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thoroughlymodernreviewer's review against another edition
4.25
When the TARDIS gets caught in a temporal wave, the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann), Charley Pollard (India Fisher), and C’rizz (Conrad Westmaas) find themselves in the middle of an ancient Irish battlefield. But, to the TARDIS team’s surprise, a squadron of Sontarans arrive, wholly convinced they’re members of the Roman army rather than military generals from outer space. With the TARDIS out of commission, can the Doctor and his friends uncover the mysteries of this deadly battle before history irrevocably changes? Or is the Battle of Giant’s Causeway destined to become another casualty of the Sontarans’ endless war with the Rutans? Lizzie Hopley's The Battle of Giant's Causeway offers a rip-roaringly fun start to Big Finish Productions' Sontarans vs Rutans miniseries.
By far the most intriguing part of the story is the idea of the Sontarans having no clue who they are. There's just something funny about a group of Sontarans being wholly convinced they're members of the Roman Empire. You get a similar vibe in Doctor Who: Flux when the Sontarans fight in the Crimean War, but here, that humor is amped up to an eleven. Hopley perfectly captures that fish-out-of-water element, marrying it with the very real dangers of an intergalactic war while still holding onto the inherent humor. McGann is top-notch too, perfectly balancing the Doctor's hopefulness and utter disbelief. The one downside of the story is how little C'rizz and the Rutans are used. Their subplot makes up most of the story's intrigue, but the script never fully dives into it.
Still, The Battle of Giant's Causeway makes for a gripping opening story. Packed with humor and mystery, it offers a great glimpse at the complexities of this galactic war while making for a devilishly enjoyable Doctor Who adventure in its own right.
By far the most intriguing part of the story is the idea of the Sontarans having no clue who they are. There's just something funny about a group of Sontarans being wholly convinced they're members of the Roman Empire. You get a similar vibe in Doctor Who: Flux when the Sontarans fight in the Crimean War, but here, that humor is amped up to an eleven. Hopley perfectly captures that fish-out-of-water element, marrying it with the very real dangers of an intergalactic war while still holding onto the inherent humor. McGann is top-notch too, perfectly balancing the Doctor's hopefulness and utter disbelief. The one downside of the story is how little C'rizz and the Rutans are used. Their subplot makes up most of the story's intrigue, but the script never fully dives into it.
Still, The Battle of Giant's Causeway makes for a gripping opening story. Packed with humor and mystery, it offers a great glimpse at the complexities of this galactic war while making for a devilishly enjoyable Doctor Who adventure in its own right.
mrcoldstream's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
✅85% = 👍🏼14 ✊🏼5 👎🏼0 = Great!
Big Finish celebrates 50 years since the debut of the Sontarans (in The Time Warrior) by giving us a series of releases focusing on the oft-mentioned but never seen (or heard) war between the Sontarans and the Rutans.
Lizzie Hopley opens the story with a creepy opening scene before bringing the Doctor, Charley, and Cr'izz to Ireland in the Celtic age (Giant's Causeway in 55 BC). There's inherently a mystical, tense atmosphere here that brings The Stones of Blood or Image of the Fendahl to mind.
The Doctor and Charley get involved with the Sontarans, who are fighting for the Roman empire against the Celts, while Cr'izz joins the Celts, who believe him to be some kind of chosen one. The Sontarans are very familiar here, but their usual traits are combined with typical Roman traits, which is the main source of mystery here (they don't know they are Sontarans).
Not a whole lot is going on, and there's a good while before we get the connection to the Sontaran/Rutan war. In the end, this is a rather simple plot, where the Rutans pretend to be Celts in an attempt to win the war, while the Doctor desperately tries to get the Sontarans to realise their true personas.
This is my first Cr'izz audio, and he's an intriguing alien companion with chameleonic powers. His role here isn't very central, though, as he is mostly present to give us a look into Celtic society, while the others are more directly involved in the adventure. The exploration of Celtic culture does, to be fair, remain fairly limited.
Paul McGann is in top form, and India Fisher is good as well. I also like the groovy soundtrack, which sounds a bit different than what I am used to. The guest cast is good.
The battle of the title finally takes place towards the end and pops up surprisingly well, giving this story an action-packed conclusion. The build-up is slow, but the final third of the story is bombastic and exciting, offering a promising beginning to this celebratory miniseries.
Big Finish celebrates 50 years since the debut of the Sontarans (in The Time Warrior) by giving us a series of releases focusing on the oft-mentioned but never seen (or heard) war between the Sontarans and the Rutans.
Lizzie Hopley opens the story with a creepy opening scene before bringing the Doctor, Charley, and Cr'izz to Ireland in the Celtic age (Giant's Causeway in 55 BC). There's inherently a mystical, tense atmosphere here that brings The Stones of Blood or Image of the Fendahl to mind.
The Doctor and Charley get involved with the Sontarans, who are fighting for the Roman empire against the Celts, while Cr'izz joins the Celts, who believe him to be some kind of chosen one. The Sontarans are very familiar here, but their usual traits are combined with typical Roman traits, which is the main source of mystery here (they don't know they are Sontarans).
Not a whole lot is going on, and there's a good while before we get the connection to the Sontaran/Rutan war. In the end, this is a rather simple plot, where the Rutans pretend to be Celts in an attempt to win the war, while the Doctor desperately tries to get the Sontarans to realise their true personas.
This is my first Cr'izz audio, and he's an intriguing alien companion with chameleonic powers. His role here isn't very central, though, as he is mostly present to give us a look into Celtic society, while the others are more directly involved in the adventure. The exploration of Celtic culture does, to be fair, remain fairly limited.
Paul McGann is in top form, and India Fisher is good as well. I also like the groovy soundtrack, which sounds a bit different than what I am used to. The guest cast is good.
The battle of the title finally takes place towards the end and pops up surprisingly well, giving this story an action-packed conclusion. The build-up is slow, but the final third of the story is bombastic and exciting, offering a promising beginning to this celebratory miniseries.
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