Silver and Ice: The Ribos Inheritance

"I've got a revolution on my hands."

Writer: Jonathan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: June 2022

Series: Seventh Doctor Adventures 1.02

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel

Synopsis

The Doctor and Mel arrive expecting Suntime on Ribos, but find a world still shrouded in snow and ice – but it's not just the climate that's gone awry... As forces plot against the young King, a soothsayer predicts doom. And out in the wilds, the Doctor finds wily conman Garron caught up in events on Ribos once again.

Verdict

The Ribos Inheritance was a great audio adventure to conclude the Silver and Ice first volume of Seventh Doctor Adventures! I really do think that one day we will have a Big Finish audio that acts as a sequel or prequel or at least some form of strong continuity from every television serial ever made, as I don't think any fans were crying out for a return to Ribos! However, after reading Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation a couple of weeks ago I must admit I was really looking forward to the Doctor being reunited with Garron and the potential of the Ribos setting was utilised well here with an extended Icetime. The humour in the TARDS before landing was good with Mel hoping to have a little holiday away somewhere warm, so of course despite his assurances and insistence with the TARDIS, they landed during the wrong season. To be fair though, the planet ought to have been during Suntime but something had gone very wrong which sparked us into the story very nicely. I enjoyed the placement of this adventure chronologically with the Seventh Doctor still contemplating what kind of personality he has following his recent regeneration in Time and the Rani, and his contemplating what will come in the future was fascinating. That could be a strong theme to explore as the series goes on. I was impressed with Mel in the companion role here and she's so much more fleshed out on audio than she was on television. She really is a very good companion. The return of Garron was terrific and I thought it was a lot of fun for the conman to actually be the wizard in the caves! I didn't see that coming so the Doctor naming him was tremendous. The Doctor didn't take too much trouble in convincing Garron that he was the same man he'd bet back during the Jethryk search on Ribos twenty years previously, and a fun little reunion was had. It was actually Mel though that had a good relationship with Garron and the reaction of her at the end to him being lost for words when the truth about King Kari was revealed was a lot of fun. Kari never seemed to have the presence required for a monarch and that was fine with the revelation at the end that he had literally been playing King in a role play game! Except, for Ribos he really was King. The 'gods of Ribos' actually being an artificial intelligence was good and everything did tie together nicely by the end. Sandarr was a fantastic character and the star of the show for me in the end. The way she provided shelter to the Doctor and Mel and didn't believe in the gods but her in a very unique position as far as the population on Ribos were concerned. Her reaction to Garron as a false wizard was fun after taking them there and she was concerned at getting caught up with him and how her fellow resistance would feel. The backstory of Garron being responsible for the extended Icetime with his efforts at terraforming for an icy holiday resort was so ludicrous which made it fun, and the search to find the lock and key together was really good and a nice little homage to the Key to Time. A quest story on Ribos, what else? I thought the battle as war ensued was strong action and Sandarr being the one to kill the Duke of Hishtar to take the key and then give a fake last command of retreat was excellent. I really enjoyed that but she didn't take too kindly to her own trickery. Kari turning out to be Garron's sun and the lock and key being synced to DNA as a security measure was good and Suntime returned to Ribos at last. Overall, a great audio! 

Rating: 8/10