Machines

"A fusion of flesh and steel..."

Writer: James Swallow

Format: Audio

Released: December 2009

Series: Cyberman 2.03

Featuring: Samantha, Barnaby 

Synopsis 

All war is deception.

As the conspiracy of hate and distrust brings death in its wake, the sinister plans of the Cybermen are revealed, and events move on a collision course as the invaders prepare for the final phase of their rebirth. Only a handful of rebels, human and android, stand ready to confront their common enemy; but if they cannot trust themselves, then the battle is already lost...

Verdict 

Machines was another very good audio adventure to continue along the second series of the Cyberman spinoff! It doesn't seem too long since I started this excellent spinoff with scepticism and after a shaky start I have been absolutely chuffed with what I've listened to if I'm honest. And just as it began a week ago, tomorrow the spinoff ends after I will complete an unprecedented back to back series. I explained in my blogging of Outsiders why I decided to do the second series immediately after the first and I must say now with things nearly complete that I'm very much thrilled with my decision. I think I've definitely become more acquainted with the characters than I would have done with a lengthy break and my understanding of the story has absolutely been enhanced by following the first series with the second. My initial thoughts about the humans and androids joining forces to combat the Cybermen was technically realised for the first time in this audio with Samantha joining up with, or rather being rescued by, the humans we have been introduced to over the past two stories in Hazel, Yan and Dan. I mentioned in my last blog that things on Earth under the rule of the Cybermen were very similar to life for humanity in The Dalek Invasion of Earth and I like how this audio series has provided us with the Cybermen ruling supreme on Earth. It's not just the Daleks who conquered the planet. Although in saying that, I wouldn't quite call what the Cybermen have achieved here as conquering. The continued deployment of 'SCUs' is very good and the Cybermen along with Paul Hunt have, it would seem, tricked the nation into believe something that simply wasn't true. That is very reminiscent of recent events here with a horrifying referendum result. But I'm not going to talk real life politics on my blog. I will talk about Earth Government in this story though as I liked the scheming by Hunt in convincing Janice that the recording he had obtained, or rather forged, saw a brief flashback of Karen Brett. She really did come to an unfortunate end and it would appear that Barnaby might soon be joining her as he found out that the truth about a traitor being aboard. He first figured that it was Taggart and that was also my assumption but it was soon revealed, admittedly to my surprise, that it was Chessman who was working for the Cybermen. Well, it was disturbingly more than that. He was a Cybrid. That concept seems to be contradictory to the existence of the Cybermen and I think that might be why it's so shocking. I was also quite surprised to hear that the Cybermen were cloning human beings to convert into Cybermen. That says to me that they're running thin on the ground and I think that may have a part to play in their ultimate defeat which is bound to occur in my listening of the series, and spinoff, finale tomorrow. I'm very much looking forward to listening to that after this audio's conclusion with Hazel finding out that Samantha was actually an android - something she labelled as the enemy. But she was soon brought around to the thinking that it was the Cybermen who were the true enemy. Humans and android needed to unite and the agreement between Hazel and Samantha might just be the first step. Notably a small step, but at least it's one step in the right direction. I look forward to seeing how things pan out next. Overall, another brilliant little story to continue the spinoff series!

Rating: 8/10