Moonflesh

"I require sanctuary."

Writer: Mark Morris

Format: Audio

Released: April 2014

Series: Monthly Adventures 185

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis

One wouldn't normally expect to find elephants, gorillas and rhinoceroses roaming free in Suffolk in the year 1911. One wouldn't normally expect to find an extra-dimensional police box at the same time/space location either. Two aliens, named the Doctor and Nyssa, exit said box, only to find themselves pursued by a hungry lioness – for they've landed in the private hunting grounds of the famous explorer Nathaniel Whitlock, who's brought together a motley group of friends and acquaintances for a weekend's shooting. 

But one of Whitlock's guests isn't all they seem. One of them wants the secrets of the Moonflesh, the mystic mineral looked after by the Whitlock's retainer, a Native American known as Silver Crow. Because the Moonflesh is reputed to have the power to call down spirits from another realm...

...and soon, the hunters will become the hunted.

Verdict

Moonflesh was a great story to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures of Big Finish! Ninety left to go now which is still a staggering amount but I'll get there before long. This particular adventure kicks off a brand new trilogy for the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa whose time together between Time-Flight and Arc of Infinity really has been extended into a whole new lease of life with these stories. I thought this was a lot of fun and Nyssa's lack of apetite for having landed on Earth once again was good natured humour. The Doctor really does have a tendency to land on the planet and Nyssa really was keen to just return to the TARDIS and be on their way somewhere more exciting, but the Doctor was delighted to be smelling that Suffolk air. The 1911 setting worked well and I liked how Nyssa was a little out of time with some of her references and technology name drops, and it really provided a fun and pompous attitude for a number of characters. The main culprit there was obviously Nathaniel Whitlock who had a calm but engaging debate with Nyssa regarding the morals of hunting for sport. She was obviously horrified as I would have expected of her and it was good that the Doctor was somewhat on his side but also understood the opposite view. Whitlock was all about the fight of man vs nature but Nyssa's retort about not having a weapon and the animals doing it for survival meant the situation of each side were very different indeed. Silver Crow was a strong character and I loved how at one with nature he was. I suspected he might be the true villain of the piece at the start as the atmosphere always got a little darker and more mysterious when he started speaking, but alas it wasn't to be. He actually conjured a strong relationship with the Doctor which was lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed their scenes and exploration of the dreamscape. Edwin relationship with Hector was a little sad as he really didn't think a lot of his own son and so much so that he was more than willing to leave him behind when it came to paying up to £1,000 for a safe escape after being attacked. The presence of large and natural animals is a threat that I feel is always bigger and more relatable than the likes of Daleks and Cybermen purely because they're more likely to happen to the listener. I certainly wouldn't have the confidence to show no fear and try and stare out a lion! Edwin was a good character in the fact he was wholly unlikeable, whereas Phoebe was delightful. She was very much of her era and it was nice for Nyssa to try and bring her out of her shell a little as she cottoned how much she liked Hector. They really did blossom well together by the end. It was also quite hilarious for the outrage that came when the Doctor tried to introduce Vatuus when it had taken the form of Whitlock's daughter. He was disgusted! It was one thing to take the animals, but his own daughter? Unforgivable. I thought the route of the story with Vatuus claiming to be on the run from assassins was a little predictable but I liked that the being of energy waited until it was within the TARDIS to show its true colours. It had little regard for Nyssa and wanted the TARDIS to traverse time and space, but the Doctor wasn't having that with a nice helping hand from Silver Crow and the titular moon flesh. Hannah's position as a member of the Order of the Crescent Moon was great too because that was a nice idea of life and time being circular. Overall, a strong setting with a very good story at its heart. The villain was definitely strong even if the twist was slightly predictable, but as a whole this was a tremendous listen! 

Rating: 8/10