Faithful Friends: The Dying Breed

"You will be ripped apart like the animals that you are."

Writer: Tim Foley

Format: Audio

Released: January 2025

Series: Classic Doctors, New Monsters 5.02

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela, K9

Synopsis

When the Doctor, Leela and K9 land on the Lupari homeworld tracking a temporal anomaly, they find a kingdom in disarray. 

The Great Lord Garzan's son has been attacked, and strange beasts roam the frozen landscape. Whilst Leela spars with the new heir, the Doctor and K9 must work out how all these strange events are connected.

Little do they know that their discoveries will shake the Lupari to their core...

Verdict

The Dying Breed was a somewhat average continuation of the Faithful Friends fifth series of Classic Doctors, New Monsters. I thought this episode was absolutely fine but a little lacking in terms of excitement which was a shame. At only sixty-eight minutes I did feel that the episode went very long and at the forty-five minute mark it felt like things were drawing to a close so I was stunned to see that there were twenty-three minutes remaining! I think it's a really good decision to jump into the era of the Thirteenth Doctor although I must admit I was quite surprised when the Lupari were to be the monster for a Classic Doctor to encounter. I must admit that I was really impressed with how the episode gave a lot more backstory to the Lupari and the concept behind the Loop itself was intriguing. The description of it being a giant dog collar in space was almost laughable in how ludicrously hilarious that was. I couldn't disagree with it but it just sounded a tad silly. I thought the idea to have K9 alongside the Fourth Doctor and Leela was a stroke of genius and I was kicking myself for not putting the canine connection there between the robot dog and the Lupari! Hearing K9 take on the role of being the Doctor and Leela's master was an absolute treat and he really did step into the role with ease. I thought given his logical make up as a computer he would need a little more convincing, but he understood the assignment with ease which was amusing. It was without the doubt the highlight of the story for me, especially when he was referring to them as no good riff raff. I could just picture the smile on the Fourth Doctor's face! I thought the Great Lord Garzan was a decent character and arrive on the Lupari homeworld at a time where his heir had just been killed was typical timing of the Doctor. His sister Kira was quick to point the finger at the Doctor and Leela, and who could blame her given the timing of the strangers' arrival? She could see the fighter in Leela right from the off which was good and it was fun for the savage to not exactly hide that trait about her! Their relationship was frosty from the off and it never really showed any signs of improving. I thought the Doctor and Garzan seeing more eye to eye was good and the trust the Great Lord put into K9's word despite his animatronic makeup was most intriguing. Surely a robot dog would be a good means of infiltration to the Lupari homeworld? His trust in strangers was a little odd though I must say. I thought the whole premise of the conclusion there was a bit of a let down as just when Kira and Leela were going to fight it out, Garzan accepted the fate of his son and wanted to ensure that his new heir also trusted strangers. But why would you? Sure. I like the link between man and Lupari and the natural tear in space/time to the Ice Age on Earth made sense, but it was just a bit dull to be honest. The Soothsayer was a really strong character and it was her pondering at the end about the Doctor that I really liked. She knew about his past and future and everything in between with regards to the Lupari. What he would do and had done, and would forget and had forgot. I thought the Fourth Doctor returning to check in on things later in life when he was travelling with Adric was a nice touch to conclude and her marvelling at his red attire was a nice nod to that Season 18 attire! Overall though, this was lacking in excitement for me. It was good to expand on the Lupari and there is certainly potential there, but it just went a bit long for my liking. Still, not bad. 

Rating: 6/10

Enlightenment

"How could she have thought that space was empty, when it was so full of stars."

Writer: Barbara Clegg

Format: Novel

Released: May 1984

Series: Target 84

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough 

Synopsis

In response to a warning of great danger given by the White Guardian, the Doctor set new coordinates and the TARDIS materialises on the heaving deck of an Edwardian racing yacht. 

But the Doctor soon discovers that this is no ordinary yacht – and no ordinary race. Captain Striker is competing for an unusual prize – 'Englightenment'. 

The crew will be lucky to reach port safely – but with such a prize would they be lucky to win?

Verdict

Enlightenment was an excellent novelisation of the serial of the same name! I think this story really is an underrated gem as for whatever reason it never really comes into my thinking when I ponder on some of the best Classics or even some of the best Fifth Doctor serials, but it really is tremendous! It rounds out the Black Guardian trilogy very nicely and on screen the cliffhanger to the end of part one with the imagery of the Edwardian ships sailing in space is one of my all time favourites! That doesn't quite have the same impact in prose but it doesn't take anything away from the story at all. I think it's superb. I think the concept of a space race by itself is a tremendous setting for Doctor Who, but when the players are Eternals things get a little different. They were fantastic villains and it was so strange to almost hear their demeanour on the page in being so calm and to the point. They really didn't care all that much about Ephemerals and that wasn't out of being evil or anything, they really did just think they were so insignificant. Their lifespan was minuscule compared with eternity. I thought Turlough's inner battle with the Black Guardian was presented very well although I was slightly surprised with how long he took to actually arrive in the story! There definitely felt like some omissions were made with what happened on screen and if I had any room for improvement for the novel, it would be a little more background on the relationship between Turlough and the Black Guardian. Obviously, for a fan like myself who has watched the trilogy of serials many times and read Mawdryn Undead and Terminus relatively recently, I was well aware of what was happening but I don't think it was explained all that well. It didn't bother me though! This is just a point for the more casual readers. I thought the dynamic between Tegan and Turlough was tackled brilliantly here as they have always had a frosty relationship and that was captured on the first page with the chess match. Turlough was almost angered at the fact that he had to stop mid-game when he had her in check due to the TARDIS power playing up. The White Guardian being the cause of that was intriguing and I liked how the eternal conflict between each Guardian was presented. The emergence of Wrack as the true villain of the story was really good and in prose format I was surprised with how long it felt until she actually arrived. The moment where Turlough jumps overboard is a shocking one to have her emerge in picking him up on the Buccaneer, and the desperation and helplessness of the Doctor was palpable. I thought the energetic style of the Fifth Doctor's characterisation was true to this incarnation which was a big positive. I thought the marker buoys representing the planets of the Solar System was excellent and the scale of the race was perfect for beings such as Eternals. The use of the mind reading worked fantastically in prose and that got particularly uncomfortable when it came to the interactions between Tegan and Mansell. His desire for existence because of her became a little obsessive and I completely related with Tegan in how she was struggling to handle it. Turlough realising the voice the Eternals were hearing was also that of the Black Guardian which was causing him such inner strife was really good and the pace of the reveal was just perfect. I was a big fan of that and the way things concluded with the Guardians facing off and Turlough choosing the Doctor's survival over enlightenment was marvellous. He finally felt free of the Black Guardian's shackles and the Eternals were questioning how they'd been defeated by mere ephemerals round out what was a really great book. A fantastic novelisation! 

Rating: 9/10

Birth of a Legend

"I put the future of the Daleks in your control."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2007

Series: Doctor Who Files 11

Featuring: Cult of Skaro

Synopsis

Under the orders of the Dalek Emperor after impressing with their initiative, four Daleks are put together to protect the future of the Dalek race with a war coming that will change the very fabric of the universe. 

Verdict

Birth of a Legend was an excellent short story to continue my way through the Doctor Who Files! This was probably the pick of the bunch of the eleven so far and I think it might just have been the subject matter I was most excited to see an original story for. The Doctor and his companions? We've been there and done that. The Cybermen? Yeah they can be generic and we've seen and read plenty. Hell, we've even had the Daleks themselves as their own file in this series, but dedicating an entire book and story to specifically the Cult of Skaro was awfully exciting in my eyes! It's a part of Dalek history that I am absolutely fascinated with and here we get to read the origins! I think that's a tremendous idea. It could have been easy to go between Doomsday and Daleks in Manhattan and give essentially an account of their emergency temporal shift and chuck in a destination between or even serve as a prequel to the latter mentioned episode, but instead what we had was basically a Classic era adventure! I thought that was magnificent and I loved the setting having proximity to the origins of the Time War. The Dalek Emperor foreshadowed something so powerful was coming that would take the utmost effort of even the Daleks to survive. I loved that we had Mechanoids featuring and I wonder at the time of release in 2007 how many readers had actually watched The Chase prior to experiencing this adventure! It's a fun prospect to ponder on. I thought the four Daleks that would become the Cult of Skaro were presented really strongly right from the off and I also appreciated the continuity had with The Evil of the Daleks in that the guards of the Emperor were black domed. Hearing that in the modern era was just wonderful and I also liked that we got another outing with the Dalek Emperor, specifically the version that perished in The Parting of the Days. I've always adored the design that debuted in that episode because it is just incredible in stature and presence, so having the image within this story was a nice touch. I was intrigued by the reactions to the Cult in finding out that they would have names because that is very different to a typical Dalek, and I was also super interested in the fact that Dalek Sec was initially in bronze casing! He got quite the lick up when it came to his black paint upgrade. Getting some specifics on the strength of his casing being beyond pure Dalekanium was terrific as well, especially when he initially questioned it! The background of each Dalek was quite quick but it was very effective in showcasing why they were chosen for the mission of becoming the Cult of Skaro. The Emperor wanted them to become the stuff of myth and legend right from the off which I wasn't expecting, but if anyone could bring that into action then it was him! This story was really simple and honestly it felt like a bit of a historical extract which is a huge compliment. It was delightful and really good to explore how the Cult of Skaro came to be. A perfect use of the short story format and something I would consider to be a hidden gem contained within a book like this! Overall, a fantastic adventure. 

Rating: 9/10

Faithful Friends: The Krillitane Feint

"Just think what our species could do with their abilities."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: January 2025

Series: Classic Doctors, New Monsters 5.01

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe to a planet where a secure research base is conducting disturbing experiments. A group of captive Krillitane are test subjects for a military power, keen to understand the species' unique abilities. But who are the real monsters here?

Verdict

The Krillitane Feint was an excellent episode to kick off the Faithful Friends fifth series of Classic Doctors, New Monsters! I am delighted to hear this range continuing because the possibilities really are endless. The Krillitanes made a huge impact on screen in School Reunion and whilst they have appeared in a couple of other media format stories, I believe this is their first appearance on audio and it’s a tremendous debut! I think from start to finish this just felt brilliant and I really enjoyed the atmosphere created at the site of the Krillitane experimentation. I must admit I wasn’t expecting this kind of adventure and without reading the synopsis prior to listening, I was surprised that the Krillitane were on the back foot. They didn’t feature massively (or so it seemed!) for most of the story but their presence as experiment subjects was intriguing. I can’t say I was surprised given the genetic abilities of the Krillitanes and I was surprised it took so long for someone to suggest that they had overlooked an ability they might have taken from the original inhabitants of the planet. That was a fun suggestion. The trio of the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe were just magnificent and this might be Michael Troughton’s best performance yet in the iconic role of his father’s. This felt so authentic and he really has grown into the position which is delightful to say. I thought the twist that came around forty-five minutes in that the trio were actually Krillitanes all along was superb! I didn’t see it coming at all - certainly not all three! - but the idea of the Krillitanes getting caught up within their personalities as well was a fitting explanation for why they were so familiar. It was also great to realise the Doctor alluding to not being human was actually a red herring. As far as the Krillitanes knew at the start, he was just that. I thought the Colonel was a strong character and his stance on the trio representing their financiers was amusing, especially with the Doctor suggesting the operation be shutdown! That wasn’t going to go down well in terms of profits. Doctor Darnley was another good character and the relationship built with the Krillitane Doctor was really nice. He was just after the key card which was fun to hear as the Doctor was the guise used for a peaceful effort to free the Krillitane brethren. I thought that was terrific and not the usual means by which a Krillitane might act. I thought the scale of the colony being in its hundreds was shocking with how the story ended. I thought the Colonel also being involved and the Zoe Krillitane having been neutralising the sedative all along was a fine way to make him realise that he was essentially screwed. Some fine delaying tactics indeed! The reactor blowing and wiping out the experiment was a horrifying end and the scale of Krillitane death was actually unfathomable. The Doctor being questioned on that as he awkwardly looked to get away was powerful stuff with the question of who was really the true monster here. I loved that and I wonder if the Krillitane return later in the boxset will come back to this or if it will be another isolated story. Either way, I’m excited to find out because the Krillitanes are an underrated and thus far underutilised monster. It didn’t surprise me at all that humanity was trying to harness their abilities! Overall, a really fantastic start to a series that I adore. 

Rating: 9/10

Step Back in Time: The Water Thief

"One heart records the good deeds, one records the bad."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Novel

Released: February 2012

Series: 2 in 1 6b

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

An ancient artefact awakes, trapping one of the Doctor's companions on an archaeological dig in Egypt. The only way to save his friend is to travel hundreds of years back in time to defeat the Water Thief.

Verdict

The Water Thief was a great story to conclude my reading of the Step Back in Time 2 in 1 collection! I find these releases a little odd and the page numbering certainly felt quirky in starting the story on a page 200+ as my only other experience in this range was no umbrella title and the book flipped to have each adventure starting afresh. Either format works for me though and I was delighted to see that Jacqueline Rayner had written this story because she is one of my favourite prose authors for Doctor Who. I thought she absolutely nailed the characterisation of all three main characters and the dynamics between the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory were all there. There were strong vibes of this being set between Series 5 and 6 which I liked and I thought the continuity with The Pandorica Opens and Amy's liking of history was excellent. This was a very different era from the Romans though and she had to dig back to her knowledge of Key Stage 2 to conjure up her knowledge on the Pharaohs. I thought that was a fun part of history to explore and whilst the Doctor has been there before, it's not somewhere or when that has been extensively explored. The shift between modern day and 2,000 years in the past was a fun twist, especially with Rory being left behind! That was an intriguing mix but it worked well and it was actually quite nice to get some Doctor and Amy time together with her being his original companion. That's not to say I don't want Rory around, far from it, but it's just nice and his comic value when being alone and waiting for the Doctor to show up was marvellous. I thought the reference towards River being Cleopatra was fun and more continuity from the aforementioned episode, but it was the Doctor's reaction to hearing the name Sutekh referenced as a god that was a real highlight. Talk about a blast from the past! I thought the papyrus was an interesting element of the story and there not really being any enemy or villain as the water thief was unexpected, but I quite liked it! The focus was more on the history which was good and being in a desert, water was like gold dust so the threat of it being taken away was brilliant. Rory reanimating some by spilling his tea was typically clumsy as you would expect of him. I thought the inner exploration of the Doctor was fascinating stuff and the whole ordeal about weighing the heart was fantastic, especially with the Doctor having two! The insinuation that his heart that records the bad deeds weighing considerably more than that which held the good was superb. I'm sure the Doctor carries that with him all of the time. I thought the Doctor realising that Senbeb had been murdered by cyanide was good stuff, although I'm not wholly convinced by The Unicorn and the Wasp continuity of him being able to tackle that kind of poison now he's in a new body! It was a fun reference though. I thought Amy realising Hatshepsu was the culprit right from the off because of his creepiness was amusing, especially much later when the Doctor announced he'd worked it all out. Khenti was a strong character and the chapter cliffhanger of him pushing Amy underwater was brilliant when it turned out he was just protecting her from the oncoming reeds. The Doctor's plan of preventing the water thief was slightly far fetched in how the TARDIS was used to conjure up masses of water to basically bring a flood and overpower the water consumption, but Amy seeing the crocodile to provide that idea was terrific. The Doctor also leaving himself the coordinates in a bootstrap paradox was nice too as I'm a sucker for that. Just where does the original idea come from! Overall though, a really good visit into the past as a way to save the present. Lots of unique ideas for sure! 

Rating: 8/10

Inside Story

"The Doctor defines paradox and peculiarity."

Writer: Ben Tedds

Format: Audio

Released: February 2022

Series: Short Trips 11.06

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

Helen Howard wishes to make it known the plot, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons or time travellers should be inferred.

Verdict

Inside Story was an excellent story to conclude the eleventh series of Short Trips! I really enjoyed this story right from the off and it just felt exhilarating which is a huge bonus. I thought it was magnificent to have Sophie Aldred in the narrator role because she really is one of the best at this. She obviously brings her own character of Ace to life but the way she is able to differentiate with Helen Howard here is really impressive. I love when despite there only being one actor present it feels like there are multiple and it just works better to jump between characters without it sounding like prose. I am convinced that Aldred’s narration helped improve my enjoyment of this story. Her take on the Seventh Doctor is also excellent considering she is the opposite gender! She really does nail those mannerisms and Scottish tendencies which is really impressive considering she couldn’t be any more English. I thought the story was a strong one in touching on the relationship between the Doctor and Ace which is as we know often fractious. The events of The Curse of Fenric appear to be relatively recent and still at the forefront of Ace’s mind because she had to hesitate when asked if she trusted the Doctor. Any other companion with any other incarnation of the Doctor and I don’t think there would be any kind of pause, but this is a more inquisitive and deceptive Doctor. He doesn’t just beat the bad guys, he often likes to play around with them. Ace was still reeling from her being used as a pawn and the chess analogies in the story here were fantastic. I really liked Helen Howard as the reader of the story that would be told and that served as a good format for the adventure. It didn’t wholly sound like prose but that didn’t matter at all. The concept behind the Betrothed was very intriguing and I like the idea of them initially being physical form but now having evolved into pure thought. That’s something that is a little difficult to try and comprehend, but I’m all for something making me think. Naturally, losing one’s physical nature had made some of the Betrothed evil and that was somewhat the case with Diomena. Her having fused with Maria was interesting and the connection between the pair was genuinely powerful. Maria actually welcomed it and was listening intently to the instructions given to her by the Betrothed, but it came to the Doctor to tell her that two minds couldn’t occupy one body in perpetuity. And so came the basis of the story in separating them. For the good of the pair they were both willing to ensure survival, but they were really distraught at just how far away Diomena would have to go. Another planet would be far enough to ensure the connection wouldn’t resume, but there would always be a link if she remained on Earth. Coming to terms with that was intriguing and the Betrothed harmlessly making contact with Ace to ask about the Doctor actually proved quite problematic! The Doctor was almost aghast at not hearing the conversation out loud and instantly knew it would be about him. Ace’s connection jeopardised the severing with Maria which was a good added threat. The reflection at the end and linking back to the reading of Helen’s book and the ‘fictitious’ nature of events was a nice way to finish. This rounded out a really strong series of Short Trips! Overall, a fantastic listen!

Rating: 9/10

Fear of Flying

"You've seen these windows fail?"

Writer: Paul F Voerhoeven

Format: Audio

Released: February 2022

Series: Short Trips 11.05

Featuring: Tenth Doctor 

Synopsis

Hawa Hassan is terrified of flying. However, to make the most important audition in her life, Hawa's braving boarding an aeroplane. After all, it's just one flight. What could possibly go wrong?

Verdict

Fear of Flying was a somewhat average story to continue my way through the eleventh series of Short Trips! I think this is kind of the definition of a throwaway adventure which is a shame because it did have a strong core idea and setting. I think the idea of having a story set on board of a flight is actually really strong and I appreciate the unique nature of it. However, I think the choice of Doctor was a huge mistake. Because this featured the Tenth Doctor, I was getting very strong Midnight vibes and whilst on the face of it that would sound like a positive thing given that episode’s reputation, I unfortunately found myself in the camp of it feeling repetitive and same same. That’s a little disappointing and I appreciate that this might sound harsh, but I don’t think that would have come into my head at all if it was any other incarnation of the Doctor. There wasn’t any real benefit to the Tenth Doctor featuring so I’m surprised by the choice. This is nothing against the narrator by the way as her performance was absolutely fine, but I am also unsure about the choice of actor. She didn’t seem the right kind of vibe for this story and whilst I appreciated that she’s primarily there as the identifiable voice for Hawa, the focus is almost always on the Doctor. It’s almost impossible not to be! I actually like the idea of feeding off fear and whilst that’s not exactly a unique concept, harnessing someone’s fear of flying whilst mid air on a flight is! I thought that was pretty good and it was quite enjoyable for her to be sitting next to the Doctor who was commenting on just how unsafe being on aeroplane was. Exactly what you want when you’re a nervous flyer! I thought Hawa’s background as an actor was decent enough but I can’t say I was exactly rooting for her to get the job after her dismissive attitude towards three minutes of screen time. She didn’t exactly seem confident of getting the gig so with such a phobia of flying it was a wonder she was taking the risk in the first place! She did through provide the basis for the threat and fear being used as energy is a good concept I can get behind because there are numerous ways it can be used, as evidenced here. I thought the Doctor kicking into gear once he realised what was happening was good, even if he had to get another jibe in about the unsafe nature of flying. Hell, he even had an example of when the worst happened on board a flight as I took my quote from. I could picture the Tenth Doctor there, but I’m not convinced the characterisation was all there in the writing nor the infectious enthusiasm in the performance to capture this incarnation’s essence. When it comes to the story, it was a worthwhile thirty-eight minutes or so and it was certainly what it said on the tin! I’m just not sure it was all that exciting unfortunately. 

Rating: 6/10

Infiltration: 1957 - Double Agent

"You will welcome us."

Writer: Trevor Baxendale

Format: Audio

Released: January 2025

Series: Zygon Century 1.03

Featuring: Second Doctor

Synopsis

In an England gripped by Cold War paranoia, wounded MI5 operative Caldwell is itching to rejoin the fray abroad. 

So why are the service sending him to a remote Cornish island? Can the future of the world really be at stake? Will he be able to complete his mission without falling foul of the hideous monsters stalking the caves? And who exactly is the island's other new arrival: an operative of quite a different kind, known only as the Doctor. 

Verdict

1957: Double Agent was an excellent episode to conclude the first series of Zygon Century! I say the first as whilst there is no second and beyond to pre-order, we cannot be concluding a series with this title after just fifty-seven years! I think it's also clear from the way things ended with a sensational cliffhanger that we are from done and this episode really got the series going in fine fashion. It's been something of a strong but soft build to reach this point and I quite like that with the idea of the Zygons patiently plotting. They're developing new tactics though and the umbrella title of Infiltration became profound in a massive way! I thought Agent Caldwell from the MI5 was a strong character and the perfect kind of person to bounce off the Second Doctor. His arrival into the story was as humorous as you might expect from this clumsy incarnation and I am loving the post-The War Games continuity that Big Finish are having with the Second Doctor. He's being sent on numerous errands and missions and we even heard him turn up in the Paternoster Gang too, so just what do the Time Lords want in saving the Zygons on the Cornish island from the radiation? That was left unanswered and hopefully is something we come back to in the near future, but it was a fun dynamic with Caldwell sent to do the very opposite. I loved the links back to The Miracle of Pendour Cove with how Vorvoren as an isolated Zygon was the key to finding out where the rest of the species were hiding out. That was excellent. It was nice to have that continuity running through the boxset. I thought the inclusion Harriet was really good and whilst it wasn't a surprise that she was actually a Zygon, the human version being kind of complicit in events was! That was really good. I thought this was fun as the Second Doctor's first chronological meeting with the Zygons as he marvelled at their organic technology. That was fun to play around with and it was equally nice for the Zygons to admit that the Doctor carried great intelligence. I thought the threat of radiation towards the island was good and it worked well to have the bulk of the Zygons ignoring it. That wasn't the case with Jorost though but this just seemed to make Krozon even more of a villain. That was good. Again, I was surprised with how little the Zygons actually featured in their own spinoff series but I completely understands what is happening here. The setup is good and the quiet nature of the Zygons behind the scenes almost is working a treat. The Doctor leaving involuntarily was good with the time ring and I can't wait to catch up with where he is at next, but he saved the Zygon base as instructed. The episode title came into fruition nicely as Caldwell reported back to Dawson with some false information. Harriet and Vennix seem to have not survived the ordeal and his claim of destroying the base was shocking because it didn't happen! Caldwell wasn't a Zygon, but the infiltration happened in another way as the Zygons toy with reconditioning. That's an exciting prospect with them being in official positions in government organisations. The Zygon Century has over forty years to go and I'm all here for it! Overall, an excellent episode to conclude a really strong series.

Rating: 9/10

Infiltration: 1935 - The Miracle of Pendour Cove

"I wanted to give you a gift."

Writers: Lauren Mooney & Stuart Pringle

Format: Audio

Released: January 2025

Series: Zygon Century 1.02

Featuring: Zygons

Synopsis

Freddie Trewella has found a mermaid, beautiful and strange, washed ashore in a Cornish bay. He names her Vorvoren, and she comforts him in his harsh life of servitude to a zealot father.

As they grow together, Vorvoren shows Freddier her secret power, to change her appearance into anything she desires. But Freddie has secrets of his own, terrible secrets, and soon Vorvoren's great adventure among the humans becomes a nightmarish fight for survival...

Verdict

1935: The Miracle of Pendour Cove was an excellent episode to continue my way through the Zygon Century! After a strong opener we jump forward thirty-four years and without reading the synopsis prior to listening, I think it's fair to say this is not quite what I was expecting from a Zygon spinoff series. And yet it was absolutely brilliant. I was aware that this was the episode in the boxset that sparked a warning regarding domestic violence and unfortunately that does kind of give away the twist about Freddie, but it still didn't take away from it. The way the story started was so intriguing and I found myself immediately engrossed in the characters which is a huge positive. I thought Freddie seemed awfully vulnerable with how he was treated by his almighty religious father and he also seemed to be suffering from the death of his wife. So when he stumbled upon a mermaid who could blame him for thinking his life might be about to change? Of course, she was no mermaid and I think this is such an intriguing use of the Zygons and their ability as a shapeshifter. It really was like nothing before and I'm sure after it with how the Zygon that was dubbed Vorvoren came to be used almost for pleasure. Hearing a Zygon be so vulnerable was also a little strange and I was honestly wondering if that would remain the case for the entire episode! Vorvoren was a fascinating character and the way she grew to fear Freddie was difficult to listen but at the same that is what made it so engrossing. The shift in tone for the story once Freddie caught her talking to what he described as a filthy beggar was honestly incredible. He seemed so innocent and hurt but his true colours soon came out. I was amazed he ever left her in a position to open the door to a salesman selling brushes but the little twist there was another fine moment! He had intercepted the transmission with the Zygons and represented the Government who had been keeping tabs on them for over a decade. I'm very excited to hear how things finish but it really does feel like we're only just getting started with this series. The little mayday calls Vorvoren was receiving and ignoring was really good and I find her position on all things Zygon on the Cornish island to be really interesting. She hardly seems interested in the plan or in being a Zygon at all. She wanted to explore but she got wrapped up in something terrible with Freddie. His reaction to her taking the form of his wife was a little odd and then he wanted her to change for his own gratification from a magazine showing his favourite actress in a swimsuit on the beach. This was dark and not your typical Zygon adventure that's for sure! The way Freddie stood up to his dad was good but not as much as it was with Vorvoren standing up to him. In hindsight that may have been a mistake because he then didn't see his father with such fear. I thought Vovoren turning on Freddie and standing up for herself in her true colours was really well done though and he kind of got his comeuppance. He was a terrible man and the writing in portraying that was so well done. I loved how uncomfortable this made me feel and there was some powerful stuff discussed. Perhaps a tad more could have been done for the year of the setting, but otherwise this was tremendous. I look forward to hearing how things conclude! 

Rating: 9/10

Infiltration: 1901 - The Unknowing Mirror

"This is the island that will change the world."

Writer: Jonathan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: January 2025

Series: Zygon Century 1.01

Featuring: Zygons

Synopsis

In Edwardian London that scandalous investigator of occult phenomena, Mr Herbert Scott, and his associate, Father Felix Cromwell, are confronted by a case of possession. 

A young woman, suffering from unusually vivd dreams, seems also to exhibit signs of a completely separate personality. Another being is speaking through her, a being which claims not to be from Earth at all, a being which calls itself... Zygon.

Verdict

1901: The Unknowing Mirror was a really strong start to the Zygon Century spinoff series! This is a very exciting release and I'm all for new spinoff ranges. I think the Zygons are definitely a monster worthy of their own little boxset and given the name of the series, I do hope there is a second boxset to come because the year range here doesn't exactly cover the entire century! The twentieth century is of course then perfect place to do this series and I look forward to hearing the plan of the Zygons unfold. This was a really strong introduction and it certainly had that feeling of setting things up which was absolutely fine. It probably did mean the rating was never going to be higher than what I awarded, but it has really set the tone for what's to come next and it excites me. I am well on board with the branch of Zygons known as the Black Cardre and their plan that will last a century resulting in the takeover of Earth is very intriguing. I hope we get a few more details on exactly how they will do it by the end of the twentieth century, but there's plenty of time to get there. The significance of the small Cornish island is also interesting and will certainly play a part as the series goes on and the Zygon presence grows and their plan comes into fruition. I thought Edith Walker was a terrific character and her connection in her mind with a Zygon was fascinating. She thought it was all a dream but then she was to be mesmerised which was quite a fun thing to happen! Herbert Scott was a strong character and I liked how Felix Cromwell was his associate. There was a strong dynamic between them when it came to Edith and the knowledge of there being something more at play with her connection to the Zygons. I loved the setting of 1901 and the extremely early Edwardian era and with Edith I really did get strong vibes of Charley which is a big positive to her character. I think this is an underrated era of history when it comes to Doctor Who as they're still firmly in the past but not that far away from massive technological expansion and revolution. Thomas Browne was another good character and really complimented the Edwardian cast. I thought it was a fine set of characters that really helped establish the series. It was a shame we didn't actually get a great deal of the Zygons featuring, but I understand the need to establish their presence at the start of their century-long quest. I know for sure that I will get more of them in the next two episodes and there was enough of a threat from them with the connection to Edith. I quite enjoyed Mrs Maloney and her insinuation at the end towards Mr Scott and sending him for asylum was rather impressive! She got the upper hand and doesn't quite seem all that she appears which is fun to think about. Right from the off the Zygon ability to shapeshfit was alluded to as Edith couldn't be sure which version was at her door and I think you can really play off that in the audio format. Of course, this isn't the first Zygon story on audio but with their own series I think there's a lot of potential to do well here. The use of a mirror with Edith was good in making her link to the Zygon, and I look forward to catching up with Zygon plans in a couple of decades. Overall, a very strong start to the series! 

Rating: 8/10

Frida Kahlo and the Skull Children

"Suffering was what it meant to be human."

Writer: Sophie McKenzie 

Format: Novella

Released: October 2024

Series: Icons 01

Featuring: Thirteenth Doctor

Synopsis

Some art can be deadly...

Young Frida Kahlo is angry. Injured in a terrible accident, she lives with constant pain and worries that her dreams are unreachable. 

But when the TARDIS lands in Mexico City – drawn by a strange disturbance in its energy fields – Frida's life is turned upside down. Aliens have arrived, taking over the bodies of children and killing anyone who gets in their way. 

With the fate of the Earth at stake, the Doctor and Frida must find a way to understand their alien invaders, and each other.

Verdict

Frida Kahlo and the Skull Children was a great novella to kick off the brand new Icons series! I'm a big fan of the idea behind this series because it's something a little different and I'm all for being unique. I also quite like that they are novellas and this made for a rapid read as I continue to enjoy my paternity leave. I actually read quite a few chapters whilst also holding my little girl in her infancy rocking her to sleep! The size of the book certainly helped there. I think it's also wonderful to be getting a brand new book for the Thirteenth Doctor as due to circumstances outside of a lot of people's control, her prose error was cut drastically short which is a monumental shame. I thought it was quite refreshing to have her travelling alone here as that's something we haven't been able to enjoy on screen and I must say the author absolutely nailed her characterisation. I was really impressed with that. Whilst the range name is as it is, I can't say I had ever heard of Frida Kahlo prior to the announcement of this book. I didn't actually do any research prior to reading as I was hoping the book would tell me what makes her iconic, but I'm not sure it went all the way there in that regard. The Doctor clearly recognised her name which is something and her backstory was quite emotional in how she was originally determined to be a scientist before suffering a car accident that has now turned her to the world of art. The way her pain was utilised when it came to Talbak inhabiting her body was really intriguing. I found the concept behind the Caretans to be fascinating and I was very excited to find that the Doctor realised they were pre-Gallifrey. That makes them ancient! I love delving into the Dark Ages and earlier when it comes to the Whoniverse because things seem a lot more dangerous and nothing is really off the cards. There's also a strong sense of vulnerability. I thought the idea of them essentially being a walking form of binary code was incredibly unique and not something I'd even be able to imagine. It was a little difficult to comprehend but I liked how it was explained as the book went on. More primary functions were almost downgraded and the fact they had lain dormant on Earth for over sixty-six million years was quite something. Time to them meant nothing as they looked for an AI singularity. I thought the Earthshock reference from the Doctor was incredibly poignant and I love the idea of the Caretans coming to Earth from that freighter that wiped out the dinosaurs. I must say, I loved the 1926 setting of Mexico City and whilst I think explaining away the translation circuits went a little too overboard needlessly, I wasn't expecting an AI threat in the twentieth century! Certainly not this early on. I thought the Doctor coming up with the plan thanks to some harmless suggestion by Frida was great and it made sense to create a virtual reality. The Caretans could live as they desired in feeling what humanity felt and did in their very own metaverse. I thought it was all quite simple really! The relationship and dynamic between the Doctor and Frida was good and whilst I thought the change in attitude towards Kahlo assisting was a little on the nose, they really did blossom together. Frida admired the Doctor despite not entirely understanding her which I thought was quite fun. The added threat of Kappa as one part of the Caretans that had seen its code corrupted was good and I liked that it took over Margo towards the end who had a strong friendship with Frida and was due to be adopted that night. The Doctor tricking it with the lure of a replication code but actually solving the problems was nicely done, even if I had worked it out as it was happening. It was logical and quite clever really! Overall, a fantastic little read and a strong way to start this new and exciting series.

Rating: 8/10

The Corinthian Project

"It is time to turn to the oceans!"

Writer: Davey Moore

Format: Novel

Released: July 2007

Series: DYD 04

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

When the TARDIS lands in an undersea community known as the Corinthian Project, it doesn't take you long to realise there are some very strange things going on. Explore the Project and see if you can uncover the truth...

Verdict

The Corinthian Project was a good little book to continue my reading through the Decide Your Destiny series! It still baffles me that eighteen years later I’m covering more stories from the time of the Tenth Doctor and Martha that were released contemporarily, but here we are! Honestly, that era of Doctor Who will never be topped in terms of popularity and it’s why there are so many things for me to be blogging. Like these Decide Your Destiny books! I thought this particular book felt a little different from the others I have read so far. It certainly seemed to have a larger page count and just holding it in my hand it felt thicker and bigger. That soon became confirmed as I was reading as each mini segment felt long. There were some that stretched to three pages which is very unusual for this kind of format but it did allow for a little more depth which is often missing from these stories. I certainly felt like I had a greater understanding and appreciation for the plot concerning the titular Corinthian Project because of how much was described. There was considerable detail and honestly if the character of the reader wasn’t present then this wouldn’t feel like a book aimed at a younger audience. It certainly had a semblance of maturity which I appreciated a lot. I liked how there was no wasting time in getting the reader on board the TARDIS and it was clear that the author was trying to appeal to a wider audience of not only Doctor Who fans with how much detail was used to give background on the Doctor, Martha and the TARDIS. I like that and I think it’s good to try and appeal to a larger reach even if it isn’t necessary. One thing I must mention is that I wasn’t a big fan of the format of narration. It felt like it was being talked at which wasn’t good and rather than reading the story in real time it felt like an account of what had happened. It just felt slightly odd in that regard but it didn’t have too much of a bearing on my overall enjoyment of the story. I thought going to the future was good and I enjoyed the prospect of exploring the Corinthian as a shipwreck site. That does feel ripe for the Whoniverse and given what happened last year at the Titanic shipwrecked site this had an eery feel. It was in the future though and things didn’t quite feel as haunted when we had a type of seaweed that could ensure you could breathe underwater or some rather impressive bio suits. Things had a strong sense of protection which was a nice caveat for the threats. I thought the pace was a little slow probably owing to the longer segment lengths, and I must say there were a couple of moments where there was no choice to be made and we were just told which number to go to next. I don’t like that in this kind of story. I mean, look at what the series is called! I feel like I should have something to decide. I thought Jalla was a good character and the way they became the villain of the piece was pretty clever. The shipwreck of the Corinthian sitting on the site of an oil gold mine was good and I rather liked the monetary incentive behind Jolla. The fact it was planned to make the Corinthian blow up in what looked like a natural disaster was decent stuff, but the reader being the one to put things right felt a little off though I do understand the appeal of having a young child save the day given the target audience. One thing I did adore was the final line of the book in suggesting that if you could go back in time that you would make some different decisions along the way. That was a wonderful to encourage a reread and going the alternative routes not taken. I shan’t be doing that as my destiny has already been decided for this story, but I loved it. Overall, a decent read!

Rating: 7/10

The Museum of Curiosities

"He has been immortalised as a museum piece."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 10.04

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

At last Carruthers Summerton – the greatest admirer of Jago and Litefoot and their would-be biographer – gets to accompany his heroes on an investigation. But amongst the bizarre murders and strange clues lies a much deeper and far more dangerous mystery. Unsure who they can trust, Jago and Litefoot will find out the truth at the Museum of Curiosities...

Verdict

The Museum of Curiosities was an excellent episode to conclude the tenth series of Jago & Litefoot! I'm a massive fan of the series and even after ten series the spinoff range keeps going from strength to strength. This rounds out what was a really entertaining series and the last two episodes in particular serving as a loose two-parter really felt like a fitting finale. I thought the concept behind the Museum of Curiosities was marvellous and whilst just the name of it alone sounded intriguing, what was actually inside was rather magnificent. It almost felt like something of a finale of the range in how celebratory the story was of the adventures of Jago and Litefoot over the last ten series. There were numerous name drops and references to so many past series and episodes dating all the way back to The Mahogany Murderers! From the Darkling Facade to the Necropolis Express. The museum really did have it all! Hell, we even heard the Scorchies in terrifying action on two separate occasions! I loved it. It's certainly a museum I would love to visit and it could only have one creator. I have found the character of Carruthers Summerton to be slightly annoying since he showed up in the last series and suggested documenting the adventures of Jago and Litefoot for a prose release. They were both on board and he's been a consistent but quiet presence throughout the series before this episode. This time around though he was very much involved and whilst I had predicted that he would turn out to be the villain, I thought the use of Luke Betterman as almost a red herring was magnificent. I must admit, I thought he was also on the side of Carruthers in how he was being sneaky and not wholly forthcoming with Ellie when he recruited her for help after escaping captivity. It explained his rapid exit at the end of The Mourning After but it really did feel like he was making things up in order to lure Ellie in. Thankfully, that was not the case and I think he's certainly a character that compliments both Jago and Litefoot. I hope we haven't heard the last of him. I think it's quite amusing to have had Ellie and Betterman together for the duration of the episode purely because of the actors who portray them. Lisa Bowerman and David Warner will absolutely blossom together in the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield so this is a nice moment where they're not playing Benny and the Unbound Doctor. They worked brilliantly together and the moment Betterman states he really wished Ellie hadn't found the dead body was where I thought the reveal was in. I was had! 100%. The whacky nature of Carruthers was great but he wasn't exactly as clever as he thought he was. He had been playing an incredibly long game in collecting artefacts for his museum collection, but actually wanting Litefoot as an exhibit was probably a step too far! The prospect of turning him literally into a wax figure was horrifying but that's what he wanted. Betterman wasn't having it and challenged him to a straight shot but Summerton was rather weak and feeble. It would be his downfall. The way he actually escaped facing punishment by jumping into the wax himself was pretty shocking and not the best of fates! That's some way to go. I wonder what will become of the Museum of Curiosities now? He was behind all of the suspicious happenings for Betterman in the previous episode which explained a lot, but now it appears a whole new exciting direction is coming for the series. The description of a cloaked and deranged figure was awfully exciting as Quick met the disturber under the bridged. And there he was, the decayed Master. What a cliffhanger for the next series! I for one cannot wait to listen. A sublime combination is in store! Overall, a fantastic finale! 

Rating: 9/10

The Mourning After

"I'm not blinking well dead!"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 10.03

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

Litefoot is surprised to meet an old friend. But celebrations are rather muted as he and Ellie have just been to the funeral of Henry Gordon Jago. But is Jago really dead? Or has he somehow been transported into a nightmarish future? The truth is both elusive and deeply worrying...

Verdict

The Mourning After was an excellent episode to continue my way through the tenth series of Jago & Litefoot! This was certainly my favourite story from the boxset so far and it was just gripping from start to finish. The emotions that came from the opening with Litefoot and Ellie attending the funeral of Henry Gordon Jago was powerful stuff and I hadn't actually read the synopsis prior to listening so I was a tad surprised! I did have to check if I had mistakenly missed an episode or anything or skipped over the ending of The Year of the Bat where Jago perished, but alas I was right on track and it was all part of a very fascinating plot. The prospect of Jago passing away is incredibly sad and this was a harrowing example of how those close to him would react. I did like how his wake back at the Red Tavern was lively because that's certainly how he would have wanted instead of Ellie's suggestion of it being a nice and quiet tribute celebration. That's just not Jago. Of course, he didn't actually turn out to be dead and he was at the grasp of Adella who claimed to be from the Jago and Litefoot Society. She also claimed that Jago had been asleep for century and whilst thought dead, he was actually now in the year 2000. I liked how touched he was at remembering Litefoot in realising that his long suffering pal would be dead by now, but I loved the continuity of him realising Ellie should still be alive. That was terrific. Jago reacted pretty well to supposedly being in the year 2000 and he was quite taken by Adella which was just so typical of his character. Even in a time of crisis he's there to flirt! Never change. I thought the return of Dr Betterman was good stuff and welcomed after the impact made in The Devil's Dicemen. I think it certainly helps having the character played by an actor with the calibre of David Warner because he really does shine. The circumstances in which he arrived at Jago's funeral were certainly suspicious and that led Litefoot to thinking he was responsible for the zombie pandemic that was gripping London. The awkwardness of Quick coming to Litefoot for an investigation was tough to listen to as he coped with the loss of his close friend and then realising that if he took the mission he would be doing so alone. That can't have been easy! I thought the way he lured Betterman into helping him and introducing him to the walking dead was fun especially because he thought the doctor was behind it all! The twist for Litefoot that he actually wasn't worked well and it was fun that Betterman was lured there by other means. The newspaper just happening to be on the right page etc. It was all an elaborate plan. I was half suspecting the Master himself to emerge when the zombie was repeating the word after Betterman asked if that was what he was to them. Litefoot was apologetic in realising that wasn't the case which was nice. I must admit I was fooled when it came to the resolution in having Jago not actually be in the future at all! I didn't see that coming so I appreciated the facade he had been sold by Adella, although I was suspicious of the one way time travel capsule. Jago entering the casket once again must have been quite a shock! Litefoot putting things together and coming to his chum's rescue was glorious though. It was a wonderful reunion and Betterman being on hand with the antidote was a nice touch and tied in nicely with his own areas of research. I thought it worked brilliantly, but Jago and Litefoot are making quite the name for themselves now and they're being watched. I can't wait for the finale! Overall, a brilliant episode! 

Rating: 9/10

The Year of the Bat

"Letters that could only have come from the future."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 10.02

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

When a strange package is delivered to Professor Litefoot, he has no idea of the far-reaching implications. Soon Litefoot and Jago find themselves enmeshed in a series of event that began thirty years ago – events their younger selves have already been caught up in...

Verdict

The Year of the Bat was another good episode to continue my way through the tenth series of Jago & Litefoot! I appreciated the unique nature of this episode and with the series (mostly) contained to the Victorian era, there really is only so much that can happen in one time and region. But this was altogether different and I liked that there was explanation of involvement from the Doctor. The pair of Jago and Litefoot are mostly familiar with the Fourth and Sixth Doctors, but it seems to be the incarnation in between that supplied the yesterday box to Litefoot here in some fine The Haunting of Thomas Brewster continuity. It worked really well. I thought the concept behind the box was really intriguing and whilst a little more on its origins and true purpose would have been beneficial, playing with time travel in a unique way as was done here was marvellous. The possibility of being able to write a letter to your past self of thirty years ago was fascinating and became actually enthralling. I do think it was perhaps a little overdone by the end when Ellie got involved to provide a safety net to what was happening, but that didn't make it any less fun. The whole format of the episode was a bit weird and I wasn't hugely a fan of the way in which we jumped from present day to thirty years of the past. Now, I appreciate that this is an audio format and it would be incredibly difficult for the actor to showcase a younger voice, but I was not a fan of the younger versions of Jago and Litefoot being played by new actors. They didn't sound authentic or event remotely close in my opinion which was a shame and really did take me out of the episode for some moments. I liked the dialogue and it was fun to catch up on both of their histories, but the choice of actors was left wanting. It just felt strange and sadly not that authentic. I did think it was fun that the pair inadvertently made themselves meet much earlier than they were aware of doing so and the prospect of that altering the events of The Talons of Weng-Chiang was delightful! Imagine if things went different there with the scale of threats on offer. That wouldn't go down well and I don't think the Doctor would be best pleased! Lilith Lovett as the figurehead of the sisterhood was a fun character although I do think things got a little silly with the nannies. I mean, Jago plays it so well and he is the right kind of ridiculous personality for that kind of threat, but it was a little difficult to take seriously at times. The scale of the story across thirty year was exciting and the manipulation of events through letters felt a little bit unbelievable but then you remember it's the Victorian era and that kind of communication was all they had! It's fascinating to look back on eras like this that are relatively close to us yet so far removed technologically. And the bats! I thought they would be given more importance given the name of the episode but it felt a bit for show. It was still entertaining though. It was also a nice touch for Litefoot to remember running into Quick's father as part of the police force. But would they really have such strong recollection of events thirty years ago? That's an awfully long time. Overall though, still a strong episode to keep the series rolling! 

Rating: 7/10

The Case of the Missing Gasogene

"Two dead bodies. No weapon. No motive. What a mystery!"

Writers: Simon Barnard & Paul Morris

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Jago & Litefoot 10.01

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot

Synopsis

Investigating the death of Sir Hartley Harecourt's manservant, Jago and Litefoot are caught up in an intriguing locked-room mystery. It's a mystery that involves strange experiments, mysterious scientific forumlae, our heroes' greatest admirer, and a missing soda siphon...

Verdict

The Case of the Missing Gasogene was a really fun start to the tenth series of Jago & Litefoot! These pair of Victorian misfits seem to have no end in sight when it comes to their adventures and long may that continue because they really are tremendous together. I thought the continuity from the end of the last series with Carruthers was a lot of fun as he tried to document the tales of Jago and Litefoot. They were ripe for the world of prose, especially in the Victorian era! I would absolutely love to read some of their stories in the prose format beyond Doctor Who and the Talons of Weng-Chiang and I think an entire Short Trips volume dedicated them would just be marvellous. Anyway, more about the story itself and the title really did take me off guard because it sounds a little ordinary. Even in the way things were set up at the start of the episode this didn't quite feel like something for the infernal investigators that are Jago and Litefoot. But alas, it was always going to change and the way things tied together worked really well! I thought the guest cast for this one was actually excellent with Ellie shining as normal behind the bar of the Red Tavern. But it was the likes of Dr Kindred and Cornish that really propped up the quality of the episode. Both were intelligent and obviously crucial to the plot with their scientific developments. I thought the reaction to finding out that Kindred was a woman was just delightful because it was a stark reminder of the setting being the Victorian. A woman couldn't possibly develop something like the speciation serum, right? Alas, she had done so and she was actually being sought after when it came to combining her creation with the formula that Cornish had created that would see cells duplicate. Putting the two together was the brain child of Harecourt as the teacher of the pair as former students and he was quite deranged. He took things into his own hands and tested on McCallum which was pretty horrifying but he knew that he would never get any kind of regulatory approval. And rightly so as evidenced with what happened to the poor chap in the story! I thought the focus on evolution and manufacturing that was quite intriguing and the reaction when Litefoot exclaimed there were no organs at all inside the corpse was fantastic. That was a whole new kind of mystery with the door being locked on the inside. How would somebody be able to function without their organs? That just shouldn't be possible as Litefoot rightly exclaimed. Carruthers was good fun with his commentary throughout the episode and I'm fascinated to find out what the end game with him will be. Surely it is not just a simple prose release and something more will be afoot? It feels right that this will happen. I won't be mad if it doesn't though as I suspect that Jago will absolutely revel in any kind of fame. The way mystery was captured in the episode was decent although it did seem to slightly diminish as the episode drew to a close. Whilst I firmly appreciated how logical and clever the resolution was in utilising the scientific prowess of Kindred and Cornish to come up with an antidote – especially when Jago himself was subjected to the forced evolution – it did seem a tad predictable and underwhelming. Maybe that's just me thinking a little too far ahead and solving things instead of just enjoying what happened? Regardless, this was still a terrific series opener with a really strong idea at its heart! Who'd have thought some gasogene would be so crucial. Overall, a great start! 

Rating: 8/10

Best Friends

"Only ask a question if you are sure you want to know the answer."

Writer: Justin Richards

Format: Short Story

Released: August 2007

Series: Doctor Who Files 10

Featuring: Captain Jack

Synopsis

It's nearly the end of the Victorian era and Captain Jack gets word of a famed variety act that can answer any question from any one with absolute accuracy. Jack thinks he has the question that cannot be answered though and puts it to the test...

Verdict

Best Friends was a wonderful short story to continue my way through the Doctor Who Files! I think this might just be the best of the series so far and that's an absolute delight to say. There is a lot of potential when it comes to a book focused on Captain Jack because where would you start when it comes to picking when and where the adventure takes place? There's an abundance of choices and I quite like how this one kept things relatively simple in going to the late-Victorian era. Torchwood has been well and truly established following the events of Tooth and Claw and now Jack is in the time period after the events of The Parting of the Ways. I thought the use of a variety act felt very much of the period which I enjoyed and I liked how it just felt true to the Victorian era whilst having that sci-fi twist. The concept of somebody being able to answer any question no matter how secret or hidden is terrific and just perfect for the Whoniverse. What provides them with that ability? How did they get it? It's all good to play into and I liked that Jack knew the significance of the alien behind Anthony Bradshaw's incredible gift. To us readers, the name Lawphoram doesn't exactly mean much and is just another simple alien name, but I liked that Jack understood it and showed just how extensively he has travelled to. I mean, he is originally a Time Agent so it's not much of a surprise but with no Doctor around it's good for him to feel like a standout and very knowledgable character. Of course, he is the one carrying and leading this adventure and this felt more mature as well than some of the other stories in the series. I'm not sure if that's because of Captain Jack himself and his more adult oriented character or if it was just the quality of the story. I think it helped that there was a crowd onlooking as Jack challenged Mr Sutton as the Overseer and took him up on the challenge. One hundred guineas were coming his way as far as he was concerned and the question being how would Jack die was just brilliant. I didn't see it coming but once it did I couldn't believe it took me by surprise. I think it's clear that Jack is still getting to grips with his immortality and I firmly believe he genuinely wanted to know the answer. I also think he knew he wouldn't get one and that's why he was so brash in taking up Bradshaw on the challenge. I liked the simplicity in which the young lad answered that he didn't know because that just felt innocent. It confirmed he wasn't making things up and I appreciated that. The shock and awe that came from Jack having the unanswerable question was brilliant and that led Sutton to flee, but Jack was already two steps ahead and knew that would happen. Sutton didn't have anything close to the money and was spending what they earned like there was no tomorrow. Jack of course wasn't bothered on the financial side, but he wanted the alien involvement inside Bradshaw's head to stop. Sutton should not be profiting on it, especially when it was literally eating the young lad alive. It was from him that it fed and that was a strong bit of trepidation. The simplicity in which Jack broke the connection was good and I thought it was really poignant for him to visit Bradshaw later in life. The way the whole best friends comment from the voice in his head and then to Jack spun full circle by the end of the adventure was pretty brilliant. I loved it and it genuinely felt emotional! Overall, a really fantastic little story.

Rating: 9/10

Death Will Not Part Us

"Their past had been sold to preserve their future."

Writer: Alfie Shaw

Format: Audio

Released: February 2022

Series: Short Trips 11.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor

Synopsis

On the 14th of August 3097, everything is fine on the world of Gernica. Except, on the same day, the planet is being destroyed. Also, on the 14th of August 3097, no one in the universe has heard of Gernica. The planet's only chance to survive the horrors of the Time War lies with Viola Wintersmith. For Viola has a weapon that can destroy anything that stands in her way. A weapon that requires a unique form of ammunition. Her past.

Verdict

Death Will Not Part Us was an excellent little story to continue my way through the eleventh series of Short Trips! Despite the vast amount of content that now exists from Big Finish within the Time War, I remain excited by stories from that time period because the potential continues to be literally endless. I think this audio was a fine example of pushing the boundaries of the Time War to its limits and it was right up my alley with how time itself was utilised. The potential of the Time War really is endless and having a weapon here that requires someone to give up their past as ammunition was incredibly exciting. That's such a daunting prospect and really does let the user question just how much they want to use it. I'm sure all of us have had several repetitive or boring days that we wouldn't miss at work and then not doing a great deal at home, but having a wedding day thrown into things really shook things up. I thought Viola Wintersmith was a fascinating character and the way her relationship with the Doctor developed and was explored over the course of the thirty-seven minutes or so was fantastic. I really liked the dynamic and the Doctor showing up at her wedding day towards the end to object to the union was a fun moment. I thought the way the timey-wimey nature of the episode was sold was superb in utilising multiple opening credits. That felt very unique and I must admit the first time it happened it had me looking at and questioning my Big Finish app! It really took me off guard but once I realised what was happening, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a fun interpretation on the Time War and it went even further with the cameos of the War Doctor and the Ninth Doctor. The latter reflecting on what had happened to Gernica was powerful stuff and I liked the narration focusing on him having lost his people and his planet but had been able to reclaim his title now. There was some sort of solace. I thought it was also a really nice touch to close out with the closing theme of the Ninth Doctor from the modern era. It really was quite something to hear that in a Time War story. It really did kind of bring the conflict full circle by going from primarily the Eighth Doctor and then to the Ninth to conclude. It was really well done. I must say I am not aware of who Adele Anderson is as the narrator but with the focus primarily on Viola rather than the Doctor, she did a stellar job in bringing that character to life. She was impressive in her performance and I like how she kept things simple when it came to voicing the Doctor. It was effective and didn't feel like a bad impression at all. The number of weddings that were occurring was vast and that was fun for so many to happen. Toying with feeding the weapon ammunition by your past days was sold really well over the course of the episode and the fate of Gernica having multiple conclusions showed just what the Time War is all about. It's almost impossible to comprehend and that's something I really love. Overall, a fine use of the Time War that felt original and confusing in the best way possible. I loved playing with the different versions and potential events. A terrific listen! 

Rating: 9/10

The Time Crocodile

"How did a crocodile get to be smart enough to have thoughts to express?"

Writer: Colin Brake

Format: Novel

Released: July 2007

Series: DYD 03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

The space zoo isn't like any zoo you've ever visited on Earth. For a start, some of the animals can talk! Explore the zoo and work out who can be trusted and who has a hidden agenda...

Verdict

The Time Crocodile was a terrific little read to continue my sporadic reading around the Decide Your Destiny series! It actually feels quite horrifying to think that these books were starting to be released eighteen years ago now as that just doesn't feel possible. I really do tend to forget that I am now twenty-eight years old and probably shouldn't be spending my time reading the DYD range, but I'm a completist! I'll get there eventually I hope. With everything. If it's possible. But with a newborn in the house and taking advantage of her nap lasting out of the car and into the house, I pounced to the bookshelf for a quick read and the DYD series is perfect for that. I mean, it is difficult to judge just how quick the read will be as who knows what direction you will be taken as the reader, but I have a good idea. It was not more than fifteen minutes so that worked perfectly for me. I was intrigued by the name of the story and it definitely sounds like something that would appeal to the younger target audience. I also like the idea of a space zoo and when the reader becomes an unnamed character in the story, that's an exciting place to venture to. It's never implied how old of a kid you are which I think is the correct move, but I tended to think of the character that I was in making the decisions as around 11-12 years old. With that in mind, I was surprised when one of the choices requiring a decision was whether you landed under or on top of Martha when the TARDIS took a wild swing! Especially with her blushing as she got off. I can't even remember what I chose now but either option seemed positive. The meeting of the Time Crocodile was good and I loved how both us as the reader along with Martha were stunned when he started talking. I mean, even in a space zoo I'd be pretty shocked to be conversing with a crocodile! The Doctor was on the get go from the off in trying to work out what had happened with Professor Thomas Morrow's experiment going wrong. He knew straight away that it wasn't just a mistake of the DNA with Morrow being a geneticist. The proximity of the space station that housed the zoo to a weak spot in the fabric of the universe and seeing parts of the Time Vortex leak out was good and quite the logical explanation really! I thought it was quite amusing that one of the choices was basically to accept if you understood the explanation or not. It sounded all good to me so I went with yes. I am intrigued to read the TARDIS Wiki entry for this book because it gives hints at the routes I did not take, such as numerous alternative names for the Time Crocodile. Especially considering I didn't read any of them! Also a tortoise called Kyle? He sounds quite fun and whacky so it's a shame I never got to meet him. I thought the way the Doctor used the TARDIS to materialise around the Time Crocodile and essentially sever the time connection was good and just as Martha was showing despair thinking the creature was gone, he was just an ordinary crocodile now within the pen. That was a nice touch and it was good that everything ended nicely. I liked how comforting Martha was as a character too and she really made the reader feel welcomed. She encouraged the Doctor to give him a trip and was just a really nice companion. Overall, a great little read!  

Rating: 8/10

Step Back in Time: Extra Time

"There had never been a match quite like this."

Writer: Richard Dungworth

Format: Novel

Released: February 2012

Series: 2in1 6a

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

The Doctor and his friends head to the 1966 World Cup final. While the Doctor and Amy discover that the Time Lord isn't the only alien visiting Wembley, Rory finds himself playing a crucial role in this historic England vs West Germany football match...

Verdict

Extra Time was a really fun story to kick off my reading of the Step Back in Time 2in1 novel! This actually serves as the final release in the range which is a shame but I thought this was a delightful little tale. It was really relaxed and calm which was good and the use of history was magnificent. I'm a huge football fan and would love the opportunity to step back in time and watch a historic match of my choosing like Rory had the opportunity of doing so here, but I can't say I would be picking anything that saw England victorious! I would definitely find myself in Lille during the summer of 2016 for Wales' victory over Belgium at the Euros, but with Rory being English I can understand the allure of your nation winning the World Cup. I thought the author did a fine job in capturing the feeling of the build up to the football match and the imagery of deserted London streets and the agony of PC Sanderson having to work shift was fantastic. Amy even thinking that it was just a game sent shivers down my spine because any football fan knows it is far more than that. I actually loved this story as it was before the Vispics got involved because just stepping into history like this was tremendous. It actually took a little while before any kind of plot got going with Rory finding a dead body in the toilet cubicle, but I was honestly absolutely fine with that. My enjoyment seemed to actually decrease when there was an alien hunt to have as I was just revelling in stepping through history. I think we could have leaned a little more into The Lodger with the Doctor's footballing abilities but it was Rory's encyclopaedic knowledge that I related to. If this was a Welsh equivalent then I would definitely be Rory. Although I'm not sure about the Match Attax collecting! Reading FIFA 11 and Football Manager in Doctor Who prose wasn't something I ever expected either but I'm all for it having had strong addictions to both games in the past! The significance of the Jules Rimet trophy was fantastic and I really liked how this was the basis for which the Vispics were going to feed on the endorphins of 93,000 mostly ecstatic supporters as England won the tournament. I could have done without the numerous mentions of the Union Jack as that flag does not represent the English alone and I can safely say that when Amy was questioned on who she wanted to win I would absolutely be in the camp supporting the Germans. The ridiculousness of Rory having to take the place of Bakhramov as the famous Russian linesman that dubiously awarded Geoff Hurst's extra time goal to make it 3-2 was absolutely insane. But it was so ludicrous I kind of enjoyed it. The continuity with The End of Time and the Vinvocci shimmer to have him look like the lino was good and the agony he felt not to make a mistake and change the course of English footballing history was hilarious. The story basically taking place over the course of the match was good, although now I'm not sure where Liberation of the Daleks can fit in! It's fun to think of different interpretations though. I really liked Rory's motivation being the disallowed Frank Lampard goal against Germany at the 2010 World Cup because that was frankly incredibly funny when it happened, although I shared Amy's sentiments regarding the vuvuzela. Nobody wants that cacophony of noise again. I thought the use of the Empire Stadium infrastructure itself to link with the London Underground and stop the Vispics was quite predictable but it was still enjoyable despite building towards something obvious. It was done well and Amy teaming with Sanderson to get everything sorted worked well. Her running into an actual police box instead of the TARDIS was also a fun moment. As was the Doctor suggesting their memento being the actual Jules Rimet trophy and steal it for themselves from 1983 in Brazil! Rather them than some thieves? Ludicrous but enjoyable. Overall, a great little read! 

Rating: 8/10