The opening chapter of Dalek Empire is an ambitious, sometimes unwieldy blend of space opera, character drama, and relentless momentum. Nicholas Briggs wastes no time throwing the listener into the chaos: Earth is on the brink, and the Daleks have begun their most brutal conquest yet. In place of a traditional Doctor figure, we’re introduced to Alby Brook, a space pilot with a tragic past, and Susan Mendes, a geologist-turned-revolutionary whose transformation becomes the spine of the saga.

What works best here is the way the story uses its Big Finish DNA to craft something distinct. This isn’t a standard Doctor Who audio—it’s more akin to Blake’s 7 filtered through Dalek logic, with humans pushed to the brink and forced to compromise. Sarah Mowat’s performance as Susan is the standout, giving real depth to a woman who sees survival as the only form of rebellion. The introduction of Kalendorf,the mysterious Knight of Velyshaa, adds a layer of ambiguity, suggesting bigger games being played.

But the cracks are already visible. There’s a heavy reliance on coincidence to pull the threads together—Susan just happens to meet Kalendorf, who just happens to be the man Alby was sent to find. Some of these overlaps feel unnecessary, bordering on contrived. Still, there’s an energy to Invasion of the Daleks that carries it through. It’s brutal, fast-paced, and occasionally harrowing. As a starting point, it sets the tone for the series: messy, bold, and not afraid to look at what happens when the Daleks win.