The Viyran Solution

"This is where it ends."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: May 2014

Series: Charlotte Pollard 1.04

Featuring: Charley

Synopsis

Charlotte Pollard has been located. The Lamentation Cipher has been contained. Or so the Viyrans believe. Charley thinks her destiny is inescapable, but discovers that the mysterious Ever-and-Ever-Prolixity brings the Viyrans closer to completing their mission than ever before.

Bert Buchan Senior didn't get to be the head of a multi-galactic corporation by missing opportunities. So when his protege, the brilliant and ruthless Dr Millicent Belanger, discovers an advanced alien medical facility hidden in the Brouhaha galaxy, he's determined to seize it. The disappearance of his son, meanwhile, hardly merits a second thought...

The Viyrans have a solution to everything. Buchan Industries is out to make a killing. And Charlotte Pollard is caught in the middle...

Verdict

The Viyran Solution was a very good audio adventure to conclude the first series of the Charlotte Pollard spinoff! I have really enjoyed these extended stories for the Edwardian adventuress and it was lovely to hear Charley refer to herself as that. She's a wonderful character and it's no surprise that from the quality of the first boxset that this episode is not the last in the spinoff range. I'm not sure when I'll get around to Series 2 as that one isn't available on Spotify, but I definitely will at some point! I liked the way this one started in a somewhat shocking turn of events as Charley opened an air hole and her route into space to ensure that she didn't lose her memories of all she has done and travelled, with and without the Doctor. That was a fate worse than death for Charley which was tough to deal with as I quite agreed with her. She had gone through so much and she didn't want to lose anything when it came to the extraordinary man she knew as the Doctor. The Viyrans were pretty good in this one and I liked how they continue to adhere to their makeup and purpose in doing all they can to eradicate the virus outbreaks across time and space stemming back to the events of Patient Zero. Their explanation of tracking down one particular virus and putting all of their resources into eradicating that seemed strange given the vast amount that had been released, but the revelation that this virus was life certainly intrigued me! The idea that life and evolution was actually a virus and a paradox was a great deal of fun and the efforts of the Viyrans to sterilise the universe and exterminate all life was an excellent plot development. That's pretty crazy! Charley's later appeal to them that there was already a cure to the virus in the form of death seemed logical to me, but it fell on deaf ears as far as the Viryans were concerned. The return of the rogue Viyran from The Lamentation Cipher was something I wasn't expecting given the sacrifice he made for Charley so it was good to know that it was all a rouse. Things connected nicely with the start of the series and discovering that this Viyran was a pre-Viyran from when the panacea was sent back to eradicate life was terrific and he had been using Charley as a lure the whole time. He was a pre-Viyran and knew that the Viyrans of the future were wronged and needed a reset. To devolve. The irony there was brilliant and I liked how he schemed all along to ensure that Charley actually carried a virus that was infecting the Viyrans and the effects were a total reset of the Viyrans back to their defaults. That sorted things out nicely and hearing that Charley meant nothing to the Viyrans after the virus had its desired impact and the reboot was over was excellent. Despite this, I'm still not sure how I feel about Charley not actually containing the lamentation cipher after all the build up in the series and I think the delivery of that could have been better in revealing it. Instead it just felt like it was dismissed which was a shame after the three preceding episodes. The return of Robert was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed his relationship with Charley. The pair are well suited and them wanting to impress each other was lovely. I thought Bert made for a good villain and the contrast of his character compared to his son was incredible. He didn't care too much to find him alive after 18 months! Robert replacing Charley as the human captive of the Viyrans was good and I was surprised to find he was engaged. His sights were firmly set on Charley though which was fantastic. Overall, this was a really good little audio adventure that tied up the series nicely and provided a future for Charley that was fitting after a run of bad news for her. I look forward to the second series now!

Rating: 8/10

The Fall of the House of Pollard

"We are all but forgotten."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: May 2014

Series: Charlotte Pollard 1.03

Featuring: Charley

Synopsis

On the night the R101 airship went down, Louisa Pollard lost a husband as well as a daughter. Lord Richard Pollard has been a reclusive shadow of his former self ever since, unable to face the loss of his dear Charlotte.

With their fortunes in a downward spiral and the country estate up for sale, the Pollards retreat to their London townhouse, cared for by their one remaining servant, Mrs Warren. When psychic medium Michael Dee claims to bring a message from Charlotte, a desperate Louisa overcomes her scepticism in the hopes it will bring closure for Richard.

But as they try to make contact with Charlotte, no one can imagine what is about to cross over into their world from beyond the veil...

Verdict

The Fall of the House of Pollard was an excellent audio to continue along the first series of Charlotte Pollard's very own spinoff! This was definitely the best of the series so far and I thought it was wonderful to take Charley back home long after the events of Storm Warning. The way this story linked with a number of Charley's adventures with the Eighth Doctor was terrific and I really liked the emotion that came with her being reunited with her family, six years after her supposed death from their perspective but presumably so much longer for Charley. I really liked how Michael Dee was used as a spiritualist to actually try and summon Charley and him actually stating that she was stuck between dimensions was really intriguing as we knew that would be the truth. Charley's ability to use desire to help her find the destination she wanted through the prolixity was excellent and the initial reactions when Charley was back home were fantastic. It couldn't possibly be her, could it? Getting a full introduction to the Pollard family was brilliant and I thought the writing of Charley around her family was noticeably different which I thought was impressive and definitely the right move. The way it was also incorporated into the era of the 1930s was superb with the Moma and Papa titles was great too. I liked the introduction to house Pollard prior to Charley's arrival and the links with The Chimes of Midnight and Seasons of Fear when it came to the family believing there was a chance she was still alive were very well done. Richard had audibly not dealt well by the likelihood that his daughter had perished on the R101, but I admired that he never gave up hope that she was still alive. It was interesting to hear Charley referred to as Lottie by her family as that just isn't what we are used to. I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship she had with her mother and hearing Louisa get a full adventure after brief glimpses in a few different Monthly Adventures with the Eighth Doctor and Charley. The highlight of the audio had to be the way Louisa slapped her daughter square after accepting that she was in fact her daughter after a heartfelt embrace and look into the eyes. Tremendous stuff and that definitely felt like it was of the era. I really enjoyed how long it was left until any Viyran involvement through Violet and I also like to think that this name was a subtle hint of her true identity and intentions. Her efforts to rid Michael's memories of Charley was a powerful moment as the traces just weren't being eradicated and that meant a full cleanse which actually cost him his life. I thought the ending was brilliant and I liked how Charley took the arrival of the Viyrans with inevitable acceptance because it was only a matter of time before they'd end up there. Her having to battle with the prospect of death or going back into Viyran captivity was good but she had already made that decision in The Lamentation Cipher. Charley possessing that and still not knowing what it was that made her so important was good and I'm looking forward to this hopefully getting fully explored in the finale. Things have been set up well here and with the three episodes so far, and I do hope that it ends well for Charley. She has gone through a lot since The Girl Who Never Was and her still thinking that the Doctor is dead, and not knowing any better, must be quite hard along with everything that then occurred with the Sixth Doctor and her departure with the Viyrans. It was lovely for her to be united with family again, but it was taken away too quickly. Overall, an excellent listen!

Rating: 9/10

The Shadow at the Edge of the World

"Hell is empty, and all of the devils are here."

Writer: Jonathan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: May 2014

Series: Charlotte Pollard 1.02

Featuring: Charley

Synopsis

The Ever-and-Ever-Prolixity has granted Charlotte Pollard her dearest wish and set her loose once more in time and space. But where has it brought her? Waking amid the minatory darkness of a forest floor, she has no notion of where she is, or when.

Welcomed at gunpoint and beset by danger, Charley finds herself immediately embroiled in a frantic struggle for survival. For there are perilous shadows in this night-time forest. There are hungry, watchful eyes. And there is something ancient also, something tracking her, something implacable and ruthless which knows Miss Pollard of old...

Verdict

The Shadow at the Edge of the World was another very good audio adventure to continue along the first series of the Charlotte Pollard spinoff! The immediate follow on from The Lamentation Cipher worked well and I thought Charley was well composed and calm when confronted by Turnerman who was cornering her with a gun. The forest setting was quickly established and I thought that was good and Charley having no knowledge of where she was made for an interesting start as we learned of the surroundings. Charity and Susan were good characters and their nature being one of somewhat nicer than Turnerman's made for a good dynamic amongst the female cast. Their claims to be in the forest for the truth were interesting and I thought the Slatherings actually were rather impressive for an audio format. The escape effort was exciting and tense and the female survivors having to make their own weapons said a lot about the predicament and how long they had been stuck in the forest. Emmeline claiming to know of Charley was a fun moment and the way it later linked with her psychic tendencies was good. Charley saving the group from apparent slaughter with a burst of light that came from the power of the prolixity was an unexpected turn of events and her shock reaction at not being aware she could produce sudden light bursts was fantastic! Finding out that the setting was Scotland at the edge of the world during 1936 was good and I loved how close to home that was for Charley, both in time and geography. She was pondering on returning to her family which would be nice, but for now she was stuck. The sedation of Emmeline following her ravings and claims of being trapped with the devil was very good and I enjoyed Charley's reaction to that as she didn't agree with it at all. The human females forgetting who they were or why they were in the forest was an intriguing revelation and I liked learning that they were all that was left of an expedition focused on a temple that was supposedly older than should be possible. That peaked my attention! I loved the concept of the curse regarding the temple and it being said that the pilot that saw it along with the photographer both taking their lives was certainly something to add to the mystery. Charity not being attacked by the Slatherings was good and I liked how she knew there was no threat. So Turnerman killing it made for a very impactful moment. Charity knew this was her fiancé and was silent for days afterwards. The two-day time jump was a little sudden but still worked well and the Slatherings driving the group away from civilisation was a good plot move. Charley challenging Susan on imagination and battling with the issue of truth versus madness was probably the highlight of the audio for me! Emmeline's secret sparking fear in Susan was good and the idea of the path to the temple being well trodden was so simple but effective. The confirmation that the Slatherings were all the men of the expedition wasn't much of a surprise but it's still an enjoyable plot move and I liked how the females had come to the temple many times before only to be made to forget. The Viyran field shop turning out to be at the temple was good and them being the supposed devils was excellent. The imagery of the floating Slatherings being taken aboard was amusing and I loved the twist of Charley not being known to these Viyrans. They'd been wiping the memories of the female humans as the virus they were here to eliminate only effected men and the women were needed as natural immunity. The portal link with the prolixity was fun and that being how both Charley and the virus got through was great stuff. Turnerman having her whole memory wiped was enjoyable as she probably deserved that and this Viyran emissary also wanting Charley against her will was fantastic. She wasn't having that and jumped back into the portal! Who knows where she'll end up next. The Viyrans reporting back through time was superb and I liked how they sent a message from the future to capture Charley because she possessed the lamentation cipher and the keys to universal havoc and Viyran obliteration. She was the greatest treasure and that fits well. Overall, a fine audio!

Rating: 8/10

The Lamentation Cipher

"It's a riddle at the edge of the universe."

Writer: Jonathan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: May 2014

Series: Charlotte Pollard 1.01

Featuring: Charley

Synopsis

Charlotte Pollard – once the greatest adventuress of her generation – is terminally bored. She is tired of life as an emissary of that powerful and mysterious race, the Viyrans. She has grown weary of her role as an expendable agent in their ceaseless quest to eliminate contagion across the universe. Her work is repetitive and gruelling and has come to feel as if she hardly recognises herself. Very quietly, and without fuss, her heart is breaking.

So when the Viyrans arrive at the edge of galaxy Brouhaha-Nine-Nine-Five, besides the bizarre and enigmatic space-time anomaly known as the Ever-and-Ever-Proxility, Charley is overjoyed at an opportunity for escape. It is a chance that she will be grateful to seize – but given what awaits her, she may, before long, come to wonder if she might not have been more careful about just what is is she has wished for...

Verdict

The Lamentation Cipher was a really good start to the first series of the Charlotte Pollard spinoff series! I think it's a wonderful idea to be giving Charley her own spinoff as I must admit that despite her eventful run as companion to both the Eighth and Sixth Doctors, the way things finished in Blue Forgotten Planet definitely felt like there was unfinished business for the Edwardian adventuress. She's such a strong character and she more than held her own in this opening episode for her series. I liked the continuation from where things left off for her in the Monthly Adventures but it was also clear that some time had passed which made sense. The mythos surrounding the Proxility was interesting and the idea of a pub there for Charley to hang out was fun. Using a loose format of Charley telling her diary entries was good and Robert hitting on her in the galactic bar was good stuff. He was a detective and adventurer and took a shining to Charley. Hearing how she was merely an assistant to the Viyrans at this point in her life didn't seem quite right for this companion as I think she is so much better than merely having alien employers. The intrigue with Robert denying saying the words he had just spoken was very good and that leading Charley to realise he was the very man she had been waiting for was interesting. She needed to take him to the medical suite because he was infected by the obscurant virus which was further good continuity for Charley and I liked how she reacted to him saying vortisaur. It was a little sad to hear of Charley feeling like she was a glorified pet and dreaming of freedom, because I think she can offer so much. The well-mannered and rogue Vyran was a good character and I liked how he initially introduced himself to Charley by providing passage for escape. Her meeting Robert again after he was cured worked well and I liked how she was subtly playing with his memory gap. I thought the Proxility changing shape and Charley realising that events were liked was excellent and Robert admitting that he was actually an investment broker rather than adventurer was terrific. I thought the rogue Vyran meddling with the Commander was superb and their finding of Charley after escaping seemed sudden, but I'm glad that she wasn't held captive for long. Her role in the Viyran cause was intriguing though as they firmly believed she was integral and an invaluable asset, but she didn't get that impression at all so I'm firmly interested in to why Charley doesn't know her value and what exactly that value is! The rogue's constant attempts to help Charley escape was great and I was stunned when he scarified himself to save her and ensure she was free! The constant mentions of the titular lamentation cipher were interesting but I think we probably could have got more information regarding it, but that being the purpose of the rogue Vyran definitely keeps me interested moving forward with the series. The Viyrans not recognising him as a Viyran despite appearance was intriguing as well and it's a shame he was shot as I was hoping for more answers! The AI in the ship Charley found herself escaping in having the voice of Robert was amusing and all sights set on the Proxility was good and I liked how Robert was seeing that from afar and the dangers presented there. His relationship with his dad who was out for nothing but a profit was fantastic as well. The Commander claiming to have seen the lamentation was an impactful moment and his claims of everything being lost to dust and accepting that he was unfit for command was brilliant. I was a big fan of that. The Proxility beckoning for Charley was really well done and I enjoyed the action that came with the conclusion. It taking in the ship with Charley on board was really good and her accepting that to help her break free of the Viyrans was good. Her ship was engulfed by the power which I liked and setting up the rest of the series with the new Viyran Commander setting all resources on getting Charley back in their hands was very good. She was worth Viyran lives perishing which was all that was required to know and pondering that she was more important to the universe than she knew was excellent. I'm sure it will be linked to the viruses in some way, but for now this was a great start to the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Atom Bomb Blues

"You're helping them to build the atomic bomb."

Writer: Andrew Cartmel

Format: Novel

Released: December 2005

Series: PDA 75

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis 

Los Alamos, New Mexico, 1945. The Second World War is coming to its bloody conclusion, and in the American desert the race is on to build an atomic bomb. The fate of the world is at stake in more ways than one.

Someone, or something, is trying to alter the course of history at this most delicate point. And destroy the human race. Posing as a nuclear scientist with Ace as his research assistant, the Doctor plays detective among the Manhattan Project scientists, while desperately trying to avoid falling under suspicion himself.

As the minutes tick away to the world's first atom bomb blast, the Doctor and Ace find themselves up to their necks in spies, aliens of the flying saucer variety, and some very nasty saboteurs from another dimension. 

Verdict

Atom Bomb Blues was a great novel to serve as the final Past Doctor Adventures book! I am still a long way off from blogging every adventure from this range but I really have enjoyed what I have covered so far and this was a more than decent way to conclude the range. I maintain that it's a shame it didn't continue past 2005 with the modern era in full flow, but I understand why the decision was made. The setting for this novel was superb and the prospect of the Doctor interfering and meddling in the Second World War at the time the atomic bomb was being created was fantastic. That was extenuated by the fact this was the seventh incarnation and with him being the most manipulative of Doctors, the possibilities were endless! Ace's involvement as the Doctor's assistant was very good and I liked the fun that came with her taking the fish oil capsules to make her mathematical abilities vastly enhanced. The whole plot being a longstanding plan of the Doctor's was intriguing and the methods taken to keep the TARDIS hidden was impressive. There were a great variety of characters in this book and I think the highlight of the bunch had to be Ray. He was such a fun and just barmy character and his obsession with music and collecting records got to the point of ridiculousness but that just made it good! His desire to collect music records going so far as to travel between dimensions and parallel universes to obtain music that should have been banned was quite something. It was a little mad that a particle physicist from the future concocted equations that opened the gaps between dimensions and he was soon used by Imperial Lee and Lady Silk in a crazy plan to ensure Japanese victory in every universe. He was fine with that if it meant he got to go home and have the records that didn't exist in his universe with him. That really is just ludicrous! He was written well though and was a very interesting character throughout. I liked how he got friendly with the Doctor and Ace and didn't want them to get hurt or caught up in events, and the truth that he received coded messages in the music of Lady Silk was excellent. The revelation that it was Rosalita that was his accomplice was fantastic and I thought the Doctor's method of deducing that with the spilt chilli was very cleverly done. Butcher was another great character and I particularly enjoyed his interactions with Ace. She constantly referred to him as Bulldog which seemed to suit well, but one thing I was shocked by was that Ace wasn't calling the Doctor professor at all. That seemed a little off when it came to characterisation. I really enjoyed the moment with the Doctor holding a knife to Silk's throat and she wasn't worried in the slightest, but panic quickly set in when it came to Ace being in that position. That was the companion at her best. Henbest was another decent character and his role in the opening prelude to the book that took place part way through events was good and knowing that Ace would get drugged with truth serum was an interesting way to start. The way the tables were turned and he received a similar fate was very good. One element of the story I wasn't a massive fan of was the whole Zorg and tentacle ship inclusion, but I thought the humour of Butcher being convinced he was drugged was terrific. The role of Oppenheimer and the household was great and I liked that the Doctor's involvement in the atomic bomb was centred on changing Teller's equations so he wouldn't go on to become pro-bomb was not what I expected, and must admit that the lack of clarity around different universes seemed slightly convenient, especially with the doubles. I must admit that I thought the first half of the book was much stronger and my enjoyment slightly wained once we departed from pure historical elements. I didn't think it was required, but that's not at all to say it got bad! Overall, this was still a very strong book that served as a good read. 

Rating: 8/10

The Light Keepers

"A beacon can be two different things."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: August 2018

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 1.03

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

Dorium Maldovar has a problem. The self-styled 'Beacon People' are bad for business, and now they're in his shuttle park, digging for mysterious minerals.

When the Doctor crashes into his life once again, Dorium enlists him to find out what these scavengers are really up to inside their lighthouse.

But a lighthouse signals danger – and this beacon was placed to warn of something more ancient and powerful than anyone knows. Something that is returning...

Verdict

The Light Keepers was a great audio adventure to continue the first series of the Eleventh Doctor Chronicles! I've really enjoyed this boxset thus far and as I now near the end, I think it's wonderful to extend the adventures of the Eleventh Doctor and Jacob Dudman continues to do a sublime impression of Matt Smith to ensure that these stories have a genuine feel to them. It really does help that Dudman sounds like Smith and his performance as the Doctor is fantastic. I really liked that he was paired with a familiar character for this audio with us getting to meet Dorium Maldovar once again and his reaction to the Doctor's arrival and the threat posed by the TARDIS almost crashing into his Moldovarium was terrific. The pair only having slight knowledge of each other was good and the Doctor being remembered by Dorium based on an unpaid bar bill including tea and a large number scones was perfect for this incarnation. As a whole, this story ends up serving as why the Doctor is owed by Dorium as we would see in A Good Man Goes to War which I thought was very good and I'd love for future Doctor Chronicles to showcase that for the likes of Strax and Vastra amongst others. That would be lovely. The setting of the Maldovarium and its close surroundings for this story worked very well and I liked the prospect of there being so much mining by the Beacon People that the planet had began to lose mass to a level that its whole planetary orbit was of course. Hence the Doctor almost crashing into it. And to think he nearly blamed the TARDIS! Shudder the thought. Dorium struggling to prevent the mining on his grounds was good and his enlisting of the Doctor to help pay off his bar bill and the damage caused by his arrival was great. The Doctor couldn't resist a big lighthouse! That really is right up his ally and we've seen them be quite significant in the likes of Horror of Fang Rock and Fugitive of the Judoon and the same can be said here. The lighthouse actually being a colossus was intriguing and hearing the Doctor's descriptions of the ascent up the body was very good. He knew all along that this was a vessel and eventually got his confirmation, not that it was really needed. Plume was a really nice character and her explanation of what the light meant and the fact the lighthouse was actually a light prison was a good revelation. The links back to the song about working until the light was gone suddenly made perfect sense and they had to sacrifice themselves until the lister was no more. Quite the life! The light at the top of the vessel turning out to be the Lux was something I didn't see coming but this ended up serving as a brilliant little prequel to the Tales of New Earth boxset. That was very nicely done and some good continuity amongst ranges. The Doctor recognising the voice was good and I think it works to only have had the Lux involved for a short time at the end of the audio. The true story for that enemy lies in the aforementioned Tenth Doctor series. The Doctor was confident that after deflecting the Lux and sending it hurdling through time and space that one of him had got it covered, as was depicted during that series. Overall, I thought this was a very entertaining hour that gave us a strong and solid adventure, some fun interaction between the Doctor and Dorium where we see why he owes the Time Lord, and also brings back an unexpected enemy! A great listen.

Rating: 8/10

More Than This

"It's just easier to show you."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: February 2016

Series: Torchwood Monthly 06

Featuring: Gwen

Synopsis

Gwen Cooper has triumphed against impossible odds before, but now she's finally met her match: Roger Pugh, Planning Officer for Cardiff City Council.

Mr Pugh doesn't believe the world needs Torchwood. Gwen set out to prove him wrong. For Mr Pugh, it's a day that'll change his life. If he can survive it.

Verdict

More Than This was a very good continuation of the Torchwood monthly range from Big Finish! I love the idea of Gwen having her own adventure and she really did shine here all by herself. I thought things started in a unique way with the conversation via answerphone after mutually missed calls between Gwen and Roger Pugh regarding the Torchwood planning application with the city council over a new base of operations which I thought was fun. The humour that came with the potential for safety forms being needed based on some of the background noise in Gwen's voicemails was great and rather than wait four months and have a mundane experience and impatiently see if the application was granted, Gwen decided that she would show Roger everything Torchwood was about so he could speed up the application process ever so slightly. The format with Roger at his wife Jessica's grave worked well and it was fun to see the difference in character between the two points in time. The Council initially preferring a vehicle storage or car park for the site Torchwood were applying for at Cardiff Bay was fun and it definitely showed where council priorities lay! However, people ployed at the top of the chain were now wanting Torchwood there with no explanation which I thoroughly enjoyed. Pugh's reaction when Gwen was showing him a day in the life of Torchwood was excellent and starting off with a decapitation and the head landing on the bonnet of the car he was inside was terrific! Andy's cameo was a lot of fun and his being more concerned with the parking was brilliant. His learning of an alien threatening a mum and child in an effort to lure in for mating season and extended the diversity of the gene pool was quite something, and this day in general was certainly eventful for Gwen and Roger! Gwen's explanation of her decapitating the alien with a window was excellent. All in a day! The comparison for police for humans being what Torchwood are to aliens and that aliens are not bad by default was superb and I quite liked that things kept moving, even if there was probably slightly too much going on. The alien painting that fed off the emotions of those who looked on it was a fun concept and Gwen demanding it to get in the bucket was a really fun moment. Pugh suggesting that another piece of work with green limbs was an alien was met with the line of the audio for me when Gwen replied that no, it was just shit. Wonderful stuff. The reminiscing of the days gone by at Cardiff Bay was a nice moment and Roger explaining how he felt small and questioning what mattered in the world was good. Gwen showing him a hotspot for the Rift and their efforts to repair a hole in the universe were great and I enjoyed that this got him involved in typical Torchwood activity. The starfish coming through the Rift showing a warning of something coming was good and akin to the Robot Santas which I liked. Roger's comparison of real life aliens and the imperfections of special effects in movies being too perfect was fantastic stuff and his first reaction to seeing an alien and the universe as a whole was very good. The concept of time fracturing and Gwen understanding this worked well and the effort to seal the hole was full of action and certainly entertaining. Upon staring into the universe, Roger pondering being with Jessica again but believing that death was final was heartfelt and the moment he let go of Gwen was decent in furthering the adventure, although I'm not entirely sure it needed it. The way the story linked with its title and Roger hoping there was more to life was very good indeed and something I appreciated, and Eve Myles put on a stunning performing with the determination shown to save Pugh and pull him out. Gwen being at the gravesite after the events occurred was a nice way to finish and hearing that Jessica had died during the events of Day One was really interesting and it was emotional to hear how her death was so pointless after being hit by a vehicle with the driver looking up at the meteorite that crashed that day. That was powerful. The line at the end with Roger mentioning he would look into the planning application was also very fun and a nice way to finish and bring things full circle. Overall, a great listen!

Rating: 8/10

Ghosts

"The planet of ghosts. The most haunted planet in the galaxy."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: November 2020

Series: Tenth Doctor & River Song 1.03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, River

Synopsis

River and the Doctor meet on the most haunted planet in the galaxy. The Doctor's not sure it's an ideal date – until they discovery a mystery.

Something is wrong with the ghosts. Something might even be killing them...

And as the Doctor and River investigate, the truth of what's happening on the planet of ghosts may prove deadly for them both.

Verdict

Ghosts was a great conclusion to the Tenth Doctor and River Song boxset! This was a hugely exciting release and it definitely didn't disappoint as we had David Tennant and Alex Kingston reunited for a terrific trio of adventures! I thought the haunted feel of this finale was excellent and well suited to the pairing, as well as standing out from the previous two stories comprising the series. Both Tennant and Kingston were wonderful and they have such good chemistry which is testament to the writing of Jonathan Morris considering that this was recorded in lockdown and isolation. The idea of placing the Doctor and River on the most haunted planet in the universe was brilliant and I liked the immediate mystery of River not being the one to send the Doctor the coordinates. However, he did come running and hearing the Tenth Doctor deal with admitting that he had quite the fancy for and compassion towards River was sumptuous. The moment where the Doctor recalls his inner Army of Ghosts and imitates Ghostbusters by declaring he wasn't scared of no ghosts and Tennant's laugh that went with that was absolute gold and sheer comedy genius. It really was a tremendous moment. I thought the idea of the ghosts being vague was good and bringing that full circle with the computer system and the memory fading was nicely done. Whilst I enjoyed a lot of this audio, I did feel that it was predictable but that really only slightly impacted my listening. One of the highlights for me was the mystique behind the Doctor's sonic screwdriver being missing and the thought of it being taken by a ghost was fantastic. That didn't turn out to be the case, but how the sonic being missing allowed the Doctor to work out what had occurred was great stuff. The Doctor and River seeing themselves as ghosts was freaky and whilst we didn't have the iconic imagery of Under the Lake/Before the Flood with the ghostly Twelfth Doctor, playing with the idea of the Doctor and River being dead was very good. Hearing the Doctor tackle with his knowledge of River's fate in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead was magnificent and he almost let slip. The concept of the deadly mist was good and the Doctor trying to refuse that ghosts existed was really good and well in line with stories of a similar nature. I thought a little more could have been made of the mist being intelligent and it was fun that it was blocking the TARDIS. The guest cast were decent and I liked the impact of Alfie's death as he was taken by the mist. The lure of those being taken asking for help was creepy and Betty later taking herself into the mist to be with him was a big shock. The helplessness of the Doctor was unique and a good predicament to place him in. The revelation of what exactly had occurred on this haunted planet with the ship and the depreciating memory files was interesting, but it didn't flow overly well and probably seemed a bit overcomplicated. It was still good, but I particularly thought that the memory update that finished the story was a bit too long. I really enjoyed the true Doctor and River conversing with their virus selves and the mist turning out to be a virus was good, but there were probably too many fine details to take this audio to the next level. I really loved the guest characters being developments of the greek alphabet after being churned out by the ship, and the long history behind it and the holograms being the memories of the dead colonists worked well. As a whole, I thought the premise of this audio was very good and it was lovely to hear the Doctor and River together again! 

Rating: 8/10

The Turn of the Screw

"She wanted the thing I stole."

Writer: Eddie Robson

Format: Audio

Released: March 2018

Series: Short Trips 8.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charlie Sato

Synopsis

Charlie Sato has been chasing a bit of alien junk from England to Puerto Rico. He's finally got his hands on it – but now he's got to get it safely off the island. The aliens he stole it from want it back, and someone else has hired a group of thugs to get hold of it. And then there's the original owner – he might come looking too.

All this for a screwdriver? Someone, somewhere must want to unscrew some pretty important screws.

Verdict

The Turn of the Screw was a fun little Short Trips adventure! I was really intrigued by the name and the synopsis and putting such importance on the sonic screwdriver is a terrific little idea and I think it works perfectly for a format like the Short Trip range. I'm not entirely sure Big Finish would get away with doing full cast feature-length story around the Doctor's trusty device that has been almost ever present since Fury from the Deep, but right here it works well and is just a fun basis to centre the plot around. Charlie Sato is a very good character and I really enjoyed him in Tales From the Vault and Mastermind so to get an extension here with a bonus story for the UNIT worker was excellent! I think it's a good decision to have him encounter the Eighth Doctor and the irony of the actor also being the same man as would appear in the semi-companion role during The Movie is a nice little addition and side note. It really was just a fun half an hour! Charlie was clearly a little confused by his mission to obtain such a small device and the fact that it was battered and apparently broken didn't really do much for his happiness. The excitement was definitely there and I really noticed how well the background music and effects were incorporated into the telling of the audio. That was really impressive and not something that the Short Trips are always renowned for. That was definitely a big bonus. The prospect of Charlie not being the only one out to find the sonic screwdriver was fun and with the later reveal that it had been lost and dropped in Leadworth was sublime and just terrific continuity from The Eleventh Hour! This is Big Finish at its finest for me because to create an entire story based on the Eleventh Doctor losing the screwdriver that was most synonymous with the Ninth and Tenth Doctors as we headed into a new era is just wonderful. It's almost silly how good the continuity is and how everything loops around and ties in, but that's what appeals to me. The whole ship setting worked well and I thought it was actually fantastic for the Doctor to initially be the one that 'drugged' Charlie. In fact, he merely provided some nanogenes to help heal him. It was a great little sequence and after everything that had occurred to Charlie while trying to extract what was to him a small and broken alien device, the presence of the Doctor cleared everything up. Initially, he refused to believe that the Doctor was who he said he was, but when he stopped and thought about it then all was clear. I really liked that. I thought the Doctor unknowingly referencing the events of The Day of the Doctor with the sonic screwdriver and the programme running in the background was excellent and his reaction to seeing that this was his handiwork, but not a design he had yet created was lovely. It was just so much fun and I have to say that the writing was well suited for the Eighth Doctor, even if the star was Charlie Sato. His reaction to realising that the Doctor was going to hold onto his future screwdriver was very good and the Doctor merely stating that his superiors at UNIT would have to be unhappy that he went back empty handed was great stuff. The little cameo at the end with Captain Ruth returning was good and upon further research, this setting up a Second Doctor Companion Chronicle is brilliant! I have actually just purchased the second volume following a recent sale so I'm sure it won't be too long before I get to it. Overall, a really fun and good adventure! 

Rating: 8/10

Interstitial Insecurity

"I need to extract evidence from the Matrix that will demonstrate my innocence."

Writer: Colin Baker

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2019

Printed in: The Target Storybook 07

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor is on trial. He has just watched his companion die in the presence of the entire courtroom. Things aren't looking good for the Time Lord. In search of some much needed evidence to boost his defence, the Doctor enters the Matrix with sights on securing his future. 

Verdict

Interstitial Insecurity was a really good little story to continue my sporadic reading of The Target Storybook! It really is taking me longer than anticipated to get through this collection which has surprised me because I'm a sucker for the likes of sequels and prequels which this anthology mostly consists of, but here we had an adventure taking place during the events of The Trial of a Time Lord and I thought that was pretty marvellous. I often just seem to forget that I have this in my collection but as they're all standalone I guess it doesn't really matter how long I take! I think it's wonderful that Colin Baker got to write for the Sixth Doctor here and even though he's done it for Big Finish in the early Short Trips adventures, it seems more fitting that we got him as an author for a Target collectable. He writes his Doctor very well as you might expect and I liked the simplicity of the story considering the format and collection it was a part of. This adds a terrific little extension following the events of Mindwarp for the Doctor and acknowledging that the Matrix was altered and edited in what it would depict with the scenes for Terror of the Vervoids was also fantastic. I thought the little placement in the courtroom with the imagery of the Doctor, Inquisitor and Valeyard was great and the Doctor being led to where he could extract evidence for his defence was nicely done and a really simple and solid premise. It didn't need to be anything more and the whole story essentially being a conversation between the Doctor and Anosia was excellent. It worked very well and I enjoyed how Ansoia hadn't really encounter a nice Time Lord like the Doctor before. The compassion she was shown by the defendant meant that she would reveal more than she should to the Doctor and went as far as telling him that the whole trial was essentially rigged and the Valeyard was the culprit. At this point, it's wonderful for the Doctor not to know the truth of the prosecution's identity and I did think it was going to be told to him considering we had established that the Doctor wouldn't retain any memory once he exited back to the courtroom. The mystery of the keeper was a nice addition and I think my favourite element of the adventure was having the Doctor and Anosia discussing the concept of present futures. Her explanation to him considering past futures was really interesting and I honestly would love a book on something like temporal science in Doctor Who. I really do have an appetite for that after what I read here! And honestly I'm surprised it hasn't been done. The continuity in this one was really strong and I thoroughly enjoyed the throwbacks to Charley and the Doctor even wanting to use evidence of an adventure with Evelyn! That said story being The Marian Conspiracy was excellent and imagine how things might have changed during the course of the televised serial if we got visuals of that adventure. I just love that Baker is incorporating the wider continuity of his Doctor into his own story and it really does add a lot. It's a fine example of how foresight can work in Doctor Who and it's brilliant to jump around with the timeline and incorporate things that just hadn't happened yet in media at the time of broadcast. The way the story finished with the Valeyard having controlled events all along and almost having enlisted Anosia was terrific and a nice segway back into the events of The Trial of a Time Lord. Overall, a great little short story from the Sixth Doctor himself! 

Rating: 8/10

The Master and Margarita

"In death, his body had become a garden."

Writer: Matthew Sweet

Format: Novella

Released: November 2020

Printed in: I Am The Master 06

Featuring: The Master

Synopsis

Marooned by the Doctor on Earth for 77 years, the Master becomes scientific advisor to the Soviet equivalent of UNIT – with a deadly agenda of his own. But his plans take a strange twist with the coming of the unearthly Comrade Cap...

Verdict

The Master and Margarita was a pretty average novella to conclude the I Am The Master: Legends of the Renegade Time Lord collection off stories. I can't help but feel a little let down by how this has finished and whilst the book as a whole has certainly been a welcomed and positive addition to the Doctor Who universe and a great extension of adventures for six different incarnations of the Master, this one felt to me that it had the billing of the main event given how current it was with the latest series and the front cover only bearing the Sacha Dhawan, but it just didn't live up to the potential in my view. I thought it was great for the difference of the volume in having an extended story in the form of a novella rather than just a normal short story, but I think this was sadly the worst of the collection. I loved how things started with the reader literally being addressed by a strange aura or being, but I was stunned that we never really seemed to come back around to that with any kind of meaning or impact. It was strange because it was a good start that really jumped off the page. I didn't understand why it took so long for the Master to be introduced and I was actually kind of expecting some follow on from Spyfall and the events that led to the Master ending up stranded on Earth for 77 years. Instead, we had a  long introduction to some of the Russian characters and established the setting, but there just seemed to be too much going on all at once without enough time to develop. The uncovering of an ancient reptile that certainly had the description of a Classic era Silurian was interesting and I thought it would be great to combine the Master and this Classic foe, but it never really developed into much which was a shame. I mean, K'vo was a good character and I really did find her interesting but I felt that I should have cared more about her and what she was up to considering she had just been uncovered and released from suspended animation after forty million years. That's quite the sleep! I wasn't a big fan of the Master not being referred to by his name throughout the story on a number of occasions as without visuals, I just don't see why it's needed or what harm it does. It would really help in my view to just keep things simple, especially in a story that isn't full novel length. As a whole, I thought the story was a little all over the place in terms of structure and I'm not entirely convinced everything was wrapped up. The whole theme of the mushrooms and the fungus theme was not great at all in my view and Comrade Cap had the potential of being a good character, but he didn't really stay around for long and we didn't know much about him. His challenging of the Master and what he'd done on Earth in over a decade was good though, but I will also say that I didn't think the writing was overly well-suited to the latest incarnation of the Master. There wasn't enough enthusiasm or maniacal nature for my liking. In terms of the Master as a whole, I loved the idea of the Master trying to replicate the Doctor by taking up a role as scientific adviser at the Soviet version of UNIT but I don't think it was best suited to the Dhawan version. That was furthered in my eyes when it came to the relationship with Pelageya Vlasova as the next door neighbour. She was an intriguing character and her fascination with the Master was good, although I think her parrot Margarita didn't really warrant a titular character and didn't really offer much to the adventure at all. The Master's admiration for Jo was wonderful though and I also really enjoyed the moment where Carpe impersonates the Third Doctor and asks what it was like to be imprisoned in his own past. Overall though, I thought it was a mediocre story with some highlights and moments that thankfully saved it but it wasn't quite the conclusion to the collection I hoped for! 

Rating: 6/10

Precious Annihilation

"We're on a treasure hunt!"

Writer: Lizzie Hopley

Format: Audio

Released: November 2020

Series: Tenth Doctor and River Song 1.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, River Song

Synopsis

When jewels become lethal in the London of 1912, both River and the Doctor turn up to find out why.

A mystery takes them centuries into the past, and onto the high seas, where a superstitious crew edges towards mutiny.

The star-crossed couple are about to find out that, while gemstones inspire jealousy, love can be the deadliest treasure of all...

Verdict

Precious Annihilation was a superb audio story to continue the adventures of the Tenth Doctor and River Song! The pairing worked so well together here and this was exactly what I had hoped for from this boxset. The tone was established early on with the workers finding some valuable jewellery during their expedition and the site imploding soon after was great stuff! It established the issue at hand and the site owner celebrating the gold find was delightful as it was a perfect way to introduce the Doctor and River into the action. The Doctor's reaction to seeing her was magnificent and I loved how in control River felt from the start. The unexpected nature of this combined with linking the implosion to the Elizabethan era and the Cheapside Horde was fantastic. The pair venturing into the TARDIS was terrific and I am all here for as many adventures as possible for the Tenth Doctor alongside his future wife. Their efforts to trace the horde back to the seventeenth century was brilliant and I actually loved the setting of London during this period. River finding her dressing room within the TARDIS was tremendous and the Doctor's gawping reaction at her being in a corset was marvellous and Rive telling him to pick his jaw up was just magnificent. That was River at her best and she was just exuding the ability she had to flaunt control. Gerrard's introduction as a jeweller and potential owner of what would become the order was very good and I liked the mystery of him seemingly talking to his wife in ghost form. River taking some items of the collection for evolution and finding that some were counterfeits were fun, and the prized item being an emerald frog just felt perfectly Doctor Who! The idea that Gerrard was planting imploding jewels was excellent and the prospect of Queen Elizabeth herself having one was really good, especially considering the Tenth Doctor's connection with her. Both he and River immediately sensing the temporal change in Gerrard's parlour was great and the outlawed chemical of Coralthracite (sp?) being uncontrollable was brilliant. I was a big fan. It carrying the death penalty everywhere was good and I liked the intrigue of Omara being Gerrard's wife and the true jewellery maker. It was also interesting to learn that he was a jewel collector since he was a child and his entrancement from Omara's creations of beauty was very nicely done. The revelation that Gerrard killed out of love was also well done. River being referred to as a sea witch was wonderful and the TARDIS going overboard along with her and the Doctor was an excellent scene and the way out being holding breath was tremendous. Gerrard's suicide by jumping overboard was a very sudden and impactful moment but that allowing him to part way with Omara's locket was good because the TARDIS was able to trace that back to India in 1912 which was a good shift. We ended up on Omara's ship which I liked a lot and her being just bones now was disturbing! The concept of her virtual backup was terrific though and the efforts to interact worked well. The way she challenged the Doctor on his love for River was outstanding and I found it intriguing that the Doctor loved River at this point in his life. Her efforts to feed off the TARDIS were admirable and the discussion of Dolrekka and the fact that it was imploded but down as a voluntary decision made the Doctor very angry indeed. The idea of Omara having planted objects on planets as assurance was a really good concept and a fantastic plan. The Doctor's challenge to Omara to prove her actions were out of love and not fear was superb and I liked how that sparked a change of heart, even if it was a little quick. Omara's ship collapsing whilst she got stronger was very good and the potential of it detonating everywhere there were planted jewels was brilliant. The Doctor wanting to save her life and maintain it in digital form so Omara could see all she had saved was lovely and the emotion of her not wanting to be saved along with River's comments about living as a digital was excellent. That must have been tough for the Doctor. Overall, an excellent adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

The Demon Rises

"A man of water is invisible in rain."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: January 2018

Series: FDA 7.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela, K9

Synopsis

A killer has been uncovered, but the mystery is far from solved. The Doctor, Leela, K9 and their friends are on the run, pursued from all sides. All the clues point to one place – but getting there alive may prove impossible. 

Something horrific is happening on Chaldera... and it has been happening for longer than anyone could possibly have realised. Now every life on the planet is at stake. Bar one.

The dark secret at the heart of this world is about to be revealed.

Verdict

The Demon Rises was a very good conclusion to the story already started in The Mind Runners and to the first boxset comprising the seventh series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures! I really enjoyed the cliffhanger to the previous episode with the devious Mr Swift emerging and throwing Tarenah to her death and proclaiming that Leela would follow, except K9 emerged to save the day in fun fashion which allowed Leela, without any hesitation, to throw Swift over to his apparent demise. Her annoyance at not finding a body below alongside the police officer she grew to admire was great and I loved that she deduced he had become a puddle again before hitting the ground. The Doctor meanwhile was engaged by the Digitals and his humour at not being effected by their uploading was terrific. The first instance of playing with the idea of there actually being no Night Mind was good as well. I loved the fact that Mr Swift was being paid by the President of Chaldera and having issues run deep to the top of the corporate tree is always great. The Doctor being saved by Leela and K9 was good and Shift arriving in the mist in gaseous form was marvellous. The way he destroyed Cloten with ease was brutal. Shift having the ability to control his atoms was pretty darn impressive and whilst this had made him somewhat insane, the sheer will power to maintain that was off the charts and I thought that whole concept was excellent. Eldran, the man we first heard killed at the start of the first part comprising this adventure, knowing something and ending up dying for it was good confirmation and this sparked the constant killing of Mind Runners. The idea of it having something to do with the construction of the rocket was good and the truth of that being revealed was extraordinary. Finding out that it was mostly Founders at the rocket site was intriguing and I liked the mystery of there being no construction workers there for such a big project. I thought the concept of the rocket being made of flesh was fantastic and the attempts of people literally being absorbed into it was quite something! The President falling victim to this showed nobody was exempt and Cain as the Vice President and a Founder being the implementor of this whole scheme was terrific. He made a decent villain. The comment of the construction workers literally being the building blocks of the rocket was great and it actually turning out to be the Night Mind made for a logical answer. The cliffhanger with the Doctor and Leela facing absorption was fun and K9 being the saving grace was good, if not a little repetitive following how we started the audio. The Doctor questioning the purpose of the rocket and its size if there would be nobody to evacuate was good and the development that it was designed to be split and had eggs in the floor was interesting. The hunt for the Demon beneath the city was very good and I liked how there was something below the rocket engines. The Doctor not being surprised by the rocket site being on top of the original settlement was good and the city itself building the Founders was unexpected! There was certainly a lot going on. Finding out that Chaldera itself was the Night Mind was a little strange in my opinion but I liked its confidence when K9 broadcast the intentions to the planet ensuring there were no further evacuees coming to the rocket. No people meant no fuel. The city's efforts to take people from the floor was pretty good and I enjoyed its boasting considerably. Shift preventing the Night Mind from taking over was fun and the Doctor telling him in a sideway that he could infiltrate from within the city in his gaseous form was terrific. I liked that a lot and it was great for the Doctor to have had this plan all along. I also enjoyed the sense of him having overlooked something and I expect that might come back to be proven true in the second half of this series. For now though, a really strong conclusion!

Rating: 8/10

The Mind Runners

"Because these Mind Runners are criminals, their murders don't matter."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: January 2018

Series: FDA 7.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela, K9

Synopsis

It used to be fun, Mind Running. Hopping into the heads of total strangers to see what they saw, feel what they felt. But one by one the Mind Runners are dying in a wave of suicides. And no-one on the planet Chaldera knows why. 

The Doctor, Leela and K9 arrive in the city that covers all of this dang world as it prepares to evacuate its people, and they immediately find themselves involved in a mystery. Who or what is responsible for the wave of death? Is it the motorised cult known as the Digitals? The enigmatic Mr Shift?

Or did all the victims attempt to run the Night Mind, the demonic consciousness of legend that is so twisted and evil that it drives mad all who touch it?

The TARDIS crew are about to find out.

Verdict

The Mind Runners was another fantastic story to continue the seventh series of the Fourth Doctor Adventure! The first boxset comprising this series is turning out to be rather brilliant thus far and this was no exception. I enjoyed the concept of the Mind Running behind this episode and the way this was introduced at the start with Eldran removing his mind shield for a comfortable sleep being met with horror from Mr Shift who believed everything was compromised and simply threw him off twenty storeys to his demise. That set quite the tone. The introduction for the TARDIS crew into the story was a lot of fun with the Doctor proclaiming them to arrive in New York, only for a returning K9 to announce they weren't on Earth followed by some blue people confirming the fact. Leela misunderstanding the line of New York being the city so nice they named it twice was just wonderful and I thought what followed regarding the tribe of New York and how it was the Big Apple that formed their apple pie was just magnificent. Leela truly at her finest. The population of Chaldera being wary of strangers was interesting and the rocket construction being a way for the people to evacuate was really nicely done. Eldran's death being announced as an accident was good and I liked how dark that felt despite the uplifting tone. The suicide of Doran by train was a very sudden moment and Jacinta seeing that through the Mind Running was very good. Taraneh as the police officer was a great character and I enjoyed how she was denying that it was murder despite the eyewitness accounts of the Doctor and Leela. Their claims that he was killed by something invisible was terrific and Cloten watching on added a good sense of mystery with his lord in the shadows. Taraneh taking hold of the Mind Running device of Doran's was good and I was intrigued by the lord wanting that for himself. The setting of Chaldera worked fantastically throughout and the city also being the planet was a lot of fun. The rocket being the means for evacuation as the world was running out of power. The Mind Runners being referred to as criminals was intriguing and the continued insistence that their deaths weren't murdered fascinated me. Taraneh claimed that they imagined being chased rather than any invisible killer was excellent and it being an effect of the long term exposure to the Running was marvellous. I thought the legend of the Night Mind was fantastic and the demon not being that was something I didn't expect. The Doctor sneakily getting hold of the Mind Runner equipment was fun and the realisation that Raph and Jacinta were all that remained of their group was unsettling. That was a lot of death in a week or so! Jacinta admitting that she was addicted made sense and gave some good development to the Mind Running and her shock at the insinuation that the Night Mind was taking them out was good. It couldn't be random. The Founders being those who were first to settle on the planet was good and I'm really intrigued by their dislike of strangers. I hope that plays a role in the final episode. The Digitals were also superb and them being a cult with a belief that flesh was weak was excellent and I imagine they'd get on well with the Cybermen. Their group mostly being converts on their deathbeds said a lot and just added to their dark nature. Jacinta wanting separation from Raph for protection once she was found by Leela and Jacinta was great and the Doctor being with the Digitals at the same time worked well for the story. Their efforts to take his sanity was disturbing and the same technology for Mind Running being that which allowed the to upload their consciousness made sense. The Digitals desiring the Night Mind was really good and I liked how the Doctor was attached and if he went insane then they had their answers concerting it.. Their desire to remove people from power so they were free to upload all of the fleshings was marvellous and the return of Mr Shift from the form of a puddle and the revelation that he was the initial failed teleport scientist was just excellent. I really liked that. His killing of Taraneh and the claim to Leela that she would be following made for a chilling cliffhanger. Overall, a fantastic episode! 

Rating: 9/10

The Crowmarsh Experiment

"You remember nothing before the dream."

Writer: David Llewellyn 

Format: Audio

Released: January 2018

Series: FDA 7.02

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

When attack on an alien world, Leela falls unconscious... only to wake in another time, another place.

She is in the Crowmarsh Institute on Earth, in London, in 1978, and everyone is calling her Doctor Marshall. They tell her the world she has known is but a fantasy, a delusion, and that this place is the one that is real.

Surrounded by familiar faces on unfamiliar people, Leela knows what is true and what is false. But how long can she believe when everyone around her says it's a dream? What's really happening here?

Verdict

The Crowmarsh Experiment was an outstanding continuation of the seventh series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures! I absolutely loved this episode and I thought it wouldn't disappoint as I was very excited from reading the synopsis alone, something I don't often do. This was a real treat and an incredibly strong showing for Leela as a companion in what was arguably one of her better stories ever. That's no light compliment as I really did think it was that good. The way things started set the tone with the Doctor answering a distress call and the arrival on a planet that was entirely flora was something I liked a lot because that's unique and brings an intriguing atmosphere of quiet. Of course, that all went away once the air-born hostile robots arrived and Leela and the woman warning she and the Doctor off were captured by a tractor beam. The story took an entirely different direction from this point forward with Leela waking up into what was her supposed reality where she was known as Doctor Marshall. That was a lot of fun and trying to convince her that she worked with Jennifer, the woman who'd shouted Leela and the Doctor off from the robots, was terrific. The Doctor being there was a little surprising, but of course the distortion showed that it was far from being the true Doctor at all. The poisoning of Leela will also have a lot to do with that! The continued efforts to convince Leela that all she knew with the Doctor had actually been a dream was excellent and it was good to plant the seeds of doubt in Leela with everything in her new surroundings seeming familiar. The Doctor in this world being George Stuart was good and it was just fun to hear Tom Baker not quite playing the role of the Fourth Doctor. The concept of a weapon against ideologies was something I thought phenomenal and that being described to Leela as what she had tested was tremendous. If anyone dreamed of violence they could just change the dream. The possibilities of power from that was incredible. The emotion that came with Leela seeing Marshall was superb and a really nice throwback to Requiem for the Rocket Men/Death Match after everything she went through there. She was clearly impacted by seeing the one she loved who she thought was dead. As if Leela wasn't going through enough, trying to convince her she had children was so powerful. She was adamant that she wasn't in reality but the moment where the children were actually brought to her and she felt the genuine love they had for her was striking. It was such a moving story for Leela. The use of the croaky radio sounds Leela was hearing as a means for the Doctor to communicate with her from the true reality was good and I liked her reaction when she realised she had been correct all along about Crowmarsh. The organic computer of Project Cichiphus worked really well and I enjoyed the concept of replenishing with organic material and it being the original source of the distress call. Leela's anger when it came to her being able to recite Tennyson was magnificent and the threat of her being subjected to surgery with those who didn't recover from the first tests was great. The Doctor telling Leela of Jennifer's daughter Sophie from the outside was really good and I also loved playing with the prospect of Leela's memories of reality fading in the same way a dream does. Her toying with staying with Marshall and being happy, even when she knew it wasn't true reality, was intriguing to say the least. Jennifer's coming to terms with Crowmarsh being the dream after Sophie was name dropped was really well done and I liked how the repetition of being told one was safe meant those who heard it now believed it. Jennifer ultimately helping was as expected, but it was still a really good moment. The plan to escape and ultimately destroy Crowmarsh was exciting and the Doctor making Stuart disappear after stopping the psychic field and playing with the fact of changing his face over the years was fun. The final plea from Marshall before Leela ignited the gas to destroy Crowmarsh was sublime and a fitting final moment of emotion. The Doctor leaving a message through Jennifer after she was wiped out was good and it worked well in there being a warning that there was nothing but death on this world. Overall, a wonderful, emotional and powerful episode!

Rating: 10/10

The Sons of Kaldor

"I am a huntress, never the pray."

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: January 2018

Series: FDA 7.01

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

Finding themselves in a seemingly deserted spaceship on an alien world, the Doctor and Leela stumble into some familiar foes – the Voc robots from the planet Kaldor – and... something else. Something outside. Trying to get in.

Reviving the robot's Kaldoran commander from hibernation, the travellers discover that they've found themselves in the middle of a civil war. The ship was hunting the Sons of Kaldor, an armed resistance group working with alien mercenaries to initiate regime change on their homeworld. 

But now the Sons of Kaldor may have found them. The Doctor and Leela will have to pick a side. Or die.

Verdict

The Sons of Kaldor was a great start to the seventh series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures! I have jumped around the first six series of this range (excluding the first series) and with them predominantly being standalone adventures, that method has served me well but I must admit that I have been very excited to get started with this boxset and having nearly a full working week of lunch breaks with the Fourth Doctor and Leela! Having the infamous Voc Robots of The Robots of Death return is a fine way to start a new series and I liked the little references to that televised serial that were dotted throughout. There was a good start with the enigmatic feel and the issue of K9 needing repair was fun, but I do hope he isn't out of operation for the entire boxset! Arriving to a crew in suspended animation isn't a new thing for Doctor Who but it's rarely something I do not enjoy. It just works and has a somewhat intriguing feel to proceedings and it's a fun dynamic of the Doctor and his companion being the only ones active until the inevitable capture by someone shady hiding in the shadows. And that happened to be the case here after he and Leela split up and found themselves taken in by the Voc Robots. The writing for this TARDIS pairing was just delightful and I thought the humour that came with the eeny, meeny, miny, moe game and the Doctor ignoring the supposed destination was magnificent. I also loved his conversation with her about not wondering off and Leela's acceptance of that whilst not wanting to be talked to like a child was great. I thought the setting of the ship was excellent and although we don't get the visual benefits of the Voc Robots, their voices were still a good way to provide the subtle creepiness that comes with their mere presence. The moment where the Robots revealed they didn't even know their mission or why they were where they were was intriguing and added to the atmosphere and I liked how there was clearly more than met the eye. They got their minds wiped every two months to prevent enemies extracting their data logs which I thought was good and I enjoyed everything that came with Commander Lind being awakened. She had been asleep a lot longer than she expected with the fact that what she thought was four months was actually two years a brilliant moment. Whilst she had been asleep, the Robots had taken control and that was fascinating. The whole premise of the concept of self for the Robots was tremendous and I loved that V26 was indirectly giving the orders that Lind instructed. The Doctor picking up on V26 repeating them was brilliant and her reaction to having lost control was something I'd describe as calm horror. Rebben Trace made a very good villain and the plot centring around the Sons of Kaldor was nicely done. I thought the attempt of lineage to the founding families of Kaldor and hoping to restore rule there without Robots was impressive and finding out that the war had already been fought and lost as far as Lind was concerned was excellent. A Second Republic had already been declared on Kaldor with robots forbidden. That was a daunting prospect. SV9's revea as actually being in control of events all along was a good twist and I liked the idea of evolution in a robot. The Doctor likening the human body to a robot with just different components was terrific. The cliffhanger with Leela threatened by the hatch opening and the Ferelin arrival was decent, but the resolution was a bit naff. I also thought the conclusion to this adventure felt a little anticlimactic in that it wasn't hugely eventful, but leaving the small crew of Robots behind with the Doctor thinking it unlikely they'd survive was an intriguing finish to what was as a whole a really good little audio!

Rating: 8/10

The Dalek Occupation of Winter

"Nobody in Winter is scared of the Daleks."

Writer: David K. Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: September 2018

Series: Early Adventures 5.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands in the capital city of a planet deep in the midst of an endless winter. The population are celebrating a new crop of candidates winning roles at the scientific research centre. Those who go there dedicate their lives to continued service and are rarely, if ever, seen again. Not everyone is happy to see them leave.

As the Doctor, Steven and Vicki watch, the city leader – Majorian – invites onto the stage in front of the happy crowd their 'friend who made all this possible'... and a Dalek appears.

The people of this planet seem to be living in perfect harmony with the Doctor's old enemies. But the TARDIS crew know this cannot be true. So what's really going on?

Verdict

The Dalek Occupation of Winter was an outstanding Early Adventures audio! This range has rarely disappointed when I have dipped into it and after capitalising on a recent Dalek sale from Big Finish, I couldn't not pick up this download and I was so delighted that I did after listening. This really was a sublime adventure from start to finish. The setting of Winter worked tremendously well and the issues that were caused by the Doctor, Vicki and Steven's arrival on the only city on the planet were marvellous. The politics and society of Winter in general was mightily intriguing and establishing some of the characters prior to the introduction of the Dalek was very well done. I loved how there was initially some form of caution from the Doctor when it came to the graduation ceremony and nobody who went to the research centre ever being seen again, but the arrival of the Dalek as the Ambassador was wonderful and the reactions of the Doctor and Vicki sold it so well. I was a huge fan. For the First Doctor era, this was a unique take on the Daleks that nestles in nicely with other adventures featuring the old and deadly enemies. Steven being shocked by the sight of a Dalek was also really good and a stark reminder of how we met him in The Chase. With the TARDIS trio knowing something deadly was at hand, the lack of fear showed by the population of Winter to the Daleks was startling. They obviously had no idea of the truth behind their Ambassador and his fellows, but the revelation that the economy on Winter solely revolved around the construction and creation of Daleks was brilliant. I didn't see that coming so that was very good. Steven actually partaking in factory work to construct parts of a Dalek himself was fantastic and the humour that came with the time it took to assemble the 56 blue bulbs that decorate the base was great. Amala was a tremendous character alongside Steven and I liked how it was her brother that was one of those graduating and going to the esteemed research centre to ensure the survival of the city in its quest for self-sustainability. The emotion that came with her finding out the truth about the Daleks and the fate that befell her brother was really powerful and the loss was clearly an impactful one. Steven explaining to her that the Daleks were not robots but actually living creatures within was magnificent and it was really good for her to realise that everything she knew was a lie. Majorian as the Grand Marshall of Winter was a superb character and his lack of compassion for his people's wellbeing and society was great. He loved his position and also enjoyed toying with the Daleks which was a fun dynamic. He assembled some form of control between both sides of Winter and that made him a really enjoyable character. His betrayal of Vicki was excellent and I liked how his second in Karna arguably ended up as the bigger villain by the end. She was bored on Winter and that alone was enough to make her loyal to the Daleks which was really intriguing and just excellent. The way that she ended up in charge after the Doctor had left with the Ambassador actually surviving the city uprising was fantastic and a unique take on showing that the Doctor doesn't always win. I was surprised a little that he left with Majorian still in charge but he realised his reputation in Winter and left begrudgingly. One of the highlights of the story as well was the humour that came with Vicki telling Steven of the events of The Romans and the Doctor being the one who gave the idea of burning down Rome. The pairing of Vicki and Steven were wonderful and I liked the maturity showed in the former. The way she grasped the situation when it was suggested that the Doctor was a little loopy was tremendous as well and his reaction made me laugh a lot. Overall, this was a superb audio adventure from start to finish! 

Rating: 10/10

Arc of Infinity

"Every time the Doctor returns to Gallifrey there is violence!"

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Novel

Released:

Series: Target

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

When the Doctor returns to Gallifrey, he learns that his bio data extract has been stolen from the Time Lords' master computer known as the Matrix.

The bio data extract is a detailed description of the Doctor's molecular structure – and this information, in the wrong hands, could be exploited with disastrous effect.

The Gallifreyan High Council believe that anti-matter will be infiltrated into the universe as a result of the theft. In order to render the information useless, they decide the Doctor must die...

Verdict

Arc of Infinity was a great novelisation of the televised serial of the same name! It's always fun for the Classic series to go to Gallifrey and this one was certainly no different. There's usually some kind of political shenanigans going on when the Doctor gets involved on his home and that was certainly occurring in abundance here. It started right from the get go with a mysterious Time Lord in conversation with an alien set out to target destruction and a return to life in this dimension. Of course, having watched the serial a number of times we know that it's Omega but for any readers who hadn't seen the story and knew the reveal, I thought the approach of referring to him as an alien was excellent and something I really appreciated. It was also good to hide Hedin's identity as the traitor and it was done so well that I was actually taken aback when that revelation was made! I think I'd convinced myself that The Five Doctors happened prior to this adventure and so when all links were set for Borusa being the Time Lord traitor, I was sucked in! It was obviously very silly of me given my extensive knowledge of the show and its history, but that's testament to the writing as it was all hidden very well. One element of the novelisation I wasn't a massive fan of though was how often we were jumping around from paragraph to paragraph in a different location or scene. I haven't watched the serial in a long time so I can't really remember if that was happening on screen, but in a book that really jumped out as on one page (and the Target books aren't exactly big!) we had five different paragraphs jumping us around different locations on Gallifrey as well as Amsterdam. It was a bit too much and interrupted the flow a little. I did like that the Earth location was in the Dutch capital as that was very different to what we are used to and it was also a fun way to bring Tegan back into the fold after the events of Time-Flight. It was good to see her getting on with life after the Doctor and we now know thanks to Big Finish that the Doctor and Nyssa had extensive travels without her, but it was nice for the latter to acknowledge that she was missing her old companion. Tegan trying to solve the mystery of her missing cousin was good and it was nice for her to use some of the skills she developed whilst travelling in the TARDIS. The Doctor's fate on Gallifrey was excellent and I really enjoyed how seriously the threat of anti-matter was taken. To prevent any kind of bonding, the High Council had decreed that the Doctor must die. Maxil was relishing his role in carrying out the termination and even though there wasn't really any description, the characterisation for a character played by Colin Baker was tremendous. The likes of Borusa and Flavia in the High Council were great and I loved how once the confirmation came that there was a traitor, the Doctor assumed command and was the one enlisted to put everything right again. Nyssa being welcomed to Gallifrey was nice and I enjoyed her reaction to the Doctor's supposed termination and then the news that he was actually alive and well. Hedin's devotion to Omega was fantastic and it going so far as to take a bullet for him by saving the Doctor was excellent. It was all we needed to know and that adoration coming from his fascination with early Time Lord history was terrific. The ending in Amsterdam with Omega supposedly coming back into our universe, only for his Doctor-duplicated form to waste away and revert to anti-matter was really well done and the action of the chase around the city was magnificent. I liked how the Doctor had to pull the trigger on Omega to prevent the anti-matter explosion. Tegan ending up back in the TARDIS was lovely and I liked that the Doctor didn't mind in the slightest, in fact he was rather pleased. Overall, a very good novelisation!

Rating: 8/10