Winter for the Adept (Dr Who Big Finish) [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Andrew Cartmel (Author)

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Big Finish Productions (July 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184435072X
• ISBN-13: 978-1844350728
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,435,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars The Doctor and Nyssa go to school with a poltergeist., July 17, 2009

By 

Sharilyn - See all my reviews

This review is from: Winter for the Adept (Dr Who Big Finish) (Audio CD)

Accidentally transported out of the TARDIS during one of the Doctor's experiments, Nyssa finds herself stranded in the snow on the side of a Swiss Alp. Rescued by a policeman, she takes refuge at a finishing school, only to discover that it is bedevilled by a poltergeist. And once the Doctor arrives the manifestations become even more sinister.

This audio, while certainly enjoyable, is not particularly outstanding. The story has some familiar stereotypes--the rebellious teenage girl, the Bible-obsessed spinster schoolmarm, the obligatory séance--but it held my interest. One nice thing is that Nyssa (played by Sarah Sutton) carries an entire episode on her own, reminding us that she is a brilliant and capable young woman and not just the Doctor's helpless pet.

Perhaps the most noteworthy thing about Winter for the Adept is the casting. India Fisher (who would soon be cast as the Eighth Doctor's companion) makes her Big Finish debut in the role of Peril Bellemy. Peter Jurasik, best known to sci-fi fans as Londo Mollari in Babylon 5, plays Lieutenant Peter Sandoz.

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't give it the cold shoulder, June 21, 2008

By 

Peter Ingemi (Worcester County, Massachusetts United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Winter for the Adept (Dr Who Big Finish) (Audio CD)

The 10th entry in the Big Finish Doctor who collection is a rather pedestrian one, significant only due to the appearance of India Fisher as a supporting character. She comes across well, which might explain her later casting with the 8th doctor as his companion Charlotte Pollard.

As for the Plot Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) Finds herself accidentally teleported to the Swiss Alps in winter due to an experiment of the Doctor's. After her rescue he is taken to a remote school run by frankly a stock religious fanatic character, who along with the school French mistress and two students Allyson (who provides the surrounding narration) and Peril (Fisher) are stranded at the school due to a blizzard along with a local policeman who's attentions to Peril are the cause for much trouble and produces an incredibly funny line from Sutton.

That first episode is the strongest as there seems to be some sort of Ghostly activity in the remote school, the late arrival of the doctor (handled VERY well and rather funny) near the end of the episode gives Sutton a lot of character time rather than the "yes doctor how doctor" stuff that can be long on occasion.

The rest progresses as the Doctor and Nyssa investigate the ghostly happenings in the school. One plot twist is decidedly non-doctorish but we will leave that out to avoid spoilers.

It is in the end not the best of the batch but an acceptable story. If you are starting your collection or want Nyssa episodes I would go with either Circular Time or Doctor Who: Spare Parts (Big Finish Audio Drama) first, but either way your collection is incomplete without it.