Genius Loci was the eighth full length novel published as part of Big Finish Productions' Bernice Summerfield series. It was also the first novel to explore (and was set) during Bernice Summerfield's early life before she met the Seventh Doctor in the novel Love and War.
Publisher's summary
One day she will bring down empires and decide the fate of the universe. One day she will be feared by the creatures of evil and revered wherever people have had just a little bit too much to drink.
But all that is yet to come...
Right now Bernice Summerfield is 21 years old and living hand to mouth and drink to drink. Offered a job beyond her qualifications she is lured out to the backwater planet of Jaiwan where nothing has ever happened — ever.
There she joins a disparate team of archaeologists who have just discovered that the planet of Jaiwan may have been just a tad more interesting than people thought. This could be Benny's big break and her ticket to a proper career in archaeology.
That's if archaeology doesn't kill her first.
Plot
to be added
Characters
- Bernice Summerfield
- Professor Mariela Ankola
- Pilar Hidalgo
- Simone Agani
- Heidi Maputo
- Chayana Lopeti
- Shawnee
- Lola
- Elsa Lafayette
References
Culture
- Professor Mariela gives Bernice a copy of her personal database, which included a lot of files on 20th century Earth.
Individuals
- Pinky and Perky were two artificial intelligences.
Foods and beverages
- Krill is part CO2 scrubber, part additional protein source.
- Vodka is Russia's greatest contribution to interstellar travel (in Bernice's opinion).
- There is a Kwik-Kurry at General Layfeyette's army base.
Literature
- Archaeology for Primates was published by Martian University Press in 2534.
Organisations
- Benny dropped out of Spacefleet and is now on the run from it.
Planets
- In January, 2562 Benny decides to head for Earth.
- The Professor encountered lethal toxins while excavating an industrial site on the planet Cray.
- The planet Heaven is becoming a popular planet to be buried on, but the Professor has a Last Ticket for burial on Earth in the Rift Valley, Tanzania.
- Pilar Hidalgo is from the planet Shantak
Science
- Benny calls her group of archaeologists "Combat Archaeologists".
- Nuclear dampeners create a field inhibiting chain reactions.
Species
- Martians are known as some of the best archaeologists in the galaxy.
- Benny still calls Draconians "Dragons".
- Earth Reptiles never forgave humans for usurping them and taking over their planet.
Technology
- Continuous Active Recording units are used at the archaeological digs.
Vehicles
- Fulcrum is a VTOL capable troop carrier.
Notes
- This is the first novel which sees Benny at the beginning of her career.
- At the end of the book it says To be continued in Bernice Summerfield: Old Friends.
Continuity
- Draconians (and the Draconian War) were first mentioned/appeared in TV: Frontier in Space.
- Earth Reptiles first appeared in TV: Doctor Who and the Silurians and The Sea Devils.
External links
- Official Genius Loci page at bigfinish.com
- Genius Loci at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
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