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Bernice Summerfield Audio Dramas #1.4
Birthright
A two-part dramatisation starring Lisa Bowerman, with special guest star Colin Baker as Mikhail Vladamir Popov.
'If the human race were to die tomorrow, insect life would carry on regardless. Insects might even become the dominant species!'
Thrown off the Time Path, Professor Bernice Summerfield is trapped in early 20th Century London, with only one of the pair of time rings she needs to get home. At the other end of time, her ex-husband Jason Kane finds himself stranded on a dead world, where the queen of the Charrl demands his help to save her dying race. But all he wants to do is find Benny, and return to the 26th Century.
In the East End a series of grisly murders has been committed — is this the work of the legendary Springheel Jack or, as Benny suspects, something even more sinister? Allied with a Russian detective, she determines to find out. But the master of a grand order of sorcerers has other plans for her...
This story is based on the New Adventure of the same name.
'If the human race were to die tomorrow, insect life would carry on regardless. Insects might even become the dominant species!'
Thrown off the Time Path, Professor Bernice Summerfield is trapped in early 20th Century London, with only one of the pair of time rings she needs to get home. At the other end of time, her ex-husband Jason Kane finds himself stranded on a dead world, where the queen of the Charrl demands his help to save her dying race. But all he wants to do is find Benny, and return to the 26th Century.
In the East End a series of grisly murders has been committed — is this the work of the legendary Springheel Jack or, as Benny suspects, something even more sinister? Allied with a Russian detective, she determines to find out. But the master of a grand order of sorcerers has other plans for her...
This story is based on the New Adventure of the same name.
Audio CD
First published January 1, 1999
28 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Rayner
89 books168 followersJacqueline Rayner is a best selling British author, best known for her work with the licensed fiction based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.
Her first professional writing credit came when she adapted Paul Cornell's Virgin New Adventure novel Oh No It Isn't! for the audio format, the first release by Big Finish. (The novel featured the character of Bernice Summerfield and was part of a spin-off series from Doctor Who.) She went on to do five of the six Bernice Summerfield audio adaptations and further work for Big Finish before going to work for BBC Books on their Doctor Who lines.
Her first novels came in 2001, with the Eighth Doctor Adventures novel EarthWorld for BBC Books and the Bernice Summerfield novel The Squire's Crystal for Big Finish. Rayner has written several other Doctor Who spin-offs and was also for a period the executive producer for the BBC on the Big Finish range of Doctor Who audio dramas. She has also contributed to the audio range as a writer. In all, her Doctor Who and related work (Bernice Summerfield stories), consists of five novels, a number of short stories and four original audio plays.
Rayner has edited several anthologies of Doctor Who short stories, mainly for Big Finish, and done work for Doctor Who Magazine. Beyond Doctor Who, her work includes the children's television tie-in book Horses Like Blaze.
With the start of the new television series of Doctor Who in 2005 and a shift in the BBC's Doctor Who related book output, Rayner has become, along with Justin Richards and Stephen Cole, one of the regular authors of the BBC's New Series Adventures. She has also abridged several of the books to be made into audiobooks.
She was also a member of Doctor Who Magazine's original Time Team.
Her first professional writing credit came when she adapted Paul Cornell's Virgin New Adventure novel Oh No It Isn't! for the audio format, the first release by Big Finish. (The novel featured the character of Bernice Summerfield and was part of a spin-off series from Doctor Who.) She went on to do five of the six Bernice Summerfield audio adaptations and further work for Big Finish before going to work for BBC Books on their Doctor Who lines.
Her first novels came in 2001, with the Eighth Doctor Adventures novel EarthWorld for BBC Books and the Bernice Summerfield novel The Squire's Crystal for Big Finish. Rayner has written several other Doctor Who spin-offs and was also for a period the executive producer for the BBC on the Big Finish range of Doctor Who audio dramas. She has also contributed to the audio range as a writer. In all, her Doctor Who and related work (Bernice Summerfield stories), consists of five novels, a number of short stories and four original audio plays.
Rayner has edited several anthologies of Doctor Who short stories, mainly for Big Finish, and done work for Doctor Who Magazine. Beyond Doctor Who, her work includes the children's television tie-in book Horses Like Blaze.
With the start of the new television series of Doctor Who in 2005 and a shift in the BBC's Doctor Who related book output, Rayner has become, along with Justin Richards and Stephen Cole, one of the regular authors of the BBC's New Series Adventures. She has also abridged several of the books to be made into audiobooks.
She was also a member of Doctor Who Magazine's original Time Team.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 17, 2021
Another relisten on my Benny marathon.
A good audio. I like the fact they're reusing doctor who cast members in the early Benny audios (though and the later ones ;) ).So It was nice to rehear Colin as a Russian detective.
Although, I still hate Jason Kane. Gah, he's even more annoying in this and the way he calls Benny's male partners such as John is uncalled for because he's the one to talk as he goes out/sleeps a lot with a lot of other people himself. He had no right to say that but what can you do? Jason Kane just an idiot.
Overall, I enjoyed it.
17/05/2021-
Why do I still hate Jason Kane. Argh.
A good audio. I like the fact they're reusing doctor who cast members in the early Benny audios (though and the later ones ;) ).So It was nice to rehear Colin as a Russian detective.
Although, I still hate Jason Kane. Gah, he's even more annoying in this and the way he calls Benny's male partners such as John is uncalled for because he's the one to talk as he goes out/sleeps a lot with a lot of other people himself. He had no right to say that but what can you do? Jason Kane just an idiot.
Overall, I enjoyed it.
17/05/2021-
Why do I still hate Jason Kane. Argh.
January 7, 2023
Another brilliant adaptation from a classic Doctor Who New Adventures title. One of the weird things about the NAs is that a lot of the time the Doctor would be mostly absent so his lack of inclusion here isn't too noticeable if you've read the original. Having looked up I can confirm that Aces part in the narrative is now taken up by Benny's ex Jason Kane. It was a great story when I read it thirty years ago and this is still really good. Colin Baker is fun although not the most authentic russian accent it certainly is in keeping with Doctor Who/Big Finish casting. The series had an erratic start but this time ring trilogy really showed that the series had promise and would continue for many years...
September 29, 2020
Another enjoyable listen this one. Even more tension/ suspense than Walking to Babylon, though overall I think I enjoyed this one a little less. It was gripping, but outside of the suspense, it wasn't as interesting. Good to hear more of Benny and Jason, though Jason in this one a bit of an annoying character, even when seeming to try to do the right thing, and nice hearing Colin Baker in a different role as well. The side cast were varied, and were pretty good, I didn't like the New Dawn members but I think that is potentially a reflection that they were reasonably well written as bad guys. I could generally see the twists coming, so either reasonably foreshadowed, or more obvious twists :) I liked the theme of survival / birthright, putting me in mind of Ian Irvine's Three Worlds books, which were driven a lot by the needs of various species to survive, and what they would do in order to survive. All round a good listen, and I look forward to seeing where it leads now.
December 11, 2021
The second adventure in the trilogy was okay but not as great as the first.
February 3, 2021
I've been a bit indifferent to the Benny stuff thus far - it's nice to hear classic who actors in different roles and the stories are entertaining enough - but I do have to say I enjoyed the HECK out of this one. Put something in a historic setting, add a serial killer, then sprinkle a handful of aliens on top and you've got me hooked.
April 6, 2024
While not as good as Walking to Babylon, Birthright is another good installment of Bernice Summerfield. The plot really sets you up in London and brings the world to life. While not being the quickest, and some added scenes to pad out the story, the plot is easy to follow and moves along at a decent pace. The acting is top notch and the audiowork is the best it has been so far in Season 1. 3.5/5
January 16, 2024
All right, but Jason was really getting on my nerves in this one.
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April 8, 2009http://nhw.livejournal.com/976612.html[return][return]brings back Colin Baker rather nicely as a Russian ally of Benny's, and also evokes its Edwardian setting beautifully. Plus Jason seems a bit less shoe-horned in this time, and there's a nice set of tensions between the various goodies and baddies.
November 15, 2020
By this fourth installment, the series has found its voice and format. The character of Bernice is becoming more defined with each episode. Fun time travel story in the interim between classic Who and new Who.
August 22, 2012
Really enjoying this series, and especially like the character of Jason Kane.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews