Competition Roundup

Tuesday, 6 September 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

A roundup of competitions from Doctor Who News that readers may enter:

The Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Pursuit of History/Casualties of Time

The fourth Doctor concludes his latest set of adventures alongside Romana and K-9:

On a brisk winter’s morning in 1850s Yorkshire, Cuthbert, head of the intergalactic business known as 'The Conglomerate' prepares to hijack a very special train. In the far future, his assistant, Mr Dorrick is awoken by howling alarms. There is a problem with the Quantum Gateway. In the TARDIS, the Doctor, Romana and K9 detect strange distortions in the Vortex, an energy stream coming from a strange creature called a Laan. The threads of a plan centuries in the making are coming together. But who is behind this plan? And can anyone possibly escape when history is against them?

The Pursuit Of History (Credit: Big Finish)

To be in with a chance to win a digital download of the audio adventure courtesy of Big Finish, simply answer the following question:

David Warner has his own history with time shenanigans - name the the film in which he played a character coveting a map depicting holes in the space-time continuum.

Please send your answer along with your name and the email address you have registered with Big Finish, plus where you heard about the competition (news site, news app, other website, etc.) to comp-bf4d@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Time Traps". The competition is open worldwide, closing date 18th September 2016. Note: entrants must have an active registration with Big Finish in order to be eligible to receive the prize - new registrations can be easily created on the website for free and with no financial obligation.

BBC Books: Doctor Who - The Official Cookbook

BBC Books offer you the chance to make a culinary impression on your Doctor Who friends!

Whether you’re planning a party to watch the latest episode, need a showstopping cake that’s bigger on the inside, or want a taste of the TARDIS at teatime, this is the ultimate collection of dishes from across space and time. Keep the munchies at bay with a fleet of Atraxi Snax, and serve an Ood Head Bread with your dinner. Create your very own Picnic at Asgard, or invite the Zygon Pie into your house. And say ‘Hello, Sweetie’ to a deadly-delicious Dalektable Army, a Peek-a-Boo Pandorica cake, or some simple jelly babies. Each easy-to-follow recipe has step-by-step instructions to show how you can make meals, snacks, cakes and sweets that are truly out of this world.

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

What meal did a newly-regenerated Doctor cook up in Amelia's kitchen?

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-cookbook@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Yum!". The competition is open to UK readers only, closing date 18th September 2016. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

BBC Audio: Doctor Who and The Sontaran Experiment

The classic novelisation adaptation from BBC Audio sees the fourth Doctor finding out Earth is not as uninhabited as he expected ...

Landing on Earth - now a barren, desolate planet - Sarah, Harry and the Doctor are unaware of a large, watching robot. The robot is the work of Styr, a Sontaran warrior, who uses all humans landing here for his experimental programmes. What has happened to the other space explorers who have come here? Why is Styr so interested in Earth, and in brutally torturing humans, including Sarah Jane? Will the Doctor be able to prevent an invasion, and save both Earth and his companions?

Doctor Who and The Sontaran Experiment (Credit: BBC Audio)

To be in with a chance to win the audiobook courtesy of BBC Audio, simply answer the following question:

Having survived solar flares, the Earth then had to endure being moved two light years in space and enveloped by a solar fireball ... but who orchestrated this second devastation?

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-experiment@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Trafalgar Square should be that way". The competition is open worldwide, closing date 18th September 2016. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

BBC Audio: Doctor Who: The Macra Terror

The classic novelisation adaptation from BBC Audio sees the second Doctor discovering something sinister in the shadows ...

In the far future a group of humans is living an idyllic existence on a distant planet. Their colony is run like a gigantic holiday camp, and nothing seems to trouble their carefree existence. When one of them claims that the colony is being invaded by hideous monsters, no-one takes him seriously. But the Doctor's suspicions are immediately aroused. What is the terrible menace that lurks at the heart of this apparent paradise? Why are the colonists unaware of the danger that lies before their very eyes? And what is the Macra Terror?

To be in with a chance to win the audiobook courtesy of BBC Audio, simply answer the following question:

Name the televised story that featured an unexpected return of the Macra some forty years later...

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-macra@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "There is no such thing as Macra!". The competition is open worldwide, closing date 18th September 2016. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

BBC Audio: Illegal Alien

This BBC Books adaptation from BBC Audio sees the seventh Doctor caught up in World War II antics...

The Blitz is at its height. As the Luftwaffe bomb London, Cody McBridge, ex-pat American private eye, sees a sinister silver sphere crash-land. He glimpses something emerging from within. The military dismiss his account of events - the sphere must be a new German secret weapon that has malfunctioned in some way. What else could it be? Arriving amid the chaos, the Doctor and Ace embark on a trail that brings them face to face with hidden Nazi agents, and encounter some very old enemies ...

To be in with a chance to win the audiobook courtesy of BBC Audio, simply answer the following question:

Name another Doctor Who story set in London during the Blitz.

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-illegalalien@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Put that light out!". The competition is open worldwide, closing date 18th September 2016. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

BBC Audio: Tenth Doctor Tales

A collection of audio adventures featuring the tenth Doctor.

Join the Tenth Doctor on these seven adventures in Time and Space, written specially for audio: Pest Control, The Forever Trap, The Nemonite Invasion, The Rising Night, The Day of the Troll, The Last Voyage and Dead Air. David Tennant, Catherine Tate and Michelle Ryan read this exclusive collection of original audio adventures.

To be in with a chance to win the audio collection courtesy of BBC Audio, simply answer the following question:

The Rising Night reader Michelle Ryan is better known as which of the tenth Doctor's associates?

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-10d-tales@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Oral Encounters". The competition is open worldwide, closing date 18th September 2016. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

FILTER: - Audio - BBC Audio - BBC Books - Big Finish - Books - Competitions

BBC reveal midnight announcement

Tuesday, 6 September 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

The BBC have posted a teaser for a forthcoming announcement at midnight tonight via their Facebook page:

Visit Doctor Who News after midnight UK time for more details.

FILTER: - Audio - BBC Audio - BBC Books - Big Finish - Books - Competitions

Class tie-in novels to be released alongside series premiere in October

Tuesday, 6 September 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Books have announced that a series of three novels will be released in October to tie-in with the premiere of new spin-off series Class in October. The three stories, extended the fictional universe created by Patrick Ness are: Joyride by Guy Adams, The Stone House by A.K. Benedict and What She Does Next Will Astound You by James Goss.

Class: The Stone House (Credit: BBC Books)

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

BBC Books Senior Editorial Director Albert DePetrillo said:

Patrick Ness is simply one of the finest writers working today – in any genre – and his new television series has all the hallmarks of his dazzling fiction. Class is a hugely exciting new brand for the BBC list, and we’re delighted to be working with Patrick and the production team at BBC Wales on these official tie-ins.

The three novels will be published on 27th October 2016.

Class: Airing this October on BBC3, this new Doctor Who spin-off show is set at Coal Hill School, which has a special significance for Doctor Who fans: it’s not only the primary school where the Doctor’s most recent companion, Clara Oswald, taught but it featured in the very first Doctor Who episode in 1963. Class centres on the adventures of an all-new group of students at Coal Hill, and will have the action, heart and adrenaline of the very best YA fiction - dangers breaking through the walls of time and space, a darkness coming to a London unprotected, a new group of heroes to root for, and new villains to hide from behind the sofa.

FILTER: - BBC Books - Books - Class - Merchandise

BBC Books: The Whoniverse

Friday, 2 September 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

BBC Books have released details on their latest book dealing with Doctor Who universe, due to be published in October:

The Whoniverse
By Justin Richards and George Mann
Published 27th October 2016 by BBC Books [pre-order from Amazon UK]

The Whoniverse is a never-before-seen history of the Human Race – from the formation of Earth round the Racnoss eggs, and the creation of life by the destruction of the last Jagaroth spaceship, through to the eventual expansion of the sun and end of the world and beyond – to New Earth, and Utopia...

Along the way, The Whoniverse also explores the untold histories of other planets and other lifeforms as they have interacted with humanity. We examine the Daleks and Cybermen, the Time Lords and the Sontarans, the Ice Warriors, Silurians, Weeping Angels, and many many more... We visit Gallifrey and Skaro, Mondas and Telos, Mars and Sontar, to explore how their histories have coincided with the Time Lords, and with our own.

With full-colour illustrations, maps, charts and photography from key Doctor Who artists including Alex Fort, Chris J Lees and many more, The Whoniverse is a dramatic retelling of the uprisings, wars and battles that formed Doctor Who’s universe, and an astonishing compendium of the races that live within it. A treasury of accumulated knowledge, scholarly erudition and accumulated folk wisdom, it is the definitive, essential companion to this universe, and any other.

Hardcover, 320 pages

FILTER: - BBC Books - Books - Merchandise - Non-Fiction

Lethbridge-Stewart: The HAVOC Files 2

Wednesday, 17 August 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Candy Jar Books have announced the release of the second volume of The HAVOC Files, collecting the short stories released during the first half in 2016 originally released as digital downloads.

The collection included the following titles: In His Kiss by Sue Hampton, The Lock-In by Sarah Groenewegen BEM, The Black Eggs of Khufu by Tom Dexter, The Band of Evil by Roger J Simmonds & Shaun Russell, and The Playing Dead by Adrian Sherlock. As with the previous volume, The HAVOC Files 2 also includes new stories exclusive to the book, Ashes of the Inferno by Andy Frankham-Allen, and House of Giants by Rick Cross.

As the new titles might suggest, the stories are related to two of the Doctor's television adventures. Writer Andy Frankham-Allen says of his book:

As the title suggests this story is connected to the 1970 serial Inferno; indeed it begins the same day the Doctor returns from the alternative Earth. A lot of readers have asked how the expanding mythology of the Lethbridge-Stewart series fits into the UNIT era of Doctor Who, and this story goes a little way to explaining that. But it’s much more than just a response to readers’ questions, it’s a story about loss and coming to terms with losing everything that matters to you. A theme that I often come back to, and one that is even more poignant right now as only recently I lost a friend in very tragic accident. This story serves as something of a tribute to that young man, who was not only a friend but a huge Doctor Who fan, and the family he left behind, who are trying to cope with such a monumental loss.

The second brand new story picks up on a thread referenced in the most recent Lethbridge-Stewart novel, The Grandfather Infestation by John Peel, dealing with aftermath of the Doctor Who serial, Planet of Giants: Writer Rick Cross says:

Planet of Giants is a personal favourite of mine, an inventive and unexpected First Doctor experiment that has resonated in my mind since I first saw it, so it’s been fun writing a sort of coda to it. I'm thrilled and honoured to bring the Brigadier and Anne Travers onto the scene of this classic Doctor Who story, and can't wait for fellow fans to see what awaits them there.

Candy Jar’s Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, comments on the newcomer to the range:

Rick was brought in by Andy, a result of successful networking on Facebook. We’ve been so impressed with Rick’s abilities as a writer that we thought it’d be nice to have him write us a short story while Andy works on his forthcoming novel.

That novel will be Times Squared, written before House of Giants. Cross says:

I'm actually quite pleased that House of Giants will arrive ahead of Times Squared. I hope it will serve as an appetizer of sorts to the entree to come, one that will introduce Lethbridge-Stewart readers to my particular Yankee style, borne of a lifelong obsession with Doctor Who, sci-fi films and Stephen King novels. Hopefully, they'll come away eager to explore the labyrinthine streets of late-‘60s New York City... and what lies beneath.

Two additional extras in the book include the original prologue from John Peel’s The Grandfather Infestation - which reveals why the Ymir brought their Grandfathers to Earth in the first place - and the unpublished interludes from The Showstoppers by Jonathan Cooper. Range editor Andy Frankham-Allen says:

I decided to remove the interludes from the novel because, in my opinion, they slowed the pace of the story down too much. However, the background on Schädengeist and Commander Shepstone was too good to simply consign to the rubbish bin, so it’s a great pleasure to make the interludes available as one short story.

As with the first volume, The HAVOC Files 2 will only be available as a strictly limited edition print run, and is can be pre-ordered directly from the Candy Jar Bookstore.

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.

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.

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

Artificial Beings

Saturday, 13 August 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Candy Jar Books have announced the forthcoming publication of their latest reference book:

Connecting Who - Artificial Beings (Credit: Candy Jar Books)

Connecting Who: Artificial Beings
Written by Peter Grehan

The Cybermen, the Weeping Angels, the Daleks… the artificial beings of Doctor Who are some of the most iconic in science fiction. But what inspired them?

Connecting Who traces their origins back to the myths, folktales and real events of history; the teachings of religion; not to mention the wealth of other sci fi writing from which Doctor Who has drawn.

Peter Grehan has been an avid fan since Doctor Who’s very first broadcast. With him as your guide, explore the wealth of material which lies behind the longest running science fiction series of all time.

Author Peter Grehan said:

Imagine Doctor Who as a tree trunk that keeps growing taller and taller, fed by roots that reach down into history, mythology, psychology, folktales, religion, science and the wealth of science fiction that exists in the world. It’s not surprising therefore to find that Doctor Who connects with a lot of other stuff.

The book investigates some of those connections in regards to artificial beings such as clever computers, robots, androids and cyborgs, and their connections to literary and scientific sources. As well as the Daleks, the book examines beings such as the Cybermen, Daleks, Autons, Weeping Angels, Gangers, Morbius, Xoanon and the Yeti.

Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar Books, said:

Peter has been a fan of Doctor Who since day one and his take on the Whoniverse offers a personal outlook on growing up with the series. His childhood love of robots coincided with the introduction of the Daleks and, despite the Daleks not really being robots, their cries of exterminate cemented his love for all things Doctor Who.

Peter added:

In my book I have enjoyed making the connections between Doctor Who and real-life computers, robots and cyborgs. These connections run deep into culture, history and science. It is my hope that fans will not only enjoy reading my book, but begin to connect the dots themselves.

Connecting Who: Artificial Beings is available to pre-order exclusively from Candy Jar Books, and all pre-orders come with a free copy of Lethbridge-Stewart: Beast of Fang Rock.

FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Non-Fiction

Lethbridge-Stewart: 2-for-1 offer

Wednesday, 27 July 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Due to the success of their Super Weekend Sale, Candy Jar Books is continuing a special offer throughout the week until Monday 1st of August.

Buy Moon Blink and get The Showstoppers free
(plus, short stories The Lock-In and The Band of Evil available on request)
Buy The Schizoid Earth and get Beast of Fang Rock free
(plus, short stories Legacies and The Dogs of War available on request)

This offer can be found via this website and is limited to the UK due to postage costs; however non-UK residents can still request the free short stories by emailing lauren@candyjarbooks.co.uk

FILTER: - Books - Candy Jar Books - Special Offers

Lethbridge-Stewart: The Playing Dead

Thursday, 21 July 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

This month sees the release of the Lethbridge-Stewart novel The Grandfather Infestation by John Peel, and Candy Jar Books have announced that this will be accompanied by the latest in their range of free digital-only stories, The Playing Dead, written by newcomer to the range, Adrian Sherlock:

Lieutenant Bishop has survived a dangerous mission in Australia and is looking forward to going home. But he wakes up to find the streets of Darwin are empty; he seems to be the last man on Earth. Until from the shadows come strange creatures. The dead are walking, and they want Bishop. But Bishop has more to worry about than just himself – where is Anne Travers?

Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen said:

Adrian came to my attention via John - he’s one of the many new voices were encouraging through a short story initiative, although we kind of did it backwards with Adrian. A novel pitch (set in his native Australia) led to this short story.

Keeping with the experimental nature of the free short stories, The Playing Dead is the first story to focus on Bill Bishop, ever-popular adjutant to Lethbridge-Stewart. Adrian Sherlock said:

It's been a long held dream of mine to write a story about the classic era of Doctor Who, and the Lethbridge-Stewart series is a hugely exciting way to do that. It was also personally very exciting to write a story which harkens back to classics like The Twilight Zone and The Omega Man, but with a very Who-ish twist. I'm eternally grateful to Andy for the chance to push the brave but unsuspecting Bishop into a world of shadows and dangers.

I had a lot of fun getting into the mind of Bishop, a character created especially for this series. It’s telling that he is just as rounded and as interesting as Lethbridge-Stewart and Anne Travers. He is a worthy addition to the role-call of heroes we know and love from the classic era of Doctor Who. A joy to write for.

Although set within the current narrative of the book series, The Playing Dead moves the story forward a year. Shaun Russell, Head of Publishing, said:

It’s nice to dip in and out of Lethbridge-Stewart’s life with the short stories, and as we know where the characters will be in a year, namely Australia, we thought it would be fun to give a few hints to our readers.

Cover art is by Richard Young:

How could I say no to creating something a little different from my usual style? It’s always nice to show people your range. Different strokes for different folks. And, of course, a chance to turn the Brig into a zombie... What’s not to love?

The Grandfather Infestation is due out at the end of July, and all subscribers will receive the short story automatically, as will those who purchase any of the bundles for the 2016 series. More details can be found at the Candy Jar website, where readers can also receive a free download of the short story The Band of Evil.

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

Lethbridge-Stewart: John Peel returns to the worlds of Doctor Who

Saturday, 2 July 2016 - Reported by Chuck Foster

Candy Jar Books have released details on the next book in their Lethbridge-Stewart range, The Grandfather Infestation, which has been written by long-term Target/Virgin/BBC Book author John Peel.

Lethbridge-Stewart: The Grandfather Infestation, by John Peel (Credit: Candy Jar Books)

Lethbridge-Stewart: The Grandfather Infestation
Written by John Peel, foreward by Simon Clark
Cover by Colin Howard
Published by Candy Jar Books, July 2016

The late 1960s and pirate radio is at its height.

Something stirs in the depths of the North Sea, and for Radio Crossbones that means bad news.

Lethbridge-Stewart and his newly assembled Fifth Operational Corps are called in to investigate after the pirate radio station is mysteriously taken off the air, and a nuclear submarine is lost with all hands.

John Peel has a long affiliation with Doctor Who prose fiction. In the late 1980s he was personally picked by Dalek creator Terry Nation to novelise the remaining 1960s Dalek serials, including the epic twelve-part story The Daleks’ Masterplan and Patrick Troughton’s debut, The Power of the Daleks. He was also the author chosen to launch the very first original Doctor Who prose novel, Timewrym: Genesys in 1991, and twenty-five years later he’s back!

John Peel says:

There's always been something rather special for me when I'm writing in the worlds of Doctor Who. When I wrote Timewyrm: Genesys twenty-five years ago, I was excited the entire time – I couldn't wait to get to work on the story each morning. And here I am, a quarter of a century later, and the same excitement is still there.

The Grandfather Infestation is inspired somewhat by the plant horror stories made popular by the likes of John Wyndham. Author Simon Clark, who wrote the official sequel to The Day of the Triffids, says:

Plants are on the march – at least in our imaginations, they are. Doctor Who embraced the theme in The Seeds of Death and The Seeds of Doom, and, no doubt, you can identify many more. And now John Peel gives us The Grandfather Infestation, a fantastically entertaining, and horrifying novel, which suggests that everything that’s green and grows from the earth might not be as harmless as we think.

Range Editor Andy Frankham-Allen says:

I’ve always been a huge fan of Wyndham’s work, and I knew I wanted something in a similar vein. I asked John to give us something Triffid-esque and he did exactly that. He’s created a nice blend of genres, mixing the best elements of storytelling that you’d find in the works of Robert Banks Stewart and Wyndham, giving it Peel’s own distinctive twist. And John is no stranger to twisting tales, make no mistake. He’s been writing prose fiction beyond Doctor Who continuously for over twenty-five years, and you don’t do that without being good.

Despite his long association with Doctor Who, this is the first time John Peel has written for the character of Lethbridge-Stewart:

Being allowed to create a new adventure for that stalwart character, Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart was both an honour and a truly great pleasure. Even writing revisions didn't seem too much of a chore!

The Grandfather Infestation is now available for pre-order from the Candy Jar Books website, with discounted pre-order bundles and a new subscription deal for those wishing to get six books for the price of five.

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

Time Shadows

Friday, 1 July 2016 - Reported by Marcus

Time Shadows is a new, unofficial, unauthorized Doctor Who short-story anthology raising money for the Enable Community Foundation

The anthology from Pseudoscope Publishing features all televised Doctors, across 25 stories, including a five-part framing story with the Twelfth Doctor and Clara.

Synopsis

Tipped off by a mysterious raven man, the Twelfth Doctor and Clara travel to Refuge, home of the last vestiges of life near the end of the universe. There, they discover an ancient, powerful Time Lord relic. No sooner does it activate, than new thoughts, new memories form in the Doctor’s mind: new adventures of all his past selves.

Someone or something is tampering with time, changing the destination of the TARDIS, and altering the Doctor’s past. He and Clara must travel into danger, into darkness to set things right.

The book is edited by Matt Grady with Samuel Gibb, with a foreword by Gary Russell.

It features stories by Violet Addison, John Anderson, David Black, Andrew Blair, Simon Blake, Christopher Colley, John Davies, Abel Diaz, R.P. Fox, Stephen Hatcher, Chris Heffernan, Ian Howden, Pete Kempshall, J.R. Loflin, Kevin Mason, Roger McCoy, David McLain, Christopher Olsen, John Peel, Stuart Roth, Dale Smith, David N. Smith, and Nick Walters.

Further details on Time Shadows, including ordering information, are available on the Pseudoscope Publishing website

FILTER: - Books - Charities

Previous 10 Stories

Competition Roundup

The Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Pursuit of History/Casualties of Time

BBC Books: Doctor Who - The Official Cookbook

BBC Audio: Doctor Who and The Sontaran Experiment

BBC Audio: Doctor Who: The Macra Terror

BBC Audio: Illegal Alien

BBC Audio: Tenth Doctor Tales

BBC reveal midnight announcement

Class tie-in novels to be released alongside series premiere in October

BBC Books: The Whoniverse

Lethbridge-Stewart: The HAVOC Files 2

Artificial Beings

Lethbridge-Stewart: 2-for-1 offer

Lethbridge-Stewart: The Playing Dead

Lethbridge-Stewart: John Peel returns to the worlds of Doctor Who

Time Shadows

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