The Ashes of Eternity [AUDIO/2021.10.7]

★★★☆☆

  Most audio-exclusive adventures produced by BBC Audio veer from good to forgettable for me. It's not really a comment on the various ranges, mind; it's more an indication that I should get to listening more. I'm sure there's something out there that I'll really fancy.

  This is probably not the best way to start a review on one such BBC Audio story, but I feel like I needed to get that off my chest. The Ashes of Eternity is a fine story that prioritizes Rose and the relationship she has with the Ninth Doctor. He's an odd, buffoonish, sharp-witted and somber alien in a box, and she cannot have enough of him and the adventures he takes her on. The crazy goings-on with the sentient lightning creature, its immense power and the tragic journey of an artist recluse are your bog-standard Doctor Who rides, but the meat of the story — Rose's inner struggle with her family life, her burgeoning emotions toward the Doctor — left me quite satisfied. It's a testament to Russell T Davies, who created such interesting avenues of possibility for the first New Series companion, and to Niel Bushnell's ability to catch the threads and weave such strong emotions into a story. Short, dependable adventure: recommended most to Series 1 fans.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ  

  I must point out just how good Adjoa Andoh is in narrating, and especially in reading for Nine and Rose. It was like listening to two different actors; one could easily mistake The Ashes of Eternity for a full-cast audio drama with the quality of the voice acting here. I wish Andoh gets to do more.