Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Dance of the Dead

Bernice Summerfield Audio Dramas #3.3

by Stephen Cole, Lisa Bowerman (Narrator)

Illegally smuggled aboard a spaceship, hungover to the nth degree, all Benny Summerfield wants is to curl up in a ball and die. And it looks like she's going to get her chance.

When disaster strikes the ship — human error, or deliberate sabotage? — Benny barely survives. Banding together with a party of Ice Warriors and a laconic steward, a hazardous, arduous race is on to find a way out of the wreck before it breaks up all together. But are her fellow escapees all they seem? Benny finds that's hard to tell when your own mind's being hijacked by the memories and emotions of a dead alien — while a Martian Grand Marshall becomes your better half...

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook

Audio CD

First published October 1, 2002

About the author

See also: Steve Cole.

Stephen Cole (born 1971) is an English author of children's books and science fiction. He was also in charge of BBC Worldwide's merchandising of the BBC Television series Doctor Who between 1997 and 1999: this was a role which found him deciding on which stories should be released on video, commissioning and editing a range of fiction and non-fiction titles, producing audiobooks and acting as executive producer on the Big Finish Productions range of Doctor Who audio dramas.

Reviews

[Daniel Author · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bernice Summerfield is one of my favourite companions so giving her Big Finish spin-off a listen was a no brainier. I’ve really been enjoying this range so far, so fingers crossed this turns out to be another good listen.

After a wild and intoxicating adventure with Iris Wildthyme Bernice has been illegally put on board a federation ship. When an explosion goes off, disaster ensues. Bernice and a Grand Marshall must fight against the memories of phantoms to escape a crashing spaceship and to prevent a terrible war from breaking out.

Stephen Cole has written a very strong and unsettling script that is claustrophobic, tense and creepy. It’s a story of possession, warmongering and thievery.

Overall: A very underrated release. 10/10

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally got to listen to this now available via Big Finish App. It really holds up well a small cast but with strong performances. Lisa Bowerman and Mathew Brenher do a masterclass performance as their characters are possessed by the spirits of a long dead couple. It's almosr Shakespearean in terms if dialogue and I could have listened to them forever. It all ties in thematically to the more usual doctor who universe story which is compelling and simple sound design is effective. The only that really dates it is the theme tune 🤣

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trasportata illegalmente a bordo di un'astronave, con una sbornia all'ennesima potenza, tutto ciò che Benny Summerfield vuole è rannicchiarsi e morire. E sembra che ne avrà la possibilità.
Quando il disastro colpisce la nave - errore umano o sabotaggio deliberato? - Benny sopravvive a malapena. Insieme a un gruppo di Guerrieri di Ghiaccio e un laconico steward, ha inizio una corsa ardua e rischiosa per trovare una via d'uscita dal relitto prima che si distrugga del tutto. Ma i suoi compagni di fuga sono davvero ciò sembrano? Benny ritiene che sia difficile da capire quando la tua mente viene dirottata dai ricordi e dalle emozioni di un'aliena morta, mentre un Gran Maresciallo marziano diventa la tua dolce metà...

Iris ha mollato una Bernice in preda al dopo-sbornia sulla nave Empress, dove ambasciatori di ogni specie sono di ritorno da una conferenza di pace, tra cui anche esponenti dei Neo-marziani: il Gran Mareshallo Sstac e il generale Azzar.
Essendo Benny un'esperta di storia marziana e avendo avuto molti cari amici tra i Guerrieri di Ghiaccio (ma avendo anche dovuto fermare una loro invasione una volta), questa accoppiata non poteva che essere vincente. Benny è fin da subito amichevole con i Neo-marziani, in particolare si vede interagire per la maggior parte del tempo con Sstac. Eppure qualcuno è responsabile di aver sabotato la nave, e i sospetti non sono subito chiari. In aggiunta, i ricordi di due alieni morti e particolarmente litigiosi prendono possesso di Benny e Sstac, complicando le cose.
La corsa per andare da una parte all'altra della nave distrutta fa molto Voyage of the Damned per la sua parte adrenalinica.
Ma c'è anche un risvolto più introspettivo per quanto riguarda le vite di quella coppia defunta, che in qualche modo portano avanti i loro dissapori ma arrivano anche alla pace.
Di questa stagione è uno degli audio che mi è piaciuto di più finora, ma non è ancora finita.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Burn Ice Summerfield

[Mole Mann · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's quite a few good ideas in this but I'm not sure if they gel together as well as I'd wish. It's not that bad though and can be quite entertaining.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Busy Bernice story

[April Mccaffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bernice Summerfield and the Dance of the Dead is good for the fact it gives us more insight on Benny’s and Iris friendship and Benny recovering from a massive hangover caused by there drinking. Though, poor Benny who keeps getting strangled and punched by a possessed Ice Warrior because of some alien gas.

Also, spoiler ish;

Another favourite moment of mine:
-


Karter: Now, where are those priceless jewels?
Benny *pretending to be possessed*: My love, I know where your priceless jewels are...*She raises her knees up and kicks him in the groin* Right between your legs!

[Debra Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Story. After being put on a transport home by Iris, Benny wakes up with a hangover and a ship that is about to be sabotaged. She spends most of the adventure drifting in-between consciness and reliving the memories of a dead passenger with a Martian named Staxx. The rest I'll let you judge for yourself.

[Anne Barwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story using the idea of a attacked spaceship hoping help will arrive in time with a few added twists. Although I guessed the 'bad guys' the way the story unfolded was well done, and I liked the idea of the stored memories and the consequences of them.

[Nicholas Whyte]

The Dance Of The Dead, however, was a real return to form: a claustrophobic setting of the doomed space ship, the return of the Ice Warriors, and psychic possession - all worked really well for me.