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Post by renetsil on Sept 1, 2017 17:12:13 GMT
As I expect you'll have seen, The Company of Friends is going cheap this month on the Big Finish site. Do you need to be familiar with the various companions (Mary Shelley aside) to appreciate the stories? I've never read any of the comics, where I gather two of the companions come from, and my only encounters with Benny have been The Shadow of the Scourge and Big Finish's version of Love and War (and I found the latter underwhelming); I also have The Plague Herds of Excelis but haven't got round to listening to it. Would this be a problem? And is The Company of Friends any good anyway?
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Post by constonks on Sept 1, 2017 17:20:50 GMT
I'd read the comics with Izzy, but not of the novels with Fitz. I'd listened to about as much Benny as you have now. Didn't find any of the stories particularly inscrutable.
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aztec
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Post by aztec on Sept 1, 2017 17:35:16 GMT
When I first listened to it, my only knowledge of Benny came from the audio of Love And War and I hadn't read any of the comics (still haven't) or novels (read most of them now) at the time, but I thoroughly enjoyed the stories (it's definitely one of the stronger 4x1 releases i.m.o), there's a few continuity references here and there, but the stories are stand alone romps (well Benny's story leads it open for a follow up, and Mary's story lead to a follow up trilogy, and slots into the 8th Doctor's timeline in an unusual way...) and easy to follow with no prior knowledge of the companions.
Mary's Story and Fitz's story were the stronger stories i.m.o (Fitz's story is particularly amusing to me, now I'm familiar with the character from the novels), but all four are enjoyable, and it was nice to get a glimpse at other periods/companions in the 8th Doctor's life.
Long hoped for a second anthology, or maybe some Izzy/Fitz short trips.
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Post by mark687 on Sept 1, 2017 19:16:54 GMT
You don't need prior knowledge of the companions they introduce themselves. They are all solid stories, my favourites being Mary's and Izzy's. Regards mark687 |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 1, 2017 19:57:40 GMT
Quite simply. It's on offer... BUY!
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Tony Jones
Chancellery Guard
Professor Chronotis
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Post by Tony Jones on Sept 1, 2017 20:28:28 GMT
Easily worth it just for Mary's Story
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Post by eric009 on Sept 1, 2017 21:31:08 GMT
Very much so the way I tell if the storeys are any good is I look at my replay list I played these about 6 times so for the price I buy it but I already have it  |
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aztec
Chancellery Guard
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Post by aztec on Sept 3, 2017 7:32:08 GMT
Easily worth it just for Mary's Story I wonder when {Spoiler}
Big Finish will redo the story from the older 8th Doctor's perspective, he's clearly from the time war, we must be getting closer...personally I always like to place it a couple of stories before The Night Of The Doctor, the various references to past companions and the contrast between the two doctors make it seem like something of an ending coda (there's also the nice parallel that the 7th Doctor regenerates into the 8th when a Frakenstein Monster is being shown on the hospital TV, and in Mary's story the 8th Doctor becomes the Frankenstein monster shortly before he regenerates into the War Doctor). |
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Post by constonks on Sept 6, 2017 14:12:54 GMT
Easily worth it just for Mary's Story I wonder when {Spoiler}
Big Finish will redo the story from the older 8th Doctor's perspective, he's clearly from the time war, we must be getting closer...personally I always like to place it a couple of stories before The Night Of The Doctor, the various references to past companions and the contrast between the two doctors make it seem like something of an ending coda (there's also the nice parallel that the 7th Doctor regenerates into the 8th when a Frakenstein Monster is being shown on the hospital TV, and in Mary's story the 8th Doctor becomes the Frankenstein monster shortly before he regenerates into the War Doctor). They could very easily have a Time War story end with the Doctor flying into a storm of corrosive time and the other characters wondering if he would survive. An open ending, only if you haven't heard this audio. |
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Post by Digi on Sept 6, 2017 16:02:19 GMT
I'm still not clear on why people are thinking Mary's Story has to do with the Time War. All it says is he was hit by a "time storm," which given the life he leads, seems like it could be something he'd encounter at any time.
But to come back to the original question...
I had never read any of the books or comics when I first heard The Company of Friends (even in the years since, I've only read one Benny novel). While the stories are tantalizing in how they make you want more, at no point did I feel like I'd missed out on anything. The stories are quite well-contained, and for my two cents, I really enjoyed all four of them.
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Post by renetsil on Sept 6, 2017 22:30:02 GMT
Thanks for the replies, everyone. I'm short of cash at the moment and so reluctant to buy these things even at a discount unless I can be sure I'll enjoy them (buying anything from Big Finish at full price is completely out of the question for me right now), but you've reassured me.
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Post by constonks on Sept 7, 2017 1:52:52 GMT
I'm still not clear on why people are thinking Mary's Story has to do with the Time War. All it says is he was hit by a "time storm," which given the life he leads, seems like it could be something he'd encounter at any time. For me, it's this: EDIT: er spoilers sorry- This is a story that lists almost every companion that the Eighth Doctor had traveled with up to this point, including one he would meet in an audio later that year (Alex). That places it after An Earthly Child at least.
- The TARDIS regenerates into a new form at the end.
- There was a cut scene that implies the TARDIS exterior changed into the Ninth Doctor version in this story (obv this is less conclusive but it sways me slightly unless it's proven differently).
- It's wayyyy more narratively satisfying if this represents the end of the Eighth Doctor's life and he's thinking back on all of his companions.
And honestly, it's the last one that sticks with me more than corrosive time being a definitive Time War thing. If Night of the Doctor had shown him turning into John Hurt ages before the Time War began, or even if this was a Doctor who had nothing to do with the Time War at all, I'd still say this was at the end of his life. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2017 2:38:20 GMT
I'm still not clear on why people are thinking Mary's Story has to do with the Time War. All it says is he was hit by a "time storm," which given the life he leads, seems like it could be something he'd encounter at any time. For me, it's this: EDIT: er spoilers sorry- This is a story that lists almost every companion that the Eighth Doctor had traveled with up to this point, including one he would meet in an audio later that year (Alex). That places it after An Earthly Child at least.
- The TARDIS regenerates into a new form at the end.
- There was a cut scene that implies the TARDIS exterior changed into the Ninth Doctor version in this story (obv this is less conclusive but it sways me slightly unless it's proven differently).
- It's wayyyy more narratively satisfying if this represents the end of the Eighth Doctor's life and he's thinking back on all of his companions.
And honestly, it's the last one that sticks with me more than corrosive time being a definitive Time War thing. If Night of the Doctor had shown him turning into John Hurt ages before the Time War began, or even if this was a Doctor who had nothing to do with the Time War at all, I'd still say this was at the end of his life. It definitely lends itself to that direction. Once upon a time I think his end would've been Museum Peace as it slots in beautifully after To the Death, but with Dark Eyes and this new era of the Eighth Doctor, it's looking more and more likely that Mary's Story might be one of his last. |
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