Synopsis: It is the time of the Second World War, and all is not well at a top secret research base in Greenland. The British have been testing a new device which could bring about a swift end to the war with Germany - but the trials have gone disastrously wrong. When the Professor and Ace arrive, they encounter an isolated community not only under threat from its human enemies, but stalked by a horrifying menace with a voracious appetite for survival.

• A Review by Stuart Gutteridge
• A Review by Richard Radcliffe

A Review by Stuart Gutteridge 31/10/98

Taking Doctor Who spin-offs into a new direction, the world of Audio, was an inspired move by BBV. It is also a move that appears to have paid off. This isn`t the first time that independant audios have been produced, but it is probably the first time that they`ve featured actors from Doctor Who playing very similar characters to their own.

Featuring Sophie Aldred as Ace and Sylvester McCoy as The Professor(as Ace frequently referred to him on TV), this is virtually Doctor Whowithout the TARDIS. Island of Lost Souls owes a lot to The Curse of Fenric, as The Professor and Ace arrive at a British military research centre during World War Two.

This is a very easy to listen to adventure as Ace is betrayed by a friend and a creature with an appetite for death manifests itself. The Professor and Ace are more like the TARDIS crew from those seen in season twenty-five rather than twenty six. The Professor takes charge but isn`t manipulative, whilst Ace reacts to the situation rather than takes an active part in it. At an hour in length, it is justified by a fine supporting cast, haunting theme music and authentic sound effects. An interesting, if somewhat traditional segment of this new range.

A Review by Richard Radcliffe 24/7/02

Having listened to Republica I was keen to sample more of the BBV back catalogue. When I found a good deal at a recent Convention, I stocked up on some of these CDs. Call me traditional but I went for the ones with the Doctor Actors in - the ones where McCoy and C Baker are playing Doctorish characters.

McCoy's BBV audios are very DW-ish, Sophie Aldred is with him for all but the last one - and the stories are about as DW-ish as you will find, without actually being DW. I bought Island of Lost Souls, Prosperity Island, Guests for the Night, Ghosts, Blood Sports, Only Human & Punchline altogether - and have been most impressed with the quality and style of them. Island of Lost Souls, the second one, is one of the best.

Written by the same fellow who wrote the excellent Republica, Mark Gatiss, there was always a good chance of a great story here - and it doesn't disappoint. Depositing the Professor and Ace in Greenland during the Second World War was a masterstroke. Like the novel Just War, it benefits from being set in an unusual locale in a usual time period. We know about WW2, but we don't know about Greenland.

The base in Greenland where the Allies have set up shop gives us a terrific isolated setting. When monsters are roaming the place, this is essential, and adds to the mystery and horror of the piece. Nick Briggs pulls the script and players together very well. Like his later Big Finish productions he has shown a skill at Audio, and this is as good as anything he has done before or since. There's more going on in the Big Finish Productions, but I suspect that might be because they have learnt from their earlier exploits here. It is still very good, despite being one of the first.

The cast that Briggs assembles is a good one. Allied Sympathizer who is German, well spoken Allied General, cold-hearted Nazi Soldier. Briggs himself takes on the major role - Hendrix, and proves this versatile Director is also a very good Actor too (as he showed in Minuet in Hell much later for Big Finish).

The story combines fantasy with science in a very good way. Taking its inspiration from the likes of Island of Dr Moreau, but being better than that. The hour fairly whizzes along, as you really get caught up in the action. Sylv and Sophie are superb, and the all round effect is very good on the ears.

I am glad I bought so many BBV products. A few years ago, when they were issued I bypassed them, sticking to products which were definitely Doctor Who, and not copies. But these BBV Professor/Dominie dramas are practically the same thing - Doctor Who Audio did not start with Sirens of Time, it had already started with some great 7th Dr and Ace stories by the BBV team. 8/10