Emancipation of the Daleks is a Doctor Who audio novel presented by Big Finish Productions. Jonathan Morris is the writer with Dan Starkey serving as the reader. Nicholas Briggs pitches in yet again to voice the Daleks. It features the Twelfth Doctor, who had been played by Peter Capaldi on the television series. Bill Potts is the companions in this story. Pearl Mackie had played that role on television.

Bill Potts is relaxing at home when an unexpected visit occurs. She meets a future version of herself, so she reaches out to her new friend, the Doctor. A Dalek saucer traveling through time has crashed on Earth, and history is altered. The Doctor finds that humanity has enslaved the Daleks instead of the other way occurring as it usually does. Bill Potts has to contend with a new future and an alternative past as well. Although the Daleks have exhibited murderous ruthlessness, the Doctor finds that human beings are not in short supply of those traits as well. He still has Earth’s history to restore and a friend’s future to ensure.

This was a very intriguing story. Morris has been a frequent contributor to Doctor Who lore. He is a competent writer and usually has some creative and interesting story ideas. This turned out to be one of his better ones. No need to worry if the Daleks may seem a little soft at first. They become their more familiar murderous selves as well. Dan Starkey has performed solidly for Big Finish before and continues to display impressive vocal range. He is able to replicate Capaldi’s voice quite well.

The story delves a bit into Bill’s potential history. There are three distinct parts in this story, and Morris brings threads together quite well by the time it comes to an end.

This is a solid addition to the Big Finish Doctor Who library. It is both well plotted and well performed.

Masters of Lies is a Sherlock Holmes written by Philip Purser-Hallard. It is a continuation in the long running series of novels published by Titan Books. Of course, Holmes and Dr. John Watson are the creation of the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but scores of authors have written their own contributions to the efforts to keep the cases in fresh supply. Many of them have been satisfactory while others have fallen short.

This adventure takes place in 1898, and Holmes and Watson are asked to look into what at first appears to be the suicide of a senior civil servant. Mycroft Holmes believes there is something more, and his younger brother soon is on the trail of a lethal forgery ring. Watson though begins noting some unusual behaviors exhibited by his brilliant friend. Can even the reader trust that the whole truth is being told? There comes a point where Holmes’s investigation has his own brother in the crosshairs. Just as matters are coming to a violent climax, the truth of the account narrated by Watson himself comes into question.

Finally, the Titan Books series gets a solid nod of approval from this occasionally humble blogger. There are no curses or missing jewels to find here. There is the business of Holmes behaving a bit more brusquely and at times more violently than usual, but that has a reasonable explanation by the end. The twist toward the end of the novel is actually rather clever but should probably not be used again. The story was well presented and really kept to the theme of really not being able to trust what is thought to be known.

This latest effort by Purser-Hallard was actually quite enjoyable in spite of the literary sleight of hand.

Next up, I will be returning to a favorite author of mine, although I am reading the first in a series not yet explored by me. Ali Reynolds has been around for quite a few years now, but I just had not gotten around to getting to know her. I have finally found the first novel, Edge of Evil, written by J.A. Jance.

The Gray Man is an action film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. The screenplay is written by Joe Russo, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely. It is based on a novel by Mark Greaney, which is the first in a series featuring a CIA operative known as Sierra Six, who is described as working in the gray. Ryan Gosling has the lead role here with Chris Evans taking on the lead villain, a rogue freelancer known as Lloyd Hansen. Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Billy Bob Thornton, and Alfre Woodard are included in the cast.

Sierra Six is recruited from prison to do some of the CIA’s dirty work. A job in Bangkok goes awry when Six is given a drive which details some dirtier deeds done by Six’s current handler. The handler sends a psychotic mercenary when Six decides to refuse extraction. He turns to his old mentor, played by Thornton, for help, however he has his own problems when his niece is kidnapped. Sierra Six has to stay ahead of the chaos if he has any hope of rescuing his friend and bringing down an insane level of corruption.

I sure hope the book is a lot better, because this thing was a disappointing mess. There are some pretty engaging action scenes, and some of the fight scenes worked rather well. Gosling was just a bit too detached in his performance. The barbs thrown by Six and Hansen did not land all that well in the midst of the explosions and fisticuffs. These were apparently supposed to be a couple of quirky and quick-witted killers, but the quips were lame. Not even the formidable presence of Alfre Woodard could make this more engaging.

The action sequences were just too chaotic and loud. Some of those scenes went on too long, and the film felt like it dragged in spite of the barrage of gunfire and frantic fights.

I have not read any of the novels from Greaney, however I suspect that that this film bears little resemblance to the source material. I guess I would call this a mediocre effort from the production team, but it was a struggle to reach even that level.

I may still likely check out the novels though.

The Doctor does not show up all that much, which is a bit of a disappointment. Rudden is fine as a writer but nothing spectacular. He is writing Doctor Who, so one can’t expect a literary masterpiece.

Some of the stories were rather imaginative. Grey Matter starts off with the Twelfth Doctor facing off against the Weeping Angels, the cosmic assassins who are frozen by a stare but attack in just a blink of an eye.

There is a story about a Celestial Intervention Agent on Gallifrey trying to stop a TARDIS from being stolen. I thought it was kind of fun to revisit the Doctor’s first departure from his home planet. Another story is basically told from the prospective of a recently converted Cyberman.

The Daleks, the Ood, and the Silurians also show up with the Master finishing off this collection.

Anyway, there is not much to say other than this is another adequate diversion for Doctor Who readers but nothing all that memorable.

Next up, Sherlock Holmes takes on a case where he will have to outwit some Masters of Lies by Philip Purser-Hallard.

A Fatal Lie is another addition to the Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery series written by the prolific Charles Todd. Rutledge is a veteran of the First World War and a dedicated inspector for Scotland Yard. He does have a problem in that he suffers from shell shock which manifests itself as an auditory hallucination. He has the voice of a Scottish comrade he had executed for disobeying orders. He was then rather inconveniently shelled by the enemy and left buried with the corpse of his friend who he had felt duty bound to execute. Rutledge manages to be an effective investigator in spite of his psychological condition.

This particular novel has Rutledge investigating a death in Wales in which a man had apparently plunged to his death from an aqueduct and was found by a young boy on a fishing trip. When Rutledge finally identifies the dead man, he finds that a missing child is at the heart of this matter.

It’s always rather enlightening to revisit this era and this character. I am finding that there is very little change in the pace and atmosphere here. Rutledge seems to be making very little progress in moving forward with his life in spite of his affliction. The mood among the various towns and with the various characters encountered in these stories is still the same. The shadow of the war still feels oppressive. It would be nice for Todd to consider how to shake things up a bit. Rutledge does have a new superintendent, however that guy has been around for a few books. Rutledge will likely still have to contend with the voice of Hamish MacLeod rattling around in his head in order to keep him interesting. The problem is that this novel is another one that does not break any new ground. Todd is fine as a writer, and Rutledge is somewhat interesting in that he has this ongoing issue for what is now known as PTSD.

Charles Todd is actually the pseudonym for a mother and son writing duo, and I just learned that the mother had died a year ago Anyway, the series is fascinating when a reader first starts out, but it is getting a little stale in some ways. It may be time to push Rutledge’s limits a bit more and add a bit more spice to his already complicated life.

Next up, I have returned to the universe of Doctor Who with an anthology written by Dave Rudden entitled Twelve Angels Weeping.

Thirteen Lives is a film directed by Ron Howard, which tells the tale of the soccer team in Thailand which ended up trapped in a deep cave after an unexpected monsoon. William Nicholson wrote the screenplay with Don Macpherson helping out with the story conception. Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, Tom Bateman, and a whole bunch of Thai actors recreate the chaos and courage exhibited during the crisis which occurred in 2018.

Twelve members of the soccer, or the football team, and their coach are trapped in this cave, and a whole slew of rescuers and volunteers converged to lend a hand. It took about three weeks to find them and then extricate everyone from the depths of this thing. The rescue effort is spearheaded by a couple of British cave divers, but the film does a great job of showing the unity of the thousands of volunteers and personnel as they struggle to overcome the challenges presented by the unpredictable weather and the deep waters within the cave system.

The performances were compelling, and Ron Howard was apparently quite meticulous in replicating the circumstances of this miraculous rescue. The Thai actors did a great job in portraying the rollercoaster of emotions as this saga unfolded.

The film is a little longer than most, but Howard makes good use of the length. This has been one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. I am not sure how this one could be improved, which is an unusual perspective from me. There are probably some details that could have been explained better, but the experience is gripping. The cast was great. The sets were well constructed. The dialogue felt genuine. I am sure there were some artistic liberties taken but probably not that many.

This film is definitely worth the time and see if you can resist the urge to pull up the interviews of the real people involved in this calamity.

Dalek Universe 2 is a Doctor Who audio boxset from Big Finish Productions and has David Tennant return to the role as the Doctor. Jane Slavin and Joe Sims are also back as Anya Kingdom and Mark Seven, agents of the Space Security Service. Ken Bentley is in the director’s seat for this trio of episodes. The Doctor has found himself separated from his TARDIS in a universe where the Time War has yet to happen, and the Daleks remain as large a threat as ever.

Roy Gill starts off with Cycle of Destruction which explores the origins of Mark Seven, the android agent of the SSS. Nina Toussaint-White, John Banks, Avita Jay, and Nicholas Briggs make up the guest cast. This episode turned out to be a pretty good start to this collection. Mark Seven apparently had his start in the comic books or something and was given a voice by Joe Sims. Tennant has been able to recapture the energy that made him so acclaimed on the television series.

John Dorney is the writer for the second story, The Trojan Dalek, which has some vocal assistance from the likes of Blake Ritson, Pippa Bennett-Wilson, Barnaby Edwards, and Nicholas Briggs. The Doctor and his two companions make it to a space station where the thought that the way to defeat the Daleks is to create more Daleks. This seemed to start off with a bit of humor, but the story takes a tragic and gruesome turn when the Doctor finds out what lengths are being taken to defeat the darkest of foes. This one has a very unexpected twist at the end. Dorney is a very prolific writer for Big Finish and is usually quite reliable. He does a bit better than that this time with this contribution. The performances are compelling, and I had a bit of the chills when the Doctor discovers who is in the Dalek casing. Anyway, Dorney delivers a solid one with this one.

Finally, Robert Valentine closes out this set with The Lost. The Doctor and Anya come to terms with a loss and the history of their first encounter. Of course, there is a troubling alien presence known as the Lost. Kevin McNally, Leighton Pugh, and Nicholas Briggs are the guest cast for this one. This is a strangely moving story as well. Anya Kingdom was at one time known as Anne Kelso and traveled with the Doctor, who was in his fourth incarnation, at the time. It ends on a cliffhanger which will be resolved in the next set.

Tennant being back in the role is rather fun. This follows some interesting threads that begin in earlier sets. The Doctor finally has to admit his knowledge of Anya’s family members, Sara Kingdom and Bret Vyon, who were significant to the era of the First Doctor. This set was a bit of a treat for the long-time fans of the series. This particular saga has one more release before the Doctor makes his way back to his proper place in time and place.

The Outlaws is the latest release from Big Finish Productions to feature the First Doctor. There are actually two stories here which features a new actor in the role. Stephen Noonan tries his hand at resurrecting the role initially performed by the late William Hartnell. Lauren Cornelius brings back a character first played by a deceased actress, Jackie Lane. The Doctor and Dodo are about to have some more adventures together. The set is directed by Nicholas Briggs.

The Outlaws is written by Lizbeth Myles. Rufus Hound returns as an old adversary, known as the Meddling Monk. Gynis Barber, Christian Edwards, Sam Stafford, Carly Day, and Barnaby Edwards comprise the guest cast. The Doctor and Dodo arrive in England in the early thirteenth century where a conflict is brewing between the Sheriff of Lincoln and a gang wanting to interfere with the king’s efforts to find a war with France. The leader of the gang knows the Doctor quite well, and Dodo has fallen into his hands.

It’s a fun adventure and reveals a piece of medieval English history. Noonan isn’t always able to sound exactly like Hartnell, but the spirit of the performance is close enough. Cornelius is an engaging addition to the Big Finish cast. Barber is cast as a female sheriff of Lincolnshire at the time. It turns out that Nicola de la Haie is actually a real historical figure at that time. Carly Day delivers a standout performance as Idonea de Camville, who was so wonderfully petulant and duplicitous. Idonea is supposed to be quite unlikeable, but Day sort of gives her an amusing charm that made me hate her as much as I should.

Compared to some of the other output from Big Finish, this probably wasn’t what I would call the greatest, however it was a fine enough introduction to this latest version of the First Doctor.

A second shorter story is written by a woman as well. Lizzie Hopley delivers with The Miniaturist. Paul Copley, Yasmin Mwanza, Benedict Briggs, and Caroline Hrycek-Robinson make up the guest cast here.

This is probably the one I prefer in this little set since it has a spookier tone. The Doctor and Dodo arrive in the future at an abandoned mine where a geological exploration is occurring. Ghostly children have been materializing, and a presence has been at the heart of otherworldly occurrences, which includes keeping the Doctor and Dodo from access to the TARDIS.

This one was quite gripping in spite of the shorter length, although I am more of a sucker for ghost stories and surrealism in Doctor Who.

Well, I am glad that Big Finish continues to dip into this era even if the pool of original performers is getting smaller. They apparently plan to have David Bradley return to the role, however Noonan does well enough. He does imbue the Doctor with a strange sort of growl at times that I do not remember Hartnell uttering. It’s a little distracting, but perhaps Noonan will improve on sounding a little closer to Hartnell.

Anyway, Big Finish is showing a bit more courage on recasting and exploring early eras of the series. Even if I like some episodes more than others, I respect the overall effort and will enjoy revisiting the era of William Hartnell even though he is no longer with us.

Gulliver’s Travels is an adventure novel written by Jonathan Swift and first published in 1726. Lemuel Gulliver is an explorer who sets on several journeys where he comes across strange lands. The most famous of these jaunts was Gulliver’s time in a land known as Lilliput which is populated by people less than sex inches tall. His next destination introduces him to a land of giants. Of course, the final journey acquaints him with a group of savages known as yahoos.

In some ways, the novel flows a little easier than expected for something written in the eighteenth century, but it still is a pretty challenging piece of prose to interpret. The novel is known as a satirical commentary on the society at the time. The bit goes a little over my head, but I still managed to find some enjoyment in attempting this endeavor with this particular literary classic.

Gulliver’s emotional journey is as interesting as his physical traverses. He develops a resentment toward his family he has to attempt to reconcile. Gulliver faces a different disaster with each voyage which affects his optimistic view presented at the beginning.

This is a tough one to read recreationally, but it is worth the effort.

Next up, I am moving back into the twenty-first century as far as the author, but the story takes place just after the First World War. Charles Todd has brought back Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge, who is finding out the consequences of A Fatal Lie.

The Law of Innocence is a suspense novel from Michael Connelly and features the wily Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey Haller. Haller finds himself on the wrong side of the defense table when he is charged with the murder of a former client who owed him money. His usual team of lawyers and investigators come to his aid. His half-brother, retired LAPD detective Harry Bosch, enters the fray. Haller finds himself at the center of a conspiracy as well. He decides to take his case to trial as soon as he can, but he finds himself in a race against a mysterious virus from China that threatens to bring the world to a halt. Haller is going for the gold, complete exoneration from the charges that would be well beyond just a verdict of not guilty. He might be tenacious and clever enough to pull it off.

Connelly works in a bit of current events with the beginnings of the COVID lockdowns lurking in the background. The story itself seems a little far-fetched with the unorthodox court proceedings. Haller still ends up being compelling enough for the reader to root for him. Bosch ends up helping without taking the story over, which is understandable. That makes sense since the Lincoln Lawler novels are written in first person narrative. Haller can sometimes be seen as very clever and somewhat underhanded. There was one thing about Haller’s reaction to his circumstances I respected. He did not have all that much doubt in his abilities. He had a few moments of uncertainty, but he stayed in the game during the court scenes. It was also pretty heartwarming to see his interactions with his daughter during his plight.

It just seems to be a little too self-indulgent and unlikely to have Haller himself accused of murder, but Connelly still writes it well enough and seems to stay true to his creation. Plus, it’s kind of fun to have Bosch and Haller work together, although Bosch had a more periphery role in this one. The story is enjoyable and interesting enough for me to not experience any resentment. Connelly still manages to remain deserving of the acclaim and appreciation of his fanbase, however just the notion of Haller having to defend himself against a murder charge just feels somewhat predictable. I am so glad Erle Stanley Gardner resisted the idea of having Perry Mason in a similar situation.

The next read is going to be quite the departure from my usual literary flavor. I had vowed to start reading a few considered classics. I am about to find out what was discovered during Gulliver’s Travels as told by Jonathan Swift.