Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Bone of Contention

Bernice Summerfield Audio Dramas #5.2

by Simon A. Forward, Lisa Bowerman (Narrator)

It's good to get away from the joys of motherhood once in a while. So when the Perloran government call upon Bernice Summerfield to recover a state treasure, she readily obliges. Trouble is, the previous Perloran government traded the artefact away to the Galyari, and to the Galyari, a deal is a deal. So when Benny arrives on the Clutch to ask if the Perlorans can have their Bone back, she soon realises she has her work cut out for her. Work that's complicated significantly by a frightened young Galyari who latches onto her, as if to prove that when it comes to the joys of motherhood, there is no escape. And the growing pains of this particular youngster are set to prove very painful indeed.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published September 2, 2004

About the author

Simon A. Forward is an author and dramatist most famous for his work on a variety of Doctor Who spin-offs. He currently lives and works in Penzance with his wife as a full-time writer.

Forward specialises in sci-fi novels such as Doctor Who. His most recent work is Evil Unlimited for the Kindle. Simon's first published work was the short story One Bad Apple in BBC Books' Doctor Who anthology More Short Trips (BBC Books, 1999). Following this, Simon had a proposal for a Past Doctor Adventure accepted, and the subsequent novel, Drift, was published by BBC Books in 2002.

Having a successful novel behind him, Simon contacted Gary Russell about the possibility of writing for Big Finish's range of audio adventures. The enquiry resulted in him writing the audio play The Sandman (Big Finish, 2002). Simon went on from this to write several short stories for the Big Finish Short Trips volumes, as well two subsequent audio adventures.

Forward also wrote the novella Shell Shock (Telos Publishing Ltd., 2003). This was part of their range of Doctor Who novellas and is now out of print. In the same year, Simon also had another Doctor Who novel published by BBC Books, the Eighth Doctor Adventure Emotional Chemistry (BBC Books, 2003).

2009 saw two novelisations of the BBC television series Merlin, followed by a third in 2010.

2010 also saw the independent publication of an original SF Comedy, Evil UnLtd, in ebook form.

Reviews

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This kind of ties in thematically with the last part of the previous story. I can certainly see parallels between Griko and the potential future for Benny's son Peter. It's pretty good and has links to BF's Doctor Who adventure "The Sandman"

[April Mccaffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another relisten...

tbh, it's been that long ago since i listened to it i forgot what actually happened so like its like listening to it the first time again lol.

Good average audio with Benny on the adventure on dodgy dealers and alien politics involving motherhood.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Si ritorna a un format più basico degli audio di Bernice Summerfield, in cui la Professoressa ha un'avventura in solitaria, con un cast molto ridotto e in cui la trama orizzontale non va molto avanti (non sono i miei preferiti, ma qualcun altro potrebbe apprezzarli, specialmente se li ascolta come stand-alone).
Ancora una volta, Benny si ritrova a fare da intermediaria tra due razze aliene. I suoi committenti, i Perloriani, sono appena usciti da una guerra civile e rivogliono un artefatto, l'Osso della Fortuna (sì, come quello dei tacchini da spezzare a metà), che il governo precedente ha venduto; i Galyari sono invece un popolo di mercanti (dall'aspetto rettiliano, ma presumibilmente di origine aviaria) che vivono in un ammasso di astronavi chiamato La Stretta insieme a molte altre specie. Mentre Benny negozia con i Galyari, un giovane della loro specie, spaventato e malato, cerca rifugio in lei.
Anche in questo caso viene posto l'accento sulla volontà di Benny di allontanarsi da suo figlio per cercare avventura, ma viene anche evidenziato quanto gli voglia bene e che possiede un intrinseco istinto materno, anche verso un ragazzino estraneo.
Robin Bowerman (fratello di Lisa) interpreta il mercante Mordecan, che funge un po' come companion per Benny (anche se più che altro per interessi pecuniari piuttosto che morali).
Gli unici altri due personaggi – i Galyari Tsheshra e Korshal – hanno funzione di antagonisti, ma la distinzione tra giusto e sbagliato non è così netta quando, raggiunto un drammatico finale, ci si chiede se Benny abbia fatto davvero bene ad immischiarsi.


P.S.: Questo è un altro caso in cui la trama si ricollega ad un episodio del Main Range, in questo caso The Sandman con il Sesto Dottore ed Evelyn. Essendo un prequel, non è necessario aver ascoltato l'altro.

[Daniel Cork · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simon A. Forward is a very hit and miss writer in the Doctor Who fandom; his works either hit for people or they don't. I'm in the middle, where some do, but some don't. The Bone of Contention is a return to the cluster with The Galyari, but will it be a hit like 'The Sandman' or a big hard miss like 'Dreamtime'? Let's find out!

Bernice Summerfield, on a mission to exchange goods with the Galyari for a recently restored empire, comes across a terrible secret being hidden away. Why are the Galyari concealing the wishbone? And who is the mysterious child kept under strict surveillance? Bernice is about to realize yet again that not all stories have a happy ending.

Simon A. Forward has written a tight and dramatic script that is evenly paced with some simple ideas involving experimentation and dodgy dealings. It's a heartbreaking story that's very well executed and further explores the cluster.

Overall: A really solid story. 8/10

[Sara Habein · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5)

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid story that does a good job of making use of both Benny's identity as a mother and her identity as an archaeologist. The Galyari and their floating spaceship habitat known as the Clutch are interesting - I gather that they've also appeared in a Doctor Who audio which I haven't heard yet.

[Debra Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bernice tries to help a creature that is created as a warrior but becomes attached to her as her child. What happens next is anyone's guess.

[Anne Barwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable story with a few twists. Nice insight into Benny's maternal instincts.