Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

The War Master manipulates Dorian Gray, impersonates Sherlock Holmes and hunts Medusa in the latest War Master box set, featuring an Escape from Reality, out now from Big Finish.

Sir Derek Jacobi returns as the Time War incarnation of the Master – first seen in the unforgettable 2007 Doctor Who TV story Utopia – in four adventures exploring Greek mythological and classic literary worlds!

Pursued by a squadron of Dalek assault ships, the Master’s only hope is to abandon the space-time vortex and flee into an altogether different reality: a realm of fiction. Confronted with creatures of myth and figures from folklore, the Master sees an opportunity to scavenge a universe of impossible artefacts and use them against his enemies. But first he must face off against a host of legendary monsters, literary heroes and embody fiction’s greatest consulting detective: Sherlock Holmes. 

Sir Derek Jacobi said: “It’s a wonderful idea and it opens up so many doors. It was fascinating meeting the fictional characters and of course anything is possible in fiction. I thought it was incredibly clever and utterly seamless. I found it very satisfying. It’s beautifully done.”

Joining Sir Derek Jacobi for these four metaphysical, metafictional audio adventures are Alexander Vlahos (Dorian Gray), Richard Earl (Dr. John Watson), Ella Smith (Medusa), Greg Austin (Perseus), Gethin Anthony (the Shadow), Burn Gorman (Lestrade) and Nicholas Briggs as the Daleks.

The Wrath of Medusa by Rochana Patel 

Crashing into a universe of fiction, the Master finds himself lost in a world of Greek mythology… with a Dalek assault squad close behind.

Rochana Patel said: “This is the ultimate crossover story. The greatest villain from Doctor Who versus the gods, heroes and monsters of Greek mythology. Plus, Daleks!”

The Shadow Master by Lizzie Hopley 

As the Master plunders inconceivable artefacts from an impossible universe, he encounters a figure that may prove his greatest threat: his own Shadow.

Lizzie Hopley said: “The idea that the Master is living in this world where there are no rules and none of the inhabitants know who he is and what he’s capable of is very menacing. The Shadow has a naivety about him and yet is so ambitious. To have him come up against the intelligence and cruelty of the Master was truly horrible.”

The Adventure of the Deceased Doctor by Alfie Shaw 

When Dr. John Watson is informed of his own murder, only the world’s greatest consulting detective can assist. He just happens to come from a different world.

Alfie Shaw said: “With the Master as a Moriarty-type figure, pitching him against Holmes and Watson was the obvious route but it was a bit too similar to putting him up against the Doctor. So, I decided to have him be Holmes and solving crimes with Watson. It opened the story up to go in more interesting directions.”

The Master of Dorian Gray by David Llewellyn from a story by Scott Handcock 

Seeking the power of immortality, the Master works himself into the life of Dorian Gray. But can he change how the story ends?

David Llewellyn said: “The Master’s role in this is as a kind of puppet master figure who nudges Dorian even further into moral turpitude. It’s Oscar Wilde’s story of a man obsessed with and corrupted by his own beauty, driven wildly off course by an evil Time Lord.”

The War Master: Escape from Reality is now available to own for just £24.99 (collector’s edition CD box set + download) or £19.99 (download only), exclusively from www.bigfinish.com.