The Monthly Adventures #061 - “Faith Stealer" by Graham Duff

The Divergent Arc could’ve been great, it really could. It surprises me because less than ten audios before the series’ debut, Big Finish was releasing stuff like Flip-Flop and Creatures of Beauty on a bimonthly basis and yet we end up lumped with some of the most generic Doctor Who stories when it comes time to dedicate ourselves to the weird and the new. Faith Stealer is a good story, undoubtedly, but it could’ve come from anywhere, any era and from anyone, which, frankly, I think defeats the whole purpose of the Divergence. However, it still boasts some fantastic ideas. A great setting but still no acknowledgement to the nonexistence of time, is Faith Stealer worthy of praise despite its involvement in Doctor Who’s most disappointing arc?

The Multihaven: a nexus point of faiths and worships, where everything from fanatics to religious tourists go to pray. Arriving in the hallowed city, the Doctor, Charley and C’rizz hope to escape their recent string of bad luck, only to run into a new faith that’s recruiting just a little too fast.

(CONTAINS SPOILERS)

I’ve heard other reviewers compare this story to Terry Pratchett’s series Discworld before and, whilst I have yet to dive into that gargantuan (41 bloody books) series, I am familiar with that Pythonesque brand of British humour adopted by the likes of Douglas Adams and, on this occasion, Graham Duff. Duff is not a name I’ve heard before and, unfortunately, that’s because this is his only script - something I find disappointing because Faith Stealer has a genuinely fantastic sense of humour to it. It’s quick, it’s witty, it’s charming and it’s fun. Humour on audio can often be really hard to sit through but this is subtle enough to just provide a nice tone rather than try and make the whole script a bad comedy. Not only that but it nails our characters; we really needed Eight and Charley to get on again after The Twilight Kingdom tried and failed to give them some tension and Faith Stealer delivered. And as for C’rizz, I don’t love the stuff they do with him, it certainly feels in character.

As for the rest of our cast, I think they all do a great job. Laan Carder is an excellent villain with a steely, sinister air about him, the Bordinan is a wonderfully curt equaliser in the chaos and as for all the minor characters that come and go one after the other, all felt decently real and were entertaining. It’s not all-time great (I probably won’t remember many names) but it’s a good helping of side characters. 

The Multihaven itself is a wonderful idea and brilliantly creative locale. For all this story could’ve done with format to make it more unique, the individual ideas within the script work tremendously. Chief among them is our setting but you also have all the hints of different religions occupying the space, such as one that worships paper or one that worships accidents. Each bit of information we get about the world is delightful and I only wish we got more of it.

However, Faith Stealer begins to struggle when it comes to plot. The biggest problem here is pacing, this story feels weird to me, a little misshapen, nothing hits quite as it should and I think it’s because Duff doesn’t know how to control the rate of his script. It’s too fast when it needs to slow down, when it should pick up the pace, it crawls to a standstill. This makes the whole thing very stop-start and the audio becomes a somewhat clunky listen because of that. The Lucidians’ rise to power feels too quick, character arcs happen too conveniently, everything is allocated the wrong amount of spotlight. On top of this, we’re practically being smothered by subplots here. Very often, Faith Stealer feels more like a collection of tangents than a real story, and very few of those tangents lead anywhere. Concepts and ideas will come and go, characters will be introduced and then disappear. A whole church is overthrown and simply never appears again, the TARDIS materialises before the Doctor and Charley and blows up but is then revealed to have been an unnecessary hallucination, C’rizz is mind controlled, tries to kill Charley, is miraculously better by the beginning of the next part and then does a second heel turn in the climax for quite literally no reason, his threat extinguished as our other leads defeat the antagonist in the background.

And that’s another thing, the resolution is pretty weak here. I like the idea of defeating a god by making its prophet have a crisis of faith but it’s over too quickly and leaves little impression. As for Carder’s one-dimensional assistant’s mission that’s quickly interrupted by C’rizz, it has little to no bearing on anything and feels like padding, especially when there’s a forced emotional moment of her becoming the new Bordinan. Really, the thing Faith Stealer needed was more time; more time to explore the Multihaven, more time to discover this culture, more time to build on characters and grow a creeping sense of dread. Everything moves too fast except for the bits that need a little oomf and it makes the whole thing feel narratively lopsided.

Faith Stealer is a quaint but wholly enjoyable story with a great helping of wit but little in the way of script. Missing the vital qualities it needed to really pop, we’re left with a good if imperfect runaround that disappears quite pleasantly into the fuzz of this era of the Main Range. The Divergent Arc still refuses to play with concept past time not being a word in this universe, which is a stretch from it not existing entirely, but it does have some hidden gems here and there.

7/10

Pros:

+ Fantastic tone and humour

+ The Multihaven is a fantastic setting

+ Enjoyable sidecast with a fun villain

+ Brimming with a really unique brand of creativity

Cons:

- Has a weird, stop-start pace

- Contains a number of subplots that go nowhere

- The final resolution is unsatisfying

- Could’ve used more runtime

very clever, quite funny and had such a vibe to it! perfect for the eighth doctor

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

“FAITH STEALER: WHEN RELIGION BECOMES A NIGHTMARE”

Faith Stealer takes the Eighth Doctor, Charley, and C’rizz deeper into the Divergent Universe, leading them to Multihaven—a place where all religions supposedly coexist in peace. However, as is often the case, utopia hides a sinister underbelly. The rise of the Church of Lucidity, a dangerous cult led by the mesmerising Laan Carder, threatens to unravel the delicate balance, testing our heroes’ resolve and beliefs.

This sole Doctor Who contribution from Graham Duff is a fascinating blend of social commentary and creeping horror. The first episode does an excellent job setting the stage, with its closing moments twisting the seemingly peaceful world into something much darker. As the Church of Lucidity’s influence grows, the story explores themes of religious manipulation, the exploitation of vulnerable minds, and the blurred lines between faith and control.

AN UNSETTLING ATMOSPHERE ENHANCED BY SOUND DESIGN

One of the strongest aspects of Faith Stealer is its immersive soundscape. The tolling church bells, distant sermons, and ghostly choirs create a rich audio environment that is both atmospheric and deeply unsettling. At times, it feels like an eerie form of ASMR—particularly when coupled with Christian Rodska’s hypnotic, treacherous delivery as Laan Carder. His voice alone is enough to convince you of the power he holds over his followers.

CHARISMATIC LEADERS AND DIVINE CONFLICTS

Laan Carder is an excellent villain—calm, persuasive, and utterly chilling in his certainty. His ability to turn lost souls to his cause is disturbingly believable, and his dynamic with Tessa Shaw’s Bordinan is one of the story’s highlights. The Bordinan sees through his deception, fighting fiercely to stop his growing influence, and their conflict adds a compelling layer to the narrative.

Meanwhile, the Miraculite—a being that feeds on REM sleep energy—adds another dimension to the cult’s power, though its inclusion sometimes feels unnecessary. The horror of the cult itself is already strong enough without needing a supernatural entity behind it. However, the way the Doctor ultimately defeats both Laan and the Miraculite—by introducing a crisis of faith—is a satisfying resolution that perfectly suits Eight’s character.

C’RIZZ’S INNER DEMONS COME TO THE SURFACE

This story gives C’rizz some much-needed development, exploring the lingering trauma of his past and how his guilt makes him vulnerable to manipulation. His brainwashing at the hands of the Lucidians is chilling, particularly during the distressing religious rituals he is subjected to. The horror here is psychological as much as it is physical, with C’rizz’s fragile state making him an easy target for those seeking to "cleanse" his soul.

THE DOCTOR AND CHARLEY: A WELL-OILED TEAM

After a run of stories where tension brewed between them, Eight and Charley finally feel like their old selves again—relaxed, playful, and determined. Their hunt for the missing TARDIS, which the locals consider a miracle, adds a fun dynamic to the adventure. Paul McGann and India Fisher’s chemistry remains as strong as ever, with Charley proving a resourceful and loyal companion throughout.

A WELL-BUILT WORLD WITH THOUGHTFUL THEMES

Multihaven is an intriguing setting, feeling alive with its bustling town squares, diverse religious figures, and strange faiths—including one that worships happy accidents. The story smartly dissects the idea of religious coexistence, questioning whether true harmony between belief systems is ever possible. More importantly, it critiques how faith can be weaponised, manipulated, and used as a means of control, making its themes feel unsettlingly relevant.

📝VERDICT: 8/10

Faith Stealer is an unsettling and thought-provoking entry in the Divergent Universe arc. Its chilling atmosphere, strong villain, and psychological horror elements make it one of the more memorable stories of this era. While the Miraculite feels like an extraneous addition, the cult dynamics and C’rizz’s internal struggles more than make up for it. The result is a gripping and well-crafted tale that explores faith, fanaticism, and the power of belief in a way that lingers long after the credits roll.

I didn't listen to The Twilight Kingdom before listening to Faith Stealer so I was definitely missing some character continuity at the beginning but it wasn’t too much of an issue.

I enjoyed the central idea of a religious stock market where religions rise and fall in members on a moment by moment basis - people being easily converted. Like most of these divergent universe 8th Doctor stories it lives in a slightly bizarre, uncanny realm. I think it does enough to feel distinct from the main universe.

It’s not particularly deep but there is a frivolous and fun “RTD era” feel, notable as it’s from late 2004. It reminds me a little of Gridlock in tone.

MR 061: Faith Stealer

So much lucidity.... So much lucidity.... Am I listening to Doctor Who or Discworld right now? This setting feels like a Discworld set up. It kind of goes in a Discworld direction as well, with a more incomprehensible Doctor Who style ending.

Like Discworld, we have a city where religions coexist in peace. The Doctor, Charley and C'Rizz need to declare a religion to get in. C'Rizz actually IS religious, but the Doctor and Charley are not. So the Doctor declares that they are of the "Tourist" faith. They worship C'Rizz. Naturally, that religion starts to spread throughout the interfaith center. They hear someone on the street preaching tourism and saying "C'Rizz be praised." And it only gets even more silly from there.

From the very beginning this was clearly a bad idea. The interfaith center seeks to promote interfaith dialogue or some such. But the nature of faith is belief without evidence. If you're a zealot and truly believe in your religion, why would you tolerate other faiths? The very idea doesn't make any sense. Your religion is right and everyone else is wrong. If you want them to follow the one true way, you shouldn't tolerate anyone else's beliefs.

The religions that we see are quite unique and interesting. We have a religion where they constantly sing a chant and that chant in and of itself IS their god. There is the Church of Kabari, which worships an extremely versitle household product that can be eaten or used as wallpaper or a hat. It was quite entertaining seeing the Bishop of this religion getting offended at seeing the kabari used as wallpaper in another church because he considers it sacred. There is the Shrine of Serendipity, which worships happy accidents. Anytime something accidental happens and they get hurt they are eccstatic. Indeed, when their shrine burns down they were overjoyed. "May obstacles cover your path."

There are a few other religions that are just mentioned by name for gags like the Microbaptists, the Divine Gas, and The Temple of the Ever Open Door (which has closed its doors for services). The main religion here, though, is the Church of Lucidity. It was a small cult when it entered the interfaith center and is growing rapidly. They dream the divine dream and create crystals in their dreams, the sacred objects of their faith. They recruit people who are depressed and looking for meaning, as all religions do. But then that small cult that recruited people who were depressed grew up and became the dominant religion.

The Church of Lucidity is spreading very rapidly. Indeed, it has become the most popular religion in the interfaith center very rapidly. There are regular sleep riots where people show their worship for Lucidity, sleep walking and talking. The director of the interfaith center has seen conversion swings before, but nothing like this. Banning the religion would go against everything the interfaith center is supposed to stand for. But the Church becoming the dominant and then sole religion in the interfaith center ALSO goes against everything the interfaith center is supposed to stand for. As I said, this was always a bad idea. Religions compete with each other for followers and if one grows to become dominant, it will have the power to take over all the others. This is not science. There is no agreed upon universal objective truth. For religion, truth is relative. Faith is based on nothing. So who's to say which religion is true?

C'Rizz gets pulled into the Church of Lucidity and tries to strangle Charley in his dream, remembering killing his girlfriend in Creed of the Kromon. So the Doctor takes him to the "de-faith center." The very idea is quite silly. They pull all your ideas out of your brain to get you to stop being religious. You've "believed too much." This, too, feels like a Discworld idea. The Doctor doesn't want him treated, but the de-faith center employee does so anyway. He tries to pull all of the Lucidity beliefs out of C'Rizz's mind, but they overwhelm him and take him over.

It turns out the Church of Lucidity is preying on people, stealing their minds and collecting them in crystal form to feed a weird crystalline entity from another dimension who eats thoughts dreamt during REM sleep, lucid dreaming. I know, it's an incomprehensible monster. The point is that people are getting pulled into this religion only to have their minds sucked out while they sleep. The director of the interfaith center tries to ban the Church of Lucidity, going against what she believes in, but she gets killed by the head of this church.

There's a part where the Doctor and Charley are lucid dreaming as well and they see what they want to see, the TARDIS so they can escape. Charley has the Doctor take off in the illusion and it disappears around them. I liked this little scene. I also liked the Doctor saying "oh ye of too much faith."

How else is faith defeated? With cold hard truth. The Doctor realizes that the leader of the religion isn't real. He was created by the weird crystalline entity to head the church. He disappears in a puff of logic and then the creature gets banished back to wherever it came from. The Doctor appoints a new head of the interfaith center and they get out of there.

This was a cute one. I enjoyed focusing on C'Rizz just a bit more. We know that he's susceptible to cults because he's already religious and we know he's haunted by his girlfriend's death. We could have guessed this already so we didn't learn THAT MUCH about C'Rizz to be fair. Still it's something. I liked the setting and the story. Despite the more incomprehensible ending, it didn't ruin it. I liked the meditation on faith itself. Faith is based on nothing but feelings and so it's inherently not going to get along with other faiths. It's very much a means of division between people, yet another way to pull people towards their own communities and away from other communities.

The religions themselves were quite fun and it was enjoyable to see C'Rizz pulled into a different faith than his own. His brain was taken from him and he just preached for Lucidity, helping to make it the dominant religion. The other religions can not exist in the might of Lucidity. I also liked what Charley said. This feels like a religious stock exchange. May the strongest faith win.

14.11.2023

Outside of a few minor gags, this is horrifically empty. Stinks of Gatiss through and through, but throw a few torture porn scenes on top for good measure. What good it has is derivative and unimportant to the story. Also obligatory "But we don't know what time is" non-sensical mention. 1/5