Doctor Who: The Rising Night

BBC Doctor Who: New Series Audio Exclusives #4

by Scott Handcock

An exciting audio original adventure. The TARDIS arrives in an 18th Century village in the Yorkshire Moors, where livestock has been vanishing from the farmland and strange lights have been seen in the skies. Something is very wrong here, and he soon becomes involved in a nightmarish adventure, in which he is helped by a young local woman named Charity. Who is feeding on the blood of the locals, and where will the carnage stop? Written specially for audio by Scott Handcock, "The Rising Night" is read by Michelle Ryan, who played Christina in the TV episode "Planet of the Dead."

Genres: Doctor Who, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Fiction, Fantasy, Horror

Audio CD

First published June 6, 2009

Reviews

[Jim C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating is 3.5 stars.

This is an audiobook based on the television show. This one has The Tenth Doctor with no companion. In this one, he travels to eighteenth century England to a little town that is consumed by darkness. This darkness is caused by an alien creature that is similar to a vampire.

I enjoyed this book as it is basically your monster of the week adventure. I am here for The Doctor dealing with vampires in a moor that brings forth an atmosphere found in a Sherlock Holmes novel. The first half was a little slow as we get the new characters and the setting. It just didn't grab me. When we get to the meat of the story in the second half I loved it. The aspect I enjoyed the most is that this was a little darker than most of the adventures set in this universe. This story has repercussions and it was nice to see. As for the narration it was fine. I did have one problem with it and I am not sure if it was the narration or the story itself. The portrayal of The Doctor felt more like Matt Smith's Doctor than it did of David Tennant's Doctor. I believe if this story was a story of The Eleventh Doctor I would have enjoyed it a little more.

This is part of a series of audiobooks set in this universe. Each story can be read on its own. I am enjoying the series and I enjoyed this audiobook. It isn't the best one in the series and it isn't the worst one either. It was a little nice side adventure with The Tenth Doctor that kept me listening.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very cool and would have made a good tv episode.

[mira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it, and please can someone give the audio narrator an award for the perfect portrayal of the 10th Doctor's character? Her performance was amazing

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was wicked rough. Desperately in need of editing to clarify characters who often slipped into non-period phrases or non-Doctor-esque mannerisms and a heavy-handed cutting of lots of overly long repetitive sections. The narrator did her best but this story she had to work with felt flat. The only reason I managed to finish it is that it is really short and I had nothing else to listen to.

The Doctor wakes up and is ensconced in a village in an 18th century English village where it appears that the sun has not risen or shown through in 3+ weeks. Villagers think the Doctor is a demon. After multiple overly long "But you're a demon!" "No, I swear to you, I am not" scenes and lots of the usual confusion around the doctor's arrival drawn out far too much; we get into the meat of a rather simple story: alien lifeform sucks life from her victims; last of her kind; trapped by old Sisterhood and only recently unwittingly released. There's a romance between the girl the Doctor meets (Charity) and her husband Nathanial but it's very limp and then played up hugely at the end as if it had been a huge driving force all along.

This one was just a miss. From the Doctor being uncharacteristic at points to the rather boring "monster of the week" and completely tepid ending (how do you make a scene with bodies flying around and being murdered left and right BORING?!?) this was not an audio adventure to recommend.

[Brooklyn Tayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! This was amazing! One of the more angsty Doctor Who stories I've come across - but oh it was beautiful and rather profound! Like I said, how I wish it was an episode! I was visualising everything happening as I was listening to it - and I thought the story fitted perfectly along with The Tenth Doctor - I definitely recommend this to fellow Whovians :D

[Kimberley doruyter · Rating 3 out of 5]

so sad, why was this never an episode?

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Michelle Ryan's performance a whole lot more than I thought I would. The story itself was fine, but it's a Doctor-only story, and I think I prefer Doctor-and-companion stories overall.

[Frank Davis]

Currently updating my reads for the end of 2023, I listened to this and a bunch of other Big Finish Doctor tales (some twice) towards the end of the year, mostly because I was too busy thinking about other things to focus on new stories and the comfort of the familiar voices was a welcome relief from other stresses. Unfortunately I have left it too long to give any story-specific details, but I will inevitably listen to these many more times in future and will hopefully be able to say something more substantial. Suffice it to say that these are just excellent. Production quality is top notch and the storylines are as good and sometimes even better than the TV episodes.

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually prefer the stories that have the Doctor and a companion but this one was actually really fun. Reminds me a lot of the Ten and Rose episode with the werewolves and Queen Victoria in terms of setting and mood so if you liked that episode you might like this story. I listened to the audiobook so I got the abridged version of the story but I think whoever does the editing for the audiobooks generally does a really good job of making the story still flow well despite things obviously being cut out.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit of a darker one and I loved the Doctor in this.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

t's October, so it's time to start throwing some good halloween monsters into the reading regimen. Doctor Who : The Rising Night features "the tenth doctor" (my favorite) having to once more save Earth from a dire threat. In this book he's doing battle against a vampire/zombie/siren/banshee-ish alien who rips and shreds like a werewolf. This alien is hell-bent upon taking over the world and ruling it with exactly the kind of leadership style you'd expect from such a creature, so Doctor Who really needs to act fast to keep this threat from getting out of control.

Scott Handcock did an excellent job of putting David Tennet's Doctor Who style onto the page, while Michelle Ryan did a great job of voicing that style. I enjoyed the book, and it is the month of halloween, but you know, vampires. I'm starting to get a little burned out on these particular undead beings, and while it was a nice twist to give the aliens in this story some of the characteristics of other familiar monsters, in the end, they were at the core vampires with the same ultimate vampiric weakness. A more creative, less vampire-like demise for these aliens would have been cool--there's just no other way to say it.

The story was a short one, so it's a good quick listen (audiobook), and as I mentioned above, the tenth doctor's style was so evident in this book it was very easy to become absorbed in the story. Certainly one that a Whovian can enjoy.

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Tenth Doctor post Donna adventure is spooky and romantic and emotional. While the setting isn't particularly intersting or exotic the alien adversary is very cool.

This is one of those very bitter sweet DW stories so be forewarned.

Definitely one of the better DW audiobooks even though it is NOT narrated by an actor from the show. David Tennant's characterization comes out so strongly which is a credit to both the writing and the narration.

The temporary companion in this story is also instantly likable to the point where I wanted there to be more stories of their travels together.

[Joe Pranaitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Scott Handcock brings us a tale where the Doctor faces a species of banshee that had crashed on Earth centuries ago. The story opens up with the Doctor walking up and facing a group that don't like outsiders. They blame him for what is going on but in reality its the banshee species that in closed their village within a force field in order for them to change the brightness into darkness so they can run around without being destroyed by the sunlight. The Doctor and the only woman in the village that believe him attempt to silence the banshees but first he gives them an option which is to go with him so that they can have a planet of their own. They refuse and the Doctor dose what he dose best and defend the planet while the one woman protects her husband before deciding to go with the doctor to look for a planet where she can live in darkness and peace. This is a good audio and Michelle Ryan brings life to the characters along with music from the series. I recommend this audio for all 10th doctor fans.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up as part of a compilation of Dr Who (10th Doctor) audiobooks when I had a spare credit to spend on audible (and as part of their 2-for-1 sale), this was the fourth story in that compilation.

And the first NOT to be read by either David Tennant or Catherine Tate themselves - instead, this is read by Michelle Ryan.

This is also very much a horror-themed story, with the Doctor (between companions, after Donna but before Martha) waking up in the 18th century Yorkshire Moors, where night has fallen (and stayed for weeks on end) and where the local villagers are all mysteriously disappearing one by one ...

Basically, Doctor Who does vampires.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook of this.

David Tennant is my favourite Doctor. I think his catch phrases and humour are great.

So while I did enjoy following him on this adventure and I’m glad I read/listened it.

I would also say it’s not my favourite.

I think because he didn’t really manage to save the day. A lot of people in the village died, he couldn’t save the girl. Plus she abandoned her love.

I guess you win some you lose some.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily one of the best stories in this collection, kept my attention from start to finish and whilst bittersweet it channelled enough of the Tenth Doctor's humour to be an amusing and entertaining listen. Well read by Michelle Ryan.

[M.G. Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of a collection of 10th Doctor audio stories from Audible, this was a dark and intriguing tale and arguably the best of the volume up to this point. With Doctor-only stories, you need a solid one-off companion with a strong personality, and Charity filled that roll with ease.

[Susie Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was kind of mid for me. It had a strong start, a messy third act with a whole lot of exposition that didn't feel organic, then a very melancholy ending where is was kind of a tragically beautiful? I don't know, my feelings are mixed.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrated by the woman who plays the character that I always wished we would have gotten more of, and I loved the narration before I realized who she was.

[Discoverylover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically got this out of the library because I couldn't sleep and figured I wouldn't have to think about it, which was true!

[Daiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

story 4/5
narration 3/5

[Angela Meas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorry, the narration is terrible. I couldn’t even finish it

[Helen (they or he) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hi, I hate this story. I don't like the narration, the characters, or the plot.

Let's never talk about this one ever again, how about that?

[Elodie Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Best study of the tenth doctor post-donna I've seen outside of the show itself. Heartwrenching in all the right ways, with interesting use of a classic monster concept

[Porzellanfuchs · Rating 2 out of 5]

4/10

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why couldn’t he take him with her! He could adjust to the dark..right?..

[Zee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad story with an attempt at a happy ending, which I'm not sure works. Still a great adventure.

[Viviana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too..trying to be Ten and I do not accept..*hmph* ..but I enjoyed 2.8 stars of it, maybe..
[audiobook]

[Electroclan17 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stopped caring about halfway through, but since it was short I finished it anyways. It's very forgettable. It also doesn't feel like a Doctor Who story.

[Elise Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vampires and the Doctor? Delightful. I would have loved to see Charity as a companion.