What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fifth Doctor Adventures #8
Doctor Who: Forty 2
2.1 The Auton Infinity by Tim Foley
Snowdonia. UNIT is running a training exercise with the Brigadier in attendance. Except it isn’t long before things start to go badly wrong. The fake aliens primed to attack the troops might not be so fake after all, and a temporal disturbance attracts the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough into the fray. Old enemies are on the scene with a deadly plan - but they might be the least of the Doctor’s worries. Because he’s recently been sent backwards and forwards through his own lifetime… and he’s finally going to find out why.
Snowdonia. UNIT is running a training exercise with the Brigadier in attendance. Except it isn’t long before things start to go badly wrong. The fake aliens primed to attack the troops might not be so fake after all, and a temporal disturbance attracts the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough into the fray. Old enemies are on the scene with a deadly plan - but they might be the least of the Doctor’s worries. Because he’s recently been sent backwards and forwards through his own lifetime… and he’s finally going to find out why.
Audio CD
First published September 7, 2022
1 person is currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Tim Foley
177 books17 followersTim Foley is an artist and illustrator born in Flint, Michigan, in 1962. Over the past quarter century, his clients have included national and international magazines, book publishers, and advertising agencies such as the Wall Street Journal, Cricket Magazine, New York Newsday, LA Weekly, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. He currently lives and works in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 28, 2022
❤️94% = 👍🏼66 👎🏼5 = Great!
-----------------------------------------
The Preview:
Following last year's disappointing Fifth Doctor anniversary release Forty comes this Tim Foley-penned six-part sequel, which shakes things up a bit within the 5DA range. I am excited to hear how well the story flows across a longer-than-usual runtime and whether the story itself feels more like a homage to Five's era than the previous set did.
The Review:
Auton Infinity needs some time to find its bearings as it throws us around different settings and characters from the onset without telling us how they connect. The time and setting are pulled from a Third Doctor-era story, so mixing it with Five and his companions makes for an interesting spin. Once the plot kicks off properly, it maintains a steady stream of dangerous situations, twists and turns that carry it beautifully across all six parts. There's a bit of a timey wimey aspect here as well, with the narrative shifting between different points on a timeline, and it’s gracefully handled as means to add to the mystery; it also prevents the story from turning too stale and formulaic and connects the story to the larger narrative of the Forty line of stories. The latter parts of the adventure can turn somewhat confusing, but Foley holds your hand all the way through, so you'll likely never be completely lost.
The first third of the story is a standard Earth Invasion tale, but the third part slowly morphs into a high-sci-fi mystery, which keeps twisting and turning and keeping the listener vigilant. It's fascinating how well Foley manages to tie Infinity to the greater Forty arc while also telling an intricate and engaging story on its own. The last two parts finally deliver on the long build-up by giving us one of the tenser and more intricately plotted Fifth Doctor stories we've heard so far, and it is all continuously filled with great dialogue and even greater villains.
The Five-Tegan-Turlough TARDIS team works well, and I particularly like how well Mark Strickson returns to his cynical former companion role. Peter Davison is on unusually good form in a stern performance closely resembling the Tenth Doctor. This might very well be the best Davison has ever been in a Big Finish audio, particularly after some of the later plot developments. Foley cleverly explores the deeper emotional sides of this incarnation, and that makes for some of the greatest characterization given to Five so far. Jon Culshaw's take on the Brig is as great as ever while Janet Fielding as Tegan takes some getting used to. Both companions are given plenty to do and they are always a joy to listen to. Fiona Hampton is great as Sergeant Wharry while Lucy Fleming's Veronica makes for an interesting and likeable one-off companion.
As for the villains, I greatly enjoy Prodigal and how she is given a lot of space within the story; she sounds creepy, is well-established and proves to be quite a match even for the Doctor and UNIT. She is also fleshed out and given a great motive for her actions, making her an altogether delicious new villain. Juliet Aubrey voices Prodigal superbly, making her one of my favourite new characters from Big Finish this year! The Master is also delightful (and perfectly captures the Ainley version of the character) and once again impressively voiced by Culshaw. The Nestene Consciousness has always been underutilized in the franchise, and Foley greatly adds to their backstory and mythology here, which I like. That being said, they are mostly a tool in this story, as this is very much the Master's plot from beginning to end.
The music and sound design do a great job of establishing the stakes of the story and its epic scope. The creeping tunes featured in the latter half of the adventure are particularly evocative, so imagining the visuals for this entire story feels natural.
The unusual length of the story allows Time Foley to slowly build the narrative and flesh out the characters, which is reflected in the overall pacing of the adventure. He makes a good job of making the scale of the story be felt from the very beginning, at least. The terror of the Autons (pun intended) and the Master's schemes are firmly established at the end of Part 1 and then duly felt throughout the remainder of the story. This tension is further strengthened by the natural tension within the older and never fractions in UNIT. The story mixes classic tension with eerie and creepy Time Lord mythology stuff and basic action with slower, suspenseful sequences. Everything flies by very effortlessly, so you'll hardly even notice that this is a six-parter.
The second half remains very subtle and slow for a more extended period than I expected, which is important for story purposes, but it rather hampers the flow of the narrative. That said, it also masterfully sets the stage for the epic and emotional final stretch. Because Auton Infinity is, in every way conceivable, a fresh, cinematic and masterfully told Fifth Doctor Adventure.
The Verdict:
Auton Infinity is the Fifth Doctor celebratory story that the first Forty release wanted to be - it's epic, exciting, emotional and cinematic and might very well be one of the best releases from Big Finish this year. Highly recommended!
-----
📝8.9 🎭9.3 🎥10.0 😎9.4 🎉9.3 = 46.9/50
-----------------------------------------
The Preview:
Following last year's disappointing Fifth Doctor anniversary release Forty comes this Tim Foley-penned six-part sequel, which shakes things up a bit within the 5DA range. I am excited to hear how well the story flows across a longer-than-usual runtime and whether the story itself feels more like a homage to Five's era than the previous set did.
The Review:
Auton Infinity needs some time to find its bearings as it throws us around different settings and characters from the onset without telling us how they connect. The time and setting are pulled from a Third Doctor-era story, so mixing it with Five and his companions makes for an interesting spin. Once the plot kicks off properly, it maintains a steady stream of dangerous situations, twists and turns that carry it beautifully across all six parts. There's a bit of a timey wimey aspect here as well, with the narrative shifting between different points on a timeline, and it’s gracefully handled as means to add to the mystery; it also prevents the story from turning too stale and formulaic and connects the story to the larger narrative of the Forty line of stories. The latter parts of the adventure can turn somewhat confusing, but Foley holds your hand all the way through, so you'll likely never be completely lost.
The first third of the story is a standard Earth Invasion tale, but the third part slowly morphs into a high-sci-fi mystery, which keeps twisting and turning and keeping the listener vigilant. It's fascinating how well Foley manages to tie Infinity to the greater Forty arc while also telling an intricate and engaging story on its own. The last two parts finally deliver on the long build-up by giving us one of the tenser and more intricately plotted Fifth Doctor stories we've heard so far, and it is all continuously filled with great dialogue and even greater villains.
The Five-Tegan-Turlough TARDIS team works well, and I particularly like how well Mark Strickson returns to his cynical former companion role. Peter Davison is on unusually good form in a stern performance closely resembling the Tenth Doctor. This might very well be the best Davison has ever been in a Big Finish audio, particularly after some of the later plot developments. Foley cleverly explores the deeper emotional sides of this incarnation, and that makes for some of the greatest characterization given to Five so far. Jon Culshaw's take on the Brig is as great as ever while Janet Fielding as Tegan takes some getting used to. Both companions are given plenty to do and they are always a joy to listen to. Fiona Hampton is great as Sergeant Wharry while Lucy Fleming's Veronica makes for an interesting and likeable one-off companion.
As for the villains, I greatly enjoy Prodigal and how she is given a lot of space within the story; she sounds creepy, is well-established and proves to be quite a match even for the Doctor and UNIT. She is also fleshed out and given a great motive for her actions, making her an altogether delicious new villain. Juliet Aubrey voices Prodigal superbly, making her one of my favourite new characters from Big Finish this year! The Master is also delightful (and perfectly captures the Ainley version of the character) and once again impressively voiced by Culshaw. The Nestene Consciousness has always been underutilized in the franchise, and Foley greatly adds to their backstory and mythology here, which I like. That being said, they are mostly a tool in this story, as this is very much the Master's plot from beginning to end.
The music and sound design do a great job of establishing the stakes of the story and its epic scope. The creeping tunes featured in the latter half of the adventure are particularly evocative, so imagining the visuals for this entire story feels natural.
The unusual length of the story allows Time Foley to slowly build the narrative and flesh out the characters, which is reflected in the overall pacing of the adventure. He makes a good job of making the scale of the story be felt from the very beginning, at least. The terror of the Autons (pun intended) and the Master's schemes are firmly established at the end of Part 1 and then duly felt throughout the remainder of the story. This tension is further strengthened by the natural tension within the older and never fractions in UNIT. The story mixes classic tension with eerie and creepy Time Lord mythology stuff and basic action with slower, suspenseful sequences. Everything flies by very effortlessly, so you'll hardly even notice that this is a six-parter.
The second half remains very subtle and slow for a more extended period than I expected, which is important for story purposes, but it rather hampers the flow of the narrative. That said, it also masterfully sets the stage for the epic and emotional final stretch. Because Auton Infinity is, in every way conceivable, a fresh, cinematic and masterfully told Fifth Doctor Adventure.
The Verdict:
Auton Infinity is the Fifth Doctor celebratory story that the first Forty release wanted to be - it's epic, exciting, emotional and cinematic and might very well be one of the best releases from Big Finish this year. Highly recommended!
-----
📝8.9 🎭9.3 🎥10.0 😎9.4 🎉9.3 = 46.9/50
November 20, 2022
Disclaimer- I did not listen to the first one and only got this one because it was recommended to me. I could follow the story without problems, so I think the first one is not required for understanding.
This release was a nice entertaining story, with lots of action, and we get some Earth as well as space scenes. It was fun listening to it, even if parts were a bit confusing because of the time jumps.
Also nice to see the Brigadier again, and also having a re-match with the Master (which involved the Brig).
I thought the acting was very well done and Davison really is amazing and gives 110% in this.
However, I do not think it was perfect and this release, while fun and entertaining, did not reach "best 2022 releases" for me.
The "individualistic " Autons were a weird choice and just did not really come together for me.
And the real actual goal of the Master still eludes me, besides his usual making a nuisance out of himself and getting into trouble for making over-complicated non-sensical plans.
This release was a nice entertaining story, with lots of action, and we get some Earth as well as space scenes. It was fun listening to it, even if parts were a bit confusing because of the time jumps.
Also nice to see the Brigadier again, and also having a re-match with the Master (which involved the Brig).
I thought the acting was very well done and Davison really is amazing and gives 110% in this.
However, I do not think it was perfect and this release, while fun and entertaining, did not reach "best 2022 releases" for me.
The "individualistic " Autons were a weird choice and just did not really come together for me.
And the real actual goal of the Master still eludes me, besides his usual making a nuisance out of himself and getting into trouble for making over-complicated non-sensical plans.
August 26, 2024
The second half of this celebration of the Fifth Doctor's 40th anniversary consists of a single 3-hour story, Infinity of the Autons. If there is a flaw, it might be that that's a little too long, but there is significantly less padding than you usually got in 6-part stories from the classic era. That isn't to say that it's all breakneck action, however, as there are some strong emotional sections where the Doctor and companions are just talking about their experiences together, which the classic series rarely did, but here help to bring life to, in particular, the Doctor and Tegan's relationship.
Following on from the two episodes in the previous volume, here we visit the third season of the era, with Turlough replacing Nyssa. It's set between Frontios and and Resurrection of the Daleks including some nice foreshadowing of the latter. The story, obviously, involves autons, and it's set in the 1980s, bringing a retired Brigadier into the mix as a major character (after The Five Doctors from his perspective). There's a lot going on, with scenes moving from Wales to an inventive non-TARDIS time machine, an origin story for the Nestene, and plenty of plot twists.
But the point is, perhaps, more a celebration of this era of TV. It throws in everything it can - the Master and Kamelion are on the cover, and there's an unexpected cameo at the end as well. There are quotes from the Fifth Doctor's serials, mention of past adventures, at least one proving crucial to the plot, and so on. Turlough perhaps has less to do than Tegan, who is almost as much the soul of this as the Doctor, but the length of it still gives him space despite the large number of guest characters. Jon Culshaw plays both the Brigadier and the Master perfectly, having nailed the voices of both of the original actors by this point, and there's superb acting from everyone else involved.
In the end, this is a love letter to the Fifth Doctor's era, and if you're a fan of that this should be very much up your street.
Following on from the two episodes in the previous volume, here we visit the third season of the era, with Turlough replacing Nyssa. It's set between Frontios and and Resurrection of the Daleks including some nice foreshadowing of the latter. The story, obviously, involves autons, and it's set in the 1980s, bringing a retired Brigadier into the mix as a major character (after The Five Doctors from his perspective). There's a lot going on, with scenes moving from Wales to an inventive non-TARDIS time machine, an origin story for the Nestene, and plenty of plot twists.
But the point is, perhaps, more a celebration of this era of TV. It throws in everything it can - the Master and Kamelion are on the cover, and there's an unexpected cameo at the end as well. There are quotes from the Fifth Doctor's serials, mention of past adventures, at least one proving crucial to the plot, and so on. Turlough perhaps has less to do than Tegan, who is almost as much the soul of this as the Doctor, but the length of it still gives him space despite the large number of guest characters. Jon Culshaw plays both the Brigadier and the Master perfectly, having nailed the voices of both of the original actors by this point, and there's superb acting from everyone else involved.
In the end, this is a love letter to the Fifth Doctor's era, and if you're a fan of that this should be very much up your street.
September 9, 2022
So it's finally time to get some answers with what's happening to The Fifth Doctor and why a younger version of himself is jumping back and forth across his own timeline. As 40 years of The Fifth Doctor comes to a close, we finally receive the concluding part of a three-story arc, that will change everything.
The Auton Infinity:
A UNIT training exercise requires a fake alien invasion, but something is terribly amiss, The Doctor and co have arrived, but not only that but The Brigadier and an old enemy, The Master who's allied himself once more with The Autons. But things are far more complicated than they initially seem and the universe itself may just be on the brink of total devastation.
Tim Foley has written arguably one of the best Fifth Doctor stories Big Finish has ever produced, it's an emotional, intense epic of a story that concludes the storyline so brilliantly. The cast is on their a-game here, Peter Davison and Jon Culshaw being the highlights of this release. Peter Davison get's so much emotional and action-packed material in this, it's stellar and Jon Culshaw get's to play not one, not two but three characters including the Ainley Master, who at this point sounds so similar to Anthony Ainley it's uncanny.
Overall: I know Forty 1 was a mixed release with people, but this makes up for it by a long shot, an incredible story that celebrates 40 years of The Fifth Doctor in the best way possible. 10/10
The Auton Infinity:
A UNIT training exercise requires a fake alien invasion, but something is terribly amiss, The Doctor and co have arrived, but not only that but The Brigadier and an old enemy, The Master who's allied himself once more with The Autons. But things are far more complicated than they initially seem and the universe itself may just be on the brink of total devastation.
Tim Foley has written arguably one of the best Fifth Doctor stories Big Finish has ever produced, it's an emotional, intense epic of a story that concludes the storyline so brilliantly. The cast is on their a-game here, Peter Davison and Jon Culshaw being the highlights of this release. Peter Davison get's so much emotional and action-packed material in this, it's stellar and Jon Culshaw get's to play not one, not two but three characters including the Ainley Master, who at this point sounds so similar to Anthony Ainley it's uncanny.
Overall: I know Forty 1 was a mixed release with people, but this makes up for it by a long shot, an incredible story that celebrates 40 years of The Fifth Doctor in the best way possible. 10/10
November 19, 2022
Probably should give this a higher rating, because it really is ambitious, both the episode itself and as a capper to the "Forty" trilogy. As with many six-parters, the plot seems to be one thing for a couple episodes, and then heads off in a different direction for the remaining episodes.
And that might be where the weakness sets in. The first two episodes appear to be about how Autons infiltrate a UNIT training exercise, but after that it heads into space, literally and figuratively. It also delves into the origins of the Nestenes, so that's kind of cool. But it really does get kind of hard to follow, after the first two episodes, so it's important to pay close attention. There are also a lot of references to the Fifth Doctor TV era, which you don't really need to know, but the listening is richer if you do.
But as a celebration of 40 years since Peter Davison took on the role, it's very nice with some lovely touches.
And that might be where the weakness sets in. The first two episodes appear to be about how Autons infiltrate a UNIT training exercise, but after that it heads into space, literally and figuratively. It also delves into the origins of the Nestenes, so that's kind of cool. But it really does get kind of hard to follow, after the first two episodes, so it's important to pay close attention. There are also a lot of references to the Fifth Doctor TV era, which you don't really need to know, but the listening is richer if you do.
But as a celebration of 40 years since Peter Davison took on the role, it's very nice with some lovely touches.
September 18, 2022
Lovely wrap-up to the mysteries introduced in the previous box set in January. Fun little run around with all sorts of Doctor Who iconography too.
Jon Culshaw as Kamelion, The Brigadier and The Master is fantastic. Tegan and Turlough are fun in this and Peter Davidson as 5/Auton 5 is given so much material to act his heart out here.
It's nice to see a story that has had a build-up to it and lots of dark/emotional bits (that aren't about Adric's death) that all revolve around the 5th Doctor as 7 and 8 usually get this treatment but these new box sets that have replaced the Monthly Range are giving so much to each Doctor, now all in their own respective ranges.
And, of course, a cheeky cliffhanger much like with the Sixth Doctor last month to get us excited for next year. Simply wonderful.
Jon Culshaw as Kamelion, The Brigadier and The Master is fantastic. Tegan and Turlough are fun in this and Peter Davidson as 5/Auton 5 is given so much material to act his heart out here.
It's nice to see a story that has had a build-up to it and lots of dark/emotional bits (that aren't about Adric's death) that all revolve around the 5th Doctor as 7 and 8 usually get this treatment but these new box sets that have replaced the Monthly Range are giving so much to each Doctor, now all in their own respective ranges.
And, of course, a cheeky cliffhanger much like with the Sixth Doctor last month to get us excited for next year. Simply wonderful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2022
Not to be confused with the episode “42,” I kinda don’t like the title Forty 2. Though at least it has the subtitle The Auton Infinity. Maybe there was too long of a wait between these box sets, because I wasn’t as enamored with this one as the first one, not that I had expectations, really. But there were surprises, such as another companion or two popping up. They made for some nice sentimental moments. These box sets really are love letters to the Fifth Doctor’s era as a whole. There’s more weight to his musing that he could be doing all this for a while once one remembers Peter Davison has been working with Big Finish for over 20 years.
November 5, 2022
Looks like there's another one coming with the way this ended
November 15, 2022
The Doctor, Tegan and Turlough come back to earth and hook up with the brigidier to fight the Autons. or is it the Master disguised as the brig.
July 5, 2023
The Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison) turns 40 this year (2022), and so to celebrate Big Finish produced two boxsets to mark the occasion. The first, Doctor Who: Forty 1, saw the Doctor mysteriously jumping around through his timeline. The first two stories saw him up against the Cybermen and Ice Warriors repectively and saw companions Adric, Tegan and Nyssa share in those adventures. While those were okay, they weren't the epics I expected and barely touched on the Doctor's timeline hopping. This release however, was evrything I wanted and more.
Comprising of a single six-part story The Auton Infinity, this release was a huge epic with Autons, the Master, UNIT, the Brigadier, Kamelion and even a cameo from Peri. The plot revolves around a war game training scenario run by UNIT that the Brig is advising on. Through into this a Nestene Invasion orchestrated by the Master as well as a cool look into the origins of the Nestenes. Our main companions for are Tegan and Turlough who do a wonderful job. The explanation of the Doctor's timeling hopping is well done and Jon Culshaw does really well doing triple duty as The Brig, The Master and Kamelion. If you only get one of these, this is definitely the one to get. It's an excellent celebration of the Fifth Doctor era and just a really good story in general.
Comprising of a single six-part story The Auton Infinity, this release was a huge epic with Autons, the Master, UNIT, the Brigadier, Kamelion and even a cameo from Peri. The plot revolves around a war game training scenario run by UNIT that the Brig is advising on. Through into this a Nestene Invasion orchestrated by the Master as well as a cool look into the origins of the Nestenes. Our main companions for are Tegan and Turlough who do a wonderful job. The explanation of the Doctor's timeling hopping is well done and Jon Culshaw does really well doing triple duty as The Brig, The Master and Kamelion. If you only get one of these, this is definitely the one to get. It's an excellent celebration of the Fifth Doctor era and just a really good story in general.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews