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The Companion Chronicles #15
Doctor Who: Families
Generations. Found. Lost. Families take many forms. Across time and space and sometimes closer than they would think, the Doctor’s friends have encountered many different forms of family who have touched their hearts over the years.
The Temple of Light by Jonathan Morris - Time has stopped. The TARDIS has frozen. And yet, Vicki finds herself with an entirely unfamiliar civilisation while the Doctor, Ian and Barbara are nowhere to be seen...
Stardust and Ashes by Ian Potter - Reflecting on all she has lost, Susan recalls a time long ago, when she and her travelling family were trapped, their lives at the mercy of a machine intelligence. But everyone can learn from circumstance and from those around them – even in the ashes of hope, we can sometimes see stardust.
The White Ship by Paul Morris - The Doctor and Steven land in Normandy, where Henry I is preparing to set sail for England. Steven gets mistaken for Stephen of Blois - the cousin of Henry’s heir and the future king... on the day the White Ship sank.
The Y Factor by Christopher Cooper - Aided by septuagenarian jujitsu expert Edith Garrud, the First Doctor and Dodo Chaplet encounter an alien fungus that warps evil thoughts into evil deeds.
**Please note: The collector's edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,000 copies and will not be repressed**
The Temple of Light by Jonathan Morris - Time has stopped. The TARDIS has frozen. And yet, Vicki finds herself with an entirely unfamiliar civilisation while the Doctor, Ian and Barbara are nowhere to be seen...
Stardust and Ashes by Ian Potter - Reflecting on all she has lost, Susan recalls a time long ago, when she and her travelling family were trapped, their lives at the mercy of a machine intelligence. But everyone can learn from circumstance and from those around them – even in the ashes of hope, we can sometimes see stardust.
The White Ship by Paul Morris - The Doctor and Steven land in Normandy, where Henry I is preparing to set sail for England. Steven gets mistaken for Stephen of Blois - the cousin of Henry’s heir and the future king... on the day the White Ship sank.
The Y Factor by Christopher Cooper - Aided by septuagenarian jujitsu expert Edith Garrud, the First Doctor and Dodo Chaplet encounter an alien fungus that warps evil thoughts into evil deeds.
**Please note: The collector's edition CD box set is strictly limited to 1,000 copies and will not be repressed**
- GenresDoctor WhoAudiobook
Audiobook
First published April 29, 2025
About the author
Jonathan Morris
209 books72 followersJonathan Morris is one of the most prolific and popular writers of Doctor Who books, including the highly-regarded novels 'Festival of Death' and 'Touched by an Angel' and the recent guide to monsters, 'The Monster Vault'. He has also written numerous comic strips, most of which were collected in 'The Child of Time', and audios for BBC Audio and Big Finish, including the highly-regarded comedies 'Max Warp' and 'The Auntie Matter', as well as the adaptation of Russell T Davies’ 'Damaged Goods'.
Recently he has started his own audio production company, Average Romp. Releases include a full-cast adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Chimes', an original play, 'When Michael Met Benny', and three episodes of a SF sitcom, 'Dick Dixon in the 21st Century'.
For details visit www.averageromp.com
He also originated his own series, Vienna and script-edited the Nigel Planer series 'Jeremiah Bourne in Time'. He’s also written documentaries and for TV sketch shows.
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Recently he has started his own audio production company, Average Romp. Releases include a full-cast adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Chimes', an original play, 'When Michael Met Benny', and three episodes of a SF sitcom, 'Dick Dixon in the 21st Century'.
For details visit www.averageromp.com
He also originated his own series, Vienna and script-edited the Nigel Planer series 'Jeremiah Bourne in Time'. He’s also written documentaries and for TV sketch shows.
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 25, 2025
The Temple of Light - Beautiful performances. Brilliantly inventive plot and narrative. Fascinating! And the titled could have been Journey Into the Heart of oops! Spoilers! (5/5)
Stardust and Ashes - This one really illustrates how even a series that’s over 60 years old can still offer some new insights into the characters and their motivations. Carole Ann Ford does a brilliant job portraying Susan at various ages with a narrative that expands her character, embracing what was known and weaving in a new, and richer, perspective. This one is a real gem. (5/5)
The White Ship - A nicely done story set in the brief time when Steven and the (First) Doctor are traveling alone. An interesting “historical” narrative that looks at a little examined moment in English history. While I usually really enjoy the historical adventures, this one did not quite work for me. (3/5)
The Y Factor - Dodo and the (First) Doctor come up against a fungal infection from outer space in the early years post WWII. Another fun one, but not that really worked for me. (3/5)
Two really good episodes, and two rather mediocre episodes, added to the usual narrative nature of the Companion Chronicles, make this a fun, but not necessarily outside set.
Stardust and Ashes - This one really illustrates how even a series that’s over 60 years old can still offer some new insights into the characters and their motivations. Carole Ann Ford does a brilliant job portraying Susan at various ages with a narrative that expands her character, embracing what was known and weaving in a new, and richer, perspective. This one is a real gem. (5/5)
The White Ship - A nicely done story set in the brief time when Steven and the (First) Doctor are traveling alone. An interesting “historical” narrative that looks at a little examined moment in English history. While I usually really enjoy the historical adventures, this one did not quite work for me. (3/5)
The Y Factor - Dodo and the (First) Doctor come up against a fungal infection from outer space in the early years post WWII. Another fun one, but not that really worked for me. (3/5)
Two really good episodes, and two rather mediocre episodes, added to the usual narrative nature of the Companion Chronicles, make this a fun, but not necessarily outside set.
May 7, 2025
A strong set of stories set during the First Doctor era. The strongest being Stardust and Ashes, which explores Susan's role in the tardis team while also exploring an older Susan's grief around losing her son. It was a very powerful story that brought me to tears. The ending is worth it alone, Carole Ann Ford's performance being the best out of everything in this set.
The White Ship was also an amazing story, exploring an historical event which I hadn't heard of, being the sinking of the White Ship which led to the deaths of many royals, causing a future succession crisis in Medieval England. How this story puts the Doctor and Steven into this real history is very effective. Peter Purves does a brilliant job bringing this story to life.
The other two stories, while only being 4/5 stars, are still really amazing. The Y Factor explores a suffragette Jiujitsu master (Yes, you read that right) Edith Garrud. A real historical figure who I hadn't heard about before but certainly deserves to be known. The mixture of history and the sci-fi in this story is done well, plus it helps that the writer Christopher Cooper is related to the historical figure in question. It's always nice to give lesser known tardis teams more stories, so it's great this one is a Dodo and 1st Doctor story.
Lastly, The Temple of Light is a great story for Vicki played by the brilliant Maureen O’Brien. Without spoiling anything, the Sci-fi ideas behind this tale are really strong.
Overall, a strong boxset of adventures set in the earliest part of Doctor Who.
The White Ship was also an amazing story, exploring an historical event which I hadn't heard of, being the sinking of the White Ship which led to the deaths of many royals, causing a future succession crisis in Medieval England. How this story puts the Doctor and Steven into this real history is very effective. Peter Purves does a brilliant job bringing this story to life.
The other two stories, while only being 4/5 stars, are still really amazing. The Y Factor explores a suffragette Jiujitsu master (Yes, you read that right) Edith Garrud. A real historical figure who I hadn't heard about before but certainly deserves to be known. The mixture of history and the sci-fi in this story is done well, plus it helps that the writer Christopher Cooper is related to the historical figure in question. It's always nice to give lesser known tardis teams more stories, so it's great this one is a Dodo and 1st Doctor story.
Lastly, The Temple of Light is a great story for Vicki played by the brilliant Maureen O’Brien. Without spoiling anything, the Sci-fi ideas behind this tale are really strong.
Overall, a strong boxset of adventures set in the earliest part of Doctor Who.
May 28, 2025
loved this boxset !!!
1. the temple of light - 4.5/5
what a fabulous story!!!!! loved the concept.
2. stardust and ashes - 5/5
the best performance i’ve ever heard on a big finish audio, by far. isn’t carole ann ford amazing???
3. the white ship - 4/5
was unsure at the beginning but a great middle/end !!
4. the y factor - 3.5/5
loved the set-up… just hate people talking about chromosomes. like, come on now ???
4.25/5
1. the temple of light - 4.5/5
what a fabulous story!!!!! loved the concept.
2. stardust and ashes - 5/5
the best performance i’ve ever heard on a big finish audio, by far. isn’t carole ann ford amazing???
3. the white ship - 4/5
was unsure at the beginning but a great middle/end !!
4. the y factor - 3.5/5
loved the set-up… just hate people talking about chromosomes. like, come on now ???
4.25/5
April 30, 2025
I’m thinking this is how I prefer to listen to Companion Chronicles: having multiple stories so this many cast members can be featured. Has that First Doctor Adventures vibe.
December 7, 2025
THE TEMPLE OF LIGHT - 08/10
STARDUST AND ASHES - 07/10
THE WHITE SHIP - 07/10
THE Y FACTOR - 06/10
STARDUST AND ASHES - 07/10
THE WHITE SHIP - 07/10
THE Y FACTOR - 06/10
Read
January 19, 2026The White Ship was an engaging historical. Makes me want to read about it more.
October 19, 2025
Review by story…
The Temple of Light: The TARDIS is scary as fuck yall. Another example of Doctor Who using a concept that would be in Starstruck or Douglas Adams and playing it straight. Drags a little in the middle. But I love the concept and the ending. 3.75/5
Stardust and Ashes: It’s good. Essentially the Doctor and company land in an Isaac Asimov story. In my opinion it’s just kind of going over old material again. Susan realizes it’s time to leave. The Doctor and Susan has to put think a computer. It’s good. It just doesn’t do anything new for me. 3/5
The White Ship: Pretty good historical! Nothing much else to say. It’s just pretty good. 3.5/5
The Y Factor: Fucking Awesome!!! 5/5
The Temple of Light: The TARDIS is scary as fuck yall. Another example of Doctor Who using a concept that would be in Starstruck or Douglas Adams and playing it straight. Drags a little in the middle. But I love the concept and the ending. 3.75/5
Stardust and Ashes: It’s good. Essentially the Doctor and company land in an Isaac Asimov story. In my opinion it’s just kind of going over old material again. Susan realizes it’s time to leave. The Doctor and Susan has to put think a computer. It’s good. It just doesn’t do anything new for me. 3/5
The White Ship: Pretty good historical! Nothing much else to say. It’s just pretty good. 3.5/5
The Y Factor: Fucking Awesome!!! 5/5
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews