flowsoffire: (Some things never change)
flowsoffire ([personal profile] flowsoffire) wrote2014-08-17 11:11 pm

Big Finish—The Sleeping City

So thanks to the amazing [livejournal.com profile] universaldogma, I got to listen to my very first BF audio adventure! :D

And quite the delight that was! Audios are really great, as it turns out—not that I'm surprised, but they work really nicely on the voices, the noises, the music, the descriptions and storytelling to make up for the lack of any images; the whole thing really comes to life. The plot was fascinating, the town of Hisk vividly portrayed, the concepts really clever and the ending twist just wonderful. The way the whole city worked, the trading and the dreams, were really interesting; the Harbingers were really scary. Overall, BF proved quite different from classic!Who in the feeling it gave, much more… adult. TV!Who remains a show that's meant for kids as well as grown-ups. Here, Ian being interrogated gives a much more chilling feel than what I was getting in The Invasion when the situation was roughly the same; suicide and death were soberly tackled, the idea of the city itself eliminating its weaker elements, twisting its citizens into murderers gave me chills. Darkness was more present, whilst being fought, and successfully so. I love the idea of Ian and Barbara's simple dream of home overruling the city's infected dream.

The constant questioning of the Doctor, his identity, his strengths and weaknesses and his actions was also very interesting—thought-provoking, though the point of that was revealed in the end and Ian resisted the suggestion trying to plant seeds of doubt in his mind. On a lighter note, I liked Ian and Barbara having very human-oriented skills while Vicki and the Doctor were being the brains—and that one-liner about Barbara wearing a peculiar outfit in Ian's dreamspace took me completely off-guard and made me CRACK UP! Goodness, that was perfect! :D

Only thing that disappointed me at first: I wasn't clear at all about the release date of that adventure, so I wondered if several of the actors would be featured. Turns out it was only William Russell—such a performance, though :D


[identity profile] a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com 2014-08-17 11:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Ohhh, may have to check out these adventures!!

I do love that about the audios AND the books. Bit more of an adult feel to them. I adore that DW is so versatile like that.

*HUGS*

[identity profile] universaldogma.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
I'm glad you like it~ :D The twist at the end made me love it so much~ And plus the city and the world is all really cool?? I'd love to do a dream like that!

Companion Chronicles generally don't feature all the actors, just the one who's telling the story and maybe another person. However, with things like Lost Stories and probably the Early Stories which'll be released this year, they'll get the actors who're alive~ Also, CC has companions doing impressions of the Doctor and the other companions?? It's so great~ Like, Frazer Hines does spot-on Second Doctor impression!

The Sleeping City was released this year, it's part of the latest season. Which is finished... but I haven't listened to it all yet. ♥

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 06:40 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, they're great! I'll send that one to you sometime if you want.

Yeah, I just love it! :D It's really interesting.

[identity profile] a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 10:40 am (UTC)(link)
Ohhh, I would love that!

I've been listening to a BFA with Eight and I rather enjoy the format. So I know I'd love this!

*HUGS*

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeahhhh! Such a clever twist, and I really loved Hisk, too! Just fascinating, it seemed so colourful and interesting :D

Okay :) Thanks for the heads-up! Ohhh, Fraser Hines doing impressions of Two would be epic!!!!

Yeah, I was like "ROFL, and you thought this was old!" ;)

[identity profile] universaldogma.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 12:13 pm (UTC)(link)
BF does lovely world-building. :D But most of it's in part of the expansive source material so...

He's so good at it. :D And as you heard, William Russell can do a pretty good Hartnell impression~

They're so good at catching the old feel aren't they? :D

[identity profile] taiamu.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 12:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Welcome to the insanity! Seriously, BF are fantastic. And they have a hell of a backlist, so...enjoy!

And yes, I'm still alive and kicking. :)

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 02:03 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll try and remember to do that tonight—remind me if nothing comes, yeah?

Yayyyy :)

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 02:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! :D I'm still planning to focus on classic!Who first, because I'm OCD and like to do things in order and because they're online for free, but I know for sure I'll be checking out some BF somewhere along the line as well :)

Good to hear! :D How have you been?

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 02:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay for BF! :D

Yes, it was rather good too! :D They're really great at it! ♥

[identity profile] a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com 2014-08-18 03:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Will do, bb!!

*HUGS*
ext_423802: (Eight)

[identity profile] the-redjay.livejournal.com 2014-08-26 04:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh goodness, Big Finish is my absolute favourite. It's why I'm madly in love with Eight and Omega. A piece of advice? Don't listen to an audio with Daleks while on a treadmill. I got glared at by the trainer on duty when I suddenly squeaked and nearly went off the end at the unexpected YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED.

ETA: The folks who do the audio dramas for the Black Library are also stellar.
Edited 2014-08-26 16:33 (UTC)
ext_423802: (Twelve)

[identity profile] the-redjay.livejournal.com 2014-08-26 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Which 8 audio are you on and are you in love with Charley's sass?

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-08-26 04:50 pm (UTC)(link)
It's excellent from what I heard! :D And hahaha, okay, I'll remember that!

All the talented people! ^_^

(I'm wondering why I'm among your friends but never added you back o.O Fixing that right now.)
Edited 2014-08-26 16:51 (UTC)
ext_423802: (Heart)

[identity profile] the-redjay.livejournal.com 2014-08-26 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
I just added you now and I don't know why I haven't before :3

[identity profile] flowsoffire.livejournal.com 2014-08-26 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Friending ftw ^_^

[identity profile] a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com 2014-08-28 10:52 am (UTC)(link)
Someone sent me Neverland and yes, I am very much enjoying Charlie's sass, lol!! Don't get to hear much of it before work, but I've been absorbing it slowly and it is massively awesome!

*HUGS*