Stories – I am Ashley Elsdon

Space 1999 (Big Finish Audio)

Posted by ashleyelsdonon January 20, 2020January 27, 2023in Audiobooks, Books and Audiobooks1 Comment

A new version of Space 1999 from Big Finish

I’ve been a fan of Space 1999 since I was a kid. I just loved it. The idea was awesome, the show was awesome, but it only got two seasons, which was a shame really.

I’d hoped for a long time that Big Finish would bring it back, and they did. Releasing the first story “Breakaway” on the 13th of September last year. The date was significant. In the series the 13th of September was the date that the moon left earth’s orbit. Of course, that was back in 1999, so Big Finish releasing it on the 13th of September 2019 marked 20 years since the original story’s event.

The new version is excellent. It keeps to the original story but brings in a few new elements. I’ve listened to it twice now and it’s simply excellent.

The best news for a Friday, there is more Space 1999 coming

More Space 1999 stories are coming and that can only be a good thing

by ashleyelsdon January 13, 2023January 27, 2023

More Space 1999 is coming

About the next set of Space 1999 audio stories coming in 2022 from Big Finish

by ashleyelsdon October 21, 2021January 27, 2023

It’s only fair that post 1999 be about Space 1999

It’s only right isn’t it. I’m a fan and I feel that I should dedicate post number 1999 to Space 1999. I’m still slowly making my way through season 2, and if that wasn’t enough I’m not sure that I’ve finished reading the comic editions on comixology either. Perhaps I need to make a bit…

by ashleyelsdon February 16, 2015

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BBC’s War of the Worlds

Posted by ashleyelsdonon December 4, 2019November 10, 2020in TV1 Comment

I was actually really looking forward to seeing this. However, it has been a massive disappointment. It is actually one of the worst things I’ve seen, and most certainly the worst rendering of this story ever, and I include the Tom Cruise version, which was decidedly awful too.

I don’t really understand how they got it so wrong though. I mean, there’s a book. They read the book right? It doesn’t take much to get this right. They left out a load of stuff though. Stuff that was in the actual story, and they put in a load of stuff that wasn’t in the story. I’m not entirely sure why though.

It seems to me that this is a result of a very simple error that can be boiled down into a simple equation.

Original Story + Useless Additions – Cool stuff from the original = Crap Version

Sure, that’s probably an oversimplification, but basically it’s what happened, and it should have been totally avoidable.

As far as I can tell, no one (in their right mind) thought this was any good at all. I’d agree. However, if you’re interested in a far superior version, that is audio only, then you should try the version that Big Finish produced.

Big Finish’s version of War of the Worlds

Now this is excellent. Really good and really enjoyable. I can thoroughly recommend it.

Blake’s 7: Liberator Chronicles 8 – Spoils

Posted by ashleyelsdonon February 12, 2019January 27, 2023in Audiobooks, Books and AudiobooksLeave a comment

I updated my Blake’s 7 library after Christmas as Big Finish was having a sale on a range of titles. One that I bought was the Liberator Chronicles 8. As a collection of four stories it was fine. Nothing bad in there, nothing amazing. That is until the last story in the collection. The last story in this collection is called ‘Spoils’.

I’m not going to spoil the story in case you plan to listen to it, but, I have to say it was probably one of the most interesting and unusual stories in the Blake’s 7 range I’ve ever heard.

I’ll leave it there. If you do listen to it, I think you’ll be surprised.

Not getting to Beyond the Border this year

Posted by ashleyelsdonon June 5, 2018December 14, 2020in FestivalsLeave a comment

Which is a massive shame really. I’m going to miss it. Last time it was an amazing experience and a huge amount of fun too. I’m a big fan of storytelling. It’s important. It is just so fundamental and core to how we understand things.

I’ve always found the storytelling at Beyond the Border to be incredible. The range of stories and tellers is so rich that I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed in all of the years that I’ve been there.

Maybe disappointed with the weather, but even then, not that often.

I hope it’s as amazing as ever this year. I’m just so sorry not to be there.

Doctor Who, the Helm of Awe

Posted by ashleyelsdonon April 30, 2017January 27, 2023in Audiobooks, Books and AudiobooksLeave a comment

Since Philip Hinchcliffe came back to do stories with Big Finish I’ve been really impressed with the results. So I was truly looking forward to hearing this latest story. I started it off and was quite interested to begin with although I did find the story a little formulaic. In fact the whole of the first episode was a little disappointing. At this point I was a bit worried about the story and if it would indeed live up to expectations.

But it was around the mid-point of the story that it felt like it had really turned and was just like the rest of the Hinchcliffe stories, which are excellent.

I’m pleased that i was wrong about this story, I’m glad that it turned out ok and wasn’t a dud. That would be terrible.

The First Men in the Moon

Posted by ashleyelsdonon April 13, 2017January 27, 2023in Audiobooks, Books and AudiobooksLeave a comment

As you probably know I’m a fan of Big Finish. Sure, not everything that they do is brilliant, but a great deal of it is. I was really impressed with their rendition of The Invisible Man with John Hurt and really looking forward to this. Now it’s out. I haven’t listening to it as yet, but I love the story and I hope that they do it justice.

A verdict will be forthcoming!

Blake’s 7 Liberator Chronicles 7

Posted by ashleyelsdonon April 25, 2016January 27, 2023in Audiobooks, Books and AudiobooksLeave a comment

Blake's 7 Liberator Chronicles 7 Spy — Blake’s 7 Liberator Chronicles 7 Spy

Blake's 7 Liberator Chronicles 7 Disorder — Blake’s 7 Liberator Chronicles 7 Disorder

Blake's 7 Liberator Chronicles 7 The Hard Road — Blake’s 7 Liberator Chronicles 7 The Hard Road

I’ve only listened up to The Liberator Chronicles 6 up to know, so I’m slowly going to get through all of these, starting with 7. When I’ve listened to it I’ll let you know the verdict.

Doctor Who and the Drosten’s Curse

Posted by ashleyelsdonon August 28, 2015August 28, 2015in Books and AudiobooksLeave a comment

I bought this with some trepidation as I wasn’t entirely sure about the write up and the reviews on Audible. Also, the last Dr Who audio book I bought (non Big Finish that is) was pretty bad, “Corpse Marker” had a lot of promise as it came out of one of my favourite stories, The Robots of Death, but it certainly didn’t live up to that high standard.

Even so, I thought I’d try this, and, so far, it isn’t bad. It is very amusing, and very reminiscent of the Douglas Adams 4th Doctor stories. Witty, amusing, quirky. However, perhaps too much so. In a way, it sound like it has been written almost to be like those Douglas Adams stories, and in a way sails to close to that particular wind. Having said that, I’m not hating it. In fact, I’m quite enjoying it, even though at times it seems like there’s been more attention to the witty writing style than the actual story.

I haven’t finished it as yet, but when I do I’ll let you know what I really think. With no spoilers of course.

Fourth Doctor Adventures, The Fate of Krelos

Posted by ashleyelsdonon July 21, 2015July 13, 2015in Books and Audiobooks, ListeningLeave a comment

This is a lovely story, very intense and tight, it’s the penultimate story in the season, and a two part story, nicely leading up to what I hope will be an awesome finale.

Survivors Sound Design

Posted by ashleyelsdonon June 11, 2015June 9, 2015in Books and Audiobooks, Listening, SoundsLeave a comment

I’ve been listening to Big Finish’s Survivors series one again and this time in a very quiet environment. One of the things that’s struck me is that the sound design on this audiobook is actually amazing. The attention to detail in it was something that I found amazing when I listened to it closely and without distraction, interruption or noise. From the reworking of the original soundtrack to the atmospheric incidental audio and music, to the sound effects and stereo field. It’s very impressive indeed.

Of course it does make me realise just how poor my normal listening environment is. It makes me realise just how much I’m missing from a lot of the audio I listen to, or rather, consume, as I think that it’s more like that than real listening, or deep listening.