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Big Finish: Monthly Range #155
Doctor Who: Army of Death
The TARDIS brings the Doctor and Mary Shelley to the continent of Zelonia, on the frontier world Draxine – where, many moons ago, the twin citystates of Garrak and Stronghaven bore testament to mankind’s colonial spirit.
That was before the sinister death cult of Garrak’s President Harmon took hold – and Garrak annihilated itself, utterly, in an apocalyptic explosion. Before the bones of Garrak’s dead came back to life, and its skeletal citizens began marching, marching, marching on Stronghaven itself.
But what do they want, this army of death? And can anything stop them? In search of answers, the Doctor and Mary must journey into the dead heart of a dead city to face a terrifying adversary, whose ambitions transcend the stuff of life itself.
That was before the sinister death cult of Garrak’s President Harmon took hold – and Garrak annihilated itself, utterly, in an apocalyptic explosion. Before the bones of Garrak’s dead came back to life, and its skeletal citizens began marching, marching, marching on Stronghaven itself.
But what do they want, this army of death? And can anything stop them? In search of answers, the Doctor and Mary must journey into the dead heart of a dead city to face a terrifying adversary, whose ambitions transcend the stuff of life itself.
Audio CD
First published December 1, 2011
2 people are currently reading
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About the author
Jason Arnopp
34 books672 followersJason Arnopp is the author of the chiller-thriller novels Ghoster (2019) and The Last Days Of Jack Sparks (2016). He is also the co-author of Inside Black Mirror with Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones.
Arnopp wrote the Lionsgate horror feature film Stormhouse, the New Line Cinema novel Friday The 13th: Hate-Kill-Repeat, various official Doctor Who works of fiction (including the BBC audiobook Doctor Who: The Gemini Contagion) and script-edited the 2012 Peter Mullan film The Man Inside.
Arnopp has also written 2012's Beast In The Basement, a horror novella available at Amazon, and experimental ghost story A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home.
He is the author of non-fiction ebook How To Interview Doctor Who, Ozzy Osbourne And Everyone Else. He is on Twitter here, and is represented by literary agent Oli Munson at The AM Heath Agency. He is also represented for film and TV by Lawrence Mattis at Circle Of Confusion.
He runs a private cult - sorry, that should have read CLUB - at Patreon, where members enjoy various perks.
Arnopp wrote the Lionsgate horror feature film Stormhouse, the New Line Cinema novel Friday The 13th: Hate-Kill-Repeat, various official Doctor Who works of fiction (including the BBC audiobook Doctor Who: The Gemini Contagion) and script-edited the 2012 Peter Mullan film The Man Inside.
Arnopp has also written 2012's Beast In The Basement, a horror novella available at Amazon, and experimental ghost story A Sincere Warning About The Entity In Your Home.
He is the author of non-fiction ebook How To Interview Doctor Who, Ozzy Osbourne And Everyone Else. He is on Twitter here, and is represented by literary agent Oli Munson at The AM Heath Agency. He is also represented for film and TV by Lawrence Mattis at Circle Of Confusion.
He runs a private cult - sorry, that should have read CLUB - at Patreon, where members enjoy various perks.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 10, 2026
And the Mary Shelley Trilogy comes to a close. I enjoyed this one quite a bit, but I think my favorite is going to be the middle chapter. While there was some important things for Mary to do (decisions to make and realizations to arrive at) in this one, she wasn’t as directly involved as in the last.
March 25, 2023
Strongheavenの大統領カーネックがGarrakの大統領ハーモンの手のものに暗殺され、ハーモンは自らの都市に爆弾を落とし自滅する。厳戒態勢の中Strongheavenは副大統領のヴァレンが臨時で大統領行を代行し平和と落ち付きを取り戻そうとするが、骸骨の兵士が攻撃をしかけてくるという怪現象がおこりヴァレンはハーモンの亡霊をみる。
そんな状況とも知らずに降り立ったドクターとマリーは脱獄犯のナイアと鉢合わせ、人質にされてしまう。ナイアは大統領を暗殺したというがマリーもドクターも疑いをもつ。
実は全ての黒幕はカーネックだったというところが判明するというか理解できるまで何度も聞き返すはめになっていささか飽きてしまった。
面白くないわけではなかったと思うのだけれど理解に時間がかかったせいで判断つけがたい。
ドクターが黒焦げになった理由は結局わかんないままだったなぁ....
そんな状況とも知らずに降り立ったドクターとマリーは脱獄犯のナイアと鉢合わせ、人質にされてしまう。ナイアは大統領を暗殺したというがマリーもドクターも疑いをもつ。
実は全ての黒幕はカーネックだったというところが判明するというか理解できるまで何度も聞き返すはめになっていささか飽きてしまった。
面白くないわけではなかったと思うのだけれど理解に時間がかかったせいで判断つけがたい。
ドクターが黒焦げになった理由は結局わかんないままだったなぁ....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2025
The interactions between the Doctor and Mary are the highlight of this story, and it was beautiful how Mary comes to the realizations about her life as a result of travelling with the Doctor.
October 5, 2012
The Eighth Doctor and Mary Shelley find a planet in the grip of fear after a terrorist attack blows up one of their major cities. The strange thing is that skeletons are marching toward the other major city, killing everything in their path.
This one was definitely more sci-fi than horror, but it did work. I would have liked to have heard the terror of the skeletons and the ghostly voice been played up more. Also I have to admit I was pleased to have skeletons rather than zombies. I know the difference is minimal, but good skeleton stories are quite rare.
The Doctor and Mary manage a bit more time together in this adventure, which is nice, especially after the last one. Though I still don't think it was enough time, as they were separated from most of chapters two and three. The story leaves it open as to whether or not there will be more adventures with the two of them, but I certainly hope there are.
This adventure also has a complicated, if a bit nonsensical, political plot. I though this was probably the weakest aspect, though I did like the storyline involving Nia. It also shows the stupidity that people allow after a terrorist attack, as an American this theme hits especially close to home. Unfortunately they only glanced the surface of these themes.
Overall, I;d say its worth a listen especially for Eighth Doctor and Mary Shelley fans.
This one was definitely more sci-fi than horror, but it did work. I would have liked to have heard the terror of the skeletons and the ghostly voice been played up more. Also I have to admit I was pleased to have skeletons rather than zombies. I know the difference is minimal, but good skeleton stories are quite rare.
The Doctor and Mary manage a bit more time together in this adventure, which is nice, especially after the last one. Though I still don't think it was enough time, as they were separated from most of chapters two and three. The story leaves it open as to whether or not there will be more adventures with the two of them, but I certainly hope there are.
This adventure also has a complicated, if a bit nonsensical, political plot. I though this was probably the weakest aspect, though I did like the storyline involving Nia. It also shows the stupidity that people allow after a terrorist attack, as an American this theme hits especially close to home. Unfortunately they only glanced the surface of these themes.
Overall, I;d say its worth a listen especially for Eighth Doctor and Mary Shelley fans.
December 30, 2014
Merely okay. The only thing it really had going for it was more development of the relationship between the Doctor and Mary. The story was fairly stock plot stuff.
August 4, 2021
#langolobigfinish
L'ANGOLO BIG FINISH: “ARMY OF DEATH” (Main Range 155)
Scritto da JASON ARNOPP.
Con PAUL McGANN, JULIE COX, DAVID HAREWOOD, CAROLYN PICKLES, EVA POPE e MITCH BENN.
Il Tardis porta il Dottore e Mary Shelley nel continente di Zelonia, nel mondo frontiera di Draxine – dove, molte lune fa, le città-stato gemelle di Garrak e Stronghaven erano il testamento dello spirito coloniale dell'umanità.
Questo era prima che la sinistra setta della morte del Presidente di Garrak, Harmon, prendesse piede – e Garrak annientasse se stessa, completamente, in un'esplosione apocalittica. Prima che le ossa dei morti di Garrak tornassero in vita, e i suoi cittadini scheletrici cominciassero a marciare, marciare, marciare su Stronghaven.
Ma cosa vogliono, questa armata dei morti? E possono essere fermati? In cerca di risposte, il Dottore e Mary devono viaggiare dentro il cuore morto di una città morta per affrontare un terrificante avversario, le cui ambizioni trascendono la vita stessa.
-----------------
Ed eccoci qui per l'ultima avventura dell'Ottavo Dottore con Mary Shelley. A differenza degli audio precedenti, questa volta il Dottore porta Mary nel futuro, su un pianeta colonia umano (tuttavia non il primo mondo alieno per Mary, perché dai loro discorsi si evince che hanno avuto altre avventure in mezzo a quelle che abbiamo visto).
Anche in questo caso la storia non è terrificante quanto The Silver Turk, anche se mantiene degli aspetti horror. Nonostante l'ambientazione futuristica permane infatti una vena gotica e macabra. Oltre a questo, si aggiunge una trama politica piena di colpi di scena, che gioca sul conflitto tra due città-stato con i loro rispettivi presidenti.
Mi sono piaciute maggiormente le prime tre parti della storia, dove con il giusto ritmo veniamo introdotti ai personaggi e all'ambientazione, e l'antagonista è sinistro e suadente. Tuttavia nell'ultimo quarto, con la rivelazione del grande piano malvagio, diventa un po' pantomimico. Inoltre, l'armata di scheletri non funziona molto bene in audio, non riuscendo a trasmettere un senso di orrore vero e proprio.
In questa storia, vediamo un maggiore sviluppo del rapporto tra Mary e il Dottore. Tramite il suo diario, abbiamo uno scorcio dei sentimenti di Mary, divisi tra il Dottore e suo marito Percy. Sebbene non mi dispiaccia questo aspetto, credo che avrebbero dovuto dare maggior spazio alla sua reazione nel vedere mondi così al di là della sua immaginazione.
Un finale un po' amaro porta Mary a riflettere sugli aspetti negativi di viaggiare insieme al Dottore, nonché sulle reazioni del Dottore stesso di fronte a tanta morte. Tuttavia, non è una chiusura netta, e rimane aperta ad ulteriori avventure tra i due.
Rimane un ascolto interessante, anche se non è il migliore della trilogia.
L'ANGOLO BIG FINISH: “ARMY OF DEATH” (Main Range 155)
Scritto da JASON ARNOPP.
Con PAUL McGANN, JULIE COX, DAVID HAREWOOD, CAROLYN PICKLES, EVA POPE e MITCH BENN.
Il Tardis porta il Dottore e Mary Shelley nel continente di Zelonia, nel mondo frontiera di Draxine – dove, molte lune fa, le città-stato gemelle di Garrak e Stronghaven erano il testamento dello spirito coloniale dell'umanità.
Questo era prima che la sinistra setta della morte del Presidente di Garrak, Harmon, prendesse piede – e Garrak annientasse se stessa, completamente, in un'esplosione apocalittica. Prima che le ossa dei morti di Garrak tornassero in vita, e i suoi cittadini scheletrici cominciassero a marciare, marciare, marciare su Stronghaven.
Ma cosa vogliono, questa armata dei morti? E possono essere fermati? In cerca di risposte, il Dottore e Mary devono viaggiare dentro il cuore morto di una città morta per affrontare un terrificante avversario, le cui ambizioni trascendono la vita stessa.
-----------------
Ed eccoci qui per l'ultima avventura dell'Ottavo Dottore con Mary Shelley. A differenza degli audio precedenti, questa volta il Dottore porta Mary nel futuro, su un pianeta colonia umano (tuttavia non il primo mondo alieno per Mary, perché dai loro discorsi si evince che hanno avuto altre avventure in mezzo a quelle che abbiamo visto).
Anche in questo caso la storia non è terrificante quanto The Silver Turk, anche se mantiene degli aspetti horror. Nonostante l'ambientazione futuristica permane infatti una vena gotica e macabra. Oltre a questo, si aggiunge una trama politica piena di colpi di scena, che gioca sul conflitto tra due città-stato con i loro rispettivi presidenti.
Mi sono piaciute maggiormente le prime tre parti della storia, dove con il giusto ritmo veniamo introdotti ai personaggi e all'ambientazione, e l'antagonista è sinistro e suadente. Tuttavia nell'ultimo quarto, con la rivelazione del grande piano malvagio, diventa un po' pantomimico. Inoltre, l'armata di scheletri non funziona molto bene in audio, non riuscendo a trasmettere un senso di orrore vero e proprio.
In questa storia, vediamo un maggiore sviluppo del rapporto tra Mary e il Dottore. Tramite il suo diario, abbiamo uno scorcio dei sentimenti di Mary, divisi tra il Dottore e suo marito Percy. Sebbene non mi dispiaccia questo aspetto, credo che avrebbero dovuto dare maggior spazio alla sua reazione nel vedere mondi così al di là della sua immaginazione.
Un finale un po' amaro porta Mary a riflettere sugli aspetti negativi di viaggiare insieme al Dottore, nonché sulle reazioni del Dottore stesso di fronte a tanta morte. Tuttavia, non è una chiusura netta, e rimane aperta ad ulteriori avventure tra i due.
Rimane un ascolto interessante, anche se non è il migliore della trilogia.
July 7, 2023
I really wanted to enjoy this one more, but it just didn’t hit for me at all. The cast was good and parts of this story could have been really great but everything underdelivered for me.
The grand exception to this was Mary Shelley’s role in the final 15 minutes of this, which were excellent. She has been a really fun companion and I’m sad to see her go. ‘Army of Death’ was Mary’s ‘Absolution’ to Charley, and I’m always fascinated by Eight’s ability to lose that air of human mortality in the face of great loss.
The most confusing part of this story was the repeated use of many actors in different roles. There were moments that I was entirely thrown from the plot due to my own inability to distinguish what was going on.
I mentioned above that the final moments with Mary as a companion were really good, and I maintain that, but there was a certain lack fanfare which made their parting feel very strange and understated. It felt more like the build up to a conclusion as opposed to a companion send off.
Overall this one feels like a misfire on a technical level and underwhelming when it should feel like a finisher.
The grand exception to this was Mary Shelley’s role in the final 15 minutes of this, which were excellent. She has been a really fun companion and I’m sad to see her go. ‘Army of Death’ was Mary’s ‘Absolution’ to Charley, and I’m always fascinated by Eight’s ability to lose that air of human mortality in the face of great loss.
The most confusing part of this story was the repeated use of many actors in different roles. There were moments that I was entirely thrown from the plot due to my own inability to distinguish what was going on.
I mentioned above that the final moments with Mary as a companion were really good, and I maintain that, but there was a certain lack fanfare which made their parting feel very strange and understated. It felt more like the build up to a conclusion as opposed to a companion send off.
Overall this one feels like a misfire on a technical level and underwhelming when it should feel like a finisher.
January 15, 2025
Not awful but really failed to hold my attention. I hate that in every story they feel the need to split Mary and The Doctor up. It's a bit of a shame this is the last one as Mary was a great companion. Well there's stories that can fit in between I suppose.
And that concludes the 8th doctor monthly adventures. NGL I've had more than enough of these. The format SUCKS. They're all way too long and rest my patience. There are many that didn't and flowed really well. But most of those were one and a half hours long tops. So many of these were two hours or more and it became really hard to listen to. Some took weeks to finish. And I know it plays like a traditional classic doctor who story. I know. But man I was born in 2002. I just wasn't mate for that era of TV. I've tried man, I struggle to get through Genesis of the Daleks I am horrified to admit that but it's true!
Overall I did enjoy the monthly adventures. Some really high highs, and some pretty boring minds. But there was nothing awful in here. The worst I can accuse these or being is formulaic most of the time.
Anyway
On to the 8th Doctor adventures series 1!
And that concludes the 8th doctor monthly adventures. NGL I've had more than enough of these. The format SUCKS. They're all way too long and rest my patience. There are many that didn't and flowed really well. But most of those were one and a half hours long tops. So many of these were two hours or more and it became really hard to listen to. Some took weeks to finish. And I know it plays like a traditional classic doctor who story. I know. But man I was born in 2002. I just wasn't mate for that era of TV. I've tried man, I struggle to get through Genesis of the Daleks I am horrified to admit that but it's true!
Overall I did enjoy the monthly adventures. Some really high highs, and some pretty boring minds. But there was nothing awful in here. The worst I can accuse these or being is formulaic most of the time.
Anyway
On to the 8th Doctor adventures series 1!
June 28, 2022
With Mary Shelley, Big Finish want to do what the BBC have done with the Companions - make them fall in love with the Doctor. It has been explored and done already, so it really does not do much here. The story itself is pretty standard DW fare. A peaceful world isn't so peaceful. A madman has raised an army of skeletons so he can take over the world. It all goes King Kong at the end.
January 13, 2018
This was a fun adventure. Reasonably well-written and well-acted. I like McGann's Doctor, and Mary Shelley makes an interesting companion.
June 29, 2020
A very enjoyable adventure and last of the trilogy with Mary Shelley.
November 15, 2020
This was slightly better than the previous one, but not as good as The Silver Turk. The trilogy was worth listening to over all though.
January 19, 2024
This was just crazy enough that it worked, though I am disappointed by Mary's send-off.
March 18, 2026
This feels like a definitionally "8th Doctor" story. 8 is in a moody skeleton scenario with Mary Shelly. Solid end to this trilogy
February 11, 2017
The final part of the "Mary Shelley trilogy" sees the Doctor take the eponymous author into our future for the first time, rather than just her own. The action takes place on a human colony world that's supposedly peaceful and prosperous - naturally the Doctor manages to turn up at a time of great conflict anyway.
The conflict in question consists largely of armies of walking skeletons attacking a city, again emphasising the Gothic feel of this particular trilogy. Mary, unfortunately, doesn't get quite as much to do in this story as in the previous two, even though she is once again separated from the Doctor for most of it. This is more to do with lack of opportunity than with any inconsistent portrayal - certainly she seems willing to take an active role, but the chance to do so doesn't really present itself.
There are also some oddities in the plot, with a couple of apparently significant plot points being entirely ignored after they are mentioned - one suspects that they may have meant more in an earlier draft of the script. On the other hand, there is some good imagery, with the final monster being impressive, if a bit over-acted, and the local continent basking in perpetual twilight (one assumes the planet is tidally locked to its star, but this is never stated).
One would have thought that Mary visiting an alien planet would warrant more of a mention from her, but we're blithely told that there have been other adventures between this and its predecessor that we haven't seen, which blunts the impact. On the plus side, there is some well-written reflection on her feelings about the Doctor, and how that evolves as the story, and her time with him, progresses - ultimately, her decision to leave at the end makes perfect sense.
It's not really a great story, although it's by no means a bad one, either. A few good points are offset by missed opportunities, and the trilogy as a whole doesn't live up to the promise of its first part.
The conflict in question consists largely of armies of walking skeletons attacking a city, again emphasising the Gothic feel of this particular trilogy. Mary, unfortunately, doesn't get quite as much to do in this story as in the previous two, even though she is once again separated from the Doctor for most of it. This is more to do with lack of opportunity than with any inconsistent portrayal - certainly she seems willing to take an active role, but the chance to do so doesn't really present itself.
There are also some oddities in the plot, with a couple of apparently significant plot points being entirely ignored after they are mentioned - one suspects that they may have meant more in an earlier draft of the script. On the other hand, there is some good imagery, with the final monster being impressive, if a bit over-acted, and the local continent basking in perpetual twilight (one assumes the planet is tidally locked to its star, but this is never stated).
One would have thought that Mary visiting an alien planet would warrant more of a mention from her, but we're blithely told that there have been other adventures between this and its predecessor that we haven't seen, which blunts the impact. On the plus side, there is some well-written reflection on her feelings about the Doctor, and how that evolves as the story, and her time with him, progresses - ultimately, her decision to leave at the end makes perfect sense.
It's not really a great story, although it's by no means a bad one, either. A few good points are offset by missed opportunities, and the trilogy as a whole doesn't live up to the promise of its first part.
November 19, 2013
I didn't have high expectations of this going in - the "army of the walking dead" concept didn't really excite me. I was pleasantly surprised by the first half, which is a tense, fast-paced political thriller. I loved it. (Though I might also have been riding on the high of having just seen "Night of the Doctor", which had me basically bouncing around going, "Eight! Eight!! Eight!!!" for approximately 72 hours after viewing.)
I thought the second half let things down a bit. Act 3 has a lot of plot by convenient bad timing, while Act 4 suffers from a big baddie who apparently studied at the Brian Blessed School of Dramatic Subtlety.
I also had mixed feelings about the Mary-falling-in-love-with-the-Doctor subplot. On the one hand, it was handled in a way that I thought was both very character appropriate and the way I've always pictured many potential Doctor/companion "romances" resolving: Mary realizes that she's falling for the Doctor, confesses her feelings in an awkward conversation with the Doctor, and then comes to her own realization that Ancient Space Aliens Who Routinely Decide the Destiny of Civilizations Do Not Make Suitable Boyfriends. On the other hand, I think it's a unfortunate that this story happened to be written during an era of Doctor Who in which we seem, on the whole, to be vigorously making up for all those years that we spent denying the possibility that any of the people who traveled with the Doctor might have had other than Platonic feelings for him. And so the whole subplot feels just a tad obligatory.
Anyway, I'm very happy that they've left the door open for more adventures with Mary Shelley, because she is a really fantastic companion.
I thought the second half let things down a bit. Act 3 has a lot of plot by convenient bad timing, while Act 4 suffers from a big baddie who apparently studied at the Brian Blessed School of Dramatic Subtlety.
I also had mixed feelings about the Mary-falling-in-love-with-the-Doctor subplot. On the one hand, it was handled in a way that I thought was both very character appropriate and the way I've always pictured many potential Doctor/companion "romances" resolving: Mary realizes that she's falling for the Doctor, confesses her feelings in an awkward conversation with the Doctor, and then comes to her own realization that Ancient Space Aliens Who Routinely Decide the Destiny of Civilizations Do Not Make Suitable Boyfriends. On the other hand, I think it's a unfortunate that this story happened to be written during an era of Doctor Who in which we seem, on the whole, to be vigorously making up for all those years that we spent denying the possibility that any of the people who traveled with the Doctor might have had other than Platonic feelings for him. And so the whole subplot feels just a tad obligatory.
Anyway, I'm very happy that they've left the door open for more adventures with Mary Shelley, because she is a really fantastic companion.
October 31, 2014
I found I'd bought a copy of this ages ago and forgot to listen to it. It seemed like a perfect story for Halloween, Mary Shelly and an army of skeletons! Unfortunately it didn't really work for me. The setting felt really strange, a fairly advanced science fiction style planet, with politicians, walking dead, flying robots and only two cities. It felt like a total mish-mash and not at all a real civilization. The science fiction seemed to detract from the horror and the monster at the end was just silly. I also didn't like Mary falling for the Doctor cause no matter how handsome Paul McGann is, she was married to Percy Shelly FFS!!!! Also she felt quite weak as a character. I think the actual Mary Shelly was much cooler.
August 27, 2012
brings the Eighth Doctor and Mary Shelley to a future planet equipped with complex politics, scientists playing with artificial life, and (until recently) two major cities. Mary Shelley is now far from her own background but comes over more as Leela than Victoria, with of course the obligatory subplot of her falling in love with the Doctor. It's well enough done, I felt stronger than the previous run in this series, and I was glad that the ending seemed to leave the path clear for more Eight/Shelley adventures.
May 22, 2022
I very much enjoyed this. It's the third part of a trilogy where the 8th Doctor travels with Mary Shelley. In this one, he battles an army of skeletons. Just a lot of joy in me to imagine Mary Shelley traveling with the Doctor.
February 25, 2012
And again the Doctor and Mary spend most of their time apart - I would have appreciated some more Doctor-Mary interaction in this trilogy. And I don't mean the sappy kind that's being hinted at.
May 12, 2012
Interesting insight into the Doctor from his travelling companion, Mary Shelly. Subtle sowing of the seeds for Frankenstein in this one, too.
September 23, 2023
Mary Shelley and the Doctor land on a planet where skeletons are fighting the inhabitants.
February 6, 2014
Very enjoyable.
February 13, 2015
A rather avergae plot. The best part of the story is the relationship between Mary Shelly and the Doctor. The plot was very predicatble and the villian was not good.
May 19, 2021
6/10
Verdict: Optional
It's alright. Decent plot with a pretty bad ending and very slow pace at times. Nothing extraordinary.
Verdict: Optional
It's alright. Decent plot with a pretty bad ending and very slow pace at times. Nothing extraordinary.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews