Arthur Darvill ("Rory" from Doctor Who) reads this exclusive audio adventure featuring the Eleventh Doctor and Amy
When the TARDIS lands on Orkney in the near future, the Doctor and Amy arrive to find a large demonstration in progress over the construction of new electricity pylons. The Doctor tries to break things up peacefully – but suddenly the road splits open without warning and swallows police, security guards and protestors alike.
Separated from the Doctor, Amy takes charge of transporting the wounded to hospital – but the rescue mission becomes a terrifying ride as the pylons come to life and begin to walk and the road rears up, erupting with boiling tarmac...
The Doctor, meanwhile, has even more than metal monsters and rebellious roads to deal with. Who is sucking the life out of the power company's employees – and just what is lurking inside the Astra-Gen headquarters?
Written specially for audio by Stephen Cole and read by Arthur Darvill, who plays Rory in Doctor Who, The Ring of Steel features the Doctor as played by Matt Smith in the acclaimed hit series from BBC Television.
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.
Throughout this entire story, there was one question I found myself asking repeatedly:
What the heck?!
I hate being critical of the hard work of others - especially when there's a group of people out there who like and praise it. But this entire audio story was a mess that made no sense to me whatsoever.
Firstly, it's read by the extremely talented Arthur Darvill, whose voice is a pleasure to listen to (I was also surprised to learn that his 'reading' voice is very different to his 'Rory' voice). But if you're going to get him to read an audiobook, why not make it one with Rory in it? While Darvill's impersonations of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan were exceptional, it seemed like such a waste for him not to also appear in the story as his own character.
Then there's the monster of the week. If you took all the enemies from the mediocre, forgettable New Who stories out there and mushed them together, you'll end up with the ridiculous antagonists in this story. Walking power poles sound bad enough, but that's not even the start of it.
And don't even get me started on the plot. It probably sounded alright in theory, but the fact is that it bored me to death. The aliens were cheesy and not interesting in the slightest, and almost all the supporting characters were two dimensional. At no point in the story did I care about the fate of any of the characters or how the Doctor might resolve the problem. My engagement level was basically zero.
I'm sorry, I really am, but this story just wasn't for me. As far am I'm concerned, if you're looking for a bearable and semi-engaging Eleventh Doctor audio story, I'd recommend the cringe-worthily similar (but still superior) Doctor Who: The Runaway Train by Oli Smith.
The story wasn't my favorite, but Arthur Darvill's skills as a narrator are quickly becoming a favorite. I wish Rory had actually appeared in this episode.
This is an audiobook that is based on the television series. This one has the Eleventh Doctor played by Matt Smith and along for the ride is his companion Amy. In this one, the Doctor and Amy arrive on a future Orkney where there is a protest against the pylons that have been erected all round the island. Suddenly, these pylons come to life and all chaos breaks loose.
Arthur Darvill narrates this story who played Rory in the show. This is a little weird because Rory isn't featured in this story. If I was rating this solely on the narration this book would get ten stars. In a word Darvill's narration is awesome. He nailed the Doctor (I actually had to check to see if it wasn't Matt Smith) and I loved how he did Amy's accent. His other characters were brought to life and his narration was the one bright spot of this book. Sadly, the story was a little weak and I just could not give it the three stars for a rating. For a show that sometimes borders on the silly, walking pylons crosses the line for me. And the aliens that were controlling them just did not do it for me.
This was a very quick listen and it was just okay. This would have been a filler episode of the show that one would quickly say let's get back to the overall story arc. The narration is amazing and I am going to check out if Arthur Darvill has done more audiobooks. If he has, I have to get my hands on them because he made me look forward to listening to an average story.
Aurthur Darvil, why can't you narrate 1/3 of the things I read? (Sir Patrick Steward and Sir Ian McKellen reserve full rights to the remaining 2/3, however.)
A very enjoyable read. It's a story that'd be too expensive to realize in a typical episode of Doctor Who, so you have the opportunity to join the Doctor and Amy for a truly fantastic adventure.
That said, even though this is my second Doctor Who audio book, I'm starting to notice a distinct pattern in plot structure: seemingly normal situation reveals crazy alien origins that leads to a world-threatening climax and the meeting of a partially sympathetic alien baddie. Of course, that's ALWAYS the plot structure in doctor who, but somehow it seems so much more obvious in writing.
Nevertheless, I still recommend this story. The narration is wonderful and the story feels true to each character's personality.
Stephen Cole delivers an exciting ‘Doctor Who’ adventure that captures the essence of the beloved series. With the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond at the heart of the story, ‘The Ring of Steel’ is packed with mystery, danger, and that classic ‘Doctor Who’ charm.
Plot: ★★★★★ The story feels like it could easily be an episode straight out of the show. It’s filled with intrigue, suspense, and just the right amount of humour to balance the tension. The pacing is excellent, and the stakes build beautifully as the Doctor and Amy uncover the truth behind the strange occurrences in Orkney. There’s a satisfying mix of sci-fi elements and relatability that keep things engaging throughout.
Character: ★★★★★ Amy Pond and the Eleventh Doctor are just as vibrant and dynamic as ever. Their witty banter and strong bond shine through in the dialogue, making their interactions just as entertaining as they are in the TV series. The Doctor is his usual eccentric, quick-thinking self, while Amy’s mix of bravery and scepticism brings a wonderful balance to their dynamic.
Setting: ★★★★★ The Orkney setting adds an exciting flavour to the ‘Doctor Who’ universe. The isles, with their rugged landscapes, folklore, and mysterious atmosphere, are the perfect backdrop for an eerie sci-fi adventure. The story makes excellent use of the environment, adding an extra layer of immersion for the listener.
Engagement: ★★★★★ From start to finish, the story keeps you hooked. There’s never a dull moment, and the balance between action, dialogue, and mystery is expertly handled. Whether it's the eerie presence of the construction crew, the unfolding mystery, or the delightful friendship between the Doctor and Amy, there's always something keeping the listener invested.
Listenability: ★★★★☆ Narrated by Arthur Darvill, the audiobook is a treat for fans. His narration is clear and engaging, with great pacing that makes it easy to follow. His impression of the Eleventh Doctor is quite solid, and while his Amy isn’t perfect, it’s amusing enough to add to the overall charm. The energy he brings to the narration ensures that the story never drags.
Enjoyment: ★★★★★ This is a must-listen for any Doctor Who fan. It’s a fun, fast-paced, and atmospheric adventure that perfectly captures the spirit of the show. The combination of a gripping story, beloved characters, and an immersive setting makes for an incredibly enjoyable experience.
‘Doctor Who: The Ring of Steel’ is a fantastic addition to the ‘Doctor Who’ audiobook lineup. With an engaging plot, well-loved characters, and a captivating setting, it’s a thrilling adventure that fans of the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond won’t want to miss. Arthur Darvill’s narration adds an extra layer of enjoyment, making this an audiobook that’s well worth a listen!
Performance: Arthur Darvill does an alright 11th Doctor but very often you have to concentrate and picture 11s face to get it. His Amy Pond impression is even worse in this with you really having to concentrate to bring the young confident Amy. To give credit were credit were credit is due this was the first audio story with the 11th Doctor and they only had the first series of the 11th Doctor for reference so I'll say did a pretty good job.
Writing: The premise makes a lot of use of the freedom of prose and Stephen Cole makes great villains out of electricity pylons. It follows a similar formula to the Autons: find something normal you see as a kid and make it kill people. It wasn't ground shattering for 2010 and it but not unbearable. Probably not the best BBC audio of 11 but the closest we will likely ever get to authentic Big Finish with Matt Smith.
Arthur Darvill (Rory) reads this Matt Smith/Amy Pond adventure which is a little bit weird as Rory the character doesn't feature. So the Doctor and Amy visit the Orkney Islands and get caught up in protest marches against metal pylons being erected in prominent historic and beautiful sight seeing spots. The pylons mixed with Tarmac off the roads come to life and start marching and it is all some elaborate plan of invading aliens who suck the life from planets then move on.
Story is a bit weak I mean this form of alien devourer is two a penny. What I did like was the visuals of the marching pylons. Who as a kid hasn't imagined they are giant robots marching across the land? Or is that just me?
Arthur Darvill isn't a bad narrator either and this retained my interest, although it it not one of the better Who audios.
An enjoyable romp through Orkney featuring the 11th Doctor, Amy, and aliens. I liked the overall plot and all the side characters. I think the author did well with the overall narrative considering it was a short story. Arthur Darvill did an excellent job with the narration.
Arthur Darvill is not a bad narrator but his Eleven and Amy Pond can really use some work. What's funny is that this story doesn't even feature Rory... Weird.
In accordance with the FTC, I would like to disclose that I purchased this book. The opinions expressed are mine and no monetary compensation was offered to me by the author or publisher.
When Amy and the Doctor arrive in Orkney in the near future, they discover a large group of protesters who don't like the new electricity pylons destroying their landscape.
What they don't know, is that these pylons have a far more sinister agenda. Soon, roads begin opening without warning, creating massive chasms...and the pylons start walking.
With the help of the protesters, the Doctor and Amy must find out who is behind the construction of the pylons and their deadly mayhem and stop it before it's too late.
I grabbed this audio book because it was another one narrated by Arthur Darvill. I can't get enough of his narrative skills. I'm addicted.
These exclusive audio books are much shorter than the novel readings but they read just like an episode of Doctor Who. What they have that the novel audio books don't is sound effects. Great ones at that. I could hear the pylons moving and the bells ringing and the ships sounding their horns. It really amplified the tension. Quite exhilerating.
There was even some voice alteration for some of the characters. Imagine Gollum shrieking into a microphone. It was very creepy, especially since I was listening to it at night with lightning cracking through the blinds.
Darvill only accentuated Cole's writing with his narration. The imagery was very clear and effective: "the moon, now revealed like a breath-freshening mint in the night's wide open mouth..." Brilliant! Excellent writing.
I'd recommend 'The Ring of Steel' by Stephen Cole to any avid Doctor Who fan looking for a good audio book romp.
I'm sorry to say the Stephen Cole's audio book for the 11th Doctor really, really sucks. I mean it is just downright terrible. I mean *tries to laugh* the Amy and the Doctor are fighting Pylons. And are fighting an alien, the Caskelliac that use Pylons and other electrical devices for power. It never felt like the Doctor was in danger or like there was even a Monster of the Week.
Arthur Darvill who plays Rory in the tv show reads this audio book. He does an okay job. Darvill is able to do different voices and is able to imitate Amy's Scottish accent.
The only thing that might be good about this audio book is the secondary characters, Thinwood and Fay, both were protesting the Pylons in Orkney, and both had unique personalities.
I have to apologize for such a short review but there isn't much I can muster up to say about this audio book except that it really sucks. If you really want to read/listen to it, I'd only recommend it to diehard Stephen Cole fans. Otherwise, you are not missing anything by skipping this one.
A rather good, if predictable and silly in parts, short audio drama of the 11th Doctor with Amy (and rather well narrated by Arthur Darvill; despite the fact that Rory is nowhere to be seen in this story!).
The Doctor and Amy show up in Scotland in the Orkney Islands and appear to be at a protest around some huge steel electricity pylons going up. When things start getting creepy (moving pylons, people sucked completely dry of energy) the Doctor and Amy get to saving the town (and the world).
The downsides are the odd "Wait...what? That's not....nothing can DO that!" moments that I often have to just ignore with Doctor Who; a few cases of phrases that seemed out of character (like the Doctor saying "Screw up"); and the effect they used to voice the Monster of the Week was really rather horrible: a screeching squealing whisper-scream thing that made me really glad they didn't get much talking time.
An enjoyable quick listen for the most part; like listening to a good (but not amazing) episode of the show.
Самое замечательное, что есть в этой аудиокниге – это Артур Дарвилл, ее читающий. Нарадоваться не могу на его нарраторские способности :) Звуковое сопровождение в виде всяких там завываний и шорохов на высоте, как и во всех аудио-эксклюзивах. Даже жалко, что на выходе получилась такая фигня.
Книга не дала возможности заскучать за час времени, но глупости и нелепости свели на нет любую задумку, к тому же она оказалась погребена под слоем беготни и спасения очередных жертв обстоятельств/инопланетного вторжения. Такое ощущение, что Доктор и спасенные им никогда и не были в опасности, а просто побегали и кого-то в итоге победили. Вообще не вдохновляет. Злодеями выступили (внимание): столбы линий электропередач. Да-да, вот эти опоры, на которые вешают провода. Столбы бегут толпой на Эми и Доктора... Серьезно?
A surprisingly uninspired Doctor Who tale from Stephen Cole "The Ring of Steel" sees the Doctor, Amy and Rory facing a true crisis of energy policy in the form of moving monstrous electricity towers. A bunch of demonstrators are also involved.
Everything is this story is safe and mediocre. Many of the concepts might feel silly but mostly they just come across bland and loaned; I don't know which is worse. Cole's language is okay but theres's nothing unique about it; the same applies to the whole of the story, in fact. A tale of corporate greed joining forces with alien attackers is very traditionally Who indeed, but this time around it doesn't really bring anything fresh at all to the table.
Stephen Cole has rarely disappointed me, and I thought that this was one of the better Doctor Who audiobooks out there: read by Arthur "Rory" Darville, whose own character isn't actually in it, we have the Eleventh Doctor and Amy getting mixed up in an environmental protest in the Orkney Islands and discovering, inevitably, that there are aliens behind the new technology involved. But it's not quite your standard alien invasion story - turns out in fact to be rather a clever plot, assisted by excellent sound effects and other incidentals. Strongly recommended.
Arthur's funny as The Doctor. :) I was really thrilled with him. He actually made the story good to me. His accents and voices were great and he read everything very well. I liked the idea of the story, and yet I just found it okay over all. I dunno if it was because it was an audio book or if it was because I wasn't watching it. Nothing remarkable in my opinion.
Four stars - mostly because I want Arthur Darvill to narrate my life. Or at least all of the audiobooks in my life. He was absolutely fantastic, and listening to him narrate the story was well worth the cost of the audiobook, so money well spent.
The story itself was alright. A little ridiculous in parts, but what good Sci-fi story isn't now and again?