The Blood Furnace (#228)

    Big Finish Main Range

 

Another lively romp with Ace, the Doctor, and Mel running around, trying to save the world. This time there are aliens using humans to build a spaceship on Earth. Neuromancers, of a kind, and the Doctor is having none of that. For once his plan to thwart them is planned in advance, with the cooperation of the team, but the aliens with magic spells aren’t very good at using them, apparently. Or else they’re hesitant to use them as they don’t seems to be able to stop any of the Doctor’s plans. I thought there would be more spell casting going on but it only happened at a few key points in the story.

Why don’t they cast spells more often, especially since they conquered their universe? Only because they don’t do well around digital technology? That was the big failing, which at least wasn’t overused. Like the aliens who are allergic to water yet invade Earth (duh – what a movie), these aliens don’t seem to understand the place they’ve been dealing with for perhaps a dozen years. Or perhaps it’s just the ego of their leader, Carolyn. It just felt a bit off, though the team each got to do what they’re best at again, except Mel who kept blowing up computers instead of hacking them. Crisis a bit too easily averted there, too. Odd story, though I enjoyed it overall.


Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Bonnie Langford (Mel Bush), Julie Graham (Carolyn), Jade Anouka (Danuta), Todd Heppenstall (Stuart Dale), Clare Calbraith (Orla), Louis Tamone (Vinny), Ignatius Anthony (Lee)

Writer: Eddie Robson

Director: Ken Bentley

Release: August 2017

© Laura Vilensky 2019