Sarah Jane Adventures - The Ghost House & The Time Capsule - Reaction Post
Sonic Lipstick Link: < a href="http://persiflage-1.livejournal.com/201869.html">SJA audio novels The Ghost House & The Time Capsule reviewed by < lj user=persiflage_1>
The Ghost House
I listened to Stephen Cole's The Ghost House first because I had more confidence I'd enjoy his story, having enjoyed "The Glittering Storm", which he wrote first.
This story, like the others, is read by Lis Sladen and it's a pleasure to have her warm, rich tones coming from my speakers!
Sarah Jane's up early one morning and hears a crash outside. Investigating (in her dressing gown, no less!) she is astonished to see that one of the houses opposite hers in Bannerman Road has changed overnight: what used to be a rather non-descript 1970s family home has now been replaced by a smart Victorian residence. She has to find out how a house from 1884 has suddenly materialised in Bannerman Road, and where the old O'Brien place has gone in the meantime. More importantly, though, she has to discover who - or what - has caused this temporal anomaly. And Sarah Jane and her teenage friends are on a deadline - they must find out the answers to these questions before time itself explodes and destroys the world.
I'm pleased to say that Stephen Cole doesn't disappoint with The Ghost House. The story moves between the present day and 1884 with ease, and is a compelling listen. The misunderstood alien bounty hunter (nicknamed "Deathy" because the Russian translation of his alien name is "Death, Kill, Massacre"), is an entertaining temporary addition to Sarah Jane's team. There are some good scenes for all three of the teenagers, who are all brave and resourceful in trying to cope with being flung backwards and forwards in time via the Victorian house that's suddenly appeared in Bannerman Road. This is definitely a story I'd recommend.
The Time Capsule
I was a bit dubious about listening to The Time Capsule as Peter Anghelides' Doctor Who audio novel Pest Control did nothing for me, but fortunately his exclusive audio adventure for Sarah Jane is far more interesting and compelling listening. The story centres around the work experience jobs that Clyde and Luke are undertaking as part of their school curriculum: Luke's at the Natural History Museum setting up exhibitions and cataloguing items, while Clyde's working at one of the local supermarkets.
Doing her weekly shopping, Sarah Jane encounters him there and is puzzled by the behaviour of an elderly neighbour, who seems to have developed an amazing agility despite his oft-lamented 'war wound'. Even more puzzling, though, is the way that the products in the supermarket form themselves into beings which try to protect an object that Sarah Jane's neighbour is carrying. Meanwhile, Luke has snatched a mysterious black diamond from one of the exhibits at the NHM, and Sarah Jane receives a call from the woman who's supervising him to ask her to come in to see if she can deal with Luke as he's locked himself in a cupboard and won't come out. It turns out that both the diamond and the cube that Clyde had picked up in the supermarket are part of an alien device (along with a third artefact) which an alien requires to leave Earth after being trapped here since 1066 when his spacecraft collided with Halley's Comet. So it's up to Sarah Jane and the teenagers to save the day (which is pretty much as usual, really!)
There are a couple of slow moments in the story, but on the whole it whizzs along fairly quickly and is an entertaining piece of storytelling
* * * *
The continuity conscious might like to know that The Ghost House is set after Secrets of the Stars as the latter is referenced in the story. It seems likely that The Time Capsule is set around the same time.
The Ghost House
I listened to Stephen Cole's The Ghost House first because I had more confidence I'd enjoy his story, having enjoyed "The Glittering Storm", which he wrote first.
This story, like the others, is read by Lis Sladen and it's a pleasure to have her warm, rich tones coming from my speakers!
Sarah Jane's up early one morning and hears a crash outside. Investigating (in her dressing gown, no less!) she is astonished to see that one of the houses opposite hers in Bannerman Road has changed overnight: what used to be a rather non-descript 1970s family home has now been replaced by a smart Victorian residence. She has to find out how a house from 1884 has suddenly materialised in Bannerman Road, and where the old O'Brien place has gone in the meantime. More importantly, though, she has to discover who - or what - has caused this temporal anomaly. And Sarah Jane and her teenage friends are on a deadline - they must find out the answers to these questions before time itself explodes and destroys the world.
I'm pleased to say that Stephen Cole doesn't disappoint with The Ghost House. The story moves between the present day and 1884 with ease, and is a compelling listen. The misunderstood alien bounty hunter (nicknamed "Deathy" because the Russian translation of his alien name is "Death, Kill, Massacre"), is an entertaining temporary addition to Sarah Jane's team. There are some good scenes for all three of the teenagers, who are all brave and resourceful in trying to cope with being flung backwards and forwards in time via the Victorian house that's suddenly appeared in Bannerman Road. This is definitely a story I'd recommend.
The Time Capsule
I was a bit dubious about listening to The Time Capsule as Peter Anghelides' Doctor Who audio novel Pest Control did nothing for me, but fortunately his exclusive audio adventure for Sarah Jane is far more interesting and compelling listening. The story centres around the work experience jobs that Clyde and Luke are undertaking as part of their school curriculum: Luke's at the Natural History Museum setting up exhibitions and cataloguing items, while Clyde's working at one of the local supermarkets.
Doing her weekly shopping, Sarah Jane encounters him there and is puzzled by the behaviour of an elderly neighbour, who seems to have developed an amazing agility despite his oft-lamented 'war wound'. Even more puzzling, though, is the way that the products in the supermarket form themselves into beings which try to protect an object that Sarah Jane's neighbour is carrying. Meanwhile, Luke has snatched a mysterious black diamond from one of the exhibits at the NHM, and Sarah Jane receives a call from the woman who's supervising him to ask her to come in to see if she can deal with Luke as he's locked himself in a cupboard and won't come out. It turns out that both the diamond and the cube that Clyde had picked up in the supermarket are part of an alien device (along with a third artefact) which an alien requires to leave Earth after being trapped here since 1066 when his spacecraft collided with Halley's Comet. So it's up to Sarah Jane and the teenagers to save the day (which is pretty much as usual, really!)
There are a couple of slow moments in the story, but on the whole it whizzs along fairly quickly and is an entertaining piece of storytelling
* * * *
The continuity conscious might like to know that The Ghost House is set after Secrets of the Stars as the latter is referenced in the story. It seems likely that The Time Capsule is set around the same time.