Dalek Empire I: Chapter One - Invasion of the Daleks

Doctor Who: Dalek Empire #1

by Nicholas Briggs

The largest Dalek fleet ever assembled begins its invasion of the galaxy, heading straight for the Vega System.

On planet Vega VI, Suz and Alby take their first, delicate steps towards romance, whiling away a lazy afternoon on the Marsh Lakes. But the Dalek onslaught is already under way.

Who is the mysterious stranger Suz finds amongst the devastated remains of Vega VI? What is Alby's secret? Can the Daleks' relentless advance across the galaxy ever be stopped?

Genres: Doctor Who, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Media Tie In, Fiction, Aliens

1 pages, Audio CD

First published May 1, 2001

About the author

Nicholas Briggs is a British actor and writer, predominantly associated with the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and its various spin-offs. Some of Briggs' earliest Doctor Who-related work was as host of The Myth Makers, a series of made-for-video documentaries produced in the 1980s and 1990s by Reeltime Pictures in which Briggs interviews many of the actors and writers involved in the series. When Reeltime expanded into producing original dramas, Briggs wrote some stories and acted in others, beginning with War Time, the first unofficial Doctor Who spin-off, and Myth Runner, a parody of Blade Runner showcasing bloopers from the Myth Makers series built around a loose storyline featuring Briggs as a down on his luck private detective in the near future.

He wrote and appeared in several made-for-video dramas by BBV, including the third of the Stranger stories, In Memory Alone opposite former Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. He also wrote and appeared in a non-Stranger BBV production called The Airzone Solution (1993) and directed a documentary film, Stranger than Fiction (1994).

Briggs has directed many of the Big Finish Productions audio plays, and has provided Dalek, Cybermen, and other alien voices in several of those as well. He has also written and directed the Dalek Empire and Cyberman audio plays for Big Finish. In 2006, Briggs took over from Gary Russell as executive producer of the Big Finish Doctor Who audio range.

Briggs co-wrote a Doctor Who book called The Dalek Survival Guide.

Since Doctor Who returned to television in 2005, Briggs has provided the voices for several monsters, most notably the Daleks and the Cybermen. Briggs also voiced the Nestene Consciousness in the 2005 episode "Rose", and recorded a voice for the Jagrafess in the 2005 episode "The Long Game"; however, this was not used in the final episode because it was too similar to the voice of the Nestene Consciousness. He also provided the voices for the Judoon in both the 2007 and 2008 series. On 9 July 2009, Briggs made his first appearance in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood in the serial Children of Earth, playing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Rick Yates.

Reviews

[J.E. Remy · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, I love the Dalek Empire series. It does a fantastic job of building the history of the Daleks, while creating an interesting and exciting plot (one surprisingly independent from the Doctor Who plots).

This first story, however, was mostly unnecessary. It's pretty much a prelude to the next three stories, but there isn't anything in it that couldn't have been implied or discussed later. Ultimately, it's too slow an introduction into this world. If you like preludes, go for it. If not, I'm pretty sure you could jump in on the second story and not miss a thing.

The only other complaint I had is that this story introduces the framing narrative that will continue through this season and into the next. It eventually pans out into something interesting, but ultimately I dislike the narration game—it serves to slow the plot and make the action less powerful. I'd like to say that goes away with the second series... it doesn't really.

[Kelly McCubbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. If you're like me, you would've thought that an almost 5 hour long Dalek story sans Doctor would be a lot to bear. Well, we would both be wrong! This first arc in the Dalek Empire series is truly fascinating. This is the transition from Nicholas Briggs being a solid, workmanlike, writer, to being a truly wonderful one.
Briggs brilliantly shifts the focus from one of loud, explosive, battles to concentrating on the plight of individual humans facing ultimate defeat under the Daleks. The implications of a Dalek invasion of your world are appropriately terrifying and the groundwork for the characters you're going to be spending a LOT of time with, Susan Mendez, Alby and Kalendorf, is so promising.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big Finish has done a great job with these "spin-off" audio dramas. I didn't expect to be enthralled with a series that focuses on the Daleks and their assault against previously unknown characters, but I was! This is great sci-fi where the Daleks seem to be using a fascinating psychological approach to getting what they want from their conquered human slaves. All the characters seem well-rounded, and the plot pulls you along with great interest and curiosity about what's going to happen next.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Milky Way is at peace.

After centuries of struggle, the Earth Alliance has been created and all is well.

Then, without warning, the Daleks launch their invasion.

An invasion which threatens to tear apart the fabric of our entire galaxy...

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started great, but I thought the end was a bit meh, I know there are 3 more stories to come in Pt 1, but it would have been nice to get a bit more of a final scene.

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will make a combine review because honestly I can't rate this audiodrama without the rest becuase they are one big story...

Some spoilers ahead...



The Daleks attack a planet and they were enslaved. One of those slaves was Susan Mendes. After the initial attack they made the human work on the mines until exhaustion and afterwards getting more slaves from other planets. Susan Mendes confronted the Daleks and made an arragement with the Dalek Commmander (With the blessing of the Dalek Emperor)- if the Daleks would give them food and rest and they would work better and faster. As Susan Mendes continue to be a bridge between humans and the Daleks her word went throughout the conquered worlds and she became known as the Angel of Mercy.

Meanwhile, with humankind working hard for the Daleks they conquered most galaxy and even Earth. Only one thing remain to defeat the Daleks - Project Infinity. Inittialy this project infinity was a way of looking through other alternative realities and discover a way to defeat the Daleks. It seems this project took hundreds of years to be discover/created. But, The Emperor of the Daleks had other plans for it. In the last audiodrama we understand that the purpose was to bring forth from other reality more Daleks.

So, most of the 2, 3 and 4 audiodramas was about Susan Mendes life and of Alby Brook a spy that worked for Earth Alliance and at the same time the love affair of Susan. One other important character was Kalendorf a man capable of speaking with the mind; Mirana a police of some sort (Bounty hunter is the correct term) and Gordon (Alby's boss).

In the last audiodrama, as the Daleks conquerered Earth Susan Mendes was to broadcast the news but instead she brodcast "Death to the Daleks!" and a rebellion went viral throughout the galaxy with winning on both sides.

As the Dalek Emperor discussed with Dalek Commander we got the hint that was the plan of the Dalek Emperor all along. It seems that everything she plotted against the Daleks was only a way to the Dalek Emperor to learn more about the Human Factor. What makes humankind Human.

It seems, all the fightning, all the conquest and Death was a trial of some sorts.

In the end, the Daleks managed to bring forth the Daleks from an alternate universe but there, the Daleks were different. Their they were the keeppeacers/police of the Galaxy and they united all worlds (not by subjucation or extermination but by peace).

[Roxana Chirilă · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a slow prelude to a story that promises to be interesting. You can feel the ties that bind some characters together, you can be intrigued by what the Daleks seem to be planning. It isn't made of pure genius, but it's fairly decent.

Now, the only real problems I had with this were sound-wise, since I listened to it rather than read it (as it was intended for the audience to do). It's noisy. I had to turn up the volume to hear what characters were saying in the beginning, and then it was too loud and I was straining to figure out what was going on. This might have been intended (you could swear a whole planet was in trouble, to produce this much noise), but I would really, really have preferred it to be more audible. And, while we're on that note, Daleks are cool, but if they talk too much their voices start grating. But, alas, there's nothing to be done about that. Daleks speak as they speak, and that's that.

[Dione Basseri · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, it's only now, looking at the actual title of this audio play, that I realize that it's in no way branded a Doctor Who story, and that helps things significantly. I've spent the last three episodes trying to figure out who is pretending to be human when they're actually the Doctor!

So, overall, it's nice to see a story in that universe where the Dalek threat isn't instantly overcome or we just shoot forward in time to the plot that allows the Doctor to instantly overcome. This is an essentially human story, about enemy occupation and what it takes to survive as a slave. That is, hope and, perhaps more importantly, rebellion.

Excellent scoring, great voice actors, a wonderful pic for DW fans looking for a bit more.

[Kam Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, not perfect. I loved this chapter as I assume I'll love all of them only time can tell with this. But again it's a great introduction to what's to come.

[Gregory Rothbard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quit fun. Was James Bond a modern Time Lord?

[C.A. A. Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had just finished a book and then noticed I had downloaded this audio from Big Finish on my mobile app. I thought I would give it a go as it was only 71 mins in length. I was very surprised at how well the production was done. The sci-fi drama was very atmospheric with the old Doctor Who bad guys, the Daleks. In this particular story, there is no Doctor Who. Instead, we are taken to a planet called Vegas. There is a human colony there and it is about to be invaded. The dialogue was splendid and I would say this story is rather adult. Although it was only 71 mins long, it is part one of a four-part story. If the other episodes are as good as this, I will be pleased. I shall listen to the others in due course. If you are retro Doctor Who fans looking for something a little more adult and with a bit of a bite; then I would recommend giving this a go.

[Stephen Theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I've listened to this before, maybe even a couple of times, before I began to keep track of Big Finish audios on here, but it was still enjoyable. It reminded me of Flash Gordon. Some smashing dalek dialogue.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

アルビーがスーザンにプロポーズをした時、空から宇宙戦艦が墜落してくる。それがダーレクの仕業だとわかり、アルビーは一刻も早く惑星を離れようとスーザンを急き立てるがスーザンは家族や仲間を置いていけないとアルビーの誘いを断る。スーザンはダーレクの奴隷として日々を送ることに。

アルビーが訳ありそうでその正体が判明するのが楽しみ。食べ物もろくに与えられず休みなくこき使われ生きる気力を失いかけていたスーザンがダーレクに啖呵をきり、食べ物と睡眠を手に入れたところで死への恐怖心が生まれてくるというそれを学習し、支配に利用するダーレクは恐ろしいなと思った。

[Shreeya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this would be like Blood of the Daleks but it wasn't and now I'm sad. I am going to listen to the DW monthly range dalek arc because I want the Daleks because Daleks are awesome in the evil way.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating start to this series focused on the Daleks invading Earth. It may feel disjointed but I think the story works better that way like someone discovering the remains of a past invasion. Also seeing the Daleks be not as blatantly manipulative works really well here.

[morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice touch bringing back the Robomen. Gareth Thomas gives a good performance as Kalendorf.

[Billy Martel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Doctorless Doctor Who adventure.

[Isaac · Rating 2 out of 5]

My god it was boring. Elements of the plot were intriguing, but the characters were so bland and annoying, and the story was so slow. And the narration was pointless.

[Livia Bergstrand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just Nicholas Briggs getting free hands to indulge in playing the Daleks and it's wonderful

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m only going to give this one 3-stars. Only because I’m not really sure where it’s going or who I should focusing my attention with. I’m also not sure about the message it’s sending about slaves agreeing to work for better conditions. There are elements of this that sound an awful lot like the rationalizations of the southern white supremacists in the US for me to be completely comfortable with the notion. True, this is different contexts and there is certainly some logic behind it, but there’s a lot of bigotry wrapped up in the mindset for me to be comfortable with the notion without questioning it. But in any case, I’m willing to see how this plays out. Big Finish has almost always delivered on the goods, so a hiccup or two, particularly with at the start of a long story arc as this, can be forgiven.

[Baptiste Coulange · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXTERMINATE