The Weather on Versimmon (novel): Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Story SMW | |||
{{Infobox Story | |image = The Weather on Versimmon.jpg | ||
|series = ''[[Bernice Summerfield (series)|Bernice Summerfield]]'' novels | |||
|image= The Weather on Versimmon.jpg | |number = 10 | ||
|series=[[ | |main character = [[Bernice Summerfield]] | ||
|number= 10 | |featuring = [[Ruth]] | ||
|main character= [[Bernice Summerfield]] | |enemy = [[Ribnor]] | ||
|featuring= | |setting = [[Versimmon]], [[2610s]] | ||
|enemy= | |writer = Matthew Griffiths | ||
|setting= | |read by = [[Lisa Bowerman]] | ||
|writer= [[ | |publisher = Big Finish Productions | ||
|publisher= Big Finish Productions | |cover = [[Alex Mallinson]] | ||
| | |release date = February 2012 | ||
|format= Hardback Book, 219 Pages | |format = Hardback Book, 219 Pages | ||
|isbn= ISBN 978-1-84435-618-8 | |isbn = ISBN 978-1-84435-618-8 | ||
|prev= The Two Jasons (novel) | |prev = The Two Jasons (novel) | ||
|next = The Slender-Fingered Cats of Bubastis (novel)}} | |next = The Slender-Fingered Cats of Bubastis (novel) | ||
}} | |||
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the tenth full-length novel published by [[Big Finish Productions]] as part of ''[[Bernice Summerfield (series)|Bernice Summerfield]]''. It was written by [[Matthew Griffiths]]. | |||
== Publisher's summary == | == Publisher's summary == | ||
Bernice | Inveigled into a survey of botanical art on [[Versimmon]], [[Bernice Summerfield|Bernice]] is disappointed to get bogged down in an unseasonal cold spell – and to discover that [[Ruth]] has some radical ideas about how the living archive should be managed. | ||
Why is a hailstorm bringing back [[memory|memories]] of a war two generations gone? Where are Versimmon's first animals appearing from? And who can Bernice trust on a planet full of budding artists? | |||
As the forest world is bombarded by [[ice]] and the collection's guards start disappearing, the [[archaeologist]]s find themselves getting back to their roots and branching out into local [[politics]]. All the time, the [[weather]] on Versimmon is changing, and its inhabitants will find that [[revolution]]ary times demand revolutionary works of art... | |||
== Plot == | |||
[[Bernice Summerfield|Benny]] and [[Ruth]] visit [[Versimmon]], at Ruth's suggestion, to survey the [[Tree Archive]] on behalf of the [[Palastoran Council]] with an accompaniment of [[Versimmion Guard|Guards]]. During an unseasonal [[hailstorm]], Ruth takes cover under the Tree and is pulled into an underground [[cavern]] by its roots, as are [[Abenoke|Canoptin Abenoke]] and [[Isko|Staff Isko]]. Isko searches Ruth's [[backpack]] when they see her holding a keepsake which, she is surprised to see, transforms into a small [[statue]] when they find it, and go to investigate the sound of howling. | |||
Injured by the hail and having a strange reaction to the [[forest]], Benny is taken by [[Fren Verral|Carpel Verral]] to a [[doctor]] and exposed as being from somewhere other than Versimmon or [[Palastor]]. Verral keeps her secret for now and they find what look like giant [[molehill]]s, indicating that some creatures have dug their way down to the Archive; however, there are no animals on Versimmon. They return to [[Crowne]] where [[Hastren|Orderly Hastren]] sees to her injured arm and her difficulty adjusting to the power of the trees. Benny [[dream]]s about being shown [[Sosostris (planet)|Sosostris]] in the aftermath of the [[war]] against [[Palastor]] by a [[silhouette]]d figure who claims to have recruited Ruth. | |||
Verral welcomes [[Clell Hordenza|Arbitor Hordenza]], the [[Culture Minister]] urgently summoned by Abenoke, who tells him that her [[shuttle]] was damaged by the hail and that the [[weather]] is being [[sabotage]]d. Benny is vouched for by Hordenza and runs from the [[sickbay]], but she is found and brought back. A giant branch has fallen and Hordenza's shuttle is lost, ; Hordenza's [[pilot]], [[Merla]], arrests her on [[suspicion]] of being behind the weather and disposing of the evidence, but Verral and Hastren incapacitates before going after Benny, who has escaped again. Benny hides with the [[technician]] [[Kendis]] and learns that he was the one who cut the branch. He then tries to throw her from a window, but Hastren stops him. | |||
Benny and her | Ruth encounters non-hostile [[were-mole|mole-creatures]] and enters the Archive, noticing that her hand has been cut and the wound is thick with shoots. She tries to take a cutting from the Tree Archive, but her hand is repelled and she instead examines what she assumes are bundled works of [[art]]. The Archive uses its roots to turn Isko and Abenoke into were-moles and the keepsake that Ruth has been carrying around starts glowing green. She realises that one of the bundles that she took is the [[Worldseed]]. | ||
Benny, Hordenza and Hastren head to the Archive in Benny's shuttle and are contacted by Ruth. Ruth calls Hastren "Teregela", a name that Hordenza recognises from [[Lyndyaz]] but which he does not explain. In the Archive, Hastren finds Ruth and takes the Worldseed, revealing that he has used the keepsake that he gave her to record her thoughts as part of an [[art]] project. He transforms into his normal [[Sosostrin]] form when the were-moles attack him and, when Benny and the others arrive, he asks to take the now-wet Worldseed to Sosostris to grow a new Versimmon. | |||
Versimmon is [[evacuation|evacuated]] due to the hailstorms. [[Ribnor]], the [[Defence Minister]] who has been bombarding the planet with the [[seed]]s of [[energy crop]]s, comes to evacuate Hordenza and Benny and her group plant evidence against him on his shuttle. Benny and Ruth leave Versimmon with Hordenza, Hastren, the Guards and the were-moles. Once everybody else has been dropped off, their next destination is [[Legion (planet)|Legion]]. | |||
== Characters == | == Characters == | ||
* [[Bernice Summerfield]] | * [[Bernice Summerfield]] | ||
* Ruth | * [[Ruth]] | ||
* [[Clell Hordenza]] | |||
* [[Merla]] | |||
* [[Abenoke]] | |||
* [[Fren Verral]] | |||
* [[Isko]] | |||
* [[Kendis]] | |||
* [[Baltor]] | |||
* [[Sintor]] | |||
* [[Teregela]] | |||
* [[Ribnor]] | |||
== | == Worldbuilding == | ||
'' | * [[Versimmon]] is in the [[Versimmion system]]. | ||
* [[Palastor]] is a [[planet]]. | |||
* [[Merla's father]] and [[Merla's grandfather|grandfather]] served in [[the Guard]]. | |||
* Council wanted [[Ribnor]] as [[Defence Minister]] and Hordenza as [[Culture Minister]]. | |||
* Benny trained with the [[Lucid Nuns of Putra XVII]]. | |||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
[[File:The Weather on Versimmon audiobook.jpg|thumb|Audiobook cover]] | |||
* This story was released as an audiobook on [[6 January (releases)|6 January]] [[2022 (releases)|2022]], read by [[Lisa Bowerman]]. The cover art for the audiobook was created by [[Mark Plastow]]. | |||
== Continuity == | == Continuity == | ||
'' | * Ruth remembers [[Melville Trout]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Bad Habits (audio story)|Bad Habits]]'') | ||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
{{bigfinish|releases/v/the-weather-on-versimmon-725|The Weather on Versimmon}} | |||
{{BFBS}} | {{BFBS}} | ||
{{TitleSort}} | {{TitleSort}} | ||
[[Category:Bernice Summerfield | [[Category:Bernice Summerfield sources]] | ||
[[Category:BFBS novels]] | [[Category:BFBS novels]] | ||
[[Category:2012 novels]] | [[Category:2012 novels]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in the 27th century]] | [[Category:Stories set in the 27th century]] | ||
Latest revision as of 02:53, 22 March 2024
The Weather on Versimmon was the tenth full-length novel published by Big Finish Productions as part of Bernice Summerfield. It was written by Matthew Griffiths.
Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
Inveigled into a survey of botanical art on Versimmon, Bernice is disappointed to get bogged down in an unseasonal cold spell – and to discover that Ruth has some radical ideas about how the living archive should be managed.
Why is a hailstorm bringing back memories of a war two generations gone? Where are Versimmon's first animals appearing from? And who can Bernice trust on a planet full of budding artists?
As the forest world is bombarded by ice and the collection's guards start disappearing, the archaeologists find themselves getting back to their roots and branching out into local politics. All the time, the weather on Versimmon is changing, and its inhabitants will find that revolutionary times demand revolutionary works of art...
Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]
Benny and Ruth visit Versimmon, at Ruth's suggestion, to survey the Tree Archive on behalf of the Palastoran Council with an accompaniment of Guards. During an unseasonal hailstorm, Ruth takes cover under the Tree and is pulled into an underground cavern by its roots, as are Canoptin Abenoke and Staff Isko. Isko searches Ruth's backpack when they see her holding a keepsake which, she is surprised to see, transforms into a small statue when they find it, and go to investigate the sound of howling.
Injured by the hail and having a strange reaction to the forest, Benny is taken by Carpel Verral to a doctor and exposed as being from somewhere other than Versimmon or Palastor. Verral keeps her secret for now and they find what look like giant molehills, indicating that some creatures have dug their way down to the Archive; however, there are no animals on Versimmon. They return to Crowne where Orderly Hastren sees to her injured arm and her difficulty adjusting to the power of the trees. Benny dreams about being shown Sosostris in the aftermath of the war against Palastor by a silhouetted figure who claims to have recruited Ruth.
Verral welcomes Arbitor Hordenza, the Culture Minister urgently summoned by Abenoke, who tells him that her shuttle was damaged by the hail and that the weather is being sabotaged. Benny is vouched for by Hordenza and runs from the sickbay, but she is found and brought back. A giant branch has fallen and Hordenza's shuttle is lost, ; Hordenza's pilot, Merla, arrests her on suspicion of being behind the weather and disposing of the evidence, but Verral and Hastren incapacitates before going after Benny, who has escaped again. Benny hides with the technician Kendis and learns that he was the one who cut the branch. He then tries to throw her from a window, but Hastren stops him.
Ruth encounters non-hostile mole-creatures and enters the Archive, noticing that her hand has been cut and the wound is thick with shoots. She tries to take a cutting from the Tree Archive, but her hand is repelled and she instead examines what she assumes are bundled works of art. The Archive uses its roots to turn Isko and Abenoke into were-moles and the keepsake that Ruth has been carrying around starts glowing green. She realises that one of the bundles that she took is the Worldseed.
Benny, Hordenza and Hastren head to the Archive in Benny's shuttle and are contacted by Ruth. Ruth calls Hastren "Teregela", a name that Hordenza recognises from Lyndyaz but which he does not explain. In the Archive, Hastren finds Ruth and takes the Worldseed, revealing that he has used the keepsake that he gave her to record her thoughts as part of an art project. He transforms into his normal Sosostrin form when the were-moles attack him and, when Benny and the others arrive, he asks to take the now-wet Worldseed to Sosostris to grow a new Versimmon.
Versimmon is evacuated due to the hailstorms. Ribnor, the Defence Minister who has been bombarding the planet with the seeds of energy crops, comes to evacuate Hordenza and Benny and her group plant evidence against him on his shuttle. Benny and Ruth leave Versimmon with Hordenza, Hastren, the Guards and the were-moles. Once everybody else has been dropped off, their next destination is Legion.
Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Bernice Summerfield
- Ruth
- Clell Hordenza
- Merla
- Abenoke
- Fren Verral
- Isko
- Kendis
- Baltor
- Sintor
- Teregela
- Ribnor
Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Versimmon is in the Versimmion system.
- Palastor is a planet.
- Merla's father and grandfather served in the Guard.
- Council wanted Ribnor as Defence Minister and Hordenza as Culture Minister.
- Benny trained with the Lucid Nuns of Putra XVII.
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- This story was released as an audiobook on 6 January 2022, read by Lisa Bowerman. The cover art for the audiobook was created by Mark Plastow.
Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Ruth remembers Melville Trout. (AUDIO: Bad Habits)
External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Official The Weather on Versimmon page at bigfinish.com
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