Synopsis: Wrenched from her digital afterlife in the Library, River Song finds herself on sixty-first-century Earth. She’s been resurrected in a clone body. Billionaire tech mogul Garrison Clay has a mystery to solve, and he’s selected River as the person to solve it.
Armed with only her sonic screwdriver and a fake ID, River heads out into a world soon to be ravaged by solar flares. Danger stalks her at every turn.
Review: The Death and Life of River Song Series 01: Last Words was a mystery. As a result, I’ll be avoiding spoilers. Indeed, River wouldn’t have it any other way.
Story
Writer Robert Valentine’s mandate was to tie River into yet another strand of her husband’s history. Suffice it to say, he succeeded, and the folks at Big Finish love their listeners very much.
“Book 1 – Apokalypsis” was an excellent start to the tale. Valentine did an extraordinary amount of world-building.
River got a stellar antagonist. What’s more, she got sidekicks in the best pulp noir tradition.
However, Valentine truly excelled in crafting River’s psychological journey. He forced her to confront bedrock existential questions head-on.
“Book 2 – Fate & Fatality” was Valentine’s Jane Austen homage. At first, River and the listeners seemed out of place.
Happily, though, everything tied together thematically and structurally. In the process, Valentine delivered my favorite episode in the set.
“Book 3 – The Black Hours” clarified the true mystery and the true motives. Additionally, River made a new, troubled friend in the best noir tradition.
“Book 4 – Book of the Dead” was the centerpiece of Valentine’s mandate. The characters River encountered were shaped by both classic Doctor Who and the demands of noir storytelling.
Acting
Alex Kingston returned in top form. That said, I have to single out four supporting performances.
First, Robert Whitelock and Christine Kavanagh played their roles within the mystery to perfection. Second, Jamie Zubairi sparkled as a sidekick.
Last but not least, though, Greg Wise pulled out all the stops as Garrison Clay. The story required a villain, and Wise gleefully obliged.
Overall
The Death and Life of River Song Series 01: Last Words was a wonderful start to the next chapter in River’s story. I can’t wait for Series 02.
You can purchase The Death and Life of River Song Series 01: Last Words here.
You can check out more Big Finish Audio Reviews Here.
- Story8.5
- Performances10
- Audio Production10
Do you know if Alex Kingston ever worked with David Warner in Big Finish Raissa?
No. She didn’t unless in something that hasn’t been released yet. Always hoped she would.
Aye, I don’t know if she has or not either. But her career started in the very early eighties. She might even have started out in the late 70s as she was in a fair few high profile UK TV Shows, that are now thought of as iconic. I.E. shows like Upstairs Downstairs, which was a comedy show that pretty much did Downton Abbie, before Downton Abbie ever existed. While trying to find out if Alex did work with Warner. I came across this interview with her where she talks about her Big Finish work as well as working with her daughter.
https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/alex-kingston-interview/
Thanks Raissa. Thanks Ian.