Epoch
I own a lot of stories now. The benefits of being my age
means I have that little bit more money to spend before I have to reduce what I
can splash out on. While that’s great, it also means that I have a tendency to
buy new stories, rather than returning to old ones. And you can see that it
takes a really special tale for me to return to something within a year of my
first listen. That’s what Epoch is, really special.
It begins with The Kraken’s Lament. A simple love story about a queen weeping for her missing husband. Except, this is a Bernice Summerfield story, which means it’s never that simple. Following on from Dead Man’s Switch, Benny has reached Zordin, only now it has been reassigned as Atlantis, a true representation of the classic legend (Minotaur’s and all). This becomes the setting for the box set, with Benny having lost her memories of everything following her shuttle trip to Zordin and her exact reason to be in Atlantis. This works rather well, meaning that those listening for the first time without knowledge of Year Zero can catch up, just as Benny has to. It may not be the most effective method, I would have been lost on certain references without the foreknowledge, but it does make an attempt to keep the listener enthralled.
Where The Kraken’s Lament really worked for me was the narration. This doesn’t normally work for me, but Acanthus’s speech is really gripping, his tales of the ‘winged goddess’ providing the bases for this tale. Without it, it would be too much of a standard affair. The main plot doesn’t really add much, simply providing something to intrigue Bernice whilst she works out the problems around her.
Next is Temple of Questions. Unfortunately this has to be the weakest in the set, not because it’s bad, but just because the rest are stronger, more epic. Temple of Questions introduces us to Ruth and Leo for the first time as well, a strong trio of leading characters for half the stories presented here. Ayesha Antoine does a good job of bringing Ruth to life. While here she could be forgotten as nothing simple, as her story progresses over time (and a few more series), she becomes a loveable character. Here she seems a bit two dimensional, but that’s only because she hasn’t had time to develop yet. Given a chance, she does shine.
The selling point of this tale is the confrontation between Bernice and the Great Leader, or Poseidon as it’s now being known. This was fairly surprising so early on in the set, revealing an enemy that has been tantalised for a while now. Yet, given the direction the rest of the series takes it only seems natural it happens here, and sets up the reveal of a far better rival.
The unexpected Private Enemy No. 1 continues the series. After a good set up, the last few two episodes left me expecting more of Atlantis for a while, but then it gets ripped away. As Atlantis falls again, reality becomes twisted, friends become foes and old forces rip away, until nothing remains. Private Enemy No. 1 really plays out like a series finale, in the veins of Army of Ghosts or The Stolen Earth. Everything that we begin to hold dear is threatened, ready for a cliff hanger that, whilst not being the most dramatic one (although that is not the complete intention) is emotionally crippling.
What amazed me is how much Leo and Benny’s love tale develops in such a short space of time. Upon returning to the series, I honestly thought they had been together since Temple of Questions through to Judgment Day. Given what occurs here, that isn’t possible, but the two felt natural together and it’s a real shame when they get pulled apart.
The box set is wrapped up in Judgment Day, with many of the unanswered questions being revealed. This story manages to be one of the most gripping yet hilarious stories that I have ever heard. The scenes with history going wrong were fantastic, and Cavemen with mobile phones and GPS made me cry with laughter. However, more importantly it finally reveals the secret of Year Zero. First time round this really disappointed me; it seemed such a let-down to finally know the truth. However, on my second listen and the more I thought about it, the better it seemed. I can’t say why for fear of spoilers, but it was something that had never occurred to me, a complete surprise to what had been set up. Though some of Year Zero seems to contradict this reveal, it’s a short fault for what is undoubtable my favourite multi-story arc ever invented. The Epoch are also a fantastic creation to boot, highly deserving of a comeback very soon.
Where this story also thrives is with the introduction of Jack, the mysterious creature that everybody seems to forget. I have to commend David Ames; his vocal work is some of the best I have heard. His naturally sarcastic and pessimistic character is brought to life by simply the best actor I have heard. The whole cast are fantastic (no one falls short at all), but Jack immediately becomes one of the main reasons I listen to the rest of the box sets.
And so, the first in the reboot of Bernice Summerfield adventures is nothing short of exceptional. Full of twists, turns, great acting and enemies, there is nothing to be hated for me. As I write this, I am only yet to hear the final box set in the series, and I am more excited about it than I have been for very few releases recently. And that really states everything for me. Forget the main range, Fourth Doctor Adventures, Dorian Grey and every other series, no matter how good they are (and they are really good) Benny is the best of the best, and I hope this doesn’t wain. Long live Bernice Summerfield!!!
It begins with The Kraken’s Lament. A simple love story about a queen weeping for her missing husband. Except, this is a Bernice Summerfield story, which means it’s never that simple. Following on from Dead Man’s Switch, Benny has reached Zordin, only now it has been reassigned as Atlantis, a true representation of the classic legend (Minotaur’s and all). This becomes the setting for the box set, with Benny having lost her memories of everything following her shuttle trip to Zordin and her exact reason to be in Atlantis. This works rather well, meaning that those listening for the first time without knowledge of Year Zero can catch up, just as Benny has to. It may not be the most effective method, I would have been lost on certain references without the foreknowledge, but it does make an attempt to keep the listener enthralled.
Where The Kraken’s Lament really worked for me was the narration. This doesn’t normally work for me, but Acanthus’s speech is really gripping, his tales of the ‘winged goddess’ providing the bases for this tale. Without it, it would be too much of a standard affair. The main plot doesn’t really add much, simply providing something to intrigue Bernice whilst she works out the problems around her.
Next is Temple of Questions. Unfortunately this has to be the weakest in the set, not because it’s bad, but just because the rest are stronger, more epic. Temple of Questions introduces us to Ruth and Leo for the first time as well, a strong trio of leading characters for half the stories presented here. Ayesha Antoine does a good job of bringing Ruth to life. While here she could be forgotten as nothing simple, as her story progresses over time (and a few more series), she becomes a loveable character. Here she seems a bit two dimensional, but that’s only because she hasn’t had time to develop yet. Given a chance, she does shine.
The selling point of this tale is the confrontation between Bernice and the Great Leader, or Poseidon as it’s now being known. This was fairly surprising so early on in the set, revealing an enemy that has been tantalised for a while now. Yet, given the direction the rest of the series takes it only seems natural it happens here, and sets up the reveal of a far better rival.
The unexpected Private Enemy No. 1 continues the series. After a good set up, the last few two episodes left me expecting more of Atlantis for a while, but then it gets ripped away. As Atlantis falls again, reality becomes twisted, friends become foes and old forces rip away, until nothing remains. Private Enemy No. 1 really plays out like a series finale, in the veins of Army of Ghosts or The Stolen Earth. Everything that we begin to hold dear is threatened, ready for a cliff hanger that, whilst not being the most dramatic one (although that is not the complete intention) is emotionally crippling.
What amazed me is how much Leo and Benny’s love tale develops in such a short space of time. Upon returning to the series, I honestly thought they had been together since Temple of Questions through to Judgment Day. Given what occurs here, that isn’t possible, but the two felt natural together and it’s a real shame when they get pulled apart.
The box set is wrapped up in Judgment Day, with many of the unanswered questions being revealed. This story manages to be one of the most gripping yet hilarious stories that I have ever heard. The scenes with history going wrong were fantastic, and Cavemen with mobile phones and GPS made me cry with laughter. However, more importantly it finally reveals the secret of Year Zero. First time round this really disappointed me; it seemed such a let-down to finally know the truth. However, on my second listen and the more I thought about it, the better it seemed. I can’t say why for fear of spoilers, but it was something that had never occurred to me, a complete surprise to what had been set up. Though some of Year Zero seems to contradict this reveal, it’s a short fault for what is undoubtable my favourite multi-story arc ever invented. The Epoch are also a fantastic creation to boot, highly deserving of a comeback very soon.
Where this story also thrives is with the introduction of Jack, the mysterious creature that everybody seems to forget. I have to commend David Ames; his vocal work is some of the best I have heard. His naturally sarcastic and pessimistic character is brought to life by simply the best actor I have heard. The whole cast are fantastic (no one falls short at all), but Jack immediately becomes one of the main reasons I listen to the rest of the box sets.
And so, the first in the reboot of Bernice Summerfield adventures is nothing short of exceptional. Full of twists, turns, great acting and enemies, there is nothing to be hated for me. As I write this, I am only yet to hear the final box set in the series, and I am more excited about it than I have been for very few releases recently. And that really states everything for me. Forget the main range, Fourth Doctor Adventures, Dorian Grey and every other series, no matter how good they are (and they are really good) Benny is the best of the best, and I hope this doesn’t wain. Long live Bernice Summerfield!!!