Doctor Who: Echoes

The Eighth Doctor Adventures

by Tim Foley, Lauren Mooney, Stewart Pringle

As the Doctor, Liv and Helen explore the universe, they come across lost souls, troubled minds and long-kept secrets. From a lonely world with birdsong but no birds, to an English university whose undergraduates tell ghostly tales, and a distant galaxy where a utopian society lives in the shadow of enormous creatures, the TARDIS crew are haunted by echoes of past, present and future...

Birdsong by Tim Foley - The TARDIS arrives on an empty world where two scouts await the rest of their colony. Except this world may not be as empty as everybody thinks. There’s a figure in the woods – and a strangely familiar sound. As the Doctor and his friends learn more about the planet’s inhabitants, the birdsong they hear becomes a deadly chorus.

Lost Hearts by Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle - Michaelmas term, 1903. In one of England’s ancient universities, strange apparitions float between quads and cloisters. While Liv and Helen protect a naïve undergraduate from a sinister society, the Doctor finds a ghost-hunting ally. One who happens to be the era’s foremost chronicler of things that go bump in the night.

Slow Beasts by Dan Rebellato - The Doctor takes Liv and Helen to see one of the Wonders of the Outer Galaxy – to Ran-Zoan, where immense alien figures loom over the plains and settlements of the Renn. But the Slow Beasts hide a secret – a secret that, once unleashed, spells doom for this entire world.

Genres: Doctor Who, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published May 1, 2024

About the author

Tim Foley is an artist and illustrator born in Flint, Michigan, in 1962. Over the past quarter century, his clients have included national and international magazines, book publishers, and advertising agencies such as the Wall Street Journal, Cricket Magazine, New York Newsday, LA Weekly, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. He currently lives and works in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first episode, Birdsong, is one of the best episodes that Big Finish has put out for a long time. The other 2 episodes are good too, just not quite the same high. All in all one of the best collections for a good long time.

[Ellen Schoener · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 stories featuring one of my favorite Tardis-Teams.

The first 2 stories, Birdsong and Lost Hearts, are delightfully disturbing and creepy. Honestly, Birdsong becomes very dark and makes your skin crawl towards the end.
Lost Hearts features are much more common villain (as Who stories go) who is just in it out of greed and lust for power, but still, until we get there, it is also quite creepy.
The last story is again a much more standard Doctor Who story, but it also presents the listener with a moral dilemma that needs to be solved. Food for thought.
The performances for all of these are very well done.
The banter between the leads is great, and it reminds me again why Liv is one of my favorite audio companions.
Dan Starkey is maybe a bit overused (he plays several roles, but even with different accents I have no trouble identifying him). It is not a big problem, but pulls me out of the story for a moment. He is doing a good job, though.
Very good release, even if it is quite dark and haunting.

[Danny Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Eighth Doctor Adventures is a wild range of stories, there's always something new and different around the corner. The EDAs are arguably by far one of Big Finish's most consistent series', It is quite uncommon that I find that a truly poor story comes along to spoil the fun. I really like the direction Big Finish is taking with 8 atm and honestly, I'm loving every second of it.

Birdsong:
The Tardis arrives on a planet that should be empty and devoid of life, instead the crew finds two scouts, a forest, and a lonely cottage. But in the woods, a sinister birdsong can be heard and soon the crew will uncover a terrifying secret that will shatter everything.

Tim Foley has written a rollercoaster of a story that is atmospheric, uncomfortable, creepy, and towards the end terrifying. The ending of this one is heartbreaking, with a really emotional scene that tugs at your heartstrings. Definitely a standout in this range. 10/10

Lost Hearts:
In an ancient university, The Doctor, Liv, and Helen are investigating a mysterious anomaly that has brought the Tardis to the year 1903. Apparitions stalk the halls, a creepy professor is sticking to the shadows and Liv and Helen are facing the misogynistic values of the 20th century. But that's not all, things are about to get complicated because Helen's grandfather is here.

Lauren Mooney and Stewart Pringle have written a fantastic timey-wimey adventure with the wonderful essence of a ghost story. I really didn't expect the twists with this one, it was an absolute joy to see them unfold in this atmospheric adventure. I loved the reveal at the end about one of the characters, but won't say anything since it's a nice surprise. 9/10

Slow Beasts:
The Doctor takes Liv and Helen to see one of the most beautiful wonders in the universe, the slow beasts, gigantic creatures that move incredibly slowly on the planet Ran-Zoan. But a secret is being hidden one that could have catastrophic consequences.

Dan Rebellato has written a fun, fast-paced story, filled with action, and plenty of comedy, while also having something to say about colonization. Compared to the rest of the set there isn't much to discuss unless I go into spoilers so I'll end it off here, but it's a fun time nonetheless. 8/10

Overall: 27/30

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birdsong
7/10
Verdict: Optional

Every aspect of this is on point, a really really solid mystery thriller with supernatural elements. The character writing and acting is the star of the show and McGann is so fully on board.


Lost Hearts
6/10
Verdict: Optional

Fun story, if a bit convoluted at the end. Again, the acting and character writing is great. The villain is a bit naff, but overall it's pretty good.

Slow Beasts
6/10
Verdict: Optional

My points are the same as the last story, the villain is still pretty bad but everything is carried by the main cast. I wish there was a bit more to this box set, but at the same time I'm glad we're getting more stories with this trio of characters before they'll have to part ways.

[Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great three-story anthology from start to finish, with a great cast, smart writing, and mostly great production.
Slow Beasts is probably the weakest story of the three included in the collection but it’s by no means bad, still a great listen for fans of the Eighth Doctor or Doctor Who as a whole.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent, but I didn't vibe with it quite as much as other Eighth Doctor Adventures stories before this one.

[Debra Cook · Rating 2 out of 5]

not worth the listen. didn't finish

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Birdsong by Tim Foley - 3/5 Stars
Lost Hearts by Lauren Mooney & Stewart Pringle - 4/5 Stars
Slow Beasts by Dan Rebellato - 4/5 Stars

[A room full of books~ :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally another set I can give a full 5 stars! Easily one of the better sets from the past few years. 👍