The Unbound Universe: The Library in the Body

"All knowledge is evil."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: August 2016

Series: New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield 3.01

Featuring: Unbound Doctor, Bernice

Synopsis 

In a dying reality knowledge is the only thing left of value – and the Kareem have come to destroy it. Can Bernice and the Doctor save the last library?

Verdict 

The Library in the Body was a really good start to The Unbound Universe third series of the New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield! This was an exciting boxset on paper and it started very nicely as we literally see two universes collide. It started rather abruptly with the Unbound Doctor essentially kidnapping Bernice from her lecture which was pretty amusing, but his plan didn’t work out as she was supposed to be his anchor in her universe but he was soon back in that of the Unbound. The fact he was trying to escape said a lot about the state of said universe with there not being much left of it following a war. The universe was dying which suggested an alternate version of the Time War which was intriguing. I hope we learn more as the series goes on. The alternate version of the infamous Doctor Who theme arrangement was glorious and I’m looking forward to hearing that in this range! The fact that nobody could remember why the war started felt a little odd but I did enjoy that the Doctor didn’t fight in it, fitting in with what we know of our version of the character. His description of the universe now experiencing its great celestial morning after was an analogy Benny could understand relating to a hangover. A major clean up effort was now required! The Gateway was a good element of the universe being a bridge back to Benny’s universe, but it had reverted to just rock now meaning she was trapped. That sets us up nicely for the series to come! The library being all that was left was intriguing and I liked the value of knowledge in the Unbound universe with it being specifically sought out. All were welcome at the library, even the Kareem, which was fun considering they were against knowledge as a concept and boasted that they knew nothing! They hoped to wipe knowledge out all together which was a quite ridiculous concept but I appreciated the fun it provided. The sisters were good and I really loved the requiem they were singing of numbers. The Doctor claiming to be this universe’s champion was a little odd considering he’d just tried to leave, but his position as its President because there was nobody else left was pretty great! It just couldn’t be anyone else. The Sage of Sardner was a fun character as the most knowledgeable person in the universe and that wouldn’t go down well with the Kareem! He had acolytes though and they clashed with Mandeville as the cyborg king nicely. He had an interesting take on the Doctor too which was excellent. The Librarian not fearing the Kareem was admirable and it was good that they were still welcomed despite their intentions of destruction. The singing of the sisters was great and the Doctor never seemed convinced they’d achieve the control they were after from it. He had a reputation in this universe more so than his counterparts in Benny’s, and Mandeville highlighted how despite everything he was often left unscathed whilst others around him weren’t so lucky. Benny admitted that there was some truth to that which was difficult to argue against. The warning of the Kareem and Benny being hinted into looking them up was good, and I liked how the story of her entire life was impossibly within. Some elaboration there would have been good, but I liked the mystery it provided and the Doctor seemed to understand what she’d experienced. The library containing some interesting knowledge on this version of the Doctor’s people was fascinating and I hope a hint of what’s to come as the series goes on, and him toying with the idea of being the only one left was excellent. That was not something he wanted, so his reaction to the Master taunting him was tremendous. I can’t wait for him to make a full appearance! The conclusion worked well with the library digesting the Kareem as they still held the knowledge that they destroyed, with the entire thing being a trap designed to wipe out the rest of the survivors. The Doctor and Benny saved the day in end but at the expense of considerable TARDIS power meaning it couldn’t travel in time, but it did have a few small hops left in it. And so the adventures of Benny and the Unbound Doctor have begun! Overall, a really good and solid start to the series.  

Rating: 8/10