The Planet of Dust

"I mean to give these plants the ability to think for themselves."

Writer: Paul Crompton
Format: Short Story
Released: September 1978
Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1979

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

The Doctor and Leela answer a distress call but find that the call was phoney and had been continuously emitting in error. Beshi is a giant that has made this planet of dust his own domain, much to the expense of the local plantation habitation...

Verdict

The Planet of Dust was not the greatest story in the world and sadly demonstrated the often fluctuating quality of the short stories that appear in the Doctor Who Annuals. After a very successful Famine on Planet X yesterday, sadly the same level of quality could not be maintained and we got quite a dull little adventure. It had its moments and was good in part but as a whole, this was not of a high standard which was quite a shame. There just didn't seem to be much at all that was excitement and I'm really not sure what this story did or could offer to justify having an extra page which took the count to eight. That's rather high for a Doctor Who Annual story as they're usually just seven so I was quite surprised to see that it was longer as I really didn't think it was warranted. I was quite glad that Leela had a bit more to do in this adventure but that was soon trodden over by the fact the Doctor had to leave her for two days while he went in search of the missing component of Beshi's spaceship. He made an intriguing villain and I quite liked that he was basically a giant and his one step was rather a lot compared to a step of the size that the Doctor or Leela would be used to. However, I thought the whole plot and threat was poor. The progression of the two days that the Doctor had to fix Beshi's spaceship flew by and there was hardly any tension or excitement when there really ought to have been. It didn't make much sense to me and with the Doctor stating that Beshi had been stranded for well over the year he claimed, it seemed far too easy for me for the plants to just go and find the component. I didn't understand why they couldn't use their telepathy to do so before the Doctor arrived on the planet. The telepathic aspect of the story was something I did really like and the Doctor being able to have a conversation with plantation was rather humorous. Beshi's plan of using plantation to aid his existence was interesting but it wasn't elaborated upon enough to be quite effective. The story's ending was really tame and underwhelming with the Doctor just fixing the spaceship, Beshi leaving and then the plantation returning to the surface upon the departures of the outsiders. Overall, it wasn't the best and whilst there were some decent elements, there was definitely room for improvement.

Rating: 5/10

Famine on Planet X

"He could see the bones through the flesh of his hand."

Writer: Paul Crompton
Format: Short Story
Released: September 1978
Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1979

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

A malfunction in the TARDIS sees the Doctor and Leela arrive on a mysterious planet with only the simple title of 'X'. The Doctor soon gets accustomed with the local inhabitants and with a famine in full force, his giving of food upsets the octopoids leading to some deadly dissatisfaction...

Verdict

Famine on Planet X was great little story to kick off my reading of the 1979 Doctor Who Annual! The stories that feature in these Doctor Who Annuals are often hit or miss but I was glad to be able to say that this was certainly a hit. It was actually rather simple but its simplicity is what made it likeable and just a logical story with a very natural progression. I'm a big fan of some Doctor Who DVD releases containing a PDF of a Doctor Who Annual and whilst I do wish that every Annual was included somewhere, I'm grateful to be able to read this one for no extra cost. I thought the characterisation of the Fourth Doctor was pretty decent but I was a little surprised by how much more he had to say than his companion. Leela didn't have too much to do in this story which was a bit of a shame as she really is terrific as a companion. She wasn't utilised as well as she could be but I was glad that it didn't seem to have much of an effect on the story's quality. Ogg was a tremendous little character and I liked how he was trying to communicate with the Doctor and Leela and could only manage an imitation. It was quite intriguing though that it was perfect and it was seemingly effortless for him to transition from the Doctor's to Leela's voice. I thought the moment that the Doctor and Leela rushed into the TARDIS only for them to hear that Ogg had followed them in was quite humorous and a fine moment in the story. I found the malfunctions of the TARDIS that led to the Doctor and Leela meeting the Children of Rha very descriptive which was good and I liked that a lot of the story took place in the console room. The way the Doctor was able to identify and learn about the planet's lost language and the fact that they were the stuff of legend was brilliant. One thing that seemed universal amongst the octopoids was that they wanted food. There was a famine and that's a good starting point for a Doctor Who story but it was cured quite simply with the Doctor supplying alien melon. The theme of peace was wonderful and I thought the final lines of the story were beautifully written. The Doctor having to use blackmail to ensure the safety of the planet's inhabitants and the crop was quite a move from what we're used to from the Doctor but it was good to see that he would go to some different lengths to ensure everyone's survival. Overall, a lovely little story!

Rating: 8/10

The Hollows of Time

"No use knowing and flowing unless you know where you're going."

Writer: Christopher H. Bidmead
Format: Audio
Released: February 2010
Series: Lost Stories 1.04

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The Doctor and Peri have been on holiday, visiting old friend Reverend Foxwell in the sleepy English village of Hollowdean. But why are their memories so hazy?

Piecing together events they recall a mysterious chauffeur, who is not what he seems, and Foxwell's experiments that could alter the nature of reality. Huge sand creatures have been sighted on the dunes, and many of the locals are devoted to a leader known as "Professor Stream".

But who is Stream? And what lies within the Hollows of Time?

The Doctor will soon discover that not every question has a definitive answer...

Verdict

The Hollows of Time was a bit of an average story to be honest and I think for the first time I'm not too disappointed that this Lost Story didn't make it to the television screen during the 1980s. It wasn't bad but the best way I can describe it is simply as bland. There just wasn't enough excitement in the story and I also noticed that the lack of incidental music really made things just feel a little boring. The only remotely exciting moment of the first part was the cliffhanger but the way that was resolved just didn't seem to have much of an impact which was a shame. I thought the Sixth Doctor and Peri were terrific together though and they were the obvious highlight of the audio. The style of them already being in the TARDIS following the story's events and retelling aspects of it to each other was fresh and interesting and I thought the humour surrounding the Doctor forgetting the name of Bessie, his old famed car of his third incarnation, was very good. This story saw the return of the Tractators which was a bit of a surprise I have to say. I really enjoyed their debut in Frontios and the Doctor's references to that story were good but I just would not have expected them to return at any point, especially in the 1980s given how far in the future their first appearance took place. Professor Stream was a very good villain but after some further research, I can't help be disappointed by the change in the script that saw him not to be revealed as the Master. Obviously, the anagram is a fabulous disguise and so typical of the Master at this time so I think the name should have been changed for this audio as a lot of listeners could have worked out that the name was an anagram but be left disappointed. Foxwell was a decent character and his past with the Doctor was intriguing to explore but I thought the best guest character was certainly Simon. His relationship with Peri was wonderful and I just liked his enthusiasm throughout. The chauffeur was an unexpected villain and the way he was able to prise control of the TARDIS was quite shocking. I wasn't a fan of how he was able to fuse it with a Citreon though, that just seemed a little silly to me. I did like the use of time corridors in this one and the Doctor's constant telling of 'up and down' to Peri was very funny. The time rotor having things thrown into it again seemed just silly but it seemed to workout in the end. Mrs Streeter was also pretty good but as a whole, I thought this story was just severely lacking in some oomph. It definitely had potential and wasn't bad, it was just needed a bit more.

Rating: 6/10

The Girl Who Never Was

"I want to solve the mystery of you."

Writer: Alan Barnes
Format: Audio
Released: December 2007
Series: Main Range 103

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis

"Dot dot dot, dash dash dash, dot dot dot. Someone's listening. Somewhere."

A ghost ship.

A girl with no memory, adrift in time.

An old enemy.

This could be Charlotte Pollard's finest hour - or her last.

Set course for Singapore, 1931.

Journey's end.

Verdict

The Girl Who Never Was was an excellent audio adventure and an emotional end to the adventures of the Eighth Doctor and Charley. I had hoped that following C'rizz's departure in Absolution we may have gotten a few stories again with just this pairing but it wasn't to be. After a shaky end to that aforementioned story, I'm glad that the pair ended on a high. I thought the setting and focus on the S.S. Batavia was great and I found the shifts in timezone from 1942 and 2008 very intriguing. I liked the format with the story simultaneously taking place in both periods with Charley having found her way back into the past. The 2008 setting featuring an elderly Charley was quite surprising to say the least and I loved the Doctor's reaction to meeting her. I was intrigued that she had no memory of the Doctor but the revelation that she was actually Madeleine was brilliant and unexpected. It did make sense though and I was very glad that when the Doctor found himself back in 1942, things led up to the events we had already listened to. The inclusion of the Cybermen was terrific and I liked how Charley used her experience of meeting them in Sword of Orion to her advantage. I thought the voices were interesting though as they sounded more reminiscent of the Mondasian Cybermen from The Tenth Planet rather than the design that came with The Invasion. I thought it was fantastic that the Cyber Planner featured and the way Charley took on the role as Cyber Leader was very good. The way their involvement and the fact they came from the year 500,002 was integrated into the story was very good and I liked how they had a complete disregard for changing history by converting humanity's past into their own kind. Byron was a brilliant character and his involvement in both timezones was terrific. He made a good villain and his greedy intentions were exactly what you would expect of someone with his personality. The ship containing gold was good and I like how that can be utilised as the Cybermen's obvious weakness. Paul McGann was outstanding yet again as the Eighth Doctor and I am now very excited to be in a position to listen to the Eighth Doctor Adventures. I have been waiting a very long time for those! The Doctor's relationship with Charley was wonderful and I loved hearing how much he cared for. After sinking the ship and the Cybermen with it, I thought the way he left Charley because of the HADS was very emotional but I found the post-credits scene with Charley's memoirs mightily intriguing. It seems she was reunited with an earlier Doctor given the noise the TARDIS doors made when they opened but just how that is possible will be answered on another day. For now, it seems the girl who shouldn't have been has not finished having her adventures but her time with the Eighth Doctor is sadly up. I have loved her as a companion with the Eighth Doctor and I look forward to her future adventures. They have been one of my very favourite pairings and I'm glad their run together finished on a high. Overall, a fantastic audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10

The Clockwise War Part 6

"Your hands are red and dripping."

Writer: Scott Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 23rd August 2018
Printed in: DWM 529

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

Fey Truscott-Sade cannot be stopped and she is on a mission to destroy the Doctor and the Time Lords. The Doctor cannot stand alone and has called upon his own people. But with the might of the Clockwise Men backing Fey and her deranged nephew, will the Doctor's alliance be enough to save Gallifrey?

Verdict

The Clockwise War continued in decent fashion with this sixth part and things are certainly taking their time and with the arrival of the Thirteenth Doctor, I do hope things come to a close quickly. This is now the longest comic strip story I have read with only being able to do each part every month and I think making a story more than six parts is just a little too long to be honest. Thankfully, the comic strip is very good though! Now, I haven't read any of the magazine this month but I am once again very impressed with the subscriber exclusive cover with new companions Yasmin and Ryan featuring before they have even debuted. I'm looking forward to their feature in the magazine this month and it'll be great to get some insight on the making of Series 11. Speaking of which, the detailed feature on the writers for the upcoming series should be very good and helpful in seeing what potentially is in store for our brand new Doctor. I'm excited by that and I've caught a glimpse of the editor's column this month and I'm intrigued to read the comments about the new Time Team. That should be very interesting given the backlash that was received. Lisa Bowerman is another good candidate for the Out of the TARDIS feature and I'm also looking forward to Hide being the subject of the Fact of Fiction this month as I think that's quite an underrated episode in the Eleventh Doctor's era. The Harper's Bizarre and Ice Magic segments should also be good reads but I must admit I'm surprised to see the Cosplay feature remaining a monthly thing. Surely it can't be of use to much of the magazine's readership? I do hope it is shunned soon. Anyway, back to the comic strip itself and it was good to get some development on Alexander Truscott and his connection with the Clockwise Men. Fey having given him the ability to use some shadow energies was intriguing but I found the idea of all the CCTV cameras actually being parts of Shayde hugely shocking. I'm looking forward to seeing how he will be used but Alexander wanting to destroy the Time Lords after realising how small he was in the universe was a little baffling. He did learn of the Time War though so that probably explains his motives. The characterisation of the Twelfth Doctor was fantastic in this comic strip and I loved it when he knew that General Kenossium was present with Reeves and |Totika close behind. The latter pair's reaction to 2018 London was terrific but just what use they'll be to the Doctor remains unknown. I thought the cliffhanger was good with Fey preparing a war against the Time Lords, seemingly with an army of all those that have been done wrong by them. The Doctor won't allow it to happen though and if his reaction to finding out that it was Alexander who set Fey slightly deranged is anything to go by, it could be quite an explosive conclusion! Overall, a good continuation.

The Glorious Revolution

"To sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of kings."

Writer: Jonathan Morris
Format: Audio
Released: August 2009
Series: Companion Chronicles 4.02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

After years as a companion to the Second Doctor, Jamie McCrimmon was returned to his own wolrd and his own time, and his memories of his travels were erased. Until now.

A visitor from beyond the stars needs to explore Jamie's past, and discover what went wrong. What happened in the year 1688, when the TARDIS landed in London, and the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe were welcomed into the court of King James II.

It was the year of the Glorious Revolution. And the birth of a whole new history...

Verdict

The Glorious Revolution was an excellent audio adventure! This was definitely one of my favourite Companion Chronicles to date and whilst it didn't quite secure full marks, there aren't many that have in this range. I thought the concept was fantastic and the idea of a Time Lord from the CIA encountering Jamie some four decades or so after the events of The Highlanders was great. There was apparently a time in history where the intervention of the Doctor and his companions had caused a fluctuation in Earth's timeline and I loved that this occurred in the lead up to the Glorious Revolution. This is a period of history I have studied in a little depth at university so it was good to hear the Doctor and Jamie explaining the historical facts to Zoe who wasn't quite caught up on her history of this time. I loved how Jamie, being Scottish, argued that the Glorious Revolution didn't deserve the name it is now known by and whilst that was the title given because there were minimal casualties, Jamie simply stated that its happenings were only glorious for England. As a Welshman and supporter of Plaid Cymru, I could fully sympathise and appreciated his perspective greatly. This was the first time Jamie had gone into his own personal past so he wasn't quite sure of the ramifications if he altered history but he was absolutely determined for King James to go on fighting and not give up the throne to William and Mary. The way he persuaded James not to run away was actually brilliant but the reaction of the Doctor was equally as good. You could tell he sympathised with Jamie's point of view because of who he was fighting for when he first met him but he had to explain that if he changed history, Jamie would be changing himself. As illustrated by the Time Lord visitor, Jamie would have changed events so that he never would have met the Doctor in the first place. I was very intrigued that the Time Lord so easily gave Jamie his memory back but it was a good way to get around the ending of The War Games. I was honestly stunned by Jamie's declining of the offer to have his memory restored though. I didn't think would have been his answer. Frazier Hines was superb once again with his effortlessly sublime impression of Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor and I liked how Zoe, with the absence of Wendy Padbury, was written into quite a minimal role. The second part had a bit more action which was good and I liked the methods used by Jamie and the Doctor to set history back on its natural course. Overall, this was an excellent audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10

Mission of the Viyrans

"You are patient zero."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs
Format: Audio
Released: November 2007
Series: Main Range 102b

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

The Doctor and Peri take a holiday on the planet Gralista Social, but soon discover they aren't the only time-travelling aliens in town.

Verdict

Mission of the Viyrans was a decent story to conclude the 102nd release from Big Finish's Main Range and finally sees the three-part/one-part format of releases come to a much needed end. It seems weird to me that when trying something new, Big Finish did so in such quick quantity and I think they should have just tested the grounds first instead of the majority of the past ten or so releases being in this format. I haven't liked it despite the quality of story that has accompanied it and I'll now be very glad for it to come to a close. This story was a little bit of a weird one and I thought it was quite intriguing for the story to alternate between the time frames in which things occurred. There was the arrival of the TARDIS which we heard around halfway through the story and I liked the comments about the name of Gralista Social, the planet on which they had arrived. The Doctor didn't actually feature that much but he was once again suffering from something of a memory loss and he was quite sure that the party he and Peri had attended the previous night had actually been somewhat later than that. Peri was the firm focus of this story as she was the one that had been infected by the virus that she thought was actually just a fly. The Doctor disregarded it but that would prove to be quite fatal. The Viyrans were an interesting race and I thought the post-credits scene was very good in explaining just why the Viyrans were experimenting on Peri and her memory. If it hadn't been for that scene, I think the story would have got a slightly lower rating, but thankfully that somewhat saved things. The idea of the Viyrans being a race concerned with covering up their mistakes and eradicating any of the memory that came with it was pretty good but I thought their methods were a little boring. For a Doctor Who story, it needed a bit more oomph and action but I did think the dialogue between the Viyrans and Peri was good. I was quite surprised by this story seemingly taking place after the departure of Erimem, which was hinted at in The Mind's Eye, and Peri was certainly feeling the effects of it. I look forward to hearing her departure and it seems that it is quite imminent. Overall, a decent story!

Rating: 7/10

The Mind's Eye

"Do not joke about the Doctor."

Writer: Colin Brake
Format: Audio
Released: November 2007
Series: Main Range 102

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Peri, Erimem

Synopsis

This is a warning to all space farers. You must keep away from this planet. It's hostile, repeat, hostile.

On a planet with no name, the Doctor finds himself confronted by a faulty memory and some killer plants.

In a distant galaxy, Erimem leads a troubled empire.

Back on Earth, Peri tells her son about the good old days when she used to travel with a man called The Doctor.

Verdict

The Mind's Eye was a great audio adventure and I believe it sees the end of the format of releases being one three-part story and one one-part story. Hurrah! I haven't been a fan of this experiment in style but I'm glad that it seems to be going out with a bang as this was a very good little adventure. I actually thought that the three-part format worked perfectly and I was actually struggling to think how this would work if it was extended. The length was actually perfect which was a nice surprise. It started off very intriguingly and it had the Doctor, Peri and Erimem all in unfamiliar surroundings with none of them seemingly close to the other. The Doctor had apparently forgotten who he was. Peri had her own family. Erimem was a queen. It was quite a contrast to the truth and I was a big fan of how long it was before we realised that they were all in a dream. It was never certain that what they were experiencing was not real and I thought that was very good. Peter Davison gave another assured performance as the Fifth Doctor and I have to say I think he works better with this pair of companions than any number of those earlier in his incarnation. There's just something about this trio that clicks so I was sad to hear that Erimem is thinking of going home. I do hope that it is just a passing thought and she has no true intention of leaving the TARDIS. With regards to that, it seems I will get my answer in the next story in which she features which is something at least. I thought it was great how the Doctor entered Erimem's dream and saw that she was now Queen of New Cairo. His reaction to that was brilliant. The emotional torment Peri underwent when the Doctor was desperately trying to get her out of dreaming was excellent and the thought of being told that your husband and child aren't real is quite incomprehensible. I just can't imagine how she must have been feeling so her attitude in the TARDIS at the conclusion seemed perfectly warranted. Hayton was a fantastic character and quite a sadistic professor. Owen Teale played him perfectly and his experimentation with the Jekylls and Kyropites were ghastly. The continued use of the word tendrils seemed chilling to me and the concept of them being wrapped around you as you were dreaming was quite horrifying! Takol was also a very good character and I found it quite interesting how, with her being the major, she was called sir and not madam. The conclusion was well done and I thought the overall pace of the story was very good with a lot of suspense and action. Overall, a very good audio! 

Rating: 8/10

The Curse of Peladon

"Death shall walk in the land of Peladon."

Writer: Brian Hayles
Format: TV
Broadcast:
Season: 9.02

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

Taking a test flight in the TARDIS, the Doctor and Jo make an inelegant landing on the planet Peladon. Mistaken for representatives from Earth, the Doctor soon finds himself chairing the committee of alien delegates assessing Peladon's petition to join the Galactic Federation. When one of the King's advisers is killed, the High Priest fears the the ancient Curse of Aggedor is at work, but the Doctor suspects his old enemies the Ice Warriors are to blame. Can the Doctor and Jo uncover the identity of the saboteurs before a major diplomatic incident plunges them into war?

Verdict

The Curse of Peladon was a very good serial! It saw the Third Doctor in a rare visit to another planet during his exile which must have been quite refreshing for viewers at the time and it also saw the return of the Ice Warriors for the first time since the series colourisation. That must have been quite a treat at the time but the Martian natives were acting a little differently to the two times they had appeared previously with the Second Doctor. Now, the first time I watched this story around six years ago, I wasn't a fan of the Ice Lord and Warrior not having evil intentions. But since then, I have garnered quite a few Ice Warrior stories under my belt and have come to accept that not all of the species are evil. So I didn't mind at all in this story and actually found it quite an interesting dynamic. The Galactic Federation is a terrific idea and I thought the delegates on Peladon for this adventure were great. Izlyr and Ssorg were fantastic and I liked how the past of their species presented a threat, especially once death occurred on Peladon. I thought King Peladon himself was fantastic throughout and I liked how he was ushering in a new era on the planet. The relationship he shared with Jo was wonderful and it must have been quite difficult for him to have her decline his requests of marriage and to stay once Hepesh had been dealt with. He made an interesting enemy and whilst his stubbornness in sticking to the historical principles of Peladon made him a prime candidate for not wanting the planet to join the Galactic Federation, it never quite seemed likely that he was the culprit. I really liked the arrival of the Doctor and Jo and the way they quickly took on the role of the Earth ambassadors was very good. The scene at the story's close with the real delegate arriving was very humorous. The Doctor's referencing of The Seeds of Death was delightful but I loved how the resolution to part one's cliffhanger saw him save the life of an Ice Lord. How things can change. Aggedor was an intriguing legend but once we met the actual beast, he didn't seem so frightening at the mercy of the Doctor's lullaby. The trial by combat was an exciting affair but unfortunately it was so obvious that the actor in the scenes from above was a stunt double. Still, the way it led to the true intentions of Hepesh was very good. Alpha Centauri was as great as remembered and I loved how she was almost forced into making the decision unanimous and support King Peladon. Grun was another good character and I liked how the Doctor was nice to him. The realisation at the story's conclusion that it was probably the doing of the Time Lords for the TARDIS to have come to Peladon in the first place was fantastic and just typical of this era. Overall, a great adventure!

Rating: 8/10

Shockwave

"These worlds are going to burn..."

Writer: James Swallow
Format: Audio
Released: July 2013
Series: Destiny of the Doctor 07

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

In the far future, the inhabitants of Tarsus Six face a desperate struggle to evacuate their world before their sun, Tarsus Ultra, collapses into a cataclysmic spatial anomaly.

When the Doctor navigates the TARDIS to a space station orbiting Tarsus Six, Ace assumes that he intends to offer their assistance. But it soon becomes clear that the Doctor has an agenda of his own.

With the TARDIS immobilised, Ace realises that their own lives are as much in danger as those of the fleeing inhabitants. The race is on to escape the destruction of Tarsus Six and the devastating shockwave that will follow, reaching out and destroying everything in its wake.

Verdict

Shockwave was another great audio adventure in the Destiny of the Doctor series to celebrate the show's 50th anniversary. There was considerable development in the overarching story with the Eleventh Doctor finding a unique way to contact his predecessor in his seventh incarnation. As well as that though, we had a good story in its own right and I thought Sophie Aldred did a tremendous job narrating. Her impression of the Seventh Doctor was surprisingly excellent and she really did manage to capture all the quirks and tones of Sylvester McCoy's voice which was a real treat. The 45th century setting worked well and I liked the concept of a world coming to its end. That was the fate that had befallen Tarsus Six but I was quite shocked by the Doctor's revelation that the reason they had come was to rob a bank. He didn't seem too interested in the fact that a world was going to disintegrate and many people would lose their lives which is uncharacteristic of our Time Lord hero. Ace showed her disapproval very well and I thought she was terrific throughout the audio. Her relationship with NineJay was really good but the way it was revealed that she had been responsible for preventing the ship from escaping the clutches of Tarsus Ultra. The concept of the Senders was intriguing but as an atheist, I couldn't help but find the whole concept laughable and just plain stupid. I just can't comprehend how intelligent people could believe they would ascend into spiritual life and be at one with the universe. However, that belief turned out to be crucial for the Doctor and his future as she transferred places with OhOne and saved the ship from the clutches of the expanding sun. The Voice of Stone was very good and I liked how it turned out to be a Time Lord hypercube. I've loved them ever since they're first appearance in The War Games and for this one to contain a hologram of the Eleventh Doctor was great. He had his instructions and they were carried out and I thought it was good that Ace immediately knew that he was a future incarnation of the Doctor. His comments that the Seventh Doctor should treat Ace better were excellent too. I thought the pace of the story was very good and the way the shockwave differed throughout, from impending doom to delayed destruction, was very good. The hasty goodbye to OhOne was a little surprising given that the Eleventh Doctor had instructed that he get home safely but his reaction to the TARDIS dematerialising was wonderful. Overall, this was another very good audio adventure!

Rating: 8/10

The Return of Doctor Mysterio

"With great power comes great responsibility."

Writer: Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 25th December 2016
Series: 2016 Christmas Special

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Nardole

Synopsis

In New York, with brain-swapping aliens poised to attack, the Doctor and Nardole link up with an investigative reporter and a mysterious masked superhero known only as the Ghost. Can the Doctor save Manhattan? And what will be revealed when we see behind the mask?

Verdict

The Return of Doctor Mysterio was a fantastic Christmas Special! It was fun, exciting and saw Doctor Who's take on a superhero adventure. I thought it was very well done and was just an enjoyable and relaxing watch and there wasn't really much more that could be asked of it. I watched this with my girlfriend who has only seen a couple of Peter Capaldi's episodes and whilst she isn't his biggest fan (she just misses Matt Smith), she did enjoy this story quite a lot. She was laughing at the humour that often comes with a Christmas episode and she certainly approved of the Doctor's eating of sushi. I thought the line about Pokemon was excellent again and I liked how quirky the Twelfth Doctor was. This was the first episode I have watched with him since his regeneration and I thought he was great. Pairing him with Nardole was intriguing and humorous and I did enjoy the comedic element he brought to the story. The effects of The Husbands of River Song were still quite clearly being felt here with the Doctor missing River Song after a 24-year night spent with her but now he's moved on and he'd rescued Nardole to keep him company. Doctor Who doing a superhero story is brilliant and I thought the Ghost was terrific. I liked how the Doctor was responsible for Grant gaining his superpowers and the way in which young Grant revealed he thought the gemstone was medicine was wonderful. To him, the logic of the Doctor calling himself just that and him suffering from a cold was superb. It was a lovely moment. The x-ray vision scenes were perhaps not needed but some proportion of the audience may have found it funny. I didn't mind it but I didn't think it was necessary. Lucy was a lovely character and the way she realised that she had feelings for Grant was great. He was her nanny but little did she know that he was also the famed Ghost and she was so close to finding out on a number of occasions. The Doctor looking on at their relationship was fantastic and a real highlight of the story for me. Harmony Shoal were a good enemy and their disturbing unzipping of their heads was quite grotesque. The moment the brain opened its eyes was also horrifying and I liked that. The way the Doctor went about stopping them was good but I was agreeing with him when he stated that their plan was a good one. It was in fact brilliant and something I really enjoyed. The way that New York was devised as the only non-capital was also very clever and served its purpose well. Overall though, an excellent episode!

Rating: 9/10

Absolution

"Our blood is on your hands."

Writer: Scott Alan Woodard
Format: Audio
Released: October 2007
Series: Main Range 101

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley, C'rizz

Synopsis

Confession. Penance. Absolution.

The TARDIS breaks down in a forbidden sector of space. Ghostly voices cry out for salvation and only C'rizz, the Doctor's Eutermesan companion, can answer their call - for only he knows the secret of the Absolver. But will he use it to rescue his friends or save the universe?

The Doctor's sins are catching up with him and the infernal beast Borarus is hungry. Time is running out and Judgement Day is at hand.

Welcome to Hell.

Verdict

Absolution was a fantastic audio adventure and it perfectly portrayed the beauty of the audio format as everything is up for grabs and just about anything can happen. This story saw C'rizz depart the TARDIS in quite shocking style as he would actually die and it left things quite sour between Charley and the Doctor and I'm not quite sure how things have been left for the future. I loved the idea of the TARDIS entering a forbidden sector of space and the confusion of how it got through the trespassing barrier was very good. C'rizz has always been something of a mystery and there have been numerous hints that he is something more than appears ever since The Creed of the Kromon. That was soon realised here and I was quite shocked by what happened once Charley opened the absolver. It contained the souls of all those who were dead at the hands of C'rizz and the concept of somebody with death on their hands travelling with the Doctor just doesn't seem right. It's shocking to think but the Doctor had no idea. I was quite intrigued though to see that he wasn't all that surprised and quickly adapted to the new situation concerning his Eutermesan companion. The religious theme was actually superb and I liked how C'rizz was a member of the Church of the Foundation. Tying this in with the Citadel was a good match and his relationship with Aboresh was most interesting. He figured that C'rizz could do a lot if given the right tools and the use of mental powers in this audio was at the maximum. I liked the concept of Hell being present on just about every society and the Doctor's comment about them all rooting from here was quite similar to my recent viewing of State of Decay and the spreading of the vampire legends. Cacothis was a decent character and his disagreements with Aboresh were really good. Aboresh was convinced that if C'rizz was left in the Divergent Universe then he would have become a god and I was quite impressed with how much he knew. The way the psychic powers reconfigured the TARDIS was also a shock and I thought the part one cliffhanger was superb. The prophecy concerning Borarus was very clever and I was surprised to find that it was C'rizz who would be the one making a sacrifice. The way he wanted to protect the Doctor and Charley once in his true form was quite commendable but I found the revelation concerning him and the aim of the Eutermesans very surprising and rather horrific. Which was good. The ending was extremely emotional and Charley was distraught by what she witnessed as her friend turned to dust right in front of her and the Doctor. He didn't seem effected though and that deeply hurt her and she let her intentions to leave known. Things are quite precarious from here on in. Overall though, an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

"It does seem to have come from a fairy tale. It nearly killed us!"

Writer: Christopher Bulis
Format: Novel
Released: July 1995
Series: Missing Adventures 12

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

'There's no such thing as magic,' the Doctor said.

But the land of Elbyon might just prove him to be wrong. It is a place, populated by creatures of fantasy, where myth and legend rule. Elves and dwarves live in harmony with mankind, wizards wield arcane powers and armoured knights battle monstrous dragons.

Yet it seems that Elbyon has secrets to hide. The TARDIS crew find a relic from the thirtieth century hidden in the woods. Whose sinister manipulations are threatening the stability of a once peaceful land? And what part does the planet play in a conflict that may save an Empire. yet doom a galaxy?

To solve these puzzles, and save his companions, the Doctor must learn to use the sorcery whose very existence he doubts.

Verdict

The Sorcerer's Apprentice was a great little novel! I really loved the fantasy and mythical theme and I also thought the story fitted in perfectly with its era. Writing for the very first TARDIS team must be such a difficult task because the quartet at this point had only experienced four adventures together and weren't exactly experienced with all things time travel. Even the Doctor is a relative rookie and it's quite uncharted territory compared to what we're used to. But one of this book's highlights was that the era was perfectly captured and the characterisation of all four regular characters was brilliant throughout. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between the Doctor and Ian as that was replicated in prose tremendously well. I loved the idea of a dragon chasing the quartet and the Doctor's refusal to believe in magic was fantastic. He firmly believed that everything had a scientific explanation and in the end he was proven right, much to his pleasure. Gramling was a very good character and I liked how we learned of his history with Dahl. The revelation at the close of chapter 24 where Gramling received the power of the Helm only for it to be revealed that he had been under Dahl's control the whole time was a really unexpected moment but one that certainly put a smile on my face. I wasn't expecting a plot twist of that significance that late in the book so it was a real treat. Susan and Mellisa enjoyed a good relationship and I liked how the latter was amazed by the former's ability to conjure up her own magic to try and escape from the cell. Barbara had a tumultuous time once she was leered away from civilisation by Dahl but her finding comfort and safety in Anni and actually riding a broomstick with the witch was quite an image painted in my head. I thought this book was going to be something special at first but I think the reason it didn't quite achieve an extremely high rating is how quick the Empire's forces featured. If there was a little more time leaving us wondering what was going on with Elbyon I think things would have had more of an impact. Dahl's manipulation of the skyboats was good but once Shannon and co finally got to the surface, the battle for the Helm was very good. The power it held was still unknown but its importance was vital. Komati's failure to do her duty was admirable and I liked how she had compassion for the people of Elbyon. Sir Bron and Odoyle were great characters and real highlights in the book, especially with the latter's role in the final battle. I liked how there was no religion on the planet and Barbara was quick to discover that and her role in realising that the cephlies were actually natives of the planet was excellent. The Doctor had already worked out and they'd be crucial to ridding the world of the nanobots that were preventing them from entering the TARDIS. The way Ian got the Helm onto one was good but it was certainly not what I expected. After a final mental battle between Dahl and Gramling, everything was just about tied up but it wasn't absent of casualties which were quite heartfelt. The way the TARDIS team were reunited was good and I thought the pace of the whole book was great. I liked that the royals didn't feature too prominently and the way the Empire was left was also good. Overall, a lovely little read that was a fantastic addition to the era.

Rating: 8/10

Warriors' Gate

"Nowhere to go and no way of getting there."

Writer: Steve Gallagher
Format: TV
Broadcast: 3rd-24th January 1981
Series: 18.05

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, Adric, K9

Synopsis

Still lost in E-Space, the TARDIS is hijacked by a time-sensitive creature. It brings the Doctor, Romana, Adric and K-9 to a crumbling ruin in a lonely white void, where another ship is also stranded and in trouble. Will the TARDIS and its crew ever escape this strange otherworld? The answer lies inside the Gateway, but as the Doctor is about to discover, not everyone wants to go home...

Verdict

Warriors' Gate was a great serial and a very good way to conclude what has been a terrific E-Space trilogy. A venture into an alternative universe would always be interesting and things didn't disappoint with the three tales that I have recently blogged. Sadly, I won't be continuing with the rest of Season 18 despite the next serial being one of my all time favourites but for now it's been terrific to watch three consecutive stories with the same Doctor. Tom Baker was on stellar form once again as the Fourth Doctor and he never seems to fail with his quirkiness and eccentricity but plays it perfectly with the level of seriousness you would expect of the character. Romana was also terrific once again and this proved to be quite a fitting finale for the companion I (probably) consider to be my favourite. I thought her departure was a little hasty and I perhaps would have liked for her and the Doctor to get a longer goodbye but with E-Space collapsing, it didn't seem like that was possible which was good for this story specifically. Adric was decent once again despite not doing too much and I often forget how un-annoying he was during his time with the Fourth Doctor. Biroc was a fantastic character and I thought his development throughout the story was actually quite spectacular. He started off as merely being enslaved to navigate but ended up being with Romana and K9 as they set off on a mission to free the rest of the Tharils from the planets on which they were enslaved. I liked the concept of the Gateway and hearing of its history was very good. The relationship the Doctor and Biroc garnered was good and I thought the usage of time winds and particularly both sides of the mirrors was very good. I quite enjoyed how the Doctor kept appearing in random places, not often of his own volition. Rorvik made a good villain and he and his crew's complete disregard for the Thorvils was actually quite atrocious. They couldn't care less that they were living and just hoped to use them to get back to N-Space. The concept of zero coordinates was very clever and something I really liked but the prospect of going home for Romana wasn't appealing. Once the Doctor couldn't prevent Rorvik from committing total disaster, her decision to remain in E-Space was hasty and quite saddening. She would obviously be wonderful along with K9 though. The Doctor acknowledging that was lovely to hear and I thought it was good and quite right that he and Romana stayed and helped the Thorvils from being enslaved. Adric didn't quite want that at the start but he came around and seemed to understand. Overall, a fantastic little serial!

Rating: 8/10

State of Decay

"Now is the time of our feast."

Writer: Terrance Dicks
Format: TV
Broadcast: 22nd November-13th December 1980
Series: 18.04

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, Adric, K9

Synopsis

The Doctor, Romana and K-9 are trapped in E-Space, a strange alternative universe. They are unable to find an escape, and do not realise that a young boy called Adric has stowed away aboard the TARDIS. Arriving on a primitive planet where the local inhabitants fear the Three Who Rule, they soon find themselves facing a hideous creature from Time Lord legends. Long thought dead, the Doctor must confront a blood-sucking monster that is very much alive.

Verdict

State of Decay was a very good continuation of the E-Space trilogy but a great adventure in its own right. I really like the Gothic theme and the atmosphere throughout was excellent. It had a terrifically eerie feel and the concept of doing a vampire story in Doctor Who was tackled fantastically by the great Terrance Dicks. With how much of his Target novelisations I have blogged, I often forget that he wrote on screen as well but one thing I do wish this story did was leave things away from N-Space. I didn't think that the peasants needed to have come from Earth and with them trying to sell how rare a CVE was, there were an awful lot of things that had arrived to E-Space in that way. Anyway, the story as a whole was still very good but when you have the pairing of the Fourth Doctor and Romana II, it's kind of a given. They were once again marvellous together and Lalla Ward continues to impress with her eccentric attires. She fits the era perfectly. I liked Adric once again in this adventure and I thought it was good that the Doctor and Romana didn't know of his stowing away until the third part. The Three Who Rule were very good villains and I liked that they also had quite a significant backstory. It seemed like they were merely the descendants of the pilots who crashed the ship generations ago. I was quite surprised by how quickly the Doctor deduced that the Three Who Rule were actually the same people who arrived all those years ago and it seemed now that the Great One had had a hold on them quite tightly. The legend of the vampire is a brilliant one and the idea of them having battled with the Time Lords and being devastatingly defeated was terrific. It was nice to get some Gallifreyan history and I liked how the one that survived was the King Vampire. One thing I thought was impressive about this story was that the threat and fear of the Great One was all that was required. We didn't need to see him but I did like that we got a glimpse of a giant hand as it told so much. It showed the scale of the creature and it also showed that it was real. I thought Kalmar was a lovely character and his interest in science meant he enjoyed a good relationship with the Doctor. Adric and Romana got on pleasantly which was good and I thought the ending was pretty decent. It was quite action-packed which I like and the Three Who Rule were painfully relieved of the Great One's clutches as the ship destroyed it. Overall, I thought it was a great serial!

Rating: 8/10

Full Circle

"You accuse us of wilful procrastination?"

Writer: Andrew Smith
Format: TV
Broadcast: 25th October-15th November 1980
Season: 18.03

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II, Adric, K9

Synopsis

Attempting to return home to Gallifrey, the Doctor, Romana and K-9 find themselves on the planet Alzarius. As the local inhabitants retreat in terror to their marooned spacecraft, the Doctor sets out to investigate, and a group of young rebels take Romana hostage in the TARDIS. Besieged by the reptilian creatures rising from the marshes, the colonists on the Starliner face a bleak future without the Doctor's help. Can he uncover the dark truth about Mistfall before it is too late?

Verdict

Full Circle was an outstanding serial and a wonderful way to begin the E-Space trilogy! I honestly do think this is the most underrated story of the entire Classic era of Doctor Who as it really is quite superb from start to finish. I've watched it three times now and my opinion has not altered, despite a six-year gap between viewings. The story is obviously helped by the incredible pairing of the Fourth Doctor and Romana II, probably the best TARDIS team of them all when you throw in K9 as well, but everything just works perfectly. It's a fantastic introduction for Adric and we know immediately that he's different and alien. He's a mathematical genius but he's also Alzarian and heals tremendously quick. The way the TARDIS entered the CVE and encountered E-Space was very good and this story's quality was visual in my viewing as my ten-year old cousin was glued to the screen. I thought the cliffhangers were all brilliant and I loved the camera work for the emergence of the Marshmen. They looked really good and were full of intrigue which is always a big plus in my book. The societal structure of Alzarius was good and I liked how there was a distinct hierarchy. The Deciders were very good and the Doctor soon got in their good books after intruding the starliner. He has a knack of doing that and I don't think it works any better than with Tom Baker's fourth incarnation. He was on stellar form as per usual. Romana had a different role than she's used to in this story and spent most of the first half in the TARDIS trying to work out why they hadn't arrived on Gallifrey. Her reaction to being summoned and the prospect of missing out on travelling with the Doctor was marvellous and made me love her even more as a companion. She really is quite magnificent. The title's story is lovely and the slow build to its realisation being revealed was magnificent. The Doctor simply revealed that the chromosomal makeup of the spiders, Marshmen and Alzarians was from the same cells. The evolutionary cycle on this planet was quite unique and things really had come full circle which was tremendous. I loved it. K9 getting his head bashed off was quite a shock and I liked how the Marshmen grew in stature when it came to their aggressive capabilities. It didn't seem like they would be too threatening at the start but once one made a connection with Romana things changed drastically. The way the Doctor sorted things was actually quite calm but I was a little surprised by some of the casualties, most notably Varsh. The ambiguity surrounding Adric at the story's conclusion was good and I liked the humour with the Doctor telling the Deciders that all they needed to do was push the green button and they would be safe. Overall, a stunning serial!

Rating: 10/10

Trouble in Paradise

"The Devil is waiting to snatch us off the edge of the world."

Writer: Nev Fountain
Format: Audio
Released: June 2013
Series: Destiny of the Doctor 06

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Peri

Synopsis

Responding to a desperate summons from his future self, the Doctor and Peri find themselves on a sailing ship in 1492, where the crewmen are gripped by superstitious fear.

They say the Devils walks among them, stalking and striking them down. Even though they have landed in paradise, they fear that 'El Diablo' himself will drag them over the edge of the world and into the depths of Hell.

When the Doctor and Peri meet the captain of the ship, they both discover that heroes can sometimes behave unheroically. Peri's reaction leads her into deep water, and soon the Doctor fears not only for her life but also for the existence of the ship, the paradise island, and the universe itself...

Verdict

Trouble in Paradise was another very good audio in the Destiny of the Doctor series. I've now surpassed the halfway mark and we got the biggest glimpse yet as to what the 'destiny' that bestows the Doctor could actually involve. With all the cameo appearances of the Eleventh Doctor in the stories thus far, it's obviously something quite big for him to go chasing back through his personal timeline but it's a tremendous idea and I have really enjoyed the subtlety of his appearances thus far. However, that all changed in this adventure as the Eleventh Doctor was delighted to have sent a message back to the Sixth Doctor - the one whose coat he so dearly admired. I thought that was terrific writing and a full meeting between these two incarnations of the Doctor would really be quite wonderful. The Sixth Doctor being sent on a dangerous mission by his future self was a lovely basis and I liked how he wound up meeting Christopher Columbus. One thing I did not expect though was how displeased Peri was to be in his presence. He's obviously renowned for his discovery skills in locating America but the Doctor's companion put up a wonderful fight against why he shouldn't be revered for all he did to the indigenous population and his contributions to slavery. She was exactly right of course and the Doctor didn't know quite what to make of her outburst which was a real delight. I thought the relationship between the Sixth Doctor and Peri was decent but the one thing I didn't like about this story was the extent to which Peri stormed off following the Doctor's refusal to help a slave infected with TB because of the effect it would have on history. Surely she would understand that using futuristic science and medicine could have a disastrous effect on evolution? It seemed weird to me and a little uncharacteristic of her. The 15th century setting on board a ship was fantastic and I liked how the Doctor managed to lose both the omniparadox that the Eleventh Doctor required as well as the TARDIS key. To a goat. Neddy provided some humour to the story which is always good and I liked how he was in the TARDIS as the story concluded. The Bovine were a weird bunch and their resemblances to buffalo sounded quite intriguing. Their plan was flawed despite its logic and I liked how the Doctor realised they couldn't see that the Europeans would still wipe them out despite already having furs and meat. The destruction of the time element was good and whilst the ending was a tad abrupt, I thought the story as a whole worked really well. Overall, another very good audio!

Rating: 8/10

The Stealers of Dreams

"The toys were all sealed up and forgotten."

Writer: Steve Lyons
Format: Novel
Released: September 2005
Series: NSA 06

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack

Synopsis

In the far future, the Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack find a world on which fiction has been outlawed. A world where it's a crime to tell stories, a crime to lie, a crime to hope, and a crime to dream.

But now somebody is challenging the status quo. A pirate TV station urges people to fight back. And the Doctor wants to help - until he sees how easily dreams can turn into nightmares.

With one of his companions stalked by shadows and the other committed to an asylum, the Doctor is forced to admit that fiction can be dangerous after all. Though perhaps it is not as deadly as the truth...

Verdict

The Stealers of Dreams was an outstanding novel and a great way to bring the Ninth Doctor novels to an end. It was magical from start to finish and it was an absolute joy to watch from start to finish. The idea of fiction being banned and illegal was quite something but seeing the extent to which it was feared on this futuristic Earth colony was incredible. People found the whole idea of a book club or trading comic strips ghastly and that was really intriguing. It just doesn't work in my head to think of a world without stories! This blog certainly wouldn't be a thing and it was just barmy to think of fiction as a negative. People use it as an escapism but for me it's just entertainment and I would hate for it to be taken away. The characterisation of the Ninth Doctor was very good and I was rather impressed with the way in which the feel of Series 1 was captured in the novel. It fitted in perfectly with the era and I liked how it was clearly set after Boom Town with Jackie humorously mentioning how Rose had recently been in Cardiff. I thought the way she suffered from the fantasy crazy was really interesting and the moment we realised that the Doctor wasn't really with her was wonderful and a big surprise. The character of Hal Gryden was brilliant and I thought it was interesting how, by about page 200, he hadn't actually featured yet but it was soon revealed by the Doctor that he didn't exist at all. He seemed like he had known all along which was fantastic but the calmness in how he revealed the information was great. Captain Jack had a very good novel and his relationship with the tramp was excellent, especially when he revealed himself to be Hal Gryden. The way in which it was revealed he wasn't actually Gryden was even better though with Jack stranded in an empty studio at the mercy of the police. The references to Rose, Aliens of London/World War Three and The Long Game were lovely and I liked how Rose needed to hear the full name of the Mighty Jagrafess to convince herself that Jack was real. The pace of the story was fast which was good and I liked how quickly Jack was able to gain a reputation of being a storyteller. His shark story was particularly funny. Domnic was a lovely character and I thought his relationship with Rose was really nice. His reaction to being asked by the Doctor to help him was also terrific and I liked how he got to see the TARDIS take off at the story's conclusion. Waller was one of the story's highlights and I thought her relationship with the Doctor was superb. I loved how he convinced her to allow him to accompany her with his documentary story and that got him into the Big White House which was crucial to the adventure's action-packed and fantastic conclusion. There was quite the standoff after Jack heroically saved Rose but one revelation that didn't do much for the story but was wonderful was the reveal that Waller was actually Kimmi who appeared in the book's prologue. Her past was intriguing and it told us a lot about her current position in society. The way the Doctor saved the day and took on the mantra of Hal Gryden was outstanding and the way that linked with the micro-organisms and the sides of the brain with them remembering rather than imagining was sublime. I absolutely loved it and the recap resolution with it being revealed that Waller was simply living her dream and her vidcom was broke was excellent. I loved pretty much everything about this book and it was definitely the best of the Ninth Doctor's novels thus far.

Rating: 10/10

The Clockwise War Part 5

"I held him in my arms as you watched us both die."

Writer: Scott Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 26th July 2018
Printed in: DWM 528

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

The Twelfth Doctor makes it his mission to find Fey Truscott-Sade and put an end to her vendetta against him. Through Peter Pan, he takes a voyage to the Dreamscape and learns just why she is doing this. And the Absence is revealed...

Verdict

The Clockwise War continued in decent fashion with an intriguing fifth part of the story. It seems to be going on quite a while now and whilst I am enjoying it, I am eager for its conclusion now. Anyway, this month's magazine looks set to be a fantastic one and I thought the textless cover with Jodie Whittaker was stunning when I picked it up after it was posted through my letterbox last week. The inside cover was also quite beautiful with a panoramic shot of Whittaker and a lovely quote about playing the Doctor. I'm beyond excited for her debut as the Thirteenth Doctor now and any news this issue gives about the upcoming series will be a joy to read. I have really liked the Out of the TARDIS feature that was restored with the recent change of editor and seeing that Peter Purves takes his turn this month is fantastic. He's always an interesting character so I look forward to seeing what wacky questions he has to answer. I'm very intrigued to read the American Dreams feature on the IDW comics and as a fan of Titan's current comic strips, seeing the lineage that they have come from talked about will be terrific. It may also prompt me into finding the IDW Archives graphic novels in a library that I have been put off buying because of the hefty price. I'm a bit bored of the Cosplay feature and I really don't merit its position in the magazine. It's surely only for a very select audience of the readership and I hope it's discontinued before long. The Empress of Mars being the Fact of Fiction should be excellent though as that's a wonderful episode. The Production Notes also appear to be extended this month so that should shed a bit more light on the series ahead and Chris Chibnall is always a delightful read so I look forward to him. Now, back to the comic strip and after a superb fourth part with the War Doctor last issue it was always going to be difficult to follow it up. I thought it was good that the Doctor and Fey had an extended encounter but I wasn't expecting it to take place in the Dreamscape. Neither did I think things would revolve around Peter Pan! It didn't make much sense to me. I was also very surprised to see the connection that Alexander Truscott had with the story and it seems he's in league with the Clockwise Men! Politics and aliens? What could go wrong? Fey taking vengeance against the Time Lords and her being responsible for the failed regenerations was a good revelation but I was quite disappointed with how little Bill featured in the story. She just stood in awe at the Doctor's reading skills. Matildus returning was a nice and unexpected feature but as a whole, I felt this was the weakest of the five parts thus far. Overall though, I still look very forward to seeing things conclude.

The 100 Days of the Doctor

"I'm here to take revenge on my murderer."

Writer: Paul Cornell
Format: Audio
Released: September 2007
Series: Main Range 100d

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Evelyn

Synopsis

Someone has assassinated the Doctor.

And he only has 100 days to find out who did it.

Verdict

The 100 Days of the Doctor was a brilliant story and a wonderful way to conclude the 100 anthology. This was most definitely a story worth a centenary celebration and it was definitely the best of the bunch, even topping 100 BC despite having the same rating. The concept of this story really was excellent and I really shouldn't have expected anything less from Paul Cornell. We saw the softer side of the Sixth Doctor that is so common and familiar on audio now and seeing him faced with the prospect of being assassinated was quite something. The way the Texinuerons had engineered an assassin to takeover the speech centres of the Doctor's body was intriguing and also worrying because for something to take control of the Doctor, whilst in the TARDIS, disaster could have occurred. The Doctor was fully aware of what was going on which must have been frightening but he would soon be determined to save himself from the intelligent virus that he had been injected with. They had 100 days and using the TARDIS and some narrowing down, the Doctor could investigate some specific trips made in the past decade or so in a certain sector of space where the Texinuerons operated. With that, the Doctor and Evelyn spied a little on an adventure had by the Fifth Doctor, Peri and Erimem. I thought that was lovely and the banter that came from his current companion's description of his past incarnation was terrific. I also loved the Sixth Doctor's comments about the relationship Peri and Erimem had. I thought that really was lovely and I was also quite surprised to hear how much the Doctor enjoyed his previous incarnation despite the universe being mean to him. It really was a fascinating exchange. The TARDIS though had included future journeys in the same area in the Doctor's temporal map so he was able to see his next incarnation once again following The Sirens of Time. He recognised him and his comments about his future self were very surprising again, especially when he mentioned how he didn't understand why his sixth incarnation was known as aggressive. His admiration towards the Seventh Doctor was fantastic though and he really was impressed with how he was teaching Ace and Hex. The glimpse forward to two different versions of the Eighth Doctor was quite interesting too though I thought the Doctor's comments about Hex and not previously travelling with a non-humanoid were a little off. Doesn't he remember K9? Well, he was suffering from memory loss to be fair. I thought the comments regarding an audience watching or listening to the Doctor's travels was a lovely break of the fourth wall and it wasn't the only instance which was good. The idea of the Sixth Doctor meeting Bernice Summerfield was surprising and I liked how the Krynoids got a mention. The way the Doctor stopped his assassination by locating the antidote in the original assassin who shot the microscopic dart was good and overall, it was a tremendous story! Here's to the next 100...

Rating: 9/10

Bedtime Story

"I think it's time I told you about the Doctor."

Writer: Joseph Lidster
Format: Audio
Released: September 2007
Series: Main Range 100c

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Evelyn

Synopsis

Once upon a time...

Jacob Williams is going to tell the tale of Sleeping Beauty but realises he has told that one too many times so, instead, tells of how he once met this man called the Doctor...

It's a tale of love and death and a family with a terrifying secret...

Verdict

Bedtime Story was a story that had potential but sadly didn't fully realise. It seems that the 100 release to celebrate Big Finish's centenary story is faltering in a big way which is a big shame seeing as it started so well with 100 BC. I thought this one started off decently and the idea of a bedtime story is quite good. I thought Jacob was a good character and I liked how he was a former student of Evelyn's. It seems an age now since The Marian Conspiracy when she joined the Sixth Doctor on his travels and I liked how her sudden disappearance was mentioned. It was also clear that she had been travelling with the Doctor now for a considerably long time which was intriguing. She has been on quite the personal adventure in the TARDIS and I do wonder how much more she can take. The Doctor often being left out of the conversation between Evelyn and Jacob was humorous but the one thing that I didn't enjoy about this story was, to put it bluntly, it was boring in parts. There wasn't much excitement or a moment to get you thinking about the story and that really is needed in my opinion. It was such a shame that this audio just wasn't exciting because I actually love the concept of grandparents dying as soon as their children have children. It's just horrifying and I think there definitely could have been something more in a Doctor Who story for an idea like that. It's awful but I don't think things were helped by the fact there was only half an hour to play with. It's just not long enough for a full cast story as you cannot get indulged in the story with such a short running time. The theme of 100 was rather subtle and quite nice for the Doctor to save the victims of the shapeshifter who wasn't actually killing the family, but rather pausing them. What made it worse was that they were fully aware of their surroundings and had been buried alive. The thought of that is horrendous but it's vicious and makes for a great enemy but there just wasn't the time for a full utilisation. Talia was a good character and her ploy in pretending to have cheated so Paul wasn't his was good and I thought that was actually a clever resolution. However, the ending was unexpected and quite poor in my opinion as the shapeshifter wasn't defeated as we had thought. She simply took on another form and would continue her torment throughout Jacob's family and their descendants. Overall, a great idea that sadly wasn't utilised anywhere near as well as it should have been but I liked it so much that I've been generous.

Rating: 6/10

Doctor Who and the Enemy of the World

"I wish to expose a monstrous tyrant."

Writer: Ian Marter
Format: Novel
Released: April 1981
Series: Target 24

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria

Synopsis

In the year 2030 only one man seems to know what action to take when the world is hit by a series of terrible natural disasters. Salamander's success in handling these monumental problems has brought him enormous power.

From the moment the Doctor, Jamie and Victoria land on an Australian beach, they are caught up in a struggle for world domination - a struggle in which the Doctor's startling resemblance to Salamander plays a vital role.6

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Enemy of the World was a very good novelisation! Ian Marter is always a good novelist and whilst removing a considerable amount from what was broadcast, he managed to capture this story in prose in a great way. I thought the book was a bit more pacier than what we saw on television and with a six-part story fitting into less than 130 pages, that isn't too much of a surprise. There was a lot going on but that was good and I quite liked how things didn't wait for the action to start. It didn't take long at all for the Doctor, Jamie and Victoria to be shot at and I liked how little the delay was in them finding out why. The resemblance between the Doctor and Salamander could never be as good in prose as it was on screen and that's mostly down to Patrick Troughton's brilliance but I thought it was tackled excellently here and the writing of the differing people who shared a look was good. You always knew which was which and there was never confusion which was commendable. Jamie and Victoria were good and I particularly liked the former quickly assuming the role of lieutenant after the staged attempt on Salamander's life. Astrid was a wonderful character and her efforts to avenge her father's death were obvious to see. Kent was another good character and the confusion over the Doctor's initial impersonation was rather humorous. I was quite surprised by his turn towards the book's conclusion though and I did not expect him to be hoping to use the Doctor to replace Salamander and take the leader's place by using the Doctor as a puppet. The way the Doctor revealed that was majestic though. The characterisation of Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor was decent but I thought the writing of Jamie was the standout piece of the novel. Bruce was a fantastic character and his dislike for Benik worked in the Doctor's favour as he was able to control him and get him to help. Fariah's death was another shocking moment and the Doctor's reaction to that was brilliant. She had needlessly died but she also had the evidence against Salamander that the Doctor so craved. The way Salamander was able to orchestrate natural disasters was uncanny and when Astrid revealed to the slaves the way they had been used, their initial refusal to believe it was quite heartbreaking. I thought the ending with Salamander's demise in the TARDIS, or rather by falling out of it, was terrific and I liked how that was the only time where Marter referred to Salamander as the Doctor to try and trick the reader at the end. The World Zones Organisation was good and I thought the multi-settings worked well. Overall, a brilliant read!

Rating: 8/10

Delta and the Bannermen

"I spit on justice!"

Writer: Malcolm Kohll
Format: Novel
Released: January 1989
Series: Target 153

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis

'You are the last survivor,' hissed Gavrok. 'But not for long . . .'

As the ten billionth customers at a space tollport the Doctor and Mel win the Grand Prize - a place on the Fabulous Fifties Coach Tour to Disneyland, Planet Earth. But knocked off course by a wayward satellite, the coach party arrives instead at Shangri-la, a remote Welsh holiday camp.

The peace and quiet of the countryside are soon shattered by the arrival of an army of marauding Bannermen soldiers, led by the ruthless Gavrok. They are tracking down Delta, the Chimeron Queen, with only one thought in mind.

Her destruction.

Verdict

Delta and the Bannermen was a great little read! I definitely enjoyed it more than the televised version of the story and that's sometimes the beauty of the Target novelisations. You can often appreciate a story more in prose as they can work better on the page rather than on the screen. I've actually surprised myself a little bit with my rating for this book because I thought the writing style was actually quite poor. Well, it is rather a weird one. The writing of the story was actually excellent but I don't think Malcolm Kohll knew how to structure a paragraph or a chapter. The chapters were horrendously short and averaged just a mere four pages which is ridiculously small. It's absolutely fine to have a small chapter here and there but consistently quick chapters meant the pace was absolutely frantic and it didn't allow much room for character development. Some of the typing errors in this book were also abysmal and considering I was reading a reprinted version, I would have thought that they would have been picked up on and edited out. It did get laughable sometimes. Now, onto the story though and I actually really liked it. I'll admit that I can't remember much at all about the televised story so reading here was like a new story for me. I thought the characterisation of the Seventh Doctor was brilliant and I also thought the writing of Mel was terrific too. The relationship between the pairing was wonderful throughout. I thought the idea of a tollport was pretty good and I found it humorous that the Doctor was rummaging around desperately for some credits to pay. I thought Delta was a fantastic character and her being the Queen of the Chimeron made her the perfect sole survivor. Her relationship with Billy throughout the book was lovely to see but it was also quite saddening to what effect that had on Ray. Her abrupt arrival onto the Nostalgia Tours coach was good and I thought Murray was a superb character as the driver. His conversations with both the Doctor and Mel were great. The Bannermen were really good enemies as they were completely ruthless and they really didn't have any mercy. Gavrok was a brilliant leader and he would stop at nothing to kill Delta and wipe out the Chimerons for good. The sonic cone preventing the Doctor from returning to the TARDIS was dastardly but I liked the irony in that it would bring about the defeat of the Bannermen. Delta and her baby were protected and Billy took it upon himself to turn into a Chimeron and hope to rebuild the species from the brood planet. Once he had taken the Bannermen to trial, of course. Goronwy and his bees were quite funny and I loved the Welsh setting. I did take umbrage at the comment of 'Wales, England' though. I strongly disapprove of that! Overall though, a more than decent novelisation that could have been even higher with a better writing structure.

Rating: 8/10