that's pretty difficult to do in prose as compared to a televised episode. Their being weak was a good thing to play on and I liked that they were drawn to Mark because of the paradox potential. That was their plan all along and the fact that they had engineered the whole letter on psychic paper was quite something. It was definitely a revelation I didn't see coming which is always good! Amy was a little quiet in this book which is unusual for her and I liked how she was taken out of her comfort zone at the end with Fez Rory and the Doctor knowing exactly what was going on with the Weeping Angel trap that they'd lured them into. Rory had been thrown back into 2001 and had set up a circular video package that would ensure the Angels were always observing themselves. They lost their corporeal forms and were erased for good. I thought it was magnificent that we got to follow the important life events in Mark and Rebecca's relationship and I really loved her character. She was just fantastic. Whether it was on top of the SU, their wedding day or speaking to old Mark after he told her everything, she was just marvellous. Mark getting to be with her for her last moments was a poignant way to end her chapter in his life and he would move on now at her command. But if anything, it was more moments he got with his wife that he didn't have. He'd wanted more and more memories, but he got just one. I was feeling very emotional reading those final moments after following the pair's life together and the journey of Mark through his past with the end goal being to save her. That was taken away, but the Weeping Angels were not fed and paradoxes were avoided. Overall, a superb novel!

Rating: 10/10

The Cats of New Cairo

"I'm here to tell you about the Lux."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2018

Series: Tales From New Earth 1.04

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Devon, Hame

Synopsis

Senator Hame is summoned to New Cairo by the spiritual leader of Catkind: the Most Exalted High Persian – a personage of great power and wisdom – to report on her investigations.

Here, the camel-like Dromedans still worship Catkind, in the shadows of vast Octahedrons and temples of light. But Hame and Devon have uncovered a conspiracy that threatens the future of everyone on the planet.

The battle for control of New Earth is about to begin...

Verdict

The Cats of New Cairo was a very good conclusion to what has been a consistently great Tales From New Earth boxset! I really liked this ending as it brought everything and everyone full circle after four adventures battling the Lux in very different scenarios and capacities. I liked that we finished how we started with Devon and Senator Hame as the lead characters and they worked well together once again. Hame coming to New Cairo was intriguing and I was really excited to learn about a totally different area of New Earth, but one that we can assume we know a little about based on the present day city. The take on the Great Pyramids was unexpected with them actually being Octahedrons but I liked how this city was clearly far expanded upon from the version of 21st century Earth. The Dromedans were also pretty interesting as an intelligent camel species and I find it very interesting and just a concept full of potential that species we know today could be so much more far into the future. New Cairo being a place for the Catkind was good and it was nice to get some backstory on Hame and how she came to New Earth and rose up the ranks to Novice and now Senator. Sister Jara was a very good character but I was quite surprised that she tried to defend the work of the Sisters of Plenitude in New Earth when we first met her. She obviously must not have garnered the whole story of what truly went down. Her character development over the course of the hour was good though and that was down to The Most Exalted High Persian. He was a good character and enemy and his determination to work with the Lux was unexpected, but I liked it a lot. I thought it was good that we never got to hear him being on the good side so to speak and from the get go was against Hame's investigation into the Lux. He was fully buying into what they were offering which provided a good and conflicting dynamic. The use of the light shield covering New Earth to keep the TARDIS out was excellent and I think it was great that for most of the story, the presence of the Doctor was there without him physically being so. That's a brilliant way to work around the lack of David Tennant. The return of Oscar from The Skies of New Earth for a cameo and helping reflect the light and get the Doctor through was excellent and a terrific moment as I really liked his character. Devon being affected by the Lux was another good plot development and one I was surprised by. There didn't really seem to be one character that led the way in this story and even when the Doctor arrived, it was too late to make an impact and that's far from being a negative. I liked how he was used in this audio. My only little qualm is that the fate of the Lux seemed as definitive as any other of the three stories in which they were defeated, so I question why this is the end for them. I think something a little more impactful and clear-cut was needed based on the rest of the boxset, but I still very much enjoyed the story and the finale of a great series! Overall, a very positive listen and set of adventures.

Rating: 8/10

The Skies of New Earth

"The light blinds itself."

Writer: Paul Morris
Format: Audio
Released: March 2018
Series: Tales From New Earth 1.03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Devon

Synopsis

Devon's work takes him into the skies of New Earth and the great floating city of New Caelum.

Here, a new energy project is exploited by alien powers, and a terrible catastrophe looms. Helped once again by the Doctor, Devon calls on the Bird People of Nest City, as well as the great Solar Bears on their Ice Clouds to stop disaster.

But can the people of the skies put aside their rivalries long enough to make a difference?

Verdict

The Skies of New Earth was yet another really good little adventure to continue the Tales From New Earth boxset along very nicely. There was a noticeable shift in the way things proceeded and it definitely felt refreshing which was very positive. It took a little bit of time for the Doctor to arrive and he definitely felt like more of a leading presence in this story as opposed to Death in the New Forest. I liked how Devon was still on his mission for Senator Hame but she failed to appear again and I was absolutely fine with that because the Doctor provided the authority figure. I do hope they get to be reunited again in the finale though! I'll be a tad disappointed if they don't to be honest given their history in New Earth and Gridlock. I was really impressed with Kieran Hodgson's impression of the Tenth Doctor in this story as it really made it feel like David Tennant was voicing in some instances which is a big compliment. The mannerisms and little traits of his incarnation were on show throughout which was very impressive. I think this was probably the least enjoyable story of the series so far, albeit by an incredibly small margin, but that impression may be responsible for ensuring that the ratings have remained consistent. I absolutely loved Oscar as a guest character and whilst Loba was also wonderful, there was just something about the Solar Bear that stood out for me. Maybe it was the very fact of what his species was? I'm not sure but he was brilliant. A lot of humour came from him which I'm always all for in sporadic amounts. It works perfectly for the Tenth Doctor era as well. Speaking of which, I'd like to get a companion reference to know when exactly these stories take place in the Doctor's timeline. One would assume that it would be towards the end of his incarnation following Donna's departure, but you can't be too sure. He definitely hasn't seemed like he's heading towards his end in the two stories so far. His use of the sonic screwdriver was once again fully utilised in this adventure which was decent and I liked how he was determined to find out about the Lux and how they couldn't quite infest the Nest City. That being invisible was a good dynamic as well. The Lux using a telepathic method to try and convert the population into Luman was very good and I liked the Eureka moment when the Doctor worked out that this was their plan. He put things into place to ensure that he could prevent such a terrible situation coming into being and was somewhat successful. One thing I have to say is that I really appreciated the detailed level of descriptions at the start of the audio concerning New Earth and the skies. The cities were very interesting and I liked the exploration. I would love to see another incarnation of the Doctor go somewhere else amongst those cities and meet some more Solar Bears. The conclusion was pacy and perhaps a tad predictable, or not exactly much of a surprise shall we say, but apart from the weird rock music that carried the story forward, it was an entertaining finish. It seemed to bring about a definitive end to the Lux and the Doctor's involvement on New Earth, but Devon's comments at the end suggested that the finale will be just that and not a standalone story. Overall, another great tale!

Rating: 8/10

Death in the New Forest

"I've witnessed trees praying to New Gods."

Writer: Roland Moore
Format: Audio
Released: March 2018
Series: Tales From New Earth 1.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Devon

Synopsis

On his first mission for Senator Hame, Devon crosses continents to arrive in the New Forest and meet its people.

Trees are dying of unnatural causes, Sapling Vale, a cutting of the noble Jabe of the Forest of Cheem, will help Devon investigate the threat to her people.

So too will an alien, an old friend of New Earth... a time traveller known as the Doctor!

Verdict

Death in the New Forest was another really good audio adventure! I am really liking the Tales From New Earth boxset and I would certainly encourage any fans who were like me and very sceptical about the release to give it a try! It really is quite different with the futuristic setting and mingling of different natural species which gives it a unique dynamic. It's definitely one that works and I liked the story that was told here. We followed on from Escape From New New York with Devon seeking out Thorn's family to tell them of his sacrifice and death, but it turned out that there was something horrific going on in the New Forest and Thorn's family had fallen victim. They were dead. Where Senator Hame played a big role in the previous audio, I was delighted that Sapling Vale accompanied Devon for this one. She was a great character and I thought it was fantastic that she was a cutting from Jabe of the Forest of Cheem. It was really nice to hear how much she was revered on New Earth, even amongst the new humans, and the Doctor was also there because of her and what she did for him in The End of the World. It was very good to mention that story and the Doctor's previous incarnation, and it was just good to have the Tenth Doctor feature. I would have preferred it if Jacob Dudman was able to provide his skills as David Tennant's incarnation as there were a few moments where Kieran Hodgson didn't quite sound different to his main character of Devon. But then on the other hand, there were some phrases and moments where he sounded exactly like the Tenth Doctor! It was a weird little character performance. I think it has something to do with the fact that it wasn't Tennant himself performing, but I was a little surprised that the presence of the Doctor didn't really take the focus off of Devon. He is a very likeable character and his role in everything that is going on with the Lux and New Earth is great with him being a new human. I like what he brings to the overall story. The Termitons proved to be good enemies and a conflict regarding the land of the New Forest and continent was excellent. Billions of years into the future and there would still be disagreements and murders over who owned what and who could go where. Devon's struggles to get across the border were good and I liked that there was a whole Termiton mound. One left. They were voiced terrifically and I was a big fan of the fact they were not subsidiary to the Lux in this story. They actually used them and their technology for their own plan and were so close to wiping out the Tree-kind and their religion. Touching upon a religious theme was good but I was glad that it wasn't the primary focus. Xylem Maple Dorm being identified as the next target for the Termitons and their Light was good but I was surprised that the Doctor had a history with him. The ending was quite shocking though with Vale having no other choice but to use the Lux technology against the Termitons and destroy the mound and taking them with it. It saved an entire planet and species, but it was not something she wanted to do. She simply had to do it. The Doctor was surprisingly sympathetic so he really must have believed there was no other way and he understands the choice she made and will have to live with. The promise at the end that he will be keeping an eye on New Earth was great as I hope he will appear in at least one more adventure. Overall, a very good story!

Rating: 8/10

Escape From New New York

"You will ascend and join us."

Writer: Roy Gill
Format: Audio
Released: March 2018
Series: Tales From New Earth 1.01

Featuring: Hame, Devon

Synopsis

Devon Pryce has lived all his life in the high rises of New New York. A child of the Elevator Guild, he now receives a new calling – from a cat.

Senator Hame is trying to rebuild society, to make it stronger for future generations, but there are those who would stand in her way.

There is a new danger on New Earth, and Devon's work is only just beginning

Verdict

Escape From New New York was a really good start to Tales From New Earth! I really didn't know what to expect from this audio and if I'm being totally honest, I don't think I would ever have purchased it as I was rather shocked when I found out the news that it was going to be a thing. However, when it was released as part of a deluxe edition of Doctor Who Magazine, I strove to find the access code to the free download and thankfully Big Finish pretty much gave it away so I was able to get it. I still think it's pretty ridiculous that DWM subscribers didn't get this, but alas we go on. New Earth is certainly a setting with a great deal of potential and it was nice to have things a little removed from Gridlock. It seems to be a theme of a number of stories I am blogging lately where the impact of the Doctor's reactions are being explored and I love that. Yes, he did incredible things in Ne Earth and Gridlock for New Earth and New New York but there were not easy consequences to deal with. There was a whole generation of new humans and the city itself required a lot of energy to keep alive. It was a thriving metropolis, but an expensive one and this is where the President was at fault. I thought the main characters of Senator (now) Hame and Devon were really good and I'm keen for their relationship to develop to the point we heard at the start of the audio. I think I'm going to quite like them. I liked the little references to the Doctor and the Face of Boe and I'm very excited for the Tenth Doctor to pop up in at least one story (given that he's featured on the artwork!). But the first meeting of the main characters was really intriguing as Devon was bordering racism when it came to how he saw Catkind. People going missing from New New York was an interesting plot and the use of the word 'ascended' was excellent. I really enjoyed the character of the Duke of Brooklyn and I thought his investigative qualities were quite brilliant. I am not sure why I was quite surprised that I enjoyed this story as much as I did but it was just a really simple plot which made for a fantastic start. It wasn't flashy by any means. It just told a good story and you can't really ask for more than that. Simplicity is sometimes the best route to go down. Finding out that the President's numerous private elevators were actually being used to power the metropolis of New New York by converting its occupants into Lux was shocking I must say. It seemed a little weird that in essence the story was about deadly elevators, but that can go back a little to New Earth which is a nice touch. The sacrifice of Thorn to save the city and rid it of the Luman infestation was commendable and I'm interested to see how Devon will react with losing someone who was obviously a little more than just a friend. For a first outing, I was very impressed with how quickly I was engrossed in the story and characters and I think a familiar and good setting that is far from the norm was very helpful in that regard. Overall, a really great start to the series!

Rating: 8/10

Keepsake

"I prefer the more refined lines of a classic model."

Writer: James Swallow
Format: Audio
Released: September 2008
Series: Main Range 112b

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

Sifting through the technological junk of Reclaim Platform Juliet-November-Kilo, the Doctor discovers evidence of a personal tragedy involving some friends of his. Where will the story of their fate lead?

Verdict

Keepsake was a tidy little audio adventure but it was just a little too short to be worthy of getting a higher rating and one that I would consider to be in the category of 'good'. There wasn't anything wrong with it per say, but it just wasn't all that enthralling and I don't think it was helped by the absence of the Doctor for its majority. I was really intrigued at the start with the Doctor conversing with an examiner regarding the TARDIS and his need for a fluid link. I thought we were just going to get a whole story about the Doctor's love for the TARDIS and his affection for the outdated Type-40 model which just sounds fantastic. Sadly, that was not to be the case as we actually went right back into the world of the Orion War and we heard a recording of Temeter and Sara following from the events of Kingdom of Silver. Where one-part stories are concerned on a release alongside another three-part adventure, I think it is definitely positive to go with a linked adventure as the memory will obviously be fresh and there is already a big basis to work with. It's so hard to captivate a listener in just twenty-five minutes or so and create a great story, as the early Short Trips audios go to show. Whilst I agree with the logic, I really would have just much preferred a four-part adventure! I cannot comprehend the desire for a release being formatted in this way, but I always try and make sure that doesn't have any bearing on my rating and enjoyment for the story. It was good to hear some aftermath from what was an eventful story and getting some empathy for the androids was really enjoyable, if that can said for a subject that turned out to be rather emotional. I think some more interluding comments from the Doctor would have been beneficial, but it was just nice to hear Temeter and Sara again as I never thought I would after their first appearance. But here they were! The interrogation was interesting and I'm always a fan of the Doctor's negative impact on the aftermath of a story being explored, and there was a lot of potential for a full sequel here if time allowed. I think it would be interesting to explore, but then I do think that could be said for pretty much any adventure from any format! Imagine going back to Androzani or Skaro after the Doctor's involvements in The Caves of Androzani and The Daleks, for example. It would be sublime. The Doctor wasn't actually involved with Temeter and Sara which was a shame, but I was intrigued that where he was now was 2,000 years after those events so the Orion War was long gone. I also found it interesting that things had clearly moved on for the Doctor despite the release chronology, and I loved that the gothic TARDIS theme was mentioned! I almost forgot that it was actually the Seventh Doctor's design because I just always associate it and The Movie with the Eighth Doctor. I liked that a lot and it shows that the Seventh Doctor really does have a lot of room for story development. This was another addition to that, and whilst it wasn't incredible, it wasn't bad at all and filled its time adequately. Overall, a decent little listen.

Rating: 6/10

Kingdom of Silver

"We truly live in a Silver Age."

Writer: James Swallow

Format: Audio

Released: September 2008

Series: Main Range 112a

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor arrives on Tasak in search of refreshment, armed with nothing more than a kettle. But this is a time of crisis for a civilisation about to enter an industrial age.

Mindful that a devastating war is only recently over, the wise and revered Magus Riga will do almost anything to save his people from the follies of the past. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions. And the planet Tasak is host to ancient powers buried deep and long forgotten. Can visitors from another world avert disaster or will their intervention drag this innocent world into the Orion War?

Verdict

Kingdom of Silver was a very good story to continue my listening of the Main Range of Big Finish audio adventures! I am a little frustrated that the persistence of releases comprising of a three-part and one-part story continues as I don't think that format helps anything at all, and it also makes it difficult when it comes to finding artwork and a synopsis for the one-parter! Whilst I'm on little negatives, I have been quite surprised that we have had so many stories in a row now where the Seventh Doctor is travelling alone and I'm not sure if Sophie Aldred or Bonnie Langford were unavailable in 2008, but the lack of companion is becoming quite noticeable now. I think an Ace or Mel would have worked really well here where Temeter and Sara were concerned. I thought the Doctor's relationships with both of them was terrific throughout and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor performance. If pressed on which is my least favourite incarnation, I always think of the seventh and it's a shame but he just doesn't always work for me but I loved him here! It was fantastic to have him battling the Cybermen and there was a lot of familiarity with the Orion War dating back to Sword of Orion which was great given that the Cybermen also featured in that adventure. The little homages to The Tomb of the Cybermen were splendid and I liked that there was finally some recognition that Telos wasn't the only planet where the Cybermen had gone into hibernation. There were thousands and now the Doctor had come across another one in the form of Tasak. I loved that the planet's whole civilisation was based upon the presence of the Cybermen and the mythology that stemmed from their arrival. The explanation of all that was a brilliant scene and the worry was evident in the Doctor's voice and tone. The Cybermen could break out and that would spell doom for all. They could not be woken up, but obviously that was exactly what was happening. I thought the cliffhanger to part one was a little predictable wit the arrival of a Cybermen, but I did like the uniqueness of it actually being thought of as a statue. That was a fresh take which is usually a positive. Where I felt this adventure could have benefitted was with some more backstory on the guest cast and I think a fourth part would really have helped and would almost certainly have cemented this story as an even better one. I think there needed to be a tad more clarity and involvement concerning the Heart and how pivotal that was, as I always felt like I was waiting for some further details that never came. I'm being harsh there though as I did really like the audio a lot. I'm a big fan of the Cybermen and getting the Seventh Doctor to encounter a design reminiscent of The Invasion is really good and the beauty of audio. Nicholas Briggs did a splendid job voicing them and I would love to get them in a more prominent villainous role as it has been a little while now. The ending was predictable with the explosion and sacrifice, but I still enjoyed it and I think it worked really well. Overall, a great audio!

Rating: 8/10

The First Wave

"Our actions are like a wave."

Writer: Simon Guerrier
Format: Audio
Released: November 2011
Series: Companion Chronicles 6.05

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Oliver

Synopsis

Caught in the inevitable path of its own history, the TARDIS arrives on the planetoid Grace Alone, where the Doctor, Steven and Oliver expect to face their fate. What they don't expect to find is a massacred crew – and a race of alien invaders known as the Vardans.

When the Doctor is apparently killed, his companions attempt to survive against the odds. But those odds are narrowing. Their borrowed time has expired.

Verdict

The First Wave was a very good conclusion to Oliver Harper's trio of adventures alongside the First Doctor and Steven! I must admit that I was not expecting him to depart in a sacrificial way and I was a little surprised that this occurred. It just adds to the loss that surrounds the Doctor and Steven at this point in chronology following on from The Daleks' Master Plan, but now that can be firmly put into the rearview and they can move forward together. They will soon meet Dodo and happier times are ahead, but for now we said goodbye to a short-lived companion in the TARDIS. Whilst I liked the story as a whole, I felt that Guerrier went a bit overboard with the jumping around from different parts of the story. I think the flow was hurt here by going back and forth from differing events and maybe my listening of these stories in such quick succession made that more noticeable, but I just didn't think it was really necessary. It worked really well in The Cold Equations with Oliver pondering over telling Steven his secret, but even with the apparent death of the Doctor, it just wasn't required. In saying that, I still really enjoyed the adventure and the fact that this was the Doctor's first chronological encounter with the Vardans. They're an underrated enemy in my view and I have loved the two stories they have featured in with the Fourth Doctor that I've blogged. The Invasion of Time and Wave of Destruction are superb and whilst this one was a good addition, it didn't quite live up to those expectations, but that was absolutely fine. I still very much enjoyed the story! I was surprised by the apparent death of the Doctor and I must say it did seem pretty definitive. That was a big shock, but I liked thinking about how he could survive. He was the Doctor though, and he would always come back! Steven's reaction to losing the Doctor, or so he thought, was quite heartfelt. Oliver was intriguing in this story and I was quite surprised that he seemed tempted by the offer from the Vardans for immortality! I didn't see that coming but that showed how little time he had spent travelling in the TARDIS. The Doctor may not have rubbed off on him just yet! I loved the moment where Steven requested a TARDIS key from the Doctor, and our hero didn't seem so willing to provide him with one. That was a nice little moment. The pace of the story was decent and whilst the cliffhanger could have been much improved, the big shock factor came from Oliver sacrificing himself to take out the Vardans and save the Doctor and Steven. His becoming a non-physical entity was an intriguing move and I like how he held onto the TARDIS and was able to see Steven move on in The Savages. I must quickly mention the moments discussed concerning events prior to The Chase with Steven confident he could always escape the Mechanoids, but until the Doctor he had nowhere to escape to. I liked that a lot. The story ending during the events of The Tenth Planet with the Doctor on the verge of regeneration and seeing his old companion was a little surprising and I would have liked it mentioned that Katarina and Sara were there too given the theme of loss that has accompanied these three stories. Alas, it was not to be. Overall though, still a great little story!

Rating: 8/10

The Cold Equations

"We're all on borrowed time."

Writer: Simon Guerrier
Format: Audio
Released: June 2011
Series: Companion Chronicles 5.12

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Oliver

Synopsis

In the remnant of a shattered satellite, far above the ruined planet Earth, Steven Taylor and Oliver Harper are dying. As time runs out, they face their pasts... and a secret long kept is revealed.

The borrowed time is elapsing, and they realise they are facing an enemy that cannot be defeated. The cold, hard facts of science.

Verdict

The Cold Equations was another great little Companion Chronicle audio! It was nice to continue on from The Perpetual Bond with the trio of the First Doctor, Steven and Oliver and I was intrigued from the get go to see how this new team would fare in their first trip in the TARDIS. I was glad, first of all, that this was actually their first trip and that there was no skipping ahead in the timeline for these characters. This was Oliver's first trip, but things started well into the adventure as we heard Steven and Oliver in space and they were trapped. There was nobody coming to rescue them and no hope of salvation. To all intents and purposes, they were doomed. I'm not sure how I feel about a pre-titles sequence in a First Doctor era story but it worked well and let us build towards that moment occurring in the story as it was then told. We also got what I'm sure will be a bit of a spoiler for The First Wave regarding the trio's future and how they were arrested in the past from the perspective of Earth in this adventure, but in their own personal future. Peter Purves was magnificent pulling double duty as both Steven and the First Doctor and Oliver definitely helped filling in alongside him. They made a good pairing of companions and I thought it was a humorous moment where the Doctor called Oliver primitive because of the time from whence he came. His reaction to that was also comical! It was good again to learn more about Steven's upbringing in space far into the future from now, and it obviously worked out well for the TARDIS that he had with the six-dimensional thinking required. My favourite element of this audio was probably the selling of how dangerous space is. Steven did not hold back when it came to making Oliver realise that this was no laughing place and that mathematics were the law. If the equations didn't match up then that was that, you were at the mercy of space and the vacuum that it was. There would be no going back. The revelation that the doomed planet below was actually Earth would probably have been more effectual if it wasn't stated in the synopsis, but I still liked both of the companions reactions to that bit of information. The mention again of galactic law was interesting for a story of this era and I liked how Oliver was used to identify some of the ancient relics from the Earth Empire that could be valuable and traded. One of them was as simple as a bed frame. Steven's disbelief at the Doctor being able to save he and Oliver from total doom was a lovely moment and I actually quite liked that how he was able to do so wasn't really explained. Some things are good when used ambiguously and how the First Doctor was able to defy mathematics is unknown, but I quite like that. I think this an exception though so I wouldn't like it to be a regular occurrence! Finding out Oliver's secret was a little bit of a letdown to be honest, but I do think that was the point. It was highlighting how terrible and different the 1960s were for homosexuals. I was expecting something that was actually bad and would have an impact on the Doctor and Steven, but that was not to be the case. I'm intrigued to see where things go from here with the trio though and just how they end up with mugshots! Overall, a very good listen.

Rating: 8/10