Audio Review: Doctor Who – Plague of the Cybermen

The Cybermen are back in this latest Who audiobook...

(AudioGo)

ANY story featuring one of the Time Lord’s classic adversaries has to warrant their inclusion dramatically, rather than acting as a ratings or sales boost, and Plague of the Cybermen achieves this in spades.

Arriving in the 19th century Russian village of Klimtenburg, the Doctor discovers the population is suffering from a horrific wasting disease, only to then rise from their graves… The Plague Warriors have returned.

Of course, the name of the story prevents any obvious surprises, as before long the Doctor discovers that a group of crashed Cybermen are behind events and actually harvesting bodies for conversion, but that works to the listener’s advantage as for once they’re one step ahead of the Time Lord.

Set before the current TV series but after the Christmas special, there’s nothing too revolutionary in Justin Richards’ narrative, but there’s nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned Cyberman story to remind you why they’re such a strong foe for the Doctor. Richards’ is a well-established pro when it comes to penning solid and reliable Who stories, and his latest work caters to new and old fans alike, offering a smattering of continuity references alongside basic information about the Doctor and his world.

The legendary David Warner, whose connections to Who are long and varied, including his recent appearance in the episode Cold War, brings his immense vocal talents to this audiobook, aided by Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the Cybermen.

You can buy a copy of Doctor Who - Plague of the Cybermen from www.audiogo.com/uk