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For The Love Of StoriesBig Finish produce fantastic full-cast audio dramas for CD and download.

The Diary of River Song Series 11: Friend of the Family
River Song

11. The Diary of River Song Series 11: Friend of the Family

Released January 2023

Written by Tim Foley

From US $37.87

49 Listeners
recommend this
 

River Song decides to investigate a temporal anomaly after a Luna University expedition makes some odd discoveries in an old Earth house - pages of her own diary with an inscrutable riddle written across them.

However, her investigation goes badly wrong when she is transported back into the past of the house and gets trapped within its grounds.

The house is the home of the Mortimers and with a limited ability to travel back and forth in time across eighty years and multiple generations she finds herself witnessing key moments in their family history.

If she wants to escape, the words in her diary are not the only riddle she has to solve. But not everyone in the house will survive what’s coming. And not everyone is on her side.

11.1 The Rules of the House
11.2 The Key to the Door
11.3 The Bird from the Nest
11.4 The Isle on the Shore

**This title will be going out of print when current CD stocks have been sold**

Recorded on: 4, 17, 21 and 24 March 2022
Recorded at: The Soundhouse and remote recording

 

Alex Kingston said: “There are lots of secrets within the bones of this house that River is trying to unearth and solve like a jigsaw puzzle. This story is about opportunities missed, love thwarted and people unable to be honest and open about who they really are. It’s a very bittersweet telling of a story – there's tragedy within.”

Writer Tim Foley added: “It’s discussed that big houses can either tell love stories or ghost stories and I knew that for an audio like this, I wanted to tell both. A house is such a personal thing and they have so many stories to tell. Not only is this about the Mortimers, but it’s about the house as well and at the heart of this story, is River Song.”

Reviews

A period drama, a mystery, a love story and a ghost story rolled into one, Friend of the Family is an absolute triumph and, dare I say, Tim Foley‘s magnum opus. There are no histrionics, no chases or explosions, no crammed-in returning elements: just four hours of beautiful, character-driven story led by one of the best casts Big Finish has ever assembled. Not only do I highly recommend this story, I urge you to pick it up. Flawless. 5/5

Who-Review

Friend of the Family is a compelling tale of love, compassion and acceptance across the generations... Part period drama, part ghost story, part fourth dimensional puzzle, Friend of the Family is essential listening and a sure-fire classic. 5/5

Cultbox

The Diary of River Song has hit a new height with this release. It really is a magical experience.. this is going to be one of those sets that shall be remembered for all the right reasons. 10/10

Indie Mac User

This is audacious storytelling in every way and it works in every way too... One of the most complex and personal time travel stories I’ve heard from Big Finish and one of the best too. 10/10

Sci-Fi Bulletin

This is an absolutely gorgeous listen. There’s simply no other way to describe it... It’s a great River Song story, a great Doctor Who story, an immensely impressive sci-fi story, and a genuinely moving piece of fiction in general. This is Big Finish at their very best. 5/5

Thoroughly Modern Reviewer
  • Product Format: 4-disc CD (jewel case in slipcover)
  • Number of Discs: 4
  • Duration: 311 minutes
  • Physical Retail ISBN: 978-1-83868-946-9
  • Digital Retail ISBN: 978-1-83868-947-6
  • Production Code: BFPDWRIVER11
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