📝7/10

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

"Burrowed Time: Ghosts, Trains, and Timelines"

Volume 5 of The New Adventures of Bernice Summerfield concludes with Burrowed Time, a story that takes Benny back to her archaeological roots. She finds herself at an eerie dig site, uncovering a mysterious underground train with a single passenger and a chilling secret. What begins as an excavation quickly becomes a fight for survival against bloodthirsty earth ghosts and an investigation into their ties to the sole survivor, Anita.

The heart of the story lies in Anita's complex character. Her vulnerability, uncontrolled powers, and the train's manipulation create a layered dynamic. The train itself is a standout element—its disembodied, sentient voice is both chilling and oddly protective, blurring the line between friend and foe. Its behaviour echoes Mummy on the Orient Express’s Gus but leans towards benevolence, even as it threatens Benny and Anita in its desperation to maintain control.

One of the most intriguing aspects is the train's ability to bring Anita back at different stages of her life, offering a fragmented and poignant exploration of her character. These temporal shifts give the narrative an emotional depth, making Anita’s plight even more compelling.

Unfortunately, other characters are less developed. Professor Landren, an overeager archaeologist, starts with promise but is underused and disposed of halfway through. Meanwhile, the Unbound Doctor’s role, while entertaining, feels secondary to Benny and Anita’s central conflict.

The sound design deserves praise for its vivid depiction of the ghastly remains of the train’s other passengers, effectively heightening the tension. The earth ghosts are genuinely unsettling, though their motivations remain somewhat underexplored.

The story concludes on a small yet sweet note, bringing closure to Anita’s journey while leaving the audience with a sense of unease about the train’s true nature.

Final Thoughts:

Burrowed Time succeeds as a haunting, character-driven tale, even if some elements feel underutilised or overshadowed by its standout ideas. It’s a fitting and memorable end to the volume.