A Life of Surprises
A Collection of Short Stories
|
|
Big Finish A Life of Surprises A Collection of Short Stories |
|
| Edited by | Paul Cornell |  |
| ISBN | 1 903654 44 0 | |
| Published | 2002 |
| Synopsis: This anthology contains stories from many times and places across Benny's long career, ranging from the starkly dramatic, through the thrilling, to the hilarious. It links Bernice to her roots, as well as sending her forward into new adventures. And it celebrates a decade of Bernice in print. |
A Life of Discontinuity by Robert Smith? 13/11/02
I've long since given up expecting short story collections to be anything other than adequate. I don't think there's anything inherent in the format that says they have to be bad, but something about the Doctor Who related short story produces works that are lacklustre, usually irrelevant and often downright boring. The same isn't true of the novels and very often the same author will have appalling short stories and excellent novels. It's one of those peculiar things that just seems to be a fundamental cornerstone of the world in which we live.
The only exception to this was the anomalous Short Trips and Side Steps, mainly because it threw off the shackles of Doctor Who continuity and allowed itself to have some actual fun. A Life of Surprises is Benny's version of that collection in some ways. However, while it throws the continuity shackles to the wind with reckless abandon, there isn't a whole lot of the fun part.
The Shape of the Hole This is a surprisingly emotive story for its length. It's the perfect opener for the collection in some ways, starting with a much older Bernice, as well as the first reference to Benny's future children (Keith was mentioned in Return of the Living Dad). The fact that it concerns the Doctor as much as Benny is the first clue that this collection is quite happy to examine all aspects of Benny's life, including her time with the Doctor, which I honestly didn't think it would.
Kill the Mouse A pretty mediocre story. I'm not sure if Daniel O'Mahoney has really lost his edge, or that's simply a by-product of the fact that the only things he seems to write these days are short stories, which doesn't do anyone any favours.
Solar Max and the Seven-Handed Snake-Mother This is pretty unpleasant, but deliberately so. Sarger is an extremely ugly character, which gives this story most of its effect. I'm still not sure what the very end means, though. If all the people have fled, why is the child there?
A Mutual Friend You know, I think this might be the first short story I've ever read by Uncle Terrance. It reads like one of those brief encounters that DWM used to run. Not all that bad, but it feels weirdly out of place to have Sarah mentioning the Doctor and Metebelis Three by name, when most of the other stories require MENSA level examining of the clues to figure out just which obscure Doctor Who reference this or that is supposed to be. This is just making the BBC lawyers' job far too easy.
Alien Planets and You Dave Stone's novels might have degenerated into rehashes of the same basic plot, but his short stories are a riot. This is really funny stuff and for once the footnotes actually add to the story by providing a much appreciated extra layer. That said, the layout of the footnotes, with white text on a black background in that double page box is an appalling error of judgment. They're nigh on unreadable in that tiny negative font and the box looks downright weird.
Something Broken This feels like a pretty average sort of Benny story, but breaking it up the way it's done makes it a lot more interesting than it would otherwise be.
The Collection This is quite fun, with some wacky time rewriting and the like. The footnotes are once again terribly presented. More work seems to have gone into the border of that black box than anything else.
Setting Stone I really liked this. The backstory of the Doctor, his companion and the Silurians is quite nice, although it naturally overshadows the present-day part of the story.
Time's Team It's the Bernice Summerfield sitcom, lacking only a vicar. This tries to be fun and succeeds to some degree, although the end is horribly cliched.
Beedlemania This should be really dumb, but somehow the alien practical jokesters end up being funny, much to my surprise. Entwining it with a murder mystery feels a bit off though. But all is forgiven for the Beta Centauran joke telescope.
The All-Seeing Eye This confused me greatly, because I have no idea if the physician is meant to be the Doctor or not and that really changes the story. Based on other stories in the collection, I'd tentatively guess that he is supposed to be. In any case, it's another two-fold story, one of which may or may not involve the Doctor. This one works a lot less well than the previous stories, since there aren't many redeeming features in either story.
And Then Again This is easily my favourite story in the collection. It's incredibly spooky. Having the Doctor save Bernice from this particular predicament seems entirely right. Fabulous stuff, especially the misdirection on the first page leading to a wham of a revelation on the second.
Cuckoo This is pretty boring, saved by the fact that the idea of the eggs is a pretty good one and the fact that it and the next story are linked. That really helped make this feel far more relevant than it would have otherwise.
A la Recherche du Temps Perdu This is incredibly fanwanky, summarising obscure Benny audios and throwing in mentions of Kar-Charrat for no real reason. The only good thing to come out of this fanwank was the link to the previous story, which helped broaden the canvas a little. That's the sort of thing the short stories should be doing more of. That said, the idea of the mnemosine book was a nice one, although the story feels about twice as long as it needs to.
Squadborronfell This isn't so bad, but it feels so much like Generic Star Trek Plot number 496 that it's hard to take seriously. And Benny's attempts at "jokes" in the opening pages are incredibly painful, as though the author knew they weren't even remotely amusing in the first place but couldn't think of anything that was.
Taken by the Muses This is hilarious stuff, although some of the rhymes are hard to process when written down. I'm in two minds about the ending though. I think it might have worked better to have just had this played straight, as it works wonderfully well as it is and negating that just makes Benny's universe seem smaller and less interesting, somehow.
The Spartacus Syndrome This is really fabulous and nicely presented, especially the opening scene. Benny impersonating Menlove Stokes is hilarious. This is a great story... entirely ruined by the Life of Brian joke that's thrown in the middle. Oi, Morris, no.
Might This is quite a good central premise, which helps cement the idea of Benny's continuity being impossibly screwed up. The use of the "cruel and cowardly" slip of paper is particularly good.
Paydirt This feels a lot like Lance's similar story in Missing Pieces, but that doesn't invalidate a very amusing tale of Benny's timeline and different media. The closest thing this collection has to a theme is probably the wacky non-continuity of Benny's histories and multiple futures, so this embodies it nicely.
Dear Friend... I can see why they chose to end the collection with this, although it really should have been Lance's story that did so, as this doesn't have nearly the effect that it should. There's some more references to the confusing history of Benny, especially the confusion over just who she was with in the Second World War. It concludes the surprisingly Doctor-heavy component of the book with quite a number of NA references. That should feel quite apt, except that by this point Benny really does have enough of her own history to stand on her own. But maybe in some perverse way, that's the point.
Afterword I really enjoyed Lloyd Rose's closing comments. They're surprisingly perceptive and feel like a fitting tribute to the character we've grown to love over the years.
A Life of Surprises has a lot of stories that feel irrelevant, but it also has a surprising number that (may or may not, depending on whether you have a law degree) feature the Doctor and some wacky continuity hijinks that flip back and forth through Benny's life and various alternatives and possible futures. The latter is the book's real success. Benny has survived for so long partly because she's so flexible a character, translating from spinoff to spinoff to spinoff, with a correspondingly mutable history. This book goes quite some way to celebrating that, which probably means it's a success, by virtue of doing what it says on the tin. If only the rest of the stories weren't so dull.
The First Decade by Robert Thomas 27/11/02
I haven't really enjoyed the short story output from Who. It maybe a case of me reading them wrong, them again I'm not someone who carries books with me to read on the train. One thing that appeals before starting is the page count which is a lot less than the BBC ones, which were a bit hard going in there attempt to see how much they could squeeze into the one book. Anyway on with the review.....
The Shape of the Hole, a bizarre story on first reading and an odd story reflecting after finishing the book. Feels very much like good karma and is very sweet linking it with the end story.
Kill the Mouse, one of the best of the book. Very dark and a story I wasn't expecting baring in mind this is the first solo Benny book I've read.
Solar Max and the Seven-Handed Snake-Mother, I didn't get or enjoy this one, it felt very B-movieish.
A Mutual Friend, best described as sweet, personally I wish what happens in this would happen more often.
Alien Planets and You, absolute p**.
Something Broken, a nice little story and a good closing piece of dialogue.
The Collection, another of the collection's top pieces, a good tale told well. This one should get you laughing.
Setting Stone, a very good piece that is very emotive so good in fact that even though I didn't follow completely what was happening I still enjoyed it.
Time's Team, was a little bit of fun. Was a bit unmemorable, the cruel will call this filler material I'll call it mildly amusing.
Beedlemania, now this was funny, a hoot (Jesus where did I pick up that word?!?!) from start to finish with a good little mystery slapped on for good value.
The All-Seeing Eye, now this was a very good story very haunting and the piece that may get me into having a look at a few more Benny books. Benny is as Benny as she always is and given a hellova dark story, amazingly she spoilers someone by having a nap and is still likeable.
And Then Again, my favorite of the collection. A little piece of wonder and a great twist on the second page, the first made me wonder when the hell did this happen?
Cuckoo, unfortunately dull and skipable. I didn't even know this and the next story were linked until I read the above review.
A la Recherche du Temps Perdu, a good idea but very annoying.
Squadborronfell, back to top quality after the last two stories. Nice idea and perfectly formed short story.
Taken by the Muses, a very funny piece although shame for omitting the word wanker. Despite being good it should have been displayed better.
The Sparticus Syndrome, another funny piece, but this one gets a lot darker. Brilliant idea and nice switch from the absurd to the disturbing.
Might, a story that shows up how screwed Benny's continuity is, and do we care? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! While the central theme was good everything else around it is a little lackluster.
Paydirt, see the first sentence above. A good bit of fun coming towards the end and a few may find it a bit cheeky.
Dear Friend, a good ending nicely done feeling very much of good karma.
Afterword, a nice touch.
All in all a very good collection that may get the reader into Benny's range while hopefully being fun for established fans. A few gripes about the presentation of the bullet points and muse but that's it. In terms of pace and mood its the opposite of the Manic album 'This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours' in that it starts gritty, gets humorous and then gritty. All in all a book I definitely recommend. It contains the odd duffer but largely it's very good.
A Review by Sean Gaffney 4/12/02
Sorry for the delay - things kept getting in the way of my buying the book. But I finally got it this Monday. It's a tricky little book to read, as being an anniversary book I keep trying to analyse the text looking for little metatextual clues and hints. And of course, the book has these things in droves. All of which made it very hard to appreciate the collection as a book of STORIES.
Anyway, first I'll ramble on about them individually, then talk about the collection as a whole.
The Shape of the Hole: The first of many stories about Bernice as a phenomenon, dealing with her role in the various fictional realities created for her. This one's fairly bittersweet, showing her realizing that finding the Doctor is not as easy anymore as it used to be. I did like the hopeful ending, though, with the Doctor as heroic myth.
Kill the Mouse!: After seeing the missing faces, I kept thinking this might tie in with The Mind Robber, as the operation sounded very similar to what happened to Jamie. But no, they do seem to be something more sinister. The story itself wasn't really interesting to me, though. A nice highlight was Benny's reaction to Brax in the hospital.
Solar Max and the Seven-Handed Snake Mother: Serious angsty Benny, trapped on an icy planet with a creepy xenobiologist. Again, I wasn't as impressed with this story; it seemed very unfocused. I know towards the end this was deliberate as Benny came under the influence, but I wasn't really that drawn in.
A Mutual Friend: Once again, it seems you can't mention the Doctor Who universe explicitly unless you're Terrance Dicks, who is apparently beyond litigation. This is more of an anecdote than a story, but it's still pretty cute, if fluffy. One point docked for gratuitous pop music reference.
Alien Planets and You: I hadn't really thought it possible for Dave Stone to get more metatextual than he already has, unless he comes out with Bernice Summerfield Travels Smugly Up Herself. But he has. This is a Benny/Jason template, with the interesting trick of having the story be the footnotes and the academic analysis the main text. Which works well, as the plumminess of the story's language used in the footnotes would destroy me if used throughout. Funny, typical Dave.
Something Broken: This one's an analysis of the Doctor-ey side of Bernice, who can get morally outraged about something. A little too short to be effective, though. I was amused by Brax.
The Collection: There really wasn't a story in the collection that covered the sweet, loving side of Jason and Benny's relationship. Still, there was this, which was a nice example of the Thin Man-esque patter/bickering of their relationship. And it's nice to see that they're still willing to risk death and being trapped in the past for each other. Nice story.
Setting Stone: This one works entirely on the evocative mood it sets, and it does it fabulously. Great serious Benny story.
Time's Team: Cute. Which really isn't a bad thing here. Very nicely placed after the last story, and Benny is written quite well.
Beedlemania: This was so over the top it made me twitch at times. I did find parts of it amusing, but much like the Geramon, it was trying far, far too hard.
The All-Seeing Eye: I figured out by the end that 'The Physician' wasn't the Doctor, but it's clear that's what Justin wants us to think. But then Justin wouldn't be Justin if there weren't head- twisting like that. Another fabulous mood story, with the only drawback being that it seems Benny was rather shoehorned into it.
And Then Again: Damn, another great one. Benny's drab life is a big shock, and longing for the "blue box" (gee...) is quite poignant.
Cuckoo: This one grated on me, but I think that's because I'm such a big Jason/Benny whore and hate it when she's off with other men (and when Jason's off with other women, conversely). Of course, it's written BY the guy who plays Jason, so who am I to carp? The story itself also seemed to rely a bit too much on science that I was a bit too dull-witted to understand (not the first time that's happened).
A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu: This was a great idea, and the execution was very well handled. The jumpy, erratic text adds to our confusion, which makes the discovery far more fascinating. It also ties in a bit to the loss of Benny's memories in the Virgin days.
Squadborronfell: Nice descriptive prose with Bernice in the cell, but I found this the dullest story in the book. And after reading Dave's character names earlier, it's hard to take the planet Farlone, the Sydiast, and the Squadborronfell very seriously.
Taken by the Muses: This had me laughing quite a bit, and not just from the clever wit. The edits were a lovely touch, and weren't used as a writing crutch. And Benny was perfectly done, making the story very fun. (God, this took some time to write. I can understand her plight.)
The Spartacus Syndrome: The plot in this was very confusing, and rather breezily explained, but the Bennys all waking up was rather amusing. I suppose it's the closest I'll ever get to Benny having sex with herself.
Might: This was touching, and tragic, and ended far too abruptly. I kept checking to see if I was missing a page.
Paydirt: As if Bernice weren't already the Goddess of Indiscriminate Drinking, now we see in the future her myth and legend making her as real and ambiguous a figure as the Doctor herself. And yay, another mention of Lance's 8Doc/Benny universe, a pet favorite of mine.
Dear Friend: Another analysis of Benny's many and varied timelines and continuities, this time presented as a letter to the Doctor. Short and sweet, and doesn't waste any words.
Afterword: I like New Ace (though I suspect I am the only one in the entire world), but otherwise I agree entirely with Lloyd Rose's summation.
General thoughts: The stories were very well laid out, although I think I would have flip-flopped the last two, despite the circular opening-closing Doctor moments. The stories were, with one or two exceptions, a very nice length, and the end of the book came far too soon. As an anniversary collection, it's a must-have for fans of Benny and newbies alike. I did wish we'd seen more of Benny's life before she hooked up with the Doctor, though. Well, perhaps in another story collection. (Sean digs out outline he still has on computer but hasn't written up yet due to general gittishness). ^_-
A Review by John Seavey 14/3/03
Now that Bernice Summerfield has been around, as a character, for a decade (a quite respectable length of time for a fictional character), it's time for a celebration of her exploits -- an anthology that selects moments from her long and storied career and presents them to us for our enjoyment!
Except for her time with the Doctor, because we don't have the rights. And most of her time on Dellah, because we don't have the rights. And we've just decided to ignore those five years on Vremnya. So, here it is, a celebration of the last year of the ten years of Bernice Summerfield!
Actually, that's a bit harsh. Several of the stories do at least make veiled references to the Doctor, even if they can't mention him directly (except for Terrance Dicks, who gets away with it because he's Terrance Dicks.) And there's even one story that mentions Dellah. Still, the whole thing is weighted a bit heavily towards the Big Finish era of Benny books and audios, which, while it isn't a bad thing, does get away from the "anniversary" aspect of the anthology.
Don't get me wrong, though -- I loved A Life of Surprises. This is, overall, one of the top anthologies produced for Doctor Who and spin-offs, and possibly the best ever. Lots of great authors, lots of strong stories, and very little dross.
A Review by Jamas Enright 28/10/04
Benny had now been around for ten years (really? It really doesn't seem that long...) and so Big Finish have decided to celebrate with another collection of short stories. They are set at various times through-out Benny's lifetime, but the majority of them fit quite nicely into the second or third season Big Finish part of her life.
Another common element is that Benny is captured, tortured, or otherwise on a very fast run from unpleasant people. Such is the life of an archaeologist, but moreso for her. Certainly, a fair few stories here involve one, or the other, or all three (Squadborronfell by Nick Walters comes to mind). Given the 21 stories in this book, having more than a few on that theme does make them a bit samey.
Another theme often tried is humour. And "tried" is the right word. Benny's adventures are often a chance for a good laugh, but for a few authors. They've heard about the concept but have obviously never tried it in practice. Paul Ebbs, for example, doesn't quite get it in Something Broken and Nev Fountain's Beedlemania just made me wince. On the other hand, Dave Stone's Alien Planets and You (A Beginner's Guide to Bernice Summerfield) displays his usual style of comedy, and Steve Lyon's Taken by the Muses was also entertaining (although another example of Benny being imprisoned).
Then there are the just plain weird stories. I have no idea what happened in Setting Stone by Mark Stevens. And Then Again by Rob Shearman was an interesting take on what Benny's life might have been. Kill the Mouse! by Daniel O'Mahony shows that the anti-depressants are starting to kick in (see my comments about him in other short story collections he's been involved with), but the dosage needs to be increased.
In all, an eclectic range of stories, some disappointing, some good. On the whole they balance out, but I wouldn't have picked this as an anniversary treat.