A Book by Any Other Name Would Sound as Sweet by Theresa Gauthier

 Audiobooks Are Books

I’ve heard a remarkable thing—there are people who believe that audiobooks aren’t real books. To this I have to say…

What?

Audiobooks are absolutely books. First of all, it’s right there in the name, isn’t it? Books, audiobooks—it’s just a difference of format. Some people are not able to read and enjoy a printed book—anyone with impaired vision or blindness, anyone with dyslexia or similar challenges might rely on audiobooks to bring the literary world to them. Others like to listen to books in between reading books. I know people who will buy a favorite title in every format available.

I’ve found audiobooks necessary for long commutes or road trips. What better way to spend a few hours of forced confinement in a car than to listen to a book whether it’s an old favorite or something brand new?

In battling my own troubles reading in the last couple of years, I’ve come to rely heavily on audiobooks. It makes any commute easier to handle and as a longtime fan of Doctor Who—I have come to adore Big Finish Audiobooks.

Big Finish started producing new Doctor Who stories in that period of time that Doctor Who fans (Whovians—in my generation) call “The Dark Times” —this is the period between the cancellation of the show in 1989 until the day of it’s revival or reboot in 2005. Big Finish produces far more than only Doctor Who titles now dabbling in Sherlock Holmes, Blake’s 7, The Avengers, and even Star Trek. 

They even supply a handy app through which you can listen to all the titles you download from their site. 

These books (Yes! Books!) are grand adventures and feel like new episodes. The benefit is that they make new titles for every era of Doctor Who. You have a desire to hear a new adventure with a Classic Doctor—they have stories from all 8 of the original Doctors from William Hartnell through Paul McGann. Wishing that Christopher Eccleston had lasted a few more seasons—dive into the NEW Christopher Eccleston series of titles. 

Keep in mind, some of these are read by a single reader like Nicholas Briggs reading Landbound, a Third Doctor adventure and some of these are full-cast audiodramas.  You’ll hear The Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) with his long time companion, Ace (Sophie Aldred) as well as Christopher Eccleston stories—though there are stories with Doctors 10, 11, and 12, these are not read by the original actors who played these characters. Nor are there any 13^th Doctor stories as of yet.

Let’s get to the important part: the quality of the productions is phenomenal. The casting, the music, the special effects—all combine to give the listener an experience that far exceeds expectations. It harkens back to the radio shows of the days before television and streaming. The effects are sound effects, of course, and they provide a springboard for your imagination to create images no visual effects team can match.

I lean towards the Doctor Who stories, but I’ve listened to the Sherlock Holmes as well. The other titles are enticing, and I’ve promised myself that I’ll sample them one by one.

My top ten Favorite Doctor Who titles are:

Not a full cast audio:

1. Landbound, The Third Doctor visits a pub owner and gives some assistance.  I love this story. It’s easy to imagine the Third Doctor at his best as the narrator dives into the story. 

2.The Lichyrwick Abomination, a story of a town terrorized by a nighttime visitor—the origins of which are impossible to guess. This is one of the first I’ve gotten from Big Finish that feature the 9^th Doctor. I was practically giddy the first few times I listened.

3. Free Speech 

The Tenth Doctor participates in a card game, learns of a social injustice, and does what he can to change things in the long term. I’ve probably listened to this one more than any other. It’s an engrossing story because it’s so easy to imagine it as reality. The narrator embodies the Tenth Doctor in a way I’d have thought impossible —a delightful way to spend your free time

4. The Best Laid Plans 

The Twelfth Doctor tackles a Mastermind for hire. Delicious verbal morsels that you’d swear the Twelfth Doctor would say—twists of language, offhand remarks said in asides to the audience, this is another giddy moment.

Full cast audio

1. Ghost Station

 The Fifth Doctor visits Berlin soon after the Berlin Wall is built and encounters a soldier guarding the abandoned stations that still link East and West Berlin through the Underground. This story is haunting in so many ways.

2. The Word Lord 

The Seventh Doctor encounters a malevolent being that uses words as a point of entry to wreak havoc. Clever, fun, and just the right amount of menace. Ace and Hex are perfection itself. Ace is comfortable in her own skin, and Hex lays down more than a few laugh out loud comments.

4. The Light at the End 

A stupendous crossover including five Classic Doctors and their companions in a mind-blowing confrontation
with an old enemy and a catastrophic chain of events. Includes performances by Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Louise Jameson, Sarah Sutton, Nicola Bryant, Sophie Aldred, India Fisher, Geoffrey Beevers, Oliver Hume, John Dorney, Nicholas Briggs, Carole Ann Ford, William Russell, Peter Purves, Maureen O’Brien, Jean Marsh, Anneke Wills, Frazer Hines, Wendy Padbury, Katy Manning, Janet Fielding, Mark Strickson, and Benedict Briggs.

What fun! I listen to this one a lot! Just hearing all of these Doctors and Companions interacting is so much fun. I thought they might not be able to present a story with so many appearances and still give each character enough to do, but they’ve done it. This is Time Travel at its finest.

5. Enemy of the Daleks 

The Seventh Doctor faces off against the Daleks on a planet overrun with a strange plant called ironweed. In a story of genetic manipulation and experimentation, the Doctor and his companions, Ace and Hex, find themselves on the front lines in a war with the Daleks. There’s a lot going on in this one as the guest stars have quite a bit to do. Hex, a newer companion, and Ace, the seasoned pro, have a close relationship here, and Ace has taken Hex under her wing. They both know enough about the Doctor’s methods by this point to understand that he won’t tell them everything. The plot is intricate and well thought out. This one is a winner.

6. 1963: Fanfare for the Common Men 

In a (for me!) mind-bending clash of two of my favorite fandoms, Doctor Who dives into the mythos of The Beatles as the Doctor, bringing Nyssa to a Beatles concert discovers that The Beatles don’t exist. Broken up long ago, they were replaced with a band who seems to inspire an obsessive adoration from its fans. Can the Doctor figure out what changed the original timeline and bring The Beatles back? Nyssa is a great choice to be running around the 1960s trailing a Beatles-style band. It somehow fits. She befriends one of the musicians, and instead of being the only person in the 1960s who doesn’t remember The Beatles, the tables are turned and the Doctor is the only person who does remember the Fab Four. 

Audiobooks have come a long way. With so much available, I’m more and more pleased that The Doctor has so fertile a playground.