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The Paternoster Gang #3
The Paternoster Gang: Heritage 3
Victorian London harbours many secrets: alien visitors, strange phenomena and unearthly powers.
But a trio of investigators stands ready to delve into such mysteries: the Great Detective, Madame Vastra, her resourceful spouse, Jenny Flint, and their loyal valet, Strax.
If an impossible puzzle needs solving, or a grave injustice needs righting, help can be found on Paternoster Row.
But even heroes can never escape their past...
3.1 Family Matters by Lisa McMullin
Jenny’s past comes calling at Paternoster Row, as Strax takes care of a guest, and the travelling circus comes to town - spelling danger for some of the gang.
But when family matters intrude on their marriage, the last thing Jenny wants is Vastra having her in-laws for dinner...
3.2 Whatever Remains by Robert Valentine
The Great Detective’s latest case takes Vastra and friends to the Jurassic coast. A local landowner has vanished. The only clue – the footprints of a gigantic creature!
As Strax suffers the attentions of an amorous landlady, Jenny gains an admirer of her own. And Vastra discovers something buried deep...
3.3 Truth and Bone by Roy Gill
Bloomsbury troublemakers Stonn and Tom Foster are back, and in much more trouble than ever before.
Sontar has turned its attention to Earth as Requisitioner Skark looks to retrieve missing soldiers. And Jenny finds Vastra preoccupied with the past, which may lead to a very dark future...
But a trio of investigators stands ready to delve into such mysteries: the Great Detective, Madame Vastra, her resourceful spouse, Jenny Flint, and their loyal valet, Strax.
If an impossible puzzle needs solving, or a grave injustice needs righting, help can be found on Paternoster Row.
But even heroes can never escape their past...
3.1 Family Matters by Lisa McMullin
Jenny’s past comes calling at Paternoster Row, as Strax takes care of a guest, and the travelling circus comes to town - spelling danger for some of the gang.
But when family matters intrude on their marriage, the last thing Jenny wants is Vastra having her in-laws for dinner...
3.2 Whatever Remains by Robert Valentine
The Great Detective’s latest case takes Vastra and friends to the Jurassic coast. A local landowner has vanished. The only clue – the footprints of a gigantic creature!
As Strax suffers the attentions of an amorous landlady, Jenny gains an admirer of her own. And Vastra discovers something buried deep...
3.3 Truth and Bone by Roy Gill
Bloomsbury troublemakers Stonn and Tom Foster are back, and in much more trouble than ever before.
Sontar has turned its attention to Earth as Requisitioner Skark looks to retrieve missing soldiers. And Jenny finds Vastra preoccupied with the past, which may lead to a very dark future...
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First published May 5, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 9, 2020
3.1 Family Matters by Lisa McMullin
Il circo è in città... e acnhe la famiglia di Jenny. Tra alieni e freak vari, le cose non sono mai come sembrano.
3.2 Whatever Remains by Robert Valentine
Una misteriosa sparizione nella Jurassic Coast porta il trio sulle tracce di un mostro mistgerioso. Tocca a Vastra ritrovare un passato che pensava perso, mentre Strax guadagna una innamorata.
3.3 Truth and Bone by Roy Gill
Torna il Bloomsbury Bunch, ma solo con Stonn e Tom Foster, alle prese con sofisticazioni di mummie e un attacco di Sontaran.
Il passato di Vastra rischia di diventare un terribile futuro per tutti.
L'Heritage del titolo trova, questa volta, piena risoluzione. Tra parenti vari e ritorni dal passato, ogni componente della Paternoster dovrà fare i conti con un qualcosa di insoluto.
Collegate tra di loro, le tre storie ci offorno qualche dettaglio in più sui tre personaggi e offrono un piccolo approfondimento alle credenze religiose e alla mitologia dei Siluriani e sulla vera oringine dei Sontaran.
Pur chiudendo le varie storie, questa volta tutto resta sospeso, collegato probabilmente al prossimo cofanetto.
Il circo è in città... e acnhe la famiglia di Jenny. Tra alieni e freak vari, le cose non sono mai come sembrano.
3.2 Whatever Remains by Robert Valentine
Una misteriosa sparizione nella Jurassic Coast porta il trio sulle tracce di un mostro mistgerioso. Tocca a Vastra ritrovare un passato che pensava perso, mentre Strax guadagna una innamorata.
3.3 Truth and Bone by Roy Gill
Torna il Bloomsbury Bunch, ma solo con Stonn e Tom Foster, alle prese con sofisticazioni di mummie e un attacco di Sontaran.
Il passato di Vastra rischia di diventare un terribile futuro per tutti.
L'Heritage del titolo trova, questa volta, piena risoluzione. Tra parenti vari e ritorni dal passato, ogni componente della Paternoster dovrà fare i conti con un qualcosa di insoluto.
Collegate tra di loro, le tre storie ci offorno qualche dettaglio in più sui tre personaggi e offrono un piccolo approfondimento alle credenze religiose e alla mitologia dei Siluriani e sulla vera oringine dei Sontaran.
Pur chiudendo le varie storie, questa volta tutto resta sospeso, collegato probabilmente al prossimo cofanetto.
May 7, 2020
Disclaimer- had some stressful times at work lately (there is some kind of virus around, disrupting operations, making everything twice as difficult than usual), so I was in desperate need for some cheering up.
So this collection of audio plays is what I would call food for the soul.
I think this is even better than the last one.
The stories are fun, have good pacing and atmosphere and they just flow right.
Also, the dialogue is much less clumsy as it still was in the first set.
The first story... well, it was good with an important moral message, although they might have overstated and repeated said message a few times to many. There is a difference between making a valid point, and hitting you over the head with it. Until the moment of the Vastra recap, it was great. After that, it reminded me a bit of "Orphan 55" I am afraid to say.
However.
The second story was amazing from start to finish.
It was fun, made me laugh (and I needed a laugh sooo badly) and it had some really great fun characters. I really LOVED the whole Scooby-Doo theme running through it.
Especially Strax trying to do a case conclusion at the end.
As for the third story-
Again a fun romp, playing around with the idea of "heritage" and what this means for the lead characters.
While in the previous stories, this "heritage" thread did mainly concern Jenny and Vastra, this time it is Strax' turn.
Plus, we again get some interesting adversaries and meet a few acquaintances from Volume 2.
These are not deep, philosophical stories, these are basically run-arounds.
But very fun run-arounds.
And this is something I crave right now- a fun diversion.
On that front I cannot fault this set of stories at all.
These stories really lifted my mood, that alone is worth extra points.
This is range is shaping up as something really nice in it's own right.
So this collection of audio plays is what I would call food for the soul.
I think this is even better than the last one.
The stories are fun, have good pacing and atmosphere and they just flow right.
Also, the dialogue is much less clumsy as it still was in the first set.
The first story... well, it was good with an important moral message, although they might have overstated and repeated said message a few times to many. There is a difference between making a valid point, and hitting you over the head with it. Until the moment of the Vastra recap, it was great. After that, it reminded me a bit of "Orphan 55" I am afraid to say.
However.
The second story was amazing from start to finish.
It was fun, made me laugh (and I needed a laugh sooo badly) and it had some really great fun characters. I really LOVED the whole Scooby-Doo theme running through it.
Especially Strax trying to do a case conclusion at the end.
As for the third story-
Again a fun romp, playing around with the idea of "heritage" and what this means for the lead characters.
While in the previous stories, this "heritage" thread did mainly concern Jenny and Vastra, this time it is Strax' turn.
Plus, we again get some interesting adversaries and meet a few acquaintances from Volume 2.
These are not deep, philosophical stories, these are basically run-arounds.
But very fun run-arounds.
And this is something I crave right now- a fun diversion.
On that front I cannot fault this set of stories at all.
These stories really lifted my mood, that alone is worth extra points.
This is range is shaping up as something really nice in it's own right.
February 19, 2025
More shenanigans with Madam Vastra, Jenny Flint and Strax, aka the Paternoster Gang:
3.1 Family Matters - Jenny’s past comes front and center, and it’s an absolute circus. Just wonderful, I loved this tale of sewers, runaway alligators and family relations (4/5).
3.2 Whatever Remains - A silly romp on English coast and interesting tidbits about Vastra’s people (3/5).
3.3 Truth and Bone - The The Bloomsbury Bunch returns, well most of them, and more about the Sontarans and what they’re doing in England during this time (3/5).
Another solidly entertaining series of adventures for this group that stands as one of the most memorable creations from the Eleventh Doctor’s era. This gets a bit of a boost as each of our principle characters gets some backstory development.
3.1 Family Matters - Jenny’s past comes front and center, and it’s an absolute circus. Just wonderful, I loved this tale of sewers, runaway alligators and family relations (4/5).
3.2 Whatever Remains - A silly romp on English coast and interesting tidbits about Vastra’s people (3/5).
3.3 Truth and Bone - The The Bloomsbury Bunch returns, well most of them, and more about the Sontarans and what they’re doing in England during this time (3/5).
Another solidly entertaining series of adventures for this group that stands as one of the most memorable creations from the Eleventh Doctor’s era. This gets a bit of a boost as each of our principle characters gets some backstory development.
February 18, 2023
Three more one-hour stories featuring the Paternoster Gang, each with ties to the backstories of one of them. This time, the stories, while separate, are linked by a common plot arc although it’s a fairly minor element in the first two.
Family Matters – The first episode deals with Jenny’s backstory, although it’s a while before that becomes apparent, with Vastra on the trail of a prehistoric crocodile in the Thames and a pair of housebreaking lions. Once they do appear, Jenny’s family are almost cartoonishly villainous giving Vastra the chance to rail against the evils of the human race. Which, to be fair, is understandable given what she goes through in this and the unpleasant side of Victorian life on display. While giving us more of an insight into Jenny’s background than we’ve previously had there are also a couple of threads left hanging, doubtless to allow further stories in future. Plus, we get to see some tensions between the married couple, which makes things more believable and, of course, there’s the usual fun at the expense of Strax. 4 stars.
Whatever Remains – Next it’s Vastra’s turn in a story that plays on her resemblance to Sherlock Holmes. Not only is this a pastiche of The Hound of the Baskervilles but also of making for a particularly entertaining mix. All of the team are on top form, and despite the fact that this is nominally Vastra’s story (being at least partially about Silurians) Jenny also gets some strong scenes, managing to steal the limelight on occasion. It zips along at a fair pace, a mixture of humour, mystery, and more sombre scenes that all fit together perfectly. It’s not the deepest thing ever, but it’s great fun. 5 stars.
Truth and Bone – The Silurian-themed plot arc wraps up in this final episode, although the focus is primarily on Strax. It also sees the return of some characters from a previous release in the series, making it probably the least standalone of the three stories here. Given that it is the Strax story, it’s surprisingly serious, with a villainous Sontaran in pursuit of the gang and Vastra’s sanity under threat, although there are still good one-liners and other moments of humour. Jenny is perhaps a little underused in it, although she does get a few good moments and it’s counterbalanced by the addition of a scene in which we get to see a more reflective side of Strax as he ponders his life away from Sontar. 4 stars.
Family Matters – The first episode deals with Jenny’s backstory, although it’s a while before that becomes apparent, with Vastra on the trail of a prehistoric crocodile in the Thames and a pair of housebreaking lions. Once they do appear, Jenny’s family are almost cartoonishly villainous giving Vastra the chance to rail against the evils of the human race. Which, to be fair, is understandable given what she goes through in this and the unpleasant side of Victorian life on display. While giving us more of an insight into Jenny’s background than we’ve previously had there are also a couple of threads left hanging, doubtless to allow further stories in future. Plus, we get to see some tensions between the married couple, which makes things more believable and, of course, there’s the usual fun at the expense of Strax. 4 stars.
Whatever Remains – Next it’s Vastra’s turn in a story that plays on her resemblance to Sherlock Holmes. Not only is this a pastiche of The Hound of the Baskervilles but also of making for a particularly entertaining mix. All of the team are on top form, and despite the fact that this is nominally Vastra’s story (being at least partially about Silurians) Jenny also gets some strong scenes, managing to steal the limelight on occasion. It zips along at a fair pace, a mixture of humour, mystery, and more sombre scenes that all fit together perfectly. It’s not the deepest thing ever, but it’s great fun. 5 stars.
Truth and Bone – The Silurian-themed plot arc wraps up in this final episode, although the focus is primarily on Strax. It also sees the return of some characters from a previous release in the series, making it probably the least standalone of the three stories here. Given that it is the Strax story, it’s surprisingly serious, with a villainous Sontaran in pursuit of the gang and Vastra’s sanity under threat, although there are still good one-liners and other moments of humour. Jenny is perhaps a little underused in it, although she does get a few good moments and it’s counterbalanced by the addition of a scene in which we get to see a more reflective side of Strax as he ponders his life away from Sontar. 4 stars.
May 12, 2020
I enjoyed these three stories very much. They really played to the strengths of the characters and it was nice to see Vastra being a bit more Silurian than normal. It was lovely to see Jenny's family come in to it. I always like to see characters I like also have terrible families. I liked seeing Vastra upset with the Holmes comparison (as it does get a bit tedious). Funny to see Strax's confusion over flirting. And I enjoyed the last story even though I don't think I heard the previous story with Tom and Storn. Looking forward to the next volume.
January 30, 2023
I was able to devour the 4 titles in this series pretty quickly, I loved it that much. I know audio series aren't for everyone but I absolutely adore Big Finish. Makes my little doctor who nerd heart happy!
If there is any BF spin-off series I can recommend, it would be this one simply because it is different than the rest of them. Loved Diary of River Song (she's a queen!) but this one made me laugh time and time again. 5/5 stars for sure
If there is any BF spin-off series I can recommend, it would be this one simply because it is different than the rest of them. Loved Diary of River Song (she's a queen!) but this one made me laugh time and time again. 5/5 stars for sure
June 15, 2024
This is one of my favorite sets of the Paternoster Gang because it gives us so much insight into Jenny's character. The Paternoster Gang is so enjoyable anyway with lots of action, adventure, and fun, with a side of seriousness. The cast always performs so well together.
March 25, 2021
This series is just so so much fun to read, I particularly loved how annoyed Vastra gets by Sherlock Holmes XD
March 8, 2022
Normal? Who wants that? We shall be...extraordinary."- Madame Vastra in Truth and Bone.
June 17, 2023
The Paternoster Gang makes my heart happy. This set delves into the pasts of our beloved gang and explores new complexities in their relationships.
December 27, 2024
Might be my favorite so far. Feel like it got a bit deeper with the characters.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews