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kmccubbin's review
3.0
Paul Cornell's wonderful novel caused a fundamental shift (or completed a fundamental shift, depending on how you look at it) for Doctor Who between the classic and new series. Much of the modern era Who had it's primary transition right there in the eighth and, arguably, most important of Virgin's "New Adventures." Based around an anecdote tossed off by the Fourth Doctor ("the Hoothi in their gas dirigibles" "Hoothi", oddly, is prnounced differently in this audio drama, but is spelled the same in the novel), Cornell takes The Seventh Doctor's manipulative tendancies, particularly when it comes to his companion, Ace, to their extreme. And there are consequences.
This is where the Doctor is first referrred to as "The Oncoming Storm" and first refers to himself as "the thing that monsters are scared of." This is the first time that it is suggested that he needs a companion because he would be dangerous without one to ground him. And this is the first time that it's suggested that his companion may want to fear him.
The Virgin New Adventures and the Big Finish Audio Adventures would resonate for decades with echoes of this story and it would create one true star of a character, the only true breakout character to have never appeared on a screen, Professor Bernice "Bennie" Summerfield.
So, suffice to say, it's got some heft, this one.
But that's the novel and this is Big Finish's adaptation of it and, while the books were billed as "stories too big for the small screen", this radio play has the unforgiving task of shrinking the story back down. And it hurts.
Strangely choosing to eliminate most of the love story between Ace and Jan leaves the whole thing anchorless and confusing. Without the build-up you begin to wonder if Ace is under some sort of mind control, she's acting so erratically.
By the end, so many elements are so contracted that it is difficult to follow all the threads and understand what everyone is even trying to do.
Still, Lisa Bowerman begins a long run as as Bennie and she is simply terrific. McCoy is odd and erratic in a way that's quite disorienting. And teh "Travellers" as a culture, is interesting and works pretty well.
It's not bad, it's just too ambitious with Big Finish's limited resources. Do yourself a favor. Read the book. It's terrific.
This is where the Doctor is first referrred to as "The Oncoming Storm" and first refers to himself as "the thing that monsters are scared of." This is the first time that it is suggested that he needs a companion because he would be dangerous without one to ground him. And this is the first time that it's suggested that his companion may want to fear him.
The Virgin New Adventures and the Big Finish Audio Adventures would resonate for decades with echoes of this story and it would create one true star of a character, the only true breakout character to have never appeared on a screen, Professor Bernice "Bennie" Summerfield.
So, suffice to say, it's got some heft, this one.
But that's the novel and this is Big Finish's adaptation of it and, while the books were billed as "stories too big for the small screen", this radio play has the unforgiving task of shrinking the story back down. And it hurts.
Strangely choosing to eliminate most of the love story between Ace and Jan leaves the whole thing anchorless and confusing. Without the build-up you begin to wonder if Ace is under some sort of mind control, she's acting so erratically.
By the end, so many elements are so contracted that it is difficult to follow all the threads and understand what everyone is even trying to do.
Still, Lisa Bowerman begins a long run as as Bennie and she is simply terrific. McCoy is odd and erratic in a way that's quite disorienting. And teh "Travellers" as a culture, is interesting and works pretty well.
It's not bad, it's just too ambitious with Big Finish's limited resources. Do yourself a favor. Read the book. It's terrific.
sshabein's review
4.0
Very much enjoyed this introduction to Benny/The Doctor teaming up. Ace's story here is also very interesting. She gets to be annoyed, thrilled, in love, angry. I appreciate that. Plus, there's a nonbinary character! So that's good. Was not overly invested in the villain, but that's all right.
plaidbrarian's review
3.0
This book holds a pretty important place in the "canon" of the New Adventures series of Doctor Who novels. It firmly establishes the Seventh Doctor as more than a cosmic chessmaster, but a real manipulator, willing to do whatever is needed to preserve the "good" no matter the cost. It breaks the bond between the Seventh Doctor and Ace, but good. And it introduces Berniece "Benny" Summerfield, a character who rivals many "official" companions in popularity, and indeed proved appealing enough to get her own spin-off series once Virgin Publishing lost the rights to put out books featuring the Doctor himself. And yet, most of what we get here is fungus, moping, and Ace thoroughly rutting a space hippie.
And it's disappointing, because I generally enjoy Paul Cornell's writing, as well as the few other TNAs I've read (as big of a Who fan as I am, I never got into these at the time), but this all seems so very... average. Particularly Benny. I know she becomes a great character, but besides a few moments of personality, she's mostly just there. She doesn't seem "special" enough to come on as the new companion, she just happens to be standing around when the job opens up. Also, I'm confused as to why the Doctor seems kind of Alzheimersy... he seems to keep thinking he's back in his original incarnation, confusing Ace with Susan and Dodo. But, again, I haven't read a lot of these, maybe that's explained elsewhere.
So, yeah, perfectly adequate Doctor Who and all, but not really worthy of the reputation it has achieved/
And it's disappointing, because I generally enjoy Paul Cornell's writing, as well as the few other TNAs I've read (as big of a Who fan as I am, I never got into these at the time), but this all seems so very... average. Particularly Benny. I know she becomes a great character, but besides a few moments of personality, she's mostly just there. She doesn't seem "special" enough to come on as the new companion, she just happens to be standing around when the job opens up. Also, I'm confused as to why the Doctor seems kind of Alzheimersy... he seems to keep thinking he's back in his original incarnation, confusing Ace with Susan and Dodo. But, again, I haven't read a lot of these, maybe that's explained elsewhere.
So, yeah, perfectly adequate Doctor Who and all, but not really worthy of the reputation it has achieved/
una_10bananas's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nukirisame's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
shane's review
5.0
This one has a reputation. The Doctor, pitting his wits against the Hoothi ends up betraying those closest to him in a bid to save an entire world(maybe even worlds(plural)). Does one man, even such a man as the Doctor have the right to trade one single life for countless? He certainly seems to think so.
If you only read one Doctor Who novel in your entire life, make it this one.
If you only read one Doctor Who novel in your entire life, make it this one.
fullfledgedegg's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Violence
Minor: Sexual content and Suicide
hammard's review
5.0
This is one I have read many times, in fact was one of my first Doctor Who novels I seem to recall. Reading this in order for the first time is a different but equally interesting experience.
It is actually taking a lot of elements from previous books. This may seem curious given it is only #9 in the range but I like to think of it as acting like a Season finale for phase 1 of the adventures.
Also the more I think about this, the more I realise this is not the no-win scenario The Doctor thinks it is. It is his actions that cause it. If other Doctors had landed here it would not have gone this way because they would have not tried to plan (as we see in the chess match between Doctor and Benny) and they would have trusted their companions enough that they would have worked out a solution together. 1, Ian, Barbara and Vicki would have stopped the Hoothi in half the time and been able to arrange a campfire party with the travellers and Benny to boot. But that is the fatal flaw of the 7th Doctor he cannot stop trying to cheat these high stakes games.
The actual story is beautiful, poetic, tragic and really horrifying. A zombie novel mixed with cyberpunk, kitchen sink drama and poetic symbolism. If you want one book to understand what the VNAs were all about this is probably the one to go for.
It is actually taking a lot of elements from previous books. This may seem curious given it is only #9 in the range but I like to think of it as acting like a Season finale for phase 1 of the adventures.
Also the more I think about this, the more I realise this is not the no-win scenario The Doctor thinks it is. It is his actions that cause it. If other Doctors had landed here it would not have gone this way because they would have not tried to plan (as we see in the chess match between Doctor and Benny) and they would have trusted their companions enough that they would have worked out a solution together. 1, Ian, Barbara and Vicki would have stopped the Hoothi in half the time and been able to arrange a campfire party with the travellers and Benny to boot. But that is the fatal flaw of the 7th Doctor he cannot stop trying to cheat these high stakes games.
The actual story is beautiful, poetic, tragic and really horrifying. A zombie novel mixed with cyberpunk, kitchen sink drama and poetic symbolism. If you want one book to understand what the VNAs were all about this is probably the one to go for.
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