The Daleks are back! The pepperpots from Skaro are terrorising the universe again and they have never sounded better!

On the jungle world of Kar-Charrat a party of 'tomb raiders' are looking for the spoils of a long lost culture. They break into a mysterious, ancient ziggurat and unleash a deadly force upon the planet.

Meanwhile, behind a specially constructed force barrier, the ancient library of Kar-Charrat has a new and revolutionary way of storing data. So revolutionary in fact, that certain powers in the galaxy want to get their grubby little protuberances on it!

Can the Doctor stop the Daleks from taking what they want? Will Ace prove to be a hindrance or a help? And will the strange inhabitants of Kar-Charrat have the final say?

Many fans claim to have cheered the first time they heard the familiar background hum of Dalek control, and I must admit, it did bring a smile to my face as well when I heard the clicks and whirrs, along with those oh so distinctive voices.

The story itself is very good. Mike Tucker's script makes the most of the returning foes from Skaro. With no Davros to weigh them down, the Daleks get to be really evil and cunning all on their own. The real natives of Kar-Charrat are an interesting species and the interplay between Librarian Elgin (played by Bruce Montague) and his assistant Prink (who never speaks) is brilliant. And, of course, Sylvester is on top form, as ever.

The shining light of the story, however, is Sophie Aldred. Given a double role here, Ace and a Dalek duplicate of Ace, she excels in her performance, especially of the doppelganger. Truly splendid.

Also of note among the guest cast is Louise Faulkner as Bev Tarrant, a character crying out to be added to the company of the TARDIS. And Nicholas Briggs dons many hats in this one, being director, Dalek voice and sound designer this time around

The Genocide Machine shows the potential of the Daleks on audio. We all know what they look like, we don't need to see them gliding through the jungle or down the corridors of the library to recognise their menace. Looking forward to more Dalek stories.