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“DRAGON’S WRATH – THE TREASURE HUNT THAT LOSES THE MAP”

After the success of the Time Ring Trilogy, Dragon’s Wrath finds itself in the unenviable position of continuing the first series of Bernice Summerfield audios with an adaptation of Justin Richards’ New Adventures novel—handled here by Jacqueline Rayner. On paper, it’s a cracking idea: an Indiana Jones-style archaeological romp where Benny joins a dig in search of a legendary dragon statuette that could solidify Romolo Nusek’s political claim over an entire space sector. In practice, however, it’s a sluggish and confused story that struggles to maintain momentum, energy, or clarity.

The twist is that Benny already has the statuette. So when the expedition “finds” it anyway, only for the team to be picked off one by one, the tone lurches into murder mystery territory. Unfortunately, what could have been a tense thriller ends up being a plodding slog of indistinct characters, bland exposition, and murky plot progression.

FLAT CHARACTERS AND UNINSPIRED PERFORMANCES

Lisa Bowerman, as ever, brings warmth and spark to Benny, but she’s given far less to work with than in the previous three audios. Her rapport with the other characters—especially the forgettable Nicholas Clyde, played by Nigel Fairs—lacks dynamism. Clyde, supposedly Benny’s sidekick in this outing, is a character without strong traits or memorable lines, making his presence feel more functional than vital.

Meanwhile, Richard Franklin (Captain Yates himself) plays Romolo Nusek—but you’d barely notice. His performance is disappointingly muted, lacking the charisma or menace needed for a man whose claim to power could hinge on a mythical artefact. For a guest appearance from a Doctor Who veteran, this is easily the weakest in the range so far.

AUDIO ISSUES THAT DRAG THE EXPERIENCE DOWN

The technical side doesn’t help matters. Sound design and editing are noticeably rough around the edges. Scene transitions are jarring, echo effects are overused and oddly applied, and sound effects often feel disconnected from the action, making immersion difficult. Dialogue scenes sometimes drift without direction, and the script dumps a slew of alien names and locations with little context, making the worldbuilding feel more confusing than enriching.

It doesn’t help that the story opens mid-action and never quite establishes its stakes clearly, resulting in a lot of early disorientation that never really settles. The pacing is uneven—over-explaining at some points, then rushing breathlessly through others—leading to a strange mix of sluggishness and confusion.

A CLIMAX WITHOUT PAYOFF

The final episode does its best to inject some urgency with a hearing that tries to unpack the mystery behind the murders and the artefact. But even here, the dialogue-heavy scenes drag, and the political intrigue lacks bite. Things build up to a would-be thrilling climax involving nuclear missiles heading for the planet… and then it all just fizzles out. There’s no real catharsis, no resolution that feels earned—just an abrupt halt, leaving the listener unsure what, exactly, just happened.

The political backstory—the tension over who gets to rule, and why the statuette matters—is underdeveloped and far from engaging. It’s a backdrop that should give the story weight but ends up as confusing noise behind the sluggish main narrative.

BONUS: A BOND SONG THAT BOMBS

Perhaps the strangest choice of all is the audio’s theme music. Dragon’s Wrath opens and closes with a full-on pastiche of a James Bond theme—sultry vocals, dramatic chords, the works. But it’s wildly out of place, lacking the charm or swagger of the real thing, and more confusing than clever. It only adds to the feeling that this production doesn’t quite know what it wants to be.

📝 VERDICT: 34/100

Dragon’s Wrath is an unfortunate stumble in Benny’s otherwise promising first audio series. Despite a decent core concept and the ever-reliable Lisa Bowerman, the story suffers from janky editing, lifeless supporting performances, muddled plotting, and inconsistent pacing. As a murder mystery, it lacks suspense. As a political drama, it lacks depth. And as an audio adventure, it simply fails to engage. Coming after three strong outings, this is a major misfire—and one of the most forgettable entries in the early Bernice Summerfield catalogue.