Respond to All Calls: Girl, Deconstructed

"Houses aren't haunted, people are."

Writer: Lisa McMulin

Format: Audio

Released: August 2021

Series: Ninth Doctor Adventures 2.01

Featuring: Ninth Doctor

Synopsis

Marnie is missing. But she hasn't run away, as her dad fears – Marnie is still very much at home. But not quite as she was.

The Doctor joins forces with Missing Persons detective Jana Lee to help solve the mystery of a girl who's gone to pieces.

Verdict

Girl, Deconstructed was a great story to kick off Respond to All Calls comprising the second series of Ninth Doctor Adventures! It really is still a treat to have Christopher Eccleston at Big Finish reprising his role as the Ninth Doctor and I love the idea of this series being isolated adventures with a theme running through them. What better theme is there than the Doctor responding to a call to help? This particular call came from beyond the normal plain of existence which was really interesting and that forming the backdrop to quite the disaster in Dundee was excellent. Although it wasn't really explored, having an adventure set in Dundee was quite unique and I'm always a fan of venturing out of the traditional likes of London. I thought it was also a lot of fun to have the year be established as 2004 and having this set prior to Series 1 which was of course based in 2005 was brilliant. It was such a simple thing but it was really effective in establishing this as a kind of Series 0 alongside the modern reboot. It was good to have the Doctor as a Detective Inspector and his relationship built with Jana Lee was fantastic. As the Missing Persons detective I thought she was a really strong character and I really liked her interactions with the Doctor. They made for a good pairing. Having them tackle the missing case of Marnie as a sample of the 61 teenagers that had suddenly vanished from the Scottish town worked well and it provided us with an interesting and emotional attachment. I thought the explanation for the disappearances was intriguing with the Serapheem being an interesting species. The Doctor knew about them and they were actually what he was tracking. Learning of their installer migration and the fact they were very light was fascinating and I enjoyed the idea of Earth being a service station on their migration path. They picked up on thoughts which was good and them taking a literal approach to so many teenagers wanting to run away and leave was terrific. I thought that worked very well and explained well why it was all teenagers that had disappeared. However, in their efforts to fulfil the wishes they inadvertently abandoned those they scooped up because they were too heavy to take, but they were left deconstructed! Hearing all of this with Marnie as the primary example was a good format to take which I thought worked in a positive way. Jana learning about time travel and in quick fashion was marvellous and I liked how quickly she was agreeable to its potential existence. Her own connection to events through Douglas in the abandoned and supposedly haunted house was excellent. Douglas was her childhood friend who had gone missing and this was his house, but he'd been lost in deconstruction for twenty years and was well past the twenty-four hour window of restoration. That was some strong emotional attachment. The Doctor utilising the TARDIS console extension was fun and it was great that Marnie was risking her life, whatever she had left of it, to get back to normal and restart life with her dad. Overall, this was a strong adventure and a great listen!

Rating: 8/10

After The Daleks

"You're all alone on an alien world."

Writer: Roland Moore

Format: Audio

Released: August 2021

Series: Early Adventures 7.01

Featuring: Susan

Synopsis

The Dalek Invasion of Earth is over, but there's still so much left to do. Susan is trying to help rebuild society as best she can, but some people don't see it as a chance to restore what was lost. Some people see it as a chance to claim power for themselves. 

It's not just human survivors that Susan has to worry about. Unbeknownst to her, a lone Dalek survives. A lone Dalek with a single purpose – to reclaim the Earth!

Verdict

After the Daleks was a magnificent audio to kick off the seventh series of the Early Adventures! I was incredibly excited by this release because The Dalek Invasion of Earth ranks as one of my all time favourite stories across all of Doctor Who, so getting a sequel and follow on from where the televised serial left off is right up my alley. I certainly wasn't left disappointed! This was well worth the pre-order and I thought Carole Ann Ford did a tremendous job in the lead role. Her linking narration was good when it was required and I was impressed with how little of that there actually was, It felt like a full-cast and feature length story which is exactly what you want. Although they were recast, I thought it was excellent to have David Campbell and Jenny in this story. They were such crucial parts of the original televised adventure that they just had to feature here. I thought the immediate follow on from where Susan was left was brilliant and hearing her reaction to the TARDIS dematerialising and her experience for the first time from the outside was superb. It really brought home the fact that she was no longer with her grandfather in the TARDIS, but that didn't stop her looking up at the stars in wonderment which was a really nice touch. One element of the audio that surprised me in a good way was David coming to terms with the fact that Susan might be an alien. It's intriguing to think that this isn't really alluded to on screen between the pair, so his sneaky use of the Dalek machine to hope to find if Susan was human or not was really good. I liked that it wouldn't change things for him and how he felt about Susan. The state of the world, and specifically the UK, after the Daleks were defeated is such a great place and time to explore. I really think there could be the potential for a whole series here depicting the rebuild after years of Dalek oppression. Victor was a really good character and exploring the emotion behind his decade as a Roboman was very powerful. He'd lost ten years of his life and after the orange slime had cured his condition, to him it had only been a few weeks since seeing Jenny so that was obviously going to impact their relationship! Marcus Bray was a fantastic villain and his political scheming was what you'd expect from someone in that position. Even after all that had happened, positions of authority were still important and he would do anything to get that power. Hearing of his past and how he aided the Daleks said a lot about his character and his selfishness. It was quite fitting that he was dealt with by the Dalek creature that was ravaging around the story. I thought it was fun that this wasn't a Varga or Slyther or anything we'd seen before. The ending of this audio was poignant with Susan having the opportunity to use the Dalek machine to travel into the sky and try and find the Doctor again, but she implemented the self destruct and ensured that it was indeed her choice to stay on Earth with David. That was a really nice moment. Overall, a brilliant story! 

Rating: 10/10

Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible

"The Future has been stolen."

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: February 1992

Series: New Adventures 05

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

'You're on your own, Ace.'

The TARDIS is invaded by an alien presence, and is then destroyed. The Doctor disappears.

Ace, lost and alone, finds herself in a bizarre deserted city led by the tyrannical, leech-like monster known as the Process.

Lost voyagers drawn forward from Ancient Gallifrey perform obsessive rituals in the ruins.

The strands of time are tangled in a cat's cradle of dimensions.

Only the Doctor can challenge the rule of the Process and restore the stolen Future.

But the Doctor was destroyed long ago, before Time began...

Verdict

Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible was an excellent novel to continue my reading of the New Adventures and to kick off this new trilogy of books! Following on from the brilliant quadrilogy of Timewyrm stories, it was refreshing to have something new and this was quite an extraordinary and rather historic book. There was so much going on and exploring some of the history of Ancient Gallifrey by having the Doctor and Ace actually visit there was terrific. The Doctor had inadvertently broken a Law of Time in visiting Gallifrey's past, but that was very exciting and opened up a lot of possibilities. I thought the book started very fast and that was a great direction to go in and the concept of the TARDIS being destroyed was superb. It's always good when the TARDIS disappears or something worse happens to it as it instantly provides a sense of vulnerability for the Doctor. Coupling that with the Doctor having his memory gone meant that Ace was in quite the predicament! She had a really strong adventure and getting to explore some of her past was good too, especially where time was going all wrong in Perivale and she encountered her own mother. I'm a big fan of these books potentially exploring more of Ace's background as there really is so much potential there. I thought some of the early Gallifreyans were brilliant characters and just having us step foot on the Doctor's home planet before there were even Time Lords was wonderful. Vael made for a good villainous character and his serving of the Protest worked well. I thought this leech-like monster made for a good enemy in the book and its desire for the Future that was stolen was fantastic. It's no secret that this book was complicated in parts but I actually liked how whacky it was. The idea of different time streams happening concurrently was hard to comprehend, but the idea of the past and present intermingling side by side was magnificent. I thought that was great and so unique, and it probably could only have worked in this format which explains how the story never got developed as a TV adventure as intended. The role of the silver cat in the book was fun and I liked how it wasn't really the focus compared to the Timewyrm. The role of the Pythia was really intriguing and learning of how it ruled Gallifrey before Rassilon was terrific. Its fear of the Rassilon name was exciting and it having disbelief in the Doctor's foreknowledge that she was the last Pythia despite naming her successor was excellent. I loved the idea of a curse making every Gallifreyan barren, and the whole idea of history on Gallifrey that we know not exactly being what happened is brilliant. Interpretations and history being written by the victors is something I know a great deal about having a Master's degree in the subject. The events of this adventure causing the Doctor to have a desire to know what really happened in the history of his planet will hopefully take us on quite the journey in the New Adventures, and I wonder if that is what the Cat's Cradle trilogy will focus on. It's all very exciting! Shonnzi was a good character and I really liked the relationship built with Ace. They got so close that Ace wanted him to join she and the Doctor in the TARDIS, but that just couldn't happen with him being an Ancient Gallifreyan. I enjoyed learning a lot about the TARDIS in this book and the Banshee Circuits in particular were really interesting! They caused a lot of chaos, but getting the grey prints and then finding out that the city was actually the TARDIS inside out was so much fun as a revelation! The descriptions of its return to normality were fantastic. The Sphinx was also intriguing to explore and I thought getting some early Prydonius was marvellous as well. There was so much going on. The destruction of the Pythia thanks to the sacrifice of Vael was an exciting end after such a good buildup, and I liked how the Sisterhood of Karn as well as Lady Peinforte were claimed to be leftovers of Pythia and her power. Overall, so much information and a great story at its heart with a lot more to explore as we move into a new direction with the New Adventures. A fantastic read!

Rating: 9/10

The Cradle of the Snake

"You can't just throw the Mara out."

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: September 2010

Series: Monthly Adventures 138

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

'The Mara is in all of us, deep in our minds. In our darkest thoughts, that's where it started. Some people call it a demon, but that's too simple. It's about temptation."

Tegan's nightmares have returned. Seeking to banish the snake-like Mara from his companion's psyche, the Doctor sets course for Manussa, the creature's point of origin. But the TARDIS arrives instead in the heyday of the Manussan Empire, where infotainment impresario Rick ausGarten is preparing to turn dreams into reality.

The sun is setting on the Manussan Empire... and it's all the Doctor's fault.

Verdict

The Cradle of the Snake was an excellent audio adventure to conclude this trilogy of stories with the Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and the returning Nyssa! I thought this was probably the best of the bunch from this mini season with the old become new again quartet and the connections it had to the televised era was brilliant. It followed on immediately from the cliffhanger at the end of The Whispering Forest which was great in revealing that Tegan was still impacted by the Mara, an enemy that was such a big part of her run on television thanks to events in Kinda and Snakedance. Returning to Manussa was a great move to make and going there in a time much earlier to their previous visit was exciting because the permutations of changing history were large! I thought the first part in particular was outstanding with Tegan clearly worried about the Mara infiltrating her mind and dreams again, and the back and forth she had with the Doctor was superb. I really liked how this tested the TARDIS team and it really does seem that their relationships are always strained. Tegan is still incredibly suspicious of Turlough despite all he's done since being rid of the Black Guardian's influence and I'm not sure if she's ever got on with the Doctor! I was surprised to find the comments between Tegan and Nyssa being somewhat unkind as well, even if there was the obvious Mara influencing them. It was good to get a new side to Nyssa as well and I think that's a good element of her being fifty years older than when she departed in Terminus. It's fun and refreshing and hearing her a little drunk after accepting the mark of the Mara was terrific. I thought it was a really good twist to have the Mara infiltrate and take over the Doctor's mind for what was pretty much the entire audio adventure! Peter Davison gave a sublime performance as the possessed Doctor and the shifts in his mind between Mara and Doctor was really impressive. Tegan being rid of the Mara and getting confirmation of that was important, and I liked how the companions never suspected the Doctor was the one infected by the Mara when the coordinates were altered in the TARDIS. It was all a great plan to go into Manussa's history and ensure the rebirth of the Mara. The cliffhangers were strong in this story and I thought the pace was really good with it being the perfect length at an hour and fifty minutes. It just felt right. Rick ausGarten was a fun little character and infotainment was not something I would have associated with the planet, but its use in spreading the mark of the Mara was fantastic. That was so simple but really effective. I liked how the Great Snake was mentioned on more than one occasion and the visuals created by the writing were really good and probably a lot better than the Mara we saw on television! Baalaka was a really good character as well and his influence growing as the story went on was great and I thought his sacrifice to be rid of the Mara was a fitting way to end the audio and the Great Snake! Overall, a magnificent adventure and definitely the best Mara story.

Rating: 9/10

The Curse of the Fugue

"The seventies are rubbish!"

Writer: Alice Cavender

Format: Audio

Released: April 2016

Series: Short Trips 6.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Lucie

Synopsis

February 1974 is grimmer than usual for the British. Huddling together by candlelight the nation endures regular power cuts, however the situation is far worse for one old woman. Out of the dark come visitors who know of her terrible burden of wartime secrets. All she fought to save is threatened. Whom can she trust? The troubled ghosts which plague her, a young man who has befriended her, or her new carer Lucie and her strange friend, the Doctor?

Verdict

The Curse of the Fugue was a good little Short Trips adventure! It was more than a good use of time spent on the train following a day at the football and I thought it was terrific to be revisiting the era of the Eighth Doctor and Lucie Miller. They were such a good pairing in the four series of Eighth Doctor Adventures so it was nice to put some shine on Sheridan Smith in the narration role here. I thought she did an excellent job as a one-hander and it was nice to know that this was her first time reprising the role since To the Death. Her issues away from the audio booth are well documented so it's lovely to hear her on fine form right from the off in this story. I liked that the Doctor was separated from Lucie and was communicating through the phone. The idea of giving Lucie the authentic experience of the 1970s was fantastic and I really liked that idea. It seemed a good kind of test and placing it specifically in 1974 was great. That setting worked really well and the issue of power cuts happening in the country with food shortages as well really established the historical period. That was a lot of fun and it was actually quite unique to visit this setting from some time in the future, rather than during the time of Season 11 where it was (presumably) set. The Doctor being on a mission to track a metal alloy was good and gave him an incentive and something to work towards which I liked. His being unsure of the form was interesting and its connection to Cecile was something I didn't actually expect so that was good. It being something that could actually bring her troubled past back to her was a fun element. Cecile being 73-years-old and having Lucie cater for her was a decent dynamic. Lucie bringing some sort of entertainment to the elderly by telling stories of the future was probably my favourite element of the audio with her spoiling that some countries got independent and the Berlin Wall would come crashing down. That was really fun. Cecile keeping something from the world was a decent element of mysteriousness into the story and I think that could have been deepened. Lucie and the Doctor being suspected agents was also fun and a good use of the period. Learning that the power cuts were when the metal alloy could influence Cecile was great to connect and the subtlety of the influence was something I'd have liked further exploration of. Matt having the other half was a pretty good development and hearing of the connection to the war and how she reported it missing and also burned the file was interesting. In the end, it was quite a simple resolution to loosen the hold it had on Cecile and Matt but it worked well and sometimes in adventures that span just over half an hour, you need simplicity and logic as there just isn't the time to overcomplicate things. Lucie being told to look after the artefact that was the Doctor was a really good way to finish. Overall, a decent listen! 

Rating: 7/10

The Secrets of Det-Sen

"Darkness falls quickly in these parts."

Writer: Andy Frankham-Allen

Format: Audio

Released: August 2021

Series: Early Adventures 7.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Steven, Dodo

Synopsis

When the Doctor, Steven and Dodo arrived in the Himalayas, they have no idea that they are about to set off a chain of events that will haunt the Doctor throughout his many lives.

Joining a pilgrimage to the nearby Det-Sen Monastery, the travellers discover everything isn't as it seems. As the situation grows increasingly dire, they will have to uncover the secrets of Det-Sen before it's too late.

Verdict

The Secrets of Det-Sen was a great Early Adventures audio! Following on from reading Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen yesterday, I thought this served as a terrific prequel and I'm so glad that we got the depiction of the Doctor's previous visit to Det-Sen mentioned in that book and in the televised serial. I'm not usually a big fan of the Doctor having had unseen previous encounters that impact on a story, such as Timelash, so getting the gap filled in here is most welcomed. This series of Early Adventures was really exciting because of the connections to televised stories and this was the first time that I actually pre-ordered a bundle! I thought this one was perhaps ever so slightly too long, but it was a really solid story from start to finish. It was quite refreshing to have a full cast adventure with Dodo as a companion and whilst Jackie Lane declined to reprise her role, it was a nice touch to dedicate this release to her memory. I thought Lauren Cornelius did a decent job in taking over the role and I hope there's more to come from her as there is so much unexplored potential with Dodo as companion. Hearing Peter Purves again as both Steven and the First Doctor was brilliant and I really liked how the Doctor reacted to the Det-Sen setting. His older personality and nature really suited the location and the calm nature of the monk religions where he was able to get along well with pretty much everyone. I really liked how Oddiyana was the Abbot and the Doctor had a good relationship with him, so the revelation that he was actually Padmasambhava was fun despite it being completely expected. It was a great performance and the calm nature of the story despite a bandit attack being the focus of the plot was really impressive. I thought it was also fun to focus on the Ghanta given our knowledge of it and how it would relate to the Second Doctor's visit to the same monastery. The ending where the Doctor is entrusted to return it to a different abbot fifty years in the future is really amusing because he actually brings it back over three centuries from now and to the same abbot! That was terrific. I thought Steven had a strong showing in the adventure and his relationship with Pema was fantastic. I liked that he was having some potential romance and Dodo picking up on that was good. The Doctor's reaction to some potential romance was fun as well. Mentioning The Ark was also good continuity as we had some further exploration of the relationship between Dodo and Steven. It was a bit cheeky which was unique and felt a bit modern for the First Doctor era. I liked the presence of the bandits and the contained setting really was well captured in the atmosphere of the audio which I thought was rather impressive. As a whole, I thought this served as a fitting prequel to The Abominable Snowmen and despite knowing a lot of the details already, it was brilliant to hear everything play out. Overall, a great listen! 

Rating: 8/10

Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen

"The Yeti are timid, harmless creatures. Everyone knows that."

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Novel

Released: November 1974

Series: Target 01

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria

Synopsis

'Light flooded into the tunnel, silhouetting the enormous shaggy figure in the cave mouth. With a blood-curdling roar, claws outstretched, it bore down on Jamie.'

The Doctor has been to Det-Sen Monastery before, and expects the welcome of a lifetime. But the monastery is a very different place from when the Doctor last came. Fearing an attack at any moment by the legendary Yeti, the monks are prepared to defend themselves, and see the Doctor as a threat.

The Doctor and his friends join forces with Travers, an English explorer out to prove the existence of the elusive abominable snowmen. But they soon discover that these Yeti are not the timid animals that Travers seeks. They are the unstoppable servants of an alien intelligence.

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen was an outstanding novelisation of the famed Classic serial! I really enjoyed this book and it was a stark reminder of just how good this story is. I really appreciated being able to read the story in its entirety and I think it's a damned shame that we have five of the six episodes missing from the archives. It's such a strong adventure and it really does show in this novelisation. I think this one will get the animation treatment at some point in the future, but I don't think there is any alternative to the real thing that would be able to do this one justice. I loved it. The Det-Sen Monastery is such an effective setting and I think a lot of that is down to its simplicity. It's quite a contained story with the focus on the Monastery and venturing as far as the surrounding mountains and a cave, but the fact that we know it's the Himalayas really gives it a status. It just works. I thought Travers was a brilliant character and his position as an explorer with the intent on finding the famed legend of the abominable snowman was terrific. He was selfish too and wanted all of the glory so it was very amusing when he went along with the story that it was the Doctor in his big fur coat that had attacked him. The Doctor using his physical makeup as proof of his innocence was great. I liked the relationship he had with Jamie in the book, but I did feel that Victoria was left not doing an awful lot which was a bit of a shame. She got her customary screams in though when a Yeti was about to attack! The concept of the Yeti in their form here is excellent and they have such an effective look and description. They really are unique so having them controlled by the Great Intelligence here was fantastic. I think the idea of an intelligence works very well and it using the form of Padmasambvha. The Doctor having been to Tibet before and to this monastery specifically is usually not something I'm a fan of when it is unseen encounters, but the fact that tomorrow's blog plan is a certain Early Adventures audio means that this book was absolutely preparation for that! I'm really excited to see how true to this book that audio is with the First Doctor. You could tell here that the Second Doctor was loving the idea of returning the Ghanta centuries after he was entrusted with it and initially arriving as a suspect and then owning the place in quick time was wonderful. The Yetis being controlled by the spheres was really good and having Victoria taken over by the Intelligence to bring a Yeti back was great stuff. I thought Thomni and Songtsen were excellent characters as well and the latter being part of the Intelligence was a good revelation and surprise. I just loved everything about the book to be honest. The story just works. The pace was excellent. The cliffhangers at the end of each chapter were exciting and had me wanting to read more. The conclusion was really good as well and I liked how a literal explosion of a mountain was what had to be done to take out the Great Intelligence and prevent it from growing a desire to consume the world. Overall, a wonderful read! 

Rating: 10/10

The Lost

"We have crashed through the membrane of reality."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: July 2021

Series: Dalek Universe 2.03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Anya, Mark

Synopsis

When the Doctor's latest scheme to get back to the future fails, the team's ship crashes on a strange world, potentially trapping them for ever.

Searching for replacement parts, they find their way to a building where heart-breakingly familiar faces await them.

Lies are about to be exposed. Everyone will learn the truth. And nothing will be the same again.

Verdict

The Lost was a fantastic adventure to conclude the second series of Dalek Universe! I thought this was a poignant conclusion to what was a really good trilogy of stories to serve as the second instalment in the Dalek Universe, and making particular reference to life before the Time War was terrific. The Doctor pondered on what exactly the Lost could be and suggestions of it being an Eternal or one of the Endless was very good. I enjoyed his thoughts on the deities and similar-like beings that rampaged around the universe before Daleks and Time Lords did battle. I do hope that we get a lot more concerning that in the final boxset as whilst the first two volumes have undoubtedly been great, I think there could be more Daleks. This was a fantastic two-hander for the Tenth Doctor and Anya though and exploring their relationship was excellent. I really liked how the Lost challenged the Doctor on his thoughts towards Anya and how he sees her as the woman responsible for the death of his companion Ann Kelso, even though she didn't actually ever exist. The Lost using Ann Kelso was really strong and I liked the brief moments where her form was returned. That didn't impress the Doctor. Hearing him challenged on the loss he has faced across his multiple lifetimes was really good with the likes of Oliver and Lucie Miller getting mention with this incarnation of the Doctor a real treat and great use of the audio format. The Doctor and Anya having arrived into a bubble universe was good and the problematic make up of its existence provided a good dilemma and problem. They got on well together though. The Lost trying to break them apart worked well and having him take the form of Mark Seven so soon after he perished in The Trojan Dalek sparked some strong feelings from the Doctor. The mentions of Rose and Donna in particular struck a nerve with the Doctor when he was challenged on those left behind and I think it's important to remember where in the life of the Tenth Doctor this series is set. The actual concept of the Lost was good and I thought it was fun to have it take on the form of the Doctor alongside Anya. She didn't get fooled for long though which was important! The idea of only one of the Doctor and Anya being able to get through the portal back to normality was fun to explore and it was clear they both thought the other should get through, but that decision ended up not having to be made as the Doctor had come back into his own timeline to change the past and ensure that everything worked out. I'm not entirely thrilled with that being the resolution given the Doctor's strict stance on the Laws of Time, but it was fun for the few moments where there were two Tenth Doctors present! And it led into one hell of an ending where it was discovered the Doctor and Anya had arrived still pre-Time War and in the crossfire of a Movellan and Dalek conflict. And the Daleks were calling them aboard. Hearing a Dalek state 'Hello Sweetie' was just wonderful and I really am looking forward to the third boxset! That's got me wanting to listen to it right away. Overall, a strong episode to finish!

Rating: 8/10

The Trojan Dalek

"You're mutating people and putting them inside Daleks!"

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: July 2021

Series: Dalek Universe 2.02

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Anya, Mark

Synopsis

The Doctor, Mark and Anya head for an SSS space station searching for the missing temporal scientist, Arborecc. But the officer in charge denies all knowledge of his presence and demands their departure.

Unwilling to leave so easily, the group split up to investigate... and uncover a heinous plot involving the Doctor's oldest foes. Or do they?

Verdict

The Trojan Dalek was an excellent audio adventure to continue the second volume in the Dalek Universe! I was really glad to get some Dalek involvement, even if it wasn't strictly the Daleks we were used to. In actuality, they were not Daleks at all but actually a modified imitation with a mutated human within the casing rather than a Kaled. It was a horrific description that created quite the image in my head and finding out that Arborecc was actually inside one was a big shock and a really good revelation that I didn't see coming. The Doctor's reaction said a lot and I loved the characterisation of the Tenth Doctor here. Even with Anya and Mark having the correct paperwork to allow access to the space station through the traditional means of the front door, the Doctor was disappointed not to have used the psychic paper! I thought that was a lot of fun and he wanted to be something more than an unknown on the station's systems. I'm enjoying his relationship with Anya, but it was good to have him separated from her for the majority of this adventure and it allowed us a last hurrah with Anya and Seven. They've been a really strong pairing to accompany the Tenth Doctor in his displaced time and the fate of Mark was extraordinary and I didn't think it would be so emotional for an android to die! His realisation that Fliss had become a Dalek mutation was heartbreaking and the moment where he went back to save her believing that she was strong enough to overcome what had happened to her was brilliant. It was so sad for the Kaled/Dalek elements to take him out. The Doctor was equally gutted. I thought the entire concept concocted by McLinn was excellent and just really gruesome. It was a terrible fate for all of those that were subjected to Dalek mutation and McLinn doing this in order to fool the Daleks was terrific. Having the Doctor as the expert of Daleks to show that these initiations were far from convincing was fantastic and I liked how he was surprised by their voices which were really off-putting in a chilling and fearful way. The space station itself was the perfect setting for the type of story at hand and it was presented really well on audio to establish the atmosphere. Having the Doctor interact with some different Daleks to the usual gold designs we're used to from the modern era was great, even if it was in the audio format. For me though, this was all about Mark Seven and losing him which must have hit the Doctor hard. He was audibly distraught by the events and his final line about having lost was really intriguing especially given what the title of the next episode is! I really look forward to the finale of this boxset and hearing the fallout of what happened here. Overall, a really strong episode with a chilling and gruesome concept at its heart that really worked well. A great listen! 

Rating: 9/10

Cycle of Destruction

"I'm unlike any other android or robot."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: July 2021

Series: Dalek Universe 2.01

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Anya, Mark

Synopsis

After Mark starts behaving oddly, the Doctor and Anya find themselves on a strange planet with their friend missing. Searching for him they find their way to an isolated research base. The corridors show signs of animal incursions and the scientists are behaving strangely. But a big surprise is waiting for them.

Because this is where Mark Seven came from. They're about to find out who he is. But is that information too dangerous to know?

Verdict

Cycle of Destruction was a very good adventure to kick off the second boxset of Dalek Universe stories! After such a brilliant cliffhanger at the end of The House of Kingdom, I was expecting this one to start off differently and I felt the way it was resolved was a little cheap with Mark supposedly just wanting the Doctor and Anya to be unconscious and going to extreme measures to achieve that, but it did kind of make sense in the logical makeup of an android. I thought the issue of Mark going missing and the Doctor and Anya on the hunt for him was good, and having an entire episode focused on Mark Seven and his origins worked well. It has probably come a little late into the Dalek Universe range, but it's definitely beneficial. I learned a lot about him as a character having not had the opportunity to read some of the early Dalek Annual comic strips where he was created so that was much welcomed. The ALARC setting was great and having the Doctor and Anya arrive as 'investigators' was so familiar in how often it has been done, but that nostalgia and the fact it's happened so often actually made me like it. It was so clear the psychic paper was going to show them as investigators so they could learn all about where they were and shake off their apparent lack of knowledge as tests. The relationship between the Doctor and Anya continues to work well, and I liked how there's clearly still some distain on the side of the Doctor after what Anya did to the Fourth Doctor in the 1970s, The designations on the ALARC allowing the Doctor to realise the significance of where they were was very good and I liked how the Seven in Mark's name was more than just that. Learning of his origin was tough for Mark and I quite enjoyed him seeking comfort in the Doctor. I thought Maria served as a fantastic character and the arrival of Mark along with the Doctor and Anya being her construction was a good revelation. I didn't see that coming. It wasn't so much a surprise that everyone other than the Doctor and Anya was an android, but it was still a good moment to have happen. Crispin Torr was another brilliant character and him having been designated as Mark Eight was a fun concept. The idea of there being something beyond Mark Seven was good to explore and I thought it was delivered well. I thought the cameo from the Daleks when it came to Seven was good given all we know about him and his past, but I can't help but feel that for a range of audios titled Dalek Universe that we're having a severe lack of Daleks! That's not a hit at this episode in particular, but more so the direction of the series. I was expecting a lot more of the Tenth Doctor facing off against Daleks from a displaced time, but I've barely got it! Maybe we're building towards something epic? I sure hope so, and regardless I look forward to hearing what's going to come next. For now though, this was a really strong audio to kick off the second series!

Rating: 8/10

The Whispering Forest

"My purity shines in beads of blood."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Audio

Released: August 2010

Series: Monthly Adventures 137

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives in alien woodlands, where a small group of humans hold tight against the menace of the Takers – strange creatures who come by night to spirit away members of their settlement.

But if there's one thing that the inhabitants of Purity Bay fear more than the Takers, it's the dirt and disease spread by strangers. Strangers like the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa...

The fanatical Sister Mertil and her hygiene-obsessed acolytes are victims of a terrible corruption – but not in the way they think. Only the whispering forest knows the truth...

Verdict

The Whispering Forest was a good audio adventure to continue the run of Monthly Adventures and served as a decent middle instalment for this Fifth Doctor trilogy! I'm enjoying that we're getting some extended stories with this quartet of main cast that we barely saw on television and not where Turlough was firmly established as a companion, and I thought it was fun where the characters were inevitably split up that we got some time with Nyssa and Turlough as a pair. That was definitely beneficial and exactly what I'd want as that was what we had very little of on screen. The dynamic of Nyssa being half a century older from when she initially left the TARDIS is fun and I like that she's continuing with her medical efforts to find a cure. I think that's important to highlight given where she is at in her life now. I thought the plot itself was pretty good but it felt like a lot of recycled parts without being anything really unique which is why I couldn't give it any higher than what I did (which was still pretty good going!). It felt similar to the likes of The Face of Evil with it having descendants from a human ship and words having lost their true meaning over time as generations came and went. It was refreshing to have the Fifth Doctor in that environment, but some elements just felt a bit predictable. In saying that, there wasn't exactly anything bad about the story other than the fact it felt familiar. I thought Tegan had a pretty strong adventure and I was excited by the ending with the mark of the Mara returning and being revealed that she is far from free of its hold! That's an exciting way to lead into the final adventure in the trilogy and whilst I'm not a massive fan of Kinda and Snakedance or the Mara in general, I'm really looking forward to hearing what will be done in the audio format and having some strong continuity from the televised era. Before we get there though, we had this eery little tale and the forest made for a good setting. I liked how the atmosphere was set early on with Nyssa immediately picking up on the mysterious whispers and the sound effects used there were great. I thought some of the guest characters were pretty good with Skeska definitely being a standout. I thought she was probably the most fun, but the most crucial was undoubtedly Mertil. Her role in the killings and the revelation of her responsibility was a good moment. I quite liked the concept of the Takers and how they had come to be, but again it just felt a little recycled which was slightly annoying. The Doctor working out that the descendants were from a hospital ship thanks to the range of technology was good, but I thought the St John's mentions made it a little obvious. As a whole though, this was a strong performance from Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor and I'm enjoying the adventures with this quartet. With how things are set up, we've got an exciting finale to the trilogy on our hands! Overall, a good and strong story that unfortunately felt like I'd heard it before.

Rating: 7/10

The Way of the Empty Hand

"The Overlord always got what he wanted."

Writer: Julian Richards

Format: Audio

Released: October 2015

Series: Short Trips 5.10

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

The war world of Combatia. A great mechanised planet that traverses the universe, overseen by its benevolent and infallible overlord, plucking up the finest warriors of ever world it passes and pitting them against each other to determine which of them is greatest. Their consent is irrelevant – all that matters is the battle. The greatest warrior must be found. Will it be Bloodbane, King of Carnage? Jamie McCrimmon? Gichin Funakoshi? Or the strange little man who calls himself the Doctor?

Verdict

The Way of the Empty Hand was a really good little Short Trips audio! I really enjoyed this adventure and the twenty-seven minutes really did seem to absolutely fly by which is always a good time as you know you’re enjoying yourself. I thought it was fun to have Jamie run out of the TARDIS without checking if it was safe for them to breathe purely on the visuals on the scanner, and before the Doctor and Zoe could join him he had already managed to get himself teleported away! I thought that was a really fun start. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a huge amount for Zoe to do in this one and I think it would have worked just fine without her, but it’s always nice to have her featured and her deduction of the linked computer controlling everything was more than welcomed. Combatia made for a superb setting and I really think it has the potential for a feature-length adventure to be set there. Of course, given the way this adventure ended it would have to be set in the planet’s past but having the Doctor unable to influence things could definitely have potential. Anyway, to the story at hand and I thought having the Second Doctor in particular was good for this kind of story as you just wouldn’t expect him to have any kind of success in an arena of combat. He’s a clumsy and flimsy incarnation so that presented a good dynamic. Complementing that with Jamie in a world of combat was excellent because he fully embraced it! Hearing him deliver his famous battle cry was wonderful and his reaction when he learned that nobody had ever stood up to the Overlord was terrific. It didn’t take long for him to get involved in a rebellion and along with Funakoshi, he’d actually spearheaded it which was a lot of fun! I enjoyed the relationship Jamie had with the Japanese combatant and they really complimented each other well. The Doctor having to do combat with the likes of Bloodbane and the King of Carnage was good and the names were great fun to imagine having the Second Doctor fighting against. It didn’t seem like he would have any chance! His use of the recorder to calm the beasts he was up against was really good and typical of what I’d expect of this incarnation, and him causing his famed opponent to yield because of who he trained under with Venusian aikido was a surprise conclusion but one that I couldn’t help smiling at. It was so calm and fun and a somewhat relaxing way to end a story set on a planet of combat! Combatia would no longer be a world of combat and I suggest that they now get a name change. Regardless, a fitting fate for what was a really good and enjoyable little listen! 

Rating: 8/10

The Great White Hurricane

"It's been snowing all night."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: December 2017

Series: First Doctor Adventures 1.02

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara 

Synopsis

Rival gangs turn streets into battlegrounds, and the Doctor and his friends are caught in the crossfire. They find themselves separated, and lost in the cold.

As the hunt for a fugitive turns ever more desperate, a blizzard descends. The snow keeps falling. And soon it will prove as deadly as any weapon...

Verdict

The Great White Hurricane was a good story to conclude the first series of First Doctor Adventures! It didn't quite live up to the high standards set in The Destination Wars, but it was still a really solid outing to continues the adventures of the recast First Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara. It's still a little strange getting used to the companions all being recast, but the familiarity of David Bradley in the First Doctor role definitely makes me want to continue listening to this series. I liked that we had a cliffhanger leading into this story and that was also the case at the end of this one too! It feels really authentic to the era which I think is necessary when the actors are all changed. I quite enjoyed the setting of nineteenth century New York because it's so different to anything we had from the era, and we were thrust straight into action with Susan getting kidnapped by Patrick. That was a good way to separate the main cast immediately and quite a frantic arrival following Ian getting shot in the head. It turned out that the shot was more of a glancing blow and resulted in nothing more than concussion which was a bit disappointing, but of course he couldn't actually get shot! Daniel was a good character and I enjoyed his relationship with the Doctor. The Doctor learning more about his granddaughter's kidnapper was really good and I thought this was a stellar performance from David Bradley in the role. I think it's his best yet to be honest. I thought the writing was also very good in making this feel like a genuine First Doctor story. Having him constantly referred to as grandpa was a lot of fun and you could hear the frustration which was terrific. His reaction to being accused of being inebriated was wonderful. I thought the event of the Great White Hurricane was very good and having a real and natural threat that was established in history was a really good dynamic. Barbara's knowledge of the event worked well as well, although I still think she is presented way posher than she was on television. I enjoyed her relationship with Rosalita and hearing her personal story was quite emotional with her having been beaten by Henry, who also hit their son which is just shocking. I cannot understand that. His weakness was exploited and once the story was told, it was clear he'd show up. The speed at which the snow came was exciting and I think they did as well as could be without the visual aid of a televised or comic story. Hearing the struggles over the ice and the desperation of reuniting Rosalita with her son was good, and I thought Ian's determination to ensure no financial gain was had from the rescuing of people in this natural disaster was fantastic. I thought the cliffhangers were good but quite sudden, and as a whole I thought the story was good and solid without being incredible. Regardless, it was still a good adventure and I liked that there was a cliffhanger to lead into the next batch with the enticement of the Doctor having the means to get Ian and Barbara home. That's an exciting prospect! Overall, a more than solid adventure.

Rating: 7/10

Timewyrm: Revelation

"There's no point in sleeping unless you dream."

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: Novel

Released: December 1991

Series: New Adventures 04

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis

Verdict

Timewyrm: Revelation was a great book to conclude the Timewyrm story arc that has kicked off the New Adventures series of novels! I thought this was a really good conclusion to what has been a fantastic series of connected reads! It's a bold idea to spread a story across four books, but I think this definitely worked well and it was good to finally get an end to the Timewrym. The style was different to the first three books and that was set almost immediately with how much of a dark atmosphere was established. The very idea of a sentient church on the Moon and the Doctor literally dancing with Death, as fascinatingly depicted on the front cover, is more than enough to whet the appetite. I liked the continuation of the relationship between the Doctor and Ace and I really do hope that continues as I embark further on this range of books. The events of The Curse of Fenric are still very much felt for Ace and learning that the Timewyrm claimed to be there, among other landmark adventures, was really intriguing. I thought the presentation of the Timewyrm here was interesting in that it felt like it had just had enough of the Doctor now. Its efforts to use Ace against the Doctor was brilliant and I thought the use of dreams and uploading people as memory data extracts was a clever way to have all sorts of things happen to the characters. Exploring Ace's childhood as Dotty was quite the insight into her past and having her become that young girl again was really good. Learning of her moments with Chad Boyle and how he attacked her with a brick was shocking, and in the events constructed by the Timewyrm she actually died! Chad's reaction to seeing that she was alive and much older was good and it was clear he wasn't all there mentally. He wanted to really hurt her, so it was nice to learn that in reality where he hadn't killed Ace that he'd gone on to lead a successful life. The Doctor was presented in a unique way here and I quite liked that he was presented as being weak and vulnerable. It really sold how much of a threat the Timewyrm was, and the Doctor reminding us of the story where the Time Lords in their early days foresaw the Timwyrm was excellent. The Doctor's remorse towards his actions in resulting in Ace dying was superb, but I was glad that we found out that the image of the Doctor looking on as Ace died was actually the Timewyrm having taken his form. The only qualm I had with the book was the use of the Third and Fifth Doctors. I didn't think they were really needed and it just seemed a bit overkill in exploring the Doctor's past and providing more Doctors. We've already had it in nearly every book in the series so far. I did love that we had a subtle appearance from the First Doctor in the library, but that's where it should have stopped in my opinion. I wasn't too sure about Saul as a sentient church, but I did like the characters of Emily and Peter and the former's descent into the realm in her effort to save Ace was exciting. The word ace being used to remind 'Dotty' of who she really was also worked well. I liked the ending with the Timewyrm being trapped in the baby that had been present all along, and her now going to grow up as Ishtar with some nightmares seems a fitting fate for the god-like being. Overall, this was a really good read to conclude the story arc!

Rating: 8/10

Cobwebs

"It seems our future has finally caught up with us."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: July 2010

Series: Monthly Adventures 135

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

"You know what cobwebs mean. Spiders..."

In search of a cure for a sickness that's so far claimed six billion lives, scientist Nyssa arrives at an abandoned gene-tech facility on the toxic planet Helheim. 'Hellhole', more like.

Nyssa's not alone. The TARDIS has also been drawn to the Helheim base – and in its cobweb-coated corridors, she soon runs into the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough, her travelling companions of half a century past. But who, or what, has engineered this strange reunion? The Black Guardian, perhaps?

The answer's here, in the dark. With the Cractids. In the cobwebs.

Verdict

Cobwebs was an excellent Monthly Adventures audio to kick off a mini season of stories for the Fifth Doctor and his large TARDIS team! I love the idea of having a series within the range and making use of the audio format here was tremendous in reuniting the quartet of the Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa. This team was barely seen on television in the first two stories of the Black Guardian trilogy during Season 20, but even then Turlough wasn't really a companion. This was our first glimpse of the four together here in a traditional manner, but even that can be argued given the circumstances surrounding how Nyssa was reunited with the TARDIS crew. This wasn't the Nyssa we know from the Fifth Doctor era on television, this was Nyssa some fifty years removed from her departure in Terminus which is such a lovely idea. Of course, that is clear from the artwork of the CD cover but it's really great to have her aged and reunited with the Doctor and co where for them it has only been two days since they last met. That presents a brilliant dynamic to the main cast and I look forward to hearing how that develops as I have severe doubts as to whether Nyssa will be returned home anytime soon. We know the TARDIS isn't exactly reliable during this time! To the story at hand and I thought this was fantastic from start to finish. The title alone gives it an eery feel and hearing the description of the facility being covered in the cobwebs was really good stuff. It set the tone and atmosphere for what was to come, and the cliffhanger at the end of part one only extended that feeling. I thought it was a sublime finish to the episode and really had me wanting to listen to the next part right away! The idea of the foursome finding their own skeletons and withered attires was fantastic and they each had differing opinions on how to deal with it! The tension between the Doctor and Tegan was really felt as the latter had no regard for the Laws of Time and wanted to do everything possible to avoid her fate, which to the Doctor was sealed. Turlough siding her was intriguing given how the story started with Tegan being less than amiable to him after what occurred during their encounters with the Black Guardian and his efforts to kill them. But of course he didn't! The facility focusing on curing a virus was good and Nyssa turning up forty years in the past of when the TARDIS initially landed on immediately giving them the means for vaccine was terrific. I thought she was excellent and I like the idea of her being a bit more mature. The Cractids were good in that they were the only known species not impacted by the virus, but they could have felt more involved. The repair spiders being the cause of the cobwebs was a little underwhelming, but their role in rebuilding the skeletons from the DNA fragments was fun and a little cheap of a way out but I did find it amusing. I thought EDGAR was a very good character and the change in his demeanour through time for a robot was really interesting. I enjoyed the linkage he had with Loki and this robot being Nyssa's servitor was brilliant. I was a big fan of them together. The conclusion worked well and tied everything up nicely despite the sacrifices made, and I like how this sets things up further for the next adventures. Just how did the TARDIS come to be with Nyssa so soon after she departed? Coincidence? I like the ambiguity. Overall, an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Torchwood Archive

"Underneath Cardiff there's a secret base dedicated to saving the world."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: October 2016

Series: Torchwood 10th Anniversary Special

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Ianto, Suzie, Yvonne, Mr Colchester

Synopsis

'Welcome, visitor. The Torchwood Archive provides a complete history of our Institute from its distant beginnings to the present day. When we founded our great enterprise in the year of our lord 1879, we decreed that there should be a record of this achievement, stored at the very furthest limits of the British Empire. By visiting you are spreading that legacy, perhaps out through the skies. For now, I shall bid you a good day and welcome you to the Torchwood Archive. Do, please look around.'

The Torchwood Archive is a forgotten asteroid in the centre of a great war. Jeremiah is its first visitor in many centuries. He's come to learn something very important. And the ghosts of Torchwood are waiting for him.

Verdict

The Torchwood Archive was a great feature-length adventure to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Torchwood! I'm trying to make up for lost time when it comes to catching up on the Torchwood adventures from Big Finish and getting an anniversary special is fantastic. The concept of The Torchwood Archive itself was intriguing and a clever way to get a multitude of Torchwood characters past, present and future to have a role in the story. It was quite a calm pace which is unusual for Torchwood but I felt that it worked well in explaining the origins of the Committee. I liked the monologue from Queen Victoria we got towards the end in describing why the Committee was set up with Torchwood Institute needing a 'bad guy' to take on and prove itself against. Things just got a bit out of hand which was fun. I really enjoyed the focus of the Bad Penny or Object 1 and linking this back to Zone 10 with Tosh and Ghost Mission with Andy was really nicely done and provided some good continuity with the Monthly Adventures we have had from Torchwood thus far. That was furthered by Suzie having stumbled upon the Orid factory that connected things with Uncanny Valley and Miss Trent as part of the Committee in a very nice way. I liked how Yvonne admitted that Torchwood One was heavily involved in the sex doll business going on there so her lack of reaction when Suzie described blowing it up was fantastic. I liked the timing with Yvonne and how she was referring to Ianto, and hearing him try and look for Lisa and help her out during the events of the Battle of Canary Wharf was pretty emotional, especially as he had been the one to tell her to come into work that day. The inclusion of Mr Colchester and hearing him mention Orr was an unexpected delight and I love how this was released quite some time before Aliens Among Us started. That was really clever and a fun glimpse into the Torchwood of the future. It was also intriguing to get a look at the likes of Torchwood Russia and India as well as we can often forget that Torchwood has now spread worldwide. The lack of Owen is obviously a bit disappointing for an anniversary special, but I was glad that he was still written in through a phone call. I liked how we had the existence of the Torchwood Archive provided here and that linked in well with The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit where it was mentioned that Zachary was representing it. It was also fun to continue with the format of years designated. Simple but such effective continuity. Jeremiah was a good character at the heart of the story and hearing the holograms tell their stories, with Tosh having a fun one reflecting on her recent journey to Russia and I was also glad that we got to hear Gwen and Rhys. There was a lot going on whilst at the same time it was all actually pretty simple. The Committee were explained and continued to have an eery presence through the old people's home, and the Bad Penny still returned through the Rift. It would never leave. And I think that was a great way to leave things post-credits! Overall, a great anniversary special!

Rating: 8/10

Legends of Camelot

"Sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice your Queen."

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Novel

Released: June 2021

Series: NSA 68

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis

While investigating a strange energy in Carbury, the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble are pulled into a different dimension, creating a giant hole into another world in the process.

As the magic of the hidden dimension slowly leaps out, the Doctor and Donna find themselves in Camelot, where a young squire, Arthur, comes to their aid. When the Doctor is mistaken for Merlin, they are swept up in the glamorous and daring legends of the Knights of the Round Table.

But something far more menacing has been awakened. Caught in an ancient battle for power. Donna and the Doctor are sucked into a dangerous game. As each move is made and time spins faster, the Doctor must find a way to seal the rift before an unimaginable power is unleashed and the universe is laid to waste.

Verdict

Legends of Camelot was a decent read to continue this whacky pairing of New Series Adventures we've had in summer 2021! I loved The Wonderful Doctor of Oz so much that I received this book shortly after completing it for Father's Day and whilst it didn't live up to the standard set with the other novel, this was still a solid adventure. I thought the pairing of the Tenth Doctor and Donna was perfect for this one, with the big strength being the companion. There were so many opportunities for humour and jibes in the book that Donna was just the right character for all of that. She couldn't be touched. The initial moments where it appeared that Arthurian legend was going to play a big role in the story was fantastic with the scenes in the TARDIS between the Doctor and Donna being a standout. Donna's reaction to the Doctor basically admitting he was Merlin was outstanding and something you could easily see happening on television during Series 4. I was impressed with how authentic to the era this felt at the start before things went a bit whacky, as was to be expected given the style of the novel. I enjoyed Donna mocking the Doctor's title of once being Lord President of the Time Lords, and her initial reaction to finding that he even held that office was magnificent. The explanation of Merlin, the real one, being how the Doctor and Donna could enter the Druse was good and I liked how despite how mad this story was there was an effort to provide a logical explanation. I feel that was important. The references to Battlefield were good and I was glad that they were referenced given the strong Arthurian theme in that serial. Once we got to Camelot, I was only a mild fan of events and the idea of a quest excited me at first, but I wasn't a huge fan of the style that was taken here. I liked the concept of finding the dream wisps and how the ten could be used to seal the Druse, but one element I didn't like was the time hops. I felt they took away from the story as at any moment, everything and anything could, and often did, change. That didn't work too well for me, but the moment that Donna was able to stop one definitely took me by surprise so I enjoyed that. The Guardians of Arthur and Morgwen and the description of their eternal game and the latter's constant resetting was great, and I liked the idea of them never being able to win because they couldn't exist without the other so a victor would mean they both lost. That was fun to play with for beings so powerful. Morgwen having been within Donna was a good twist but one I ought to have seen coming, and the Doctor was certainly not surprised which was fun. I quite liked how the 3D glasses infamously seen in Army of Ghosts/Doomsday were used to identify the wisps and Donna's reaction to using them and taking her own initiative was good. I really liked how much the Doctor cared for Donna and that was so evident throughout the book. He didn't want to take any risks with her which was really nice. I thought the characters of Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot in particular stood out, and Donna's fascination with the latter was tremendous. I liked that she had knowledge of the legend, but so did the Doctor and he was used to explain to readers with a lack of it just what it entailed. The conclusion felt like a small anticlimax with Donna finding four of the wisps at once, but the revelation that it was the scabbard that could seal the ten wisps into the Druse was a good final twist. Overall, I thought this had some clever ideas and was a lot of fun, but less jumping about would have benefitted things in my opinion!

Rating: 7/10

The Destination Wars

"How much do you really know about the Doctor?"

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: December 2017

Series: First Doctor Adventures 1.01

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara

Synopsis

The TARDIS arrives in a gleaming utopia in the Space Year 2003. Has the Doctor truly brought Ian and Barbara home, to glimpse their future?

The world owes much to its legendary Inventor, and Susan finds herself face to face with the great benefactor. But soon, the time travellers are in a world at war and the Doctor must confront his past.

Verdict

The Destination Wars was an excellent audio to kick off the First Doctor Adventures! This is a series I have been intrigued by ever since it was surprisingly announced around the time Twice Upon a Time was broadcast and it's fair to say that it didn't disappoint! I love the idea of the First Doctor having his own series, but it is a very brave decision to recast the entire quartet that kicked off Doctor Who way back in An Unearthly Child. I didn't think it was such a contrast to have David Bradley playing the First Doctor because he did so on screen quite impressively opposite the Twelfth Doctor, and he was also outstanding as William Hartnell in An Adventure in Space and Time. However, it was a little more startling to have Ian, Barbara and Susan played by different actors, especially when William Russell and Carole Ann Ford are still with us. That seems a little odd, but the connections to that drama depicting the birth of Doctor Who are understandable. I thought the take on Barbara was way too posh compared to what the character was like on television, and Susan felt a bit more mature than she ought to have, but I did like the take on Ian and I think a lot of that is down to the writing of his relationship with the Doctor. Once I get more used to the actors playing the roles and think solely in terms of the story, this was a fantastic listen! I absolutely love that we get an early encounter between the First Doctor and a new incarnation of the Master that we have yet to see or hear before. James Dreyfus plays the role really well and I loved how it felt very early for him too in leaving Gallifrey. I thought the story explored the origins of the Doctor well and it was a nice shift in dynamic to have the Doctor's background discussed with the first incarnation. I loved that immediately upon setting eyes on the Master, Susan recognised him and his pleasantly surprised reaction was great to hear as well. The cliffhanger at the end of part two with the Doctor referring to the Master by the name he took was fantastic. I enjoyed the setting of Destination and the arrival into Space Year 2003 was amusing with the Doctor letting Ian and Barbara believe they were four decades into their future, when in reality they were much further and a long way from Earth. The Master's status as the Inventor was marvellous and a perfect guise for him to take on the planet where he was conducting his own experiments after a crash landing shortly after leaving Gallifrey in a ship that was even less reliable than the Doctor's! The very thought. His speeding time forwards was good and I loved how the Doctor was contemplating doing the same to advance the society when the Master had gone off in the TARDIS with Ian and Barbara. The companions' escaping the hypnotic nature of the Master was superb and I loved the continuity from The Edge of Destruction with the use of the fast return switch to get back to the Doctor. That was really well done. I loved the theme of the Master appealing to Ian and Barbara about who the Doctor actually was and the way he presented his argument made for some valid points! It was fun to explore the mystery of the Doctor and offering Ian and Barbara a way home was brilliant. They soon came around though and I thought the Doctor trapping the Master in his own laboratory after years of fiddling around was a fitting end. Overall, this was an excellent audio!

Rating: 9/10

The Master Plan

"Hold onto your beard!"

Writer: Jody Houser

Format: Comic Strip

Released: April-July 2021

Printed in: Missy #1-4

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

Missy is up to her old tricks, but this time she's not alone! How will the Doctor survive this latest maniacal plot in this special story celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Master?

Verdict

The Master Plan was a fantastic comic strip adventure to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Master! I wasn't sure what to expect from this comic strip event, but I was certainly not left disappointed! I'm a huge fan of Missy anyway so getting her own comic series was something I was well on board with, and having her paired with the first incarnation we ever saw on television in the form of the Delgado Master was excellent. It was such a fun combination and just seeing them side by side and having a multi-part story together was wonderful. It was a magnificent use of the comic strip format and there were so many celebratory elements in the adventure. I liked the idea of the Delgado Master being imprisoned at Stormcage and the Third Doctor's cameo ringing in to share his concerns about the facility and containing someone like the Master was a lot of fun. It fitted well with the Third Doctor and having Missy then be the one to break him out was amusing. The placement of this adventure within Series 10 was brilliant and Missy impersonating Doctor Who and playing with that act was marvellous. I was a huge fan of getting an extension on the trial we saw in World Enough and Time and she really embraced the role with her former self. It was obvious that the Master was going to know that Missy wasn't actually the Doctor, but that moment occurring was still so fun and I think the anticipation actually helped. The imagery of this Master in the Twelfth Doctor's TARDIS was brilliant and hearing how the Master was mocking the Doctor's ability to fly it was really good. I thought the plot of the story was a lot of fun with Missy tempting the Master into help through the effort to find a fragment of the door to the Key to Time, and seeing his eyes light up regarding that was fantastic. I thought the effort to find this in their own timelines was superb and is something I'm a right sucker for. Going to the events of Spyfall, The End of Time, The Movie, The Keeper of Traken and The Deadly Assassin was magnificent, and then having the Master back at the moments of Terror of the Autons was wonderful! Bringing things full circle in the anniversary special was really well done. Missy referring to the Master throughout as a pet was really amusing but so in line with her characterisation. The duck adorning her hat was good and I loved the symbolism of the Master having a sword and eventually striking through it. The question mark on Missy's dress was also a lovely touch. The artwork was excellent in this comic strip. I wasn't a huge fan of River's appearance in Stormcage as it just felt a little predictable and wasted, but it was fun to have Missy recognise her. The ending with the Master realising that Missy was doing good in the name of the Doctor was fantastic and reminiscent of The Doctor Falls which was terrific and good parallelism, and I liked how that was foreshadowed. The simplicity of the ending was decent but I was expecting something a little more impactful despite enjoying it, and I would have preferred to see Missy side with the Doctor resulting in the Master going back to Stormcage. Regardless, a brilliant comic strip adventure!

Rating: 9/10

Frontios

"The conspiracy of silence!"

Writer: Christopher H Bidmead

Format: Novel

Released: December 1984

Series: Target 91

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough

Synopsis

The TARDIS has drifted far into the future and comes to rest hovering over Fronts, refuge of one group of survivors from Earth who have escaped th disintegration of their home planet.

The Doctor is reluctant to land on Fronts, as he does not wish to intervene in a moment of historical crisis – the colonists are still struggling to establish themselves and their continued existence hangs in the balance.

But the TARDIS is forced down by what appears to be a meteorite storm, and crash-lands, leaving the Doctor and his companions marooned on the hope-forsaken planet...8

Verdict

Frontios was not the greatest novelisation of the serial of the same name. For whatever reason, I just couldn't get invested into this adventure and I guess that shouldn't be too much of a surprise as I wasn't an enormous fan of the televised version either. It's very much at the bottom spectrum of Fifth Doctor adventures and I think when it comes to the Target books I've read, it ranks as the worst rating I have ever given which goes to show how much I didn't enjoy it. I thought things actually started decently well as far as the TARDIS trio were concerned with the Doctor not wanting to land on Frontios given the permutations of when they located towards the end of Gallifreyan observation and the issues that interference would cause. That was a fun theme running through the book as upon arriving, it didn't exactly take long for the Doctor and co to get caught up in events! I think this story is something fo a victim of the overall story arc of the companions when reading in isolation because I have to say that Tegan and Turlough don't have great outings. It's not ideal when the companions aren't getting along and whilst it's intriguing to have Tegan think of Turlough as being a little weird, I prefer closeness between companions and we really didn't have that here. Turlough just felt unwanted and wasn't able to offer much until late in the day with the ancestral memories of the Tractators. I'm not his biggest fan anyway, but this was a really poor showing for the character. His presence did bring something of a closeness between the Doctor and Tegan though which was a nice change. I thought the Tractators as enemies didn't make a great deal of sense and I think they were severely lacking a motive and backstory for the longest time. The description of them was good and I think the cover adorning them is excellent, but they don't actually offer a huge amount and then we find out they're useless if the Gravis is put out of action which instantly took away any kind of threat. I wasn't a huge fan of most of the characters with the likes of Mr Range and Plantagenet not being favourites of mine. I thought Norna was a standout though and definitely my favourite of the characters not part of the main cast. The far future setting didn't feel like it was real and I think a better use of the setting was needed. I was baffled by how ridiculous a chapter on the power of a hat stand was. That felt really silly. I did like the idea of the TARDIS being broken up, even if the science behind it didn't feel too logical. Using the Tractators' gravitational pull to repair it was brilliant though and I thought the concluding couple of chapters were actually really good and saved the book from being a complete disaster! I just wasn't a fan of the writing style which seemed like it didn't establish a lot of what was going on and maybe took the reader for granted in thinking they'd already seen the story on television. Overall, some good stuff in parts but as a whole this struggles to break being anything more than average.

Rating: 5/10

Made You Look

"Talmouth is dying."

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: August 2016

Series: Torchwood Monthly 12

Featuring: Gwen]

Synopsis

It stalks you. It whispers. It wants you to turn around. It wants you to look. But if you do... If you see it...

Talmouth is a lonely seaside town. No-one has heard from it for days. No-one who goes in comes out. Something has happened to Talmouth. Has it been taken over by aliens? Or is it something far, far worse?

Gwen Cooper's come to Talmouth to find out. What's happened has to be seen to be believed. But by the time you've seen it, you're already dead.

Verdict

Made You Look was an excellent audio to continue the monthly adventures of Torchwood from Big Finish! I really did think this was Torchwood at its best and it was a fantastic performance from Eve Myles reprising her brilliant role as Gwen. I was intrigued by the focus on the setting of Talmouth and I liked how it was an unfamiliar town, something I think Torchwood are really good at exploring. Having a seaside town as a setting for this kind of adventure was brilliant and I thought the eery feel and atmosphere of the story had a lot to do with the town and it being a seaside location. There's something quite enigmatic and chilling about the seaside and beach at night and that was exploited really well here. Gwen's reaction to the chippy being called the Codfather and getting cold chips for free was a lot of fun, but the reason why they were cold was soon revealed. I enjoyed how this story was essentially a two hander with the characters of Gwen and Mrs Rhodes the leads, and I thought the latter was a really good character. She was quite calm and fun and bounced off Gwen in a good way. Finding out why Talmouth had gone quiet was excellent and I thought Darkness made for a terrific villain. He was so chilling and that voice was just perfect. It was a great enemy suited for Torchwood and the whole concept of three looks and you die was magnificent. Gwen wasting her first two looks set us up nicely for the rest of the audio and I thought he worked really well as the antagonist for the audio format. It was a really impressive use of the format and I think it definitely worked better without any visuals. Mrs Rhodes was so mysterious with the way she calmly spoke to Gwen and how a friend had come in with her. She had no idea and daren't turn her back otherwise she would have died. Gwen deducing that Darkness couldn't move from the town because he was nearly out of power after consuming everyone there was great, and now there were just seagulls to fill his gap. But they weren't sufficient and you got the sense that he was juicing Gwen up which was very good. Darkness blocking the contact to Rhys through Gwen's phone provided a good late plot twist with his impending arrival after knowing where she was but not getting any kind of answer. Rhys was the kind of man who would be on his way in an instant and that meant more food for Darkness. The emotion invoked in Gwen with that impending predicament was superb. I thought the way Darkness was defeated with the aid of Mrs Rhodes was good, if not slightly too quick, and how he was essentially talked out of existence. It was a logical and fitting end for the enemy, but I'd have liked a slightly longer build to make it an emphatic moment and would probably have given the episode a perfect rating! Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable audio though and I really liked the chilling feel. Very Torchwood!

Rating: 9/10