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Charlotte Pollard #1
Charlotte Pollard: Series One
Charlotte Pollard’s adventures are over. She escaped death aboard the R101 and travelled in time and space - but now in the service of the monolithic, unknowable Viyrans, their unending mission is stifling her. An encounter with would-be adventurer Robert Buchan, near the mysterious Ever-and-Ever-Prolixity, provides the opportunity Charley needs for escape…
So, the adventuress is abroad once more: meeting a lost expedition in uncharted forests, solving enigmas, and hoping beyond hope to see the people she misses most: her family. But Charley cannot run forever. The Viyrans know the power of the ‘Lamentation Cipher’ and they have a solution… for everything.
Part One: The Lamentation Cypher
Part Two: The Shadow at the Edge of the World
Part Three: The Fall of the House of Pollard
Part Four: The Viyran Solution
So, the adventuress is abroad once more: meeting a lost expedition in uncharted forests, solving enigmas, and hoping beyond hope to see the people she misses most: her family. But Charley cannot run forever. The Viyrans know the power of the ‘Lamentation Cipher’ and they have a solution… for everything.
Part One: The Lamentation Cypher
Part Two: The Shadow at the Edge of the World
Part Three: The Fall of the House of Pollard
Part Four: The Viyran Solution
Audio CD
First published January 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Barnes
46 books143 followersJonathan Barnes is the author of two novels, The Somnambulist and The Domino Men. He contributes regularly to the Times Literary Supplement and the Literary Review and is the author of several scripts for Big Finish Productions. He is currently writer-in-residence at Kingston University.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 10, 2017
As eagerly as I was anticipating revisiting the character of Charlotte Pollard who was left in such tragic circumstances at the end of
Blue Forgotten Planet
, I admit to some disappointment with Series One.
What I expected to get with this series is now my expectation for Series Two. Series One turns out to be a four-hour story of Charley's escape from the Viyrans. Perhaps it was a bit much to ask that Charley's escape be established quickly so we could get on with the adventuring part. The origin, purpose, and resolution of the Ever-and-Ever-Prolixity might have been too much for one hour. But it wasn't really enough for four hours. So episodes 2 and 3 are there to give us a little taste of what a Viyran-less Series Two might be like. And I really hope there is.
But I think it's going to be important to establish exactly what the Series is about. I'm not sure "Adventures in Space with Charley" is enough.
One issue I had with the four stories here is that Charley isn't really much of a contributor to the plots. Things happen to her and around her. But she isn't really making things happen. She's as much of a victim of the Viyrans as she ever was, and this is repeatedly hammered home by their dogged pursuit of her across these four episodes. Even in the end, her release comes at the hands of another Viyran. She doesn't actually achieve it herself. And that is likewise disappointing.
And yet Charley is such an appealing character (if you ignore the Divergent Universe arc) and that makes these episodes enjoyable regardless. I do hope we get a Series Two, but I'm also hoping to see a Charley who is much more of a prime mover in stories.
What I expected to get with this series is now my expectation for Series Two. Series One turns out to be a four-hour story of Charley's escape from the Viyrans. Perhaps it was a bit much to ask that Charley's escape be established quickly so we could get on with the adventuring part. The origin, purpose, and resolution of the Ever-and-Ever-Prolixity might have been too much for one hour. But it wasn't really enough for four hours. So episodes 2 and 3 are there to give us a little taste of what a Viyran-less Series Two might be like. And I really hope there is.
But I think it's going to be important to establish exactly what the Series is about. I'm not sure "Adventures in Space with Charley" is enough.
One issue I had with the four stories here is that Charley isn't really much of a contributor to the plots. Things happen to her and around her. But she isn't really making things happen. She's as much of a victim of the Viyrans as she ever was, and this is repeatedly hammered home by their dogged pursuit of her across these four episodes. Even in the end, her release comes at the hands of another Viyran. She doesn't actually achieve it herself. And that is likewise disappointing.
And yet Charley is such an appealing character (if you ignore the Divergent Universe arc) and that makes these episodes enjoyable regardless. I do hope we get a Series Two, but I'm also hoping to see a Charley who is much more of a prime mover in stories.
June 16, 2018
Charlotte “Charlie” Pollard was the first companion of the Eighth Doctor in the Big Finish audio plays, starting her run back in 2001 with Storm Warning. She was last seen, having been forced to leave the Doctor for the second time, working as an agent for the Viyrans, a robotic race dedicated to eliminating contagion from the universe. Here she returns as the star of her own 4-part mini-series.
* The Lamentation Cipher – We pick up Charlie’s story an unspecified number of years later, with Charlie feeling herself redundant to the Viyrans’ mission, as well as somewhat starved of human company. The story concerns itself with her attempts to leave their service, just as she becomes invaluable to them for a reason that they refuse to explain. The opportunity comes in the form of a mysterious nebula called the Ever-and-Ever Prolixity (why is unclear, given that it doesn’t even speak… perhaps it inspires prolixity in others) along with a rather strange Viyran with an agenda of its own. It’s a decent sci-fi story, although more serving as an introduction to the larger plot arc than worth much on its own account, introducing characters and elements that will be more significant later on. 3.5 stars.
* The Shadow at the Edge of the World – Charlie returns to 1930s Earth, and finds herself thrown into what’s essentially an HP Lovecraft homage. A group of women are lost in a forest in northern Scotland, pursued by monsters somehow connected to the ruins of a seemingly pre-human temple, and slowly being driven insane in the process. The story is somewhat weakened by the stubborn refusal of the women to explain what is really happening to Charlie, long after there’s any good reason to do so (or, indeed, after it’s obvious to the listener) and a slight over-reliance on the phrase “what did you just say?” That aside, it’s a dramatic chase story with well-drawn characters, and (for good or ill) lacking Lovecraft’s nihilism. 4 stars.
* The Fall of the House of Pollard - Appropriately for a series with Charlie as the protagonist, this story really delves into her backstory, rather than focusing on more traditional adventure fare. Set a few years after her disappearance to join the Doctor, we begin with an insight into how her apparent death on the R101 has affected her family, in a story that has inevitable links back to both Storm Warning and the iconic Chimes of Midnight. Charlie, meanwhile, is trapped in an inter-dimensional space, and, once she's out of it, the eventual reunion works wonderfully, with her parents' reactions entirely believable and suitably complex. There's a degree of action in the final segment, leading into the next episode, but it's not what the story is about, and the ending itself is wonderfully poignant. 5 stars.
* The Viyran Solution - We're back to space opera for what's essentially a direct follow-on from the first story of the set. What the Viyrans really want with Charlie becomes clear, as do the answers to a number of other dangling questions. It's a reasonable runaround, and plays up the alien nature of the Viyrans, as well as allowing some good turns from the human villains and other supporting cast. It's honestly not as interesting as the two more stand-alone stories in the middle of the set, but at least it provides a decent sense of closure, and gives Charlie a chance to be heroic. Although the story itself is wrapped up, and doesn't truly end on a cliffhanger, it is open-ended, with scope for more, that was followed up in a second season a few years later. 3.5 stars.
* The Lamentation Cipher – We pick up Charlie’s story an unspecified number of years later, with Charlie feeling herself redundant to the Viyrans’ mission, as well as somewhat starved of human company. The story concerns itself with her attempts to leave their service, just as she becomes invaluable to them for a reason that they refuse to explain. The opportunity comes in the form of a mysterious nebula called the Ever-and-Ever Prolixity (why is unclear, given that it doesn’t even speak… perhaps it inspires prolixity in others) along with a rather strange Viyran with an agenda of its own. It’s a decent sci-fi story, although more serving as an introduction to the larger plot arc than worth much on its own account, introducing characters and elements that will be more significant later on. 3.5 stars.
* The Shadow at the Edge of the World – Charlie returns to 1930s Earth, and finds herself thrown into what’s essentially an HP Lovecraft homage. A group of women are lost in a forest in northern Scotland, pursued by monsters somehow connected to the ruins of a seemingly pre-human temple, and slowly being driven insane in the process. The story is somewhat weakened by the stubborn refusal of the women to explain what is really happening to Charlie, long after there’s any good reason to do so (or, indeed, after it’s obvious to the listener) and a slight over-reliance on the phrase “what did you just say?” That aside, it’s a dramatic chase story with well-drawn characters, and (for good or ill) lacking Lovecraft’s nihilism. 4 stars.
* The Fall of the House of Pollard - Appropriately for a series with Charlie as the protagonist, this story really delves into her backstory, rather than focusing on more traditional adventure fare. Set a few years after her disappearance to join the Doctor, we begin with an insight into how her apparent death on the R101 has affected her family, in a story that has inevitable links back to both Storm Warning and the iconic Chimes of Midnight. Charlie, meanwhile, is trapped in an inter-dimensional space, and, once she's out of it, the eventual reunion works wonderfully, with her parents' reactions entirely believable and suitably complex. There's a degree of action in the final segment, leading into the next episode, but it's not what the story is about, and the ending itself is wonderfully poignant. 5 stars.
* The Viyran Solution - We're back to space opera for what's essentially a direct follow-on from the first story of the set. What the Viyrans really want with Charlie becomes clear, as do the answers to a number of other dangling questions. It's a reasonable runaround, and plays up the alien nature of the Viyrans, as well as allowing some good turns from the human villains and other supporting cast. It's honestly not as interesting as the two more stand-alone stories in the middle of the set, but at least it provides a decent sense of closure, and gives Charlie a chance to be heroic. Although the story itself is wrapped up, and doesn't truly end on a cliffhanger, it is open-ended, with scope for more, that was followed up in a second season a few years later. 3.5 stars.
December 11, 2025
After leaving the Sixth Doctor and believing the Eighth to be dead, Charley Pollard flies solo as she desperately seeks to escape her life as a Viyran ambassador.
What transpires here is a series of fantastic adventures with fully fleshed-out concepts. Each story features compelling characters played by a fantastic supporting cast who all bounce well off of India Fisher's Charley; who does a fantastic job at convincing you how desperate she is to get away from her captors.
If you've finished Charley's run with the Eighth and Sixth Doctors (in that order) and want to know what happened to her, this is a very satisfying and enjoyable sequel series, so I highly recommend it.
Could it have done with a bit more emotional levity following the ending of "Blue Forgotten Planet"? Yes, perhaps, but that doesn't detract a great deal from the boxset's entertainment factor.
What transpires here is a series of fantastic adventures with fully fleshed-out concepts. Each story features compelling characters played by a fantastic supporting cast who all bounce well off of India Fisher's Charley; who does a fantastic job at convincing you how desperate she is to get away from her captors.
If you've finished Charley's run with the Eighth and Sixth Doctors (in that order) and want to know what happened to her, this is a very satisfying and enjoyable sequel series, so I highly recommend it.
Could it have done with a bit more emotional levity following the ending of "Blue Forgotten Planet"? Yes, perhaps, but that doesn't detract a great deal from the boxset's entertainment factor.
February 16, 2022
Over the past couple years, I've really grown fond of the Charley Pollard character through her adventures with the Eighth Doctor and the Sixth Doctor. She is able to carry this box set very well. We see the problems she faces with the Viyrans, and we get a reunion with her family. Her mom is really annoying when she doesn't let Charley speak, but it's very heartwarming to hear that her father got into adventure novels because he missed his daughter. Charley has had very sad moments in her life now. The ending is satisfying, and I'm looking forward to listening to the next box set.
March 3, 2020
I thought I would like this, but I didn't expect to love it. I'll definitely have to check out Charley's other spin-off material. Lots of action, tied up the question of her family that the main Doctor Who stories didn't address, and I'm very glad to have listened to this.
December 4, 2020
This set starts to fill in some of the gaps on Charlotte Pollard's backstory.
April 6, 2017
Now THIS was a Charlotte Pollard box set! After the dismalness of series 2 I wanted to go back and listen to this again. Granted I did only listen to the middle two stories but they were flawless. I loved the spooky team of women adventures in the woods, that's a story that's nearly always told about men, and there's no reason for it. Then was Matt's AMAZING and beautiful character piece about Charley's parents. It was just some of the loveliest dialogue performed beautifully by India and Anneke. Just gorgeous stuff!
First listen
I was very pleased that Charlie was getting her own series she's always been one of the best Big Finish companions. This CD set really ran through a whole range of stories. The first and last CDs were both interesting science fiction adventures. A little confusing at times but all was explained in the end.
The second story was a wonderful spooky tale with an all women cast. Set in Scotland in the 1930s four survivors of an expedition to a ancient temple that could not be chased by slavering monsters. It was very atmospheric and enjoyable.
The third story was my favourite. It had Charley return to visit her parents who had thought she had died. It was such a heartbreaking story and featured amazing performances by India Fisher and Anneke Wills as mother and daughter.
It was a brilliant series. India Fisher did a brilliant job as the lead. Charley really was on top form. The writers did a fabulous job mixing a full range of stories in the box set. I can't wait for the next one!
First listen
I was very pleased that Charlie was getting her own series she's always been one of the best Big Finish companions. This CD set really ran through a whole range of stories. The first and last CDs were both interesting science fiction adventures. A little confusing at times but all was explained in the end.
The second story was a wonderful spooky tale with an all women cast. Set in Scotland in the 1930s four survivors of an expedition to a ancient temple that could not be chased by slavering monsters. It was very atmospheric and enjoyable.
The third story was my favourite. It had Charley return to visit her parents who had thought she had died. It was such a heartbreaking story and featured amazing performances by India Fisher and Anneke Wills as mother and daughter.
It was a brilliant series. India Fisher did a brilliant job as the lead. Charley really was on top form. The writers did a fabulous job mixing a full range of stories in the box set. I can't wait for the next one!
September 6, 2014
This first box set maybe spends a bit too much of its time extracting Charlotte Pollard from where we left her with the Viyrans when we last saw her in the Doctor Who range. Still, it's a pleasure to see Charley back, and this arc sets things up nicely for the series to go almost anywhere in the future. Favorite stories were "The Shadow at the Edge of the World" (with, rather unusually, an all-female cast) and "The Fall of the House of Pollard".
January 21, 2016
This collection was very interesting and full of adventure. Like other series there were four adventures. Charlie got to help an alien race, go back in time to help early Britons, saw her family and helped save man kind from destruction. Highly recommend.
November 7, 2016
Excellent extension her story. I can't wait for Box Set Two.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews