Blood Will Out

"Mind-bending, Rib-tickling Reflections!"

Writer: Richard Dungworth 

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2017

Printed in: Tales of Terror 10

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

Verdict

Blood Will Out was another very good little short story to continue my way reading through the Tales of Terror collection! I enjoyed this one quite a lot as I get into the final stretch of the book and I think I'm just going to plough on now and get it complete before I have to return it to the library. I was very glad to find that the Tenth Doctor wouldn't be travelling solo as the last two outings in the collection of Organsim 96 and The Patchwork Pierrot have had Doctors travelling on their lonesome, so Donna was a welcomed addition as a familiar character and companion for this one. The relationship she shares with the Doctor was nicely captured in the story and I loved the idea of the pair playing 20 Questions and I Spy. It was just good hearted and fun companionship which is what their relationship was all about. The use of a mirror maze has a lot of potential and bringing back Daughter of Mine and ultimately three-quarters of the Family of Blood was terrific! They are perfectly suited to a collection of stories like this one with the terror theme and the description of their head movements and their natural form definitely fitted the bill as far as that was concerned. The way Daughter of Mine actually managed to escape from the mirror, every mirror, was very clever and I loved how by having the vantage of looking out of every mirror, she had learned from watching. Donna knowing about the girl in the mirror was really nicely done as she hadn't believed that it could be real, but she got her confirmation here which she reacted to greatly. This particular adventure is of course completely contradicted by The Shadow in the Mirror that was released earlier this year, but as Jonathan Morris is so brilliantly describing in DWM, continuity is loose to say the least with Doctor Who and it can be whatever you want it to be. For me, this is just another take or interpretation on events as I like to use my historical vernacular. The Doctor reflecting on the events of Human Nature/The Family of Blood and seeing quite worried by the return of the Family was excellent and it was interesting for Donna to see what he is capable of as he described the fates of the family members. The comment about losing human life, including his own, was also very nicely done. I was a big fan of that. Donna getting annoyed with the way the Family were talking and threatening was terrific and her retaliation of threatening to pop the balloon was outstanding. I must admit that it seemed a little weird for Daughter of Mine to have taken over as Head of the Family, but her time in the mirrors had shown her that there was more than the Doctor's lifespan that they could take over. She reminded the Doctor that he was mortal and that she'd seen him die many times which was very good. They just wanted the TARDIS now to save Mother of Mine from the collapsing star, and then they could truly take eternal life from a creature in the Vortex. Of course, in a short story the nature of this one, the length provides the ability for a little disappointment and I felt that was the case for the conclusion. It came a bit suddenly and easily for my liking with the TARDIS simply recognising the Family of Blood and putting them out. It was a little bit quick for my liking, but the comment at the end with the Doctor thinking he might have been harsh and reuniting them with their Mother was somewhat a nice touch. Overall, a very good adventure that could have been even better if it had more room to play with. 

Rating: 8/10

The Patchwork Pierrot

"People vanish when the circus comes to town."

Writer: Scott Handcock
Format: Short Story
Released: September 2017
Printed in: Tales of Terror 09

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

The Ninth Doctor arrives at the carnival amidst a travelling circus shortly after Civil War in 18th century America. It's eerily quiet as nobody talks following performers going missing. The culprit is hidden, but the Doctor soon discovers an old and battered enemy is trying to upgrade...

Verdict

The Patchwork Pierrot was a very good continuation of the Tales of Terror collection of short stories! This adventure firmly moved me out of the Classic era and into that of the modern, but it still had a vibe that was somewhat resemblant of the older days. Initially, I was a little disappointed by the decision to have the Ninth Doctor travelling alone as this obviously means it must come, chronologically, prior to the events of Rose and given what we see in that episode during Series 1, particularly with the Doctor looking at himself in the mirror following his presumed recent regeneration, I am really not sure there is a lot of room for manoeuvre there when it comes to a gap. It's not a major issue, but other than a generic look back on the Time Lords and the Doctor comparing the Civil War to the Time War in which he had just fought, there was very little to indicate where this story might be placed in Ninth Doctor chronology. I quite enjoyed the characterisation of Christopher Eccleston's incarnation here, but I do think it would have been better if he had Rose alongside him as the companion. Still, given the identity of the Patchwork Pierrot later in the story, it makes sense that she wasn't around here otherwise she more than likely would have recognised the Cybermen during Rise of the Cybermen. Mona filled in quite nicely in the companion role and she clearly got on well with the Doctor. The circus setting was very good and with the talk of all those performing and touring with it, I was getting The Greatest Showman vibes as that was exactly what it felt like here. I enjoyed that, even if it wasn't exactly original when it comes to circus storytelling. The eighteenth century America setting was also good and worked really well to place a lost and battered Cyberman. I really wasn't expecting the Pierrot to be a Cyberman, but once that was revealed I loved the idea of the Ninth Doctor doing battle with them as we never saw that on screen. That scene in Dalek with the Cyber head was about as close as we got. Hopefully the Big Finish audios next year can give us a performed meeting! I really loved the Doctor's description of how the Cybermen originated, recalling events of The Tenth Planet wonderfully and the illustration that went with the story seemed to somewhat resemble the Mondasian Cyberman design from that serial. It was a little more child-oriented with the way it was presented, but it was still good. The idea of the Cyberman being in age without sufficient technology to replenish and upgrade itself was excellent and where that was the case, the Cyberman would try and upgrade its flesh aspect which was pretty disturbing. The Cyberman literally wanting Mona's heart as well as figuratively was a fun concept and it overriding the Cyber emotionless state so much by becoming more and more flesh and having feelings for Mona was a good and unexpected twist. The description of the flesh beneath its deformed helmet was brilliant and finding out that it had taken Jacob, one of those missing from the circus that Mona knew so well, was quite disheartening. But really well done for the Cybermen. It was certainly disturbing and that's an aspect that is perfectly suited for the Cybermen. I thought the adventure was able to deliver after a slow start that didn't seem to be offering much, but the excitement increased palpably once the enemy was revealed. The idea of the Cyberman disappearing itself from the circus after the Doctor disabled its emotional inhibitor and made it feel as a human would was decent, and quite fitting for the setting. Overall, a great little adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Organism 96

"The Mysterious Miss X of the Mediterranean."

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2017

Printed in: Tales of Terror 08

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

The Eighth Doctor is aboard the W. H. Allen when Marie discovers an old lady overboard in the sea. However, she turns out to be much more than an old lady, but only the Doctor can see her true form as a squid with razor-tentacles intent on feeding on human brains...

Verdict

Organsim 96 was a somewhat average continuation of the Tales of Terror collection of short stories. I think this one was definitely the one I have least enjoyed of what has actually been a really positive book so far, as I now reach the two-thirds of the way through mark. This one didn't quite capture my attention which was a shame as I was quite looking forward to getting a new adventure featuring the Eighth Doctor on his solo travels, something quite different to what is usually presented by Big Finish in this incarnation's audio travels. This tale was very much a standalone one with no continuity or references of any description, which I guess you can get away with when it comes to the era of the Eighth Doctor. I actually thought the writing of the Doctor himself was pretty good and I rather enjoyed the relationship he built with Marie who filled in as the companion of sorts for this adventure. They were rather enjoyable together and with the Doctor travelling alone here, it seems strange that he wouldn't at least hint towards her coming with him in the TARDIS as this kind of adventure would certainly fit the bill for a companion introduction. In a collection like this though, it's very doubtful that would be a result. The characterisation was also good in having the Doctor drinking a milkshake, something I would also be accustomed to myself, along with the description of his Edwardian velvet attire. That set things up nicely, but from there what we got just felt a bit too kiddish for my liking. I fully appreciate that this kind of book is not exactly targeted towards a 23-year-old, but the first seven tales have had quite a mature feel but this one felt like a marked departure from that style. The mystery behind Miss X who Marie had found overboard was decent, but the sudden switch from her being an old lady to the Doctor's over the top reaction to her true squid-like form was definitely one for the children. I liked that it was only the Doctor who could see her true shape, but it didn't make a huge amount of sense for his own camera to also be fooled. The description of razor sharp tentacles was also a little childish for my tastes. It didn't feel very serious despite the level of threat that was being presented. Things could have improved if more was made of the serial killer onboard vibe, but that didn't last long enough as we already knew the culprit was Miss X. Finding out that the Soviets had programmed the squid to kill and hide its true nature as part of a failed experiment was interesting and I think something along these lines could work really well for Doctor Who stories, but that immature feeling just kept coming back to me with the idea of the De-mesmoriser making the planned unmasking all feel very much Scooby Doo. That's obviously fine for the younger fans, but for me it was nothing more than average. I did like the twist that Hulke knew she was a monster all along and brought the Doctor's MI5 comment at the start full circle very nicely, and I was quite stunned when he decided to take both himself and Organism 96 out with the ring bomb to fulfil his duty for his country. The Doctor didn't seem so fussed on that sacrifice which was a little strange as surely there could have been another way of dealing with the threat? It did all happen quite suddenly though which made for a pretty good pace. Overall, a somewhat decent story but not up to the standard of previous tales in the collection. Oh, and Marie using singing Whitney Houston to escape the grasp and the brain feeding were terrible. 

Rating: 6/10

Day of the Cockroach

"Humanity's time is done."

Writer: Steve Lyons

Format: Audio

Released: May 2012

Series: NSA 17

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The TARDIS materialises in a pitch-dark tunnel, where the Doctor, Amy and Rory stumble on the dead body of a soldier. Questioned by his superior officer, Colonel Bowe, they learn that they're inside a British nuclear bunker, in the middle of an atomic war – in 1982.

Amy and Rory weren't even born then, but they know the bomb didn't drop that year, and so does the Doctor. The friends also know they had nothing to do with the dead of Sergeant Trott – so who, or what, was the killer? And why does the Doctor's psychic paper not work on the Colonel?

The Doctor, Amy and Rory soon learn that something else is lurking in the shadows. Something deadly...

Verdict

Day of the Cockroach was another very good audio adventure to continue my way through the Eleventh Doctor Tales collection on BorrowBox! I liked the idea of the Doctor attempting to get Amy and Rory home to Leadworth, but there was no sign of a pond and it appeared that the TARDIS hadn't quite brought them to the right place. Or time. I was hugely impressed with Arthur Darvill's narration from the start and his take on Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor was actually really great. I think it was definitely the best from this collection as a whole. I liked the little background noise of rustling to indicate the cockroach arrival and the trio finding a dead body and soon being accused of carrying out the murder was very fun. The Doctor has been there before and referencing that was terrific. Amy soon realised with their bunker surroundings that they hadn't managed to return to 2011 as intended, but instead were in the middle of a nuclear war in Great Britain. Apparently, one in 1982! Of course, history shows that this never happened so I was intrigued by everything about this and the four minute warning that was brought up so often. The introduction of Colonel Bowe was good and I was very interested to find that the psychic paper had no impact on him. Miss Atkins was a good character and I thought she was great with Amy and wanting to show some female unity. The way the main trio were split apart was well done and Rory soon found himself very scared of a noise in a dark room. This turned out to be Harrington who was quite a strange old man that warned him about Bowe and who had also built the bunker the audio was set within. I thought it was brilliant to set the scene of the impact of the nuclear war with it being said that there was no British Government, food supplies had been destroyed, the air was contained, farmland was gone and millions were dead. It painted quite the picture above ground. The trapped feeling of the story within the bunker was impressive and I was intrigued that for the other characters they had been stuck within for three days. The contained atmosphere was superb in my opinion and I also really enjoyed the generator being broken and setting the scene with darkness. The atmosphere was definitely a strong point of the story. Amy's gagged reaction to the cockroaches was very good and I liked the description of them scaling after her and Atkins as they wanted a fresh kill. The Doctor's comment and tone of delivery about the cockroaches not needing their heads was brilliant and didn't exactly ease any fears! Bowe being dead came quite suddenly and the humour that follows regarding the danger of the air vents was good stuff. Rory being chased and the claustrophobic feeling that went with that was very good again. The Doctor's efforts of distracting the cockroaches with noise was good and I also enjoyed the expected take of the cockroaches being mutated by the nuclear war above. Except, that wasn't quite the case with the Doctor offering a number of alternatives in a fun way. I did really enjoy referencing the common belief that the only thing capable of surviving nuclear war was the cockroaches though. There seeing to be more to the 1982 setting was good and I liked how accusatory the Doctor was in questioning the Mayor. The idea of intelligent cockroaches and together providing a psychic element of hypnosis in the surroundings was excellent as that also explained the psychic papers not working. Harrington seemingly letting the cockroach kill him was a little strange and I'd have liked more of answer concerning that. The Doctor orchestrating a mixture that smelled like predatory and angry wasps was decent as that made the cockroaches go running. The would soon follow them back to the nest to rescue Rory which was logical but I wasn't expecting the cockroaches to be making Rory see his worst nightmare and have his finger on a rifle trigger! The distraction there from Amy with the kiss and from Rory's perspective that being with a cockroach was very nicely done. The resolution from there was quite straightforward and quick with the use of the wasp mixture to send them scurrying. It was the cockroaches hypnotic effect that made them think of the four minute warning and nuclear war in 1982 to provide themselves with a food supply. Overall, a simple ending but a very good and fun little audio!

Rating: 8/10

Beautiful Chaos

"Mandragora swallows the skies, and smiles down upon you all."

Writer: Gary Russell
Format: Novel
Released: December 2008
Series: NSA 29

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis 

Wilfred Mott is very unhappy; his granddaughter, Donna, is back home, catching up with family and gossiping about her journeys, and he has just discovered a new star and had it named after him. He takes the Tenth Doctor with him to the naming ceremony. But the Doctor soon discovers something else new, and worryingly bright, in the heavens – something that is heading for Earth. It's an ancient force from the Dark Times. And it is very, very angry...

Verdict

Beautiful Chaos was an outstanding novel! I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and even though the run of the Tenth Doctor and Donna in New Series Adventures was a short one, this was definitely the standout of the bunch! I thought everything about this one was just perfect to be honest. It captured the feel of Series 4 so brilliantly well and worked in every way in encompassing Donna's family life and the difficulty she has had balancing that with her journeys in the TARDIS. Given that there was a reference to Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, this adventure took place quite a way into Donna's time journeying in the TARDIS and that was written really well as it was clear she was comfortable with life alongside the Doctor. There were continuous references to the likes of The Runaway Bride, Partners in Crime and The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky which was good and I enjoyed how they were often used to highlight Sylvia's continued dislike of the Doctor being in Donna's life. The same could not be said for Wilf who was just wonderful and whilst he fully encouraged Donna to go off with the Doctor, I thought it was lovely how he made sure the Doctor knew that if anything were to happen to his granddaughter then there would be hell to pay. The whole plot of the book being a sequel to The Masque of Mandragora was outstanding and I really enjoyed how the motive of the Helix here was absolutely revenge. But it was revenge with a purpose and instead of just defeating or killing the Doctor, it wanted his body which I thought was a neat distinction. Revenge with a purpose is always fantastic and it worked well here. The references to that aforementioned Fourth Doctor serial were most welcomed and I liked how they provided comparison between the fifteenth century of that story and bringing the Mandragora into the 21st century here. Its ability to use technology and benefit from it was superb and I was absolutely kicking myself when the Doctor pointed that Dara Morgan was an anagram of said enemy! How could I possibly have missed that? Some of the characters in this one were really good, with Caitlin being quite a lot of fun as the assistant to Madam Delphi. The way she just shot Cal dead towards the end after the Doctor made him realise who he used to be before the Helix was incredible. So sudden! Delphi actually being revealed as an artificial intelligence of sorts was unexpected but a terrific twist and that made the authority she had shown previously all the more impressive. The probable highlight of the novel was actually the relationship between Wilf and Netty. Her suffering with Alzheimers was a little uncomfortable to read and I can't imagine what it must be like to endure that disease, but she was just wonderful and I loved how she was with Wilf and how happy they made each other. Sylvia had a strong showing too as she was clearly going through a lot on the anniversary of her husband's death. With Donna missing without a word so often and for so long, she was enduring a tough time. The Doctor and Donna were magnificent together and this was actually a rare occasion where I thoroughly enjoyed the London setting. Everyone being inundated by the technology announcements of MorganTech was very good and the speed at which Delphi through the Helix was able to change the files for them to acquire a number of companies was excellent. I thought the way the book was bookended by events post-Journeys End was quite harrowing and showed just how heartbreaking Donna's end as a companion really was. Getting the letter Donna had sent before that happened to her through Lukas was incredibly sad and poignant. She really was a marvellous companion and I loved that she got to showcase that here. I thought the format of the book was very good in that it didn't really have chapters, and was just split into four main segments to cover a four-day period. That was really fun and different and definitely worked for me. The way the Doctor used Netty's condition to defeat the Mandragora was quite spectacular and the way he'd goaded the Helix into taking her form was just superb. Seeing the Helix literally suffering from Alzheimer's and forgetting all about its purpose and nature was outstanding. I thought that was fantastic and made Netty a real hero, followed by a stark reminder of the disease and how the Mandragora had only given her a temporary reprieve. Another element of the adventure I enjoyed was how The Mark of Mandragora was referenced and explained as just being a little fraction of the Helix, but we got the whole thing here! Overall, a sublime novel.

Rating: 10/10

The Living Image

"The dead do not come back."

Writer: Scott Handcock

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2017

Printed in: Tales of Terror 07

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

The Seventh Doctor and Ace arrive in London during 1887. Loud cries draw their attention as ghostly creatures stalk the streets. What connection do they have with an abstract artist who has recently lost his mother?

Verdict

The Living Image was another very good continuation of the Tales of Terror short story collection! I thought this was a solid adventure from start to finish and did a good job in capturing the era of the Seventh Doctor very well. I thought it was a little strange for the story to start with Elliot finding a presence from behind him and then screaming when he faced it as nothing came of that at all and didn't get referenced for the rest of the story which was a little strange. I mean, I know the connection there is the same creature that was causing Nathan trouble, but I felt like it was going to be something we would come back to. Regardless, Nathan was a good character and I enjoyed how he was seeing his dead mother as that seemed pretty in line with the theme of this book. The setting of London in 1887 also seemed well suited as there's something freaky about the atmosphere that is associated with the city at this point in history, whether that's depicted on other television programmes, historical documentaries or images, and just general historical study. The mention of Jack the Ripper also seemed apt and the humour that came with the Doctor's mention of meddling with that was great. The characterisation of the Seventh Doctor was pretty superb throughout which was very impressive. I enjoyed the discussion between the Doctor and Ace about London and how it is an evolving city and even a century removed from Ace's time, it had the same feeling of the modern city she knew. Nathan calling out and the pair realising that there was something bad going on was enjoyable and the description of the ghost-like creatures surrounding him immediately had me thinking the Gelth were going to feature. That didn't happen unfortunately, but the humour that came with Ace wanting to be rational and not admit that she believed in ghosts only for the Doctor to blurt out that's what they looked like was sublime. Nathan's mum pushing him for his painting was interesting and I liked how he didn't want to admit he had wavered in his abilities because of her death and didn't want her to feel guilty. The setting shifting into Nathan's studio upstairs was great and I enjoyed how there was a feeling of it just being wrong. The concept of the canvas being the source of the knocking that was heard was terrific and I really liked how it was a weak point in the fabric of time and space. The creatures being from a different dimension wasn't too much of a surprise given the abstract theme throughout, but I did like that they were using Nathan's mother to manipulate him. Their anger when the Doctor was telling him the truth of their plan was very good as he told how they were feeding on the abstract, a fun little idea. I definitely had vibes of Flatline reading this story. I thought the illustration that accompanied this particular adventure was almost excellent as I loved the image of the artwork coming out of the canvas and the likeness for the Seventh Doctor was sublime, but sadly the same could not be said of Ace. It was so far from how Sophie Aldred looked which was a shame. Nathan forming a link between dimensions inadvertently after getting touched was good, but the way Ace was able to smear the image with paint thinner and spoil the link was terrific. The Doctor not being content with that though and drawing the creature out with Nathan quickly putting together a portrait of the Time Lord was interesting as the pace drastically quickened for the conclusion. He went across to their dimension with fast speed and trapped the creatures with the abstract nature of regeneration meaning he could trap them inside his mind. The Doctor did offer to help, but they didn't accept. The selfie comment at the end along with Ace's confused reaction was great stuff and a good example of writing in hindsight. Overall, a very good story!

Rating: 8/10

Binary

"You don't want your own security system to kill you."

Writer: Eddie Robson

Format: Audio

Released: March 2012

Series: Companion Chronicles 6.09

Featuring: Third Doctor, Liz

Synopsis

A damaged alien computer is being guarded by UNIT troops, but the soldiers simply vanish...

Usually the Brigadier would call in the Doctor – but on this occasion the Time Lord is being kept out of the loop. Instead, it's up to Elizabeth Shaw to oversee the project to repair this alien technology, and recover the missing men.

And then Liz vanishes too.

Trapped inside the machine, Liz faces a battle for survival against a lethal defence system. And this time, she must save the day without the Doctor at her side.

Verdict

Binary was a very good Companion Chronicle audio! I'm a huge fan of Liz so I knew this couldn't really fail and getting her in a lead role to add onto Season 7 is always good in my eyes. The idea of an advanced computer in 1970 is terrific and when missing predecessors that had been working on the damaged device is thrown in, there's the perfect ingredients for a Doctor Who story! This computer having been salvaged from an alien ship was good and I loved the audacity of UNIT in not wanting the Doctor involved because he would want it shut down, but they wanted it repaired to use for themselves. I can just imagine the reaction of the Doctor when he found out about this! One element of the audio I found really fascinating was Liz venting her frustrations at UNIT and how she wasn't enjoying being second fiddle to the Doctor when it came to scientific expertise and also dealing with the sexist and chauvinist nature of the organisation. It was difficult to argue against her points and she claimed to be quitting after these events foreshadowing the gap between Season 7 and 8. Corporal Foster being beamed away by the computer happened quickly and straight after he vanished, Childs emerged as the computer component which was interesting. Liz having disabled its defence component was great and I liked how we got a bit more information regarding it having its own power source. Childs just wanted to understand the computer which was admirable. The way both he and Liza were suddenly transported into the computer itself was excellent and I like how the Doctor had arrived on the outside and found a way to send a message to Liz within. The computer having its own forcefield was magnificent but the Doctor was attempting to fix things which was good. I loved the revelation that the computer hadn't actually taken them prisoner, but instead wanted to be repaired and that meant those already missing were most likely alive. That seemed good, but then the pair found Johnson dead and he had been beaten to death which was unexpected given the location and the fact he couldn't have been within for more than 48 hours. Childs still wanting to repair the computer was fascinating and the Doctor tasking them to reach the upper duct and find the others ready for escape was brilliant for direction. The cliffhanger was a little abrupt with the screeching creature and I enjoyed the shift in it being organic and non-intelligent. It was clearly the cause of death for the others beamed into the computer. The playing around with the maintenance system and the whole system within a system concept was fun and I enjoyed how there was actually much more than just a singular creature. Liz smelling the decay of those others who had died was a good moment, especially because it revealed that Childs was actually the computer before it was said in words. The way his hand injury story came back with Liz's pencil throw and it going through him was very well done. The creatures being made by the maintenance system was great and they maintained the computer as essentially anti-bodies. These creatures being faulty and the computer continuing to make them because it didn't know what else to do was really good and I liked how the computer was claiming that it would just give itself to UNIT. Liz knew that was false and she wanted to know why Childs as the projection just didn't tell her the truth from the start. Foster saving Liz after Childs threatened her with the creatures was good and I thought the Doctor's warning about needing to damage the computer from the inside was terrific! The forcefield needed to be broken down and that risked an electric shock which was a good problem. I really wasn't expecting Foster to not be real either and was actually the failsafe that Liz had earlier disconnected! That was tremendous and something I didn't see coming. He was programmed to destroy the computer before it got into enemy hands which worked pretty well, but it couldn't let it destroy itself. The computer's independent thought was what made it valuable. The conclusion went on probably slightly too long with the drones threat if Liz didn't start destroying the computer from within, but her efforts at reasoning and fixing the maintenance system to fix them was really nice and typical of Liz's nature which I enjoyed. She realised the computer was alive and couldn't destroy it! She freed it which was commendable. Her realisation after being let out and the computer quickly vanishing that UNIT would actually need her was intriguing, and seemed a shift from her earlier sentiments. Overall though, a very good audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Out of Time

"I knew you'd cause trouble."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: 26 August 2020

Series: Out of Time 01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Fourth Doctor

Synopsis

The Cathedral of Contemplation is an enigma, existing outside time. It turns through history, opening its doors across the universe to offer solace to those in need.

Occasionally, the Doctor drops in – when he's avoiding his destiny, it's an ideal place to get some perspective. Only this time he's already there from several lives earlier, so when dimension barriers break down, his past and present collide.

And the Daleks invade and commandeer the Cathedral, two Doctors must unite to stop them – or face extermination twice over!

Verdict

Out of Time was an outstanding audio adventure that was just so much fun! I have been anticipating this release since it was announced and actually went ahead and pre-ordered the bundle, so I was able to listen to this on its release day and it was just wonderful from start to finish. I liked how things started with the Tenth Doctor arriving at the Cathedral of Contemplation looking for the little shop, but the Doctor was known there and came when he was troubled, something that was clear for this incarnation of the Doctor as we head towards The End of Time. The concept of the Cathedral was superb and I loved how it was existing outside of time and causality and was used to keep history on track. The idea of the Doctor coming just to play with their space-time visualiser was very humorous. The Fourth Doctor's start of the story by painting was intriguing and we were soon introduced to Jora who would serve as a sort of semi-companion for the adventure which was fun. The Abbess being a time sensitive was excellent and I liked how she was part of the Cathedral that was keeping things apart in time. The idea of trans temporal architecture and how the Cathedral was a fine example of that art was brilliant. The meeting between the two Doctors was so much fun and getting a fully performed clash of Doctors from the Classic and modern eras of Doctor Who is just so good. We got Time Crash, but this just felt more genuine. The humour that came with the Michelangelo discussion was wonderful and I loved how the Tenth Doctor's meddling saw him break through a temporal barrier and inadvertently bump into his past self. His disguise being John Tyler rather than the usual Smith was terrific and I liked how he also hid the name of the sonic screwdriver as a rather vague sonic scientific instrument. The soldiers arriving into the adventure quite abruptly was good and they had come for Jora, the fugitive and daughter of Captain Zella who headed the force. The Tenth Doctor talking to the Abbess about his feelings was interesting and I liked how he was telling of how he was avoiding a meeting. He just wasn't ready to go. Her being unhappy about the two Doctors meeting was great though! The Tenth Doctor was confident he had played the tourist act well though which was very good. Something we haven't always seen in multi-Doctor stories is the later incarnation starting to remember events his younger self experienced with his future self, so that happening here was really good fun. Finding out how Jora had ran from a war and was referred to as a coward was intriguing and the way we found out that the Daleks were who the war was fought against was excellent. It was clearly established that the setting was the 26th century and we were basically amidst the events we saw in Frontier in Space with the Draconian war involvement as well. I thought the music behind the Dalek emergence was sublime and I loved how they invaded via a time corridor. The return of the Supreme Dalek was brilliant and the voice from Nicholas Briggs boomed in authority which was marvellous. The Cathedral offering the Daleks the opportunity of invasions anywhere and anywhen, providing instant slaughter was quite the predicament, so much so that we needed two Doctors! The Tenth Doctor showing his appreciation for his former self was just delightful and I loved how he realised that the Fourth Doctor now knew who he really was. The 'pinstripe' comment to describe the Tenth Doctor was also just brilliant. It was also wonderful to get the Tenth Doctor fanboying about the retro vibe of the Fourth Doctor's sonic screwdriver. So much joy! It was good that the Fourth Doctor wanted a say and wanted to know that his future self was here as well. Jora realising that both men were the same man was great and I loved how she trusted both of them with confidence. The battle of words between each Doctor on who would confront the Daleks was really well done and the classic referral of the air vents as a means of evading discovery was majestic. Kivall made a decent character as the apprentice hiding and I liked how he returned the sonic screwdriver that was confiscated by the Abbess before her extermination which was quite brutal and instant. The reveal that Zenna was actually a Dalek agent and had completed its mission before being exterminated was unexpected and worked really well. I adored the Fourth Doctor's comment about his predecessor's shoes and there was just the right amount of Doctor banter. The Fourth Doctor being subdued by the Daleks was interesting, especially with the Tenth Doctor then demonstrating effects of the damage. The Daleks having the ability to freely change history regarding the Doctor because they were outside causality was fantastic, but in exterminating the Abbess they had doomed themselves which was great stuff. She was a crucial part of the architecture that kept the trans temporal building together. The Supreme Dalek putting another Dalek counterpart out of its misery was excellent and I loved how it realised that there were two incarnations of the Doctor present with a very simple deduction. The doors of the Cathedral leading to the Magellan world for evacuation was good, but the Daleks were headed for Earth. The Doctors using contact to clearly put a plan in place together was marvellous and just when it appeared the Daleks were in control, the Doctors flooded their route with solar energy that almost saw a supernova reach Skaro! The Doctor had set the time coordinates to when the Earth was engulfed by the sun as seen in The End of the World which was just terrific and led to the Daleks quickly aborting their mission to save their home world. The clash between Doctors with the Fourth not thinking the Tenth should ever need stopping and that people should keep him going was tremendous stuff and quite powerful. Their providing a distraction for Jora to shoot the Supreme Dalek from behind was also great. I loved how the Doctors synchronised their sonic screwdrivers to get the added power needed to trap the remaining Daleks in the collapsing cathedral, and from there we got a lovely dialogue conversation to see out the story. The Fourth Doctor mentioning recently coming from Gallifrey following the events of The Deadly Assassin was great and I enjoyed how he told his future self he should have a companion. The little conversation about Sarah Jane Smith and the reference to The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith was outstanding, and I also loved how the Tenth Doctor phrased how his past self would meet a nice Time Lady and soon settle down with a dog. Just delightful. Overall, a joy to listen to!

Rating: 10/10

Trick or Treat

"You've broken into my TARDIS in the middle of the Time Vortex and have the audacity to ask me for a treat?"

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2017

Printed in: Tales of Terror 06

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis 

Travelling through the Time Vortex, the Doctor receives a knock on the TARDIS door. It should be impossible, but he's got trick or treaters. They look somewhat familiar, and his frustration leads him into a game against an old foe, and it's one that he's unknowingly been playing for quite some time...

Verdict

Trick or Treat was an outstanding short story to continue my way through the Tales of Terror collection! I think this was definitely the best of the bunch so far, even eclipsing Toil and Trouble which I didn't expect to get beaten and even though that was also a perfect rating, I thought that this was slightly superior. I'm a sucker for continuity and I got it in abundance here! I loved how the scene was set with a knock on the TARDIS door mid-flight in the Time Vortex as that is something that just shouldn't be possible. I mean, we would hear something similar in The Doctor's Wife, but the source of that was Time Lord with the cube. Here, it was anything but as we had four boys knocking from outside mid-flight! Their asking of trick or treat was great and I adored the line about the Doctor not even having a jelly baby to offer them. That was really well done. The moment that the four boys in the TARDIS mentioned having rules to follow as part of the trick or treat game, I knew that the Celestial Toymaker was back for vengeance before it was even confirmed. The use of the Doctor's sixth incarnation and the five regeneration significance was fantastic and the idea that the four boys were actually the incarnations of himself between his first and sixth incarnations was just magnificent. The images there! Fantastic description. As the Doctor arrived where the boys had taken the TARDIS, him seeing the departure of the First Doctor's TARDIS from the vantage point we read occur in Murder in the Dark was outstanding and a perfect use of a writer having two stories to play around with in a collection like this book. From there, the story just exceeded expectations with the concept of a TARDIS doll house being particularly fun. The idea of the Celestial Toymaker having dolls of the Doctor's previous companions was just tremendous with some fantastic descriptions of the likes of Leela, Jamie, Sarah Jane and Frobisher! I loved it. The Toymaker claiming that everything the Doctor had encountered since the events in this book's first story was sublime and the idea of the Toymaker having pitched a number of different foes against the Doctor during that time was just so much fun. The brilliant concepts just kept coming with the likes of suggesting that all of the Doctor's companions were those who had come close to winning his games whilst we also got marvellous references to The Savages and The War Machines as the Toymaker told of how he organised the departures of Steven and Dodo respectively. The illustration in this one was just perfection with the Toymaker describing the old rag box of different heads and bits of the Doctor. He couldn't believe that the Doctor thought everything was real and hadn't worked out the fabrication supposedly created by the Toymaker, with the special effects in the likes of Invasion of the Dinosaurs, The Talons of Weng-Chiang and Resurrection of the Daleks put forward as good examples. The Toymaker also detailing how when he got bored he just set up another meeting between the Doctor and his 'favourite' Daleks. How else could the implausibility of their constant meeting be explained? Just superb. The Doctor agreeing to yet another game against the Toymaker was good and I liked how his condition was him choosing the game. His choice of two truths one lie was perfection as he easily toyed with the Toymaker to admit that he hadn't been playing a game since the Halloween party, but also to ensure that the Toymaker was stuck as admitting the truth would be losing, but revealing the lie would end in defeat. The Toymaker was stuck in his game. Overall, a sensational short story!

Rating: 10/10

Dark Convoy

"If I interfere further I could cause untold damage."

Writer: Mark B Oliver

Format: Audio

Released: July 2015

Series: Short Trips 5.07

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

Materialising aboard the corvette HMS Thunder during the Second World War, the Doctor and Ace join Commander Fitzgerald and his crew as they track an allied submarine in trouble.

While the Doctor advises the Captain on navigational matters, Ace joins in a daring mission to rescue sailors in the water. With German planes overhead, no-one's survival is guaranteed...

Verdict

Dark Convoy was a somewhat decent little Short Trips audio adventure, but I do feel that it could have been slightly better. I was taken aback by how abruptly things started as for some strange reason we didn't even get the full introduction theme that we usually do and instead got a rushed semi-version with Sophie Aldred quickly reeling off the story details. It was a bit weird and whilst I enjoyed her narration for the most part during this reading, I do think the whole vibe of the Short Trip was one of being rushed. It seemed to be doing too much in the shorter format which was a shame and I also think that there were just too many characters for a drama performed by a singular actor. To her credit, Sophie Aldred did very well in managing all of those characters but it was slightly overkill in my eyes. As well, I wasn't too fussed on her take on the Seventh Doctor either as it seemed too forced in producing a feasible likeness to Sylvester McCoy. I liked the idea of the TARDIS landing on the HMS Thunder ship amidst a storm as that is a very unique and just brilliantly Doctor Who setting that I felt more could actually have been made of. I think an extension of the cast would have helped with that. It was interesting for this incarnation of the Doctor to even admit that no good could come of their presence on the ship, only for them to be quickly lured into the hull by Mayhew and coming before Captain Thomas Fitzgerald. It was all a little strange and quick with how sudden that shifted. Fitzgerald was a decent enough character and the dynamic of the Doctor being his advisor was good, but again by the time came for the departure and to go their separate ways, the way they said goodbye seemed like they had been going through a terrible ordeal for an incredibly long time which just wasn't the case despite the arduous circumstances. Everything was just happening quickly and I come back to the sense of things being rushed. The tracking of the U-boats was good and I liked how Ace was tasked with saving the sailors overboard, only for the crewmen on board to be gawping at her. Ace deserves better than that. I think more effects could have been utilised to sell the deadliness of the sea as she can be an incredibly harsh mistress but I didn't get too much of a feeling like that here. I did quite like Ace's relationship with Jimmy though and it was clear they had an emotional connection going off her reaction at the end, but again I'm not sure they had spent enough time together for that to be warranted. The dilemma Fitzgerald was present of men or submarine was intriguing but dealt with too quickly for my liking! The Doctor pondering on his potential interference in the Second World War and how he might end up helping the Germans win was another interesting element, but one that didn't seem to be a thought until it was mentioned. I didn't get that feeling or sense of worry which was a shame. There was a lot happening without actually a huge amount actually going on which was strange as this definitely had the ingredients to be great but it didn't quite live up to those expectations. Hughes being non-responsive after Ace helped get him out of the sea and onto the rowing boat was good and the sudden nature of the U-boat strike towards the conclusion was unexpected. Things could have been a little clearer at the end regarding whether Hughes and Jimmy were actually dead, but I guess the ambiguity there provides hope that they did survive. The Doctor clearly cared for Ace which was nice to hear at the end when they were reunited, but the TARDIS scene after they dematerialised from the carnage was not something I was too much of a fan of happening. There just didn't seem to have been enough happening to warrant the emotion displayed. Overall though, some good elements and this still made for a pretty decent adventure.

Rating: 6/10

Doctor Who and the Time Warrior

"It does not surprise me that one so evil seeks the aid of devils and magicians."

Writer: Terrance Dicks
Format: Novel
Released: June 1978
Series: Target 65

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah Jane

Synopsis

His spaceship crippled in an inter-stellar battle, the Sontaran warrior, Linx, is forced to crash-land on Earth. He arrives in the Middle Ages, a time too primitive to provide the technology he needs to repair his ship. Allying himself with the local robber chief, Linx uses his powers to 'borrow' scientists and equipment from twentieth-century Earth.

Doctor Who tracks down the missing scientists and journeys into the past to save them. But can he defeat the ruthless Linx and his savage human allies before the course of human history is changed forever?

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Time Warrior was a wonderful novelisation of what is my favourite Third Doctor televised story! It was the first serial I ever watched featuring Jon Pertwee's third incarnation so it has a big place in my heart on a personal level, whilst also introducing the Sontarans and Sarah Jane Smith! The Sontarans are one of my very favourite enemies and I think it's terrific how they debut with just a singular of the species in the form of Linx. Sarah Jane's introduction is also really good and she would of course go on to be a monumentally important companion in Doctor Who history before having her own spinoff series! I knew I was going to enjoy this read and I was delighted to find that Terrance Dicks was writing as his style just works so well. I loved how things started with a prologue that we didn't get on television that depicted how Linx actually ended up on Earth after escaping Rutan capture. That was a very entertaining ten pages and certainly added a great deal to the adventure which was really impressive. This is of course the first story after The Green Death and the impact of Jo departing was clearly still having an effect on the Doctor which was both sad and nice to see because it was clear how much she meant to him. It was also something the Brigadier noticed which was good. The way Sarah Jane was introduced in much the same way as the Doctor in not really being who he said he was at the research centre was a lot of fun and it was nice to see from the start that he liked her. The humour that came from the Brigadier at the start was also excellent as he would have to explain how there had been more scientific equipment and scientists themselves going missing, along with his investigator in the form of the Doctor! I loved how there was no messing around in establishing what kind of companion Sarah would be as she stood up to the Middle Ages take on women and how their role was to serve men. She wanted equality and stood up for it on a number of occasions which was just brilliant. The setting itself worked really well and it was a very good place for Linx to crash land. His patience would be tried by the likes of Irongron and Bloodaxe and the conversing between them was wonderful. There was something similar between a man of power in this time and the natural nature of a Sontaran. The setting was also very well utilised in the possibility of the Doctor being a wizard getting explored. The TARDIS departing at the end not being a surprise because how else would a wizard travel was very fun. I liked the battle and looming war that was going on between Irongron and Sir Edward and Linx having an interest in the war to come was true to his nature as a Sontaran. The way the story panned out was just as fantastic in prose as it was on screen with not too many noticeable differences, other than perhaps the pace which probably did feel a bit more exciting in this novelisation. The ending in particular felt more pacy and I enjoyed how the Doctor was determined on getting to the probic vent of the Sontaran. The arrow shot that got Linx at the end and killed him instantly was very sudden and impactful. Rubeish was also a fun character and I enjoyed his relationship with the Doctor and I also found it fascinating how accepting he was of time travel! The other scientists being hypnotised was good and I loved the idea of Linx going forward in time to get the resources he needed to repair his ship. Overall, a superb novelisation!

Rating: 10/10

Mark of the Medusa

"The image of the snake was almost like its calling card."

Writer: Mike Tucker

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2017

Printed in: Tales of Terror 05

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough, Kamelion

Synopsis

The Fifth Doctor takes his companions Tegan and Turlough to visit his old friend Vittorio on the night of the opening gala at his new museum of Earth antiquities. Except, Tegan soon goes missing and a familiar enemy returns with a vengeance, intent on gaining physical form once and for all...

Verdict

Mark of the Medusa was a decent little continuation of the Tales of Terror collection of short stories! There definitely felt like a distinct different as we moved into the second third of the book and to the 1980s with the era of the Fifth Doctor and I was glad that the essence of the story captured that era well. I'm never the biggest fan of when the Doctor encounters an old friend that we haven't actually ever met before, especially one that he has met across a number of faces. Is there really that much wiggle room in the first four incarnations for the Doctor to have met Vittorio on a number of occasion that didn't warrant a whole adventure? I'm not so sure about that and it really does happen too often in the more irregular formats for my liking. I liked the idea of Vittorio's museum of Earth wonders and antiquities and the Doctor approving of the collection was very nice, as well as Tegan being used as the basis for all that was going wrong in the twentieth century and what those artefacts were left opposed to. I was not expecting to find Kamelion featured in this story so that was definitely a welcomed addition as he is a very rare companion to find in adventures. The sadness that came with what appeared to only be a short appearance in the form of a page or so was powerful as even though he was a robot and shouldn't have feelings by nature, you could tell there was a lot of disappointment when he was told that he would have to remain inside the TARDIS. The speech from Vittorio at the opening was good and it was interesting to see how it effected Tegan with the talk of wheels and she recognised the words there which was good. I wasn't a fan of having a character by the name of Harry Gordon feature, even if it was only in a small role, as we had just had Toil and Trouble come before this in the collection which featured Harry Sullivan as companion! I think there could definitely be confusion there for readers unfamiliar with the Classic series and/or those reading more than one story a day unlike myself. It just seemed poor editing for me! The use of the Neptune statue in the adventure was good and fitted in well with the story and the museum setting so I enjoyed that. Another element I enjoyed was the description of the Medusa once that arrived into the story. I liked the idea of it actually being Tegan as that was a fun dynamic, but I was actually less pleased when it turned out that it was just Kamelion being controlled by Tegan's subconscious as that didn't make as much sense to me. Finding out that the Medusa was actually the Mara was a really good development given the snake linkage. Using Medusa in a Doctor Who story is hardly original, so the differentiation there was much welcomed. I liked how the events were established as being post-Snakedance, but things were a little vague on how the Mara survived initially. The use of Perseus by Turlough in remembering how to defeat what appeared to be Medusa was good and I also thought the Medusa portion of the illustration was excellent, but the Tegan aspect was not so much. Tegan confronting her duplicate and remembering the way the Mara were defeated in Kinda by not being able to face itself was very good. I enjoyed the ending as well with the Mara being told as being within the TARDIS and waiting patiently for its next attempt to defeat the Doctor. I thought that was good and set things up nicely for a possible return. Overall, a decent little short story! 

Rating: 7/10

Toil and Trouble

"Witches were the stuff of story-land."

Writer: Richard Dungworth 

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2017

Printed in: Tales of Terror 04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane, Harry

Synopsis

Answering the call of the Brigadier after departing from Space Station Nerva, the TARDIS is intercepted in the Time Vortex by the deadly Reapers. What kind of paradox are they hoping to feast upon? Does it have something to do with Sarah Jane going missing from the TARDIS attic?

Verdict

Toil and Trouble was an outstanding continuation of the Tales of Terror collection of short stories! This was one was absolutely right up my alley and I loved it from start to finish. Considering the format and length, I thought this was quite sublime. Considering the theme of the collection, kicking things off with Sarah Jane being in the middle of drowning was a good way to go that got readers stuck right in at the deep end when it came to this adventure which I was very impressed by. There was quite detailed description which was good and really sold the ordeal she was going through. I also think it was a clever decision to feature Sarah Jane Smith alongside the Fourth Doctor as she would be very familiar to those fans who have only known the show since its return in 2005. The emergence of the Carrionites into the story was done very well and I was mightily intrigued to find that it was the same three witches we saw on screens doing battle with the Tenth Doctor in The Shakespeare Code. For them, this adventure came after those events which was really fun given that the Doctor was yet to defeat them words, a theme that was played on tremendously well during the course of the story. What seems to be a semi-regular occurrence in this collection, excluding The Monster in the Woods, the illustration for this wasn't great as the resemblance of the Carrionites just wasn't there with what we saw on screen. I liked the placing of this adventure between Revenge of the Cybermen and Terror of the Zygons and it was clearly detailed how there absolutely is a little window there for further adventures like this. As if Carrionites weren't enough, we also got Reapers causing chaos in the Vortex and against the TARDIS! I liked everything that was happening here. The motive of the Carrionites quite clearly being revenge for the actions of the Tenth Doctor was fantastic and I loved how they wanted the true name of the Time Lord in order to defeat him with words, as he had done to them ensuring they remained cursed by the Eternals. That was brilliant. Their plan on killing the Doctor in an earlier incarnation to ensure that they were never defeated in the first place and their kind could be free to roam and devour the universe was fantastic. I liked how they mentioned Martha with loathing and it was more than a little controversial for them to refer to her as the Dark Lady! It was nice to see how much of an impact she made on the witches though. The concept of a blackout in the TARDIS was great and I loved how Harry was scared of the dark in these surroundings. He was the perfect companion for that. Sarah, in a controlled and witchlike state, attacked him in a good sequence. The connection being made between the Reapers and the Carrionites was excellent and I enjoyed how Harry had suspected this was the reason for their presence. Their efforts of wiping out the Doctor before they'd met attracted them because of the paradox it would cause. The Doctor had a plan of landing in the twentieth century as his companions wouldn't be out of place for the Reapers, and his using the signal of the Brigadier for that was really well done. The image of Carrionties and Reapers being in the TARDIS was terrific, especially with the former being devoured and essentially consumed by the latter! It was a quick and sudden end to what was a quite brilliant adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed. Overall, a superb little tale!

Rating: 10/10

Darkstar Academy

"Why do your prefects carry guns?"

Writer: Mark Morris

Format: Audio

Released: March 2012

Series: NSA 12

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

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

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

Verdict

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

Rating: 8/10

The Monster in the Woods

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

Writer: Paul Magrs

Format: Short Story

Released: September 2017

Printed in: Tales of Terror 03

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

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

Verdict

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

Rating: 9/10

The Plotters

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

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

Featuring: First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, Vicki

Synopsis 

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

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

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

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

Verdict

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

Rating: 9/10

Mastermind

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

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

Featuring: The Master, Ruth, Charlie

Synopsis

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

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

This is his story.

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

Verdict

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

Rating: 8/10

Enemy of the Daleks

"The enemy doesn't leave survivors."

Writer: David Bishop

Format: Audio

Released: May 2009

Series: Monthly Adventures 121

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Hex

Synopsis

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

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

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

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

Verdict

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

Rating: 9/10