Dalek Empire IV: The Fearless - Part 1

Doctor Who: Dalek Empire #15

by Nicholas Briggs

The Daleks are conquering our galaxy. Nothing can stop them. But Commander Agnes Landen has an idea.

On the outer planet Talis Minor, Salus Kade is struggling to keep his colony alive. The last thing he needs is a war to fight.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook

1 pages, Audio CD

First published October 31, 2007

About the author

Nicholas Briggs is a British actor and writer, predominantly associated with the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and its various spin-offs. Some of Briggs' earliest Doctor Who-related work was as host of The Myth Makers, a series of made-for-video documentaries produced in the 1980s and 1990s by Reeltime Pictures in which Briggs interviews many of the actors and writers involved in the series. When Reeltime expanded into producing original dramas, Briggs wrote some stories and acted in others, beginning with War Time, the first unofficial Doctor Who spin-off, and Myth Runner, a parody of Blade Runner showcasing bloopers from the Myth Makers series built around a loose storyline featuring Briggs as a down on his luck private detective in the near future.

He wrote and appeared in several made-for-video dramas by BBV, including the third of the Stranger stories, In Memory Alone opposite former Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. He also wrote and appeared in a non-Stranger BBV production called The Airzone Solution (1993) and directed a documentary film, Stranger than Fiction (1994).

Briggs has directed many of the Big Finish Productions audio plays, and has provided Dalek, Cybermen, and other alien voices in several of those as well. He has also written and directed the Dalek Empire and Cyberman audio plays for Big Finish. In 2006, Briggs took over from Gary Russell as executive producer of the Big Finish Doctor Who audio range.

Briggs co-wrote a Doctor Who book called The Dalek Survival Guide.

Since Doctor Who returned to television in 2005, Briggs has provided the voices for several monsters, most notably the Daleks and the Cybermen. Briggs also voiced the Nestene Consciousness in the 2005 episode "Rose", and recorded a voice for the Jagrafess in the 2005 episode "The Long Game"; however, this was not used in the final episode because it was too similar to the voice of the Nestene Consciousness. He also provided the voices for the Judoon in both the 2007 and 2008 series. On 9 July 2009, Briggs made his first appearance in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood in the serial Children of Earth, playing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Rick Yates.

Reviews

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will make a combine review because honestly I can't rate this audiodrama without the rest becuase they are one big story...

Some spoilers ahead...

Why the rating for this audiodrama?

This audiodrama follows not the last story (Dalek Empire III) but It is between Dalek Empire I (last episodes).

A planet is being forced to recruit man to fight the Daleks but they don't want it until the Daleks arrive and say they are all going to enslaved. So either the are enslaved by Daleks or enslave by other humans to fight the Daleks. A tough choice. But one man, Kade, convices the planet to help the rest of humans. General Landen begins to take a close interest on them and creates a special task force of fearless men to take suicide missions.

After an planet attack by the Daleks Kade wife wnd the rest of their planet population are killed. From this moment on Kade becomes a deranged person plagued by visions of his wife and daughter. After several sucecceful missions he begins to wonder everything and everyone, even General Landen who most of all he respects.

The last mission of Kade men is to kill Susan Mendes. The human empire thinks that because of her, slaves are working better and better making the Daleks superior. So, they must kill Susan Mendes ending the truce between the Daleks & their slaves.

Susan Mendes escape and Kade returns alone. After another depressing fit mix with rage he is given the rank of captain and his last mission is to stop a meteor shower to strike earth. That meteor shower is being controlled by the Daleks. At last minute Kade kidnaps Landen and makes her go in the mission as well. He is under the impression that she is responsabile of the attack that killed his wife and people and why does she sents him in suicide missions.

Kade and Lande talk to the Dalek Emperor that confines in them that he already know that Susan Mendes will betray the Daleks.

After completing the last mission he confronts Landen that says that had to be done. He was too valuable to be with his wife. His despair was used to attack others. After that he leaves the army which Landen accepts. He is last seen on his homeworld travelling never finding peace. The audiodrama ends with Susan Mendes speach "Death to the Daleks".

The first and last audiodrama are good. The second and third a little boring and they feel akward. The should be join to make only one. Too much fillers...

[Stephen Ormsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this one during a car trip to Melbourne. Lots of fun for the kids to listen to. I enjoy listening to other stories within the Doctor Who universe without a Doctor Who. Lots of noise and action, with some fine bits of story providing enough of a laugh to break the tension.

Noel Clarke, aka Mickey from Doctor Who, plays the lead character of Cade and does a nice job of it. He shows up The Fearless, a fighting unit put together to battle the Daleks, to become a Fearless leader himself.

Can't wait to dive into the next part.

[James McIntosh Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps the audio and music aren't of the highest quality and have fluctuating volume, but they aren't bad either. One of the actors from the TV show is in here, but he plays a different character, so don't get confused. This four part series has an interesting story so far, and I'm really enjoying it.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the Dalek Empire series, The Fearless is the one with the most heart. It’s an enthralling and affecting two-hand dance between Clarke and O’Brien, set against the backdrop of a galaxy at war. It’s the story of a woman who loses everything that she holds dear and vows to save others from suffering the same fate, even if that means tearing the heart out of a man to forge a weapon. It’s the story of a man who becomes a legend at the cost of everything he loves; everything he lives for. And, though it isn’t a story that’s principally about the Daleks, in the end it doesn’t matter.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the first two series of Dalek Empire, they were the first big finish I ever listened to. It was good to see how the daleks would actually be able to win without the Doctor finding crazy ways to stop them. The third series I didn't like as much. This one is also a bit blah. Rather than a dalek story you have a straight up military story. While they say that either parent can go and fight, and one stay behind to look after the child, it is of course the women who do. The soldiers, apart from the leading one played by Maureen O'Brien are all men. And she's there as a woman looking for a replacement son. Not a story I'm finding hugely inspiring.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

ダーレクと対抗するためにFearlessというダーレクと互角に戦えるバトルスーツを開発したearth alliance.
辺境の星タリス・マイナーに突然Fearless部隊がリクルートがやってくる。住人はダーレクのことを知らず自分と関係ない戦争に駆り出されるいわれはないと抵抗。うむをいわさず連れ出され怒り心頭のケイドだったが、直後にダーレクの攻撃を受けタリス・マイナーはダーレクの支配下に。洞窟に逃げのびた住人とケイドはFearless部隊の本隊と遭遇。指揮官のアグネスはケイドの戦闘能力の高さが気に入り、あらためてリクルートする。

まだプロローグ的内容なので評価は感想は難しいのだけれども、前回サイターコフが言っていたようにダーレクに勝ったとしても人類はダーレクのようにどの道なると言ってた世界になってるという感じなのかな...？

[Twainy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these Big Finish side trips!!

Short. Easy listen. DALEKS! EXTERMINATE!

FUN!

Mickey, Rose’s sometimes boyfriend during Christopher Eccleston’s turn at Doctor Who plays our lead but not as Mickey. He’s lost the love of his life and doesn’t want to go on.

Fast, fun, short & one of the evilest villains out there! The story has started … what are the Daleks up to?!

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five years after listening to the first three series of Dalek Empire, I've finally gotten to the more recently acquired Dalek Empire IV. The voice-work is fine, but there aren't many standout moments.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! Noel Clarke! The Daleks don’t stand a chance! This was awesome! Lots of action, thrills, dastardly Daleks with Maureen O’Brien and, of course as I said: Noel Clarke. And this portion of the Dalek Empire is off to a brilliant start!

[Stephen Theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new story set during the period of dalek galactic dominance shown in the first series. Disgraced actor Noel Clarke plays a farmer forcibly recruited into the resistance army and then picked out to join a special group of fighters, The Fearless.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story and audiodrama with great acting.

[Debra Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great part one of the new series. Might be better than series 1-3.