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Stingray
Stingray: Operation Icecap
The Stingray crew discover an ancient diving bell that leads them on an expeditionary voyage through the freezing waters of Antarctica to the land of a lost civilisation. Close on the heels of Troy Tempest and the pride of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol is the evil undersea ruler Titan. Ahead of them are strange creatures who inhabit underground waterways and an otherworldly force with hidden powers strong enough to overwhelm even Stingray' s defences. Stand by for action as the mighty Stingray launches again in this classic adventure!
- GenresScience Fiction
134 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 25, 2023
Very glad that some of these classic John Theydon novels from the 1960’s are being republished in exceptionally high quality hardbacks with thrilling cover designs.
Written in the time when these original programs were enjoying their first screenings to huge success, this novelised spin-off perfectly encapsulates and expands the world of the WASPS. Unlike the first republished Thunderbirds novel ‘Terror from the Stars’ this Stingray novel stayed true to its source material and honestly felt like reading a script for a long lost episode. The author knows the source material well, and (as a self-confessed Gerry Anderson obsessive) it feels unnecessary for the author to describe each characters appearance and role along with each craft and its function when first introduced, this serves as an important reminder that the viewers of the first run of the tv programme weren’t as privileged as us. If you weren’t at home to watch an episode, you’d missed it. An ability to record and episode wasn’t available to the average member of the public, and the shows weren’t repeated (hence the use of the now hated ‘clip show’ episodes serving as a cheap episode; and a greatest hits reminder). Perhaps you’d only seen a few episodes, and had never seen a certain character of machine before. How honoured my generation was to have the full colour repeat in the early 90’s with the ability to record them onto VHS, then buying the DVD adaptations and now the Blu-ray remasters to marvel at the set design in a way never thought possible. I digress…
Excellent story, starting with Troy and his crew discovering an saucer with a dead occupant dressed as an Ancient Greek hunched over a script in an ancient language. Historians pour over the scripture, and historians and the WASPS come up with a theory exploring the legend of Atlanta and set off on their journey. Meanwhile, the familiar bumblings of Agent X-20 infiltrating Marineville in search of secrets and reporting his findings on Stingrays movements back to Titan.
All the familiar characters appear and are loyal to their chapters. Titans and his soldiers of ‘fish faces’ as Troy takes relish at quips to their faces. The gruff Commander Shore, Troy’s right hand man Phones.
My favourite underused character Atlanta really shines here, with many intelligent decisions and ideas that Stingray benefit from.
The silent & mysterious Marina is given more purpose than I think she ever has in any episode here, for the better. In the TV series, her acceptance into the WASPS and the Stingray crew to me felt more a hindrance than beneficial but here she was regularly leading the team, heading out first to explore and using her heightened senses and skills to warn of dangers and lead them to safety.
And yes, the ever present trope of acquiring an animal mascot is here! This time in the form of a wing clapping, squawking, wobbling and dancing penguin that Atlanta rescues providing light relief and warnings of oncoming danger. But thankfully it’s presence here doesn’t feel quite as unwanted as they did in the paid ones. Oink, I’m looking at you, you ridiculous seal.
The ‘love triangle’ which is at the heart of Stingray was there, but other than a few comments near the beginning didn’t really feature. Some flirty lines and comedic ‘warp warp’ music STINGS (no pun intended) feature in the series as light relief, but thankfully don’t get in the way of the adventure. The stakes are too high to have Atlanta and Marina fighting over the dashing Troy Tempest. Guess that’s happening at the after-party.
Loved the story, starting with discovery and analysis, moving into some espionage, then a long journey of mystery under the ice caps really giving the time to build tension, an exhilarating encounter with a giant squid (which I think they would have really struggled to work with models… remember how awful the ‘Loch Ness’ looked), an all action set piece near the end and finally a Star Trek-esque conversation between our protagonists and antagonist.
It only looses one star because the primary reason we watch any GA series is to be awed by the incredible model work and set design, and even though the human mind can conjure up the images from the page, nothing compares to seeing it.
Pop on the excellently remastered new release of Barry Gray’s score and read along. Commander Shore orders you to battle stations, and to proceed at warp 6 to go and read this book.
P.W.O.R.
Written in the time when these original programs were enjoying their first screenings to huge success, this novelised spin-off perfectly encapsulates and expands the world of the WASPS. Unlike the first republished Thunderbirds novel ‘Terror from the Stars’ this Stingray novel stayed true to its source material and honestly felt like reading a script for a long lost episode. The author knows the source material well, and (as a self-confessed Gerry Anderson obsessive) it feels unnecessary for the author to describe each characters appearance and role along with each craft and its function when first introduced, this serves as an important reminder that the viewers of the first run of the tv programme weren’t as privileged as us. If you weren’t at home to watch an episode, you’d missed it. An ability to record and episode wasn’t available to the average member of the public, and the shows weren’t repeated (hence the use of the now hated ‘clip show’ episodes serving as a cheap episode; and a greatest hits reminder). Perhaps you’d only seen a few episodes, and had never seen a certain character of machine before. How honoured my generation was to have the full colour repeat in the early 90’s with the ability to record them onto VHS, then buying the DVD adaptations and now the Blu-ray remasters to marvel at the set design in a way never thought possible. I digress…
Excellent story, starting with Troy and his crew discovering an saucer with a dead occupant dressed as an Ancient Greek hunched over a script in an ancient language. Historians pour over the scripture, and historians and the WASPS come up with a theory exploring the legend of Atlanta and set off on their journey. Meanwhile, the familiar bumblings of Agent X-20 infiltrating Marineville in search of secrets and reporting his findings on Stingrays movements back to Titan.
All the familiar characters appear and are loyal to their chapters. Titans and his soldiers of ‘fish faces’ as Troy takes relish at quips to their faces. The gruff Commander Shore, Troy’s right hand man Phones.
My favourite underused character Atlanta really shines here, with many intelligent decisions and ideas that Stingray benefit from.
The silent & mysterious Marina is given more purpose than I think she ever has in any episode here, for the better. In the TV series, her acceptance into the WASPS and the Stingray crew to me felt more a hindrance than beneficial but here she was regularly leading the team, heading out first to explore and using her heightened senses and skills to warn of dangers and lead them to safety.
And yes, the ever present trope of acquiring an animal mascot is here! This time in the form of a wing clapping, squawking, wobbling and dancing penguin that Atlanta rescues providing light relief and warnings of oncoming danger. But thankfully it’s presence here doesn’t feel quite as unwanted as they did in the paid ones. Oink, I’m looking at you, you ridiculous seal.
The ‘love triangle’ which is at the heart of Stingray was there, but other than a few comments near the beginning didn’t really feature. Some flirty lines and comedic ‘warp warp’ music STINGS (no pun intended) feature in the series as light relief, but thankfully don’t get in the way of the adventure. The stakes are too high to have Atlanta and Marina fighting over the dashing Troy Tempest. Guess that’s happening at the after-party.
Loved the story, starting with discovery and analysis, moving into some espionage, then a long journey of mystery under the ice caps really giving the time to build tension, an exhilarating encounter with a giant squid (which I think they would have really struggled to work with models… remember how awful the ‘Loch Ness’ looked), an all action set piece near the end and finally a Star Trek-esque conversation between our protagonists and antagonist.
It only looses one star because the primary reason we watch any GA series is to be awed by the incredible model work and set design, and even though the human mind can conjure up the images from the page, nothing compares to seeing it.
Pop on the excellently remastered new release of Barry Gray’s score and read along. Commander Shore orders you to battle stations, and to proceed at warp 6 to go and read this book.
P.W.O.R.
September 7, 2021
The early 1960s seems like a golden age for the work of then-married couple Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. One of their biggest hits, and the one that arguably set the stage for the show they're best known for, was Stingray. Featuring the adventures of Captain Troy Tempest of the titular submarine of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP), Stingray has remained fondly remembered as a Supermarionation adventure series in its own right. Now, as part of the ever-expanding line-up of audio dramas and audiobooks based on Anderson properties, Stingray has come to audio with Operation: Icecap, with Big Finish distributing its download version.
It's worth saying upfront that this release isn't the standard sort of audio drama listeners might expect going into it. Like Thunderbirds: Terror From the Stars earlier this summer, Operation: Icecap is much more in the vein of the enhanced audiobook format that Big Finish employed in their Doctor Who - The Lost Stories releases featuring the first three Doctors. On the one hand, it features narration and description to fill in more visual moments. On the other hand, it has dramatized scenes as well as both sound effects and a score. The result is a cross between the audiobook and audio drama formats, offering a best of both worlds approach.
Also worth mentioning is that Operation: Icecap is an adaptation of a novel published in the original TV series heyday and written by John Theydon (which the internet tells me was a pseudonym for the prolific John William Jennison). The plot feels entirely in keeping with the TV series, with Troy Tempest and the Stingray crew of Lieutenant "Phones" and the mute lady of the sea Marina discovering a diving saucer pre-dating any known civilization. Sent by WASP leader Commander Shore, the Stingray crew follow the trail of the saucer's ancient voyage to Antarctica, facing the forces of the undersea dictator Titan, sea creatures, and nature itself as they arrive on the continent of ice. Featuring a cavalcade of the series characters, including Titan's surface Agent X-2-0 and Lieutenant Atlanta Shore, Operation: Icecap feels like it could have easily been the script for an unmade Stingray feature film, something that this production of it seems to embrace wholeheartedly.
Having found the earlier Thunderbirds audiobook release solid but perhaps overlong, this reviewer was pleasantly surprised by how well Operation: Icecap flowed. Adapted Ben Page (who also voices the Aquaphibians) strikes a nice balance between using Theydon's original prose and dramatization, using the descriptions for sequences when the latter won't quite convey things on audio. That's especially true of the numerous action sequences where Wayne Forester's narration neatly complements the cast, sound design, and music. It also keeps the plot from dragging or the audiobook from outstaying its welcome.
All of which is bolstered by how well-made it is. The voice casting alone makes this worth a listen. Marc Silk presents a solid take on Troy Tempest, with his performance often echoing Don Mason's iconic voice while also making the part very much his own. The same is true of much of the cast, including the aforementioned Forester (who, in addition to his narrating, also voices Phones and Titan’s surface agent X-2-0), Jules de Jongh as Atlanta, and Nicholas Briggs pulling double duty as the voices of Commander Shore and the malevolent Titan. Some inevitably sound closer to their sixties counterparts than others, but all show respect for the original and are very much in their spirit. Beyond the cast, the sounds of the series are there, too, with Benji Clifford's music magnificently pastiching the Stingray TV scores and Toby Hrycek-Robinson's sound design bringing the world to life. So much so that at times one can close one's eyes and imagine it all in the glory of Supermarionation, even cinematically.
For fans of the Anderson world and the TV incarnation of Stingray, especially, Operation: Icecap comes wholeheartedly recommended. There's no doubt listening to the production of the time and love going into every minute of it, with everyone having their Supermarionation loving heart in the right place. And whether you're a fan of the original series looking for a nostalgia rush or someone new to the adventures of Troy Tempest, it's a jolly good way to spend three and a half hours or so.
"PWOR" and give this a listen.
It's worth saying upfront that this release isn't the standard sort of audio drama listeners might expect going into it. Like Thunderbirds: Terror From the Stars earlier this summer, Operation: Icecap is much more in the vein of the enhanced audiobook format that Big Finish employed in their Doctor Who - The Lost Stories releases featuring the first three Doctors. On the one hand, it features narration and description to fill in more visual moments. On the other hand, it has dramatized scenes as well as both sound effects and a score. The result is a cross between the audiobook and audio drama formats, offering a best of both worlds approach.
Also worth mentioning is that Operation: Icecap is an adaptation of a novel published in the original TV series heyday and written by John Theydon (which the internet tells me was a pseudonym for the prolific John William Jennison). The plot feels entirely in keeping with the TV series, with Troy Tempest and the Stingray crew of Lieutenant "Phones" and the mute lady of the sea Marina discovering a diving saucer pre-dating any known civilization. Sent by WASP leader Commander Shore, the Stingray crew follow the trail of the saucer's ancient voyage to Antarctica, facing the forces of the undersea dictator Titan, sea creatures, and nature itself as they arrive on the continent of ice. Featuring a cavalcade of the series characters, including Titan's surface Agent X-2-0 and Lieutenant Atlanta Shore, Operation: Icecap feels like it could have easily been the script for an unmade Stingray feature film, something that this production of it seems to embrace wholeheartedly.
Having found the earlier Thunderbirds audiobook release solid but perhaps overlong, this reviewer was pleasantly surprised by how well Operation: Icecap flowed. Adapted Ben Page (who also voices the Aquaphibians) strikes a nice balance between using Theydon's original prose and dramatization, using the descriptions for sequences when the latter won't quite convey things on audio. That's especially true of the numerous action sequences where Wayne Forester's narration neatly complements the cast, sound design, and music. It also keeps the plot from dragging or the audiobook from outstaying its welcome.
All of which is bolstered by how well-made it is. The voice casting alone makes this worth a listen. Marc Silk presents a solid take on Troy Tempest, with his performance often echoing Don Mason's iconic voice while also making the part very much his own. The same is true of much of the cast, including the aforementioned Forester (who, in addition to his narrating, also voices Phones and Titan’s surface agent X-2-0), Jules de Jongh as Atlanta, and Nicholas Briggs pulling double duty as the voices of Commander Shore and the malevolent Titan. Some inevitably sound closer to their sixties counterparts than others, but all show respect for the original and are very much in their spirit. Beyond the cast, the sounds of the series are there, too, with Benji Clifford's music magnificently pastiching the Stingray TV scores and Toby Hrycek-Robinson's sound design bringing the world to life. So much so that at times one can close one's eyes and imagine it all in the glory of Supermarionation, even cinematically.
For fans of the Anderson world and the TV incarnation of Stingray, especially, Operation: Icecap comes wholeheartedly recommended. There's no doubt listening to the production of the time and love going into every minute of it, with everyone having their Supermarionation loving heart in the right place. And whether you're a fan of the original series looking for a nostalgia rush or someone new to the adventures of Troy Tempest, it's a jolly good way to spend three and a half hours or so.
"PWOR" and give this a listen.
December 9, 2023
'Stingray' is not my favourite of Gerry Andersons' tv series, and, in all honesty, it was my OCD that made me buy this book, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was largely devoid of the quirks that annoy me in the TV show (namely Troy being a two-timing twat and not even trying to hide it, even from his boss, who is the FATHER of one of the two girls he is playing off each other). Whether this is due to the editing the story went through before the 2021 publication, or John Theydon never wrote it in the first place, I don't know. Either way, it is welcome.
Subsequently, I enjoyed the book much more than I was anticipating. The storyline was a little light places, but you have to keep in mind the story was originally written for kids (mostly boys) between the ages of about 7 and 12 - over fifty years ago. That said, it holds up well.
Subsequently, I enjoyed the book much more than I was anticipating. The storyline was a little light places, but you have to keep in mind the story was originally written for kids (mostly boys) between the ages of about 7 and 12 - over fifty years ago. That said, it holds up well.
October 30, 2020
A decent enough novel based on the adventures of Troy Tempest and the Stingray crew. I did enjoy this book, and found it gripping. I would definitely read it again.
October 20, 2024
Excellent audio adaptation of the original Theydon novel. The voice acting was terrific, felt as if it might have been the original cast. Would recommend to Stingray fans especially.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews