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| What: | Kingdom of Silver (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 1 November 2008 |
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| Rating: |  10 |
I must say i was more than a little dissapointed with the way the bbc brought back the cybermen in the new series of doctor who. im not saying they arent impressive, they are brilliant new designs, but the two stries to feature them are so so lame and boring it almost beggars belief. Even when appaently Age of steel took elements of the brilliant Spare Parts and yet failed to deliver the same impact as this play. Just a load of gas if you ask me. Lets hope the Christmas special sees them finally really return this year. A vain hope i imagine, but im willing to hope im impressed.
The big finish team always hit the top with cyber adventures though, and they have done it yet again with the brilliant tale known as KINGDOM OF SILVER. The acting and the storyline is what should have been put on the screen instead of the drivvel weve had so far from bbc wales. Sylveser Mccoy and everyone involved in this story seems to really enjoy this story. And Terry Molloy is great as playing a good man for a change. The cybermen are very very well portrayed and acually very well emotionless too. but this story has all the grit and impact of pare Parts whilst not being just a bland copy of other cyber tales.
The fact that its on a tomb planet again is so ok and it isnt a bad thing anyway. This is a climatic and very well produced play. This is what real cybermen stories should be about. set against a backdrop of fear of becoming metal men. The whole cast in this story is very strong indeed too. And why is it there are so many good characters who never ever beome companions.
The bonus story Keepsake is another marvel of a story. exploring the fate of the two androids in thefirst story. these really are like tales of the unexpected, just far better of course. a tale of so called superior technological people and being no better than humans of course. So this is one of the finest audio plays for a long while. Bring on the cybermen!
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 | New side kick just like the old ones |
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Time Reef starts well and has a couple of good twists, with an originally setting building a picture of a dark place, cold, loss and a stranded doctor, perhaps its the end at last. However the new companion whilst good, there is something very familiar, almost adric/turlow dare i say but let's see where it leads. In the end a good story.
| What: | Excelis Rising (Excelis audios) |
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| By: | Matt Saunders, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 27 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
It really is the best of the Excelis four - and I've always been a fan of McIntee. Head is at his best in this audio play, and has some very funny nervous lines. Plus, Colin Baker once again proves himself as an excellent Doctor - he's just brilliant! I also love the line at the beginning, when they're wondering what the horrible patch work thing was -
This book is brilliant very gripping and apart from the obvious story about the man in the mirror the story about the girl Janna and her twin sister was very sad and very surprising at the end on how it turns out.Get this it is one of the best ones!!!!!
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| Sweet Dreams are not made of this |
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| What: | Dreams of Empire (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 21 October 2008 |
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| Rating: |  6 |
Like the other reviewers have said, not a bad story but not anything great either. I found it strange when the Doctor takes sides. Most unlike the Doctor. Jamie & Victoria hardly feature.
This book is good,but if for a more mature audience and think that it would not be recommend for example this story contains talking vending machines and the doctor defeats the monster with a burp oh and by the way the monster that's most talked about only gets a two page appearance!But also it's difficult what the age range is for example Amanda when she dies she comes back a life to do battle with tiermann but its described like a horror movie! Anyway give this book a go if you want something to kill your boredness if not read the many hands or Martha in the mirror zey are brillianta!
| What: | Revenge of the Judoon (Quick Reads books) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 20 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
This has a good story, but less could be said about the Judoon, who seemed to have been included for the sake of it. I'm looking forward to the upcoming Quick Reads book: "The Sontaran Games". Should be good!
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| Good build-up, poor climax |
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| What: | Dead London (Eighth Doctor Adventures audios) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 20 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
This audio fails only because of its poor climax, as it starts well; with a confusing and gripping plot featuring different Londons in different times, all connected by a river.
Unfortunately the villain is weak and is defeated in less that 2 minutes, which gives this my score of 6.
Disappointing.
| What: | Doctor Who and the Dæmons (Target novelisation readings) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 20 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
This is a great reading of a brilliant novelisation of a great TV story. Barry Letts reads this chilling story, featuring the Master and Beelzebub himself!
| What: | Ghosts of India (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Camden, Australia |
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| Date: | Thursday 16 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Just Amazing! Mark Morris is a genius. The way he explored Donna's charcter to her potential was brilliant. The plot line was brilliant and it even had a lot of history in it making it even more amazing. The half-made men were a brilliant twist as well as the diease spreading all over Calcutta, India. It's a must read, you won't regret it.
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| TEN STARS...AND ILL EXPLAIN WHY |
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| What: | Medicinal Purposes (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 15 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
1: Colin Baker gives a brilliant performance in this great historical yarn. And he even has the local girl coming onto him in a big way which is a seriously funny moment.
2: Maggie Stables again provides a great voice to Evelyn, the best audio companion of them all in my book. And her voice seems at home with the likes of Leslie Phillips, some great scenes between the two in this play.
3: The setting and the atmosphere are high and are not as dull and stilted as some might think. especially for a person who likes long and hard hitting stories, for which this story ticks both boxes.
4: And as ive said before, the inclusion of such a great actor as Leslie makes this one a real standout in the big finish audio productions. Dr Robert Knox is another in a great line of time meddlers, and this time he has a real personality and is able to deliver it brilliantly.
5: and the writing is actually very well presented. Robert Ross is a good pair of hands to write a tale like this. all little snippits of history and also his great characterisations of burke and hare come to the fore in this great adventure...
so there!!!!!!!!!!!
| What: | The One Doctor (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 15 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
The people ive heard say comedy in doctor who is stupid need their heads examined. i am a big fan of some of the funniest moments in tv, which also happen to be on doctor who. and here is a great and witty comedy from Gareth and Clayton that is just so funny. Plenty of gags abound, what with Colin Baker and Chris Biggins ranting at one another and what with all the Jelloids and Jenny calling the doctor sexy...man, this wit is fantastic. a pure comedy with loads of laughs that for long time has faded from our tv screens. I must say this story is the most laugh out loud doctor who ive got. plenty to recommened it then!!!
Colin Baker as per usual seems to relish being the doctor, here giving a knockout performance that he should have been able to deelope further on screen. I hear rumours of a six doctor story soon, they had better be right, or i wont be happy. it will be great to see colin on screen again after so long.
Bonnie Langford again reminds us what a great companion Mel is. Her scenes with Chris make this story the walloping success it is. those two robots are flipping side cracking stuff too man.
And the addition of Matt Lucas is inspired, as the far funnier side of all that is Little Britain. This all adds up to make the one doctor a brilliant comedy with plenty going on seriously too...
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| whats all the fuss about? |
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| What: | Pyramids of Mars (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 11 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
Right, in episode three the good doc says if sutekh were free, he would be unstoppable right, and in episode four he is released, and yet the doc defeats hinm with a stupid gadget from the tardis. i thought sutekh was all powerful. most woeful doctor who story ending there ever was in the entire history of the program. consdiering this is a robert holmes tale, it is shocking. One of his own dud scripts. I was gripped by the first three episodes, and so the ending puts a massive dampener on everything that has happened before. Phillip Hinchcliffe really is over modest when he says this is one of the best scripts Bob wrote. No, sorry, one of the worst more like. Revenge Of The Cybermen is far far more watchable than this stupidly ended story. The set design is fantastic though, and the location work is excellent. The mummies look extremely menacing. Pity about the final episode. Someone should have sptted this as being total garbage. All action and good horror up to a episode of just an angry sutekh lighting the doc for a while. However, the brilliant extras brings this up beyond the 3 out of ten mark, as Oh Mummy is ruddy brilliant! But as a story, Pyramids really let me down. sad.
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| One of the best in the universe.... |
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| What: | Time and the Rani (BBC classic series videos) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 11 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Sylvester Mccoy makes a great and very memorable debut into the role of Doctor Who with this wrongly maligned super classic. This is in my top ten of all Doctor Who Stories. Only Trial Of A Time Lord and The gReatest Show In The Galaxy beat this for sheer entertainment and laughs and great action moments. And this story boasts some of the best special effects of the old series. Remarkably vivid and different. it is clear that this is a new period in doctor who history. Kate O Mara returns as the Rani, she is better here than in Mark Of The Rani. She really finally gets to be villainous, and not just a time lady fighting and bickering with the Master all the way through the story, not that that is bad in any way! This story has many piles of good elements in it. The tetraps are memorable and scabby creatures. A great new monster into the annals of Doctor Who. The gooblegook science is wonderfully over the top in places. Bonnie Langford is delightful as Mel. It is funny seeing someone pretend to be his companion, as the Rani impersonates mel very well. Quite a brilliant story full of classic moments.
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| Far away from the dire... |
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| What: | Timelash (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Saturday 11 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
In fact, stories that are less gripping and involving to me are such so renowned greats as The mind numblingly tedious Pyramids Of Mars, and the lame Robots Of Death. These stories dont keep half of the fun and interest as Timelash does. Well, for me at least.
Yep, I guess the acting in places and production are at times a little strained and weak, but this is still far better than the aforementioned bland stories. It has a great deal more going for it than a lot of people give it credit for.
For a start, this is a typical case of good and bad design, as the Borad really is a good design, yet the bandrils are obvoiusly puppets. But i dont give a toss about this. Doctor Who in the past always was cheap but hardly ever tacky and very occasionally the storyline triumphed over bad production, as is the case here. This is far more gripping than the woeful ending of Pyramids of mars, ending with a believable climax rather than a rediculous one.
Colin Baker is perhaps at his best here, and this story is a relief from some of the more harder and intense stories around it, but is still a great slice of Doctor Who. If only for the great android voices and Paul Darrow, who is wonderfully over the top as Maylin Tekker.
Put all your Pyramids and Robots away, this is far better TV.
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| Another history yarn that is so cool!!!! |
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| What: | The Doomwood Curse (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 10 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This is what always surprises me about Jac Rayner. All her audio stories are knockout and rollicking tales with many fresh and good ideas floating around, and yet her written stories are absolute trash. I dont like them at all. Maybe she should just focus on audio writing from now on, and shed always be a knockout then. The Doomwood Curse reminds me a little of the Mind Robber, but is not just a recylement of the plot. This is a new take on fiction gone mad. The Grel are a cool and different Dr Who monster, and really work in the story. This is a great history oriented yarn.
| What: | Mission to Magnus (The Missing Episodes novelisations) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 10 October 2008 |
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| Rating: | 6 |
A straight forward telling of one of the missing Season 23/6th Doctor stories. Might have made a good TV story.
So I'm in this one, obviously I'm not wholly objective here. But it's been a joy reading everyone else's story in this collection of first-time authors, and I found it refreshing and inventive. I'll exclude mine for humility's sake.
Colin Brake did a great job on this novel. The idea of a planet that is completely isoclated that keeps its ecosystem perfect is amazing. And the idea that if the planet has any contact from other planetes e.g metors etc it will become unstable causing diasters. And the chacrters where good but wern't fully explored. Overall a good read.
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| Great start but falls at the first |
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Skull starts in a classic baker way and manages to paint a great image of the world and its people in your mind. Religious understanding, misguided belief and the eternal struggle are good themes but between these good ideas, it lacks real strength and depth. Good but not as good as it could have been.
