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 | the brill david tennant stories |
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| What: | Collected Stories (BBC new series audiobooks) |
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| By: | Jas , reading ,england |
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| Date: | Sunday 16 January 2011 |
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| Rating: |  10 |
i think that all the people that put their time into making this are not appriciated enough
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| Some serious light rain before the storm |
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| What: | Planet of the Dead (BBC new series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 12 January 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
All the Planet of the Dead is is fun. There is no real terrible universe at stake theme going through this at all. Just a little story about creatures who have destroyed a whole planet. So this was very much a welcome relief from the rather too heavy stories that come more thick and fast in this modern TV series these days.
Michelle Ryan is absolutely brilliant as the companion to the Doctor here. Yet again another oppurtunity missed sorely. She would have just been so perfect as a companion in the long run. (Sorry Karen, but I just cant get into your character at all that much)
And David Tennant is as assured and excellent as ever. This is definitely one of his stronger stories, because the melodrama is kept to a healthy minimum. BBC wales should have the sense to get rid of that boring River Song character and bring back Michelle! That would make this sadly disillusioned fan start to get back into the TV series once more. Since David has gone it hasnt been the same at all. (The scripts are the main problem, Not Matt Smith!)
| What: | Brave New Town (Eighth Doctor Adventures audios) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 12 January 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
The only thing I hate about tales like these is the fact that they are so stupidly short. One feels the characters never really get to shine as well as they do in double disc tales. But that little moan aside, there is nothing to dispute the fact that Brave New Town is a very solid and very strong story.
Wow, so not only do we have the winning team of the eighth Doctor and Lucie, played to perfection by Paul and Sheridan. But then we have the long overdue return of the Autons! Wow, man, And its good to get to see a different side to the monsters of the part. They are intelligent and more human than alien within this tale. And once again it is the moronic human race who are the ones to blame for the trouble. And that is never too hard to believe.
Johnathan's script is just sparkling all the way through, and the characters here that impress the most are those of the autons. I didnt expect them to be back like this, and its good to see theyre not all moronic and just intent of feeding all the time.
For again the chemistry between Paul and Sheridan really drives things forwards too. The sound score too is very strong and is for once well concieved to fit the area all the action is supposed to be taking place in. This is another BFP gem, and I want to see so many please like this! Strong, to the point, and gripping. BBC wales could learn a lot about decent scripting from these writers in Big Finish Productions!
| What: | Embrace the Darkness (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Wednesday 12 January 2011 |
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| Rating: |  9 |
It really is so good to be given the chance to hear Paul McGann returning to the role of Doctor Who. He was such brilliance within that movie. (The movie for me was still a failure, but that was because of the script, not Paul's performance. He was the only real thing that made that movie bearable)
And what is more exciting is when you get a writer whose clever who can weave such an imaginative and gripping and in places genuinely quite horrific plot. And add to that mix a smaller cast so the characters all have so much more chance to show how three dimensional they are.
The twists and turns within this story come thick and fast, and India Fisher again is so brilliant as Charlie, she really did blend so well with Paul's Doctor. They were like toast and butter. I have immensely enjoyed their run of stories together.
The cliffhanger to episode one is really quite something. Yes, that would be rather too graphic I think for a screen tale. One is sickened just thinking about having your eyes melted out of their sockets. The Cimmerians are an effective race too, realised so well with their slightly freaky breezy vocal tone. The ingredients of this story all blend together nicely to give us an effective horror tale that follows on well from Seasons of Fear.
That the Doctor here is fallible adds just reality to his whole character. No one gets it right all the time. He's not God anyway at the end of the day. And this aspect of the script is handled sensitively and well for once in this almost flawless classic from veteran Nick Briggs. The sound score is also memorable and suitably different.
This is a good horror story, one can imagine how freaky it would be living in a place that's totally dark all the time. The climax to the tale for once I did have an inkling of, but this is in no way a bad thing. It was directed well, and was genuinely a happy ending to the four episodes. This didnt seem over two hours long at all. It just flew by. And that shows how good a story this is. (Just ditch all the OMGs and this would be one of the best stories of the whole of the Big Finish range, its up there with the Chimes Of Midnight and No Man's Land)
One wishes the BBC would have let Paul return to the role of the Doctor first before they roped in anyone new. It would have been quite brilliant to see him again. Im just glad that BFP have brought him back!!!!!
| What: | The Eleventh Tiger (BBC Past Doctor novels) |
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| By: | David Layton, Los Angeles, United States |
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| Date: | Tuesday 11 January 2011 |
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| Rating: | 7 |
McIntee, like Bulis, is one of the reliable Doctor Who authors. His stories are well-paced, easy to read, and not terribly demanding. "The Eleventh Tiger" has all of these elements. Brilliant it is not. However, it does justice to the Doctor Who we remember. McIntee has written a story that could very well have been produced as a TV serial in 1964, with only a few things not doable at that time (these being the savage beating of Ian early in the book, and the love interest between Ian and Barbara, with perhaps the electro-information grid in the tomb at the end.) There are a couple of quibbles I have with it. The first is that the nature of villains is not really explained all that well. There seems to be a hint or two that we are dealing with beings very like the Mandragora helix, but somehow none of this is made explicit. Another is that the "stone tape" idea is completely naff, providing a thoroughly inadequate explanation for why the first emporer's personality is transferred to the abbot. A third is McIntee's variable quality prose, which runs from insightful and even poetic at some points to awkward and ponderous at others. Not to dwell on the negatives, though, I will end by saying that on the whole it was an enjoyable read. McIntee wisely refrains from going far beyond believability into Hong Kong movie territory; the fights in the novel are realistic. His major characters are not stereotypes or purely stock melodrama, but have genuinely human reactions.
| What: | I, Who 3 (I, Who books) |
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| By: | Matt, Aylesbury |
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| Date: | Monday 10 January 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
I really enjoyed these books, please can we have an I Who 4 - surely there's enough now?! These were so good for the information gained from reading them; and were always a good synopsis of the plots (which for books and audios alike, is not always obvious!). Bring back this excellent series, please!
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| Latest ones are much better |
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The earlier ones of this book could almost be declared a bit rubbish, but over the years it has improved and now includes some really excellent reviews. The the various DW audios/books released over the years are given points out of 10 too - though sadly they have no reviews. That would be good - I would love a review book on all the various audios and books too (like the old I Who).
| What: | Cobwebs (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matt, Aylesbury |
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| Date: | Monday 10 January 2011 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
I have to be honest - I wasn't expecting anything amazing, and that was very bad of me. We always remember somethings a bit differently, and I worried that the team wouldn't live up to the TV series. I was wrong.
This audio story was truly brilliant and an excellent way of bringing together these three companions. Unlike the TV series, all of them could think for themselves and actually help the Doctor - it wasn't all about him being the guy with all the answers. I also liked all the nods to the series - "Brave Heart, Tegan" and many other things.
The team worked so well together, and I am now looking forward to listening to some more from these guys - bring on the next adventure, I am ready.
I read this book a few years ago, but I still love the idea behind it - how will UNIT survive without the Doctor? Perfectly well - so long as they involve Ian & Barbara. It's a fascinating tale and well worth people finding on e-bay/Amazon. I love it when the Doctor comes back and is completely oblivious to everything that's gone on.
Having been a fan of the series for years both the classic tv show as well as the BBC novels, I was reluctant to start reading a book based on the new series.
I was most pleasantly surprised at this book. The story drew me in straight away, as both the Doctor and Rose as well as the supporting characters are extremely well written.
The story also has a habit of turning around and suddenly being different. Normally that might just get annoying, but with this one, it just keeps getting better.
A big two thumbs up. In the words of the 9th Doctor: Fantastic!
At first the Only Good Daleks seems like nothing more than one big fan piece right down to listing various lists of Dalek servants and featuring some Skaro home grown creatures and explains much.
The Dalek decit is the main focus of the graphic novel and the characters are strong but some twists could easily been seen by someone who isn't enjoying the story. Fans of Power and Evil of the Daleks will enjoy the themes explored here and ultimately Richards and Collins are hoping a sequel can be arranged with their classic indestrucible dalek army seeing this is first orginal graphic novel based on the new series after the Dalek Project was suspended or possibly cancelled Dalek Project, which had similar themes to Victory of the Daleks.
Comic fans will enjoy this more as the style can easily be spilt up with every few pages or so almost having a mini cliffhanger so the action never ends.
While a classic Dalek romp with explores further the themes of the 2nd Doctor Dalek stories this isn't something incredible and out of this world brillant but still you can't go far wrong with this and you should probably add a 0.5 onto that 8.
I dont usually go on about the books I have read, but this book was just plain terrific. The writing was very good, the characters were believable and interesting, and the portrayal of David Tennants Doctor was spot on! All in all, the BEST Doctor Who book I have ever read!
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| Doctor Who meets Pornhub! |
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| What: | The Creature from the Pit (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 3 January 2011 |
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| Rating: | 5 |
'The Creature from the Pit' is a strange one. On one hand the story is quite well thought-out and funny in many places, but then we look at the pants dialogue and realisation of the titular 'Creature', and these cons heavily outweigh the pros.
The jungle set of the planet Chloris' surface is quite a good one, mainly due to it being filmed on film at Ealing, instead of a poky BBC studio. This, however, is where the design budget must have run out, as we soon meet the "Wolfweeds", which are quite clearly big balloons covered in some sort of naff green fur. The costumes for the Chloris natives are OK, but nothing to write home about, particularly the guards' uniforms. Then we get to the elephant - or rather big fat green alien - in the room. That's right: Erato, the Creature; call it what you like, it looks AWFUL. A massive blob of green cling film with an appendage that is as phallic as it could get on BBC1.
Dialogue is also a bummer at most times. The 'teach yourself Tibetan' scene is brilliant in my eyes, and a lot of Tom Baker's scenes are brilliant and funny (especially with trapped astrologer Organon), but most other speech is cringe-worthy at best. Lady Adrasta's talk is full of clangers, as are the bandits'.
Overall, a pretty rubbish Doctor Who story, but in Season 17 you might call it mildly average.
I bought this book believing that the author maybe a reporter or constructive writer of media in some way, it appears not. The book appears to be a mish mash of 13 years of attending ticketed conventions or events to pay to enter, with pictures taken with the 'famous' people and the encounters written down. I was disappointed not to find out more about the people themselves other than what I can find out for myself on GOOGLE.
The writing its self, is more akin to teenager writing for a school magazine, I was disappointed by the lack of depth of the author.
I can see why this was a vanity published book!
I hope this review doesn't get deleted and that free speech can be given as I think others should read this before parting with their money.
Kate.
| What: | Horror of Glam Rock (Eighth Doctor Adventures audios) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 27 December 2010 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Paul Magrs is brilliant. Havent heard or read a failure from this bloke yet. Horror of Glam Rock is frankly a brilliant little tale. It may not be the most original thing in the cosmos, but it is witty, entertaining, snappy and in places gruesome. The sound design here is once again very good. And Sheridan is just brilliant as Lucie. And one need not mention Paul McGann. I just love the BFP audio scene, its very ripe and flowing with very few failures along the way. And the addition of Una Stubbs and Bernard Cribbins is just the icing on the acting cake front.
Paul Magrs does it again: simplicity, a story thats easy to follow and finished off with a suitably engaging climax. This is even better than Blood of the Daleks. Far better. This series just goes up and up and up! Thanks for such a great tale again Paul!
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| Suitably different from the first two... |
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Kinda and Snakedance were always two of my favourite Peter Davison stories back in the eighties. They had far more depth and imagination than a lot of the other Davison Era tales. They were clever and the characters were all 3D and all that maybe slightly let them down was that massive rubber snake at the end of Kinda, (which was greatly improved for the second tale)
But what is good and strange is this one isnt a Tegan story. She does as usual possess her guts and strength and her attitude all the way through this audio venture for the Mara, but it Peter Davison who certainly shines within the confines of this excellent story.
I love this TARDIS team. They all just go together so very well indeed. It is like they havent been away since all those years ago in the eighties. Sarah and Janet just go back together like two pieces of the jigsaw, with Mark's Turlough their to brilliantly upset the mix decently. And great that he is far more involved again here even though he has to share script with two other companions.
Also of note is the fact that very little of Kinda or its sequel has much impact on this tale. I love the first scenes with Tegan's rather funny yet at the same time rather dark dream, with the Doctor entering to get rid of that demon snake. The Mara is far stronger also here, for I would have expected the Doctor to withstand the snake better than anyone else. But if there was a Doctor who'd falter then it would be the most human one wouldnt it? And Peter really does steal the show. That hissing serpent effect is pretty great too. This story has it all: pace and many great characters. One would expect no less from a Marc Platt story!!!!
| What: | The Wreck of the Titan (Big Finish: The Monthly Adventures) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 27 December 2010 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
Giant Squid. Polar Bears. And the land of Fiction. Titanic and the Titan. This tale is very very entertaining to say the least. It doesnt feel like its nearly two hours at all. The plot unfolds at a brisk and brilliant pace. And Fraser Hines is particularly good here. He has always been a favourite of mine. Its good to see him back in full force after so many years.
The cast is small, and this gives more time to let the characters grow and get deeper than those audios with a far bigger cast list. This is a good thing. I love the characters within this tale. This Colin and Fraser trilogy has been excellent overall.
The giant squid and the polars are brought to audio life rather well here, and the score again goes perfectly with this type of story. This is yet again another Big Finish success story.
| What: | The Seeds of Doom (BBC classic series DVDs/Blu-rays) |
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| By: | Huw Davies, Taunton, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Monday 27 December 2010 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
'The Seeds of Doom' is one of Doctor Who's best, and a great end to the super 13th season. The story is intricate and well thought-out, and retains pace, mainly due to the switch in location from Antarctica to England in Part 3.
The characters are wonderfully portrayed and are all unique, especially Amelia Ducat and Harrison Chase (the latter a very good villain).
Extras on the 2nd disc are good as well. Highly recommended
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| Excellent clima to a brilliant series... |
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| What: | Demon Quest: Sepulchre (Nest Cottage audio dramas) |
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| By: | Matthew David Rabjohns, Bridgend, United Kingdom |
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| Date: | Friday 24 December 2010 |
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| Rating: | 10 |
This isnt like the slight letdown to the last series of five audios. Tom Baker gives his best in a far more acceptable and different climax to this run of five stories.
The reliance on fewer characters again pays dividends. They have more chance to shine and the actors get more of chance to really get their teeth into the roles.
The plot again isnt too over the top again either. This is a usual bit of Paul Magrs brilliance. The reliance on clarity and the story being easy to follow has always been a good trait of this writer.
And its a surprise to hear the Hornet's back again. One was totally surprised by the sudden appearance of them half way through this last tale. Although, to be totally honest one wasnt beyond the point of thinking those nasty little things might wiggle their tails again sometime in the future in one of these series. And for once it isnt stupid. The hornets are a deliciously nasty little swarm.
And what I like is the fact that the three main stars all still gel together so very well indeed. They sound like a real family. And the climax to the tale is genuinely funny and silly, a great end to the second run of five stories to feature Tom Baker. I really do hope their is a third very soon.
And I wonder if it might come to pass that that Demon might rear its ugly head again too? Be brilliant if it does...because some aspects of just who this demon is is untold.
Richard Franklin at last gets to do the lead narration. I always thought he was really competent and a really easy narrator to listen to. And his acting hear is excellent as ever.
Paul has captured the Tom Baker period very well indeed. I want the BBC to make sure more and more of these series come about in the very near future. Ive missed Tom's Doctor, and its great he's back in all his unrefined brilliance. Its as if he has never been away. I have been totally satisfied with this whole DEMON QUEST season. Its one of the best ever....
First, I need to admit that I am not a big fan of Charley Pollard and the Eighth Doctor. I think Charley is a bit too pathetic, and I much prefer the later stronger Charley.
However, this story is very good and sees lots of backwards and forwards in time (timey wimey) which I really do enjoy! Paul McGann is an excellent Doctor (though again I prefer him in later audios for radio, etc). Finally, I like the conclusion to this and much much better stories to come - Charley and the Sixth Doctor really do work well together & create a very exciting set of stories to come....luckily anyone reading this in 2010 do not have a long wait to hear them. You can do it right now.
