The Burning Prince [AUDIO/2012.9.19]

★★★★☆

  It's only after listening to The Burning Prince in its entirety that you realise that it's a pretty predictable story. The fact that this never acts as a detriment to the listening experience, however, is an indication of its wonderful quality.

  Space opera political thriller: it's the kind of subgenre you'd expect something like Doctor Who to have in abundance, while in actuality there are not that many in the entire mythos that fleshes out empires, their bloody history and warring clans/families, let alone in the TV show alone. That's why the Drashani Empire trilogy from the Big Finish monthy range is such a treat, and it's surely a good indication that the introductory installment is a gripping and exciting adventure. Deadly monsters, an equally hostile planet, a marriage to save an entire emprie from war on the verge of ruin, and espionage and sabotage galore; John Dorney makes every scene, every line count and you can almost hear the cogs turning behind the sound effects and performances as the four-parter gears itself to entertain the audience -- and succeeds with style. 

  Every character is fascinating and feels like they exist outside the story as real people, and yet the most impressive turn here is Peter Davison. A wise fan once said that the Fifth Doctor is the embodiment of an oncoming storm with a friendly face, being awfully nice to everyone and yet leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake, and The Burning Prince writes him as so. I always believed that Davison's Doctor is at his most electrifying when he's in an impossible situation, and I was proven right once again; here, he's a desperate cog in cosmic events, trying to save at least one soul in the bloodshed and failing. He's beaten up, accused of being a spy, and emotionally distraught after failing to save anyone by the end. The final scene, with his reflecting on death, is immensely powerful. On a good day, I'd be willing to cite this one of the best characterisations of the Fifth Doctor. With such a strong grasp on the central character, and an exciting political thriller/action adventure to boot, The Burning Prince is an incredibly entertaining audio drama. You'd be hard pressed not to be excited about the sequel.