Torchwood: The Sin Eaters

Torchwood Audio Exclusives #4

by Brian Minchin, Gareth David-Lloyd (Narrator)

Alien larvae in a baptismal font mark the beginnings of a terrifying adventure for the "Torchwood" team in this exclusive audio adventure, read by Gareth David-Lloyd. Searching for the source of a bizarre Rift reading, Gwen, Jack and Ianto find a corpse on the beach, his face covered in hundreds of tiny cuts. Watching from the shadows is a man in black...The Reverend Hayward thinks he has found a way to take away people's sins. The trouble is, his special baptisms tend to take away their lives too. For the creatures he collects and puts in his church font are nightmarish parasites, feeding on their hosts' negative emotions before consuming them. It is up to Torchwood to track them down and destroy them...Written specially for audio by Brian Minchin, the "Torchwood" TV series assistant producer.

Genres: Science Fiction, Audiobook, Doctor Who, Fiction, Media Tie In, LGBT, Science Fiction Fantasy

Audio CD

First published June 4, 2009

Reviews

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, fun listen whilst doing a bit of painting. Very visual story so I'm surprised how well it translated to audio. Very enjoyable. Love Torchwoods black humour and convoluted relationships.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

God I love this one. Gareth David Lloyd is perfect as the narrator. It wasn't necessarily the storyline that I enjoyed so much (even though it's one of the better ones when it comes to the Torchwood tie-ins) but the dialogues and interactions of the team.

[Emilija · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 50 Prompt Eighth Doctor Reading Challenge - Companions & Allies - 17) A Story Where Memory Is Weaponised (For Liv Chenka)

The best part of this audiobook is definitely Gareth David-Lloyd's narration. I've heard a few of his narrations before, so I knew he was decent, so this was one of the ones that I was excited about in this run of BBC original audio stories. As many people have said in other reviews, David-Lloyd does a fantastic Captain Jack narration, but he was just fantastic in general other than that.

The plots of these stories have been a bit meh, and this one ties back into a previous story more than the others have, so it's starting to feel like a good thing to have started listening to them in order rather than if the stories are all one offs. This story was a little bit creepy, but the idea of the sins returning is a little frustrating, especially as I wasn't a great fan of the previous story that dealt with sins, but I did like how it was handled differently.

[Sani Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite audio books. I loved the creepiness of the book and the fact that there are still matches out there and that cabbie wasn't the only one.
I miss the old team all the time, but Brian manages to show us the strong, loyal friendship between these three lovely characters.
Also I have to say, that Gareth David-Lloyd is a great reader, he imitates other characters voices perfectly, especially Jack's, there were times that I thought it was John Barrowman reading himself.
Long story short, great one, get this after you've heard rest of the Torchwood audio books (not radio dramas), check the list of all of them on Wikipedia.

[Jenette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was enjoyable enough, the addition of Rhys dulls the ache a little from having to experience pre-Children of Earth Torchwood without Owen and Tosh. It had a few things going to it, the least of which was Ianto getting to break in a few new toys. Solid enough plot with enough backdrop of personal lives to give the characters an appropriate amount of depth without making the whole take about them.

[Eri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can only praise Gareth as narrator.

Even if I don't think I'm gonna turn into audiobook fan, Gareth David-Lloyd did outstanding job reading this. He did really sound like characters whose words he was speaking, and gave it some little extra feeling.

Just, please don't judge me, I fell asleep several times listening to his lovely voice xD

[Jolie Bonnette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually found it amusing that Gareth David-Lloyd's Jack Harkness impersonation actually improves to passable as the narration goes on. :-D This is a classic Torchwood story with equal parts drama and humor. The interactions were perfectly in character and believable. This could easily have been made into a television episode.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobooks sometimes leave me wondering about dropped threads, and there are a few here, but it gets lots of stars because of the reading chops of the narrator, Gareth David Lloyd, who was fantastic overall, not to mention the only person I've heard manage a really good John Barrowman voice who wasn't John Barrowman. Also, an excellently creepy premise in true Torchwood style.

[Elly · Rating 3 out of 5]

a fairly good one! and again, david-lloyd’s reading enhances the writing by quite a lot. the music is also much better in this audio story than in the previous ones, less obnoxious + overpowering.

one thing i found really strange, however, was that the characters were all quite mean to each other? gwen was mean to rhys, and then jack + ianto were mean to gwen?! it felt like more than playful bantering, too. aside from this, the characterisations were pretty good; nobody felt like a caricature of themselves.

another problem that i find in almost ALL of these torchwood audios is that the authors really don’t know how to write jack. and it’s understandable, as he’s a rather difficult character to get right, as you need to capture his authority and darkness, but also the juxtaposing silliness and wit. but it is something that stands out quite a lot.

one moment i like in particular is when ianto thinks: “how many times throughout history had jack bleached his teeth?” […………] “—or did they grow back with his body?”

it just made me chuckle :D i enjoy when things like this are mentioned/questioned, as it just makes it feel more realistic.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable audio adventure in that weird space post-season 2 and pre-Children of Earth. It was fun and exciting with solid writing from Brian Minchin and Gareth David-Lloyd does a good job with the narration. I was even pleasantly surprised by his impersonation of Jack.

This is all Torchwood dealing with a Torchwood problem as well as Torchwood can, and it would've worked great as an episode if there was an extra season before Children of Earth. The last line hits pretty hard, and left me grinning at the end of the production. I'm very impressed and I would definitely recommend this for any fans of the show.

[Yvonne Alf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! The story was interesting and quite creepy. And yes, I just love listening to Gareth's voice. In the beginning I had a bit of trouble sorting out who's speaking when, but it got more distinctive quickly. I loved the interaction between the characters, we got plenty of Jack and Ianto and some indepth look into Gwen's character. Sometimes Ianto came across a bit childish, but... why not. It definitely turned into fun situations. :)

[Taaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

What's with the religious thing and the way too quick, anticlimatic ending? That was the second audio play in a row with that problem in the Torchwood file collection O.o

Though this one was better than the one before, it at least made more sense.

[Lyndsay-ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was fun. Set between seasons 2 and 3 it just has Ianto, Jack and Gwen. The aliens are weird and the ending felt a little easy, but I enjoyed the interaction between Jack and Ianto. Was read by Gareth David-Lloyd and it was great to listen to Ianto's actor. He also did a great Jack voice.

[Gabriel Mero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gareth David-Lloyd is superb and did a great job narrating this story. His Jack impression was spot-on!

[Tala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I bought this off Audible because Solas’ voice actor reads this and all I hear is Solas reading. LMFAO WORTH IT.

[Moli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good narration and use of music! All the characters are really well defined it's an amazing experience listening to this reading. I wish it were longer!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like when Torchwood extra content feels like an apology for the show

[Rhys Causon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was fine, not great, not terrible. Fine.

Just a very average day at work for the Torchwood team taking down an alien threat that found itself in the coastal areas of South Wales.

[Tasha Mahoney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has been my least favourite so far, but it's still well written.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gareth was a fun reader who does a good impression of Jack. Fun story with some good character dynamics if a bit let down by the abrupt ending.

[Vanna Book-Mage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrator was really good and I enjoyed the story and the references in this one.

[Seb Hasi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very different style of story here even if the idea is questionably similar to the previous Torchwood audio ‘in the shadows’. The flexibility in the concept of sin allows for this story to be distinct and it makes for an interesting listen. With the cast now reduced down to Jack, Gwen, and Ianto there are less worries about having to give people dialogue just to remember they’re present. There is a lot of drama and tension especially in the latter half of the story which is nice and keeps you interested but honestly; it just isn’t enough. The lack of a real adversary and the rather simple resolution takes away massively from the suspense and drama, leaving you appreciating the strong writing but that’s all really. There are definitely aspects to the story that keep you hooked but with the result being a real downhill slide, I can hardly see myself re-listening soon.

[Derelict Space Sheep · Rating 3 out of 5]

42 WORD REVIEW:

This short book comes across very much like a novelised Torchwood episode, with snappy action scenes and characteristic dialogue (well mimicked by Gareth David-Lloyd). The alien threat is built up more than the dénouement might warrant, but this too is in keeping.

[Jules Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the series of Torchwood audiobooks read by cast members, and the first to be read by Gareth David-Lloyd. This one is only available as an audiobook, not in print. I bought it because I'd heard a sample of David-Lloyd reading an audiobook, and thought he was a good reader. It was well worth the money. The story's the usual competent tie-in work I've found with previous Torchwood books, and David-Lloyd is an excellent audiobook reader.[return][return]The story itself is set between series 2 and series 3, with references and foreshadowing that tie it firmly into the series universe for those who've seen the referenced episodes, without excluding those who haven't seen them, or overwhelming the story. The basic plot is standard monster-of-the-week fare for the Torchwood corner of the Whoniverse -- an alien castaway courtesy of the rift, its threat magnified by the meddling of local humans who don't understand what they're playing with. In this case it's alien insect larvae which feed on human emotions, and a vicar who thinks he's found a way to heal people of their sins and guilt. It's competently written, with a good look at love and the complexity of human emotions, but there's nothing particularly noteworthy here. [return][return]What does stand out is the characterisation, which is as good as you'd expect from the man who was script editor for the show. One thing which I particularly liked was that it showcases both the Gwen/Rhys and the Jack/Ianto relationships, while still acknowledging the attraction between Jack and Gwen. There are a lot of small details which build on what we've already been shown in the tv series, showing how the characters and their relationships are developing and changing. It's a particular joy to see the playful and affectionate side of both romances.[return][return]Gareth David-Lloyd does an excellent job of reading the book. He's a good reader when it comes to the mechanics of reading aloud, well paced and with good tonal colour. He's also very good at portraying the various characters already known to listeners from the tv series, getting most of them spot on in their dialogue. It's usually clear who's speaking, even without dialogue tags -- and you can tell the difference between narrator and Ianto's dialogue. He even mostly gets Jack's American accent right. I hope he's invited to do more of the audiobooks.[return][return]At two full-length CDs, it's a lot longer than a standard tv or radio episode, but with it being an audio book you'd expect that for the same basic story. I didn't feel that it was padded or too long. It feels about the same as reading one of the print tie-in books. Minchin makes good use of the format, taking advantage of being able to show interior monologue without crossing too far into telling rather than showing.[return][return]I enjoyed this a lot, and happily listened to it again a couple of weeks after the first time through. Definitely worth the attention of Torchwood fans in general, and very much recommended for fans of both Ianto Jones and Gareth David-Lloyd -- both the character and the actor are well served by this title. [return][return]Available as both CD and download.[return][return]http://julesjones.livejournal.com/344...

[Nicholas Whyte]

"http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1259234.html[return][return]You won't find this in dead tree format: it is an audiobook read by Gareth David Lloyd, who plays Ianto Jones in the series, and written by the show's script editor/assistant producer.[return][return]To get the obvious out of the way first: it's a monster-of-the-week story, with a resolution that effectively hits the reset button so that the world is not much changed after the events described. But I think it is a very good story of its kind. The Sin Eaters derive from Christian theology, and infiltrate their victims via a special form of baptism, with inevitably nasty consequences. It would be very easy to write a very stupid religion-and-Torchwood story; but Minchin confidently takes Gwen and Rhys through matters ecclesiastical, in what for me is the slightly foreign church environment of South Wales.[return][return]The brutal reduction in the core cast at the end of Torchwood's second series means that we have only Jack, Ianto, Gwen and Rhys left as central characters. There is a neat contrast in the relationships - Gwen/Rhys, married over a year now; Jack/Ianto, still at the frenetic fumbling stage; and also Rhys's friend Matt whose stag night provides the catalyst for the story as a whole. Given the extra space (2 CDs of audiobook is worth several Torchwood episodes) we get a lot of decent exploration of love and religion in the world of Torchwood, though I felt that the author would gladly have given us more if space had allowed.[return][return]Also, Gareth David Lloyd is an excellent reader, switching easily from strong to weak Welsh accent depending on character, and also doing a good job on Jack's American. He is recognisably Ianto from the start, but (of course) more so when in character, and also carries a conviction that lifts the various character moments and vivid descriptive passages tremendously. I was disappointed by the first Torchwood audiobook I tried, and probably wouldn't have bothered with this one if I weren't related to the author, but I will try some more in future."

[osoi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Много-много Йанто, а читает и вовсе Gareth David-Lloyd. У него приятный голос, правильная тональность режимов narrator/character, играть с акцентами ему удается первоклассно, в общем – сплошное удовольствие. Теперь я, как начинающий торчвудский задрот, хочу получить значок «послушал весь каст в аудиоформате» хД

Персонажи достоверно каноничны, но меня успела достать своевольность Йанто в отношениях с Джеком в присутствии Гвен, это его молчаливое, но красноречивое «я тут трахаю босса, ок». Вот уж что престранно и противно даже. Я не думаю, что у них там по задумке были только розочки-цветочки, но мне Йанто больше нравится разносящим кофе ._.

Кроме милых сценок Джек/Йанто отмечу религиозную подоплеку, бессовестно ввинченную в историю. Кто такие sin eaters? Да какие-то очередные жулики, отбиравшие хлеб у средневековой церкви, «забирая» у умирающих грехи, – конечно, за умеренную плату. В наши дни один неистовый священник находит способ освободить людей от всех грехов, но он опрометчиво забыл прочитать инструкцию... Все как обычно.
Катализатором истории становится друг Риса, пропавший после бурного мальчишника. В наборе: мерзкие твари-личинки, трупы стопкой и священный фанатизм. Сюжет оригинальный, но на любителя. Я не большой ценитель подобного треша, да и развитие событий до ужаса медленное для двухчасовой истории. Вроде бы уже все известно про этих тварей, но надо же еще часок побегать-поискать источник проблем. Это утомляет ._.

Открываются интересные факты: например, торчвудский хаб содержит в себе больше секретов и тайных дверей, чем казалось, а корпоративный SUV так вообще напичкан неопробованными технологиями. Йанто выступает в роли эксплорера, естестно)

Спасибо только за GDL (я бы еще что-нибудь послушала в его исполнении) и каноничное торчвудское приключение. А еще там есть намек Джека на то, что исландцы – тоже инопланетяне. Этапять)))

annikeh.net

[Snuffles · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all: I never managed to get what's so great about audio books. I tried a few and usually ended up with my mind anywhere but where it should be. Still, I gave this a try because it is read by Gareth David-Lloyd. I love the character he plays on the show and I love the way he talks. On top of that I saw a little clip of him on the internet where he reads a few pages of a book and thought he did that brilliantly. Thus I figured: well, even if I can't follow the story I at least get to listen to him read in that wonderful voice and accent of his.

I am so so glad that I gave it a try!

Gareth David-Lloyd does a fantastic job. He managed to completely captivate me and made me forget that I was just listening to him telling the story. I saw everything like a film in front of my inner eye.

The story itself is also well written and entertaining. Everyone felt very much in character and their lines were dead on. This audio book really made me ache for more of the same. I loved the little details which were added. Uhm, you'll see what I mean when you listen to it. I don't want to spoil anything for you! :)

In conclusion: it was absolutely amazing! I loved every minute of it. :D

[Leila Anani · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second favourite Torchwood audio again featuring alien insects (Hmmmm I'm definitely spotting a pattern here!) An alien that feeds on negative emotions? comes through the rift and settles in a wreck under the sea. It sends out larvae to feed from the sins of people. A priest gets hold of some and starts a very unconventional flock. Gwen, Ianto, Jack and Rhys (working the case from a different angle when his mate disappears) investigate.

I love the idea of sin eaters in the first place and having them as alien insects just put a huge grin on my face. Also the horror level on this one with the freaky flock is great.

It's read by Gareth David-LLoyd (Ianto) and his Welsh accent gives the horror scenes extra creepiness somehow.

While I miss Owen very much, this story is one of the better ones without him. Fans of Ianto/Jack will be delighted as they are very much an item in this one and their interaction is fun.

Big thumbs up here, this is Torchwood at it's best, freaky and dark and embracing it's LGBT fanbase.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story’s plot I found quite intriguing, linking alien larvae to religious fervor, leading to terrifying results. The plot I wouldn’t say is exceptionally strong, although it held my attention; the ending is meh.

What really made this story was GDL’s reading, namely his spectacular performance as the narrator -- he managed to capture all the characters’ voices and personalities exceptionally well and make the entertaining moments even more entertaining. Minchin’s familiarity with the characters is also to be applauded. Given Ianto’s general lack of screen time over the seasons, I felt this audiobook showcased GDL’s acting talents very well. Audiobooks also allow an insight into character dynamics like no TV episode can, both team dynamics and personal relationships.

Overall an enjoyable listen!

[Alicja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read entirely by Gareth David-Lloyd, the first time I listened I checked out within five minutes of hearing that wonderful voice of his. His accent is divine and, when I actually paid attention to it, the voices he does for each character are perfect (including Jack's American accent).

The story is interesting and typical Torchwood. Strange things happening in Cardiff and, oh surprise, it's aliens! This story has a bit of a weird religious spin to it but that just makes it more interesting. I don't want to spoil the plot so I won't go into it but this is one of my favorite TW stories out there (even if I still miss Tosh and Owen). All the team members (and Rhys) are in character and we even see a lot of Jack and Ianto interaction as they work together which we don't get much in the show.