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| What: | Peacemaker (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | antony, england |
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| Date: | Wednesday 12 March 2008 |
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| Rating: |   7 |
Mmm! I'll have to admit, not a bad idea. But, as usual, they messed it up with a couple of things.
1: that Bad Wolf moment was WAY too late. Rose has been and bloody gone.
2: Certain bits just won't get to the point.
C! No, 3: Alien tech being used for medical purposes, not the most original idea.
But a good book, apart from those things!
| What: | The Condemned (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Doug, Pocono Summit, PA, USA |
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| Date: | Tuesday 11 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
"Think about telling us what you know, okay?"
"But I don't ...know anything! I don't know anything. And where's the Doctor when I need him? [sigh] He's not even the *right* Doctor..."
The Condemned is rather interesting right from the start, as it is sort of an 'encore' for Charley. After leaving the Eighth Doctor, she ends up getting picked up by the Sixth, and doesn't tell him that she has already been traveling with a future incarnation of his. The TARDIS gets drawn off course, and they materialize inside a flat where they find the dead body of a man who is actually an alien who has been "bioformed" to look human. Beside him is an open briefcase. Who was he, who killed him (when it turns out he would already soon be dying of a terminal illness), what was in the briefcase, and who is this Sam who is imprisoned in the basement and somehow able to phone in on phone lines that are out of order?
The Condemned is a dark, suspenseful little story that keeps the listener entertained while feeding the answers bit by bit. Not the most spectacular story, but well worth the listen.
| What: | Only Human (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | grant williams, why should i tell you |
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| Date: | Tuesday 11 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 8 |
grate book i liked it. if i were you i would read it .
| What: | The Five Doctors (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Tuesday 11 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Bliss !
it's good but sceary at some points. good characters. funny,griping. rocconend reading good book 9 out 0f 10. sorry about spelling
| What: | The Stone Rose (BBC New Series Adventures novels) |
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| By: | Aaron, Canada |
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| Date: | Friday 7 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 3 |
I just can't stand this authors work. However this is her best so far. She chose a interesting location, has the Doctor's mannerisms down well. Unfortunately she lets it drop by a dull supporting cast, boring villain and contrived situations.
| What: | Psi-ence Fiction (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | Trevor Smith, Nottingham, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Thursday 6 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
An intresting tale with the 4th doctor & lela. Builds up nicely but then rushes towards the end.
| What: | Other Lives (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 3 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
The story is an attempt at something like Charles Dickens writes Doctor Who. We get a Dickensian sort of convoluted plot involving confused identities, class warfare, a rich guy with a heart, and a surprise happy ending. Other Lives allows India Fisher and Conrad Westmass to put on their outrageous accents (they're French don't you know?)which provided me with several of the many unintended moments of mirth from this story. The story moves along in its merry way, but does not involve the listener emotionally. And, of course, we get more psycho C'rizz coming out, further "development" of yet another Gary Russell masterplot. In the end, I would rate this story as mostly harmless.
| What: | Faith Stealer (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 3 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
I like the premise of Faith Stealer. Living in the most religiously diverse country on Earth, yet knowing it to be full of religious intolerance, I found the idea of a community devoted entirely to religious diversity quite fascinating. There are some good satirical moments regarding religion, such as the creation of the "Tourist" cult. The ending does not work well for me though. It is like the stories of "Paradise Towers" and "The Greatest Show in the Galaxy," where the build-up is fascinating, but the denouement just bland and not really properly prepared for.
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 | Another Blockbuster fails to explode |
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| What: | Zagreus (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 3 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 4 |
Zagreus, like Neverland, is just too long. The trouble is that Big Finish probably could not afford a big enough cast to make this work. We do not have enough actors. Another problem involves bringing in old Doctors and companions to play themselves playing someone else. Bonnie Langford is marvelous as a baddie, but since we know it is all not really happening, it spoils the fun. That gets me to the real problem. As with Neverland, some good ideas get ruined by stretching out just too far. The Alice in Wonderland motif goes well past its sellby date. And we get lots of Doctor 8 agony. Finally, we get the very pointless "twist" of making Rassilon a bad guy. Come on please. Why not get a bad guy of your own? Why not have a real Zagreus who is a real bad guy?
| What: | Neverland (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Monday 3 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
Aiming for a blockbuster, the writers have created a contraption that lands with a heavy thud. It is not as though the ideas are uninteresting. Where do people taken out of time go, anyway? Setting up the CIA (Celestial Intervention Agency) as the baddies is a little too easy, but OK, I can go with it. Mainly, it just goes on too long. The story would be fine at 90 minutes, cutting out some redundant explanations and zipping the plot along a little more. However, disc 2 really drags just where it is supposed to get exciting. And it is all part of Gary Russell's masterplan (apparently coordinated with the editors of the book series) to put Doctor 8 through as much hell as they possibly can, to make him suffer, squirm, and generally agonize for most of the adventure.
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| Overview of Big finish really... |
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| What: | The Sirens of Time (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 2 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
This story was the big introduction for doctor who from Big finish. And this story really as a whole displays all that has been great about the series ever since. I love the big finish audio stories better than any other doctor who stuff.
Nick Briggs starts us off with a story packed with scares and great creepy music score and great performances from all involved. The threat is great and realistic and the script is great. Nick is a great writer of action. And there is plenty to be found in this debut big finish adventure. All the doctors return on fine form. This is one of the audios thats more like a film on audio. Highly entertaining and creepy stuff. You should check this story out...
| What: | The Reaping (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Sunday 2 March 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
The cybermen have always been a far better monster for me than the pepper pots. The daleks really are now bordering on stupid. Only the big finish stories still do them anything bordering justice these days. But I have always loved the cybermen. They ARE scary. Put it this way, they scare me even now. A future not to impossible...
Jo Lidster is an excellecnt writer. This story is more of a character study but is so not unwelcome. Nicola Bryant is brilliant in this outing. And Claudia Christian gives a realistic performance to Peri's rather nasty Mummy. Although, I suppose she is allowed to wonder where her daughter has been for so long!
Colin Baker, well he doesnt really need any more words of praise does he?! Other than the fact that he is a great Doctor, still underrated in my view.
The dialogue between the doctor and the cyberleader is really quite cool. The doctors bluff is brilliant even if it is a little predictable. But hey, this story is brilliant anyway. Nice appearance from Stuart Milligan too. In it for too short a time, thats the only problem. He's quite a good actor.
Not overlong in the slightest, more listenable than the introduction of Roses family on the tv at any rate. Far more interesting characters here. I dont not like the new series, just some aspects of it are becoming stale and recycled i feel. Big finish seems to be full of great writers with fresh and different ideas for monsters and companions and even the doctors too. Great stuff man!
| What: | Night Thoughts (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 27 February 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This story is rated badly by many other reviewers Ive noticed. This is my own personal review for this story.
Right, for a start, this is one of my favourite Doctor Who stories ever.
Let me explain why....
Some people could say that the old haunted house scene has been done too often. No such thing as too often with creepy old haunted houses. I like old houses. Theyre creepy and always have sinister tales associated with them.
Sylvester Mccoy leads a BRILLIANT cast in this VERY WELL CRAFTED TALE of lies and time travel experiments and vengeful corpses.
This story for me has all the things i ever needed to keep me hooked on doctor who. the characters are well portrayed and acted. The right actors have been given the right roles. I paritcularly like Liz Hopley as Sue, who really does do that flaming rabbits talking flaming scarily. Shes got a brilliant voice. You believe her to the core.
Another good piece of casting is in Bernard Kay, always a great actor, including his list of Doctor Who appearances previously. Here he plays the rather sour Major Dickens with obvious relish and the feel i get is of a really twisted character.
And for once the cliff hangers are great and unexpected in this one. Edward Young has written Doctor Who worthy of the screen. Ed has written Doctor Who that I love. This is the kind of story i want to see much more of please.
A good old horror story without the visual blood and gore but with a brilliant storyline and scares aplenty anyway. The whistling and the bear traps and the gravanax and the drowned mothers all lead to make this story one of the best stories Big Finish have done.
And if the story is as bad as a lot of people make out, then how come actors still get involved with the story. If it is that rubbish, then id think the actors would have seen that tooa and would have vocalised it. This story is the best seventh doctor story so far in my book anyway. Apart from No Mans Land of course.
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| SHEER FLIPPING BRILLIANCE |
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| What: | The Nowhere Place (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 27 February 2008 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
If there ever was a Doctor Who story that was as entertaining yet both a good mystery and a ghost story, then The Nowhere Place would take the crown in this department.
Nick Briggs is a great Doctor Who writer. His stories have ALL been worthwhile and exciting with many good ideas floating about. The other thing is the great casting for some of them.
Ive noticed that Nick seems to have a penchant for hard yet likeable female characters, what with Deeva Jenhsen in Sword Of Orion and Elenya in The Sirens Of Time. Now we get a brilliant performance from Martha Cope as Tanya Oswin. Man, i would have loved to have seen what would have happened if she had become a companion. A very strong character that Martha delivers brilliantly. A rock hard captain!
The story is so spooky too. The sound design of this story is one of the best of any story, tv or anything. And I love the change of scenery from part three, it gives the story more interest than some overlong productions in one planet or place.
Colin Baker is as brilliant as ever as the Doctor. But the end of this story is not totally white and black. It poses a question of if for once. The Doc is good but he doesnt always win, which is totally natural and fresh. Maggie Stables is as strong as ever as Evelyn Smythe.
I think this is a great story,w ith the threat actually still largely unexplained at the end. It makes you want more. If there is a story that deserves a sequel, then its this one. Mr Briggs has done it again! A top class story with a top class score and plenty of scary and entertaining moments. Put this onto tv instead of Voyage Of The Damned any day. The big finish scene is far riper than the new series at the moment.
| What: | 100 (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 27 February 2008 |
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| Rating: | 9 |
The Big finish range of adventures are better than the new TV series. That is my own opinion. The new series on TV already is slipping into the been there done that category. But not so often with big finish.
So, what do we have here? Well, take four of the series best writers and put them together to create a Circular Time for the sixth doctor. One question: do the stories deliver? Well, 3 of them do. These are 100BC, BEDTIME STORY and THE ONE HUNDRED DAYS OF THE DOCTOR. The only weak link is MY OWN PRIVATE WOLFGANG, which failed to really ignite my enthusiasm. Didnt get what the thing was really supposed to be about either. The only dud from Robert Shearman so far. Jacqueline's 100BC so is a great peice of fun. The Doctor and Evelyn were always one of the best pairings of Doctor and companion, and in this little history lesson complete with babies and annoyed mothers and confused tardises, they shine really well. Bedtime Story is a darker tale, but offers up the chance for Maggie to be a bit on the evil side for once. And she does it so very well indeed. The 100 days of the doctor is my favourite though. Paul Cornell writes what i wanna hear. Classy Who with all the ingredients that are old and yet fresh as well, and done in a good and exciting way not like the bland nonsense that was The Voyage Of The Damned. No, Big finish have done good overall on this polished production. This is a great celebration of all that is good about Doctor Who.
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| Great idea, terrible application |
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The idea itself for this novel I found brilliant, but there it stopped. Again we have silly subplots for Capt Jack in an attempt to give him stuff to do. I love Capt jack, but so many of these books just don't seem to know what to do with him. The book jumps from place to place with events happening that just leaves me thinking...Why?
We are several books into the series and so far none have really shined as being great. I am hoping they find their stride soon, because sitting in the middle isn't where Doctor Who books should be.
My brother got this for me for xmas, though he didn't realise at the time that it was a Top Trumps book. I unwrapped it, and I liked it instantly. The info is good. The only problem is that it tends to joke around and go off on a tangent. Good though.
WOW! This is the best of the 3 Torchwood books. Two basic stories, a series of mysterious objects, and a weight loss clinic with a difference. This book includes more about Rhys, gore (I love gore), and alien parasitic tapeworms. I liked it, but it included just about everything that makes it unsuitale for a kid. Like: sex, gore, violence, language, drugs, scientific mumbo-jumbo, and... did I say gore. Good book!!!!!!!!!!
It really is amazing how many different stories you can cram into one book.
Abbadon from the series makes an appearance.
The tv story "Adam" seems very similiar.
Something in the garden shed (original, NOT).
etc etc.
Not too bad, but the author tried a bit too hard to cram so many things into it. He really should make it one thing.
