Cyberman: Conversion

Cyberman #1.3

by Nicholas Briggs

Fear is humanity's greatest enemy. The Cybermen can free us from it.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook, War, British Literature, Robots

1 pages, Audio Play

First published November 1, 2005

About the author

Nicholas Briggs is a British actor and writer, predominantly associated with the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and its various spin-offs. Some of Briggs' earliest Doctor Who-related work was as host of The Myth Makers, a series of made-for-video documentaries produced in the 1980s and 1990s by Reeltime Pictures in which Briggs interviews many of the actors and writers involved in the series. When Reeltime expanded into producing original dramas, Briggs wrote some stories and acted in others, beginning with War Time, the first unofficial Doctor Who spin-off, and Myth Runner, a parody of Blade Runner showcasing bloopers from the Myth Makers series built around a loose storyline featuring Briggs as a down on his luck private detective in the near future.

He wrote and appeared in several made-for-video dramas by BBV, including the third of the Stranger stories, In Memory Alone opposite former Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. He also wrote and appeared in a non-Stranger BBV production called The Airzone Solution (1993) and directed a documentary film, Stranger than Fiction (1994).

Briggs has directed many of the Big Finish Productions audio plays, and has provided Dalek, Cybermen, and other alien voices in several of those as well. He has also written and directed the Dalek Empire and Cyberman audio plays for Big Finish. In 2006, Briggs took over from Gary Russell as executive producer of the Big Finish Doctor Who audio range.

Briggs co-wrote a Doctor Who book called The Dalek Survival Guide.

Since Doctor Who returned to television in 2005, Briggs has provided the voices for several monsters, most notably the Daleks and the Cybermen. Briggs also voiced the Nestene Consciousness in the 2005 episode "Rose", and recorded a voice for the Jagrafess in the 2005 episode "The Long Game"; however, this was not used in the final episode because it was too similar to the voice of the Nestene Consciousness. He also provided the voices for the Judoon in both the 2007 and 2008 series. On 9 July 2009, Briggs made his first appearance in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood in the serial Children of Earth, playing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Rick Yates.

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story progresses. Unfortunately, I’m still feeling a lot of Dalek Empire vibe. So, at least, I’m not really getting into this as much as I have enjoyed many other Big Finish Productions.

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cannot give individual rating, so a complete review is going to be equal to the four parts of this audiobook.

This is a new type of audiobook for me. First of all, the correct term is AudioDrama (very similar to Black Library - or they are similar to these ones).

In the beginning you are inducted into the story in the thick of a battle between humans and androids. Back home, where no conflict is present, there are rallies against the war (imagine the rallies in USA for the Vietnam War). Karen, a military officer, ascends to the presidency with the help of Paul Hunt, a mysterious man that was chief of a investigation called "Scorpius".

After the death of former president by the Cyberman, Paul Hunt tells Karen that only with their help humanity shall triumph. Liam, friend of Karen, now commander in chief of the armed forces is weary of Karen change and don't trust Paul Hunt, now risen to advisor for the president of the world.

First, framed for things he did not, he (Liam) became persecuted and was forced to exile with the help of an android.

It was very interesting to see them work together. Android (Samantha) and Human (Liam) against a common foe - the cybermam. You must understand that from the start there is a palpable aura of mistrust between those two races.

This book has no Doctor Who, as you've imagine and deals with a dimension where cyberman were asleep throughout the galaxy but some were unearthed by archaelogists and now are trying to rule the galaxy once more. With the help (servititude?) of some humans they are trying to get to Telos, where they will activate every cyberman asleep. Millions upon Millions. At the same time, the story travels between earth where Karen advised by Paul is trying to built more cyberman enlisting first refugees and prisoners and then "normal" humans.


Spoilers Ahead:

The final confrontation is quite good with Telos being desactivated, after Karen, now a cyberman, is killed. The open ending give the propose to have a second series. Sam and Liam are stranded in a ship without hyperdrive.

[Frank Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

"You will be a transitional creature, the vital link between humanity's emotional chaos and the calm that is to come"

Ok. I was really enjoying the start of this episode and the story arc continues to be interesting but I just hated how the first half of this episode was handled. We've got the badass, can-do Madam President in hysterics, followed by the android spy using kisses to coax a dude into acts of sabotage and I just thought it was a crappy bit of writing.

Anyway, the theme of the androids being made in our image is done really well in the second half, especially when the androids argue over how to achieve the best possible outcome.

Next.

[Natira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teil 3 von 4
Hm, grundsätzlich zwar interessant - es gibt hier auch Rückblenden - , aber ich frage mich, ob ein Plotpoint auf dem Schiff ("Mittel zum Zweck" (um es spoilerfrei zu halten) wirklich in dieser Form notwendig war

[Tabitha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the plot points here were just plain silly, and I couldn't get past them

[Seb Hasi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story went in a different direction to the first two ‘Cyberman’ stories, and focusing on the androids instead of the human elements. There was of course plenty of development on the plot with the humans, especially the excellently horrific stuff with Karen Brett and Paul Hunt, but it was refreshing to put the focus on something else that will play a key role in the ongoing narrative. The androids themselves don’t go too far into ‘you hate us because we are like you but better’ stuff and the context and meaning between their war with the humans is mentioned. Thankfully sparsely as it felt a bit patronising, having quite obvious points obliquely thrown at you can be quite grating. The android characters are interesting and that in itself kept me wanting to listen, the elements of espionage and subterfuge creating a new dimension to the arc. The Cyberman are finally a full force now and it’s good to have them around, but they don’t really do anything. This is clearly because of the whole ‘we’re deceiving humanity’ stuff, but I do just want them to start killing and their usual evil business. The Cyberman stuff with Karen Brett however is horrific and really well done, something original done with these monsters and something far too dark to ever be done in Dr Who.

[Jepha · Rating 1 out of 5]

I almost stopped listening to this at this part.
Things were going so well until Liam came out of the first part of the conversion.
An android, a being whose sole existence so far has been made of of defeating the humans, now apparently thinks the ONLY way to save this human is by making out with him?!
One of only 3 female characters in the entire story and she ends up making googoo eyes at another species. Not only that, but a species who is hell bent on destroying her species.

It's like the plot line to a bad porno. "Oh gosh, you need to tap into your feelings. The only possible way to do this is to help you get your jolies. Not by reminding you about people you have emotional attachments to no no, nothing like that. Don't be silly.
Even though that's exactly how they manipulate Karen in the next part of the story. No sexy make out times for Karen.

[Debra Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definately getting better. President taken over be Cybermen and androids, humans and Cybermen race to Telos for the end.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The acting was believable, including the crying, but the 16 minutes of ads at the end was kind of annoying.