(no subject)
I'm thinking I might want to get another Short Trips book or two before the holiday season really kicks into gear, but I can't make up my mind. They all sound good! I have nine left to get, the full list which can be seen here or on the Big Finish site here.
So, I'm looking for some opinions! Below the cut, I've listed which ones I'm missing, along with the theme of the book and the synopsis of it borrowed from the BF site. Also, in the heading of the title itself, I included the wiki entry for each book that basically lists the stories, who wrote which, and the Doctors/companions in each, in case you were curious.
»The Muses
Theme: The nine muses from Greek mythology.
Synopsis: Tell me, O Muse, of that many-aspected hero who fled his home world to travel every corner of time and space. Tell me, daughter of Jove, of his battles and his tragedies, of the strangers he encountered and the evil plots he foiled. Speak with laughter, with tears, through songs and visions of the Doctor, the hero and champion of this world and many more.
The nine Muses have since ancient times brought inspiration to those willing to receive it. They will tell tales of History, of Dancing, of Comedy and Tragedy, of Sacred Poetry, Epic Poetry and Love Poetry, of Music and Astronomy. May they speak to your hearts.
»Steel Skies
Theme: All stories are set in enclosed and artificial environments.
Synopsis: There are many places that most of us can never see: places that are sheltered, locked away, cordoned off from the outside world. But to the Doctor, and those who travel with him in his TARDIS, there is no such thing as a locked door. Anywhere in space and time is open to them to visit even if sometimes it might be better to leave such places well alone.
Steel Skies is a collection of stories based in enclosed and artificial environments: places constructed to keep the dangers of the universe outside, perhaps, or to keep their inhabitants locked in. It is divided into four sections, each exploring a different kind of confinement:
Section One, Flight, comprises four tales of travellers who left their homes for far-away destinations to explore, to start a new life, or to fight for the survival of their species.
Section Two, Frontiers, explores the corridors, living quarters and ventilation shafts of four futuristic environments designed to shelter men, women and children from harsh natural forces, or from the threat of nuclear war.
Section Three, Incarceration, tells four stories of punishment and imprisonment, from San Francisco¹s infamous Alcatraz, to the cage of a flightless angel in the dilapidated ruins of Heaven.
Section Four, Isolation, deals with the loneliness and despair of being cut off from the world outside, by physical or mental incapacity, by the ravages of war, or caught between destinations aboard the TARDIS itself.
A recurring theme in all four sections is the effect of the Doctor's arrival in these enclosed environments sometimes positive, sometimes less so.
»Life Science
Theme: The nature of life.
Synopsis: Once, we believed our lives were sacred, that we had souls. Now we know we are mere machines; genetic data. We are science.
But even as we learn, the properties of life remain uncertain. How does life acquire consciousness, or rights? Does a robot dream? If a person transforms into an oak tree, is it science or the work of gods? Did the Victorians find a way to resurrect the dead?
To science, such questions are invitations to explore. Who better to explore with than the Doctor?
»2040
Theme: All stories are set in the year 2040.
Synopsis: The future is here - and it's not what we expected…
To the governments and corporations of the world in 2040, expansion is an article of faith The human race must expand outwards, exploring new territories, new technologies, new ways of thinking.
Only problem is, the human race doesn't necessarily share that faith. And with so much at stake, their leaders may have to call in some new partners to make sure we see the light…
»Seven Deadly Sins
Theme: The seven deadly sins (to be redundant ^^;)
Synopsis: The darker side of human nature is a terrible place. Its twisted pathways and dismal corners lie ready to lead even the most virtuous traveller astray. And when someone makes just one wrong step, the darkness is quick to close in and engulf them…
Between these covers, you will find seven tales of vice, exploring the dark places at the edge of the universe. The Doctor tries to stand against the tide, to bring even a chink of light, of hope, but what good is it when he cannot even save himself from the seven deadly sins?
Alone, these seven stories tell terrible tales of misadventure, misdeed and misery - together, they reveal an even darker story…
If there were no sin in the universe, there would be nothing for the Doctor to fight against. Wrongdoing, in one form or another, is what the Doctor sets out to stop. But the seven deadly sins are more than simply crimes or misconduct - they are pure, selfish emotions, unstoppable forces of desire. And humanity is nothing if not a slave to its desire.
Meet poor, dying Agatha, whose crippling envy of others' health is sending her mad; and the tribal chief whose burning hatred and craving for revenge is so powerful it twists reality. Witness the true-life crimes of Dead Man's Chestington and Black-Eyed Susan; and the hideous results of an eating contest gone horribly wrong. An old friend returns, and her inescapable infatuation reaches dizzying new heights - while the object of her affection makes his own tragic mistakes. And, throughout everything, there are those who are just trying to make a dishonest buck…
Seven Deadly Sins plumbs the depths of humanity's dark side. And it is also the tale of those who have travelled through time and space to hear the stories contained herein - and to relish the taste of their subjects' wretchedness…
»The Solar System
Theme: One story set on each planet of Earth's solar system.
Synopsis: A star like many others in the western spire of the Milky Way galaxy.
Around it, orbit its planets each one has its own environment; its own history; its own circumstances.
The third planet of the ten is the most-densely populated. And, over time, its inhabitants have reached out to the other worlds.
There, they find surprises, wonders, danger.
Welcome to the solar system.
»Dalek Empire
Theme: Explores characters and events from the Dalek Empire audio series.
Synopsis: Everybody remembers Doctor Who's most terrifying monsters, the metallic, murderous Daleks!
Here they are again in a collection of ripping yarns that draw upon the events and themes of Big Finish's acclaimed series Dalek Empire.
But never fear, no prior knowledge is necessary. The good Doctor in his many incarnations is on hand to guide us through the terrible events before, after and during the Daleks' ruthless onslaught.
»The Quality of Leadership
Theme: The Doctor's encounters with leadership throughout time and space.
Synopsis: King Loran of Zalezna is dead, the victim of an attempted coup. However, with the help of the Eighth Doctor, Loran’s son and heir, Mihal, is able to stop the rebels and claim the throne. Now Mihal faces the prospect of ruling before he’s ready. By way of helping Mihal prepare for his new role, the Doctor tells him of the many leaders he’s met over the course of his lives…
Join the Doctor as he regales Prince Mihal with stories from throughout time and space. There are tales of the Roman Empire, from Emperor Theodoric to rebels Spartacus and Calpurnia to Rome’s enemy Queen Boudica. There’s King Arthur and Plato as they’ve never been seen before, Martin Luther and King Henry VIII in the midst of rewriting Europe’s religious landscape and an unexpected side of William Wallace. The Doctor also travels to such exotic worlds as Rishik and Mitidiki, and arrives at a deceptively mundane department store.
Leadership comes in many forms. Some are unexpected, some are less pleasant than you’d think and some aren’t quite what history would later paint them to be.
Now, a poll!
Poll Short Trips
...And now I just realised why that poll looked a little strange. No numbers! *totally wins*
EDIT 12/00/09: Purchased Dalek Empire because supplies are running low.
So, I'm looking for some opinions! Below the cut, I've listed which ones I'm missing, along with the theme of the book and the synopsis of it borrowed from the BF site. Also, in the heading of the title itself, I included the wiki entry for each book that basically lists the stories, who wrote which, and the Doctors/companions in each, in case you were curious.
»The Muses
Theme: The nine muses from Greek mythology.
Synopsis: Tell me, O Muse, of that many-aspected hero who fled his home world to travel every corner of time and space. Tell me, daughter of Jove, of his battles and his tragedies, of the strangers he encountered and the evil plots he foiled. Speak with laughter, with tears, through songs and visions of the Doctor, the hero and champion of this world and many more.
The nine Muses have since ancient times brought inspiration to those willing to receive it. They will tell tales of History, of Dancing, of Comedy and Tragedy, of Sacred Poetry, Epic Poetry and Love Poetry, of Music and Astronomy. May they speak to your hearts.
»Steel Skies
Theme: All stories are set in enclosed and artificial environments.
Synopsis: There are many places that most of us can never see: places that are sheltered, locked away, cordoned off from the outside world. But to the Doctor, and those who travel with him in his TARDIS, there is no such thing as a locked door. Anywhere in space and time is open to them to visit even if sometimes it might be better to leave such places well alone.
Steel Skies is a collection of stories based in enclosed and artificial environments: places constructed to keep the dangers of the universe outside, perhaps, or to keep their inhabitants locked in. It is divided into four sections, each exploring a different kind of confinement:
Section One, Flight, comprises four tales of travellers who left their homes for far-away destinations to explore, to start a new life, or to fight for the survival of their species.
Section Two, Frontiers, explores the corridors, living quarters and ventilation shafts of four futuristic environments designed to shelter men, women and children from harsh natural forces, or from the threat of nuclear war.
Section Three, Incarceration, tells four stories of punishment and imprisonment, from San Francisco¹s infamous Alcatraz, to the cage of a flightless angel in the dilapidated ruins of Heaven.
Section Four, Isolation, deals with the loneliness and despair of being cut off from the world outside, by physical or mental incapacity, by the ravages of war, or caught between destinations aboard the TARDIS itself.
A recurring theme in all four sections is the effect of the Doctor's arrival in these enclosed environments sometimes positive, sometimes less so.
»Life Science
Theme: The nature of life.
Synopsis: Once, we believed our lives were sacred, that we had souls. Now we know we are mere machines; genetic data. We are science.
But even as we learn, the properties of life remain uncertain. How does life acquire consciousness, or rights? Does a robot dream? If a person transforms into an oak tree, is it science or the work of gods? Did the Victorians find a way to resurrect the dead?
To science, such questions are invitations to explore. Who better to explore with than the Doctor?
»2040
Theme: All stories are set in the year 2040.
Synopsis: The future is here - and it's not what we expected…
To the governments and corporations of the world in 2040, expansion is an article of faith The human race must expand outwards, exploring new territories, new technologies, new ways of thinking.
Only problem is, the human race doesn't necessarily share that faith. And with so much at stake, their leaders may have to call in some new partners to make sure we see the light…
»Seven Deadly Sins
Theme: The seven deadly sins (to be redundant ^^;)
Synopsis: The darker side of human nature is a terrible place. Its twisted pathways and dismal corners lie ready to lead even the most virtuous traveller astray. And when someone makes just one wrong step, the darkness is quick to close in and engulf them…
Between these covers, you will find seven tales of vice, exploring the dark places at the edge of the universe. The Doctor tries to stand against the tide, to bring even a chink of light, of hope, but what good is it when he cannot even save himself from the seven deadly sins?
Alone, these seven stories tell terrible tales of misadventure, misdeed and misery - together, they reveal an even darker story…
If there were no sin in the universe, there would be nothing for the Doctor to fight against. Wrongdoing, in one form or another, is what the Doctor sets out to stop. But the seven deadly sins are more than simply crimes or misconduct - they are pure, selfish emotions, unstoppable forces of desire. And humanity is nothing if not a slave to its desire.
Meet poor, dying Agatha, whose crippling envy of others' health is sending her mad; and the tribal chief whose burning hatred and craving for revenge is so powerful it twists reality. Witness the true-life crimes of Dead Man's Chestington and Black-Eyed Susan; and the hideous results of an eating contest gone horribly wrong. An old friend returns, and her inescapable infatuation reaches dizzying new heights - while the object of her affection makes his own tragic mistakes. And, throughout everything, there are those who are just trying to make a dishonest buck…
Seven Deadly Sins plumbs the depths of humanity's dark side. And it is also the tale of those who have travelled through time and space to hear the stories contained herein - and to relish the taste of their subjects' wretchedness…
»The Solar System
Theme: One story set on each planet of Earth's solar system.
Synopsis: A star like many others in the western spire of the Milky Way galaxy.
Around it, orbit its planets each one has its own environment; its own history; its own circumstances.
The third planet of the ten is the most-densely populated. And, over time, its inhabitants have reached out to the other worlds.
There, they find surprises, wonders, danger.
Welcome to the solar system.
»Dalek Empire
Theme: Explores characters and events from the Dalek Empire audio series.
Synopsis: Everybody remembers Doctor Who's most terrifying monsters, the metallic, murderous Daleks!
Here they are again in a collection of ripping yarns that draw upon the events and themes of Big Finish's acclaimed series Dalek Empire.
But never fear, no prior knowledge is necessary. The good Doctor in his many incarnations is on hand to guide us through the terrible events before, after and during the Daleks' ruthless onslaught.
»The Quality of Leadership
Theme: The Doctor's encounters with leadership throughout time and space.
Synopsis: King Loran of Zalezna is dead, the victim of an attempted coup. However, with the help of the Eighth Doctor, Loran’s son and heir, Mihal, is able to stop the rebels and claim the throne. Now Mihal faces the prospect of ruling before he’s ready. By way of helping Mihal prepare for his new role, the Doctor tells him of the many leaders he’s met over the course of his lives…
Join the Doctor as he regales Prince Mihal with stories from throughout time and space. There are tales of the Roman Empire, from Emperor Theodoric to rebels Spartacus and Calpurnia to Rome’s enemy Queen Boudica. There’s King Arthur and Plato as they’ve never been seen before, Martin Luther and King Henry VIII in the midst of rewriting Europe’s religious landscape and an unexpected side of William Wallace. The Doctor also travels to such exotic worlds as Rishik and Mitidiki, and arrives at a deceptively mundane department store.
Leadership comes in many forms. Some are unexpected, some are less pleasant than you’d think and some aren’t quite what history would later paint them to be.
Now, a poll!
Poll Short Trips
...And now I just realised why that poll looked a little strange. No numbers! *totally wins*
EDIT 12/00/09: Purchased Dalek Empire because supplies are running low.