The Creeping Death

"There's something there, something in the air."

Writer: Roy Gill
Format: Audio
Released: May 2019
Series: TDA 3.03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

London, 1952, and a deadly smog envelops the capital. But something even more dangerous – and alien – is hiding within the mists.

When the Doctor and Donna get lost in the fog, they find a motley group of Londoners trying to make their way home.

Soon the stakes are raised, as death creeps along fume-choked streets, and not everyone will make it out alive...

Verdict

The Creeping Death was a great conclusion to the third volume of the Tenth Doctor Adventures! I thought this was a really good little story and was probably the best of the three in capturing the era of Series 4. I really enjoyed the mentioning of Donna having something on her back from Ivy which was of course foreshadowing the events of Turn Left, and I also loved the reminder of The Fires of Pompeii and a similar situation the Doctor and Donna had been through on their recent travels. Setting a story in 1952 London amidst the Great Smog was terrific and just seems like the perfect place for a Doctor Who story. I don't think there even needed to be alien involvement, but the Fumifugium didn't hurt the adventure in the slightest. I liked how they were a swarm and the links back to the Industrial Revolution and their arrival to the planet were brilliant. I enjoyed the pace of the audio very much with both David Tennant and Catherine Tate in top form. The Doctor and Donna being split up almost immediately could probably have been done a little better, but the humour that came from their brief separation was very good. They both got to have a little dig at the other without them hearing which was nice and lighthearted humour. Ivy being a cinema host was fantastic and her relationship with the Doctor was just excellent from the get go. She would definitely have been companion material if it weren't for the dust creatures that were the Fumifugium. The concept behind these aliens was decent and I loved how Donna wanting to hoover them up actually turned out to be the way they could be defeated. It would involve a vacuum in not quite the same sense that your everyday Henry Hoover performs, but the way the Doctor got to solve things stemmed from that which was good. I do enjoy how Donna helps without even realising it. It's a wonderful trait of hers as companion. Her reminiscing of the London she was in was lovely and her wanting to just wave to her nan who would be with Wilf was quite touching. Surely it wouldn't cause much harm from afar? The Doctor being questioned on his rights to decide what was meant to happen or did always happen was good and it's nice when an enemy can challenge him. He always performs with his back up against though and this was no different. Donna's confidence in his abilities to find a way to defeat the enemies and the smog, whilst keeping history on the right track, was commendable and just lovely to see. She trusted him wholeheartedly. Terry was a great character and his initial meeting with Donna was quite hilarious. She was just magnificent! Her lack of shock at Terry being gay with Richard was nice and a good use of changing politically correct history. Richard also being a love interest of Ivy was an unexpected spanner in the works which I liked very much. Placing the last quarter or so within the Natural History Museum was tremendous and I liked how intelligent Donna was in deducing everything about the Fumifugium and their sporeship. What I didn't expect from this audio, even after the setting went to the Museum, was dinosaur involvement! That was quite something but it worked pretty well. I'm still not overly sure if it was necessary, but it provided comedy which is always good to interject. The Doctor and Donna sticking around to go to Brighton beach, in December mind you, was a nice way to end things. Overall, a great adventure and I do hope that we can get a fourth volume – preferably with Martha!

Rating: 8/10

Paradox Lost

"Events in the future impact on events in the past."

Writer: George Mann
Format: Novel
Released: June 2011
Series: NSA 47

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

"The Squall feed on psychic energy. They spread like a plague and if they are not stopped they will strip the Earth clean..."

London 1910: an unsuspecting their finds himself confronted by grey-skinned creatures that are waiting to devour his mind. London 2789: the remains of an ancient android are dredged from the Thames. When reactivated it has a warning that can only be delivered to a man named "the Doctor".

The Doctor and his friends must solve a mystery that has spanned over a thousand years. If they fail, the deadly alien Squall will devour the world.

Verdict

Paradox Lost was a very good novel! I always expect great things from George Mann and I can't quite pinpoint why I feel this way, but this was not quite what I expected from him. That's not a bad thing at all and as my rating reflects I still very much enjoyed what I read. The spanning across two different time periods was done well and quite different to what I was expecting (a common theme!). I fully expected it to be something more on the lines of going back and forth, but splitting the TARDIS trio up across the time zones was something that worked wonderfully and probably should have lasted a little longer if I'm being honest. Professor Angelchrist was a magnificent character and I really liked that he had a bit of history in the Doctor Who universe. Having him now meet the Doctor took his alien knowledge to a whole new level and that was terrific. His love of seeing the stars was a marvellous moment and it was just great to read how much he liked knowing that there was so much more. He was just so grateful throughout and his suspicions of the Doctor quickly turned to admiration. His private reaction when the Doctor unknowingly revealed himself to not be human was terrific. I was a big fan of the characterisation of all three main characters and what permeated throughout was just how much they all love being in each other's company. That makes for such a likeable team and that peaks my interest. It's nice knowing how much they care. The Squall made for an intriguing enemy and whilst I wasn't overly fussed on their booming voice, their psychic abilities were really good and their abilities to manipulate the TARDIS made them quite unique. I liked that about them. Playing with paradoxes is something I always love and it worked fantastically well in this novel. Having Rory as the one that couldn't quite grasp the concept because of the whole cause and effect shindig was brilliant and the way the Doctor reacted as if it was child's play to him was gold. It was so subtle but showed just how more intelligent he was and how he understood things. Amy and Rory, along with Arven, making their way from the 28th century to 1910 in the experimental time ship was very good. I fully wasn't expecting Gradius to die before we met her, but Amy playing the 'you were expecting a man' card was good, but I'll admit that I was also guilty. The plot, despite all of the paradoxes, was actually a relatively simple one. I loved that it was Amy and Rory in the time ship being the thing that burst a hole and passage for the Squall. Rory couldn't comprehend that, but it was just great. I thought it would have been better to have more time with them when they arrived a few days early, but that was largely skipped over which was a shame. Arven being a little more than a typical AI was very good and the emotional attachment everybody had with him because they knew his fate was to be in the Thames for a millennium was quite wonderful. He was loved! The epilogue with the Doctor, Amy and Rory returning to Angelchrist in 1921 was just lovely and they returned Arwen in a brand new body to keep him company. I thought the conclusion was good, but implemented a little quickly. It could have been paced a little longer and been a tad clearer, but I liked how it was plan b. That moment was very good indeed. Amy and Rory momentarily believing they had lost the Doctor for good again showed how much they all cared about each other and that was just magical to read. Overall, a very good novel!

Rating: 8/10

Time Bomb

"We claim the future."

Writer: Jamie Delano

Format: Comic Strip

Released: July-September 1986

Printed in: DWM 114-116

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Frobisher

Synopsis

After leaving Peri to enjoy a baseball game in the USA, a time cannon hits the TARDIS. The Sixth Doctor and Frobisher find themselves amongst a people who are disrupting time's correct path by getting rid of their waste in the past...

Verdict

Time Bomb was a decent little story to continue my reading through The World Shapers graphic novel! This was a really good adventure and I feel quite disappointed that I am only able to provide it with the rating that I have done below. The first two parts were quite excellent, but I thought the third part was quite an underwhelming ending. I loved the prospect of the Arrow of Righteousness heading for heaven and meeting their creator, and the way that technically came full circle in an ironic way was neat, but I just wanted there to be more of an obvious connection. The explanation that we got was a little unclear and certainly could have benefitted from some elaboration. One thing I notice with these Classic comic strips from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine is that in the multi-part stories, the issue seems to have been resolved by about page two of the final part. That doesn't really work when you have six or so more pages to play with! There's filling out then with flashbacks and explanations and whilst we did get both here, I think there could have been more. The Hedrons were an interesting species and having the setting as the 29th century worked well. The way they celebrated taking over a planet – and that is in every sense of the word – was good, but their fate was unexpected. Their use of a time cannon without even realising that it was time travel was very good and I loved that the Doctor and Frobisher were thrown back into prehistoric Earth. What I didn't like was how Frobisher was able to change his form again from out of nowhere! Just when were his powers returned? I can appreciate that they didn't stay with him for long, but that was a very cheap way out of the situation in my book. I wasn't a fan as I have been very keen for his problems to be expanded upon and to find a solution. I still think that may happen, but for him to temporarily turn into Godzilla takes the biscuit a bit! I'll take my annoyance further and centre it on Frobisher as a companion. I really didn't like him in this story because of how little he cared. Peri's disappearance was a strange one. I've been to see the Dodgers play baseball in Los Angeles and I really don't understand the fuss! It was the most boring three-and-a-half hours of my life. So why Frobisher was more interested in attending a baseball match than actually putting human history back on course was baffling. Why would a companion not care? That's just not right in my opinion. That has really put me off him. The ending with it turning out that the human race had sent their own ship that crashed and wiped out the Hedrons with all of the diseases they had eradicated and cured themselves of was a nice bit of irony, but there needed to be more explanation as to how that solved the issue of the broken timelines. Surely there would still be no normal 1986 to go back to if the Doctor just let things carry out their new course? The alternate 1986 was really interesting though and the idea of an Earth without mankind ever evolving was great and something that could be expanded on for a future story. I'd like to see that. Frobisher initially questioning whether the waste that he and the Doctor were sent back in time with was actually part of the human evolution was good, but I just didn't understand why he didn't gloat or at least mention it when that turned out to be the truth! I was baffled. Ahh, it's a shame that there were so many little flaws in this story as I still really enjoyed it. Overall, a decent if not problematic comic strip.

Rating: 7/10

Nature of the Beast!

"You three are a gift from the gods that may yet save our lives."

Writer: Simon Furman
Format: Comic Strip
Released: April-June 1986
Printed in: DWM 111-113

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri, Frobisher

Synopsis

On a remote planet where the Doctor claims that there are no passive aggressive beings, Peri wants a holiday. But her destination will not be all she thinks it to be. Commander Hon is in the midst of expanding his species' empire, but with a beast on the loose, things aren't adding up...

Verdict

Nature of the Beast! was a somewhat decent comic strip adventure to get me back on track with my reading of The World Shapers graphic novel, but I have to say it could definitely have been improved! I thought it was solid for the most part but was just lacking in a bit of excitement which I have come to expect from the DWM comic strips. There were just a few moments in this one where it seemed like panels were there for the sake of filling space. In actual fact, I would like to suggest that the story would have been much better as a fast-paced two-parter instead of a drawn out three-part adventure. That's not to say I disliked it though! It was obviously far from the case despite what some of my past ratings may suggest. I think I've become much harsher as I've grown older and gone through university. Peri's belief in getting a holiday out of the Doctor made me laugh, especially considering this was his sixth incarnation, as she was just never going to get the peace and relaxation she so desired. I was a little surprised that Frobisher lacked much page time given the cliffhanger of the previous adventure where it was revealed that he was suffering from a disease that meant he was no longer able to change his form. It was touched upon a little moment with Peri, but I really was expecting something a little more impactful. I guess that may come in the future, but with the prominence of the cliffhanger in Genesis! and it coming out of nowhere, I was convinced that this would be where the next story would be heading. How wrong I was! Instead we got a TARDIS arrival in the middle of a war and a once peaceful planet being used as a battleground and also a cure for Lady Irna. I thought the flashback tale of her marriage to Makal was really good and probably the highlight of the comic strip for me, but I didn't like the ease with which the Doctor worked out that she was in fact the beast that had been rampaging around and causing havoc to Makal's men. I thought it was good that the men quite clearly were frightened of their leader, but it was left to Lupe to save the Doctor and his companions after a subtle guilt trip planted by the Doctor when his execution was ordered. I thought that worked very well. His relationship, if you can call it that, with what Irna had become was something that bothered me to be honest as I just couldn't buy into it. It didn't seem right and the Doctor having helped him change his DNA to become a beast of a similar nature just was a bit of a letdown for an epilogue. I also questioned the Doctor going along with the plan of just retreating to the TARDIS with the no-win bomb device set off which would mean the planet would be destroyed. Surely he would stay and do something to stop it? I did like that Irna had actually planted the bomb in Hon's spacecraft as he looked to escape and survive after activating it, but that again just came out of nowhere. I definitely think this comic story could have been structured a little better and that would have made for a much more enjoyable and coherent read. Regardless, it was still enjoyable but just not as much as it could have been and therein lies my frustration. Overall, good but room for improvement.

Rating: 6/10

Zero Space

"You want to go and explore the nothing?"

Writer: Adrian Poynton
Format: Audio
Released: June 2018
Series: Jenny: The Doctor's Daughter 1.04

Featuring: Jenny

Synopsis

Out in deep space, in the middle of – quite literally – nowhere, Jenny and Noah believe they've found a safe haven. And, very possibly, some answers. But the space station holds many secrets, and it won't be long before Jenny's past catches her up.

Bounty hunter COLT-5000 is on her trail and will stop at nothing to hunt down its quarry... even in Zero Space!

Verdict

Zero Space was a brilliant conclusion to what has been a wonderful little boxset for Jenny! I have been hugely impressed by this spinoff series and would really love for there to be a second series. I feel like that is where things were left with the ending and not knowing the truth about Noah, but with the series having come out over a year ago now, I am not sure whether sales were sufficient to warrant another boxset. Fingers crossed though! I really enjoyed the setting of Zero Space and I was very much fascinated that Jenny and Noah did in fact find something in nothing. That was some nice wordplay and The Eye of the Storm turned out to be a very interesting research facility. They wanted to find the answer to everything – nothing big then! – and this was the place to get as close to true fact as possible. I thought that the concept worked well and I liked finding out that the Zero Space itself had been engineered by accident during some wormhole experimentation. Cal and Dreyda were good characters and I use their names loosely given everything that was revealed about the clones and their individuals. I must admit that I didn't expect the originals of Cal and Dreyda to still be alive so long after the initial duplication, but it was a revelation that I enjoyed hearing. I definitely didn't see it coming! I haven't been a huge fan of the COLT-5000 despite my enjoyment of this series, but I thought it/she was actually really good as an enemy in this audio. I think part of that is down to the fact that it was the threat of her arrival rather than her actual presence that was providing the fear factor. That is something that often works well and is something I tend to enjoy as it can give credence to a villain or enemy. That was the case here as you could tell that Jenny was absolutely frightened by the prospect of the cyborg arriving at their location with all of the cloning facilities available. Rather than sell off Jenny the Time Lord and Noah the who knows what to jus the highest bidder, with what was on board the Eye of the Storm she could sell to every bidder! It was an excellent plan and a really good plot device. I was a big fan. I thought Georgia Tennant was sublime as Jenny once again and I loved it when she had her moment in the sun for a big Doctor-like speech towards the story's conclusion. She absolutely nailed it! One negative I have to mention is that we didn't get to find out the truth about Noah despite Jenny setting sights on finding some answers with only a few minutes to go. The use of the other clones and the originals to overthrow the COLT-5000 and send it into a vacuum of nothingness was fantastic and was a fitting fate for an enemy that has proven troublesome. The talk of being united with her dad again was good and I liked how she had no rush or desire to make that a goal. She firmly believed that they would run into each other one day if the universe desired it. The Doctor's TARDIS seemed to also want that as the cameo of the Tenth Doctor was a delightful treat! I was stunned and thrilled to hear David Tennant's voice and the double-over of both the Doctor and Jenny going onto the next adventure and allons-y was a perfect ending! Overall, a brilliant conclusion to a terrific series. I hope there's more!

Rating: 9/10

Neon Reign

"Women are only good for serving the menfolk."

Writer: Christian Brassington
Format: Audio
Released: June 2018
Series: Jenny: The Doctor's Daughter 1.03

Featuring: Jenny

Synopsis

The Dragon Lord rules Kamshassa with fear. Half the oppressed population live in an addicted stupor, while the other half are forced into service. Factories belch poisonous smoke, and Dragon Guards patrol the streets, condemning dissenters to the Eternal Fire.

When Jenny and Noah arrive, it's only a matter of time before they start a revolution.

Verdict

Neon Reign was a fantastic audio adventure to continue what is shaping up to be quite the spinoff series! This was definitely my favourite story of Jenny's boxset yet and the Doctor's daughter really is turning into someone quite spectacular. I'm a huge fan of her now, as if I already wasn't, and I am massively enjoying Georgia Tennant's performance in a lead role. She was quite tremendous here and she really has grown into her character as the stories have gone on. This was considerably different to the previous two adventures with the Kamshassa setting. It was very interesting and quite unique in the Doctor Who universe, at least considering what I have covered within it thus far. The idea of a civilisation where the men were not just seen as superior but actually waited upon and revered was fantastic! That's something good to play with when you have a strong female lead like Jenny. The dynamic worked very well and her reaction to everything about the Dragon Lord and his broadcasts was excellent. I loved her throughout the story and the nonchalance of the conclusion when she revealed that everything had been an illusion was just marvellous. I thoroughly enjoyed that. The broadcasts being compulsory on every screen was good and actually reminded me a little of Vengeance on Varos. There seem to have been a lot of semi-recycled elements from past Doctor Who universe stories in this series so far which has been fascinating. I have really enjoyed hearing things play out. I'm still not convinced by Noah in a semi-companion role to Jenny, but I was very glad of some serious development for his character. Just why was he referred to as the Elder One on the planet? With this came the ability to open doors with his DNA and I found that really interesting because we still don't know what species he is. I hope that will be an impactful revelation and I have a feeling that the identity may lead COLT-5000 to wanting him instead of Jenny. I like the brashness of Jenny in calling herself a Time Lord when she really isn't quite. It says a lot about the confidence of her character which is a trait I have thoroughly enjoyed. Shoon-Wei was a terrific character and I liked her interaction with Jenny a lot. I have to admit, I didn't see the plot twist coming when it came to the Dragon Lord actually being Dom-Ra, but I did love the facade being exposed in quick and impactful style. Jenny was on fire there. I thought the arrival of COLT-5000 was actually unexpected as I really didn't see her (it?) returning, let alone so quickly. It now seems like there's going to be a big finale surrounding the cyborg and its hunt for Jenny the Time Lord. Po contacting the cyborg through its own engineering concoction was very good and I liked the little interaction the pair got to have together, Alitta was also another decent character and she was very enjoyable in her role. Noah knowing all about dematerialisation circuits was intriguing and I like how Jenny is still coming to terms with him knowing so much about obscure scientific things, but nothing of everyday normality. It adds some fun and provides a good partnership and I am very interested to hear where things conclude for Jenny and Noah. She brought the illusion down here, and now things look set up for a terrific finale. Overall, a brilliant audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10

Prisoner of the Ood

"I've been dead before. I got over it."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: June 2018

Series: Jenny: The Doctor's Daughter 1.02

Featuring: Jenny

Synopsis

Moving into Leafield Crescent, Angie Glazebrook is surprised by an unexpected caller. But not half as surprised as Jenny, suddenly transported to a suburban close on twenty-first century Earth.

And that's nothing tot he surprise of the neighbours when alien visitors start appearing. Visitors with tentacled mouths, carrying death-dealing orbs. The Ood have come for their prisoner...

Verdict

Prisoner of the Ood was another very good audio adventure to continue along the first series of Jenny: The Doctor's Daughter! This was another very fun tale and one that was surprisingly completely different to Stolen Goods. I thought the continuation was decent but not quite as immediate as it perhaps should have been with Noah's introduction, but with limited time to play with across just four stories I can understand why the writing team are jumping ahead in the timeline. There does need to be signs of character development but achieving that for Noah was a little difficult here with how little he featured compared to Jenny and the rest of the residents blocked by the invisible barrier. Jenny's arrival into the story was magnificent and I loved how she took the time being 8.05am as her being in the ninth century. I'm sure her ancient history knowledge was actually quite good so I hope she doesn't go amending the history books after this encounter! The frazzling of her brain was interesting and it's always fun to play around with some memory hesitation and have the knowledge return slowly as the story unfolds. I was very excited for the Ood to be returning alongside another familiar character and I thought they were written very well. The concept of an Ood hierarchy with a Leader and a Beta was very intriguing and something I would love to be explored further in more detail. Could there perhaps one day be dissent amongst the ranks? Their role as wardens for Valderon was unexpected and the twist at the end concerning the monster being the one the Ood were after rather than Jenny was something I didn't see coming until Vanessa's death and Angie's lack of reaction and compassion there. It became a little obvious from there what was coming but it was still a very enjoyable conclusion. The distain towards the council was evident throughout this story which I found quite numerous and something I can agree with after moving house recently and having to pay council tax! Luckily, it looks like the local library services have some real gems so paying for those is something at least. The close-knit feel of the setting worked well with everyone seeming to know each other and share such annoyance towards the council. It was a very British story. Emily was a nice character and her being the one to survive at the end was good, even if the police were imminent! John as the writer was a funny character and I liked how Dorney got to get in how his job was perceived as not being a real job because he worked from home. I thought that was a great moment. The hunt for the vortex manipulator was good, but I didn't quite agree with Angie revealing its location if that was what it was after having managed to break through the Ood defensive barrier of the prison, albeit slightly. I guess Valderon may not have known what it looked like, but that didn't seem quite right for me. That didn't impact my enjoyment of the audio though, and the depressing realisation at the end was very emotional. The amount of death that had occurred was quite awful and extreme for the Ood. Their turning people into Ood in similar fashion to what we saw in Planet of the Ood at a much smaller pace was very good, and I also loved how Jenny had past knowledge of the species. Overall, a great little audio!

Rating: 8/10

Stolen Goods

"I was made for war, but I didn't want to fight."

Writer: Matt Fitton
Format: Audio
Released: June 2018
Series: Jenny: The Doctor's Daughter 1.01

Featuring: Jenny

Synopsis

Jenny is new to the universe and keen to explore – but in unfamiliar spaceships, accidents happen. She's lucky to have someone on hand to help. A slippery fast-talking someone called Garundel.

Soon Jenny is mixed up in cons and explosions. But she also finds something strange, inexplicable, and as new to the universe as she is. She'll call him Noah.

Verdict

Stolen Goods was a great way to kick off the first series of Jenny: The Doctor's Daughter! I was a little sceptical about how well she would fare as the lead character for her own spinoff, despite really wanting to see more of her following The Doctor's Daughter in 2008. 11 years later and I've finally gotten around to exploring her journeys through the universe. I was a little surprised that she was so explicitly referred to as a Time Lord and it was her bio scan confirming that which made for the basis of much of the story. I loved the way the audio convinced us into thinking that Jenny was quite clueless and new to the universe with how she seemed to be going along with Garundel's procedure for what was quite clearly a scam. I was really hoping that she wouldn't fall for such a lousy trick and just as I was beginning to be disappointed with the character, she played out a sublime flashback of events that confirmed she knew that she was being scanned. The way this was directed like a crime thriller was just superb and I think from that point forward I fell in love with the series. Whilst I remember, I have to mention the opening titles which I think are terrific and certainly suited to what I expect this audio series to be like. It's funky and well-paced and I think Jenny is going to be a lot of fun. The little nods to the Doctor are good, but I do hope they aren't too frequent as I want this to be Jenny's chance to shine. She is a character with so much potential and adding Noah alongside her will provide an intriguing dynamic. It is obvious that it has been some time since her creation, but it is also clear that things are still somewhat new to Jenny in grasping exploring the universe. All of the instincts of the Doctor are there which is fantastic and I like how she wants to help those in need. The line that I have used for my story quote was just perfect and going back to reference the Hath and everything that went on in that week war was really good. Garundel and Vesh Taralesh were good enemies and I was quite surprised to find that the former had actually met the Doctor in previous audios! I look forward to getting around to those stories in the future, but while he was here I enjoyed his efforts a lot. The ease with which he was willing to tarnish his partnership with Taralesh wasn't too surprising and I fully expected it once the scan confirmed Jenny to be a Time Lord. I was loving the story, but I actually think it dropped a tad when COLT-5000 emerged. The cyborg that wanted the Time Lord, I'm not sure it was even needed to be honest. Dealing with Garundel was good and the amusement at the conclusion where the cyborg was pleasantly pleased with the arrangeable terms of the deal that was being presented. Jenny and Noah had produced their own time hop and the psychic theme of the adventure was very good indeed. I admired Jenny's confidence in having faith that she would find the way to control the ghost ship, and she did through her mind. That seemed a great method of control for Jenny, but the escape pod came in handy. Her attempts to thwart COLT-5000 by faking an explosion was terrific and as a whole this was a brilliant start to the spinoff series. I look forward to seeing where things go from here!

Rating: 8/10

Genesis!

"Cybermen! All of them partly human!"

Writer: Alan McKenzie
Format: Comic Strip
Released: March 1986
Printed in: DWM 110

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri, Frobisher

Synopsis

In the castle on Sylvaniar, the Doctor and Captain Krogh discover a Cyberman with a human arm and leg attacking Director Rukh. Krogh's attack is easily deflected, but when two guards enter with the recently attacked Dr Sovak, the Cyberman flees through a curtain. Just what is happening?

Verdict

Genesis! was a very good conclusion to what has been a terrific trio of comic strip stories! I am quite surprised that this wasn't advertised as a three-part adventure given that they all followed on from each other, and I know that they were shown that way in the contents of The World Shapers graphic novel, but I had to go with separate blogs and that may possibly have to do with the fact I needed a few days of short-length blog entries due to moving house. This followed straight on from Revelation! and that was a good thing after the cliffhanger with the part-human Cyberman attacking Director Rukh. I was a little surprised that the Cyberman just disappeared but that made for great use of the castle setting. The Doctor continued his good relationship with Captain Krogh from the previous adventure and the fact that they were followed from the secret passage was intriguing. I liked that when all signs pointed towards Kravall being the culprit for the Cyberman experiment and the murders that were being committed across the castle scientists, the Doctor had no doubts that not everything was as it seemed. It wasn't perhaps too much of a surprise to find that it was actually Sovak who was the scientist that was orchestrating the deaths. The revelation of the fate that befell the peasants when their ship had crashed was excellent and them becoming Cybermen was fantastic. The image of what was seemingly a conveyor belt system of Cybermen was superb and the fact that they were part human was simply stunning. Those poor peasants didn't stand a chance with the maniacal Sovak conducting his experiments after the crashed spaceship. The flashback scene to that moment that occurred a year prior to the events of this comic strip adventure was very good and it did a lot for tying the three stories together which was a big positive. The idea of it being a genesis was something I found questionable, but I guess I can allow that this was the beginning of a new type of Cyberman. The idea of them going back partially to being human, at least as far as one of their legs or arms were concerned, was fascinating as it is something close to Cybermen devolving. I think that's such a good concept and something that could be explored further. One thing that perhaps didn't work overly well, without being much of an issue, was the sudden coming of the ending after three stories of build. Overloading a circuit into destruction is something that has been played out many times before, but it was feasible here with how deranged Sovak was and his desire to control the Cybermen. He just got too greedy and the Doctor was almost goading him into doing just that. Not only did the overload take out the Cybermen, it also took out the castle which was an unexpected occurrence. The Doctor's desire to reach Peri and Frobisher before they would burn to death trapped in the cell was a lovely moment, and the ending with the latter revealing that he was ill and unable to shape-shift was something good to go on with. With how long Frobisher has been a penguin though, I can't say I was too surprised. Overall though, a really good comic strip story!

Rating: 8/10

Revelation!

"Knowledge brings the ultimate sorrow."

Writer: Alan McKenzie
Format: Comic Strip
Released: February 1986
Printed in: DWM 109

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri, Frobisher

Synopsis

In the castle on Sylvaniar, Professor Verdeghast is strangled from behind by an unseen figure who steals his notebook. Shortly afterwards, the Doctor, Peri and Frobisher arrive in the professor's chamber just as guards enter to find them standing over the dead body...

Verdict

Revelation! was a terrific little comic strip adventure! This continued my reading of The World Shapers graphic novel very well and I liked the little connection to Exodus, and things seem far from finished for now! I must admit that when I saw that the comic strip's title had an exclamation mark I was thrilled as it really has been some time since I have read one where that is the case. Most of my comic strip reading over the past year or so has been from the modern era Titan stories and they're a little less funky than the Classic DWM style. Maybe I'm liking the punctuation because of Kerblam!? Who knows, I never used to be a huge fan but I guess as I've got a little older I've come to appreciate the little twerks like that. The follow on from the previous adventure was good and the Doctor definitely seemed less abrasive in this story. The companions really didn't have a lot to do at all, but the predicament they were placed in was excellent. It is very cliche Doctor Who, but there was something just magnificent about the TARDIS landing in Verdeghast's chamber right after he had been murdered. The look on the Doctor's face was an absolute picture once he realised the predicament and Frobisher simply said it best that things didn't look good. Not good at all. The trio being locked up was hardly a surprise, but I didn't expect the Doctor to talk himself out of the cell so quickly! He did it with ease and whilst I do like the concept of the Doctor having truth to his words, it did seem very easy. I thought it was quite humorous that only he was allowed the freedom of the castle with Peri and Frobisher stuck in the cell for the duration. I bet the Doctor liked that a lot. With this being the Sixth Doctor, I was slightly expecting something of a more arrogant characterisation but that wasn't the case. That's not a problem at all as he doesn't have to be so pompous in every story, but it is something I have come to expect when the story isn't by Big Finish. This is a contemporary adventure though so I would be stunned to see the softer side of the Sixth Doctor that I associate with his audio adventures. Krogh was a good character and I enjoyed his relationship with the Doctor once he had freed him from his cell and was helping with the investigation. Verdeghast wasn't the first person to be murdered in recent days and that had the Doctor instantly on alert. There was something to find out and that is where the Doctor thrives. The murder mystery feel and atmosphere perpetuated as the story went on which was a really big bonus. The ending was very surprising though as I really was not expecting to find a Cyberman as the murder culprit! It really was quite the revelation and not only was it great to have a familiar foe in the comic strip, but it wasn't quite wholly a Cyberman yet with the human arm clearly visible. I found that very intriguing given that the design was from Earthshock and Attack of the Cybermen, with the arm like that being more resemblant of The Tenth Planet Mondasian Cybermen. I'm very excited to see where things go from here and just what the Cyberman is up to and how he came to be. Overall, a fantastic little story.

Rating: 8/10

Exodus

"People? In my TARDIS?"

Writer: Alan McKenzie
Format: Comic Strip
Released: January 1986
Printed in: DWM 108

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri, Frobisher

Synopsis

On the planet Sylvaniar, a group of impoverished large-eyed humanoids with yellowish skin watch as a dilapidated space craft leaves the planet.

Why are the farmers going missing? And how did a spaceship get on board the TARDIS without causing damage?

Verdict

Exodus was an interesting little start to my reading of The World Shapers graphic novel. It has been quite some time since I found myself reading a collection of comic strip stories from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine, but it is something I have wanted to return to for a while now. So after receiving some birthday money, I was quick to get this one off eBay and begin my reading. I am in the process of moving house after some good job news so stories of this length are quite ideal at the moment to keep my daily fix going. I have to say, not a great deal actually happened but I think it was the Sixth Doctor himself that provided this story with a decent rating. The characterisation of Colin Baker's incarnation was sublime throughout and so in line with the personality we would associate with the Sixth Doctor during Season 22. It really was uncanny how well things were written for the Doctor and that always makes for good reading. He showed impatience, frustration and a lack of compassion and that was perfect. It seems a little weird saying those things about the Doctor, but that's how unique the sixth incarnation is and I think the dynamic it brings, especially with Frobisher alongside Peri for the comic strips, is terrific. I look forward to this collection continuing and getting some bigger stories, although I realise that is still a little while away yet. The Doctor's reaction to people being on board the TARDIS was hilarious because he just felt it was so preposterous that it could happen. Of course, he quickly deduced what had actually occurred and that was the TARDIS had materialised around the ship rather than any kind of crash so fast that damage didn't occur. Peri wasn't impressed with the Doctor's reaction to the poor people and made a point of letting him know. He did take things into consideration, despite potentially not fully seeming like he cared, in giving them food when he would just be dematerialising to ensure that the ship would be free again. I did like that he was going to follow up what he had learned about the farmers of Sylvaniar and how they went missing. The Doctor certainly enjoys some curiosity and wanted to solve the mystery and I guess we will get some answers in the next adventure. I hope we get a little more from Frobisher in that one as all he really did here was find the people and pass the Doctor a tool. That is a typical role for the companion, but in stories this short there still needs to be something a little more! It doesn't have to be much, but when you're a shapeshifting penguin well then there is a lot of potential that could be utilised much better. It's a little bit of a nitpick, but I think there needed to be a tad more involving the people of Sylvaniar because of what I presume is to come with the Doctor going there. I know he may not need too much convincing to go and explore and find what is wrong, but as a reader there probably should have been a little more of an incentive to take things further. Overall though, there's a mystery for the Doctor to follow and I like that idea. A decent comic strip adventure.

Rating: 7/10

Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks

"I am their creator. The Daleks need me!"

Writer: Terrance Dicks
Format: Novel
Released: November 1979
Series: Target 21

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II

Synopsis

Landing on an apparently devastated planet, the Doctor and Romana make a horrifying discovery.

The planet is Skaro, home-world of the Daleks.

The Daleks are excavating in order to find and revive Davros, the mad, crippled, scientific genius who first created them. They hope that he will give them the scientific superiority to break the deadlock with their Movellan enemies.

Faced once more with the deadly and seemingly indestructible Daleks, the Doctor's wits and strength are stretched to their very limits...

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks was a lovely little read! I was quite surprised that the page count was so low at just 110, but that allowed for a very fast-moving story and the pace definitely made things exciting. It took a little while for the Daleks to actually arrive, something that I always find amusing when their involvement is nearly always given away in a story's title, but with the Doctor and Romana scenes in the TARDIS keeping things on track, there was absolutely no issue there. The follow on from The Armageddon Factor was great with Romana trying on different bodies but eventually settling on that of Princess Adastra, much to the Doctor's annoyance. I loved how quickly things developed though and we had that infamous chemistry between Tom Baker and Lalla Ward permeating on the page. Their relationship throughout was just wonderful and one of my favourite moments was one that may actually go unnoticed. It was where the Doctor saw a burial mound and believed that Romana was beneath, but of course she quickly surprised him from behind much to his delight and that momentary thought of horror was forgotten. It was a little window into the seriousness of the Fourth Doctor which can often be overlooked thanks to that boyish humour and huge smile. I was a big fan of that. The hunt for Davros was an intriguing objective in the novel and having the Daleks and the Movellans at a stalemate was a superb dynamic. I loved that idea and it was good that it wasn't so obvious initially because we didn't know the Movellans were robots despite numerous hints. When Davros was revived, thanks to some questionable tidying up of his death in Genesis of the Daleks, the anger shown by the Doctor was very interesting. He still seemed to be regretting his actions in that adventure in not wiping out the Daleks, but he was also sick of Davros making large claims about ruling the universe and Dalek superiority. He had been asleep for a long time and the Doctor knew all about the Daleks over that period and he knew they didn't need him long term. They just needed to break the stalemate. One thing that struck me about this story in a prose format was just how much the story is about Davros rather than the Daleks. That was brilliant though as he's such a brilliant character and I really do think he works best alongside the Fourth Doctor. The image in my head of him wheeling the Dalek creator around was just fantastic. The Movellans were very good throughout and I liked how they were now enlisting the Doctor as their man to break through the logical impasse. The Doctor proclaiming this to be the perfect remedy for peace was a terrific little statement as well. The Doctor actually going ahead and pressing the switch that he intended to detonate Davros with was quite a shock for me and it really sold me on how much he regrets his actions on Skaro back when the Daleks were created. The moment the Doctor realised he had returned to that planet was terrific and it was nice to have some foreshadowing earlier when they had exited the TARDIS. Romana also feeling it was a nice addition. Back to the conclusion though and it was pacy and logical if I do say so. I thought the image of the Daleks adorned with bombs may have been more impactful, the action figure of that is one of my very favourites, but as a whole it was good. Overall, a terrific little read!

Rating: 8/10

One Mile Down

"Your city is drowning."

Writer: Jenny T. Colgan
Format: Audio
Released: May 2019
Series: TDA 3.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

Donna and the Doctor take a holiday in the beautiful underwater city of Vallarasee.

Things have changed since the Doctor last swam through. Vallarasee is now enclosed in an airdome, with Judoon patrolling historic sites. Now, instead of tourists wearing breathing-helmets, native Fins are forced to adapt.

But leaks are trickling into the dome. The Judoon must be persuaded that disaster is imminent, or thousands will be trapped, as the waters rise...

Verdict

One Mile Down was a very good little story to continue along the third volume of the Tenth Doctor Adventures! The prospect of reuniting the Tenth Doctor with the Judoon was very exciting and I was very intrigued to discover that Donna would actually meet them before their first on-screen encounter in The Stolen Earth. This really wasn't what I expected from a Judoon story and that's not a problem at all, but it was nice to have something new with the junior Judoon. The Doctor had a lot of fun with them and was able to manipulate his position from being detained. The way he got put into detention was quite humorous and the literal way in which the Judoon take legislation was utilised pretty well. I have always enjoyed the problems that causes and it can also lead to some comical frustration from the Doctor. I thought the relationship between the Doctor and Donna was much better here compared with No Place and this seemed like it would seamlessly fit in with the run of Series 4. The Vallarasee setting was very good and it worked well that the Doctor had visited in its past where it wasn't under an airdome and that immediately meant that things had gone wrong. Donna watching infomercials was quite funny and I loved how much she liked the idea of the undertaker city holiday destination. The Doctor was sceptical throughout and that was really good. His reaction once he found out the truth and the extent of what had taken place to enable Vallarasee to be placed in an airdome. The Fins were a decent species, but I do think that they could have been improved. I think a little hint about the sabotage before it actually happened would have been beneficial but it was good that they were in their own helmets because the water had been completely sucked out of the city. That horrified the Doctor and he really wasn't impressed with all of the damage caused for monetary gain. It was obvious that he was going to be displeased with everything, but I also liked how apologetic he was when asked for change by a homeless person. His enthusiasm for giving a tip though was hilarious and so typical of this incarnation of the Doctor. Patricia was an interesting, if annoying, character and her role was definitely better than her voice. That sounds really harsh but I don't think her accent was too well-suited to the audio format. I really don't mean to offend there, it's probably a Welsh thing. Anyway, the ending was full of excitement and tension and I liked the danger of the airdome collapsing and the Doctor having to try and save 20,000 people who were 5,000ft below water. That was quite the conundrum! The use of the top of the spire and Donna seeing what the Doctor had seen on his past visit, and disagreeing with his conclusion, was excellent. The Doctor planning to use the Judoon's scoop as seen in Smith and Jones was very clever. Pickus was another good character, but again a slightly annoying one which was quite strange to have characters that were simultaneously interesting but annoying. Maybe I just listened to the story in a weird mood? Who knows, but I was offered a new job today so I don't think that's it! Regardless, the ending was good and the Doctor reflecting on the method used to restore the city was good because he didn't like it and he knew its people wouldn't either. Overall, a very good little audio adventure.

Rating: 8/10

The Black Hole

"It takes a meddler to know a meddler."

Writer: Simon Guerrier
Format: Audio
Released: November 2015
Series: The Early Adventures 2.03

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria

Synopsis

On a research station near a black hole, time keeps standing still. Investigating the phenomenon, the Doctor, Jamie and Victoria discover a power far greater than any of the monsters that have challenged them on their travels... The Doctor's own people.

With the safety of thousands balancing out the need to flee, and a policeman from his home planet working at his side, the Doctor reluctantly finds himself involved in a race against time.

But nothing is ever as simple as it appears. And if you can use the Doctor's compassion against him, you have the makings of a perfect trap...

Verdict

The Black Hole was a very good story to serve as my first Early Adventure featuring the Second Doctor! Frazier Hines was simply sublime as both the Second Doctor and Jamie and he really did bring back the era gloriously. It was so well suited to its time and whilst I thought Deborah Watling was somewhat questionable as Victoria, I enjoyed the tale as a whole very much. In hindsight, I'm probably a little disappointed that I knew that Rufus Hound was actually the Monk, but that moment at the end of part two was still just wonderful. Hound is obviously a renowned actor and we even saw him on television during the Twelfth Doctor era, but his incarnation of the Monk really was magnificent. It was a good level of balance between maniacal and cunning and that is exactly what I would expect the Monk to be based upon his appearances in The Time Meddler and The Daleks' Master Plan. I have been longing for a return and whilst I did get that randomly in a recent short story with the Twelfth Doctor, a performed adventure is always that bit better. The basis of the plot was quite intriguing and I was delighted that we got a full adventure exploring the concept of a black hole. It has always been something that has fascinated me and whilst my knowledge of science in action is rather inefficient, I liked the explanations we got from the Doctor here. The idea of it being a gateway from another universe for the Seeth was intriguing and it was good how the Monk had put together an alliance between them because they'd ran out of things to conquer in their own universe. That made them seem pretty daunting and whilst they were never going to live up to their reputation once arriving in the final part, their leverage over the Monk was good to see. Pavo was a fantastic character throughout each iteration of the Time Lord constable and I loved that we got a regeneration during a Second Doctor era! I think they're overdoing it a bit in terms of the political correctness, but it actually worked superbly well in revealing that he was actually Flail all along! I definitely didn't see that one coming and really enjoyed the moment of realisation for the Doctor and Jamie. They'd arrived back at the habitat a little earlier and they were able to use their future knowledge to their advantage and thwart the Monk from opening the black hole. The theme of the Time Lords permeating throughout the audio was superb and the explanation for the Doctor and Jamie's presence and knowledge in The Two Doctors was most unexpected! I liked it a lot, even if it does contradict a past novel but keeping things coherent throughout all of Doctor Who over the years is near impossible. It's a nice take on things though and definitely works well. It also tells me that I would love for a solely Second Doctor and Jamie story where they were pitted against the Sontarans. The ending was pretty exciting and whilst I think the battle of extending the TARDIS reach and how that counterbalanced the black hole, or didn't, was overplayed one too many times, the fate of the Monk at the hands of Pavo was pretty brutal! He's a meddler though and will be able to find a way out I'm sure. The memory loss at the end was kind of necessary to keep true the televised continuity during the Second Doctor era, and the foreshadowing of the The War Games especially, but the story it allowed us was fantastic. Overall, a great audio!

Rating: 8/10

Orbis

"The universe can't do without him."

Writers: Alan Barnes & Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: March 2009

Series: EDA 3.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

The Doctor has fallen to his death. His companion, Lucie Miller, has returned to her life on Earth, grief-stricken. Then, one night, an alien visitor arrives at her front door and shoots her.

Could it be that Lucie's days with the Doctor are not over? She will only find the answer on the planet Orbis. A planet where all forms of life are facing violent extinction.

Verdict

Orbis was an excellent start to the third series of the Eighth Doctor Adventures! I was lucky enough to have the entire series as a birthday present and following on from the incredible cliffhanger at the end of The Vengeance of Morbius, it didn't take me long to get listening. I thought the continuity from that finale was very good and that led to things not quite feeling like a season opener. That's not a problem at all as I was very keen for things to get resolved and I was happy with the way that was done. We all knew that the Eighth Doctor wasn't really dead but how he would survive falling into oblivion with Morbius was quite something to get out of. The answer lay in the control for a stellar manipulator that Morbius had intended on using, and it was the Sisterhood of Karn who wanted to make sure that it was retrieved. Including the Headhunter, a familiar character in the EDAs by now, as a bridge between those and the Doctor, as well as bringing Lucie and the TARDIS to Orbis, was very good. The story proceeded at a logical pace and everything seemed to be timed just terrifically. This really was very close to getting a perfect score, but the plot wasn't quite there for that justification. Lucie was excellent as the companion in this one and with her thinking that the Doctor was dead, we got to see a side of her that she has rarely shown in her travels in the TARDIS. She admitted that she had cried for days after the Doctor's death, but here she was answering the door and getting shot with a time bullet. The concept of those was great and I liked how Lucie then ended up shooting the Doctor with one to save the universe, even though it meant taking Orbis out of existence. The Doctor's place on Orbis, along with the planet itself, was really intriguing and I really enjoyed how he was referred to as 'Old Doctor'. When it was learned that he'd been there for 600 years and was experiencing memory loss, my interested in things certainly deepened. I was just fascinated and it really did seem something resembling The Time of the Doctor, despite the fact this was released some four years previously. Selta was a lovely character and the moment where she had pulled Lucie from the water and found that she had tights was just incredible. It was only topped by the emotional reuniting of the Doctor and Lucie, or so it appeared, only for the former to be absolutely delighted that he had access to a pair of tights! It was brilliant stuff. Once Lucie had arrived on Orbis, things started to come back for the Doctor, especially once he realised that the TARDIS meant she was being translated. The conflict on the planet between the Keltans and the Molluscari was good and I really enjoyed that the Headhunter's true purpose in being there involved those and the right to the planet. Of course, she begrudgingly had to admit that the Doctor was needed if the universe was in danger, but that was just all talk and a ruse for Lucie. The scenes depicting the TARDIS manual were very funny, but the comic highlight of the audio goes to Lucie for her 'Jelly Furtado' comment. Sublime. Overall, a superb start to the series!

Rating: 9/10

Ghost Light

"This isn't a haunted house, is it?"

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: TV

Broadcast: 4th-18th October 1989

Season: 26.02

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

London, 1983: an old house mysteriously burns to the ground. One hundred years earlier, the Doctor and Ace arrive at a sinister mansion in the rural hamlet of Perivale. Horrors old and new await the Doctor amongst the peculiar residents of Gabriel Chase... but it is Ace who must confront her own worst nightmares when she discovers that her past and the house's future are inextricably linked...

Verdict

Ghost Light was a great little story! It really is quite unique in the Doctor Who history as there is just nothing anywhere close to being like it. It is whacky from the get go and wastes absolutely no time in getting started which I liked. I remember reading the Target novelisation of this one and finding it a little challenging to understand just what was happening, but the visuals that come with the televised format eradicate that. Now don't get me wrong, I am not going to try and claim that I perfectly comprehended everything that occurred in this story (I definitely didn't), but I don't mind that as I just enjoyed what I was watching. I do definitely think that it could have benefitted from a fourth part as things would surely have been a little clearer, but it was still brilliant. I'm a big fan of when the weird and wonderful is happening with all sorts of whacky nonsense. It's just such fun and that was the case here. I thought the setting of Gabriel Chase was really good and the scale of the house was also important. Whilst a confined setting is intriguing, being able to divulge into different rooms was most definitely beneficial. I loved the idea of the Doctor playing on Ace's past despite her explicitly stating that she would want them to be on her own terms. The Doctor barely acknowledged his wrongdoing which was good characterisation of the seventh incarnation and his relationship with Ace. She didn't seem as annoyed as she had done on other occasions which was telling and I got the feeling that deep down she wanted to know more about what she had felt a century in the future at this house and caused her to burn it down. I liked the line where she wished she had blown it up instead as that is just so Ace, and that went well with her reactions to being looked at from a Victorian perspective. She didn't really fit in there! The guest cast were excellent and I really liked Josiah with his mysterious enigmatic feel going on. The theme of evolution was also very interesting and I liked how that was extended once Light arrived in the third and final part. The effects for him were very impressive for the '80s and I found him a very fascinating character. The concept of him being annoyed at Earth for its life constantly evolving was terrific and I just loved that Josiah found the whole theory of evolution preposterous. Redvers was another good character and the moment where he saw himself in the window reflection was stunning. I liked that a lot and the casual nature with which the likes of Lady Pritchard came walking in was just intriguing. Throughout this story, I was just wanting to know more about what was happening. Gwendoline was a terrific character and I liked her relationship with Ace and I also thought that Control was brilliant and got to have a nice ending. I think the actual plot conclusion could have been improved a little, but I did love that Redvers would now be able to explore the stars. I'm surprised there hasn't been a Big Finish series about him yet to be honest! Overall, a thrilling tale that is just barmy on a supernatural scale. But it works and was thoroughly entertaining.

Rating: 8/10

A Perfect World

"You're a version of me that never got anything wrong."

Writer: Jonathan Morris
Format: Audio
Released: September 2008
Series: Main Range 113b

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Brewster

Synopsis

Who wouldn't want a perfect world? Thomas Brewster for one.

Verdict

A Perfect World was a fantastic little audio adventure! I was really impressed with this one and I was delighted because I actually nearly forgot all about it. That is the trouble with the Main Range releases at the point I'm at in my long-winded attempt to catch up as they are made up of three and one-part stories respectively. It's been well over a week since I listened to Time Reef now and I was almost tempted to go ahead and jump to Brotherhood of the Daleks, before a little lightbulb went off in my head that reminded me of this one. I loved it though! The idea of a perfect world is certainly interesting and I think it could easily be explored again. Perfection is something that sounds brilliant but in actuality, it wouldn't appear to be something great. Who wouldn't want to worry if they had their keys or if your phone was fully charged before an away day at the football? As referred to here, it is definitely the little things that make life. Expanding upon the ending of The Haunting of Thomas Brewster and having it known that Brewster had been somewhere else during his solo travels in the TARDIS was intriguing as I really didn't expect that, especially after the three-part story that is also part of this release. I did like how Brewster wanted to see 2008 because of what was seen during the events of The Boy That Time Forgot. That was really good continuity and I have really loved this little story arc with the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa. The gap between Time-Flight and Arc of Infinity is just getting bigger and bigger, but that's absolutely fine with me. I've really enjoyed Peter Davison's fifth incarnation during this spell of adventure and his annoyance and continued distain towards Brewster for the fact that he had travelled in his TARDIS by himself is wonderful. Had Brewster stuck around for longer, I would have been very keen for that to develop. Connie was a lovely little character and it was no surprise that Brewster was so smitten with her. I was surprised to find that he was so open about coming from the Victoria era and admired the London of 2008 without all of the smog. She took that in her stride as well which was nice and the chemistry between the two actors was obvious. There was a clear connection and I think that is very important when it comes to writing a companion, albeit a short one, out of the series. Nyssa wondering if he had perhaps made a mistake in leaving his space travels at the first opportunity was unsurprising, but the Doctor affirmed to her that he would have made a mistake if he continued alongside them. He had found what he wanted in life. What could possibly be better? I loved how the perfect world came about by existential plumbers. That was so much fun and I would fully approve of a future story where that could be used in an audio with a lot more time to play with. They were so dumb yet brilliant and that made it thoroughly entertaining. Overall, an excellent little audio adventure! Despite its quality, I do hope that this is the last of the three and one-part releases, but apparently there is no end in sight!

Rating: 9/10

No Place

"Our heads trick us into believing we're under attack from the supernatural."

Writer: James Goss
Format: Audio
Released: May 2019
Series: Tenth Doctor Adventures 3.01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

It's 'Haunted Makeover!' The home improvement show with a spooky twist.

The Noble family are hoping to cast out a few spirits along with the old bathroom suite. Presenter Justin joins Donna, Wilf, Sylvia and the Doctor for the latest edition of his reality TV series.

Of course, Justin knows that any supernatural phenomena can be faked. Ghosts can't possibly be real. Can they...?

Verdict

No Place was a decent start to the third volume of the Tenth Doctor Adventures! I was delighted to receive the entire volume for my birthday and couldn't wait to get this started. The prospect of the Tenth Doctor and Donna together again for a new story was great, and they certainly didn't disappoint, but throwing in Sylvia and Wilf was just delightful. The idea of the Haunted Makeover show was intriguing but I do think it could have been utilised a little better. I liked the premise of the story very much but for me the one thing that would have made it even better was an injection of pace. It really was certainly lacking some excitement in parts which was a shame and I think if this was reduced to around 45 minutes then it would have been better. That's not to say it was bad by any means though. The Doctor and Donna pretending to be a married couple was hilarious in parts with David Tennant and Catherine Tate just wonderful together. It was brilliant that they both felt as awkward as each other with the situation, but they were just doing what they had to in investigating Justin and the reality TV show. This story definitely felt like it fitted in nicely with its era of both Series 4 and 2008 and I particularly enjoyed Sylvia's continued distain of the Doctor being in Donna's life. Wilf though was much happier with his granddaughter getting to know the Doctor and I liked the pride he had in pretending that he was his grandson. The whole family dynamic was really good to play on and I liked how they made up pretty much 80% of the cast along with Justin. His refusal to actually believe in the supernatural was good to play on as that's usually the role for the Doctor. He was never insistent on believing but he also wouldn't refuse its existence. I guess that would be because we knew his true role by the story's conclusion and that was to find out exactly why Justin was causing supernatural occurrences. The story of the two alien creatures and how one of them died trying to escape after being buried alive was decent, but I felt there could have been some more connections to how it linked with Justin's head and how that was the purpose of the Doctor's family mission all along. This adventure seemed to have all of the elements for a brilliant story, but they weren't quite threaded out to reach a higher rating. I still enjoyed it, but there also needed to be a tad more clarity as to how the Doctor and co were able to rid Justin of the menace inside his head. My favourite part of the story was possibly the moment where Justin heard that it was his voice on the fm wavelength and that he was now home. One thing I disagree with was that the Doctor seemed confused as to why he hadn't come to Morely Manse for an episode. That seemed a bit farfetched considering the series could span a large location and it being in its third series didn't seem like too much longevity. As a whole though, this was a really fascinating tale and it was nice to get some more of the Noble family. Wilf was just glorious and the humour between Tennant and Tate going along with the mysterious and enigmatic feel still made this a good audio adventure.

Rating: 7/10

Catastrophea

"An entire planet was calling out for my help."

Writer: Terrance Dicks
Format: Novel
Released: May 1998
Series: PDA 11

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

'Look at the way they just call themselves the People,' said Jo. 'They're too humble to give themselves a name!'
Or too arrogant to think they need one,' said the Doctor.

The planet's real name is Kastopheria, but generally it's been rechristened Catastrophea – it's a catastrophe waiting to happen. Supposedly civilised races are exploiting the world, squabbling over its wealth and resources, while the indigenous population – golden-skinned giants – seem not to care what their own fate might be. The Doctor and Jo soon become embroiled in a plan to keep peace between different parties vying for control over the planet.

But what is the strange glowing crystal lying hidden in the impenetrable jungle? How will the arrival of the proud, warlike Draconians affect the fragile peace? In his quest to find the truth behind the secret history of the People, the Doctor risks unleashing a force more terrible than the galaxy has known for aeons...

Verdict

Catastrophea was a really good read! I was always planning on reading a Classic era original novel today, but with all the outpouring of respect and emotion following Terrance Dicks sadly passing away, I was influenced to read this one by DWM. It had some great ingredients with the Third Doctor and Jo encountering the Draconians again without the presence of the Master or the Daleks, although I will admit that I initially thought the true El Llama was going to end up being the former of those enemies. Alas, it wasn't the case but one thing that did surprise me with this book was just how little the Draconians actually featured. That was absolutely fine as well and I liked how well their presence was utilised with the threat they provided from the blockade. It was pretty impactful to find that they had actually invaded, albeit in phoney circumstances. One thing about that element was a little sketchy to me as it was claimed that they were not too far out in the jungle, within walking distance, yet the Doctor had been travelling upriver for days en route to the temple that housed the final crystal of skar. The drug itself was an intriguing part of the story and I'm glad that there was an adult theme to this adventure. The Third Doctor and Jo are possibly the best equipped due to deal with something like drugs and I really liked that it was heavily implied that Jo has used the likes or heroin or cocaine in the past. The setting of Catastrophea as it had been dubbed was really good and I liked how consistent things were. They were also simple with Rik's being a social place of gathering and all sorts could be met there. General Walton was a decent character and I like playing with the military ranks for this incarnation of the Doctor given his UNIT connections. The general's relationship with Charteris was also great, although I did find that they cursed not shooting the Doctor a little too much as they had ample opportunities to get rid of him. The Doctor's trial was fantastic though and the way he was also able to convince Walton that he wasn't El Llama was brilliant. I thought Jo was wonderful throughout too and the foreshadowing of The Green Death was a good use of the publication date and hindsight. It was clear just how much she meant to him and that was nice to see knowing that this book would be followed chronologically with her departure story. The People, a name I thought was a bit naff, were very intriguing and their slow increase in activity throughout the novel was delightful. They went from not reacting to getting beaten despite their clear physical advantage, to storming the city gates in revolt! Zylor breaking through to the Doctor telepathically was excellent and I enjoyed how they communicated. The passage where Jo was left out of their conversation was very humorous. Dove was a good villainous character with him being addicted to skar. His death was also a fantastic moment and just when he thought he'd found his holy grail, the Draconians saw that he was destroyed along with the source of the People's self-imposed lack of care.  The evacuation at the end of the book was quite quick, but it was definitely exciting which is always good! The ease with which the Doctor managed to take control was terrific and I loved how everyone kind of realised when it was already too late to change. They went along with it regardless. The Doctor initially wanting to leave the planet to its fate was a surprise and it was nice that Jo was able to turn him around in the end, even if the TARDIS getting taken was the primary reason! And with me reading this book purely because it was written by Terrance Dicks, I thought the line at the end where Charteris explained what happened to the Doctor and Jo and how they'd disappeared with the TARDIS was just golden. Dicks mocked his own classic description of the dematerialisation being a wheezing, groaning sound. That was very poignant. Overall, a lovely read!

Rating: 8/10

Concealed Weapon

"I don't leave people behind."

Writer: Scott Handcock

Format: Audio

Released: January 2019

Series: The Diary of River Song 5.04

Featuring: River Song, War Master

Synopsis

A deep space exploration mission nears its end – when suddenly, the crew start to die. River must try to protect her colleagues and work out what else is on board their ship.

Something is stalking them, and the deadliest Master of all has his own plans for River Song...

Verdict

Concealed Weapon was a fantastic way to conclude what has been a terrific fifth series of The Diary of River Song! This was probably the best story of the set, although I really am switching between this and The Bekdel Test. Things took a little while to get going for this one, but once they did it was superb! We had Derek Jacobi giving a chilling performance as the War Master and this is exactly what I have been clamouring for in the War Master series. We didn't see enough of it in that, but this was just perfect for my expectations. The Master was at his very best. Cunning is definitely one of the most adequate words to describe him during this story. One thing I am not a fan of but it seems there is just no escaping is the fact that we know the War Master is in this story because of the artwork, that goes without saying, so why is it told to us that the other life sign is the Doctor? We know right away it isn't and I can understand that River doesn't know, but it just doesn't make sense to me to try and deceive the listeners like that when we know the answer. That's my only qualm with this story really. An element that I found incredibly intriguing was that River Song referred to the Time War as something that was happening now. I figured that there might be a comment with her knowing the result and the role the Doctor had in ending it, but there was no indication of that which I was very surprised by. I liked it a lot though, even if it perhaps is an impossibility given the Time Lock and that River was conceived in the Time Vortex some time after the War's conclusion. The setting of the Utorpy was good and even though there are no visuals, the atmosphere was just dark and dingy and that worked perfectly for the arrival of the Master. I really enjoyed how he was just luring some of the crew down and was killing them off with his laser screwdriver. Amita was a decent character and finding out that the Master was actually using her as transportation for a beast created from Time War splicing was unexpected, but the calmness and complete lack of compassion with which he carried out his plans was delightful. That makes me sound quite horrific, but I got what I wanted in a villain with the War Master here. Delightfully callous. The ending was something I really liked with River using a way to get Hugo to her advantage and set the ship's self destruct into accelerate, something the Master hadn't anticipated, and that quickly led to him trying to escape with her in some comical scenes. The way he got a mental advantage over her at the conclusion was sublime though and it was actually quite refreshing to see the Master get away and River not quite standing tall. She had been hypnotised to reveal that there was never anybody else on the ship. The reference back to Animal Instinct was really nice continuity with the Master revealing he had gone and done his research on River, and he was more than prepared now to deal with her. He did so pretty convincingly in my books, even if he had a minor setback. Overall, a brilliant end to what has been an excellent series for the fifth series of The Diary of River Song! Long may it continue, and here's hoping for more encounters with the Master. 

Rating: 9/10

The Lifeboat and the Deathboat

"I'm a survivor."

Writer: Eddie Robson

Format: Audio

Released: January 2019

Series: The Diary of River Song 5.03

Featuring: River Song, The Master

Synopsis

Stranded in the Vortex, a father and daughter do their best to survive, living on salvage in a ramshackle vessel.

Elsewhere, an obsessive ship's captain hunts down a vengeful monster, whatever the cost. And River is caught between them, uncovering an old enemy in the most unexpected new guise.

Verdict

The Lifeboat and the Deathboat was another great story to continue along the fifth series of The Diary of River Song very nicely! One thing I have been wondering ever since this release was announced was just how River would be able to encounter the Eric Roberts incarnation of the Master. I was still none the wiser for the most part of the audio, but when the obvious reveal came that Daniel was in fact the Master, all was explained. I loved that we didn't meet this Master during the events of The Movie, as I expected, but instead we followed on from him falling into the Eye of Harmony itself and how that led him to being drifting in the Time Vortex as was referenced here. Eric Roberts was fantastic as the Master, but despite this I can't help but feel like there should have been more of him outside of his disguise. We have seen very limited time of Roberts as the Master so I felt this was a slightly missed opportunity despite the story being good for the Master as a character exclusive of each incarnation. Setting an adventure within the Time Vortex is always good as there is just so much potential there. That obviously becomes more so the case with time and having a story based around the timey-wimey nature of Doctor Who is something I really like. So I enjoyed those elements big time. The character of Alison was really interesting and I was quite fascinated to discover what her connection would be with the Master. She obviously wasn't his daughter, but I didn't expect her to actually be the daughter of the Vortex creature (that I am not going to begin to attempt to spell). Her being based from a film from the 1980s was quite amusing once it was revealed, especially when the VHS of that film was found by the Master in the Doctor's TARDIS amongst the junk. River realising that the fragment of the TARDIS that they were in was actually her husband's was a great moment and that led her to know who she was face to face with. One line in particular that I found interesting was River's claim that she had met all of the Master's bodies. Well, this body wasn't his of course, so does that sentiment also apply to Anthony Ainley's incarnation? I like how that leaves room open for her to meet the likes of Alex Macqueen's incarnation, who I am yet to encounter, along with a very exciting prospect of her meeting John Simm's version. One thing I also liked about this story was how it gave longevity to Eric Robert's incarnation beyond the 1996 TV movie and the potential for him to survive and live on, as he always does, and perhaps encounter the Eighth Doctor again. The guest cast in this one were good and I felt the background for this story would have been more than efficient for a two-parter. They didn't get as much time as they perhaps deserved, but the focus was never going to be away from River and the Master for long. The ending was quite simplistic and whilst this was probably the weakest plot of the three in the series so far (only by a smidge), it was still very enjoyable! Just hearing Roberts as the Master again was fantastic, if only it was brief behind the disguise. Overall, another very good audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10