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Doctor Who Novel Adaptations #8
Doctor Who: All-Consuming Fire
The Library of St. John the Beheaded contains the most dangerous books in all creation so when some of them are stolen who else should the Vatican call but Sherlock Holmes?
Immediately, one of the possible suspects seems more suspicious than others. He has no traceable background, refuses to give straight answers and hides behind a pseudonym. However, Holmes and his loyal friend Watson soon realise this suspect is also their greatest hope: war is brewing and an Old God is rising, to save humanity they need The Doctor as much as he needs them.
Based on the original 1994 New Adventures novel by Andy Lane.
Immediately, one of the possible suspects seems more suspicious than others. He has no traceable background, refuses to give straight answers and hides behind a pseudonym. However, Holmes and his loyal friend Watson soon realise this suspect is also their greatest hope: war is brewing and an Old God is rising, to save humanity they need The Doctor as much as he needs them.
Based on the original 1994 New Adventures novel by Andy Lane.
Audio CD
First published December 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 23, 2018
3/4 stars.
All-Consuming Fire is a harmless, fun story where the Seventh Doctor and crew meet the famous Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Sherlock and John have popped up in various forms over the Doctor Who range and in the Jago and Litefoot range, they actually met Arthur Conan Doyle himself. Though, Arthur as always despised Sherlock.
I liked how this story was a continuation from Theatre of War. Showing the similarities between Sherlock/Doctor and Mycroft/Sherringford/Braxiatel (Though my comparison is always Mycroft/Braxiatel).
I've not read the novel yet so I can't compare but I enjoyed it and I enjoyed the setting. I can always trust Andy Lane writing to do a good detective story and Guy Adams did a good adaptation of this story as well.
I liked how Benny and John interacted and how Benny had to use a disguise. They had a nice relationship and perhaps it would be nice to see more of them.
It was also great to see Sherlock and the Doctor working together as both of them are two, extremely intelligent men who have a very big ego.
Great story.
All-Consuming Fire is a harmless, fun story where the Seventh Doctor and crew meet the famous Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Sherlock and John have popped up in various forms over the Doctor Who range and in the Jago and Litefoot range, they actually met Arthur Conan Doyle himself. Though, Arthur as always despised Sherlock.
I liked how this story was a continuation from Theatre of War. Showing the similarities between Sherlock/Doctor and Mycroft/Sherringford/Braxiatel (Though my comparison is always Mycroft/Braxiatel).
I've not read the novel yet so I can't compare but I enjoyed it and I enjoyed the setting. I can always trust Andy Lane writing to do a good detective story and Guy Adams did a good adaptation of this story as well.
I liked how Benny and John interacted and how Benny had to use a disguise. They had a nice relationship and perhaps it would be nice to see more of them.
It was also great to see Sherlock and the Doctor working together as both of them are two, extremely intelligent men who have a very big ego.
Great story.
December 28, 2022
A thin, but still fun, adaptation of one of the New Adventures books from the 1990s. It's as much about Watson and Bernice as it is Sherlock and the Doctor, and the actual plot itself is almost secondary to the verbal sparring, puns, and ironic rejoinders. Not bad, indeed.
February 17, 2020
The following review was originally published in 2018 on the online newspaper The Orkney News. Link here. https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/12/17...
Doctor Who: All-Consuming Fire by Andy Lane, adapted for audio by Guy Adams
“How do I begin to tell you about The Adventure of the All-Consuming Fire? A case like no other began like no other. There was no client on the doorstep, no urgent telegram begging for assistance. There was instead the insistent burst of a train whistle cutting through the icy Austrian landscape. And with that sound the metaphorical shadow of The Library of St John The Beheaded fell over the Orient Express and, inside her, Holmes and I...”
So begins Big Finish Productions’s audio adaptation of the 1994 Doctor Who novel. The first and to date only official Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes crossover. But I would be amiss if I didn’t tell you of the wonders of Big Finish Productions.
Big Finish started in 1999 producing official Doctor Who and Bernice Summerfield audio adventures with many of the original actors for both Doctors and companions ranging from Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred – The seventh Doctor and Ace – to the world famous Tom Baker – ‘The one with the scarf’ and Louise Jameson as Leela. They have had many original masterpieces and since then have branched out to many other series ranging from Blake’s 7 to The Prisoner to Sherlock Holmes. They will most likely get an article all their own very soon!
However the important thing to note today is Big Finish’s Sherlock Holmes range. Nicholas ‘Voice of the Daleks’ Briggs plays Holmes with an appropriate tone for radio. His style is very much akin to Jeremy Brett or Basil Rathbone and he mixes in humour and acerbicness wonderfully as he bounces off his Watson in the form of Richard Earl who sounds like the doctor came to life and is telling the story to you and you alone.
One final thing to mention is that from 2012 to 2016 Big Finish produced audio adaptations of some classic Doctor Who novels from the 1990s including this one. All-Consuming Fire sees the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice Summerfield – a novel and audio exclusive character – rub shoulders with Holmes and Watson on a most exciting and mysterious caper.
The story begins in quite the unusual way. Holmes and Watson are called out on a case...by the Pope to find some missing books. Books from The Library of St John The Beheaded a repository of books that were, are, will be or may in the future be banned. As such all books originating from this Library are incredibly dangerous. They investigate as per their usual prerogative and receive a calling card from ‘The Doctor’ who is waiting for them at Baker Street.
The Doctor and Holmes have a perfect chemistry as intelligent rivals and partners. Holmes often tries to figure out The Doctor or engage in very intellectual...’disagreements’. Watson however begins to get on well with Bernice in a somewhat ‘improper’ relationship for his usual standards. I absolutely love the dynamic as they all try to figure out the solution or split into different entertaining groups, especially when the missing books set off a chain reaction of events involving flaming heads and much else besides.
This story as a whole is an absolute classic in written and audio form. I’ve listened to it at least five times since I purchased it a few years ago. I genuinely consider it in my top ten audios across their entire oeuvre. Andy Lane is a brilliant author of Doctor Who stories from the period and Guy Adams is excellent at adapting the tale to audio form. Without giving away everything the end does lead to more than a handful of surprises. I’m sure Arthur Conan Doyle would definitely approve. Part of me would love to see his reaction to the conclusion!
I genuinely consider this a ten out of ten tale and would highly recommend that either Sherlock Holmes or Doctor Who fans give it a fair chance. Everyone involved in the adaptations is definitely firing on all cylinders.
I most likely won’t be back until after Christmas so I wish everyone reading an enjoyable holiday season and I’ll be returning before long. I understand that this particular release is not exactly Christmassy but it’s the spirit of the season to share some joy with others. And by heavens do audios and Big Finish Productions bring me joy.
After all Watson...the game’s afoot! Merry Christmas one and all!
Nephrite
Doctor Who: All-Consuming Fire by Andy Lane, adapted for audio by Guy Adams
“How do I begin to tell you about The Adventure of the All-Consuming Fire? A case like no other began like no other. There was no client on the doorstep, no urgent telegram begging for assistance. There was instead the insistent burst of a train whistle cutting through the icy Austrian landscape. And with that sound the metaphorical shadow of The Library of St John The Beheaded fell over the Orient Express and, inside her, Holmes and I...”
So begins Big Finish Productions’s audio adaptation of the 1994 Doctor Who novel. The first and to date only official Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes crossover. But I would be amiss if I didn’t tell you of the wonders of Big Finish Productions.
Big Finish started in 1999 producing official Doctor Who and Bernice Summerfield audio adventures with many of the original actors for both Doctors and companions ranging from Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred – The seventh Doctor and Ace – to the world famous Tom Baker – ‘The one with the scarf’ and Louise Jameson as Leela. They have had many original masterpieces and since then have branched out to many other series ranging from Blake’s 7 to The Prisoner to Sherlock Holmes. They will most likely get an article all their own very soon!
However the important thing to note today is Big Finish’s Sherlock Holmes range. Nicholas ‘Voice of the Daleks’ Briggs plays Holmes with an appropriate tone for radio. His style is very much akin to Jeremy Brett or Basil Rathbone and he mixes in humour and acerbicness wonderfully as he bounces off his Watson in the form of Richard Earl who sounds like the doctor came to life and is telling the story to you and you alone.
One final thing to mention is that from 2012 to 2016 Big Finish produced audio adaptations of some classic Doctor Who novels from the 1990s including this one. All-Consuming Fire sees the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice Summerfield – a novel and audio exclusive character – rub shoulders with Holmes and Watson on a most exciting and mysterious caper.
The story begins in quite the unusual way. Holmes and Watson are called out on a case...by the Pope to find some missing books. Books from The Library of St John The Beheaded a repository of books that were, are, will be or may in the future be banned. As such all books originating from this Library are incredibly dangerous. They investigate as per their usual prerogative and receive a calling card from ‘The Doctor’ who is waiting for them at Baker Street.
The Doctor and Holmes have a perfect chemistry as intelligent rivals and partners. Holmes often tries to figure out The Doctor or engage in very intellectual...’disagreements’. Watson however begins to get on well with Bernice in a somewhat ‘improper’ relationship for his usual standards. I absolutely love the dynamic as they all try to figure out the solution or split into different entertaining groups, especially when the missing books set off a chain reaction of events involving flaming heads and much else besides.
This story as a whole is an absolute classic in written and audio form. I’ve listened to it at least five times since I purchased it a few years ago. I genuinely consider it in my top ten audios across their entire oeuvre. Andy Lane is a brilliant author of Doctor Who stories from the period and Guy Adams is excellent at adapting the tale to audio form. Without giving away everything the end does lead to more than a handful of surprises. I’m sure Arthur Conan Doyle would definitely approve. Part of me would love to see his reaction to the conclusion!
I genuinely consider this a ten out of ten tale and would highly recommend that either Sherlock Holmes or Doctor Who fans give it a fair chance. Everyone involved in the adaptations is definitely firing on all cylinders.
I most likely won’t be back until after Christmas so I wish everyone reading an enjoyable holiday season and I’ll be returning before long. I understand that this particular release is not exactly Christmassy but it’s the spirit of the season to share some joy with others. And by heavens do audios and Big Finish Productions bring me joy.
After all Watson...the game’s afoot! Merry Christmas one and all!
Nephrite
March 29, 2023
Andy Lane was by far one of the best writers when it came to the Virgin New Adventures, for a range that could be incredibly inconsistent in tone, he was the only writer who I feel could balance his stories between horror and humor incredibly well. All-Consuming Fire is one of his best and I've always been interested to see how it turned out on audio.
When a series of volumes are stolen from The Library of St. John the Beheaded, the Vatican calls in Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to help solve the mystery. But with disappearing gang members and people combusting into flames, it soon turns out this is their most baffling case yet. But when The Doctor arrives their lives are about to change forever.
Guy Adams has done an incredible job at adapting Andy Lane's original novel, it's such a faithful adaptation that I can't help but admire it. There are a few things absent of course, but mainly a cameo or two from the original novel. The cast in this were incredible, Sylvester McCoy, Lisa Bowerman, and Sophie Aldred alongside the brilliant Nicholas Briggs and Richard Earl made this audio such an exciting listen for me. It's a dark, gruesome story that I'm surprised Big Finish managed to get away with in some scenes. But it's also a very tight and occasionally humorous little story with a dash of Lovecraftian horror thrown into the mix!
Overall: It's one of the best novel adaptations. It's a shame there aren't any more of these for me to listen to. But at least I ended on a high note. 10/10
When a series of volumes are stolen from The Library of St. John the Beheaded, the Vatican calls in Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to help solve the mystery. But with disappearing gang members and people combusting into flames, it soon turns out this is their most baffling case yet. But when The Doctor arrives their lives are about to change forever.
Guy Adams has done an incredible job at adapting Andy Lane's original novel, it's such a faithful adaptation that I can't help but admire it. There are a few things absent of course, but mainly a cameo or two from the original novel. The cast in this were incredible, Sylvester McCoy, Lisa Bowerman, and Sophie Aldred alongside the brilliant Nicholas Briggs and Richard Earl made this audio such an exciting listen for me. It's a dark, gruesome story that I'm surprised Big Finish managed to get away with in some scenes. But it's also a very tight and occasionally humorous little story with a dash of Lovecraftian horror thrown into the mix!
Overall: It's one of the best novel adaptations. It's a shame there aren't any more of these for me to listen to. But at least I ended on a high note. 10/10
January 22, 2019
Not as great as the novel, but nevertheless it was fun. Nicholas Briggs and Richard Earl are great as Sherlock and Watson. I haven't heard much of Lisa Bowerman as Bernice, but she's great too.
So only three stars? Well yeah living up to one of the great New Adventures was always going to be hard, bits left out, details gone, but Guy Adams managing to fit all he did into four episodes was very appreciated.
So only three stars? Well yeah living up to one of the great New Adventures was always going to be hard, bits left out, details gone, but Guy Adams managing to fit all he did into four episodes was very appreciated.
October 29, 2019
Wonderfully nerdy with appearances by all the greats: The Doc, Benny, Ace, Holmes (two of them) and, of course, Watson. Plus spontaneous combustion, a one-legged rat-monster and so many litterary references.
The narration by Watson and Benny is absolutely lovely and all the actors are on top form.
The narration by Watson and Benny is absolutely lovely and all the actors are on top form.
September 10, 2021
I thought this would have more collaboration between Sherlock and the Doctor. Instead this one seemed more like a mythical Holmes & Watson mystery with Doctor Who characters added for atmosphere.
August 1, 2022
Not as good as it could have been, but very fun.
June 21, 2023
An full-cast audio adaptation of the novel Doctor Who: All-Consuming Fire, this sees the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) team up with Sherlock Holmes and Watson (here played by Nicholas Briggs and Richard Earl respectively from the Big Finish Sherlock Holmes series) to recover some lost library books from the Library of St. John the Beheaded. The case, told mostly from Watson's POV, leads them from England to India to an alien world where an alien creature and a weird cult lead by another Holmes brother attempt an invasion of earth. It's a decent play and good story, I haven't read the novel which ties the main alien villain into the Lovecraft mythos. Still, an interesting experiment and as close as well get to a Holmes/Doctor crossover.
January 7, 2024
Such a fun crossover. The worlds of Big Finish Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who mix together so well.
September 13, 2025
A better telling of this story. This time in audio form courtesy of Big Finish. 7/10
March 16, 2017
Started loving the show but by the end of it, it seemed like it was a bit too much of a mash up. Clanky and loud there at the end. We get the Doctor's universe, Doyle's universe and a touch of Lovecraft too I think. Plus all the Indian mythology. Plus SciFi. Heh. This one's a bit over-the-top. And I suppose that's as it should be - for a show with spontaneous human combustion at it's center.
February 2, 2016
One of the best of Big Finish's novel adaptations. Holmes meets the Doctor is excellent even if it confuses Holmes's status as a fictional character in the Doctor Who universe. I blame the Time War. Or the second Big Bang.
August 23, 2016
The banter is great and enjoyed the story. Loving that BF is adapting the Virgin series to audio. I thought Nick Briggs is great as Sherlock, and always enjoyed the TARDIS team of 7, Ace and Benny.
July 10, 2016
Nichols Briggs makes a very bad Sherlock Holmes. Couldn't see what the Doctor's part in adventure was since the first 5 tracks are all Sherlock. Didn't finish. Stay away. Don't recommend.
April 14, 2016
Meh. It was OK, but I didn't really like the crossover of Sherlock Holmes and the Doctor . . .
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews