Doctor Who: Cryptobiosis

The Sixth Doctor Adventures

by Elliot Thorpe, Colin Baker (Narrator), Nicola Bryant (Narrator)

There’s a ship out there, on the ocean.

She’s called Lankester and every year she sails from Madagascar to New Orleans and back again. Every year. Without exception. Regular as clockwork.

Her schedule is never behind. Her cargo is always fresh.

This trip, she has passengers. The passengers have baggage.

And the baggage might just be enough to sink her...

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published June 1, 2006

About the author

Elliot is a freelance writer, having previously worked for Starlog and written for the sites ‘Den of Geek’, ‘Shadowlocked’, ‘Doctor Who TV’, ‘Red Shirts Always Die’ and ‘TrekThis’, as well as for Encore, the magazine for the theatre professional.
He scripted the full cast audio drama Doctor Who – Cryptobiosis for Big Finish in 2005 and in 2013, his first novel Cold Runs the Blood was published. He also has contributions in Seasons of War: Tales from a Time War (2015), Grave Matters (2015), Doctor Who – A Time Lord for Change (2016), The Librarian (2017), The Wretched Man (2020) and Sherlock Holmes and the Woman Who Wasn’t (2022).
For many years he enjoyed a working relationship with the West End production of The Definitive Rat Pack and in 2017 co-wrote Just Dino – A Recollection of Dean Martin with Bernard H Thorpe, which was expanded and re-released the following year as Dean Martin – Recollections. Further volumes, Dean Martin’s Movie Moments, Dean Martin – A Discography and For The Good Times – The Dean Martin Compendium followed, with the quarterly periodical The Dean Martin Association Journals starting October 2022. He has written a number of official Robin of Sherwood continuation novellas and is a long-term regular columnist for the San Francisco-based magazine Search. He also writes for the site ‘The Doctor Who Companion’. His latest novel World War When was released on 22 January 2022. In August 2022 he founded Memory Hive, specialising in documenting people's life stories and experiences.

Reviews

[Juan Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another audiobook I bought a long time ago and haven’t listened to in years. I ended up really enjoying this story despite some initial misgivings. At first, Peri grated and complained a bit too much and Colin Baker seemed to be his pompous ‘not as funny as he thinks he is’ self. The story however warms up nicely. The villain, De Requin, becomes gradually more unhinged and his ending is perfect…… destined to be a captive freak for the mermen, just as he intended for his captives/victims. A case of just desserts. The Doctor and Peri come to the aid of the merpeople and prove to have real heart. A good story and a perfect tale to be enjoyed on a car journey. Not too cerebral but with enough twists and turns to be entertaining.

[Danny Welch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really fun, well written story with interesting and twists and turns! The only thing that lets it down is that the species in this story are not really alien and for me that is a bit of a dissappointment because I don't really believe in mythical creatures, if you've listened to it you'll know the one, and I don't really watch Doctor Who for myths and legends, so I feel like if this species was said to be an alien from another planet I would give this story a slightly higher rating but that doesn't stop this being a fab small story written by a writer who I think really deserves another go at writing for Big Finish! 7.5/10

[Kelly McCubbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes coming into a story with low expectations can really pay off. This is one of those times. What starts off seeming like a clunky historical adventure, gently glides into becoming a lovely lyrical fantasy.

[Alien_Dwarf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprised by how much I liked this, could have turned really corny with this concept, but instead it manages to be quite atmospheric and emotional. 3,5*/5

[Tabitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise was silly enough to make it fun but not so ridiculous to have my eyes rolling

[Steven Shinder · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting ideas, but could’ve been better.

[Nicholas Whyte]

In Cryptobiosis the Doctor and Peri are taking a holiday cruise, but the first mate is keeping a captive mermaid in one of the guest cabins. The plot is a pretty standard contact-with-hidden-race affair, allowing Baker and Bryant to go through their standard motions, but it hangs together all right.

[Debra Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Doctor and Peri are stuck on a boat headed to New Orleans trying to help the mer people from exploytation and extinction.

[Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Six and Peri on a steamship from Madagascar to New Orleans. They never arrive. The TARDIS is on the ocean's floor. Peri has a baby.

[Polly Batchelor · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Remain below the sea and remain a myth. Expose yourselves to man and you all die."