Jamie Revell
A set of three stories that, following on from the end of volume 2, see the Meddling Monk reluctantly forced to travel around with Missy, participating in schemes that are deadlier than his preferred form of chaos.
Body and Soulless - The first story starts in media res on an alien planet being invaded by incorporeal aliens that possess the bodies of the dead. This makes it sound like a zombie story, but that's not really accurate, partly because the aliens are more intelligent than the typical zombie, but also because much of the conflict takes place off-screen, with the battle seen more from a tactical/strategic point of view. A lot depends on how far you can suspend your disbelief while listening to this - the plot is completely bonkers and much of what happens (especially to the Monk) doesn't make a lot of sense. Fortunately, it's carried along by a frenetic pace and Gomez's performance which is, if anything, even crazier than usual here. Any flaws rapidly disappear behind the sheer madness of it all and the plethora of one-liners. 4.5 stars.
War Seed - Next, we're off to contemporary New York, which of course, means English actors doing American accents with varying degrees of success. It's a more straightforward story than the previous one, involving a company that has mysteriously gained access to what appears to be Time Lord regeneration technology. Missy is primarily the driving force behind this one; despite early indications that he might get a bigger role, the Monk is largely reduced to watching from the sidelines. What's going on is revealed at an early stage, with the story mainly being more about how Missy reacts to it than about any implications it might have of itself. Nonetheless, it's another fun piece, the writing of which might well stand out in any other collection. 4 stars.
Two Monks, One Mistress - The final story is the historical one of the set, and both the strongest and the one that's most clearly a comedy. It's set in 16th-century Italy, with Missy trying to deal with one of the Borgias and double-crossing as many people as she can in the process. There are misunderstandings, women doing a bad job of pretending to be men, and characters self-consciously delivering pointless soliloquies (riffing off Shakespeare here), not to mention fun with psychic paper and a very heavy piece of valuable loot. As both title and cover art intimate, we are also introduced to a future incarnation of the Monk and both versions get plenty to do alongside the main title character. Yes, it's another daft plot, but that's rather the point, and the banter between the leads is once again gloriously fun. 5 stars.
A set of three stories that, following on from the end of volume 2, see the Meddling Monk reluctantly forced to travel around with Missy, participating in schemes that are deadlier than his preferred form of chaos.
Body and Soulless - The first story starts in media res on an alien planet being invaded by incorporeal aliens that possess the bodies of the dead. This makes it sound like a zombie story, but that's not really accurate, partly because the aliens are more intelligent than the typical zombie, but also because much of the conflict takes place off-screen, with the battle seen more from a tactical/strategic point of view. A lot depends on how far you can suspend your disbelief while listening to this - the plot is completely bonkers and much of what happens (especially to the Monk) doesn't make a lot of sense. Fortunately, it's carried along by a frenetic pace and Gomez's performance which is, if anything, even crazier than usual here. Any flaws rapidly disappear behind the sheer madness of it all and the plethora of one-liners. 4.5 stars.
War Seed - Next, we're off to contemporary New York, which of course, means English actors doing American accents with varying degrees of success. It's a more straightforward story than the previous one, involving a company that has mysteriously gained access to what appears to be Time Lord regeneration technology. Missy is primarily the driving force behind this one; despite early indications that he might get a bigger role, the Monk is largely reduced to watching from the sidelines. What's going on is revealed at an early stage, with the story mainly being more about how Missy reacts to it than about any implications it might have of itself. Nonetheless, it's another fun piece, the writing of which might well stand out in any other collection. 4 stars.
Two Monks, One Mistress - The final story is the historical one of the set, and both the strongest and the one that's most clearly a comedy. It's set in 16th-century Italy, with Missy trying to deal with one of the Borgias and double-crossing as many people as she can in the process. There are misunderstandings, women doing a bad job of pretending to be men, and characters self-consciously delivering pointless soliloquies (riffing off Shakespeare here), not to mention fun with psychic paper and a very heavy piece of valuable loot. As both title and cover art intimate, we are also introduced to a future incarnation of the Monk and both versions get plenty to do alongside the main title character. Yes, it's another daft plot, but that's rather the point, and the banter between the leads is once again gloriously fun. 5 stars.
While other experiments with stories using historical versions of Torchwood have by and large not succeeded, it's a testament to Goss's vision of the '50s one that its return is as welcome as any that include the main characters from the TV series. Here, they are back for their second full-length (3-hour) story albeit with Andy Davidson as the main viewpoint character. Not, however, quite the only one, with Lizbeth getting a few viewpoint scenes, including an extended flashback alongside Norton. Gideon, on the other hand, while prominently featuring on the cover is barely in it - his presence is pivotal to the plot, but more as a damsel-in-distress than anything else.
The story concerns a “new town” being built on the Sussex coast - Welwyn Garden City and Basildon being real-world examples from the period. Here, it's the basis for a very '50s science fiction plot (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) albeit one that throws in plenty of British elements, rather than the original US ones. It's something that's been done many times before, but it works here, partly because of the way that the story is split into six half-hour segments that keep things fresh.
This allows for some social commentary on the '50s from a modern perspective, although this is perhaps less of a theme than it was in the previous release. Episode titles refer to the newly created NHS and Enoch Powell's infamous “rivers of blood” speech but they're only tangentially relevant to the story. Indeed, there is a distinct modern sensibility here, and not just because two of the leads are LGBT. There are some distinct horror elements, too, including the (off-screen) death of children so it certainly isn't light listening, especially as a sense of despair and hopelessness builds in the final segment. But it has strong performances, and good characterisation of all the leads and is another worthy outing in this series.
While other experiments with stories using historical versions of Torchwood have by and large not succeeded, it's a testament to Goss's vision of the '50s one that its return is as welcome as any that include the main characters from the TV series. Here, they are back for their second full-length (3-hour) story albeit with Andy Davidson as the main viewpoint character. Not, however, quite the only one, with Lizbeth getting a few viewpoint scenes, including an extended flashback alongside Norton. Gideon, on the other hand, while prominently featuring on the cover is barely in it - his presence is pivotal to the plot, but more as a damsel-in-distress than anything else.
The story concerns a “new town” being built on the Sussex coast - Welwyn Garden City and Basildon being real-world examples from the period. Here, it's the basis for a very '50s science fiction plot (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) albeit one that throws in plenty of British elements, rather than the original US ones. It's something that's been done many times before, but it works here, partly because of the way that the story is split into six half-hour segments that keep things fresh.
This allows for some social commentary on the '50s from a modern perspective, although this is perhaps less of a theme than it was in the previous release. Episode titles refer to the newly created NHS and Enoch Powell's infamous “rivers of blood” speech but they're only tangentially relevant to the story. Indeed, there is a distinct modern sensibility here, and not just because two of the leads are LGBT. There are some distinct horror elements, too, including the (off-screen) death of children so it certainly isn't light listening, especially as a sense of despair and hopelessness builds in the final segment. But it has strong performances, and good characterisation of all the leads and is another worthy outing in this series.
This set of four hour-long stories are apparently sequential, but each is individual, like most episodes of the modern Doctor Who TV series. For that matter, while it follows on from the end of the previous volume, the collection as a whole is largely standalone and could just as well be appreciated without having heard that first, should the listener choose to do so. Yes, there's the mystery of Jenny's companion, Noah, but that's not solved here, so arguably it's enough to know that his origins are a mystery and leave it at that.
Inside the Maldevarium – As the title hints, this story features Dorium Maldovar the blue-skinned information-broker first introduced in A Good Man Goes to War but here seen before the events of that story. Here, Jenny turns up at his bar for reasons that she hasn't told Noah, and that the listener is also initially unaware of. The result is relatively slight, but it moves along at a brisk pace with a well-realised setting and a feel that mirrors the modern TV series. It's arguably more about Maldovar's schemes than it is about Jenny, but the latter proves entertaining, trying to do what her “father” would do but without the experience to back up her sometimes cocksure attitude. And there's the question of just how much (if at all) Maldovar can be trusted at this stage of his life... 4 stars.
Altered Status – The second story is much closer to that of a typical Doctor Who episode as Jenny and Noah visit a planet that's supposed to be a utopia but (unsurprisingly) is anything but. Asa is clear even before the theme music starts up, this is the Cyberman story promised on the cover which, again, emphasises the ties to the parent show. There's a slight twist on the usual formula, however, in that the cyber-technology we see on display here is much more limited than we usually encounter – for reasons that become apparent as the plot unfolds. The real difference, however, is that Jenny is not the Doctor, once again showing off the mixture of sassy confidence and relative inexperience that's at the heart of her portrayal. There's also a great guest character in the form of a sword-wielding scholastic warrior queen who the Cybermen seem to have misjudged as badly as Jenny herself. 4 stars.
Calamity Jenny – As often in these anthologies of time travel stories, one of them has to be set in Earth's past, and here that's the Wild West. This is the most comedic of the four stories, as Jenny becomes the focus of a series of unfortunate coincidences and extreme bad luck. It turns out that there is a reason for this – although at least one of the coincidences is of a type that both Big Finish and the BBC have used before with a straight face. While the story itself is good, making use of time travel directly, the story suffers a little from the slapstick elements. Not because they're slapstick, since that fits with what's going on, but because it's often hard to figure out what they involve; too many sight gags in a story that has no visuals. Unusually, the story is also narrated but this is worked into the story in an effective way and enhances rather than feeling like a limitation. Furthermore, the American accents sounded (at least to me) more realistic than usual, probably because the narrator at least actually is from the US. 3.5 stars.
Her Own Worst Enemy – The concluding story is slightly strange, mainly because it ends on a mid-story cliffhanger without any resolution. Moreover, it had been three years between the release of volume 1 and this and, three years on from that, there is no sign of a volume 3 that's likely to conclude the story. So that's disappointing. Otherwise, it's promising, starting in media res with Jenny being pursued by a killer cyborg and then figuring out how to use her vortex manipulator to travel back down her attacker's timeline to try and change its history. That's basically all before the title music, with the rest of the story being a clever jumping back and forth to try to disentangle what's happening and put a stop to it. Despite this, it's not as timey-wimey as one might expect, being more a set of flashbacks that elaborate on the guest character's backstories and, as a result, it's as much a character piece with shades of It's A Wonderful Life as it is a story about cyborgs and a dystopian future. But it needed an ending, or at least, a rapid follow-up. 3.5 stars.
This set of four hour-long stories are apparently sequential, but each is individual, like most episodes of the modern Doctor Who TV series. For that matter, while it follows on from the end of the previous volume, the collection as a whole is largely standalone and could just as well be appreciated without having heard that first, should the listener choose to do so. Yes, there's the mystery of Jenny's companion, Noah, but that's not solved here, so arguably it's enough to know that his origins are a mystery and leave it at that.
Inside the Maldevarium – As the title hints, this story features Dorium Maldovar the blue-skinned information-broker first introduced in A Good Man Goes to War but here seen before the events of that story. Here, Jenny turns up at his bar for reasons that she hasn't told Noah, and that the listener is also initially unaware of. The result is relatively slight, but it moves along at a brisk pace with a well-realised setting and a feel that mirrors the modern TV series. It's arguably more about Maldovar's schemes than it is about Jenny, but the latter proves entertaining, trying to do what her “father” would do but without the experience to back up her sometimes cocksure attitude. And there's the question of just how much (if at all) Maldovar can be trusted at this stage of his life... 4 stars.
Altered Status – The second story is much closer to that of a typical Doctor Who episode as Jenny and Noah visit a planet that's supposed to be a utopia but (unsurprisingly) is anything but. Asa is clear even before the theme music starts up, this is the Cyberman story promised on the cover which, again, emphasises the ties to the parent show. There's a slight twist on the usual formula, however, in that the cyber-technology we see on display here is much more limited than we usually encounter – for reasons that become apparent as the plot unfolds. The real difference, however, is that Jenny is not the Doctor, once again showing off the mixture of sassy confidence and relative inexperience that's at the heart of her portrayal. There's also a great guest character in the form of a sword-wielding scholastic warrior queen who the Cybermen seem to have misjudged as badly as Jenny herself. 4 stars.
Calamity Jenny – As often in these anthologies of time travel stories, one of them has to be set in Earth's past, and here that's the Wild West. This is the most comedic of the four stories, as Jenny becomes the focus of a series of unfortunate coincidences and extreme bad luck. It turns out that there is a reason for this – although at least one of the coincidences is of a type that both Big Finish and the BBC have used before with a straight face. While the story itself is good, making use of time travel directly, the story suffers a little from the slapstick elements. Not because they're slapstick, since that fits with what's going on, but because it's often hard to figure out what they involve; too many sight gags in a story that has no visuals. Unusually, the story is also narrated but this is worked into the story in an effective way and enhances rather than feeling like a limitation. Furthermore, the American accents sounded (at least to me) more realistic than usual, probably because the narrator at least actually is from the US. 3.5 stars.
Her Own Worst Enemy – The concluding story is slightly strange, mainly because it ends on a mid-story cliffhanger without any resolution. Moreover, it had been three years between the release of volume 1 and this and, three years on from that, there is no sign of a volume 3 that's likely to conclude the story. So that's disappointing. Otherwise, it's promising, starting in media res with Jenny being pursued by a killer cyborg and then figuring out how to use her vortex manipulator to travel back down her attacker's timeline to try and change its history. That's basically all before the title music, with the rest of the story being a clever jumping back and forth to try to disentangle what's happening and put a stop to it. Despite this, it's not as timey-wimey as one might expect, being more a set of flashbacks that elaborate on the guest character's backstories and, as a result, it's as much a character piece with shades of It's A Wonderful Life as it is a story about cyborgs and a dystopian future. But it needed an ending, or at least, a rapid follow-up. 3.5 stars.
This is, in effect, a ghost story, albeit one clearly tied into the Torchwood mythos. It is set during WWII, down a coal mine where parts of the Torchwood Archive have been sent to protect them from the bombing in London. A young woman is sent to catalogue works from the British Museum and National Portrait Gallery stored down the same mine, and encounters Bilis Manger already there.
The story builds slowly, developing the protagonist's background, the mystery of Manger's presence, and the unpleasant nature of the army guards at the mine entrance. As things develop, it becomes clear that there is something else down the mine with them, hiding in the shadows just out of sight - something for which audio is well suited. Sexism and racism are themes in the background, leading to one disturbing scene that has nothing to do with the obvious ‘monster' and Manger himself is also a constant, unspoken threat.
It's another great Bilis Manger story, with a strong performance also coming from Rosie Baker as protagonist Jill Anderson, who grows as the story does. Given its nature, I'd recommend listening to it in the dark if you can...
This is, in effect, a ghost story, albeit one clearly tied into the Torchwood mythos. It is set during WWII, down a coal mine where parts of the Torchwood Archive have been sent to protect them from the bombing in London. A young woman is sent to catalogue works from the British Museum and National Portrait Gallery stored down the same mine, and encounters Bilis Manger already there.
The story builds slowly, developing the protagonist's background, the mystery of Manger's presence, and the unpleasant nature of the army guards at the mine entrance. As things develop, it becomes clear that there is something else down the mine with them, hiding in the shadows just out of sight - something for which audio is well suited. Sexism and racism are themes in the background, leading to one disturbing scene that has nothing to do with the obvious ‘monster' and Manger himself is also a constant, unspoken threat.
It's another great Bilis Manger story, with a strong performance also coming from Rosie Baker as protagonist Jill Anderson, who grows as the story does. Given its nature, I'd recommend listening to it in the dark if you can...
- John Dorney
- Tim Foley
- Lizzie Hopley
- James Kettle
- Paul McGann
- Nicola Walker
- Nicholas Briggs
- Hattie Morahan
- Rebecca Root
The third volume in this plot arc sees the protagonists no longer stranded, with the TARDIS able to travel to alien planets again – albeit with its full functionality yet to be restored. The previous volume, however, set up more than enough plot to keep this one going as the Doctor and companions seek to avert the dystopian (and ultimately apocalyptic) future timeline that two of the prior episodes were built around. It's relatively slow, and one of the stories is a little weak, but overall, it continues what's been another great 8th Doctor series.
Patience – The first story sees the Doctor and companions hiding out on three different, apparently abandoned, planets. Their pursuers do eventually turn up, but until then it's mostly a story of the interactions between the two pairs of companions, interspersed with the Doctor recounting a fairy tale. By the point that there is somebody else for them to talk to, however, it's already clear that all is not as it seems with the three threads of the story having more in common than initially seemed to be the case. The result is an odd mystery that has something of the feel of a ghost story without actually being one – and that eventually involves Judoon. While arguably nothing much happens for much for it, it's nonetheless an interesting story that also provides some character development that hints at upcoming changes. 4.5 stars.
Twisted Folklore – The theme of fairy tales and folklore continues in the second story. Here, the TARDIS has arrived on a world on the fringes of the Earth Empire where the human rulers are subjugating the indigenous inhabitants. It all ties in to the altered history created by events in the second volume and it becomes apparent early on that the Empire is, in part, using indoctrination through children's stories to achieve its aims. With the companions separated as they help out various parts of the resistance, and the whole thing beginning in media res for no particular reason, it's harder to get to grips with than the previous story, and is quite confusing in places. The details of the Empire's scheme and how the Doctor plans to stop don't make too much sense either, although, on the bright side, there are some strong moments for Liv and the alien voices are done better than is often the case - having a subtle but distinctive sibilance rather than using some electronic distort. 3 stars.
Snow – This is, in large part, a story about grief and abandonment. Sure, there's a mysterious phenomenon that acts as a metaphor for what some of the characters are feeling, but it's not the core of the tale. In addition to this, and almost feeling like a subplot, there are further revelations about how the alternate timeline came about, as we see the origins of the fascist state that was a setting for one of the stories in the previous volume. Unless you count the proto-fascists, however, there are no monsters in this one, which is focussed more on character and emotion albeit with a conclusion that's less maudlin than one might expect. 4.5 stars.
What Just Happened – 5 stars. Speaking of which, it ends (or rather, begins) on a cliffhanger. We know how it ends, but the mystery is in how we got there, which isn't fully revealed until the beginning as well as reflecting the story's wider themes about cause and effect. Some listeners may well find that (like this review) pretentious and confusing but, for me, it's cleverly written, with twists and turns that work in the opposite way to those in a regular story. But what's significant about it is that it's told in reverse, even to the extent of starting with the closing credits and ending with the opening theme music. The basis of it is straightforward, as the Doctor tracks down his nemesis and tries to prevent the destruction of the human race. As previously in this series, the best story is saved for last.
The third volume in this plot arc sees the protagonists no longer stranded, with the TARDIS able to travel to alien planets again – albeit with its full functionality yet to be restored. The previous volume, however, set up more than enough plot to keep this one going as the Doctor and companions seek to avert the dystopian (and ultimately apocalyptic) future timeline that two of the prior episodes were built around. It's relatively slow, and one of the stories is a little weak, but overall, it continues what's been another great 8th Doctor series.
Patience – The first story sees the Doctor and companions hiding out on three different, apparently abandoned, planets. Their pursuers do eventually turn up, but until then it's mostly a story of the interactions between the two pairs of companions, interspersed with the Doctor recounting a fairy tale. By the point that there is somebody else for them to talk to, however, it's already clear that all is not as it seems with the three threads of the story having more in common than initially seemed to be the case. The result is an odd mystery that has something of the feel of a ghost story without actually being one – and that eventually involves Judoon. While arguably nothing much happens for much for it, it's nonetheless an interesting story that also provides some character development that hints at upcoming changes. 4.5 stars.
Twisted Folklore – The theme of fairy tales and folklore continues in the second story. Here, the TARDIS has arrived on a world on the fringes of the Earth Empire where the human rulers are subjugating the indigenous inhabitants. It all ties in to the altered history created by events in the second volume and it becomes apparent early on that the Empire is, in part, using indoctrination through children's stories to achieve its aims. With the companions separated as they help out various parts of the resistance, and the whole thing beginning in media res for no particular reason, it's harder to get to grips with than the previous story, and is quite confusing in places. The details of the Empire's scheme and how the Doctor plans to stop don't make too much sense either, although, on the bright side, there are some strong moments for Liv and the alien voices are done better than is often the case - having a subtle but distinctive sibilance rather than using some electronic distort. 3 stars.
Snow – This is, in large part, a story about grief and abandonment. Sure, there's a mysterious phenomenon that acts as a metaphor for what some of the characters are feeling, but it's not the core of the tale. In addition to this, and almost feeling like a subplot, there are further revelations about how the alternate timeline came about, as we see the origins of the fascist state that was a setting for one of the stories in the previous volume. Unless you count the proto-fascists, however, there are no monsters in this one, which is focussed more on character and emotion albeit with a conclusion that's less maudlin than one might expect. 4.5 stars.
What Just Happened – 5 stars. Speaking of which, it ends (or rather, begins) on a cliffhanger. We know how it ends, but the mystery is in how we got there, which isn't fully revealed until the beginning as well as reflecting the story's wider themes about cause and effect. Some listeners may well find that (like this review) pretentious and confusing but, for me, it's cleverly written, with twists and turns that work in the opposite way to those in a regular story. But what's significant about it is that it's told in reverse, even to the extent of starting with the closing credits and ending with the opening theme music. The basis of it is straightforward, as the Doctor tracks down his nemesis and tries to prevent the destruction of the human race. As previously in this series, the best story is saved for last.
This volume contains the first four episodes of a 16-episode “season” featuring the modern version of UNIT - and, if rumours about a 2025 UNIT mini-series from the BBC are true, it may be the last for a while, at least with this particular cast lineup. The plot concerns an alien artefact uncovered from Palaeocene deposits off the coast of Scotland which, for reasons as yet unclear, renegade Time Lord the Eleven is trying to get his hands on.
The second episode, “Fire and Ice” is something of a peculiarity. That's not because it's largely unconnected with the larger plot arc, concerning instead Ice Warriors in the Australian Outback - that helps break things up and works well. The oddity is that it features Harry Sullivan, apparently transported from the original UNIT era into the present day. We're told that this was due to an “incident” but no further information is forthcoming, as if we're expected to already know about it. I thought perhaps I'd skipped an earlier release, but nope... perhaps it's in a later one intended to come out before this one but delayed for some reason. This leaves Harry's companion, Naomi Cross, similarly unexplained, introduced as if she's a familiar character when she's entirely new and not receiving much in the way of development or anything in the way of background here.
That peculiarity aside (and, in contrast, The Eleven gets to explain who he is no fewer than three times for the benefit of listeners who haven't encountered him before) it's an action-packed storyline full of UNIT helicopters and soldiers dashing about across various parts of the UK. The Eleven is suitably menacing, Osgood is clever, Kate gets to be suitably noble, and there's a significant guest spot for the Curator. The last episode of the four is particularly inventive, building on Day of the Doctor and using both the National Gallery and Hampton Court Palace to good effect.
The set ends on a cliffhanger for one of the supporting characters, and with several questions left unanswered, but otherwise this collection of episodes forms a neat little arc of its own within the larger season.
This volume contains the first four episodes of a 16-episode “season” featuring the modern version of UNIT - and, if rumours about a 2025 UNIT mini-series from the BBC are true, it may be the last for a while, at least with this particular cast lineup. The plot concerns an alien artefact uncovered from Palaeocene deposits off the coast of Scotland which, for reasons as yet unclear, renegade Time Lord the Eleven is trying to get his hands on.
The second episode, “Fire and Ice” is something of a peculiarity. That's not because it's largely unconnected with the larger plot arc, concerning instead Ice Warriors in the Australian Outback - that helps break things up and works well. The oddity is that it features Harry Sullivan, apparently transported from the original UNIT era into the present day. We're told that this was due to an “incident” but no further information is forthcoming, as if we're expected to already know about it. I thought perhaps I'd skipped an earlier release, but nope... perhaps it's in a later one intended to come out before this one but delayed for some reason. This leaves Harry's companion, Naomi Cross, similarly unexplained, introduced as if she's a familiar character when she's entirely new and not receiving much in the way of development or anything in the way of background here.
That peculiarity aside (and, in contrast, The Eleven gets to explain who he is no fewer than three times for the benefit of listeners who haven't encountered him before) it's an action-packed storyline full of UNIT helicopters and soldiers dashing about across various parts of the UK. The Eleven is suitably menacing, Osgood is clever, Kate gets to be suitably noble, and there's a significant guest spot for the Curator. The last episode of the four is particularly inventive, building on Day of the Doctor and using both the National Gallery and Hampton Court Palace to good effect.
The set ends on a cliffhanger for one of the supporting characters, and with several questions left unanswered, but otherwise this collection of episodes forms a neat little arc of its own within the larger season.
I haven't read the last two volumes, but, compared with Vol 1.... well, the art's a lot better, but we're going for something that's more straight-up comedy, which may, or may not, be to your taste. Certainly, there isn't much depth in this, and you have to be in the mood for crazy high-jinks, in what's essentially a spoof of Suicide Squad.
The story sees Harley forced to team up with other semi-reformed supervillains to deal with a menace at the JLA's abandoned moonbase. There's fun with space travel, a hostile alien that keeps making pop culture references and, of course, Harley's general craziness. The more serious side is supposed to be provided by Lucas Fox trying to decide what his legacy as Batwing really means and where he should go next with it... but that part doesn't work all that well, and feels a bit tacked on. But if you don't want any more than a crazy comedy playing with the tropes of Suicide Squad with some cheesy sci-fi elements thrown in, then this delivers what it's aiming to.
I haven't read the last two volumes, but, compared with Vol 1.... well, the art's a lot better, but we're going for something that's more straight-up comedy, which may, or may not, be to your taste. Certainly, there isn't much depth in this, and you have to be in the mood for crazy high-jinks, in what's essentially a spoof of Suicide Squad.
The story sees Harley forced to team up with other semi-reformed supervillains to deal with a menace at the JLA's abandoned moonbase. There's fun with space travel, a hostile alien that keeps making pop culture references and, of course, Harley's general craziness. The more serious side is supposed to be provided by Lucas Fox trying to decide what his legacy as Batwing really means and where he should go next with it... but that part doesn't work all that well, and feels a bit tacked on. But if you don't want any more than a crazy comedy playing with the tropes of Suicide Squad with some cheesy sci-fi elements thrown in, then this delivers what it's aiming to.
The final book in the original ‘trilogy' left things open-ended, with one of the early Bobs having disappeared while off exploring deep space. This book follows up on that, and it is more focused than the first three books as a result. What has happened becomes clear early on, and we're off to the titular setting, which has a resemblance to that of an earlier sci-fi classic (Ringworld). The bulk of the book deals with this, exploring an alien culture that's different from that of humans, but not dramatically so, but where the mystery is how the whole thing has been set up.
Original Bob is the main character here, but there are segments involving other Bobs as they assist him, and a major subplot about a schism within the Bobiverse that is left open for future volumes. (Like The Hitchiker's Guide, ‘trilogy' is becoming an increasingly inaccurate term). There, the focus is on how the Bobs have diverged over what are now 24 generations, and it's not just the antagonists who illustrate this, with others having picked up minor interests of the original and made them the focus of their lives.
But, at least for now, that's background, with the hunt for Bender and the exploration of the alien setting taking up the bulk of the page count. There's inventiveness here, and plenty of action, all of it in the easy-going style that the books favour. It's perhaps difficult to maintain the high pace and freshness of the first book over a set of four, and this is perhaps not quite up to the standard of the preceding three volumes, but it's still effective at finding new things to do without, to my mind, falling into repetition.
The final book in the original ‘trilogy' left things open-ended, with one of the early Bobs having disappeared while off exploring deep space. This book follows up on that, and it is more focused than the first three books as a result. What has happened becomes clear early on, and we're off to the titular setting, which has a resemblance to that of an earlier sci-fi classic (Ringworld). The bulk of the book deals with this, exploring an alien culture that's different from that of humans, but not dramatically so, but where the mystery is how the whole thing has been set up.
Original Bob is the main character here, but there are segments involving other Bobs as they assist him, and a major subplot about a schism within the Bobiverse that is left open for future volumes. (Like The Hitchiker's Guide, ‘trilogy' is becoming an increasingly inaccurate term). There, the focus is on how the Bobs have diverged over what are now 24 generations, and it's not just the antagonists who illustrate this, with others having picked up minor interests of the original and made them the focus of their lives.
But, at least for now, that's background, with the hunt for Bender and the exploration of the alien setting taking up the bulk of the page count. There's inventiveness here, and plenty of action, all of it in the easy-going style that the books favour. It's perhaps difficult to maintain the high pace and freshness of the first book over a set of four, and this is perhaps not quite up to the standard of the preceding three volumes, but it's still effective at finding new things to do without, to my mind, falling into repetition.
This short collection takes Aquaman and puts him in a story of cosmic and psychological horror, rather than one of superheroics. It's an interesting change of pace, and one that works, using the inhospitable and lightless depths of the deep sea as a backdrop. It's told primarily from the point of view of the crew of an experimental submarine sent to recover what appears to be an alien artefact from the most remote part of the Pacific Ocean; that they view Arthur as as much of a mystery as the entity they are investigating suggests that this is intended as an alternate reality story.
Ram V's often introspective style works well here, using flashbacks to illuminate the fears and insecurities of the crew - and, to a lesser extent, of Aquaman - as they begin to crack under the strain and a dark secret is revealed. There is some action in here but it's far from a typical superhero story, with the art playing up the spooky atmosphere. It's not perfect, and Black Manta, for example, seems to be included only because somebody thought he should be, not because he really does all that much... but as a horror story that happens to feature Aquaman, it's making good use of the author's strengths.
This short collection takes Aquaman and puts him in a story of cosmic and psychological horror, rather than one of superheroics. It's an interesting change of pace, and one that works, using the inhospitable and lightless depths of the deep sea as a backdrop. It's told primarily from the point of view of the crew of an experimental submarine sent to recover what appears to be an alien artefact from the most remote part of the Pacific Ocean; that they view Arthur as as much of a mystery as the entity they are investigating suggests that this is intended as an alternate reality story.
Ram V's often introspective style works well here, using flashbacks to illuminate the fears and insecurities of the crew - and, to a lesser extent, of Aquaman - as they begin to crack under the strain and a dark secret is revealed. There is some action in here but it's far from a typical superhero story, with the art playing up the spooky atmosphere. It's not perfect, and Black Manta, for example, seems to be included only because somebody thought he should be, not because he really does all that much... but as a horror story that happens to feature Aquaman, it's making good use of the author's strengths.
This spin-off novella of the Parasol Protectorate series features (unlike those books) a working-class heroine. As the title indicates, it's a romance story, with the central character falling for Madame Lafoux when she takes up a maid's job at Countess Nadasdy's hive. The story is darker in places than the other related novellas I've read, playing up the menace of the vampires rather than their high-class manners - Lord Akeldama, for instance, is tangentially referred to, but isn't in this one.
Other than the vampires, it's a straightforward romance story without any big shocks, but it's entertaining and the perspective is slightly different from the usual. Part of the fun is seeing how it ties in with the larger series, with various guest characters turning up whose backstories the heroine knows nothing of, but a fan of the other books surely will. The sub-plots spun around the central romance do not distract from it, nor do they feel unfinished as in one of the other novellas I reviewed, and it's a fun, if slight, addition to the universe.
This spin-off novella of the Parasol Protectorate series features (unlike those books) a working-class heroine. As the title indicates, it's a romance story, with the central character falling for Madame Lafoux when she takes up a maid's job at Countess Nadasdy's hive. The story is darker in places than the other related novellas I've read, playing up the menace of the vampires rather than their high-class manners - Lord Akeldama, for instance, is tangentially referred to, but isn't in this one.
Other than the vampires, it's a straightforward romance story without any big shocks, but it's entertaining and the perspective is slightly different from the usual. Part of the fun is seeing how it ties in with the larger series, with various guest characters turning up whose backstories the heroine knows nothing of, but a fan of the other books surely will. The sub-plots spun around the central romance do not distract from it, nor do they feel unfinished as in one of the other novellas I reviewed, and it's a fun, if slight, addition to the universe.
Having recovered from the trauma that plagued her in volume 1, Ivy is more her usual self in this collection, which is much more upbeat than its predecessor. It's something of a connecting piece, three stories linking the events of the first volume with the following one, but not reaching any clear conclusion. But along the way, it's a rich portrayal of the character, mellowing Ivy's ecoterrorist tendencies with a more positive portrayal, but not pretending they aren't there.
The two longer stories feature greenwashing and a critique of wellness gurus (just because it's ‘natural' doesn't mean it's good for you...). Neither are particularly strong on their own merits, but both fit in with the theme and are peppered once again with some trippy sequences. Ivy's love of nature comes through in the way this is written, but it also remembers that she is a botanist, often looking at things from a scientist's perspective. In between, there's a one-issue guest appearance by Harley, giving Ivy a boost and setting things up for the next volume.
Despite some middling art in the first two issues, it's all neatly melded together, with themes and personal plot arcs running through what are otherwise episodic stories. Ivy's still more of an anti-hero than a regular one, but this makes it easy to root for her despite her flaws.
Having recovered from the trauma that plagued her in volume 1, Ivy is more her usual self in this collection, which is much more upbeat than its predecessor. It's something of a connecting piece, three stories linking the events of the first volume with the following one, but not reaching any clear conclusion. But along the way, it's a rich portrayal of the character, mellowing Ivy's ecoterrorist tendencies with a more positive portrayal, but not pretending they aren't there.
The two longer stories feature greenwashing and a critique of wellness gurus (just because it's ‘natural' doesn't mean it's good for you...). Neither are particularly strong on their own merits, but both fit in with the theme and are peppered once again with some trippy sequences. Ivy's love of nature comes through in the way this is written, but it also remembers that she is a botanist, often looking at things from a scientist's perspective. In between, there's a one-issue guest appearance by Harley, giving Ivy a boost and setting things up for the next volume.
Despite some middling art in the first two issues, it's all neatly melded together, with themes and personal plot arcs running through what are otherwise episodic stories. Ivy's still more of an anti-hero than a regular one, but this makes it easy to root for her despite her flaws.