Doctor Who: Shadow of Death

Destiny of the Doctor #2

by Simon Guerrier, Frazer Hines (Narrator), Evie Dawnay (Narrator)

A brand-new adventure story featuring the second Doctor, as played on TV by Patrick Troughton. When the TARDIS materializes in a submarine like tunnel in the far future, it brings the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe into a terrifying adventure featuring a lost city on a distant planet.

Genres: Doctor Who, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Fiction, Media Tie In, Short Stories

1 pages, Audiobook

First published February 7, 2013

About the author

Simon Guerrier is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of Doctor Who and its spinoffs. Although he has written three Doctor Who novels, for the BBC Books range, his work has mostly been for Big Finish Productions' audio drama and book ranges.

Guerrier's earliest published fiction appeared in Zodiac, the first of Big Finish's Short Trips range of Doctor Who short story anthologies. To date, his work has appeared in the majority of the Short Trips collections. He has also edited three volumes in the series, The History of Christmas, Time Signature and How The Doctor Changed My Life. The second of these takes as its starting-point Guerrier's short story An Overture Too Early in The Muses. The third anthology featured stories entirely by previously unpublished writers.

After contributing two stories to the anthology Life During Wartime in Big Finish's Bernice Summerfield range of books and audio dramas, Guerrier was invited to edit the subsequent year's short story collection, A Life Worth Living, and the novella collection Parallel Lives. After contributing two audio dramas to the series, Guerrier became the producer of the Bernice Summerfield range of plays and books, a post he held between January 2006 and June 2007.

His other Doctor Who work includes the audio dramas, The Settling and The Judgement of Isskar, in Big Finish's Doctor Who audio range, three Companion Chronicles and a contribution to the UNIT spinoff series. He has also written a play in Big Finish's Sapphire and Steel range.

Guerrier's work is characterised by character-driven humour and by an interest in unifying the continuity of the various Big Finish ranges through multiple references and reappearances of characters. As editor he has been a strong promoter of the work of various script writers from the Seventh Doctor era of the Doctor Who television series

Reviews

[Jim C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating is 3.5 stars.

This is a short story based on the television series. It is part of a series where each story will deal with a different incarnation of The Doctor and the stories connect. Even though they connect each story seems like it will be a self contained story. In this one, the Second Doctor with Polly and Jaime travel to a future and become trapped on a space exploration base on a planet. They are being hunted by a shadow that when touches its victim they become instantly old and wither away.

I am liking this series and I like the concept where each story is a one off but also builds on each other. This is your basic story where our characters are trapped in a remote place and being stalked by an undefined being. This has been done many times in this universe. I still liked this story but I liked the first offering of this series a little better. As for the portrayal of the characters I cannot really comment because my experience in this universe is all from the revival. I will say that there was a notable difference between this main character and the main character from the first offering. I liked this aspect since they are different people and it is nice that it is portrayed that way in this series.

These are very quick reads as they are only about a hour long. That being said, I have been engrossed in the self contained stories and there are little hints(like a cameo from the revival series) that are working towards the mystery. These hints are enticing me to jump right into the next one of the series.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second Doctors Adventure in space and time was listened on Spotify by Audio Go.
Read by Frazer Hines who is also Jamie the companion of the scarecrow Doctor. The other compaion is Zoe in this short story.
The Tardis lands on a station in space whose view show a pulsar. Before the Doctor and companions are caught by humans and they all have to get running. The Doctor finds himself in mortal danger and finds himself fascinated by psychic paper and the person wielding it.
A really enjoyable short story that so clearly secties in the Whoniverse.

[Emilija · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick paced adventure for the 2nd Doctor and his companions. While I haven't seen much of the 2nd Doctor so I can't comment on whether the characters are well written, the plot was quite enjoyable.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frazer Hines does a nice job reading this one. While his impression of Patrick Troughton as the Doctor isn’t as good as I’ve heard in more recent releases, it’s certainly very passable and lends a nice authenticity to the production.

[Cassie (Red Reading Hood) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently I've been in a sort of Doctor Who Audiobook kick. I don't know what brought it on but it just hit me out of no where. So here I am revisiting some of my favorite stories and even some of my favorite Doctors and Companions.

Shadow of Death starts out with Jamie and the Doctor (2nd incarnation) discussing Jamie's age. There was a new device added to the Tardis that now states the year and it sent the Tardis off course in a new sort of adventure where the Doctor had a kinda run in with a future Doctor. It was fun. It was nostalgic. It made me feel like I had found one of those missing episodes because it fit just well. It had my one of my favorite companions from the Classic era (who by the way does a spot on impression of Patrick Troughton). I'm hoping that the other 9 stories are just as perfect as the rest.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was enjoyable.

Reminded me of a combination of a few episodes of Twelfth Doctor, as well as a dash of Silence in the Library (10th Doctor)

Loved the psychic paper showing up!

Fraser Hines did a most excellent job narrating this.

[Aline Leal · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story didn't catch me at first, but it turned out to be interesting later.
The narrators did a great job.

[Tom Scharf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars simply because of the Nostalgia

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

Well this second tale focus on the Second Doctor (and a brief appearance of the Eleventh Doctor) and the main companions were Jamie (one of my favourites) and Zoe.

I remember watching the episodes of the Second Doctor and one thing I would love to see more often would be the differences of the upbringing of Jamie (from the XVIII century) and Zoe (XXI).

There was some instances where Jamie was clueless and it was funny. But I think at that time they didn't take more advantage of it.

As they are traveling with the Tardis they came abrutly to a planet orbiting a stange star. It has a gravitaional force that warp time. They discover an human outpost where scienties were studing an deserted ancient city. Imediately they are almost besieged by something dark.

One of the scientists upon entering this dark light of some sort immediately is turn old and bones crumbling in dust.

As they took refuge on the Outpost the Doctor who was trying to help everyone else escape receives a strange note from the future self (Eleventh Doctor) saying that the study they are doing it's very important.

Soon after, the Doctor understands that this dark things are the once inhabitants of the City that traveled through the space but being stranded on this planet made them turn from physical body to a energy one.

Afterwards the Doctor appears with his friends and what was just minutes to them to the Doctor was years.

They leave the scientists to their work, now knowing that these beings are willing to talk to them but it takes a long time for their message arrive to them since they are in different timespace.

The Doctor and the Companions leave the place.


This story unlike the previous one, focus more on the Second Doctor. I Thought being read by the actor that portrayed Jamie that it would be focus on him but alas it was not so.

Nevertheless a quick audiodrama and a good one.

[Emma L.B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

UPDATE:

After I've been listening to a couple of Big Finish audiobooks I must say, re-listening to this, it's a bit disappointing. I'm not sure what it is but I guess I prefer the full cast audio drama more than this typical narrator version of the audiobooks. Frazer went from being amazing (so amazing that I at times forgot that it wasn't Patrick himself) to over the top and the story itself felt flat and boring. It's sad because with a story like this it could've been amazing.

The 11'th Doctor makes an slight appearance, but there's no real reason for it, it feels out of place and just like a fun nod to the modern series - a thing that is very sweet when done correctly but here, as I said, it felt out of place. The reveal in the end that the Doctor had been there for a couple of years could've been bigger in some way. How, I'm not sure, but it felt a bit like it was leading nowhere, which is sad since it was the most interesting point for me in the whole story.

The other characters? I'm sorry to say but I don't remember any of them and they didn't interest me at all.

Now, when this depressing review is over; Onwards to new, and better, audio books with my favourite Doctor and companion!!

___________________________________________
ORIGINAL REVIEW:

This one felt extremely much like the old adventures on TV, I could really see it all in front of me, which felt fantastic. I wasn't too involved with the story though, it wasn't that interesting as I hoped it would be. I loved the part with the 11'th (was it, right?) Doctor making a very, very short cameo though. Even though I don't like that Doctor, I still think the connection between 2 and 11 is very cute.

Frazer is amazing as always. Even as Zoe.

[Noah Soudrette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful, moody audio and a worthy follow up to the first installment in this anniversary series. Frazier Hines is excellent as always and his Patrick Troughton impression continues to be spot on. My only complaint is that the ending of this story is rather anticlimactic. This is made up for however, by the sobering revelation of the Doctor's time spent on the research station where the story's action is set. There's also a fun cameo that clearly ties into the larger meta-story. Recommended.

[Leilani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neither story nor characters are particularly distinctive - could be any Doctor, any companions, any mysterious-menace-on-a-space-base. Audio narration is good though.

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frazier Hines does a nice job of reading this Dr Who adventure featuring the 2nd doctor. It was pretty inventive tale, but the story failed to draw me in.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the most boring DW stories ever. This might have been interesting 50 years ago....

[Jamie Revell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second story in the series is read by Frazer Hines, who played long-running companion Jamie McCrimmon.

The story uses the base-under-siege format so popular during the Second Doctor's run, but manages to do while ringing a few changes. For one thing, the base in question is located on a hostile planet orbiting a pulsar, a concept that would have been cutting-edge science at the time Two's run was actually being broadcast. While some of the other elements of the story are less so, this does give something of a "hard SF" feel to the story, as is common in Guerrier's other works, making him particularly suited to writing stories featuring the earliest Doctors. (It particularly reminds me of the TV episodes scripted by Kit Pedlar).

There's a nicely unfolding sense of menace as the claustrophobic setting comes under threat from the mysterious antagonist. In fact, the entity placing the base under siege is only clearly seen by any of the characters in one brief scene, leaving the focus on the Doctor and his companions struggling to survive as it advances. In some respects, there is quite a modern feel to the story, yet it feels perfectly natural for Two, and it's easy to see how it would fit in with his televised adventures.

Hines, of course, has previously shown an ability to do an almost uncanny imitation of Troughton's voice, and this does help enormously here. Since Jamie's voice is also distinctive, and Hines doesn't use it for the narration (since that's in third person), the dialogue scenes are particularly effective, with it always being obvious who is speaking. 4.5 stars, rounded up.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

あらすじ
強い力に弾き飛ばされるようにしてどこかの施設の通路の片隅に着陸したターディス。ターディスの外に出たドクターとジェイミーとゾーイは通路を進んでいく。やがてこの施設が存在する惑星のそばにパルサーが存在することが判明。ターディスはパルサーが放つ光にヴォルテックスから弾き飛ばされたのだ。しかもパルサーから放たれ続ける光は惑星や施設を揺さぶり続けており、いつ崩壊するかわからない状態だ。ターディスに戻ろうとするが、そこに銃を持った宇宙服姿のソフィ・ドポロピック博士とが立ちふさがる。ドクターはドポロピック博士と３人の部下にコントロールルームに連行されるが、途中で施設が激しく揺れ、ジェイミーと博士の部下二人が通路に取り残されてしまう。さらに不気味な影が通路に染み出してきて、その影が博士の部下の一人に触れるとあっという間に年をとり、消滅してしまった。ドクターがスクリュードライバーを使って自動安全装置を解除して扉をあけ、ジェイミーともう一人の部下をコントロールルームに引き入れる。しかし、影はコントロールを目指してきており、全員一刻も早く施設から脱出する必要があった。しかし、扉の開閉はコントロールルームからしかできず、安全のため、片側の扉があいている時は一方が開けられないようになっている。脱出するためには誰かがコントロールルームに残る必要があった。ジェイミーが他の方法を考えるべきだと大反対するがドクターはきかず、コントロールルームに自分が残り、他のメンバーを脱出させる。

 
感想
パルサーの影響で施設の中と惑星の表明とで重力の強さと時間の流れが違う中での脱出劇。ドクター・フーらしいスリル満点のエピソードで楽しく聴けた。今回も11thドクターがサイキックペーパーを使って2ndドクターにメッセージを送ってくる。未来の重要なキーとなるのでソフィ・ドボロビック博士の調査結果もまもれと11thから言われ、2ndは脱出を目前にしながら危険を冒すはめになる。2ndドクターとジェイミーのやりとりも微笑ましい感じで楽しめた。

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This second Destiny of the Doctor story was quite good. Frazer Hines is a good narrator, doing a good job with the second Doctor's voice, as well as (of course) Jamie's voice. The story itself is a fairly typical Doctor Who adventure, and could have worked with pretty much any Doctor. But the character and personality of the second Doctor, Jamie, and Zoe come through here. (Not that I know them that well; I've only seen a few second Doctor adventures. But they seem to be right.)
The bit that's joining these stories together starts to reveal itself here. The eleventh Doctor is sending messages back to his past selves, for some reason. I guess that'll become clearer as the series continues.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one a lot more than I expected to. All of the characters were spot on and completely in character. It's another short audio book clocking in at 57 minutes so it won't take long to get through. This story is set post Wheel in Space. Frazier Hines who played Jamie is a FANTASTIC narrator. His impression of Patrick roughton
(2nd Doctor) is astoundingly good. My negatives is that the solution to the monster of the week is pretty obvious so when it's revealed it's just like 'Oh really? You *were* going with that?'. Other than that I loved this one.

[John Parungao · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the longest time season 6 of Classic Doctor Who was the main example of the Patrick Troughton era, Shadow of Death is a story that fits right in with that experimental season. It features some interesting concepts including time distortions. This also part of a 50th anniversary collection and features a memorable exchange between the Second Doctor and the Eleventh Doctor with the help of the psychic paper.

This is a fun story with some frantic narrow escapes and a twist ending. Frazier Hines makes a great nararator and does a great job of performing the Second Doctor.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly enjoyable! Voiced by the actor who played Jaime, this adventure finds the (second) Doctor, Jaime and Zoe in the future on a planet orbiting a pulsar with a city that seemingly has no people (and no EVIDENCE of ever having HAD people!) A few human researchers accuse them of treachery and the mystery is afoot! Some cool time-stuff and funny moments and the story really moves along quickly and sucked me right in. Great audio production.

[Joy_S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this second part in the Destiny of the Doctor series a bit more interesting than the first, with a nice appearance by a future incarnation. This series, released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, includes one story for each of the first 11 Doctors (not including the War Doctor).

[GateGypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story better than the first, and especially liked the little reach-back (or reach forward?) connection with 11. The premise of the story sounded really familiar.

Scottish brogue well emulated. What's with Time-travelling Jamies from the Scottish highlands?

[Linnea Gelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The answer to the question "how long ?" is strangely moving, actually.
A nice little story that reminds a bit of the fairly recent tv-episode where the 12th Doctor is trapped on a doomed spaceship. Atmospheric and a very good reading by Frazer Hines as usual.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story - very well done, though the ending does seem a little rushed as it skips over most of the doctor's part. I loved the characterisation and thought it was very well written and very well performed.

[Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Jenn Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Schu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable Doctor Who story featuring the 2nd Doctor and his companions, Jamie & Zoe. The three are on a planet where shadows aren't what they seem to be. The Doctor must battle against the clock to save his companions and those that inhabit the planet.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot is intrest at first but ends up being derivative of an episode of the original Star Trek. There is also an annoyng backgound sound throughout that limits enjoying the actor's performance which is quite good.

[Mathew Benham · Rating 4 out of 5]

a 1 hour audio book. A story of the 2nd Doctor and companions as they travel to a mysterious human outpost on the edge of a pulsar planet. Overall, between the time dilations, loss of life and idea of what the shadows of dearth are, I say this book was very enjoyable.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frazer Hines does an okay job voicing both Jamie McCrimmon and the Second Doctor. I have learned that no actor who has played The Doctor provides voice work in this series, which is a bit disappointing.

[Sara Habein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always game for Simon Guerrier's work, as he's written some of my favorite Doctor Who audio adventures. Frazer really nails the voice of the Second Doctor, and this was a good, fast-paced story.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one