The Pirate Planet novel to be published in January

Thursday, 10 November 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The Douglas Adams 1978 story The Pirate Planet is to be published as a new novel on 5th January 2017. Based on the original script, it is written by James Goss, who previously adapted last year's City of Death. The novel will also be released as an audiobook on the same day, narrated by Jon Culshaw.

The Pirate Planet
Written by James Goss, based on the script by Douglas Adams, and narrated by Jon Culshaw
Published by BBC Books and BBC Audio 5th January 2017 [pre-order the novel and audiobook from Amazon UK]

The hugely powerful Key to Time has been split into six segments, all of which have been disguised and hidden throughout time and space. Now the even more powerful White Guardian wants the Doctor to find the pieces.

With the first segment successfully retrieved, the Doctor, Romana and K-9 trace the second segment of the Key to the planet Calufrax. But when they arrive at exactly the right point in space, they find themselves on exactly the wrong planet – Zanak. Ruled by the mysterious ‘Captain’, Zanak is a happy and prosperous planet. Mostly. If the mines run out of valuable minerals and gems then the Captain merely announces a New Golden Age and they fill up again.

It’s an economic miracle – so obviously something’s very wrong...

The Pirate Planet (novel) (Credit: BBC Books)

The Pirate Planet (audiobook) (Credit: BBC Audio)

Featuring Tom Baker's Doctor, THE PIRATE PLANET is a novel based on a long-forgotten draft of the script found in the Douglas Adams archive in Cambridge. Unseen for 40 years and vastly different from the classic TV show, this is a work by The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy author that no-one has ever read...

FILTER: - Audio - BBC Audio - BBC Books - Books - Merchandise

Lethbridge-Stewart: Blood of Atlantis

Sunday, 6 November 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Candy Jar Books have released details of latest in their Lethbridge-Stewart range of novels:

Lethbridge-Stewart: Blood of Atlantis (Credit: Candy Jar Books)

Lethbridge-Stewart: Blood of Atlantis
Written by Simon A Forward
Published by Candy Jar Books, November 2016

Could Atlantis really have arisen in the Aegean Sea?

Lethbridge-Stewart’s nephew, Owain Vine, and a group of eco-protestor friends, are attempting to oppose an operation undertaken by Rolph Vorster, a ruthless South African mining magnate with his own private army, who is out to harvest as much Atlantean riches as he can.

Lethbridge-Stewart, along with Anne Travers, is called in to investigate a missing Russian submarine that appears to be connected to Atlantis, recruiting the colourful eccentric archaeologist, Sonia Montilla, along the way. All the while, Captain Bugayev and an undercover Spetsnaz team are investigating the fate of their government’s missing submarine. A complication that could light a major fuse on the Cold War.

Out there somewhere, Atlantis is growing, and its reach is utterly inimical to human life.

Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen said:

I was fielding around for new authors to bring to the range; authors familiar with Doctor Who but who haven’t written in that universe for a while. A couple of people, including Gary Russell, suggested Simon A Forward as someone who would ‘get’ the series and is very reliable. So, never one to ignore advice of those I (sometimes) admire, I contacted Simon.

Simon said:

As Al Pacino says in The Godfather Part III, ‘Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.’ When I was asked to write for the Lethbridge-Stewart range, I was a little hesitant. I wasn’t sure I wanted to return to writing anything Doctor Who-related. I’d moved on in my writing and – much as this may horrify some – I’d grown a little tired of Doctor Who. It was originally quite a different proposition to the finished book that has since emerged, but that process of development and working with Andy was part of the appeal that drew me in and cemented my commitment to the project. Add to that the fact that my (still ongoing) rewatch of Doctor Who took me through The Web Of Fear and The Invasion while I was right in the heart of writing this early Brigadier adventure, and the whole thing seemed like providence. And here I was, with the opportunity to write Anne Travers too. Bonus!

As well as series regulars, including Lieutenant Bishop and RSM Ware, Simon created some unique characters, including a previous creation of his:

Captain Bugayev is already part of the Doctor Who book universe and it was a fascinating process to explore and contrast the two different approaches and attitudes of the leading military officers, especially two I knew so well. One (Lethbridge-Stewart) courtesy of having grown up with him as such a presence in my Saturday teatime viewing, one through having created him for my Doctor Who novel, Emotional Chemistry.

The book revolves around Atlantis, a location the Doctor visited twice in the television series (The Underwater Menace and The Time Monster), and also got name-checked in The Daemons. Andy commented:

When Simon first suggested Atlantis I wasn't entirely convinced, knowing that its fate had been mentioned three times in Doctor Who (which fans often view as contradictory, but aren’t really), and in the latter Lethbridge-Stewart was present – if not at the event, then he certainly heard about it. But Simon set my fears at ease and presented a unique idea about how his Atlantis would fit perfectly, without contradiction or any need to have seen the television stories.

Simon added:

The story was initially going to be something else and developed over time and discussions with the editor. One of the things I wanted to do was to take the Fifth Operational Corps somewhere international, as a precursor to UNIT (even though UNIT operated in the UK on our TV screens, they ranged much further in my young imagination) and place them on a wider stage. The Atlantean connection suggested itself from a combination of that aim and from an old story idea of mine that fit the bill well. There was also a sense of, if I was going to write something Who-related, then Atlantis has been as recurring a feature of the show as some returning guest actors. Readers will be sure to spot a liberal sprinkling of homage within the novel and that’s born of the same desire.

The cover for Blood of Atlantis is by Richard Young, who said:

Blood Of Atlantis – the difficult second album! I’d had a lot of positive feedback on my first cover, The Showstoppers, but the more I looked at it the less I liked it, and the more I looked at the covers produced by my stable mates, I knew I had to up my game. I was chatting with Simon via Facebook one evening about his ideas for the cover, and he kept coming back to The Sea Devils novelisation cover by Chris Achilleos. I was getting quite excited by the prospect of doing something along those lines.

The novel can be pre-ordered from the Candy Jar Books website individually, or as part of the Series 3 Bundle (both UK and overseas), which includes the novels Times Squared by Rick Cross (available now) and Mind of Stone by Iain McLaughlin (coming December); it is also part of the subscription deal for those wishing to get six books for the price of five (UK only, covering the series three titles, plus the series four titles released early 2017).

FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart - Merchandise

Original hardback novelisations to be re-published

Thursday, 27 October 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Books are to re-publish the three original Doctor Who novelisations from the 1960s on 3rd November 2016, reproducing the hardback books with their original covers and content:

Doctor Who in an exciting adventure with the Daleks (Credit: BBC Books)

Doctor Who in an exciting adventure with the Daleks
Written by David Whitaker, originally published in 1964
Published by BBC Books 3rd November 2016 [order from Amazon UK]
Based on the Doctor Who story The Daleks by Terry Nation

A thick fog and a girl in distress are just the things that Ian Chesterton needs to escape from a life of dull routine. He has no idea that this is merely a prelude to an adventure quite beyond any normal conception of the word. Or that Barnes Common on a foggy autumn night is the last view of Earth he may ever have.

Both he and the girl he tries to help, Barbara Wright, are transported to a distant planet named Skaro by a mysterious old man known to them as the Doctor. With his grand-daughter Susan, the Doctor sets them down in a world all but destroyed by atomic warfare, the only survivors being a peace-loving and cultured people called the Thals and their bitter enemies the Daleks, horribly mutated both in body and mind.

Thrust into constant danger, his courage and determination tested almost beyond endurance, Ian is forced to struggle against alien creatures and superior enemies with no other weapons than surprise and ingenuity.

The rewards of victory are life for Ian and his new friends...but life where? Can the Doctor return him and Barbara to Earth again?

Doctor Who and the Zarbi (Credit: BBC Books)

Doctor Who and the Zarbi
Written by Bill Strutton, originally published in 1965
Published by BBC Books 3rd November 2016 [order from Amazon UK]
Based on the Doctor Who story The Web Planet

The Zarbi, huge ant-like creatures with metallic bodies and pincer claws, are waiting for Tardis when it’s police-box shape materialises on the cold and craggy planet Vortis. They capture Doctor Who, Ian and Vicki and take them to their weird headquarters, a city of web-like organic matter.

But the Zarbi are not the only being in Vortis. Barbara has fallen into the hands of the butterfly-creatures with soft voices and iridescent wings, whose civilisation has been destroyed by the Zarbi. She learns that her captors are only the advance party of Menoptera in exile who plan to win back their planet by and invasion form outerspace. For the Zarbi “have brought the dark age to Vortis”.

In the final thrilling chapters, Doctor Who and the crew of tardis encounter the power which controls both the Zarbi and the living Web City. How can they defeat this strange bladder of dazzling light which draws in and absorbs all who come into its presence?

Doctor Who and the Crusaders (Credit: BBC Books)

Doctor Who and the Crusaders
Written by David Whitaker, originally published in 1965
Published by BBC Books 3rd November 2016 [order from Amazon UK]
Based on the Doctor Who story The Crusade

From unknown Space the Tardis returns to Earth, but not to the world Ian and Barbara know. The little blue telephone box has wheeled sharply in the cosmos and cut back through the pattern of history to the struggle between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, Crusader v. Saracen.

When Barbara is captured by the Saracens and later kidnapped by the monstrous El Akir, Ian appeals to Richard for help, but despite having achieved a splendid victory over Saladin at Arsuf the English King has his own troubles and cannot assist him. So Ian sets out to rescue Barbara alone while the Doctor becomes involved in court intrigues. In a dramatic climax, Ian finds himself fighting for his life in the harsh, cruel world of the twelfth century, where only the cleverest and strongest survive.

Readers of Doctor Who’s adventure with the Daleks and Doctor Who and the Zarbi will find here all the excitement that made those books firm favourites with youngsters of all age groups.

Competition

To be in with a chance to win a set of the novelisations courtesy of BBC Books, simply answer the following question:

Susan is referred to by a different surname for the novelisation - what was that name?

Please send your answers along with your name, address and where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-crusaders@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "The originals, you might say". The competition is open to UK readers only, closing date 13th November 2016. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

FILTER: - BBC Books - Books - First Doctor - Merchandise

Class novels: full details released

Tuesday, 25 October 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Books have now released full details on the three novels published on Thursday that tie into new series Class:

Class: Joyride
Written by Guy Adams
Published by BBC Books on 27th October 2016 [order from Amazon UK]

‘So, you can just leap into other people’s bodies? Take them over? And while you’re in control, you can do whatever you want? Brilliant.’

Poppy is a quiet girl, right up until she steals a car and drives it through a shop window.

Max is a nice guy, but then he kills his whole family. Just for fun.

Amar always seems so happy, so why is he trying to jump to his death from the school roof?

Some of the students of Coal Hill School are not themselves. Some of them are dying. Ram has just woken up in a body he doesn't recognise, and if he doesn't figure out why he may well be next.

Class: The Stone House (Credit: BBC Books)

Class: The Stone House
Written by A.K. Benedict
Published by BBC Books on 27th October 2016 [order from Amazon UK]

If you get out, you’d think you’d be one of the lucky ones. But you’re not.
The house infects you.

There’s an old stone house near Coal Hill School. Most people hurry past it. They’ve heard the stories. But, if you stop, and look up, you’ll see the face of a girl, pressed up against a window. Screaming.

Tanya finds herself drawn to the stone house. There’s a mystery there, and she’s going to solve it. But the more she investigates, the more she realises that there’s a presence in the house. One that wants her.

Something is waiting for Tanya in the stone house. Something that has been trapping others in its web over the years. Something that is far worse than any ghost.

Class: What She Does Next Will Astound You (Credit: BBC Books)

Class: What She Does Next Will Astound You
Written by James Goss
Published by BBC Books on 27th October 2016 [order from Amazon UK]

‘We want your stunts, your dares, your whatevs. There is only one rule. There is no such thing as oversharing.’

At Coal Hill School, things have started to get public. Kids have become obsessed with a website that demands you perform risky stunts, or tell it your most painful secrets. And Seraphin, everyone’s favourite vlogger, wants you to get involved. All in the name of charity.

At first people just get hurt. Then their lives are ruined. Finally, they disappear.

As April’s fragile group of friends starts to fracture, she decides she’s going to uncover the truth behind this site herself. Whatever it takes, whoever she hurts, April’s going to win. But then, to her horror, she wakes up and finds her whole world’s changed.

What she does next will astound you.

Competition

To be in with a chance to win a set of the novels courtesy of BBC Books, simply answer the following question:

What is the name the classmates have christened the rift in Coal Hill Academy?

Please send your answers along with your name, address and where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-classnovels@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "A touch of Class". The competition is open to UK readers only, closing date 13th November 2016. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

FILTER: - BBC Books - Books - Class - Competitions

Lethbridge-Stewart at Halloween: Eve of the Fomorians

Thursday, 20 October 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Candy Jar Books have announced their latest e-book in the Lethbridge-Stewart range for Halloween, free to anybody pre-ordering the next main book in the range, Times Squared:

Lethbridge-Stewart: Eve of the Fomorians (Credit: Candy Jar Books)

Eve of the Fomorians
Written by Robert Mammone
Cover by Paul Cooke

All Hallows’ Eve, 1969. En route back to Edinburgh, Anne Travers, William Bishop and Samson Ware come across a deserted village in the Scottish countryside. A village that is rotten to the core.

Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen, says:

I was already familiar with Rob’s work, so when he emailed us out of the blue asking if we would consider him for our Short Story Incentive scheme, I was very willing to give him a shot. And he just happened to enquire as we were about to seek out a story for Halloween.

Robert Mammone says:

Once I knew it was going to be set around Halloween, I knew I wanted to do a Quatermass inspired story, with definite horrific elements, sourced back to a scientific explanation/basis.

Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar, says:

There is something very John Wyndham about the story, which I know Andy especially appreciates, as do a lot of our readers.

This story is set shortly after Times Squared: Andy says:

Although you can easily read it without having read Times Squared, as it features Anne, Bishop and Samson who are not in that novel. Although it references Times Squared, it does so in a way that will not spoil that novel one bit. It also has a nice callback to the first novel of this year, Moon Blink. All that said, it is very deliberately written to be read on its own, with your feet up, candles lit and the rain lashing against the window.

Times Squared can be pre-ordered from the Candy Jar website.

The limited edition print-collection The HAVOC Files is now available to read on Kindle.

FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart

Doctor Who meets The World of Hargreaves

Tuesday, 11 October 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Random House have announced a new range of books based upon the popular Mr Men created by Roger Hargreaves.

Puffin Books (a division of Penguin Random House Children’s Books UK), BBC Worldwide and Sanrio Global Ltd are delighted to announce a new partnership.

Doctor Who meets The World of Hargreaves brings to life Doctor Who characters in the distinctive story-telling and illustrative style of Roger Hargreaves.

Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Children’s, will publish these stories in the UK.

Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House is master publisher and will release twelve titles, one for each Doctor.

These storybook mash-ups, written and illustrated by Adam Hargreaves, combine the iconic storytelling of Doctor Who with the whimsical humor and design made famous by his father, Roger Hargreaves. The first four books will be available in Spring 2017.

Francesca Dow, MD of Penguin Random House Children’s Books, said:

As the global publisher of Doctor Who and champions of books which push creative boundaries, we are delighted to be publishing such unique and fun stories. We're confident and excited they will appeal to the thousands of Doctor Who and Mr Men fans around the world

Jan Paterson, Head of Book and Audio Publishing, BBC Worldwide commented:

We are thrilled to be teaming up with Sanrio on this fantastic project and think that fans will love these creative incarnations of the Doctor reimagined in the ‘Hargreaves’ style. We’re always looking for innovative ways to engage our fans so this is the perfect partnership for us.

Alastair McHarrie, Licensing Director of Sanrio Global Ltd added:

There is a wealth of unofficial fan-created content online. We wanted to give something back to these supporters so we’ve created the first official Hargreaves mash-up. Who better to partner with than another classic British property, Doctor Who. We couldn’t be more excited.

Francesco Sedita, President and Publisher of Price Stern Sloan, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, added:

It is such a special moment for us to unite these two great properties. Our books bring Hargreaves’ wonderful, fun style to the mysterious, magical world of Doctor Who. I know we're going to delight fans of all ages!

FILTER: - BBC Books - Books

BBC Childrens Books update/competitions

Friday, 30 September 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Childrens Books have released details of their Doctor Who books being published to the end of the year, including a collection of festive tales for Christmas, and the traditional Doctor Who Annual.

It is also possible to win copies of the publications, courtesy of BBC Childrens Books; in order to be in with a chance to win simply email us with the answer to the question along with your name, address and where you heard about the competition (news page, news app, Facebook, etc.). All competitions are open to UK readers only, with a closing date of 16th October 2016. Only one entry per household can be accepted.

Doctor Who Doodle Book (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

Doctor Who Doodle Book
Published by Penguin Books, 1st September 2016 [purchase from Amazon UK]

Think you can draw Doctor Who? Time to get creative with scribbles of all shapes and sizes in this interactive Doctor Who doodle book!

Cover pages with monster footprints, sketch the scariest villains imaginable and design dastardly foes from your own imagination. Design a new scarf for the Fourth Doctor, some sand shoes for the Tenth Doctor, and dream up a new look for the Master. Doodle new gadgets, outfits, hiding places and battlegrounds.

The Whoniverse is yours to design in this awesome Doctor Who book!

Competition Question: Name the Doctor Who story which featured a monster derived from a drawing.
Send your answer to comp-doodle@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Idle Moments".

Choose the Future: Terror Moon (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

Choose the Future: Terror Moon
Published by Penguin Books, 1st September 2016 [purchase from Amazon UK]

When one choice can lead to triumph or failure, life or death, glory or destruction - what will you choose?

In this brand new adventure, Terror Moon, the Twelfth Doctor travels to a far-off moon base, only to discover a monstrous, flesh-eating horror lying in wait...

With Choose the Future, YOU decide how, when, where and with whom the Doctor will fight to save the world! The fate of the universe is in your hands...

Choose the Future: Night of the Kraken (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

Competition Question: name the previous range of "choose your own adventure" books that featured the tenth and eleventh Doctors.
Send your answer to comp-choosethefuture@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Turn To Page 42".

This competition includes both the latest Choose The Future book and the earlier publication Night of the Kraken.

A History of Humankind (The Doctor's Official Guide) (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

A History of Humankind: The Doctor’s Official Guide
Published by Penguin Books, 6th October 2016 [pre-order from Amazon UK]

A history book 'improved' by the Twelfth Doctor, with annotations, scribblings, and his trademark snarky humour!

Over billions of years of time travel, the Doctor has run into his fair share of important people - and he's formed opinions on most of them too. Now the Twelfth Doctor has got hold of a history textbook from Coal Hill School, and he's
decided to improve it with notes of his own.

From Nefertiti to Robin Hood, this essential Doctor's guide gives us his unique take on Earth's most famous historical figures. Through annotations, scribblings and his trademark snarky humour, the Doctor has plenty to say about the pudding-brained humans he's met on his travels. It's history... but perhaps not quite as you know it!

Competition Question: name the first real-life person from history that the Doctor met in the television series.
Send your answer to comp-humankind@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Humans are quite my favourite species".

Time Lord Fairy Tales (Slipcase edition) (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

Time Lord Fairy Tales (slipcase edition)
Published by Penguin Books, 6th October 2016 [pre-order from Amazon UK]

With 16 hardback books each containing a fairy tale set in the world of Doctor Who, this slipcase edition of Time Lord Fairy Tales includes a brand new story for 2016: The Emperor Dalek's New Clothes.

Time Lord Fairy Tales contains legendary stories of monsters, mysteries, villains and heroes from across the Whoniverse. A beautifully illustrate collection of dark and dangerous Whovian fairy tales, this slipcase is the perfect gift for any true Doctor Who fan.

Competition Question: name a Time Lord fairy-tale/legend that the Doctor actually encounters in the television series.
Send your answer to comp-fairytales@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Once upon a Time...".

Doctor Who Annual 2017 (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

Official Doctor Who Annual 2017
Published by BBC Childrens Books, 6th October 2016 [pre-order from Amazon UK]

Join the Doctor for brand-new adventures on board the TARDIS in this year's Doctor Who Annual. With secrets from the latest series, fact files on the latest terrifying monsters, exciting comic strips, stories, puzzles and activities, it's the perfect read for any fan of the brilliant BBC show Doctor Who.

Competition Question: which is the only "numbered" Doctor to not feature on a Doctor Who annual/yearbook cover?
Send your answer to comp-annual@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "One Year in the Life of the Doctor".

Twelve Doctors of Christmas (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

Twelve Doctors Of Christmas
Published by BBC Childrens Books, 6th October 2016 [pre-order from Amazon UK]

A beautifully illustrated collection of new Doctor Who stories, each featuring one of the twelve Doctors on a festive adventure in the TARDIS.

Written by six authors and with a full-page colour illustration for each story, these tales are full of magic, mystery, wonder, excitement - and everything else that fans love about a Doctor Who Christmas special.

Competition Question: name the only non-21st Century Doctor Who Christmas episode.
Send your answer to comp-12xmas@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Ho Ho Ho!".

In addition to the new releases, BBC Childrens Books have kindly provided these publications from earlier in the year as additional competition prizes:

Doctor Who: The Essential Guide (Twelfth Doctor edition) (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

Doctor Who: The Essential Guide (Twelfth Doctor edition)
Published by Penguin Books, 7th April 2016 [purchase from Amazon UK]

A new edition of the ultimate and most essential guide to Doctor Who, now updated to include all twelve incarnations of the Doctor and covering all his newest adventures from Series 8 and 9.

Competition Question: the Doctor has often kept a diary of his experiences - how many years does his most recent cover?
Send your answer to comp-essential@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Dipping into the Matrix".

Travels in Time (colouring book) (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

Doctor Who: Travels in Time
Published by Penguin Books, 7th April 2016 [purchase from Amazon UK]

Experience the timey-wimey travels of the Doctor moment by moment with this historical Doctor Who colouring book.

Inside you'll find the Doctor's greatest friends and foes from throughout all of history, with original illustrations featuring Churchill, Shakespeare, Van Gogh, Dickens, Madame de Pompadour and many more. Colour in kings and queens, Romans and Egyptians, Viking villages and erupting volcanoes... not forgetting the occasional dinosaur on a spaceship.

With 45 brand new images to colour, Travels in Time is a truly fantastic addition to any colouring collection.

Competition Question: name a story featuring a portrait the Doctor has painted.
Send your answer to comp-colours@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Strike Me Pink!".

Doctor Who Dot-To-Doc (Credit: BBC Childrens Books)

Doctor Who: Dot-To-Doc
Published by Penguin Books, 7th July 2016 [purchase from Amazon UK]

Join a galaxy of dots to draw the Doctor with this incredible dot-to-dot book!

With 45 intricate portraits to complete and over 500 dots in every drawing, Dot-to-Doc contains hours of creative and timey-wimey fun.

Inside you'll find every incarnation of the Doctor, plus favourite friends and foes - Rose, Donna, Captain Jack, Clara, the Ponds, a Dalek, a Cyberman, a Weeping Angel and many more...

Competition Question: in which story did the Doctor say a straight line might be the shortest distance between two points but it isn't the most interesting?
Send your answer to comp-dottodoc@doctorwhonews.net with the subject line "Going dotty".

FILTER: - BBC Books - Competitions

Lethbridge-Stewart: Times Squared

Wednesday, 21 September 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Candy Jar Books have announced details of the first novel to be released in the third series of Lethbridge-Stewart adventures:

Lethbridge-Stewart: Times Squared (Credit: Candy Jar Books)

Times Squared
Written By Rick Cross
Cover by Martin Bainess
Published by Candy Jar Books end October 2016

When Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, his fiancée Sally Wright, and nephew Owain Vine, embark on a much-needed holiday to New York City, the last thing they expect to find is a puzzling mystery involving coma patients, a stranger from a distant land and a dark menace lurking in the bowels of the city's labyrinthine subway system.

Before long, they're battling an ancient evil pursuing a deadly campaign of terror that could bring Manhattan under its control... and the world to its knees.

The book sees the return of the Great Intelligence, last seen on television during Series 7 and influential to the Lethbridge-Stewart range from the very start. Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen said:

For (the first novel) The Forgotten Son I was interested in wrapping up the story of the Great Intelligence as seen in Moffat’s trilogy, and exploring something of its origins. So now it’s time to go back to the Intelligence as depicted in the original Haisman/Lincoln stories. Ever wondered what happened to it in those long years between The Web of Fear and The Snowmen, and how the 1995 straight-to-video film, Downtime, fits in? Well, now it’s time to start finding out.

Times Squared, written by first-time novelist Rick Cross, takes place some eight months after The Web of Fear, transferring the Yeti from the London Underground to the underground network of New York. Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar, said:

I had the idea of the Yeti roaming through Times Square, plaguing the immense underground of New York. And by throwing in a bit of time travelling shenanigans, the title was an obvious one.

Andy continued:

After Shaun came to me with the basic idea, it was quickly decided we wanted, ideally, an American author to write it. I turned to Rick Cross, an aspiring US author I knew via social media. We talked and he jumped at the chance. We spent a short while discussing story ideas, telling him the elements I wanted, and he came to me with a few ideas of his own. And it has turned out rather brilliantly; the first bona-fide sequel to The Web of Fear, dealing with the Intelligence from that story, as well as a story that brings back Owain, Lethbridge-Stewart’s nephew, last seen in Beast of Fang Rock. A character with a very special relationship to the Intelligence.

Rick said:

It’s been an exciting opportunity. Hard work, trying to remember the British rules of grammar, but I’ve enjoyed telling my story and delving into the relationship between Lethbridge-Stewart, his fiancée, Sally, and his nephew, Owain. Owain in particular has been fun, exploring his freedom of spirit, and his destiny – which is, one day, to be reincarnated into the person who will ascend to be the Intelligence.

On bringing back the Yeti, he continued:

I had this brilliant idea about the rats in the sewers of New York, and their connection to various plagues throughout the years. What if one such plague was the result of the Intelligence? Coupled with that was my desire to explore the origins of the Yeti. Who made them? How did so many of them get to be in the London Underground in The Web of Fear? Remember, in that story it is revealed that Travers only brought one of them back from Tibet with him. Hopefully Times Squared will provide fans with an interesting take on that, as well as expanding the mythology surrounding the Intelligence and Yeti.

The novel also links in to the BBC’s range of Eighth Doctor Adventures from the 1990s by the inclusion of character Adrienne Kramer, the future brigadier-general of the US arm of UNIT who made her official Doctor Who debut in the 1997 novel Vampire Science by Jonathan Blum and Kate Orman. Andy said:

Ever since first reading about this character in 1997 I’ve wanted to use her; indeed, she featured in an unpublished Doctor Who novel I wrote in 1998. Her connection to UNIT, and consequently the Brigadier, has been something I’ve wanted to explore since day one of this series. In particular to show the origins of how she came to know Lethbridge-Stewart and what piqued her interest in all things alien.

Rick added:

It was a wonderful opportunity. Andy set it all up, put me in touch with Jon, who compiled a detailed background document for the character. I had never heard of Kramer, but did my research, and it has been brilliant writing for her, exploring the young woman she was in 1969, long before she became the tough soldier in Vampire Science. I’ve been very blessed to play with all these wonderful much-loved Doctor Who characters in my book, and add one of my own creations to the mythos of Doctor Who.

Cover art is provided by Martin Baines, whose portfolio includes the Wallace & Gromit comic, Commando, The Beano, and more recently Thunderbirds Are Go magazine. Martin said:

As soon I was briefed on the key scene in the book, Yeti robots covered in rats coming out of the New York underground, I was onto a winner with the cover. This horrific, stark image along with the brilliant writing by Rick Cross makes this a worthy continuation to the classic Web of Fear.

The book includes a forward by Terry Molloy, narrator of the first series of Lethbridge-Stewart audiobooks (and best known in Doctor Who for his 1980s/Big Finish portrayal of Davros).

Times Squared can be pre-ordered individually or as part of the Series 3 Bundle (both UK and overseas), which will include the forthcoming novels Blood of Atlantis by Simon A Forward and Mind of Stone by Iain McLaughlin. There is also a subscription deal for those wishing to get six books for the price of five (UK only, covering the series three titles, plus the series four titles released early 2017)! Pre-orders are available directly from Candy Jar Books.

A free digital-only short story, The Wishing Bazaar by Sharon Bidwell, will be given out to all pre-order/subscription customers in October.

FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart - Merchandise

Diamond expands Doctor Who book availability in USA

Wednesday, 21 September 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Diamond Comic Distributors and Penguin Random House have announced that they have arranged a new distribution deal to include the latter's entire range of Doctor Who books and novels for the American market.

Robert Waddington, International Sales Director for Penguin Random House UK, said:

Diamond Comic Distributors have proven themselves a strong partner on our young adult Doctor Who range, and we are delighted to now be selling our adult list through them as well. We feel very positive about our relationship moving forward, and 2017 will be a big year for Doctor Who with the series returning to television.

Tim Leneghan, Executive Director-Purchasing for Diamond Comic Distributors, said:

Doctor Who has always been an important brand license for Diamond and we’re happy expand our deal with Penguin Books UK to represent their entire line of Doctor Who books in the United States.

FILTER: - Books - USA

Lethbridge-Stewart: free download The Last Duty / The Havoc Files 2 update

Friday, 9 September 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Candy Jar Books have announced a special free digital release in the Lethbridge-Stewart range, The Last Duty, a tribute to real-life WAF Eileen Younghusband who features in the book.

Eileen Younghusband (Credit: Candy Jar Books)

Born in London, Eileen joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during WW2 and worked in the Filter Room, the top secret hub of Britain’s air defence. It was during this time that Eileen tracked the first V2 rocket into the country!

A life size figure of Eileen as a twenty-one-year-old WAAF officer stands in a replica of a filter room at the Battle of Britain museum at Bentley Priory. Her advice on the WAAF was sought by historians, documentary makers and even a Hollywood scriptwriter.

Her television appearances included the BBC series, Britain's Greatest Generation, Channel 4’s WW2: The Last Heroes, and the ITV Wales programme, Welsh Heroes of World War Two, as well as BBC’s Breakfast, The One Show and Eggheads. Her book – One Woman’s War – won a People’s Book Prize. Her latest book – Eileen’s War – was written for children and was completed and published only weeks before her death on 2nd September, at the age of 95.

Lethbridge-Stewart: The Last Duty (Credit: Candy Jar Books)

Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen says

We’ve had plans for a while to bring Eileen into the series, and the news of her death made us decide to make it happen sooner, to pay tribute to this great legend of World War II. It’s not often one meets a bona fide hero in one’s life, and the difference Eileen made to the security of the UK cannot be stressed enough; it was a natural thing to bring her into contact with the Doctor Who legend that is Lethbridge-Stewart.

The Last Duty is set shortly after The Grandfather Infestation and is written by newcomer to the range, Christopher Bryant (editor/contributor to several Doctor Who related charity books like You and Who, Seasons of War and You on Target). He says:

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart has always been one of my favourite characters from Doctor Who, so it's a privilege to be part of bringing him back to have new adventures.

The PDF story features a cameo by Eileen, immortalised as the cousin of Derek Younghusband, a character created with Eileen’s blessing for The Band of Evil, who appears in The HAVOC Files 2. Christopher continues:

I loved writing this story because it's a great mix of monster-filled action scenes with a more thoughtful examination of how we lead our lives. It's a particular honour to be able to pay tribute to Eileen Younghusband, who lived such an amazing life.

The free PDF, available from the Candy Jar website, also features excerpts from Eileen’s War and One Woman’s War. Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar, says:

We have included these excerpts to illustrate how important Eileen was in the defence of Britain. Apart from arguably saving Winston Churchill’s life, spending time with Dylan Thomas and acting as a guide at a Nazi concentration camp, I would encourage all fans to read these excerpts as a fascinating document of our times.

Lethbridge-Stewart: The Havoc Files 2 (Credit: Candy Jar Books)

Meanwhile, the cover for the The Havoc Files 2 has now been revealed, plus news that an additional tale will be included in the anthology. Shaun Russell, says:

With the previous volume we collected the many short stories published in 2015, but it was a little different this time since we have released fewer short stories this year. However, as we like to spoil our readers, we decided it would be nice to produce new exclusive material for the collection, as well as give a couple of extras. And, just to make this collection even more worthwhile, and collector’s item, we’ve decided to add yet another story to the mix.

The Lost Skin is a novella that is set concurrently with the forthcoming Lethbridge-Stewart novel, Times Squared, focussing on several of the regular cast of characters, including the return of journalists, Harold Chorley, Larry Greene and Charlie Redfern. More importantly, it also features the first full appearance of Professor Edward Travers, last seen in 2015’s The Schizoid Earth, who heads to John o Groats to investigate a bit of Scottish lore.

Writer Andy Frankham-Allen says:

The plan was originally to release the novella alongside Times Squared, but time kind of ran away from me, so I suggested instead we release it as part of The HAVOC Files as a three-part story over three volumes. I mean, who doesn’t like a cliffhanger or two?

The cover is by Adrian Salmon, who faced the challenge of how to touch upon the various stories and yet still have a striking image to attract readers’ attentions. He says:

A unifying cover idea for a mix of stories was never going to be easy but the central idea of an incredible shrinking Lethbridge-Stewart made small work of it!

The whole collection is dedicated to the memory of Rhys Rubery, friend of the range editor and Doctor Who fan, a sixteen-year-old who lost his life in a tragic accident in July 2016. You can find out more about Rhys, and how to support the RR81 Legacy by going to this website.

The HAVOC Files 2 is released at the end of September, and is available for pre-order directly from the Candy Jar website.

The next series of Lethbridge-Stewart begins in October with the release of Times Squared by Rick Cross, followed by Blood of Atlantis by Simon A Forward and Mind of Stone by Iain McLaughlin.

FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Lethbridge-Stewart - Merchandise - Online

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