Sins of Winter by the usually reliable James Goss is a Twelfth Doctor audio book. Creating a world of monastic cultists afflicted with a plague of boils that hatch out slug-creatures, it taps into the very British humour of Python and 2000 AD. I didn't really enjoy it however and reader Robin Soames makes a very odd choice of Mockney accent for the Lancastrian Clara. I'm not sure how that got through. (1/5)
The Shadow Heart is a timey-wimey space opera that introduces bounty hunter Vienna Salvatori. On the strength of this, I don't see why the character got her own spin-off series. Jonathan Morris, often a derivative writer does try to create a universe but it's hard to invest in this story; it's the final part of a trilogy which feels more Star Wars than Doctor Who. The giant space snails would make a better comic book image and the script confuses gastropods and cephalopods. (1/5)
Short Trips Vol.3 : This is a short story collection, read by various performers associated with the Dr. Who line. Since it's really a proving ground for writers, there are some dull offerings here and a rather gruesome story of alien birth called "Wet Walls", The highlights are spirited readings from Colin Baker and India Fisher, who plays Lucie Miller, Sheridan Smith's character. "The Wondrous Box", a rather touching tale of Jumbo the elephant is read with great intimacy and style by Louise Jameson. (2/5)
Labyrinth of Buda Castle by Eddie Robson is a Fourth Doctor and Romana two-episode audio play about vampires in 1979 Budapest. It doesn't feel very Douglas Adams-ish and no one sounds Hungarian ( whatever that might mean). A satisfactory reveal and a clever defeat for the whispering vampire ( who seems to be a tribute to Dark Shadows Jonathan Frid) redeems it however. (2/5)
The Beginning is a two-hander for Carole Ann Ford and Terry Molloy, who plays a Gallifreyan technician hijacked by Susan and the Doctor. It's quite engaging but despite the title, never actually reveals why the Doctor and his granddaughter fled. However, that's as it should be and their first adventure is suitably hard sci-fi. Finding themselves on Earth's Moon, the time travellers discover amorphous beings seeding the planet with life, (3/5)
Quinnis, an adventure that takes place later (but released before The Beginning) has a flavour of magical realism. We visit a planet in the "Fourth Universe" that resembles drought-stricken Namibia. Again, Carole Ann Ford narrates the story of Susan's attempt at friendship with a malign bird-spirit. It's evocative and atmospheric stuff although, again, it doesn't feel like Who, (3/5)
I've taken advantage of recent sale prices on the website to try other ranges, too:
Warship by Peter Anghelides is a Blake's Seven play, reuniting most of the original cast. It's nice to hear them -only Gareth Thomas sounds older really and quite like Colin Baker, Unfortunately, the play goes down a very fannish route, plugging a continuity gap between the second and third series. There were rumours in the early 80s that Terry Nation wanted to introduce the Daleks into B7: what is the point of Big Finish if they don't give us that? (2/5)
Barnabas or Quasimodo?
I first heard of Dark Shadows in the Fantastic Four issue that introduced Agatha Harkness and I've seen all the movies. They don't really capture the flavour of the Youtube clips however, A daytime soap with supernatural horror elements sounds more entertaining than the cinema versions, so I tried two more audio plays.
The Poisoned Soul is a bit wearing as Nancy Barrett's headmistress encounters Roy (The Invaders) Thinnes, a vessel for an evil power. Charity Trask is also possessed by London showgirl Pansy Faye and her terrible Mockney accent makes this Gothic comic book tale hard work. (2/5)
I preferred The Night Whispers, an intimate two-hander with Barnabas played for the last time by Jonathan Frid. The old vampire recalls his sins to his servant Willie Loomis and recounts the story of a voodoo curse. You could picture John Buscema or Gene Colan pencilling this moody melodrama for a Marvel comic in the late Sixties. (3/5)
I'm going home for a couple of days and will be listening to the new Doom Coalition set. Coming soon here are reviews of Marvels' Groot solo series and the re-imagining of The Prisoner
All images are presumed copyright of their respective owners
No comments:
Post a Comment