The Brood of Erys

"I remember nothing of my life before you saved me."

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: February 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 183

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Flip

Synopsis

Space travellers are warned to keep away from the area of the planet Asphya and its unremarkable moon Erys. Not the best place to materialise the TARDIS, then – as the Doctor discovers when his ship is raided by the imp-like Drachee, and his companion Flip is carried away...

But the TARDIS isn't the only stricken vessel in the region. Aboard a nearby space yacht, the Doctor encounters a woman who holds in her head the secret of Erys – a secret suppressed by amnesia, or worse. 

Flip, too, is about to learn Erys' secret. But once you know Erys' secret, you can never escape. 

Verdict

The Brood of Erys was a fantastic story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures! I liked that there was some continuity with Antidote to Oblivion at the end in suggesting that the Doctor might be out to reunite with Peri which I think is fascinating and a fine aim of direction for these Sixth Doctor adventures within the monthly range. It would be so good to get a reunion of sorts after the events of The Trial of a Time Lord and how they never got to say goodbye, and I'll almost be a little disappointed if that doesn't happen now, but at the same time I do feel a little sorry for Flip as a companion as she seems to be less important than one of her predecessors. I think it's fun for her to be a more modern character as far as the listener is concerned but into the era of the Classic world. The Doctor explaining to her the means by which the TARDIS would go through a recalibration by means of a random landing was fun and her likening it to the way a wireless controller connects with a gaming console for the first time was hilarious. I loved it though because it was very relatable! I've done that connection process on numerous occasions. Hearing the Doctor say 'as if' in the modern context was fun at the end too as he assured her he wouldn't lock her out of the TARDIS in the same way he did to his granddaughter Susan. I wasn't expecting that but when Erys had obtained the memories of the Doctor, he was quick to namedrop a number of companions from the likes of Romana and Leela to Sarah Jane and Jo. All mean so much to the Doctor but there's something deeper about family. Flip's reaction to learning that he was a grandfather was good and I wasn't expecting those final lines of The Dalek Invasion of Earth to be repeated and expanded upon in such detail. I'm all here for it though! I've started at the end here which is not the usual way I do things but the way we got there was strong. I thought the setting and concept of Erys as a planet that was alive was terrific and the extent to which it would communicate was great. The Drachee were an intriguing species and whilst their description meant they were a little difficult to take seriously along with their child-like voice, the moment they tried to take over the TARDIS and kidnapped Flip was excellent! The audacity of them to come into the TARDIS in their numbers was amusing and the younger of the species going around exploring much to the Doctor's annoyance was very fun. Flip was showing her lack of experience in the TARDIS as you just didn't let in ships and random species like that, especially after the warning they'd received to stay away! Sarra was a brilliant character and the defence mechanism of her not having nearly any memories was great stuff. Erys couldn't get in and couldn't know about the plan she hatched with her father Elgin. The fact Sarra had lost her husband and two daughters to Erys was intriguing and I liked how late in the day that information came in the story. It wasn't what I was suspecting and it was a good twist to know that the memory loss was self inflicted. I enjoyed the action of the conclusion and Elgin actually managing to alter the nerve centres of Erys to basically fix its maniacal tendencies was nicely done. Neat and simple. Lona becoming Erys for a part of the story did feel a little odd, but as a whole the presence of the moon was felt everywhere. Overall, a really good listen! 

Rating: 8/10