Marco Polo

"Only a fool defends his enemies."

Writer: John Lucarotti

Format: Novel

Released: April 1985

Series: Target 94

Featuring: First Doctor, Susan, Ian, Barbara 

Synopsis

The young Venetian Marco Polo is on his way to the Emperor's court in Peking when he meets the intrepid time-travellers, for the TARDIS has landed on Earth in the year 1289. 

Marco Polo recognises in the TARDIS a means of winning favour with the Emperor. But in the end the Doctor has no one but himself to blame for the loss of his wondrous travelling machine – which he gambles away to Kublai Khan...

Verdict

Marco Polo was a decent novelisation of the first season serial! I do remember enjoying the reconstruction a whole lot more, which is a bit of a shame as I found the book a little less entertaining. I don't feel like I've been able to give the story in its truest form a fair crack as I imagine the actual version would be somewhere between the two ratings awarded. I am amazed by how much I remembered about the story considering all seven of its television parts are missing, but a number of the details came flooding back to me! It is a privilege to be able to consume this story in a complete form, and I loved going back to the extremely early days of Doctor Who. This does feel like it's brand new and that's exciting, but the scale of this adventure has to be up there with the longest on screen. It's somewhat ironic because a story taking place over the span of this one is usually reserved for something like a novel, but with it then being novelised it kind of felt like we were skipping over a lot of stuff on the journey. I understand why it happened because in the story terms there wasn't a lot happening on those lengthy passages of getting from place to place, but in a book that felt a little strange. Compared to what we know now, I liked how basic the TARDIS felt with it being easily put out of action. I thought that worked well for the story at hand though and starting off the book with the prospect of the TARDIS quartet exiting into temperatures of -20C was quite frightening! I'm Welsh and used to the cold, but that sounds pretty terrifying. I really enjoyed the pure historical nature of the story and having threats like a lack of water is something I'm well on board with. There's no impressive speech or devious tricking of a monster that can solve that problem. Tegana is a fascinating character and I think it's a bit of a shame that he is so explicitly revealed as being against Kublai Khan from the start. A little more ambiguity would have been welcomed there, but I loved the audacity of him to empty the water. The First Doctor is presented as being rather old and frail which is a little bit of a shame, but I do enjoy the vulnerable side he has. Riding a horse for a week doesn't put him in the best position to bow before Kublai Khan, but throughout his mind is at work. I'm amazed he didn't have more outbursts against Marco Polo for denying him entry to the TARDIS to start repair works, but he does enjoy defeating him at chess. Susan and Ping-Cho's relationship is undoubtedly a highlight of the book and I like how the former is trying to make the latter see that she shouldn't have to marry because her family said so. Especially not to someone aged 75! Susan was horrified by that revelation and rightly so. She would get her way a little serendipitously at the end with her would-be husband passing away and her getting the relationship she wanted with Ling-Tau. I think the novelisation would have benefitted a bit more from including some of Marco Polo's detailings of events on his travels, and just a little more on the character himself. I think we had one too many attempted getaways by the Doctor, and his relationship with Polo seemed to be shifting every couple of chapters. It was just a game of patience by the end for the Doctor to obtain the TARDIS key and escape. He would show Kublai Khan and Marco Polo the truth of the flying caravan which was fun, and I loved the way things ended with the paragraph about the second TARDIS key now being in a museum in Peking adorned as the Key to the World. I thought that was a really nice touch and played on the historical significance of the story very nicely. Overall, a delight to experience the story in a complete form and I always love going back to the first season. It's all so brand new and the show feels like it's learning. An intriguing read but it perhaps did just overstay its welcome slightly. 

Rating: 7/10

Mission to the Known

"Daleks don't listen to pleas for mercy."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Short Story

Released: December 2020

Printed in: Eaglemoss TLV 02

Featuring: Dalek Time Commander

Synopsis

The Dalek Emperor hopes to exploit the presence of the Dalek Time Commander and a Dalek Scientist in the Dark Times with an audacious mission.

Verdict

Mission to the Known was an excellent short story! This serves as a quick follow up from a personal perspective to The Last Message that kicked off these Time Lord Victorious shorts within the Eaglemoss figurine range. The booklets that accompany the figures to me are usually secondary and that makes sense given the price paid. I wouldn't be forking out the money I did for the two figurines here for a four-page short story! That would be crazy. However, this was the cheapest of the two sets that I managed to pick up boxed on eBay for a mere £15 which I believe is actually less than the RRP on release date four years ago. Good things come to those who wait and all that. However, it does appear that the third Dalek pairing from Eaglemoss in the Time Lord Victorious range is the rarest of the bunch and is going for some startlingly high prices on the resell market at the moment! Hopefully one day I will be able to purchase for a reasonable price as I think the Daleks within that are incredible figurines. I also have a sense of completeness required now when it comes to the Time Lord Victorious range. Whilst I do think the golden domed Emperor Dalek of the previous set is the main event and highlight piece, I really do like the Dalek Scientist in this set. It goes under the radar but that claw and the red paint job make for a stellar little Dalek in the collection. The story at hand here was absolutely tremendous and I'd have loved for it to be longer. There are still a couple of dodgy grammar and spelling errors that a simple editing job would have prevented which is slightly irksome, but this was excellent on the whole. It really tapped into the setting of the Dark Times with its potential there for all to see. It tied in nicely with the wider continuity in mentioning the Doctor having reluctantly brought them there, but now the Emperor had a mission for the Time Commander and Scientist. And boy was it a doozy! I think the title of the story alone is terrific and a really fun play on words. Of course, Mission to the Unknown is sadly missing from the BBC Archives but I feel like it is complete with the University of Central Lancashire remake that occurred a few years ago. That was outstanding. Despite the play on words, this is essentially a reverse of the opening scenes of Genesis of the Daleks. The Emperor foresees a time where the Time Lords unite the universe against the Daleks and so with two of their guard now being in the Dark Times, it was time to stop them at a point before their evolution. It's a shame we don't get a 'Genesis of the Time Lords' in the range but that story has been told, albeit without any reference to Dalek interference. Maybe one day? Although just setting it up here was exciting. The potential! I thought it was fun for the Time Commander and Scientist to feel a sense of surprise despite it not being something that the Daleks possess the ability for. There was a sense of excitement despite the simple nature of their standard 'I obey' reply. I did like the All Flesh is Grass continuity and the Daleks testing genetic material was very nicely done. Overall, not a lot to complain about for me! A really solid read. I look forward to eventually completing the Dalek set at some point in the future, but for now a great read! 

Rating: 9/10

The Great Beyond

"How do you escape from a prison that's always evolving?"

Writer: James Kettle

Format: Audio

Released: September 2024

Series: Fifth Doctor Adventures 08

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Adric, Nyssa, Tegan

Synopsis

The Doctor has been sent to Beyond – for the rest of his natural lives.

In the years after a devastating intergalactic war, a prison facility was set up on a distant planet. To preserve the fragile peace, the most dangerous former combatants are sentenced to life in Beyond. Like the notorious Starclair sisters, whose involvement on both sides of the war is the stuff of legend – as well as a certain Time Lord with a reputation for interfering in things that don't concern them. 

But there's something else on the planet too. Something that adds an infinite variety of agony to a life sentence on Beyond, and makes the inmates wish for the relative comfort of death. Because what's coming to those who stay too long in Beyond is almost too hideous to contemplate. Alive and conscious, deprived of your senses and all movement. Just locked in, alone in a darkness that lasts forever.

Verdict

The Great Beyond was a bit of an average story to continue the ongoing releases of the Fifth Doctor Adventures. I must admit that I find it difficult to get excited about there only being one story that takes up an entire release as I prefer variety and just more stories. I would much prefer three stories comprising an hour as that feels like more of a series, whereas this just feels like a bit of a long Monthly Adventure. And it was a little too long by the end. I think the idea on paper is strong and the first part in particular worked really well. I loved the idea of the Doctor, Adric, Nyssa and Tegan already being contained within the galactic prison that was Beyond. It sounded ominous and a name like that made it enticing. The fact that nearly everyone there was begging for execution was also rather incredible, but I didn't really think I got anything that sold that communal feeling. I think the story definitely needed more of a darker vibe and whilst it was good to have Tegan forgotten by her fellow TARDIS crew, I felt that was resolved far too early for a six parter. It turned out to be some clever trickery from the Doctor as a sort of defence mechanism which would have been fine but we should have built more towards getting her remembered. I do think this adventure would have worked better with a smaller cast of main characters as there wasn't always a lot for each character to do. Adric in particular didn't feel like was offering too much physically and was just there for some quick intelligent remarks. I did think the cliffhangers were very strong in this story which is a huge positive as whilst I did think it went a bit long in terms of duration, they kept me wanting to come back. Hearing the Doctor like we never have before when fear itself had consumed him was excellent. We never really hear the Doctor in a vulnerable state like that so that worked really well for me. The world in which Beyond existed was good and I liked the situation that the Starclair sisters had found themselves in socially. There were conflicting views on everything and that was a good situation to throw the TARDIS team into. I like the idea of the evolving prison and it was put into perspective with the Doctor even questioning how you could escape it when it was constantly evolving. Walls added, corridors going missing and doors all over the shop. I think the visuals there were brilliant. Again, somehow with the length I thought more trepidation could have been created regarding the constant changes. Ivan was a strong character and I'm not sure why but when his significance to Beyond was revealed it felt like his name was on constant repeat! It was uncanny but of course not a problem. I did think it was a little predictable to have Beyond as actually being an organism and there before its guards which was a bit of a shame. I'm not sure why but I just knew it was coming and it wasn't a shocking reveal. I like the concept and it did work relatively well, but it was built as something when I was anticipating it anyway. I thought the discussions in part six between the Doctor and Beyond were a little off and never felt like they were clicking for whatever reason. I also thought things dragged on a little with a couple of false finishes towards the conclusion. There was definitely a sense of lingering. For whatever reason despite a strong idea at its heart, this didn't wholly appease my appetite. More focus on the Doctor being imprisoned and actually having a reason or being framed rather than a simple lure would have been better. Still, a decent listen. 

Rating: 6/10

The Stuff of Legend

"Only the light can bind the darkness."

Writer: Robert Valentine

Format: Audio

Released: September 2024

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures Special

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis

Something is afoot in the lonely Cornish village of Merrymaid Bay. Rumours of dead men working in the tin mines have sent a chill through the community, and it's up to the Doctor and Charley to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Can the legends of the Bucca that haunts the mines be true? And just what awesome power do the Doctor's greatest enemies – the Daleks! – threaten to unleash upon the universe?

Verdict

The Stuff of Legend was an excellent special story for the Eighth Doctor Adventures! I must admit I was disappointed not to be in a position to be able to attend the live performance of this adventure in London, but with the finances involved in getting to the capital along with childcare responsibilities, it unfortunately just wasn't going to be possible. But it looked like so much fun! Just seeing that image of Paul McGann in his late Eighth Doctor regalia and India Fisher in the background as Charley with them inside the iconic TARDIS police box was spectacular. They're one of my all time favourite pairings so to see them get to perform in front of an audience was a real treat. I do hope there are more of this kind of thing in the future as I would definitely try again. A different location would be tremendous. I am fascinated after hearing this studio version how the performance would have played out, but the story itself is rather excellent. I mean, a combination of both the Daleks and the Master is always going to appeal to me and I was quite impressed with how separate both parties were made to be. That worked well. This wasn't an alliance and it actually had the Master helping the Doctor slightly towards the end. I thought the Cornwall setting with Merrymaid Bay was brilliant and I absolutely adored the Doctor's reference to The Smugglers and his encounter with Captain Pike. That was really nicely done and a fun little serial to comment back upon. The missing men within the village turning out to be Robomen within mines was a really strong reveal and with The Dalek Invasion of Earth holding a special place in my fandom heart as the first First Doctor story I watched, I'm a sucker for them returning. They sounded really strong as well and their whole role in the story felt very much in line with their first appearance given the mine placement. That worked well. I thought the reveal of the Master at the cliffhanger was a fun moment and his disguise being in the form of the Cornish word for his name was great stuff. What else would it be? Hearing Alex Macqueen again is excellent and his performance here was chilling as you would hope for this villain. The reactions of Charley and Emily when the name meant nothing to them at the start of the second part was a magnificent moment that I appreciated so much. The Master didn't quite know what to make of that! He soon learned of the Doctor's presence and that they were his latest playthings, but he was more surprised to find Daleks present. Charles getting to reveal that to the Doctor later was terrific. I thought the suggestion of the Master being the Doctor's brother was actually rather monumental as the latter didn't dispute it whilst also not actually admitting it. It was like Planet of Fire all over again with the ambiguity and not quite telling us! I'm not sure if I have viewed them that way, but I could certainly see it and I wouldn't be disappointed if that ever did get confirmed. I thought the narration from the older Emily was a nice touch and definitely gave a bit more credence to the title. It felt like a story and I'm sure that would have worked well in the live performance. It certainly seemed an aspect of the story specifically with that in mind which was good. The TARDIS arriving to greet her there at the end after a long way away was a lovely little way to conclude. I liked the threat of the Daleks harnessing the telluric field of the Earth and the power it would yield over the planet was explained well. I appreciated the danger and the horror reaction of the suggestion to potentially remove it as well as control it was fantastic. The Master's TARDIS at the end being disguised as the iron maiden was simply wonderful and a fine means of escape just when it seemed like he had finally perished. That was terrifically done. Overall, a really strong story! Befitting of a live performance with some stellar ingredients! 

Rating: 9/10

The Last Message

'Even in failure a Dalek can learn much."

Writer: James Goss

Format: Short Story

Released: October 2020

Printed in: Eaglemoss TLV 01

Featuring: Emperor Dalek

Synopsis

The Dalek Emperor ponders on a long lost message from a simple drone. 

Verdict

The Last Message was a decent little short story! It's been a long time now since I covered the non-short story and mobile game releases of the mammoth Time Lord Victorious arc, but it's something that has lingered in my mind and certainly made an impact. I think it's safe to say it worked as a better concept than the more recent Doom's Day series of adventures we got across numerous forms of media, although I do seem to remember the chronology and release schedule being way off course. Nevertheless, this was a simple one and could fit in just about anywhere when it came to the chronology of the Time Lord Victorious arc which is obviously a good thing considering I am reading it four years later! I am reading this now because I finally managed to pick up the first volume of Time Lord Victorious figurines from Eaglemoss for a very decent price. And it's fair to say they're a treat! The Dalek Emperor in particular is just absolutely stunning and I'm a huge fan that it was this design that was chosen to feature in the Time Lord Victorious arc. It's so retro yet just aesthetically so pleasing. It's a tremendous design and it's good to put the Emperor back on the same level as the Daleks in terms of height. That dome still gives the booming presence and I thought the illustrations here did a tremendous job in showcase just what significance this Dalek had. Its attitude towards the message from the Dalek Drone was intriguing and I liked how it allowed itself to ponder on the communication being interesting. I mean, interest shouldn't be a concept typical of the Daleks but a rank such as Emperor allowed unique privileges. That was a fun little concept. I think the design of the Drone itself is obviously a little more typical of a Classic era Dalek but there are certainly a few elements that differ and bring it into the more modern age. It's certainly a figurine that compliments my collection and I'm glad to have it! The idea of the Drone sending a message across time was quite fun and it was a simple one of it being the last and giving a warning of the Doctor. That alludes nicely to the Tenth Doctor's position in taking himself now as being the Time Lord Victorious. But the Emperor had received the message three millennia after it was given and I liked that this impressed him. A mere Drone had survived for so long, but no humility would be granted. It was only a Drone after all and that showed that they really didn't matter. They were a small cog in a much bigger Dalek machine. I thought the simplicity of the story was good and I think that was always going to be the case in a figurine magazine booklet. The story itself took up just four pages but it's a welcomed addition to the massive Time Lord Victorious stuff out there. The booklet itself is a quirky addition with some fun details on each of the Dalek Emperor and Dalek Drone, but it is the illustrations where it excels. And the figurines themselves of course! It's just crazy really to think that we have such detailed figurines from Daleks that don't appear on screen. And I absolutely love it. In terms of story, it was great to hear the Emperor ponder on surprise and pride as concepts when it came to being impressed by the Drone, but there wasn't a whole lot going on. Some better editing would have been good, especially with how small the story was, because there were a few glaring errors in terms of word placement. But other than that this was absolutely fine. A good little read.

Rating: 7/10

The War Master Part 3

"Don't you find Gallifrey boring?"

Writer: James Goss

Format: Audio

Released: September 2024

Series: Dark Gallifrey 2.03

Featuring: War Doctor, Benny 

Synopsis

The Master and Captain John are trapped amid the ruins of Dark Gallifrey, where familiar faces and infinite impossibilities gather.

With his dream of the ultimate weapon almost within his grasp, the Master revels in the chaos. But all roads lead... to the Imbomination.

Verdict

The War Master concluded in decent style to round out this latest series of Dark Gallifrey! The concept of the titular series is fascinating and whilst I find it weird that the second release seems to be chronologically the last, this still felt like I was left wanting more. That's obviously a great thing ahead of the next batch of releases next year, but if this is the end I can't help but feel slightly shortchanged. There were a lot of fantastic ingredients to make the episode a good one and as my rating reflects it was still one I very much enjoyed, but it did get a bit silly in parts. Also, considering this was billed as the first time we have had the War Doctor versus the War Master, I didn't really feel like we got that at all. The title of the episode over the last three months has of course been all things War Master and he's been a delight, but the real star of the story for me has been Bernice Summerfield. She didn't feature too much here after the damage she had caused by blabbing about Dark Gallifrey's existence causing it to return, but when she did it was nice to round things out with her referring to the Master as her provost once again. That brought things full circle rather nicely. I thought the role of Captain John Hart in the story was just incredibly whacky and whilst I think James Marsters did a decent job in presenting it, I thought the material given was a little weird. He just seemed to be there for the flirting at times which was fine and definitely added some extravagance to the episode, but it also seemed a little forced at times. The moments towards the end where he was temporarily made into his own TARDIS was just strange. Sure, it was absolutely entertaining but at the same time it bordered on ridiculous. Furniture in the pancreas and having a swimming pool inside of him? It was all a bit weird and not entirely necessary in my opinion. Although it was a joy and surprise for him to take the form of the Tomb of Rassilon to save the Master. The efforts of the Imbomination to entice the Master were fantastic and I really liked the temptation on offer to change the history of Gallifrey. It was some weapon in offering the Master the chance to take the position of Rassilon and have him shape the future of Gallifrey instead. It was quite the prospect! I'm honestly a little surprised the Master didn't take it up on the offer. It was tantalising though and as a listener I would have loved a glimpse at what that would have looked like. I'm a huge fan of the Master so having him as the founder and revered within Time Lord society could have been special. Never say never though! The echoes version of the War Doctor was decent and I liked that there was Time Lord involvement given the respective Doctor and Master incarnations but it didn't really take over the focus of the story. That was still very much on Dark Gallifrey as expected. I did enjoy the discussions on paradoxes as they're always something I find fun and difficult to wrap my head around in the best way. I do wish there was more involvement from the Doctor here, especially with the Master, but alas it wasn't to be. We'll surely get that at some point though? I thought the role of Imbomination at the end was a little predictable and given the build up over three parts perhaps that's why I felt things were slightly anticlimactic with it destroying Dark Gallifrey. It took out the planet it had basically brought into existence and saw the Master and company lying in its ruins. Considering there are four more series to go over the next few years, it's an interesting move to go with that chronology and release order! But I'll purchase regardless. I'm a big fan of the series so far and I can't wait to find out what Time Lords we'll be exploring with next. For now, a fine conclusion to what has been a very strong series, but it definitely could have had a few more twists and some more main character involvement. A good listen nonetheless! 

Rating: 7/10

Jonah

"I'm not sure command suits you."

Writer: Timothy X Atack

Format: Audio

Released: July 2018

Series: The Eighth Doctor: Time War 2.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Bliss

Synopsis

In the depths of an ocean world ravaged by the Time War, the weary survivors are pressed into service by Cardinal Ollistra. 

Something is hidden beneath the sea: the Twelve knows the truth, if only she could drag it from her jumbled mind. And when the Doctor becomes the captain of a submarine boat, all omens spell disaster...

Verdict

Jonah was a decent episode to conclude the second Time War boxset of Eighth Doctor Adventures! This series has felt slightly disjointed to me with it feeling like a mix of a continuing arc and separate episodes. The quality is still absolutely good as my rating reflects, but I do feel like things could have perhaps been a little more seamless. We seem to be joining mid-adventure which is intriguing but I found myself questioning why the Doctor was referred to as Jonah and why he was the appointed Captain of the Bloodhound. It was a fun position to have him in and I like that we're building towards the frosty relationship shared with Ollistra that would become frequent in the War Doctor Adventures that these stories serve as a prequel to. She doesn't feature a whole lot, but when she does it's clear she means business and has that sense of authority. She's a fine character and I was sad to learn after listening that this was Jacqueline Pearce's final performance in the role before passing away. She's a talented actress and her character here has made a big mark on the Time War era! I thought the Bloodhound ship was good and the journey to Uzmal was intriguing. I loved the concept of the waters on the planet preventing any kind of time travel and with that being targeted in a Time War, the contradictions were rife. The Daleks being on the hunt for the Ourashima was interesting and I like the concept of the Twelve having hidden and fractured memories of it, but I do think a little more information and elaboration on the target would have been beneficial. I felt like I didn't wholly understand the significance of the Ourashima. It sounded odd and the vagueness of knowing everything was almost too big of a scale. I'd have rather some more simple specifics to really lay down just what possessing this would entail. I thought it was good for the Daleks to simply vanish when getting too close and the way they reacted to being told to dance and sing was hilarious. They had to ask it to repeat on both accounts because it almost seemed stunned to be asked! I thought that was a good comedic moment. The Daleks simply vanishing from within when they refused was very good. I liked how Bliss was able to touch upon the trauma she felt following the events of The Lords of Terror and the fate befallen on her planet and parents, and that's surely something we have to come back to later in the series. It feels too big to bypass. Having her ponder on the events of The Starship of Theseus and how the escape occurred was excellent and I'm a big fan of the enigmatic energy surrounding that. It's fun stuff and just works within the Time War. Everything is just a bit of a cosmic mess and I enjoy that greatly. The Twelve goes through a lot over the course of the episode as the fractured minds take their toll, and I loved how she reacted with smugness when it came to the potential of being subjected to the mind probe. Which mind would the Daleks choose to extract the knowledge? She had twelve in there! The use of Old High Gallifreyan language was also a nice touch to include and I just love touching upon anything Ancient Gallifrey. I thought the ending felt a little bit anticlimactic with the Daleks simply gone and then the Ourashima perishing as the Twelve was sent unconscious. We won't have heard the last of her I'm sure with Ollistra ordering her to be in stasis, and I'm still waiting for that villainous turn! It has to be building. Overall, a more than decent story that had a strong idea at its core, but potentially a little more clarification and elaboration could have got this one a higher rating. Still, a good listen! 

Rating: 7/10

In the Garden of Death

"How could I ever forget you?"

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: July 2018

Series: The Eighth Doctor: Time War 2.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Bliss

Synopsis

In a prison camp like no other, the Most Dangerous Man in the Universe is held in isolation. The rest of the inmates have no memory of who they were or what they might have done.

No memory even of their captors. Until the interrogations begin.

Verdict

In the Garden of Death was a decent little episode to continue my way through the second boxset of Time War stories within the Eighth Doctor Adventures! I was a little disappointed there was no apparent follow on from Planet of the Ogrons and the whole lost memory thing did work pretty well whilst feeling slightly unoriginal at the same time. I think it's difficult within the Time War series to have a story like this one as you can't really hide the culprit. It's obviously going to be a Dalek ploy and whilst that is fun, it's predictable. I feel like this would have worked better within a different time setting, but as my rating reflects that's not to say it was bad! I thought the Doctor being imprisoned was fun and showed that he was the most important of the inmates. It was also good for he and Bliss to realise that they held something that was desired otherwise they would just be dead. It worked well to have them interact with the Daleks and whilst seeing them face to face, their memories were temporarily restored. That was a good little twist. I enjoyed the Twelve being looked upon simply by her appearance and demeanour as an elderly woman, but the episode slowly built into her tapping into her other selves. The suggestion at the end with Ollistra was fascinating as it was unclear whether she was voluntarily withholding vital information or if she really didn't know she had it. That's fun to think about heading into the finale! I am very intrigued as to what this might be and just having the Twelve interact with the War Council sounds awfully exciting. I'm just waiting for that full on villain moment for this incarnation. It's surely bound to arrive! I thought Bliss was really good and she's shaping into a really fine companion. I feel like there should still be a bit more of a lingering effect on the events of The Lords of Terror given everything that happened to the world she knew and her parents, but we can always come back to that. I sure hope we do. The garden setting worked well and whilst it did have a fresh atmosphere, it probably wasn't wholly fitting of the Time War setting. I imagine dark and gruesome but this almost felt upbeat? There was something of a contradiction there, but it was still good. It did its job. I liked the role of the Dalek Interrogator and as soon as I realised its presence I remembered where I had seen the CD artwork before. I think the actual design here is pretty woeful if I do say so, but I remember seeing it upon the back of the box for the Eighth Doctor and Dalek Interrogator Prime figure release in the B&M wave a few years back. Unfortunately I didn't pick up a set at the time as I was unfamiliar with the release, but now I'm kicking myself! The second hand market isn't cheap when it comes to the Dalek unfortunately. I'll be keeping an eye out! I thought the build to the memory dampeners being defeated was good but the way the Doctor and Bliss had their memories restored felt far too quick. Considering that was essentially the basis of the entire episode, it didn't half feel like a blink and you missed it moment. After a brilliant previous episode, I do feel like this was something of a filler episode to build towards the finale. It's been a calm start for the Twelve but now it seems like we're going to get her in full gear for the conclusion of the boxset. I wonder what her plans are for the Time War! As a whole, a fine way to spend an hour but a predictable premise that we've definitely heard variations of before. Still, a good continuation! 

Rating: 7/10

Planet of the Ogrons

"What's an Ogron doing in the TARDIS?"

Writer: Guy Adams

Format: Audio

Released: July 2018

Series: The Eighth Doctor: Time War 2.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Bliss

Synopsis

Avoiding the Time War, the Doctor and Bliss are found by an old acquaintance: the latest incarnation of a criminal mastermind the Doctor knows of old. But unlike her predecessors, the Twelve has a handle on her previous selves' unruly minds. 

There is a mystery to solve involving the Doctor's TARDIS and its unusual occupant – and answers will be found on the Planet of the Ogrons.

Verdict

Planet of the Ogrons was an outstanding episode to continue way through the Time War adventures of the Eighth Doctor! This had all the ingredients to be a classic and it certainly didn't disappoint! Placing the Ogrons within the boundaries of the Time War is a fun concept, but there really was so much more going on. The pre-titles sequence alone was nothing short of extraordinary as we hear the Doctor's TARDIS materialise on Gallifrey and an Ogron step out! Now, that's pretty odd by itself but considering the fact this Ogron claimed to be the Doctor made it all the better! The artwork for this story is nothing short of sensational as we see the Doctor Ogron in all its glory. The attire and the cravat really do create quite the image and it was fun for the Eighth Doctor to think he needed to get rid of it. He'd grown out of clothing like that by now! I thought the nonchalant way in which the Twelve introduced herself to the Doctor was brilliant stuff and I'm fascinated by her. I've recently finished the Doom Coalition series of Eighth Doctor Adventures so I'm very familiar now with the Eleven and all other incarnations held within, so to meet the next one along is magnificent. I thought the regeneration making her an older woman is quite different to any of the previous eleven, and we got a good little glimpse at a few of them. The neural inhibitor giving the Twelve some control over her past selves is both intriguing and a shame. I was glad that she was able to tap into others when she needed them. It does make sense that within the Time War the Time Lords felt that the Twelve would be a good soldier given the multitude of villainous personalities within. A perfect candidate for war. The Doctor continuing his stance of not getting involved in the fight was terrific and it's going to be good to hear things build and if that will and can continue. I thought the Doctor's attitude towards potentially regenerating into an Ogron was amusing as he was pretty dismissive of the species. That was something Bliss didn't appreciate and I thought that was really nice. I liked how she took a shine to the Doctor Ogron and he was a rather fun character. Combining the energy of the Doctor with the simple and straightforward make up of the Ogrons made for a fine mix! His declaration of love for Bliss was a sweet moment as we tapped into the memory engrams of the Doctor. It's always nice to know how he feels about those he travels with. The Overseer was a fascinating new version of a Dalek and it's safe to say their experimentation in the Time War was unique! This was basically a Krillitane version of a Dalek with how it was an amalgamation of numerous races, and would be the source of the Doctor Ogron which was fun. It sounded devilish which was magnificent. I was a big fan but I knew it would end up exterminated by the end. Even Bliss knew it went against everything the Daleks held pure and couldn't last in power. I thought the use of Ogrons in the Time War was fun stuff and I was so intrigued by the prospect that it was only because of interference in their own timeline that the brutes featured in the events of Day of the Daleks and Frontier in Space. So the versions we have seen aren't the established history? That's awfully fun to consider. I liked the description of The Evil of the Daleks with the Overseer extrapolating factors on a huge scale was nicely done too. There were some strong moments of continuity for sure! The Doctor needing to head back to Gallifrey to retrieve the TARDIS was fun stuff and I'm surprised that we didn't get an evil turn from the Twelve. I do hope that is coming in the next few episodes! She can't really be good now, can she? Even as an agent of the High Council?  The Doctor Ogron being exterminated was expected as soon as the Daleks arrived, but what wasn't was the regeneration! That was good fun and meant the base could be dealt with once and for all. A fitting finale. Overall, an incredible episode! 

Rating: 10/10

The Lords of Terror

"The Daleks will save us."

Writer: Jonathan Morris

Format: Audio

Released: July 2018

Series: The Eighth Doctor: Time War 2.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Bliss

Synopsis

When the Doctor takes Bliss to her home colony, they discover that the Time War has got there first. Bliss finds her world altered beyond recognition, and the population working to serve new masters. 

No dissent is allowed. The Daleks are coming. The planet must be ready to fight them.

Verdict

Have I Told You Lately? was an excellent start to the second series of Time War adventures for the Eighth Doctor! I think it's tremendous to have a whole host of adventures for the Eighth Doctor within the Time War as from The Night of the Doctor we know that it was not the War Doctor who was at its origins. It is what had driven that incarnation to exist in the first place and now we'll get a glimpse of events to drive him there. What happened in this adventure in particular would be a good starting point! I don't think it was quite drawn out enough how impactful this episode was for Bliss. Granted, I listened to the first boxset within this range some six years ago now as I've been doing some catching up on the entire Eighth Doctor Adventures, so my memory of her is a little rusty, but I love the description of her being an orphan of the Time War. That's so fitting for a companion! Bliss literally sees the destruction of her planet and not just physically but out of time and history. Her parents are not only dead but now they have never existed and it's all because of the Time Lords. That's quite the position to put a companion in considering the Doctor is a Time Lord himself! Hearing Tamasan alongside the Doctor in her new incarnation was good and I liked the continuity with The Conscript in having her now as a Major. The ranking system of Gallifrey is always something that intrigues me and she was keen to reiterate to the Doctor how he should now be addressing her. That was a fun dynamic. Tensions are definitely high on Gallifrey given the Time War, and Carvil was taking that to the extreme. His position in the Time War and what should be done was rather brutalist and wasn't something the Doctor was on board with. The use of Derilobia with no real regard for its people was horrifying and I think it's fun to assume that the title of the story will refer to the Daleks initially but that turns out to be far from the case. The use of Pollia as a Dalek agent was good and I loved hearing how she believed the Daleks were a force for good. They would save them! The appeal to Bliss obviously went on deaf ears and it's so fascinating to hear that at this point relatively early in the Time War the Doctor acknowledges that the Time Lords are just that little bit less evil than the Daleks. He'll reach a point by The Day of the Doctor where that isn't the case, but for now it's intriguing. He doesn't justify the actions of his race, but somewhat understands. Carvil challenging the Doctor and almost blaming him for the Time War being in existence because of his inaction in Genesis of the Daleks is excellent stuff! I don't think the Doctor would take that very well. He vehemently disagreed of course. I thought the twist with Carlin at the end in having his TARDIS sacrificed so the others could escape the Daleks was excellent and the symbiotic link with the time and space machine being it self destructed was quite the impactful ending! There was a lot going on here and from a personal perspective this served as a strong opener in reestablishing the Eighth Doctor's Time War adventures. Hearing the little scribble effect as time was rewritten was brilliant and the Doctor acknowledging that he couldn't do anything to save Bliss's planet with the Time War ongoing was a shock, but he would try his best when it was over. That's a long time from now! His desire to stray away from the battlefield is fantastic stuff as he tries to not get involved in the fight. I also think it's a slight shame that these sets of stories were intended for John Hurt in the further adventures of the War Doctor, but at least we're getting them in some form! Overall, a terrific start to the series! 

Rating: 9/10

Rogue

"This was one hell of a first date."

Writers: Kate Herron & Briony Redman

Format: Novel

Released: August 2024

Series: Target 184

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

Earth's Regency era – a time of culture, extravagance, sumptuous balls... and aliens?

While Ruby is a popular new addition to the Duchess of Pemberton's ball, the Doctor's word is about to be forever rocked by a dashing visitor from space. With many party-guests facing an identity crisis like no other, is up to the Doctor and Ruby to stop the menacing Chuldur's plot.

Verdict

Rogue was a terrific novelisation of the story of the same name from the latest series with the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby! For whatever reason, this was probably the release I was least looking forward to of the three new additions to the Target library this year, and despite all three getting the same rating, I think this did the best job of staying true to what I believe a Target novel should be. In the last Doctor Who Magazine, the review for this book was probably a tad harsh in saying it was a simple retelling. I thought that was far from the case. Sure, we didn't get an additional chapter from the events of Robot like we did in Doctor Who and the Face of Evil, but I was very impressed with the additional detail that just couldn't be captured on screen. I do remember thinking on broadcast that the episode could have done with a longer duration to explore the relationship between the Doctor and Rogue, and thankfully the book does a really great job of pacing that out. It doesn't feel so sudden and whilst the pace on screen was electric, this was more measured which I think is the right approach in prose. You can definitely tell that it's helpful to have the writers who wrote the story for broadcast also penning the novelisation as they just know their characters. There is an entire backstory for Art as the one that Rogue lost which is really good. They tackle a dodgy fizzy drink company in the form of the Gurgle and actually reading about his loss makes the moments towards the end with the Doctor more relatable. We obviously know what the Doctor has gone through, but now we get a much better idea for Rogue. It's also lovely to read the inner thoughts of both the Doctor and Rogue when it comes to taking a shine to one another, and the moment they proclaim the other as the murderer is played wonderfully. The Kylie on-off singalong is naturally not going to be as impactful and as fun as it was on screen, but it still brought a smile to my face. Ruby has a solid outing here as she revels at being in the real life world of Bridgerton and I liked how it was described that this television series was her latest binge. That's just real. I think the party setting is good and Ruby's relationship with Emily in particular is a delight. Hearing the word cushy is new to her. I like the focus on finding a scandal and the whole story definitely does feel more scandalous in this version. I think the Chuldurs are perhaps where things go slightly into the realm of disservice in prose. The visuals aren't there and I think to make an impactful description it would have required less of them. Or the descriptions shouldn't have all come at once. That felt like an odd passage. I thought the ghostly letter from Art to Rogue was a nice touch as well, although the ambiguity on if it actually existed at all was a tad confusing. And unnecessarily so. One thing where I thought the book did excel at was in Ruby's playing cosplay in pretending to be a Chuldur that took her form. The Doctor was angered and distraught at the thought of losing her, and that was clear for Rogue to see. The trap was set with Ruby within and when she revealed she was still her, the emotion was so powerful. The countdown was full of action and I was flying through the pages on the Kindle! The decision from Rogue to swap places is incredible and I loved the inner rationale that he didn't want the Doctor to go through the same thing he did. He would become the one lost this time around, and his hope that the Doctor would find him was stunning. I thought the epilogue was decent and whilst I like getting an additional scene beyond the televised episode, I think it kind of takes away from the mystery. Rogue in a cave doesn't sound as cool as another dimension anywhere and when. Regardless, this was still a very strong read! 

Rating: 8/10

The Monsters from Earth

"There were ways of dealign with spiders."

Writer: Walter Howarth

Format: Short Story

Released: September 1965

Printed in: Doctor Who Annual 1966

Featuring: First Doctor

Synopsis

Two children playing hide and seek use the TARDIS as a hiding place. Whilst exploring, they accidentally become stowaways, but prove more important than Dr Who will ever realise.

Verdict

The Monsters from Earth was an intriguing read to continue my way through the 1966 version of the Doctor Who Annual! I always come at the wider media format stories from this era with something of a keen interest and almost look at it as I would a historical document. I'm so interested in seeing how a Doctor Who short prose adventure was presented. This is unlike anything the modern era produces from Doctor Who and with the show not even two years old at the time it was published, it's just a very interesting read. I really enjoyed it from that perspective. In terms of story quality, it's not that strong. It does a good enough job and I'm sure for a younger viewer of the time this would have ticked a lot of boxes. One thing I find tough is the timeline. There just isn't anywhere between An Unearthly Child and The Tenth Planet for this story to fit in the chronology for the First Doctor, and judging from what we know now and comments within that era, there's not much room for it come before the stories we saw on screen either. That's just part of the fun. This is very much an adventure for Dr Who which is a somewhat different character than the First Doctor in my estimation. Different versions of the same character. In a show as wide reaching as Doctor Who, chronology and canon are never going to be fully in sync and this is just one example. It doesn't make it any less valid in my opinion though. I love reading these old stories. I think it's terrific that we get a return of the Sensorites, although the illustration makes them look a little weird and different to the versions we saw in The Sensorites on screen. It's a little crazy to think that this would actually be his first encounter of the Sensorites before that Season 1 adventure. It's a whacky time! I thought the additions of Amy and Tony were okay but they did vanish for quite a while after the enigmatic start to the story with them stumbling aboard the TARDIS in a game of hide and seek. I thought the little links to Dr Who and the Daleks with the use of the common was good although I'm not entirely sure if it was intentional. It was quirky to find a link there though. I'm a big fan of the illustrations that accompany this story as they did a really strong job at painting the words to life. The image in particular of the Doctor and the TARDIS on the giant spider web was outstanding! I also love the retro style. It just works. It feels very 1960s and I adore that. Now, the story quality itself is just pretty average and probably does linger a bit. The Doctor is probably a little too keen to murder the spider for my liking, but at this point it does appear he has yet to encounter the cavemen and be prevented from his first instinct of killing him. It's a huge change that would shape the character for decades to come. I think Amy and Tony being there to save the Doctor along with their dog Butch was a little far fetched given the apparent threat of the arachnid Zilgans, but it was quite fun to think of the Doctor as seeing them as phantoms because of the impact on him of two suns. He still trusted the possibility of them being real when it came to enacting the plan to get back to the TARDIS which was fun, but despite the Doctor praising them they didn't exactly do an awful lot. Amy was petrified of insects which was reasonable given her age and the fact they'd travelled in time and space, but it did get a tad annoying by the end. I think it's crazy looking back that the Doctor is referring to himself as being human and from Earth, but that's part of the mystery and wonder of this early period. Overall, an intriguing little read even if the story quality wasn't all that great.

Rating: 6/10

The Man From DOCTO(R)

"Appearances can be deceptive."

Writer: Andrew Collins

Format: Short Story

Released: April 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Companions 03

Featuring: Harry

Synopsis

Adventures in time and space are no fun if there's no one to share them. the Doctor has taken along many people on his travels – humans, aliens and robots. Did he really care for any of them? What in their previous life fitted them for the role of companion – and how did they cope after they left the TARDIS?

These seventeen stories look at the Doctor's trusty companions, before, during and after their travels with the eccentric Time Lord. Discover the truth about Romana's regeneration, find out what happened when Zoe encountered the Doctor again, and learn which of his companions the Doctor cared for the most...

Verdict

The Man From DOCTO(R) was a great little story to get back on track with my reading of the Short Trips: Companions collection! It’s a no brainer to focus on companions as they’re a vital element of what makes Doctor Who so wonderful, and Harry is a fine choice. It’s really intriguing to catch up with him following the events of his last appearance in The Android Invasion, and I love that he was not hiding anything about his time in the TARDIS. Here we have the book starting with Harry at a pub with his chums Buffy and Chumpy and telling them all about the events of The Sontaran Experiment and the weak spot of the back of the neck! That was unexpected but I thought it was great. His pals were finding everything quite amusing as you would with tales like this, and Harry wasn’t even hiding the fact that his mode of transport involved a time ring in a fun allusion to Genesis of the Daleks. He wasn’t holding back any details, but I’m sure he didn’t think they would believe him. I know if I was sitting around with a few drinks alongside my mates that if one of them started blurting about potato aliens and time rings I’d have a chuckle! I appreciated the realistic feel of the story. The way the atmosphere was captured was brilliant and I think the evening bar setting helped with that a great deal. His encounter with Lettice was by chance but he soon got caught up in quite the fiasco! His reaction to being kissed by her in an effort to hide herself was amusing and whilst I did think some of the descriptions of women in the story was unnecessary and actually demeaning, I can appreciate this being slightly from Harry’s point of view. I’ll just about let it slide. He was taken with the leggy assistant (see?) but Lettice was the one he cared about. I liked how he wanted to know her more before starting anything physical and that made her departure later on a little easier. I thought the discovery of the conflict between the Zantorans and Garvaks was decent and the importance placed on the Egg of Abundance was really strong. It might seem a little silly to place such importance on what was an ordinary looking egg, but the puns from Harry had me massively smiling. His scrambled comment when it came to the signal reference was extraordinary and the hatching of plans also peaked my humour. It was tremendous stuff. Comedic gold whilst completely simple. It was really effective and a nice relief in what was a rather dark feeling story. Harry being captured after Lettice convinced him to take the package was fun, and he was punched quite a few times as Crumpton wanted knowledge on the Egg’s whereabouts. Radcliff as the Mole in saving Harry thanks to the tracker placed on the former companion by Lettice was good and they built a strong bond which was fantastic! They covered the world on the trail of the egg and I thought it was amusing for all roads to lead to Belgium. They went a roundabout way to get there considering things started in Zurich! I could have done with a bit more action along their world tour, but I appreciate the shorter format wouldn’t allow that. Harry having pocketed the true egg containing the genetic makeup was good and swift as they were caught actually leaving rather than arriving, and his swapping of it with a traditional chicken egg was very amusing! It didn’t react well with the system to have the Garvaks take Earth which was a delight. The genetic imprint they’d now taken was of chickens! That was quite unique but very amusing. It was also very final as Harry was successful. The story concluding with him telling the events of this adventure to his pals and how he was left in the Belgian Alps by Lettice and Radcliff without his passport was tremendous. That rounded things out very nicely. Overall, a really strong read!

Rating: 8/10

Stop the Clock

"We are the forgotten women."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: March 2017

Series: Doom Coalition 4.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen

Synopsis

The time has arrived. Events are in motion. The end of the universe is at hand and the Doctor and his friends have one hour to save eternity. Starting now.

Verdict

Stop the Clock was a great story to conclude what has been a rather epic four boxsets of Doom Coalition! The Eighth Doctor Adventures are such a strong element of what Big Finish are doing and whilst I still have some catching up to do, I'm loving the journey so far. Things have come a long way across these sixteen episodes and it reached a fine crescendo here. The universe was at stake and literally had an hour to survive, but the cracks within the Doom Coalition were there for all to hear and it was up the Doctor and friends to pry them open. I thought the Eleven once again felt like the superior of the bunch and he's growing into an excellent villain. I'm really enjoying him and the scene he had with Tessno was extraordinary. It was undoubtedly the highlight for me as he basically goaded her into her own death. He told her exactly what would happen despite him being all tied up, and gave the timeline of two minutes. He offered her the chance to kill him after the events she experienced with the Ten and with that thought in her head of extracting revenge, he had already one. It was deliciously evil. I thought Liv's previous knowledge and experience coming into play again was really strong and really helped build up the conclusion. Helen had to be left behind when entering the Capitol because she'd never been, but it was her position as a forgotten woman that would prove crucial at the end. The Doctor using a psychic cloak to take on the form of the Eleven wasn't something I was a massive fan of, but I thoroughly enjoyed McGann's impression of the evil Time Lord. It just felt a bit too easy of a device to have and repeating what we had already heard with him taking the guise of the Clocksmith. Liv really does feel like the mature companion now and that experience is great, but it was actually the vulnerability of Helen that I enjoyed more here. Her willingness to fight for the cause and actually sacrifice herself was fantastic. I thought the emotional development of the Sonomancer throughout the episode was fantastic and it was great for the Doctor to push her into revealing that she was being used by encouraging her to prove him wrong. She was connected to the Matrix after all and found that Padrac had very much been using her. He would betray her like they already had the Eleven. It was predictable, but it still worked well. I thought the Doctor appealing to the Eight was good stuff and it's quite fun that there's a good incarnation on the inside of the Eleven. The way things all tied together with the Doomsday Chronometer was nicely done and even going full circle at the end with Padrac believing he was seeing the Red Lady was terrific. That rounded things out nicely. I thought Helen and the Sonomancer working together at the end to save eternity was good and the latter granting the former power to actually stop a gunshot with her mind was quite something! Helen didn't know how to feel about that which was fun to hear. The Resonance Engine would be no more with Helen piloting the Battle TARDIS, and she would mean so much as she intended. The Doctor finding a trace of a potential artron energy reading that left sets things up for the next series which is good, where it seems Helen and the Eleven are not quite done with just yet! The fate for Padrac seems very much in line with Gallifreyan punishment as he was to be frozen and locking eyes with what he believed was Caleera. It was all very The Five Doctors which I was a big fan of hearing! I don't think we'll be hearing from him again after this ordeal. Overall, a really strong finale that didn't really spring up too many surprises, but was a fitting conclusion to a fine set of adventures! I'm loving the story arcs and I can't wait to hear what's next. A fine listen.

Rating: 8/10

The Side of the Angels

"He's already won. Gallifrey is his"

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2017

Series: Doom Coalition 4.03

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen

Synopsis

Cardinal Olistra has plans for New York, plans which involve the Deputy Mayor and her sponsor, one 'Reverend Mortimer' – better known to the Doctor as the Meddling Monk. The Eleven arrives to stamp out the resistance, but that isn't the only danger the Doctor finds lurking in the shadows – for New York is a city of Weeping Angels.

Verdict

The Side of the Angels was another excellent episode to continue my way through the fourth and final series of Doom Coalition within the Eighth Doctor Adventures! Whilst things do indeed seem perilous for the Doctor and his companions with the impending destruction of the future in five centuries time, there does appear to be a resolution in sight and whilst it is predictable I like the proposition of the titular coalition falling apart. They're all power hungry and I figure that will be their downfall, but this was a tremendous outing for them all to tie together. The Eleven does seem to be the biggest of the villains despite the achievements of Padrac in bringing about the future's demise, but the Sonomancer being present again was great. She wasn't around for long but she made a big impact! I was very excited by the title for this episode as having the Weeping Angels around is always a bonus, but they didn't actually have to do all that much. Their presence was more than enough and it's surprising how well they figure out in the audio format. The use of sound effects is stellar and so impressive. I thought the New York setting was fantastic and I must admit I was actually expecting a bit more of a link to The Angels Take Manhattan other than the Angels simply being present. The Monk's return was brilliant and the Eighth Doctor in particular showing distain towards the meddling Time Lord was excellent continuity considering what happened to Lucie Miller in To the Death with his involvement. Rufus Hound is as tremendous as ever as the Monk and I liked how he was going by Reverend Mortimer this time around. His allusion to starting afresh with a new regeneration was good but I don't think the Doctor would be so willing to give him a chance. I thought his reaction to what Ollistra was doing was great as well as she didn't seem all that phased by what Padrac had done. She had a plan in mind, but it wasn't exactly great. The proposition of all of humanity being fed to the Weeping Angels as Earth plunged into darkness was very exciting. Hearing Liv and Helen together as a pair in the museum was fantastic and I loved how they were threatened by the image of an Angel very much becoming an Angel. That played out well in the audio format. I thought the interference of Ollistra and her Planning Council in New York was intriguing and very un-Time Lord like, but with the Vortex frail and the future literally uncertain, it seems some rules are out of order. I thought Veklin was terrific and having her future self that was touched by an Angel emerge sixty years later was tremendous. There was so much going on here with all of the different characters so I was impressed that things never got clunky or in the way. The Eleven's continued killing of Volstrom and causing consecutive regenerations showed the maniacal sense of the villain, and the Monk's reaction to his presence said all that was required. This was an incredibly serious threat. The Eight being on the inside and actually using the time ring to get the Eleven back to Gallifrey was fun and it seems the grand finale will indeed take place on the Time Lord home planet. Ollistra being pushed was horrifying and the cliffhanger finish of her regeneration into the incarnation we are more familiar with alongside the War Doctor was a nice touch. It's tremendous to hear a regeneration on audio! The paradox defeating the Angels was really well done to bring everything together and set things back for Ollistra's timeline, and it does seem they are quite susceptible to temporal defeat! It's good though because it keeps their presence in New York for the Eleventh Doctor to encounter intact. This was an intriguing sidestep in the ongoing arc in taking us away from the main play of action, but it also served as an exciting ordeal as we head towards what is set to be an explosive finale! I can't wait to hear how things play out. A fantastic story! 

Rating: 9/10

Songs of Love

"I don't find the imminent destruction of our world terribly funny."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: March 2017

Series: Doom Coalition 4.02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen, River

Synopsis

Left to fend for herself against a bunch of power-hungry plotters hell-bent on destroying the universe, what choice does a girl have but to throw in her lot with the winning side? Using her past to her advantage, River Song returns to the ancestral seat of the Time Lords to make her last stand.

Verdict

Songs of Love was an excellent episode to continue my way through the final volume of Doom Coalition within the Eighth Doctor Adventures! This was a Doctor-lite story to the extreme and I nearly didn't include him in the featuring section, but I have to be honest the quality of the episode was such that he wasn't missed! I think it is brilliant that we get to hear River Song actually step foot on Gallifrey as that is something that just shouldn't be possible, but the wonders of time travel and her timeline in particular make it possible. It's tremendous stuff. I like how we follow up with the cliffhanger finish from the end of The Crucible of Souls with River claiming to be on the side of Padrac all along and actually handing him the Doctor. It's quick thinking given the predicament he and his companions were in as they were sent off into the events of Ship in a Bottle. I think it's good fun to have her on the planet of the Time Lords and her opinion of the decor was amusing. It's definitely what I'd expect! Whilst the series has clearly been building to the umbrella title, I feel like this was the first time where it was strongly hinted at and referred to. We had Padrac clearly in charge and he almost felt superior to the Eleven at times, and he was also clearly using the Sonomancer. She was as whacky as ever and in love with the Time Lord which was fascinating stuff. She was completely devoted to him. River mentioning her admiration and work with the Clocksmith was good in trying to sell herself to join the coalition, and when the Matrix showed her fate things worked very well. I loved the references to The Impossible Astronaut with River being confirmed as killing the Doctor at Lake Silencio. Having the Time Lords pre-Time War get to see that and how the future incarnation of the Doctor perished feels wrong but that's precisely why I love it. I also really like how the coming events of the Time War play a major part. All Matrix projections – every single one of them! – show that the planet of the Time Lords will fall. Completely. They aren't sure who that war would be fought against which is fun given River's presence and knowledge, but they do refer to it as a time war which I love. I thought Padrac's plan of ridding the universe and time of everything other than the Time Lords was pretty drastic, but it sold just how whacky he was. It was quite the plan! I thought Liv and Helen being suspended in space and being saved was good as we learned of Volstrom actually being a double agent. I thought that was good and Veklin being on side as well was most welcomed. Helen telling Liv about River and how she knew the true name was amusing as Liv couldn't believe the information was forbidden from her! But to be fair she was told the universe depended on it. River's role at the end as she became one with the data was incredible and her binary make up being utilised was fantastic. I thought her sacrificing herself in the vortex for the Doctor's TARDIS was brilliantly done and full of emotion as the Doctor realised he'd known her many times before but had to forget. He had plenty of firsts, but for she felt like it was close to the end. That was poignant stuff. The Eleven shooting Volstrom was quite sudden and the regeneration being triggered was good as he revelled in the regeneration energy. Padrac was less than happy at him being shot but did calm when he learned it wasn't fatal. He had all the information after all! Things are building very nicely now and I'm intrigued to hear where things move going forward as we start to reach a crescendo. There's so much going on and I wonder how River will make it out as of course we know her fate to come in Forest of the Dead. For now though, a welcomed return to Gallifrey and a fine continuation of the series. A marvellous listen! 

Rating: 9/10

Ship in a Bottle

"We might not always win."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: March 2017

Series: Doom Coalition 4.01

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen 

Synopsis

The Doctor, Liv and Helen are hurtling into a future that has been utterly destroyed, trapped inside a shuttle with no possible means of escape. But with the lives of everyone in the universe in the balance, they've got to find one. And soon. When the stakes are this high, you can't just give up. Or can you?

Verdict

Ship in a Bottle was a strong start to the fourth and final series of Doom Coalition within the Eighth Doctor Adventures! I liked how this followed on from where The Crucible of Souls left off with the Doctor, Liv and Helen being plunged into the nothingness of the future. It was a daunting prospect and hearing them on the other side was terrific. It was good continuity, although it didn't really feel like a series opener. Hearing the defeatist attitude of the Doctor admittedly did get a little annoying and I was firmly on the side of Liv. She absolutely refused to give up, especially with the circumstances considering Padrac and the implications of his actions. His victory would mean the end of the future and that's difficult to wrap your head around, but I'm all for it. This being a three hander between the Doctor and his two companions was magnificent and they went through a lot. That's obviously understandable in their almost helpless situation. It was a time for reflection as the Doctor worked out some details about the Eleven, about Padrac, and about how everything he had done was just falling into the hands of his old friend. Even that Octavian was the Eight. It was all connected and nothing favoured the Doctor. I thought it was premature for him to accept that he might not win this time around, but it was that quick disregarding of even trying which didn't sit right with me. I was glad that Liv was able to make him see sense in the end and she just wasn't going to give in. She did accept that they might not always win and I loved the harking back to Dark Eyes in mentioning Molly there. She knew the score, but she wasn't having it this time around. There was too much at stake. I thought this was one of her finest episodes as companion which is a delight to say. She also stood up for Helen which was good and she just felt so mature and seasoned. It was lovely to listen to. Helen felt a little on the outside given Liv's longer tenure with the Doctor but I disagreed there. She's been crucial ever since arriving earlier in the series. She's a strong companion and her rudimentary understanding of waves and suggesting to ride one actually turned out to be the answer! After a few failed attempts and efforts in space with an uncomfortable spacesuit, the Doctor planned to have them ride a shockwave right back through the vortex. It was brave and audacious, but it just about paid off. Liv wasn't entirely thrilled with the idea, but it was their best shot and she trusted the Doctor. She was reluctant but then knew it had to be done. I thought the Eighth Doctor's comments about his previous incarnation and thinking himself as the chess master were fascinating as he was far from complimentary! He regretted the moment in having the Eleven imprisoned on Gallifrey as he was not close to being defeated. He was just in cold storage waiting for Padrac. He was very harsh on himself and I'm intrigued to hear how this will impact him moving forward. Focusing on the potential changes to time was intriguing and I liked that he used the fact the Eleven didn't recognise Liv and Helen despite them travelling with the Nine as evidence that time could still be changed. He was going to ride the shockwave back to a point before where things could be altered and the future saved. There was a whole lot going on, and we hear that Liv and Helen make it through into space, but they only have five minutes of oxygen left. That was quite the cliff-hanger with no Doctor in sight and Liv still being confident that somebody would be coming to save them. It wasn't much time for a rescue in space! But I like it and I'm interested to find out who it is that comes. Overall though, a really strong series opener! A great listen.

Rating: 8/10

73 Yards

"She's scared them out of my life."

Writer: Scott Hancock

Format: Novel

Released: August 2024

Series: Target 183

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor, Ruby

Synopsis

How long is 73 yards?

Haunted by a sinister presence, Ruby must cope with losing the Doctor and the life she once knew. With her new life without her best friend becoming bleaker by the day, something terrifying is unleashed, and it's up to Ruby to stop it.

Verdict

73 Yards was a great novelisation of the televised episode of the same name! I had mixed feelings about this story when it aired on screen but the mysterious and enigmatic nature made it the novelisation I was most excited about when the three from the recent series were announced. I was fascinated to read how the story would be taken in prose as I thought it might actually be difficult to portray, but the author did a stellar job. It was a very faithful retelling whilst also delivering in traditional Target style by expanding on what we saw on screen. That's the very point of the novelisation in my opinion! I loved the additional scene with Ruby going into UNIT Tower and having a meeting with Ace! Modern viewers would also be familiar with her from her appearance in The Power of the Doctor so to get a few pages with these companions was an utter delight. I liked how Ace was surprised to hear the Doctor was a him again and I liked that she got to touch on her own history with the Doctor. It was also quite fun for the author to avoid details when it came to Ace's departure. There have been a few depictions of that! I was impressed with the scene in the pub especially as that was expanded very well in giving each of the five inhabitants a backstory. It was definitely good to get to know them better and learn about their respective pasts, but it still felt like Ruby was gone a little quickly. The mobile phone gag is still fun though and the moment they get a knock on the door and they play a group prank regarding Mad Jack was fantastic. I liked how that and the Doctor's warning of the Welsh Prime Minister came to click together for the older Ruby when saw Roger ap Gwilliam getting interviewed ahead of the election. Her ageing journey was depicted well and whilst it was perhaps quick to venture from age milestone to the next, the pace was exciting and that was good reading. There was no messing about. I thought it was fun for Ruby to have the same old story with numerous boyfriends, but of course when it came to being distant in bed that wasn't her. I thought the moment where Ruby comes home but then Carla speaks with the Woman was so powerful and whilst that look in the cab was incredible on screen, it was equally shocking in prose! The way the book starts makes no messing about and there are no wasted introductions, this is for the fans and we get stuck right in. Wales at its wondrous best and then a few pages in the Doctor vanishes. It happens suddenly which I like and it's good that we get an entire chapter with Ruby encountering the hiker who would be a herald of Sutekh. The reference to Boom was great and I liked that we also got some fun moments with Mrs Flood. Learning how Ruby came into some money from Cherry's inheritance was good to explain how she got her own flat and it was shocking that she wouldn't be able to attend the funeral. I liked that she got a private moment at the gravestone though afterwards. The description of Cardiff City Stadium had me laughing because I'm a regular visitor. I was there two days ago as I write this blog to watch my country in a brand new era, and hearing how Roger ap Gwilliam was a Cardiff fan despite growing up in Swansea was a fine detail in my book. That would take some balls. As a Cardiff fan myself and having gone to school eight miles away from Swansea in Neath, I know how much that rivalry means. I got booed on the yard for wearing a Cardiff top once! Some of the information about the CCS was inaccurate like the capacity and referring to the rows numerically, but that's just me being pedantic. Ruby feeling the power of the moment she gets the Woman to interact with Gwilliam and send him packing before he can orchestrate nuclear war was brilliant. Had it all been to reach this point? She wasn't sure but she felt like she had achieved something. I thought it was depicted well that Ruby had grown to live with the Woman and the importance being placed on the events involving the Doctor disappearing causing a suspension of the timeline was excellent. It was a good explanation for the lack of other alien activity and that meant UNIT could retire. The tower became known locally as the Unit which is just fun and Ruby was left to grow old. Her reaction when the Woman came closer at her moment of death was strong, and I liked that it was described how the forbidden words killed Ruby. Except they also saw her reborn as her alternate future self could warn Ruby and the Doctor about breaking the fairy circle. I still find it strange that there's no apparent reason why these events happen and it is a little annoying to experience the story twice and get no answers about the Woman and what she is saying, but I think I enjoyed it in prose form more than on screen. That might be because I was prepared for what was coming though. Overall, a terrific little read! 

Rating: 8/10