BBC Books for Autumn

Sunday, 11 July 2010 - Reported by Chuck Foster
16th September sees the release of The Only Good Dalek, a graphic novel by Justin Richards and illustrated by Mike Collins:
'Have you ever seen a Dalek? Ever fought one? Have you any idea what they are really like? I've been on the front line. I've seen whole planets destroyed. The only good Dalek is a dead Dalek.'

'Station 7 is the most secret establishment in the whole of Earth-Space. Even our own people don’t know it exists. It’s beyond top secret. There’s no way the Daleks can ever find it.'

Station 7 is where the Earth Forces send all the equipment captured in their unceasing war against the Daleks. It’s where Dalek technology is analysed and examined. It’s where the Doctor and Amy have just arrived. But somehow the Daleks have found out about Station 7 – and there’s something there that they want back.

With the Doctor increasingly worried about the direction the Station’s research is taking, the commander of Station 7 knows he has only one possible, desperate, defence. Because the last terrible secret of Station 7 is that they don’t only store captured Dalek technology. It’s also a prison. And the only thing that might stop a Dalek is another Dalek…
You can also read a preview of the graphic novel at Ebury Publishing (Random House).


30th September sees the release of The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who 2011, a 128 page hardback book written by Clayton Hickman:
Celebrate the rebirth of the UK's number one family drama series with this lavish hardback, containing everything you need to know about the Eleventh Doctor’s first year.

Explore Amy Pond’s home village, Leadworth, read a lost section from Churchill's memoirs that covers his adventures with the Doctor, and learn all about the legend of the Weeping Angels. See how the Doctor's costume evolved, how the monsters are made and discover the trade secrets of writing a thrilling Doctor Who script. Plus interviews with all of the key players and a few secret celebrity guests…

Including contributions from executive producer Steven Moffat, stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, and scriptwriters Mark Gatiss and Gareth Roberts, among others, and packed with beautiful original illustrations and never-before-seen pictures, The Brilliant Book of Doctor Who is the ultimate companion to the world's most successful science fiction series.


28th October sees the release of Michael Moorcock's novel The Coming of the Terraphiles:
Doctor Who: The Coming of the Terraphiles
by Michael Moorcock

‘There are dark tides runing through the universe...’

Miggea – a star on the very edge of reality. The cusp between this universe and the next. A point where space-time has worn thin, and is in danger of collapsing... And the venue for the grand finals of the competition to win the fabled Arrow of Law.

The Doctor and Amy have joined the Terraphiles – a group obsessed with all aspects of Earth’s history, and dedicated to re-enacting ancient sporting events. They are determined to win the Arrow. But just getting to Miggea proves tricky. Reality is collapsing, ships are disappearing, and Captain Cornelius and his pirates are looking for easy pickings.

Even when they arrive, the Doctor and Amy’s troubles won’t be over. They have to find out who is so desperate to get the Arrow of Law that they will kill for it. And uncover the traitor on their own team. And win the contest fair and square.

And, of course, they need to save the universe from total destruction.

A thrilling, all-new adventure featuring the Doctor and Amy, as played by Matt Smith and Karen Gillan in the spectacular hit series from BBC Television written by the acclaimed science fiction and fantasy author Michael Moorcock


Also, 8th July saw the three latest three Doctor Who novels published:

Doctor Who: The King's Dragon
by Una McCormack

‘They called it Enamour. It turned minds, sold merchandise, and swayed elections. And it did its job far too well...’

In the city-state of Geath, the King lives in a golden hall, and the people want for nothing. Everyone is happy and everyone is rich. Or so it seems. When the Doctor, Amy and Rory look beneath the surface, they discover a city of secrets. In dark corners, strange creatures are stirring. At the heart of the hall, a great metal dragon oozes gold.

Then the Herald appears, demanding the return of her treasure... And next come the gunships. The battle for possession of the treasure has begun, and only the Doctor and his friends can save the people of the city from being destroyed in the crossfire of an ancient civil war. But will the King surrender his new-found wealth? Or will he fight to keep it...?

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.

Doctor Who: Nuclear Time
by Oli Smith

‘My watch is running backwards.’

Colorado, 1981. The Doctor, Amy and Rory arrive in Appletown – an idyllic village in the remote American desert where the townsfolk go peacefully about their suburban routines. But when two more strangers arrive, things begin to change. The first is a mad scientist – whose warnings are cut short by an untimely and brutal death. The second is the Doctor…

As death falls from the sky, the Doctor is trapped. The TARDIS is damaged, and the Doctor finds he is living backwards through time. With Amy and Rory being hunted through the suburban streets of the Doctor’s own future and getting farther away with every passing second, he must unravel the secrets of Appletown before time runs out…

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.

Doctor Who: The Glamour Chase
by Gary Russell

‘Why are you here? I mean – who are you, exactly?’

An archaeological dig in 1936 unearths relics of another time... And – as the Doctor, Amy and Rory realise – another place. Another planet. But if Enola Porter, noted adventuress, has really found evidence of an alien civilisation, how come she isn’t famous? Why has Rory never heard of her? Added to that, since Amy’s been travelling with him for a while now, why does she now think the Doctor is from Mars?

As the ancient spaceship reactivates, the Doctor discovers that nothing and no one can be trusted. The things that seem most real could actually be literal fabrications – and very deadly indeed. Who can the Doctor believe when no one is what they seem? And how can he defeat an enemy who can bend matter itself to their will? For the Doctor, Amy and Rory – and all of humanity – the buried secrets of the past are very much a threat to the present...

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.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Books

Rare Doctor Who Photos Found

Thursday, 1 April 2010 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Over a dozen never before published colour photos from the filming of the 1967 Doctor Who story The Abominable Snowmen have been discovered, and will be featured in the forthcoming limited edition version of Deborah Watling's autobiography Daddy's Girl from Fantom Publishing.

Says co-writer Paul Ballard:
It really was an exciting find! We were trawling through the masses of documents, cuttings and photos in the Watling family archive when we chanced upon a huge box of holiday slides. One of the cases was labelled very faintly as Dr.Who (Wales).

There are a selection of photos featuring the cast – including Debbie’s father Jack Watling, and co-stars Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines – and crew filming with the dreaded Yeti up Snowdonia.

Snowmen Snowmen
© Deborah Watling, reproduced with permission

Also contained in the limited edition hard back will be a treatment for a series entitled House of Watling. This comedy was due to be launched by ITV in the early eighties and would have seen the whole family playing themselves in a variety of real life situations. This is the first time the full premise will be made available to the public.

The book will be launched at the Utopia event at Heythrop Park on the weekend on 15-16 May. You can pre-order the book at the Fantom Films website.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Books - Classic Series

New Books from Hirst

Sunday, 31 January 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Two new Doctor Who-related publications are available from Hirst Books.

Look Who’s Talking by Colin Bakerook Who’s Talking by Colin Baker
To many, Colin Baker is the sixth Doctor Who; to some, he is the villainous Paul Merroney in the classic BBC drama The Brothers. But to the residents of South Buckinghamshire he is a weekly voice of sanity in a world that seems intent on confounding him. Marking the 15th anniversary of his regular feature in the Bucks Free Press, this compilation includes over 100 of his most entertaining columns, from 1995 to 2009, complete with new linking material. With fierce intelligence and a wicked sense of humour, Colin tackles everything from the absurdities of political correctness to the joys of being an actor, slipping in vivid childhood memories, international adventures and current affairs in a relentless rollercoaster of reflections, gripes and anecdotes. Pulling no punches, taking no prisoners and sparing no detail, the ups and downs of Colin life are shared with panache, honesty and clarity, and they are every bit as entertaining and surreal as his trips in that famous police box... for a world that is bewildering, surprising and wondrous, one need look no further than modern Britain, and Colin Baker is here to help you make sense of it all, and to give you a good laugh along the way

Shooty Dog Thing by Paul Castleook Who’s Talking by Colin Baker
Since the 1970s, Doctor Who fans have written and produced fanzines. Some of the most quirky, passionate and subversive writing is still to be found in the pages of lovingly crafted, home-spun, desktop-published fanzines, and Shooty Dog Thing is no exception.Cool and accessible, Shooty Dog Thing is inspiring a new wave of fandom. This book will make you remember why you fell in love with Doctor Who in the first place; challenging established views, covering The Doctor’s travels on TV, in books, comic strips and on audio; and finding reasons to love this very special show just that little bit more than the casual viewer. Shooty Dog Thing is louder, braver, and more loving. The best of the first 10 issues is compiled here for your enjoyment, along with some lovely, juicy new stuff, including contributions from Doctor Who writer Paul Cornell, Doctor Who historian David J. Howe and the original Doctor Who glamour girl, Anneke Wills.

Both books can be ordered, signed, from hirstbooks.com




FILTER: - Books - Colin Baker

Scripts Online

Thursday, 14 January 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Creature from the PitTo tie in with the publication of the updated edition of The Writer's Tale, some of Russell T Davies's scripts for the series are now available online.

The episodes are available as a PDF download. Stories available are the Christmas special, Voyage of the Damned; the Series Four stories Partners in Crime, Midnight, Turn Left, The Stolen Earth and Journey's End; and the five specials leading up to the departure of David Tennant, The Next Doctor, Planet of the Dead, The Waters of Mars and both parts of The End of Time.




FILTER: - Specials - Russell T Davies - Books - Series 4/30

News Roundup

Sunday, 10 January 2010 - Reported by Marcus
Jonathan Ross features several Doctor Who related guests on his new series. Catherine Tate appears on Friday 15th January with Billie Piper appearing a week later on 22nd January. Matt Smith is promised for later in the series.

The magazine SFX has a list of 20 Things We Learnt from The Writer’s Tale: The Final Chapter. The book is published in the UK next week.

The Peverett Phile has an interview with actor Terry Molloy, who played Davros in the Classic Series.

Finally the American ABC network sitcom Better Off Ted featured a cameo by a new series Dalek in its New Year's Day episode. "The Great Repression" featured a scene where a few office techies are seen entering a basement electronics scrap room, where all office equipment and robots go at the end of their service. As they enter the room, a new series Dalek is seen just inside the doorway, amongst the other robots, and electronic junk.


For more press items in the last few days see Doctor Who in the Media.




FILTER: - People - Books

Torchwood The Musical?

Tuesday, 5 January 2010 - Reported by Marcus
The updated edition of The Writer's Tale reveals that Russell T Davies was approached to create a musical version of Torchwood, with music provided by Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from ABBA. Although the idea never proceeded beyond the initial concept stage, the Swedish duo are apparently fans of the show and were keen to take part.

The updated version of the book, which covers production of The End of Time, is released in the UK on 14th January.




FILTER: - Torchwood - Russell T Davies - Books

The Writer’s Tale: The Final Chapter

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 - Reported by Marcus
BBC Books has announced the forthcoming publication of Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale: The Final Chapter by outgoing showrunner Russell T Davies and DWM and Radio Times journalist Benjamin Cook. It will be published in paperback on 14 January 2010.

This is a new and updated edition of The Writer’s Tale originally published last Autumn. The book has been expanded to cover Davies's final year as Head Writer and Executive Producer of the show. This edition will also include new, never-before-published photos from behind the scenes of David Tennant’s final adventures. There are 300 pages of new material taking in events from the entire five years since the show’s return in 2005.




FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Production - Books - Radio Times

Frazer Hines: Hines Sight

Saturday, 14 November 2009 - Reported by Chuck Foster
A revised autobiography of Frazer Hines's autobiography (originally published as "Films, Farms and Fillies" by Boxtree in 1996) entitled Hines Sight is being released; the hardback book is being published by Frazer Hines himself, with assistance from David Howe and Sam Stone, and also features 16 pages of photos from the actor's own collection covering his life and career, plus a foreword by variety entertainers Ian and Janette Krankie.

For full details and ordering information visit the Frazer Hines website.

Hines Sight

Frazer Hines is one of the UK's most charismatic stars of stage and screen. From his early days as a child actor in films such as X The Unknown, and appearances in Emergency Ward 10 and Coronation Street, Frazer became a household name playing the time-travelling Scot, Jamie McCrimmon, alongside Patrick Troughton in the BBC's cult series Doctor Who. In 1972 he was cast as Joe Sugden in the fledgeling soap opera Emmerdale Farm, and became the housewife's favourite farmer for over two decades.

In this compelling and funny book, Frazer reveals his own thoughts and feelings when faced with stardom at an early age, the pressure of being an early 'media celebrity', his love of horses and cricket, and what it was actually like to date, marry and divorce some of the most eligible and beautiful women to have crossed stage and screen in the last 40 years.




FILTER: - People - Merchandise - Books

Michael Moorcock Will Write Who Novel

Saturday, 14 November 2009 - Reported by Josiah Rowe

Award-winning novelist Michael Moorcock has announced on his forum that he will be writing a Doctor Who novel:
Looks like it's official. I'll be doing a new Dr Who novel (not a tie-in) for appearance, I understand, by next Christmas. Still have to have talks etc. with producers and publishers but we should be signing shortly. Should be fun.


Moorcock is perhaps best known for his fantasy stories and novels featuring Elric of Melniboné, and for his series featuring the sexually ambiguous spy and adventurer Jerry Cornelius. He has also written critically acclaimed literary fiction, and has received many awards.

UPDATE:
On his forum, Moorcock has responded to questions from that site and from Gallifrey Base:

Hmmm. I couldn't get to the Gallifrey site but I can answer the odd question here:

1) I've been watching Dr Who since it began. Haven't liked all the doctors and after Peter Davison stopped watching regularly until the new BBC Wales series.
2) Since the Tom Baker series, a lot of my ideas crept into the stories and so in many ways I'll be writing a story which already echoes my own work.
3)I do have to submit it to editors so they can make sure it fits into the canon and this, of course, is understandable. By saying it wasn't a tie-in I did, of course, mean that it would be an original novel, not one which was linked to previous stories.

I share an enthusiasm for the current Dr Who broadcasts with quite a few friends who are 'literary' novelists and I sense in some of the Gallifrey remarks a suspicion of the 'outsider' which you used to get when someone with a reputation as a non-sf writer would decide to write an sf novel. All I can answer to this is 'wait and see'. I'm certainly not a non-watcher! Neither am I someone who ascribes a kind of religiosity to an enthusiasm. This phenomenon crops up a lot, these days associated with sf/fantasy, LOTR, H.Potter, Twilight and so on. I hate these presumptions of exclusivity either in my own corner of the literary world or elsewhere. Mike Kustow, once director of the Royal Shakespeare Co, described this as 'the anxious ownership syndrome', when faced with his first confrontation with sf fandom in Brighton 1968. He'd found the same sort of expression with Shakespeare fans when someone from 'outside' showed an interest.

I've been asked to write Dr Who scripts or stories almost since the series began, because I was known to enjoy Dr Who. Only recently did the time feel right to me to do one. I'm going to enjoy that, too.






FILTER: - Books

Time, Unincorporated 2 Coming from Mad Norwegian

Friday, 6 November 2009 - Reported by Jeremy Bement

Mad Norwegian Press has announced that Time, Unincorporated 2, the second in a series of fanzine article collections, will see print in May 2010. Previously titled "Classic Series Cornucopia," Volume 2 will actually see print under the title "Writings on the Classic Series," while the forthcoming Volume 3 will be "Writings on the New Series." Volume 2 of this series contains nearly 75 essays that examine every era of the classic Doctor Who series that ran from 1963-1989, as well as the FOX TV movie (1996). The essays stem from a wide array of venerable fanzines such as Enlightenment, Shockeye’s Kitchen, Burnt Toast, Faze, Dark Circus, The Whostorian and more. Collectively, the essays derived from these sources form one of the most diverse compilations of Doctor Who writing ever produced. As a bonus, ten of the essays were written exclusively for this volume by the likes of Matt Jones (Doctor Who, Torchwood), Simon Guerrier (The Slitheen Excursion), Pyr Books editorial director Lou Anders, and Jim Sangster (TV Heaven).




FILTER: - Merchandise - Books