Valhalla

"Shadows and imagination play tricks..."

Writer: Marc Platt
Format: Audio
Released: June 2007
Series: Main Range 96

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis

Welcome to Valhalla, Capital of Callisto, Jupiter's premier moon, where anything and everything is up for sale. But Valhalla isn't quite what it says in the brochures - not since Earth granted independence and cut off the supplies.

The former Doctor (FOR SALE. EXCELLENT CONDITION) visits the Job Centre and finds power cuts, barcoded citizens and monthly riots (ALL BOOKABLE).

And then there's the problem with the termites...

Verdict

Valhalla was a very good audio adventure and a great continuation of the Main Range from Big Finish. It was quite different in that we had solely the Seventh Doctor featuring without any companions. It was a little strange and I'm not too sure why it occurred but a story featuring this incarnation of the Doctor following Survival but prior to The Movie was really intriguing. With the wilderness years and the countless novels written during this time, there is a lot of conflict when it comes to Ace and also Bernice. Here, the Doctor is seemingly post their departure from the TARDIS and that's quite uncharted territory. Sylvester McCoy gave a decent performance as the Seventh Doctor and I have to say he really was quite eerie and just different to what we got on television with him. This story had quite a dark atmosphere and the Callisto setting certainly helped contribute to that. I thought a futuristic setting on an abandoned Earth colony was very good and I really enjoyed hearing how it went into turmoil following its independence. I was delighted to hear Michelle Gomez featuring as Jevvan and she really was the absolute standout. She really is an incredible actress and her talents were on full display here, quite some time before she took on the iconic role of Missy. I loved her relationship with the Doctor and the way she and Gerium helped him to put things right here was terrific. Gerium was quite a humorous character and I really liked his reaction to Javven revealing his name. The concept behind the termites was pretty interesting and I have to say that the termites undoing the mark of civilisation that humanity leaves was a superb comment. I really did like that one. Our Mother was a unique enemy and the way the Doctor intended on getting to her was barmy and daft and that's a pretty apt description of the Seventh Doctor so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. I felt the delay between him revealing today's thoughts to the Captain was a little unbelievable and the only obvious flaw in an otherwise great story. Laxton was an interesting character and his role in the story was a very good one. One common trait in this audio that was enjoyable was the Doctor constantly emerging into conversations. It seemed liked he was always around! The fact that he had gone into the future and knew about this slavery atrocity was intriguing but I liked even more that he was up for sale! The Doctor did seem intent on perhaps settling down and stopping his travels but anytime that seems possible I refuse to believe it. The ending with the slow death of Our Mother was good and the story as a whole was a great one!

Rating: 8/10