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 | Hanging Around in the Dead Zone - Again |
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| What: | Death in Blackpool (Eighth Doctor Adventures audios) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Saturday 29 December 2012 |
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| Rating: |   6 |
The beginning of series 4 has Lucie leaving the Doctor (not really). The story is rather old hat. Someone wants a body, puts Lucie in a coma, and then visits her in the the space between life and death to convince her to give up her body. It is done in the same way as all the others. The story resolves the Aunt Pat dilemma for Lucie. That works out fairly well. In general, it is just not original enough.
| What: | The Colony of Lies (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Friday 28 December 2012 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Though the book has a setting in a quasi-western town on another world, and one character speaks in a somewhat western-like manner, it really is not a western at all. Brake may have been attempting something like a western, with a frontier town, a displaced earlier settlement (i.e. the Injuns) and something like the cavalry in the Earth Federation troops. However, the novel is more straightforward science fiction than anything else. The story and type are of the back to basics (pun intended, for those who read the book) late 1970s style, the reaction against the literary flights of fancy of the 1960s and early 1970s. It has the manner of John Varley or the early George R.R. Martin to it, maybe even Orson Scott Card.
The story involves a failing human colony on an Earth-like planet. The colony had been established on a theory that humanity had lost its way in too much technology, so that a return to the 19th-century style of living would give people a fresh start. However, the founder of the colony died when the colony ship crashed. Now, a century later, the colony is split into the Loyalists, wanting to keep the old ways, and the Realists who want more technology. Complications come when Earth Federation forces arrive to establish the basis for relocating refugees of the Dalek wars to this planet. The Federation ship sets off an alarm and the prior inhabitants begin to stir. Several interesting plot complications ensue, and Brake does manage to keep some surprises well hidden while at the same time logical when they arrive.
The book does not have much in the way of original ideas, but instead takes some well-known elements and combines them in a novel way. There are a few bits to quibble about. How can Jamie hold his own in a one-on-one fight with the biggest and toughest alien dog when repeatedly these dogs have shown the strength to rip apart doors and fling humans as if they were pillows? Does Zoe have to be on the brink of death three times? Why is the colonists' difficulties in getting pregnant not explained? Why is it that Federation official Greene is made out to be something other than human, but is really just another slimy political hack? Of course, the major problem for most readers will be the wholly unnecessary fan-wank of having a seventh Doctor cameo.
To wrap up, despite a few gaffs the book is a brisk read with science fiction elements put to good use.
| What: | Project: Destiny (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Thursday 27 December 2012 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Written as the wrap-up of the Forge series, "Project: Destiny" is mainly about tying up multiple loose ends. As such, it does not work fully well as a standalone story. To get the full benefit, one needs to know the other stories before it. The Forge, or C4 as it is now known, has become legitimate, and Abberton has now traded in his polycarbide armor for a Savile Row suit, as the Doctor says. But while the Forge may be legit, Abberton probably isn't. The new concern is an alien virus that converts people into insects. Some have noted that this idea imitates "District 9," but there are also hints at a "Seeds of Death" connection. Since this is a 7th Doctor & Ace story, things must get very emotional, so to provide emotion-food there is the big reveal to Hex about his mother. Like prior Forge stories and Scott/Wright Big Finish scripts, the writing here is brisk if not terribly original. To their credit, Scott and Wright do not attempt to hide the borrowings. Though this is billed as the end of the Forge series, Scott and Wright do leave just a little opening for more.
| What: | Gallifrey IV (Gallifrey audio dramas) |
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| By: | Doug W, An Alternate Reality (formerly Pocono Summit), United States |
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| Date: | Thursday 27 December 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Similarly to the Doctor Who Unbound series that features "what if" scenarios with alternative actors playing the past or never seen Doctors, Gallifrey IV takes us to alternate Gallifreys in alternate universes via the Axis, which is a hub that affords passage to those alternate realities. The result is an intriguing series of adventures in other, radically altered worlds of Gallifrey, with only Romana, Leela, K9, Braxiatel, and Narvin being from the original world that is familiar to us, having been forced to take refuge in the Axis after the end of the events of Series III.
These stories are also full of great guest appearances of other familiar actors in the Doctor Who and Gallifrey series, here playing different roles.
The four stories are imaginative and interesting, and the performances are solid across the board.
For listeners who like "something different," you won't do much better than this.
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| Part 3 of the trilogy (star wars) |
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| What: | The Shadow Heart (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 23 December 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Death Star, millennium falcon (or giant snail) princess and bounty hunters. Throw in the Doctor, mix up with lots of time travel and it all comes together to a great conclusion to the trilogy.
| What: | The Acheron Pulse (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Clive T Wright, St Lawrence, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 23 December 2012 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
The penny suddenly dropped: hands chopped off, tumbling from great heights, princes and princess in love (sort of) space empires, mystical powers. A dark emperor with face mask and heavy breathing, it's a Doctor Who version of The Star Wars trilogy.
With so many winning elements of Star Wars, mixed up and with a twist of Doctor Who it all comes together in an enjoyable story.
| What: | Series 7: Part 1 (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Doug W, An Alternate Reality (formerly Pocono Summit), United States |
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| Date: | Sunday 23 December 2012 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
Series 7, Part 1 needs to be defended after being dumped on by Matthew, the previous reviewer. I'll grant that what we got here doesn't quite measure up to Series 5 and 6. But there's still a lot of gorgeous stuff here.
Asylum of the Daleks is just freakin' great Doctor Who. A very interesting, if somewhat puzzling story (why are the different Dalek factions together now, what's up with their asylum planet, etc.), looks beautiful, great pacing, and the ending is terrific. The Doctor is making some great strides toward removing himself from the eyes of the universe, moving back into the shadows.
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship... okay... a hastily assembled crew of companions. But it's great fun, and again, looks beautiful.
A Town Called Mercy... this one I think is definitely *not* the boulder of the season. There's really very little substance here. This is Doctor Who lite. But once again, some beautiful stuff.
The Power of Three... this one is unconventional. Again, not a heavy-duty script, but I was not bored. And it highlights just how stupid and gullible the majority of our tech-obsessed, consumer-driven society is, which I love.
The Angels Take Manhattan... this is a just a cool story, though by now, the Angels are getting a bit played out. A couple of neat set and story elements here, some great atmosphere, and they finally get rid of Amy and Rory with what appears to be a conclusive, somewhat spectacular (and a bit sad) end. Amy and Rory were fun, but not three-seasons-long fun.
Onward to new things, and hopefully an awesome Anniversary year.
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| Escalation of the Time War? |
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| What: | Dark Eyes (Dark Eyes audios) |
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| By: | Doug W, An Alternate Reality (formerly Pocono Summit), United States |
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| Date: | Sunday 23 December 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
In the Dark Eyes Behind the Scenes feature, writer and director Nicholas Briggs tells us that he thinks the story of the Time War should not be produced - that it would be beyond our comprehension, and so should remain as a sketchy legend in the Doctor Who mythos. I've heard the idea that Genesis of the Daleks was the first shot fired in the Time War (by the Time Lords). I would argue that the Dark Eyes series is the escalation of the war - the Daleks returning fire. I would argue that the Dark Eyes series *is* the Time War, but not all of it, and not the end of it.
Dark Eyes consists of four stories: The Great War, Fugitives, Tangled Web, and X and the Daleks. They go together to form a fairly epic storyline that gives us some fairly rich characterizations against a backdrop of travel across time, with the Daleks and Time Lords ever present, up to who knows what (which is slowly revealed). The Doctor and new companion Molly are the center of attention.
The casting of Ruth Bradley as Molly and Toby Jones as X, along with the rest of the fine cast choices, and of course, solid performances by Paul McGann, results in great productions. We get some great scripts, good performances, and high production values.
Highly recommended and not to be missed, in my opinion.
| What: | The Roundheads (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 3 December 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
The second Doctor is my favourite Doctor & Mark Gattis is one of my favourite writers so I had high hopes for this book & it didn't disappoint.
A lovely exciting well plotted story that gives equal amount of action for Ben, Polly, the Doctor & Jamie.
I thought that with such a big TARDIS crew the story may sag in places but it never does.
Great to read a story were real historical characters are used so well.
Highly recommended.
Marc Platt writing a story ensures youre not going to be able to really have any clue as to what is going to happen in a story. Hes got such a mind on him! And that this story was originally a near complete script from Chris Bailey is enough to peak my interest. No, it is not a mara tale, but like those two excellent tales, this lost story has a really good central theme. Here the androids are all rather soulless and really grab the attention, and the acting of the three main guest stars Honour Blackman, David Warner and Adrian Lukis means youre bound to not be dissappointed at all. There are plenty of taught moments throughout this story, from the defence systems penetration of the TARDIS to the Doctor once more losing his mind for a little while to some rather unpleasant alien. And the mentioning of Ragnarok was good to hear,, but the Gods dont appear in this story, and yet the eye symbol was a good misleading device that fooled me for a long while. I love every so often the story that you cant guess at all whats going to occur, and this story is one of them. Peter Davison and the two girl crew remain on excellent form too, guaranteeing this story is a great climax to the trilogy of fifth doctor lost tales. Those who like weirdness will not be disappointed in the slightest.
| What: | Series 7: Part 1 (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 29 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 2 |
This new series now has dulled to the point where I cant be bothered with it at all anymore. I just cant see how anyone in the word would see this first half of season seven as anything other than a collosal letdown.
The Doctor of the old series was always a byword for GOOD, yet here the mans turning into rather a weird and disturbing individual, especially in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship. Ive seen him let far worse villians go with less of murdering touch. Here the character of the Doctor just sunk to the depths of villain more than anything else. Hes given plenty worse a second chance before, why not again here? Sad and moronic what with those totally stupid ott robots prancing about all over the screen.
The Dalek Asylum is mental, for all the wrong reasons too. i just didnt get the jist of this strange story at all. And JLC, set to become the new companion, has the quality already with this tale to really really irritate the hell out of me. And dont get me started on that totally totally boring cube effort, where nothing even remotely sane happens for the whole forty five minutes.
And the angels...well, lets just say the ending could and should have been far more dramatic than Amy just ruddy getting pregnant again. Cant they think anything better up? Obviously not.
The only half decent story here was A Town Called Mercy, which was rather a rock amoungst the pebbles, with better drawn characters and a better side to the Doctor for once again emerging, but its too little in an otherwise dsastrous half season. Oh boy and weve goot pathetic snowmen to look forward too for Christmas, so Ill give it a miss I think.....
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| Couldnt have been any better |
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| What: | The Oseidon Adventure (Fourth Doctor Adventures audios) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 29 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
The Android Invasion was wacky andd weird enough, and so the sequel to it deserved to be to, and The Oseidon Adventure is every bit as fun, cool, and fast paced and brilliant as that original adventure. The mad plot is one that makes you smile but without laughing too uch, and Geoffery Beevers is on top form as the Master/Android replicants. He seems to really like this story and his performance livens the show up. The Kraals are shown to be bungling again, I love this portrayal of an alien race that more often than not are just a bunch of divs. And the ever assured polished performance of Michael Cochrane just makes this finale excellent and leaves me longing for the neext Tom Baker series of audio stories! Couldnt have ended the first series any better than this. Tom Baker is the Doctor once more, and its about time too!
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| 2nd time around a bit better. |
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| What: | Absolution (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Andrew Shaw, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 28 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
I listened to part of this one night and just couldnt get into it I thought it was boring, but i must have been distracted or tired or something because i started again from the beginning and the 2nd time I thought this is quite good, (Spoiler) I thought when they mentioned C'rizz will sacrifice himself to save us, it would turn out alright as usual but had no idea this was his last and he did although not the way he was thought to go, and I agree with what another Reviewer says when Charlie gets on at the doctor about leaving and not caring at the end he's an alien and lost that many people he will react differently but she doesnt even give him a chance to explain, there was always hints in these stories of C'rizz being part of some serious religous practice and this comes to a head, I enjoyed the story and expected when they set his wife free she would do something to Aboresh (I think thats his name) and all the way through it mentions blame for certain events on different people, so unexpected ending for me as I dont like knowing to many hints of the plot just simple ones like The Cybermen are in or something, But thoroughly enjoyed, want to hear his next to find out what happens next, but I'm not jumping ahead I always listen to them by number in order unless I have some missing, which is coming up so I'll have to get buying more.
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| Story excellent, restoration very bad |
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| What: | The Ambassadors of Death (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 27 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
I thought Planet of the Daleks episode three was excellently recoloured, but what has happened since with Invasion of the Dinosaurs and this story? Id rather watch it all in black and white and have decent quality rather than a very patchy colour job that irritates the hell out of me. And yet again, it happens to be on one of my all time favourite Doctor Who stories again. Very very much a let down on the recolouriation front. Makes this story hard to watch now, much preffered the largely black and white video version. I hope it isnt going to be the same for the Mind of Evil too when it comes out next year. But this job is sadly woeful and mars what is otherwise one of my all time favourite Doctor Who adventures of all time. So Id give the story itself 10 out of 10 but the restoration 0 out of 10.Only episode one is decent and up to the ordinary BBC high standard. The rest is really really annoying.
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| Very very good stuff indeed |
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| What: | Planet of Giants (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 27 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Planet of Giants just happens to be one of my very best William Hartnell episodes of the series. This shows the BBC trying their utmost to create a different sort of tale on a practically non existant budget, and achieving it very well indeed. There is plenty of excellent design work. For a start, the huge insects and worms all look fantastic for the time espescailly the ant and the fly, great early imaginative and realistic design.
And the first TARDIS crew are all on very fine form indeed. Jacqueline Hill again gives a brilliant performance as the poisoned Barbara, and William Hartnell is as leading and authoratative as ever, and just reminds me why he is such a brilliant Doctor. William Russell just gels with Jackie all the way through their time on the show too, and together with Carole as Susan they reaally do seem like a family.
And the plot isnt bad either, and the ending is really good, with the miniscule TARDIS crew putting an end to the murdering Forrester's schemes. All the elements of this tale work very well indeed, and show a very credible world of giants for the crew of the TARDIS to fit into. Very well done indeed.
| What: | The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 27 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This story really does have it all. The werewolf conversion of Mags at the end of part three, in my book, just happens to be one of the most frightening things done in Doctor Who for a long time. The transformation is not over the top and rediculous, but just shots of Mags getting more and more primal and bestial, and that make up is disgusting!
Sophie Aldred really comes alive for the first time too, and demands to let us know what a great companion and foil she is to the ever brilliant Sylvester McCoy. The clowns are all creepy and unnerving too, and the eye in the chasm is one of the best effects the series did in a long time. And the Gods of Ragnarok immediately impress with great stone faced design and rather disturbing voices that terrified the hell out of me when I was younger.
The cast of this one too are of a very high standard, particularly the light relief given by Peggy Mount, who is brash but extemely funny in the few scenes shes in. Im sad that the character of Flowerchild doesnt last just a bit longer, though the BBC always see fit to get rid of highly interesting characters who should have stayed. The Bus conducto too is a creepy robot. So there is nothing really bad that comes to mind with this story at all. It is a great, highly entertaining and creepy excerpt of Doctor Who.
One of the very best Doctor Who stories of the eighties, definitely Id say. And to think it almost got cancelled, well that would have been a travesty!
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| I hate to be critical, but... |
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| What: | EarthWorld (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Emma Bowman, Sydney, Australia |
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| Date: | Tuesday 20 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 2 |
I was wary about beginning this novel, as I have read several of Jaqueline Rayner's novels in various other DW series, and each time have found them to be simplistic and ridiculously silly and generally quite poor quality. Despite this, I was determined to keep an open mind about "Earthworld" and to not let my previous negative encounters with this author sway my opinion before I even got started. So I started reading, all the while hoping for the best.
Well. I fear that my this novel has lived up to the same low standard of writing as her previous DW novels. Rayner's lousy track record within the DW book series has left me astonished that she has had so many books published within the franchise. The characters were poorly represented and the plot was painfully inane, and I wanted to give up on it before I was even halfway through. I'm sorry I spent the money on it.
| What: | The Cold Equations (The Companion Chronicles audiobooks) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 19 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
I can't stand these CCs a lot of the time, but these Harper ones are really excellent - well done Guerrier. Unfortunately, as ever, the end of the CD finishes with absolute dreadful interviews with the very smarmy and extremely annoying Richardson, but the over the top Bowerman comes a close second. YUK. Please just interview people like Peter Purves, and don't waste my time with the other two. Yuk yuk yuk.
| What: | The Taking of Planet 5 (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Emma Bowman, Sydney, Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 18 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 1 |
I am not even sure what the point of this novel was, the plot was such a confusing mess, no matter how I tried to figure it out I still had no idea what had happened. I don't know how a book like this gets through the editing process, let alone gets published. Horrendous drivel not fit to bear the Doctor Who logo. Zero stars!
| What: | Unnatural History (BBC Eighth Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Emma Bowman, Sydney, Australia |
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| Date: | Sunday 18 November 2012 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
I positively loved Blum and Orman's last EDA book "Seeing I", so I had rather high hopes for "Unnatural History". Unfortunately, I found this book to be of a much lesser quality than I was expecting. The plot was at times frustrating and occasionally confusing, and although the idea was interesting, but in the end it was poorly executed. It wasn't the worst EDA book I've read, but I really didn't enjoy it, and I won't bother read it again. Bit of a shame.
