What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fourth Doctor Adventures #11B
Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures, Series 11: The Nine
11.3 The Dreams of Avarice by Guy Adams (4 parts)
The Nine isn't your average robber. A ferociously intelligent and murderous kleptomaniac Time Lord with regenerative dissonance, he’s a far more dangerous adversary than most security details are used to. So it’s useful that the Doctor is on hand to stop him.
This time more than ever - as the Nine is about to pull off the greatest heist of his criminal career. Though could the consequences be far worse than the crime?
11.4 Shellshock by Simon Barnard and Paul Morris (4 parts)
When the TARDIS lands behind German lines at the height of the First World War the Doctor finds himself inadvertently transported to a hospital full of traumatised soldiers. They’re suffering from shellshock but also something else. Something causing vivid nightmares that chill the blood. Something not of this place.
Things are not quiet on the Western Front.
11.5 Peake Season by Lizbeth Myles (2 parts)
After an embarrassing encounter, the Doctor tries to make amends to Mervyn Peake by offering him a trip in the TARDIS. It’s a trip the famous author should never have accepted.
Soon he and the Doctor find themselves trapped in a nameless city and working as newspaper cartoonists.
Where are they? More importantly, where is the TARDIS? And more importantly than that - can they escape with their lives?
The Nine isn't your average robber. A ferociously intelligent and murderous kleptomaniac Time Lord with regenerative dissonance, he’s a far more dangerous adversary than most security details are used to. So it’s useful that the Doctor is on hand to stop him.
This time more than ever - as the Nine is about to pull off the greatest heist of his criminal career. Though could the consequences be far worse than the crime?
11.4 Shellshock by Simon Barnard and Paul Morris (4 parts)
When the TARDIS lands behind German lines at the height of the First World War the Doctor finds himself inadvertently transported to a hospital full of traumatised soldiers. They’re suffering from shellshock but also something else. Something causing vivid nightmares that chill the blood. Something not of this place.
Things are not quiet on the Western Front.
11.5 Peake Season by Lizbeth Myles (2 parts)
After an embarrassing encounter, the Doctor tries to make amends to Mervyn Peake by offering him a trip in the TARDIS. It’s a trip the famous author should never have accepted.
Soon he and the Doctor find themselves trapped in a nameless city and working as newspaper cartoonists.
Where are they? More importantly, where is the TARDIS? And more importantly than that - can they escape with their lives?
- GenresDoctor Who
Audiobook
First published June 21, 2022
19 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 30, 2024
Despite the title of this collection, it consists of three unconnected Fourth Doctor stories, only one of which features the titular character.
The Dreams of Avarice – The first story is a comedy, and in the traditional four-part two-hour format. This is the one that includes kleptomaniac Time Lord the Nine, here accompanied by a gang of robot drones and a reluctant companion (played by comedienne/impressionist Ronni Ancona). The story concerns the Fourth Doctor trying to foil the Nine’s latest caper, despite the fact that he doesn’t initially know what the objective of it is. He is soon joined by a down-to-earth police officer whose exasperation with the Doctor’s eccentricity provides some of the humour.
Tom Baker is on fine form in this one, in a script full of sparkling lines, breezing through the daftness of the plot, berating the police officer for always being two steps behind before eventually warming to him. The Nine, for his part, is played as being mad and irrational even by the standards of his character, which fits the over-the-top nature of his scheme, and of the absurdly wealthy planet that he visits along the way. This is Doctor Who played for laughs, not riotously so, but with performances that allow the listener to overlook just how bonkers it really is... a lot may depend on your willingness to suspend disbelief and whether you find that the comedy elements are worth it. 4 stars.
Shellshock – Following that, we have a switch in almost exactly the opposite direction, to an action-horror story that sees the Doctor arrive in a hospital treating victims of shellshock close to the front lines in WWI. In a twist from what you might expect, however, it is a German hospital and most of the story is told from their perspective, rather than that of the British. This does mean, however, that we get to hear lots of British actors doing German accents (well, it makes a change from American, I guess) – they don’t seem bad or overdone to me, but I'm not German, and one could question how necessary it is.
The story starts out as a mystery about a new method for treating shellshock that appears so instantly effective as to be disturbing, although it later expands to more directly military technology that’s equally anachronistic. I describe it as an action-horror story since much of it feels like military adventure – sneaking about in a German command centre, venturing out into No-Man’s Land and so on – albeit without the protagonists shooting anyone. The horror elements come from the monster, a sinister, vaguely Lovecraftian, presence haunting the trenches, while the companion surrogate is a plucky German nurse who seems perfectly cut out for the role. (Big Finish have done something similar before of course, with 8th Doctor companion Molly, an Irish nurse from the same conflict; fortunately, the two characters are otherwise quite different).
Despite the setting, however, the horror is not the focus of this; it’s there, but the story only zooms in on it in a few places and, if you’re something more Gothic, this isn’t it. But it is enjoyable, occasionally creepy, and feels in the mould of many of the TV stories from the mid ‘70s, with Tom Baker once again delivering a strong performance mixing seriousness when it’s required with a flippant attitude and some good one-liners.
Peake Season – The final story is only an hour long, and once again takes a different tone, if with less success than the two longer ones. Here, the Doctor meets up with author and illustrator Mervyn Peake, taking him on a quick spin in the TARDIS before they find themselves trapped in a strange city whose very existence seems illogical. The story is, as one might imagine, trying to go for the feel of Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy although it doesn’t fall into the trap of having the adventure be the inspiration for the work, since it’s clearly set after that is written.
The early part of the story leaps about a bit, perhaps the result of fitting into a short length. Once we’re in the city, however, things are off-kilter, but it’s honestly rather dull, and while Peake’s abilities as an artist are relevant to the plot, he doesn’t really add much as a character. Everyone else is little more than a caricature – which, to be fair, is part of the point but doesn’t help; I found it all just a bit too odd to readily engage with. Peake himself could get away with it, but this pastiche doesn’t quite manage it. But perhaps those who are bigger fans of his work may find more to enjoy in this than I did, since it hits some of the right notes. 3 stars.
The Dreams of Avarice – The first story is a comedy, and in the traditional four-part two-hour format. This is the one that includes kleptomaniac Time Lord the Nine, here accompanied by a gang of robot drones and a reluctant companion (played by comedienne/impressionist Ronni Ancona). The story concerns the Fourth Doctor trying to foil the Nine’s latest caper, despite the fact that he doesn’t initially know what the objective of it is. He is soon joined by a down-to-earth police officer whose exasperation with the Doctor’s eccentricity provides some of the humour.
Tom Baker is on fine form in this one, in a script full of sparkling lines, breezing through the daftness of the plot, berating the police officer for always being two steps behind before eventually warming to him. The Nine, for his part, is played as being mad and irrational even by the standards of his character, which fits the over-the-top nature of his scheme, and of the absurdly wealthy planet that he visits along the way. This is Doctor Who played for laughs, not riotously so, but with performances that allow the listener to overlook just how bonkers it really is... a lot may depend on your willingness to suspend disbelief and whether you find that the comedy elements are worth it. 4 stars.
Shellshock – Following that, we have a switch in almost exactly the opposite direction, to an action-horror story that sees the Doctor arrive in a hospital treating victims of shellshock close to the front lines in WWI. In a twist from what you might expect, however, it is a German hospital and most of the story is told from their perspective, rather than that of the British. This does mean, however, that we get to hear lots of British actors doing German accents (well, it makes a change from American, I guess) – they don’t seem bad or overdone to me, but I'm not German, and one could question how necessary it is.
The story starts out as a mystery about a new method for treating shellshock that appears so instantly effective as to be disturbing, although it later expands to more directly military technology that’s equally anachronistic. I describe it as an action-horror story since much of it feels like military adventure – sneaking about in a German command centre, venturing out into No-Man’s Land and so on – albeit without the protagonists shooting anyone. The horror elements come from the monster, a sinister, vaguely Lovecraftian, presence haunting the trenches, while the companion surrogate is a plucky German nurse who seems perfectly cut out for the role. (Big Finish have done something similar before of course, with 8th Doctor companion Molly, an Irish nurse from the same conflict; fortunately, the two characters are otherwise quite different).
Despite the setting, however, the horror is not the focus of this; it’s there, but the story only zooms in on it in a few places and, if you’re something more Gothic, this isn’t it. But it is enjoyable, occasionally creepy, and feels in the mould of many of the TV stories from the mid ‘70s, with Tom Baker once again delivering a strong performance mixing seriousness when it’s required with a flippant attitude and some good one-liners.
Peake Season – The final story is only an hour long, and once again takes a different tone, if with less success than the two longer ones. Here, the Doctor meets up with author and illustrator Mervyn Peake, taking him on a quick spin in the TARDIS before they find themselves trapped in a strange city whose very existence seems illogical. The story is, as one might imagine, trying to go for the feel of Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy although it doesn’t fall into the trap of having the adventure be the inspiration for the work, since it’s clearly set after that is written.
The early part of the story leaps about a bit, perhaps the result of fitting into a short length. Once we’re in the city, however, things are off-kilter, but it’s honestly rather dull, and while Peake’s abilities as an artist are relevant to the plot, he doesn’t really add much as a character. Everyone else is little more than a caricature – which, to be fair, is part of the point but doesn’t help; I found it all just a bit too odd to readily engage with. Peake himself could get away with it, but this pastiche doesn’t quite manage it. But perhaps those who are bigger fans of his work may find more to enjoy in this than I did, since it hits some of the right notes. 3 stars.
April 16, 2023
The Fourth Doctor Adventures is such an iconic and nostalgic range for me. Tom Baker is one of my all-time favorite Doctors and having met the man once was amazing, a really funny gentleman. I love listening to this range even when the stories aren't necessarily the best. I wanted to continue with Series 11 after loving the first volume of this series so far!
The Dreams of Avarice:
The Doctor in an attempt to rob a dangerous device, gets taken away for questioning. But it turns out The Nine is coming, a megalomaniac who has 8 other incarnations co-existing with him in his mind. This incarnation whilst not the most dangerous, is very persistent when it comes to collecting stuff and The Nine is desperate to get anything and everything even at the cost of the universe.
Guy Adams has written a really fun story that feels like it would have worked brilliantly in the Graham Williams era. This story is such an imaginative but hilarious piece of fiction that's incredibly fast-paced and bouncy. It's got some terrific ideas, interesting characters, and some really fun but insane cliffhangers! 9/10
Shellshock:
The Doctor arrives in the middle of France, no man's land during one of the worst wars in human history. He's found himself on German lines, but the soldiers are acting very oddly and not just from shellshock either but a crude experiment is being conducted upon them to make the soldiers perfect for war. Things are about to get a whole lot worse however when the tanks start rolling in...
Simon Barnard and Paul Morris have written a really interesting and atmospheric tale about the human psyche during wartime, with some obvious Quatermass elements sprinkled in. It doesn't feel particularly original however since I much prefer another story that had a similar thing going on with the 7th Doctor audio, No Man's Land. But for what this story is, it's really solid. 8/10
Peake Season:
After materializing in Mervyn Peake's home, The Doctor decides to take the good author/artist on a journey of a lifetime. But they arrive in a mysterious city where buildings are exploding and Mervyn's sketches come to impossible life. What's going on here and where is the queen?
Lizbeth Myles has written a fun little story with plenty of wit and imagination. It's a light-hearted little tale with some really hilarious scenes, especially the ending with a very exciting little cameo for fans of the fantasy genre. 8/10
Overall: 25/30
The Dreams of Avarice:
The Doctor in an attempt to rob a dangerous device, gets taken away for questioning. But it turns out The Nine is coming, a megalomaniac who has 8 other incarnations co-existing with him in his mind. This incarnation whilst not the most dangerous, is very persistent when it comes to collecting stuff and The Nine is desperate to get anything and everything even at the cost of the universe.
Guy Adams has written a really fun story that feels like it would have worked brilliantly in the Graham Williams era. This story is such an imaginative but hilarious piece of fiction that's incredibly fast-paced and bouncy. It's got some terrific ideas, interesting characters, and some really fun but insane cliffhangers! 9/10
Shellshock:
The Doctor arrives in the middle of France, no man's land during one of the worst wars in human history. He's found himself on German lines, but the soldiers are acting very oddly and not just from shellshock either but a crude experiment is being conducted upon them to make the soldiers perfect for war. Things are about to get a whole lot worse however when the tanks start rolling in...
Simon Barnard and Paul Morris have written a really interesting and atmospheric tale about the human psyche during wartime, with some obvious Quatermass elements sprinkled in. It doesn't feel particularly original however since I much prefer another story that had a similar thing going on with the 7th Doctor audio, No Man's Land. But for what this story is, it's really solid. 8/10
Peake Season:
After materializing in Mervyn Peake's home, The Doctor decides to take the good author/artist on a journey of a lifetime. But they arrive in a mysterious city where buildings are exploding and Mervyn's sketches come to impossible life. What's going on here and where is the queen?
Lizbeth Myles has written a fun little story with plenty of wit and imagination. It's a light-hearted little tale with some really hilarious scenes, especially the ending with a very exciting little cameo for fans of the fantasy genre. 8/10
Overall: 25/30
October 26, 2025
Part 2 of the 4DAs eleventh series is... Kind of both better and worse than the first. I think the first story is really good, but the second two feel quite filler and average. I appreciate that this box set is longer than Part 1, and the content contained within is definitely 'richer' so far as imagery goes, but when it comes to the actual storytelling, I feel slightly mixed about it.
"The Dreams Of Avarice": John Heffernan absolutely steals the show as The Nine here. A light and easy listen, with some truly funny moments between the Doctor and Probert.
"Shellshock": Another fun solo adventure for the Fourth Doctor. It feels a bit lengthy at times, and I wasn't entirely sure what was going on at points, but it's still a fun historical (with some cool tanks!) And I wish it had remained purely historical rather than leaning too much into Sci-Fi, but it's still a good, self-contained listen.
"Peake Season:" This is an okay two-parter. I liked Mervyn Peake as a one-off companion, the story was decent but also contradicted itself a lot. There were too many so-called 'twists' to the point that the whole story made little sense by the end. The villain was actually a force for good, but also actually a terrorist, and then the real REAL villain who starved her people is allowed to go free by the Doctor because... She's actually not a villain? I don't know, it was very messy, but I did like the premise of 'Why is nobody bothered by all the death and terrorism going on around them?'
Overall, I think "The Dreams Of Avarice" vastly carries this set, so at that point, you may as well buy that release by itself, since for the money, you can definitely get a higher number of far superior BF stories than "Shellshock" and "Peake Season". Just look at the monthly range.
"The Dreams Of Avarice": John Heffernan absolutely steals the show as The Nine here. A light and easy listen, with some truly funny moments between the Doctor and Probert.
"Shellshock": Another fun solo adventure for the Fourth Doctor. It feels a bit lengthy at times, and I wasn't entirely sure what was going on at points, but it's still a fun historical (with some cool tanks!) And I wish it had remained purely historical rather than leaning too much into Sci-Fi, but it's still a good, self-contained listen.
"Peake Season:" This is an okay two-parter. I liked Mervyn Peake as a one-off companion, the story was decent but also contradicted itself a lot. There were too many so-called 'twists' to the point that the whole story made little sense by the end. The villain was actually a force for good, but also actually a terrorist, and then the real REAL villain who starved her people is allowed to go free by the Doctor because... She's actually not a villain? I don't know, it was very messy, but I did like the premise of 'Why is nobody bothered by all the death and terrorism going on around them?'
Overall, I think "The Dreams Of Avarice" vastly carries this set, so at that point, you may as well buy that release by itself, since for the money, you can definitely get a higher number of far superior BF stories than "Shellshock" and "Peake Season". Just look at the monthly range.
September 4, 2022
11B. Doctor Who: The Fourth Doctor Adventures Series 11: The Nine - 4/5 stars
Three fun new adventures with Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor travelling alone.
11.3 The Dreams of Avarice by Guy Adams - 3/5 stars
Fun little story. The Nine is a cool villain. It’s funny that I listened to The Legacy of Time 1.4. Relative Time halfway through this story so I had a bit more understanding of who Thana was. This story was just good. The Fourth Doctor is having a lot of fun here and has some great lines here.
11.4 Shellshock by Simon Barnard and Paul Morris - 4/5 stars
Fun setting with fun characters. Lots of tension and the Fourth Doctor is again, lovely and bouncy as always.
11.5 Peake Season by Lizbeth Myles - 5/5 stars
Really fun ideas explored here. Mervin Peake is a cool little mini companion to the Fourth Doctor. 4 is again, really good here, really fun/funny.
Three fun new adventures with Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor travelling alone.
11.3 The Dreams of Avarice by Guy Adams - 3/5 stars
Fun little story. The Nine is a cool villain. It’s funny that I listened to The Legacy of Time 1.4. Relative Time halfway through this story so I had a bit more understanding of who Thana was. This story was just good. The Fourth Doctor is having a lot of fun here and has some great lines here.
11.4 Shellshock by Simon Barnard and Paul Morris - 4/5 stars
Fun setting with fun characters. Lots of tension and the Fourth Doctor is again, lovely and bouncy as always.
11.5 Peake Season by Lizbeth Myles - 5/5 stars
Really fun ideas explored here. Mervin Peake is a cool little mini companion to the Fourth Doctor. 4 is again, really good here, really fun/funny.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2025
Pretty good use of The Nine. Also thought it was funny The Doctor mistook Melvyn Peake for Tolkien. Apparently this Doctor loves Tom Bombadil, which is fitting given Tom Baker played a Bombadil like character in Star Wars Rebels.
July 21, 2022
Peale Season was hella confusing.
July 25, 2022
3 stories about 4th doctor adventures.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews