Doctor Who: The Sands of Life

The Fourth Doctor Adventures #2.2

by Nicholas Briggs, David Warner (Narrator), Tom Baker (Narrator)

Sheridan Moorkurk has just been elected president of Earth... but the harsh realities of who really runs the planet are just beginning to dawn on her. And what's more, she's starting to hear voices.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Romana encounter a mass of aliens heading to Earth... Aliens who have already made the mistake of upsetting the infamous Cuthbert, all-powerful CEO of The Conglomerate, by destroying one of his space platforms.

Will the Doctor and Romana be able to avert inter-species war that will destroy all life on Earth?

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

Audio CD

First published February 1, 2013

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

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great first episode in a duopoly about that Laan, a huge metallic like worm creature who has come to earth to spawn. Only problem is that everything else on Earth will die during the spawning. Luckily the doctor is here to help, well in his own way, anyway.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Due to this being the first half of a two-part adventure, this is quite a weak story. It's cool to have the late David Warner as another character alongside the fourth doctor. The fact this story is broken into three parts instead of two despite not a lot actually happening here (except for the set-up for something bigger in part 2) this feels like it needed to be shortened and edited down slightly.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

For good or bad, this felt like it’s a “lost” Tom Baker serial for which only the audio tracks survive. It also feels like Doctor Who meets Tremors. There’s a lot to enjoy I. This one, but there’s to lot I’d wished was handled better. In any case, the presence of David Warner as the antagonist Cuthbert truly makes this whole thing work. Looking forward to the conclusion (in Doctor Who: War Against the Laan) … maybe tomorrow.

[John Parungao · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this wasn't the opening of a multi story arc it might be considered less than spectacular. The main selling points are Mary Tamm as Romana, who has a prominent role in the plot and David Warner as the villainous CEO Cuthbert. Cuthbert will become more prominent in the other stories of this arc.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This two part drama was actually disappointing because of muddy audio mixing. Various sound effects and background music were painfully discordant and much to loud compared to the dialogue.

The writing was merely average the only bright spot was David Warner as Cuthburt.

[Vincent Darlage · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt like the first part to something bigger - largely because it ended on a cliff-hanger. I enjoyed the story though.

[Jamie Revell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first half of a two-part story; I have reviewed both halves together under the entry for War Against the Laan.

[Stephen Theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Science fiction royalty in this one: David Warner and Hayley Atwell!

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty gripping. Was interesting when The Doctor got companion names mixed up.

[Zack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having just watched Dune from 1984 and the recent ones, I can’t help but think of the water of life. Bit of an odd audio drama compared to others

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an entertaining listen. I have always been a fan of Romana 1, and so I was very happy to find these stories.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this more than I did. It was lovely seeing K9 back but he didn't have the same personality or usefulness that he has in Gallifrey. Maybe I'm just more biased towards Leela than Romana I. (Though Romana did have some really great moments in this and Mary was just wonderful). The story just seemed to lack something, it wasn't that funny and seemed much more focused on the plot than on characters. It did seem like perhaps it would have been suited better to a different Doctor. I think I will have to listen to it again and hope I like it better the second time around when I have a better idea of what's going on.

[Keiran Thegreat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Baker, Mary Tamm and David Warner star in a full cast adventure for the fourth Doctor. Can the Doctor prevent conflict between the alien Laan and the business empire of the ruthless Cuthbert?
I really enjoyed this audio story, there was an element of suspense and the characters were really well realised through excellent performances.
Also included on the disk was an excellent interview documentary.

[Oliver Böttcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh i wish theese telepatic sandcreatures would reduces their volume, or maybe change the tune a little bit. The listener is just as distressed as Romana by theese telepathic messages.
This episode is more or less just a setup for the final part in "War against the laan". Soldiers who want to shoot everything, are just standard Doctor Who stuff, but of course David Warners voice steals the show, like everytime he works for Big Finish.

[Jon Arnold · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fairly standard Who SF enlivened by the fun life cycle of the alien species and David Warner playing a megalomaniac with a Northern accent. Not sure it merits the accolade of a two part story though.

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad story but maybe better for a different Doctor than Tom, who doesn't get much chance to express the humor and whimsy he brings to most Doctor Who adventures with Romana and K9.

[Debra Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romana has a mind link with a creature in the Sahara Desert. Can the Doctor save the creatures from being destroyed by the humans of Earth that don't understand.

[Luiz Santiago · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Christopher Hatch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this was just the first half but I'm not so sure that this story is working for me.

Perhaps I should reserve judgement until I've listened to the final three parts.