Doctor Who Encyclopedia available for iPad

Wednesday, 2 November 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
BBC Books have released an Apple iPad application for the Doctor Who Encyclopedia to tie in with the revised hardback edition that was published on 15th October:
Written by former Doctor Who script editor Gary Russell, the app is the ultimate guide to seven years of thrilling Doctor Who adventures, which includes up to date information on every episode since the show’s return to our screens in 2005.

It allows you to scroll your way through a complete A-Z of the show and explore and search thousands of entries by series or episode. You will discover the Doctor’s fiercest enemies, closest allies and key places and objects and have the opportunity to preview and buy those must-have episodes.

The app contains over 3000 entries and each entry includes links to episodes, people, places and objects that relate to it. Additionally, each entry has an episode reference, allowing you to search the Encyclopedia by episode or series – so you can find out all you ever need to know about the Doctor, his allies, enemies and everywhere he’s ever visited. You can also preview episodes and buy your favourites directly from iTunes.


The app also contains 11 unique portals - special interactive entries, for the Doctor, Amy, Rory, River and other major characters in the show. The Doctors’ portal uses parallax technology which allows users to move their iPad to scroll through a 3D environment, featuring the Doctor’s closest companions and deadliest enemies.
The application was developed by Brandwidth in partnership with BBC Books and is available as a number of downloads, with the initial purchase covering the Eleventh Doctor. Additional downloads can then be purchased to cover the Ninth and Tenth Doctor era.

Albert DePetrillo, Senior Editorial Director at BBC Books, commented:
The Doctor Who Encyclopedia offers a completely immersive digital reading experience, offering fans a stunning variety of navigational possibilities as they explore the world of the Doctor. In its simple and intuitive design, as well as its intelligent and elegant execution, the digital Encyclopedia is pure Doctor Who and I am very proud to be publishing it on the BBC Books list.

Further details on the Doctor Who Encyclopedia can be found on its website, and BBC Books can also be followed on Twitter with the Encyclopedia being discussed via the #WhoiPad tag.


Doctor Who Encyclopedia iPad video trailer, via YouTube


There are no immediate plans for the application to be released for other media devices such as Android or Windows-based tablets.




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Books - BBC

The Prison in Space

Monday, 31 October 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Nothing at the End of the Lane have announced the release of their new scriptbook, The Prison in Space, a 268-page illustrated softcover book about a 'lost' tale of the Second Doctor from 1968 by Dick Sharples.

"You leave this to me. There’s a special technique required in handling women..." - The Doctor

When the TARDIS lands on the rooftop garden belonging to Chairman Babs, the travellers find themselves on a planet ruled by women. Tried and condemned to serve a sentence on an orbiting space prison, the Doctor and Jamie must use their ingenuity to break free and rescue Zoe, who has been conditioned to unquestioningly accept the rule of Chairman Babs...


Eager to inject some humour into the series, producer Innes Lloyd called upon experienced scriptwriter, Dick Sharples, to come up with a story that would inject a lighter tone into Doctor Who. That adventure was The Prison in Space, originally envisioned to write out the character of Jamie and introduce a new companion called Nik - and it's a story that was just a hair's-breadth away from being made.

Contents include:
» Facsimiles of Dick Sharples' original scene breakdown along with all four of his second draft scripts for The Prison in Space, reproduced directly from the original script pages.
» A look at the history, development and cancellation of The Prison in Space by Richard Bignell.
» Reviews of the story by Doctor Who Magazine's original Time Team, Jonathan Morris and Paul Scoones.
» Copies of the original outline, scene breakdown and revised scene breakdown for the story originally intended to follow The Prison in Space, Brian Hayles' second Ice Warrior story, The Lords of the Red Planet.
» Andrew Pixley looks back at the production of Season Six in Winds of Change and tries to make some sense of what we currently understand happened during Troughton's turbulent final series.
» Artwork by Jason Fletcher, Westley Smith and Adrian Salmon.
The book costs £16.50 and orders can be placed through the new Nothing at the End of the Lane website.

(with thanks to Richard Bignell)





FILTER: - Fan Productions - Books - Classic Series

Elisabeth Sladen - The Autobiography

Sunday, 23 October 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Aurum Press have released the final version of the cover for their forthcoming book, Elisabeth Sladen - The Autobiography, which is due to be published on the 7th November:

When Elisabeth Sladen first appeared as plucky journalist Sarah Jane Smith in 1973 Doctor Who story The Time Warrior, little did she know the character would become one of the most enduring and fondly remembered of the series’ long history.

The years that followed saw Elisabeth traverse time and space alongside classic Doctors Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, whilst a generation of children crouched behind the sofa, terrified but transfixed as their tea-time heroine found herself menaced by Daleks, dinosaurs, Cybermen, Egyptian mummies, extras in Bubble Wrap and even the Loch Ness Monster. By the time she quit the TARDIS in 1976, making front-page news, Elisabeth had become one of the most familiar faces of a TV golden age.

But you don’t just walk away from Doctor Who. Elisabeth was asked to reprise the role many times, appearing in anniversary specials; an ill-fated 1981 spin-off with robotic sidekick K-9; radio plays; and for the BBC’s Children in Need. She toured the weird, wide and wonderful world of Doctor Who fandom and became one of the series’ all-time favourite companions. So when TV wunderkind Russell T Davies approached her to come back again, this time to a Doctor Who backed by multi-million-pound budgets and garlanded with critical plaudits, how could she refuse?

This warm and witty autobiography, completed only months before Elisabeth died in April 2011, tells her remarkable story, from humble beginnings in post-war Liverpool, through an acclaimed theatrical career working alongside stage luminaries such as Alan Ayckbourn, to Coronation Street, Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em and the furthest reaches of the Universe.

A unique, insider’s view of the world’s longest running science fiction series, and of British television yesterday and today, Elisabeth’s memoir is funny, ridiculous, insightful and entertaining and a fitting tribute to a woman who will be sadly missed by millions.

Elisabeth Sladen played Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures. She also appeared in Coronation Street, Z-Cars and Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em among others, and enjoyed a long, successful and very happy career in the theatre. She died in April 2011.
 
The book is available to pre-order via our Amazon shop.

(with thanks to Liz Somers)





FILTER: - Auto/Biography - Books - Elisabeth Sladen

Justyce Served - A Small Start with a Big Finish

Sunday, 23 October 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Miwk Publishing have announced a new book that delves into the history of Audio Visuals – Adventures in Time & Space, a fan-produced series of adventures starring Nicholas Briggs as the Doctor that ran between 1984 and 1991:

Audio Visuals – Adventures in Time & Space were a series of fan-produced Doctor Who audio plays made as part of a non-profit making venture. The series ran for nearly ten years becoming more polished and professional with each play.

The Doctor was played in the pilot by Stephen Payne but for the rest of the run by Nicholas Briggs, whose incarnation also played a couple of brief cameos in the comic strip for Doctor Who Magazine.

Michael Wisher was a regular performer and both Nabil Shaban and Peter Miles made appearances as well. Scripts came courtesy of Gary Russell (who later went on to produce the final season of AVs), Nicholas Briggs, Jim Mortimore, Andy Lane, Alan W. Lear and many others, while others went on to appear in and contribute creatively to BBV, Bill Baggs’ video company whose productions included, among others, a remake of the Audio Visual play More than a Messiah.

Justyce Served benefits from the contributions and support of many AV team members including Gary Russell, Nicholas Briggs, John Ainsworth, Bill Baggs, Patricia Merrick, Nigel Fairs, Jim Mortimore, Tim Keable (who also provides the new artwork as seen on the cover), Richard Marson, Alistair Lock, Nigel Peever and many others, this book charts all 27 plays and acts as both an episode guide and a production journal bringing us right up to date with the launch of Big Finish in 1998 and their subsequent acquisition of an official license to produce Doctor Who audio plays, some of which were based on Audio Visuals plays (The Mutant Phase, Minuet in Hell, Sword of Orion, Cuddlesome and more).
 

The book is written by Alun Harris and Matthew West, and is due to be published in September 2012; profits from the book will be donated to Amnesty International UK. It is available for pre-order from the Miwk shop.

(with thanks to Matt West)




FILTER: - Books

Doctor Who and Race: An Anthology

Monday, 12 September 2011 - Reported by Harry Ward
A new study of Doctor Who is looking for contributors. Edited by Dr. Lindy Orthia, lecturer at the Australian National University, Doctor Who and Race: An Anthology is likely to be published by Intellect sometime in late 2012 or early 2013. Any era of Doctor Who can be covered by contributors, though the TV series will be the book's primary focus. Work on non-TV Doctor Who may be considered "depending on space".

The book will be aimed at a mixed readership (academics and non-academics), and will include academic-style essays of 5000-7000 words as well as personal-style reflections of up to 1000 words.

Under the scope of the concept ‘race’, contributors may discuss (but are not limited to) any of:
  • the ethnic or racial backgrounds, identities and racially-signifying physical traits of characters, communities, and actors in Doctor Who
  • depictions of racism, racial stereotyping and race-related exploitation in the program
  • Doctor Who stories that reference colonialism, imperialism, nationalism, and other race-related phenomena significant in human history, such as slavery and civil rights movements
  • allegorical literary tools used in the program to reference race, such as the alien as ‘other’.
Contributions that address links between race and science are strongly encouraged.

The deadline for expressions of interest is December 15th 2011. Full details on how to submit these are available at the Doctor Who and Race blog.

Dr. Orthia completed her PhD on the subject of Doctor Who and science communication in 2010. Entitled "Enlightenment was the choice: Doctor Who and the Democratisation of Science", it is available online here.

(written by Matt Hills)




FILTER: - Doctor Who - Books - Australia

Who's Who? The Resurrection of The Doctor

Friday, 9 September 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Guardian is to release a new e-book entitled Who's Who? The Resurrection of The Doctor:

This collection charts how the Guardian has covered Britain's most popular Saturday tea-time drama since it was revived by the BBC in 2005.

Who's Who? The Resurrection of The Doctor features interviews with the three men to tackle the leading role - Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith - and the two men who have been in charge of the show's fortunes: Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat.

The book also includes interviews with a host of other Doctor Who actors who have played companions, allies and villains, including Billie Piper, Freema Agyeman, John Barrowman, and writers including Neil Gaiman and Mark Gatiss.
 

The book forms part of a range of titles from the publisher, Guardian Shorts, the first of which, Phone Hacking: How the Guardian broke the story, was published last month; other subjects include How to Write: Children's Books, The Rise and Rise of Facebook, and Rioting in our cities: A century of civil unrest.

Who's Who? The Resurrection of The Doctor will be released in the next few months for the Kindle and in the iBookstore.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Books

Target reprints reach North America

Friday, 2 September 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Diamond Book Distributors have announced that first three of the recent Target novelisation reprints from BBC Books will be released in North America in early September:
Doctor Who and The Daleks
by David Whitaker
with introduction by Neil Gaiman

The mysterious Doctor and his granddaughter Susan are joined by unwilling adventurers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in an epic struggle for survival on an alien planet.

In a vast metal city they discover the survivors of a terrible nuclear war – the Daleks. Held captive in the deepest levels of the city, can the Doctor and his new companions stop the Daleks’ plan to totally exterminate their mortal enemies, the peace-loving Thals? More importantly, even if they can escape from the Daleks, will Ian and Barbara ever see their home planet Earth again?

Featuring the First Doctor as played by William Hartnell, and his companions Susan, Ian and Barbara.
Doctor Who and The Cybermen
by Gerry Davis
with introduction by Gareth Roberts

In 2070, the Earth’s weather is controlled from a base on the moon. But when the Doctor and his friends arrive, all is not well. They discover unexplained drops of air pressure, minor problems with the weather control systems, and an outbreak of a mysterious plague.

With Jamie injured, and members of the crew going missing, the Doctor realises that the moonbase is under attack. Some malevolent force is infecting the crew and sabotaging the systems as a prelude to an invasion of Earth. And the Doctor thinks he knows who is behind it: the Cybermen.

Featuring the Second Doctor as played by Patrick Troughton, and his companions Polly, Ben and Jamie.
Doctor Who and The Abominable Snowmen
by Terrance Dicks
with introduction by Stephen Baxter

The Doctor has been to Det-Sen Monastery before, and expects the welcome of a life time. But the monastery is a very different place from when the Doctor last came. Fearing at attack at any moment by the legendary Yeti, the monks are prepared to defend themselves, and see the Doctor as a threat.

The Doctor and his friends join forces with Travers, an English explorer out to prove the existence of the elusive abominable snowmen. But they soon discover that these Yeti are not the timid animals that Travers seeks. They are the unstoppable servants of an alien Intelligence.

Featuring the Second Doctor as played by Patrick Troughton, and his companions Jamie and Victoria.

(with thanks to Kuo-Yu Liang/Diamond Book Distributors)





FILTER: - Merchandise - Canada - USA - Books

Memoirs of an Edwardian Adventurer: update

Tuesday, 23 August 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Will Brooks, co-author of the forthcoming Memoirs of an Edwardian Adventurer, has informed us that the pre-order date for the book has been pushed forward to 10:00pm this coming Friday, 26th August - this is in order to be able to launch the book as scheduled for 10th October.

Those who pre-order the book will have their names printed inside the book as a special thanks.

Reborn in a hospital morgue, stranded aboard a crashing air ship, lost in a universe without time and forced to wage a final bitter war against his greatest enemies...

For a Doctor that only made one TV appearance, in the 1996 TV Movie, the Eighth Doctor has lead a long and eventful life on audio. Since 2001, Big Finish have produced more than sixty audio plays featuring Paul McGann giving the character a life beyond the small screen.

In Memoirs of an Edwardian Adventurer, two dedicated Doctor Who fans set out to listen to each of these audio plays, one episode a day every day, in an attempt to experience a true ‘Eighth Doctor Era’. Along the way they discover the highs and lows of the series, from 2001’s Storm Warning through to 2011’s To the Death, via a short series of Sixth Doctor plays featuring ongoing companion Charley Pollard.

Written by Will Brooks (Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space) and Nick Mellish (Nick’s Little Bit of Net), sometimes examining the literary origins of the Eighth Doctor’s adventures, sometimes commenting on the strength of a story, and sometimes merely praising (or otherwise) a particular cast member, Memoirs of an Edwardian Adventurer is the definitive account of two fan’s experiences of the Eighth Doctor’s travels in time and space.





FILTER: - Books - Paul McGann - Big Finish

Elisabeth Sladen autobiography for November

Friday, 19 August 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Aurum Press have announced that the autobiography of Elisabeth Sladen will be published on 7th November 2011, following her life from her humble Liverpool beginnings through to a celebrated return as the popular sidekick to the Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith, in her own series for CBBC.

When Elisabeth Sladen first appeared as plucky journalist Sarah Jane Smith in 1973 Doctor Who story The Time Warrior, little did she know the character would become one of the most enduring and fondly remembered in the series' history. The coming years would see her traverse time and space alongside classic Doctors Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, whilst a generation of children crouched behind the sofa, terrified but transfixed as their tea time heroine found herself menaced by Daleks, dinosaurs, Cybermen, man-eating alien flora, Egyptian mummies, extras in Bubble Wrap and even the Loch Ness Monster.

By the time she quit the TARDIS in 1976, making front page news, Elisabeth had become one of the most familiar faces of a TV golden age. But that wasn't the end of Sarah Jane. Since then Elisabeth has reprised the role many times appearing in anniversary specials; a 1981 spin-off with robotic sidekick K-9; radio plays; and for the BBC's Children in Need. She's toured the weird, wide and wonderful world of Doctor Who fandom and regularly tops polls of fans' all time favourite companions. So when TV wunderkind Russell T. Davies approached her to come back again, this time to a Doctor Who backed by multi-million pound budgets and garlanded with critical plaudits, how could she possibly say no?

Now Elisabeth Sladen tells the story of her remarkable career: a unique, insider's view of the world's longest running science fiction series; and of British television yesterday and today. Funny, ridiculous, insightful and entertaining hers is the story of another girl, another planet. Elisabeth Sladen plays companion Sarah Jane Smith in Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures. She has also appeared in Coronation Street, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and Z-Cars.

(available to pre-order from our Amazon Shop)

Originally slated for April, completion of the book was delayed through Sladen's illness and her untimely death earlier this year; it has now been completed with the support of her family. Her editor, Sam Harrison, reflected:
I remember my first meeting with Elisabeth – the hilarious and eye-opening stories she had to tell and my feeling of elation that she wanted to turn them into a book. Having grown up watching her as Sarah Jane Smith it was a personal dream come true. She was a fantastic person to work with – fun but utterly professional – and it’s incredibly sad that she’s no longer with us. I’m glad she had a chance to share some of her memories in this book. I hope it will make a fitting tribute to a great actress and a wonderful woman.

The final series of The Sarah Jane Adventures is expected to be broadcast in the Autumn.





FILTER: - Auto/Biography - Books - Sarah Jane - Elisabeth Sladen

BBC Books Update

Saturday, 6 August 2011 - Reported by Marcus
BBC Books have announced 3 new Doctor Who titles for Autumn 2011:

Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia
Gary Russell


The fully revised and updated Doctor Who Encyclopedia, covering every episode from 2005 to the present

River Song still a riddle? Stumped by the stolen planets in the Medusa Cascade? Forgotten what happened in the Timelines That Never Happened? Look no further…

Completely revised and updated, this is the ultimate guide to everything and everyone that’s ever happened, un-happened and happened again in the worlds and times of the Doctor. The Doctor Who Encyclopedia now covers the Eleventh Doctor's first two seasons, plus every Ninth and Tenth Doctor story, and is packed with photographs and artwork from seven stunning years of adventures - including the charity specials, animated adventures, computer games, TARDISodes and preludes. This is your complete tour of time and space – from ABBA and Inspector Abberline to Melody Zucker and the Zygons.

Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia will be accompanied by some digital plans to be announced at the end of August.

Released 13 October 2011

The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who 2012
Edited by Clayton Hickman


The indispensable official guide to Series 6 of Doctor Who!

Packed with unseen photographs and original artwork and illustrations, The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who 2012 is your indispensable guide to Series 6 of Doctor Who.

Weaving fact and fiction, interviews and information, the Brilliant Book boasts brand new material from the writers of the TV show, including Mark Gatiss, Gareth Roberts, Matthew Graham, Tom Macrae and Steve Thompson, plus exclusive extras from Neil Gaiman. Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill and Alex Kingston take us behind the scenes in revealing new interviews, while showrunner Steven Moffat unravels the secrets of the scripts.

Learn the art of making a memorable monster, discover how the show's secrets are kept, and see a full episode by episode guide, including deleted scenes and hidden gems you might have missed. Find out who legendary Time Lord The Corsair really was, and voyage with the Pirate crew of the good ship Fancy before they heard the Siren's song; discover the full story of the fight for Ganger rights and get a taste of the future with Dorium Maldovar.

The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who 2012 – no TARDIS traveller should be without it!

The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who 2012 contains the code for a free download of Eleventh Doctor audiobook, Doctor Who: Night of the Humans (produced by AudioGo) by David Llewellyn.

Released 13 October 2011

Doctor Who: The Silent Stars Go By
Dan Abnett


The Doctor battles his old enemies, the Ice Warriors - in a special holiday themed adventure

For centuries the Maintainers have worked. With no help from other worlds, they subsist on the food they can grow and that’s little enough. But their purpose, their whole life is to maintain the machines that will one day make their world as habitable as old Earth.

Life used to be hard. Now as their crops fail, livestock sickens, and the temperature drops, it’s becoming impossible. This year’s Winter Season Feast won’t be the usual celebration. It’s not a time for optimism or hope – and it’s not a time to welcome unexpected guests. The Doctor, Amy and Rory find a society breaking apart under the strain. Tensions are mounting, old rivalries are coming to the fore, people are dying...

And then the Doctor’s old enemies the Ice Warriors make their move. With the cold-hearted threat of invasion, the real battle for survival begins. Or does it? The Doctor begins to suspect that behind everything lies a deadlier, and even more chilling danger...

A thrilling, all-new adventure featuring the Doctor, Amy and Rory, as played by Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill in the spectacular hit series from BBC Television.


Released 29 September 2011




FILTER: - Merchandise - Series 6/32 - Books