BBC Books has announced seven new titles in the Doctor Who Target range, all publishing on 11th March 2021, each with newly commissioned cover artwork by Anthony Dry. 

For Doctor Who fans, the range of novelisations published by Target Books in the 1970s and 1980s holds a special place. There was a novel published for almost every Doctor Who serial between 1963  and 1989, with just five notable exceptions.

Since 2012, BBC Books has been successfully reissuing these classic paperbacks and expanding the Target range to include all-new novelisations of modern-era Doctor Who episodes.  

These latest novelisations, almost all by the original writers of the TV episodes, will help Target fans finally complete their classic-era collection, and take the Target range into its next incarnation.  

They include the long-awaited Target editions of Eric Saward’s Resurrection of the Daleks and  Revelation of the Daleks; The Pirate Planet by James Goss which is based on the scripts by Douglas  Adams; as well as a reissue of Gary Russell’s novelisation of The TV Movie starring Paul McGann.  

To complete the set are three new-era novelisations: The Crimson Horror by Mark Gatiss, Dalek by  Robert Shearman, and The Witchfinders by Joy Wilkinson.

The Witchfinders is the first Thirteenth  Doctor adventure to be published on the Target list, and the first to carry the new-look Target branding, with the current Doctor Who logo, that will appear on all future Target releases. 

Doctor Who: The Pirate Planet  Douglas Adams and James Goss  The Fourth Doctor and Romana arrive at the right place to find the wrong planet. Douglas Adams is best known as the creator of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life as a BBC Radio 4 series. The book went on to be a No. 1 bestseller. He followed this success with The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980); Life, The Universe and Everything (1982); So Long and Thanks for all the Fish (1984); Mostly Harmless (1992) and many more. He sold over 15 million books in the UK, the US and Australia. Douglas died unexpectedly in May  2001 at the age of 49. James Goss is the author of the novelisation of Douglas Adams’ City of Death, as well as several other  Doctor Who books. While at the BBC James produced an adaptation of Shada, an unfinished Douglas Adams Doctor Who story, and Dirk is his award-winning stage adaptation of Dirk Gently’s Holistic  Detective Agency. He won Best Audiobook 2010 for Dead Air and his books Dead of Winter and First  Born were both nominated for the 2012 British Fantasy Society Awards.   Amazon Link
Doctor Who: Resurrection of the Daleks  Eric Saward  The TARDIS is ensnared in a time corridor, catapulting it into derelict docklands on 20th century Earth. The Fifth Doctor and his companions, Tegan and Turlough, stumble on a warehouse harbouring fugitives from the future at the far end of the corridor – and are soon under attack from a Dalek assault force.  Eric Saward has written for both radio and television, script edited Doctor Who for five years and also written four original stories for the show. During this time, he also novelised four scripts and wrote the first-ever Doctor Who radio serial. Recently he has completed a  graphic novel based around the adventures of Lytton.    Amazon Link
Doctor Who: Revelation of the Daleks  Eric Saward     The Sixth Doctor and Peri land on the planet Necros to visit Tranquil Repose â€“ a funerary home where the dead are interred and the near-dead placed in suspended animation until such time as their conditions can be cured.   Amazon Link
Doctor Who: The TV Movie  Gary Russell  The Eighth Doctor confronts the Master in modern-day San Francisco. Gary Russell, previous Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures script editor, has written books on subjects such as Doctor Who, Frasier, The Simpsons and The Lord of the Rings movies. He is currently overseeing animated reimaginings of old 1960s missing Doctor Who stories for BBC Studios.   Amazon Link
Doctor Who: Dalek  Robert Sheaman  The Ninth Doctor and Rose discover an unexpected survivor of The Time War.  Robert Shearman is an award-winning writer for television, radio and the stage, as well as several acclaimed short story collections, the first of which won him a World Fantasy Award, and Doctor Who audio scripts for Big Finish Productions.    Amazon Link
Doctor Who: The Crimson Horror  Mark Gatiss  The Eleventh Doctor and Clara investigate something ghastly afoot in Victorian Yorkshire.  Mark Gatiss is one of The League of Gentlemen from the award-winning television show, and the author of the novels The Vesuvius Club and The Devil in Amber. He has also written acclaimed radio and television scripts, including episodes of Doctor Who. He co created and writes for the hit TV series Sherlock with Doctor Who show-runner Steven Moffat.    Amazon Link
Doctor Who: The Witchfinders  Joy Wilkinson  The Thirteenth Doctor and companions battle an evil presence in 17th century Lincolnshire.  Joy Wilkinson is an award-winning writer working across film, television, theatre and radio. As well as Doctor Who her TV credits include Nick Nickleby and The Watch. Her directing debut – the film Ma’am – is released in 2020.   Amazon Link

 

Candy Jar Books has released details on the next series of Lethbridge-Stewart novels for 2021, plus the chance to colour in the Brigadier!

Picking up from the events from series five's ; the new three-book series returns to the 1970s with Domination Game by Aly Leeds & Megan Fizell, Fear Frequency by George Ivanoff and The Haunting of Gabriel Chase by Andrew Allen.

Range editor Andy Frankham-Allen said:

Aly Leeds is a regular contributor to the range, having penned a few short stories and 2018's Fear of the Web; this time, however:

Long-time readers of the range will be familiar with Lance Corporal Sally Wright, one-time fiancée of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart. They became engaged in the very first Lethbridge-Stewart novel, but since their engagement fell apart in 2017’s The Daughters of Earth Sally’s life hasn’t gone so well. Hints of her ultimate fate have been dropped in several stories published since then, especially in Rise of the Dominator and Tall Tales, so most readers won’t be surprised by at least one resolution of Domination Game. But, of course, it’s how everything reaches that point, and the full magnitude of the events, that makes for a compelling story. Aly continued:

The book cover is by artist Paul Cooke, whose previous covers were for The Man from Yesterday and The Danger Men wo fasdf With both of those being by Nick Walters, it seemed apt for Paul to contribute to the next story to feature Dominic Vaar, created by Nick. Paul said:

Further details of the new series and how to pre-order can be found on the Candy Jar website.

Meanwhile, the Lethbridge-Stewart Colouring Book will be released just in time for Christmas!

The collection of artwork features twenty brand new pieces of art by Thunderbirds, Danger Mouse and Doctor Who artist Martin Baines. concentrating on the Lethbridge-Stewart series of novels and features the Dominators, Quarks, Yeti, Anne Travers, Bandrils and much more. Added to this, the book also explores the UNIT era of Doctor Who.

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

In 2020 Martin created some of Candy Jar’s most popular covers, including the Downtime sequel Child of the New World (released this summer), as well as Kiss of the Ice Maiden and 100 Objects of Doctor Who, both of which are due out in a couple of months. Martin said:

Shaun continued:

Martin concluded:

Further details on the book and how to pre-order can be found on the Candy Jar website.

Competition!

Candy Jar have kindly offered a chance to win a copy of the Lethbridge--Stewart Colouring Book and their recent novel Downtime: Children of the New World; in order to do so, simply answer the following:

Send your answers to comp-candyjar@doctorwhonews.net with the subject "Chap with crayons: five rounds rapid!" along with your name and address. The competition is for UK readers only, and the closing date is 16 December 2020 (allowing the prize to be sent out before Christmas!)

First published in TV Century 21 from 1965 to 1967, The Daleks was devised by Terry Nation and largely written by Doctor Who’s first story editor David Whitaker.

For this collectors’ edition, all 104 instalments have been digitally restored – the vast majority from the original artwork.

The bookazine also includes new features about the writers, illustrators and publishers who created The Daleks, including a detailed interview with artist Ron Turner.

Editor Marcus Hearn says:

The Daleks is on sale at WH Smith, selected supermarkets from Wednesday 11 November priced £9.99 (UK).

It’s also available as a digital edition, priced £8.99, from pocketmags.com.

The Wintertime Paradox, a new book by Dave Rudden, will be published in October.

The book will feature incredible stories of Doctor Who Christmases past, present and future..

The book will be published on October 15th in hardback, RRP £12.99

The book is available for pre-order on Amazon

Obverse Books have announced that the Black Archive series will revert to a bi-monthly schedule after the 50th release in the series. 

Since its launch in early 2016, the award-winning Black Archive series from Obverse Books has established itself as a key critical work on the history of televised Doctor Who and In 2018 the series moved to a monthly schedule in 2018 in response to reader feedback. 

However, while the books remain hugely popular and widely praised, the publisher has decided that the volume of work required to keep up the high standards for a new book every four weeks is too great. It has therefore been decided to move the books back to their original bi-monthly schedule after Archive #50.

The editorial team will be joined by a fourth editor, Paul Driscoll, who joins Stuart Douglas, Phil Purser-Hallard and Paul Simpson.

Driscoll is an editor and author, and the co-founder of Altrix Books, the publishers of the Chronosmith Chronicles book series. He has written two Black Archives and one Silver Archive and has most recently published the novel After Vincent, and editedArmy of Ghosts, a collection of essays on Doctor Who’s sometimes forgotten stories.

Stuart Douglas, the publisher of the Black Archive, said:

Further information on the Black Archive schedule and current titles can be found at www.blackarchive.co.uk.

Michael Sloan has hundreds of TV credits to his name, including Battlestar Galactica, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Six Million Dollar Man, The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. However, he is perhaps best known as the creator of the original The Equalizer TV series, which has subsequently been adapted into a billion-dollar franchise starring Denzel Washington.

In the late ‘60s, early ‘70s Michael spent a great deal of time in the UK and fell in love with Doctor Who, particularly the Jon Pertwee era. Michael said:

Kiss of the Ice Maiden is reminiscent of the early 1970s Hammer Horror films set in present day such as Dracula A.D. 1972. It has supernatural and horrific overtones, and is the kind of book that would expect from the creator of The Equalizer.

Shaun Russell, head of publishing at Candy Jar, said

The Kiss of the Ice Maiden delves deeper into the Brig’s past to find out what makes him tick. Alongside this, Anne Travers has lost her father to the Great Intelligence, and has turned her back on HAVOC. Michael’s story is an emotional punch-up and is reminiscent of The Equalizer. Michael continues:

The striking cover art is by artist Martin Baines, who created artwork for the Downtime hardback. Martin said:

There will be two editions of The Kiss of the Ice Maiden, both now available for pre-order from Candy Jar Books, a standard paperback edition limited to 200 copies, and a limited edition hardback, which also includes a postcard and free book featuring stories from the Lethbridge-Stewart universe.

Please note that this special is not covered by any subscription offer.

The latest instalment of The Lucy Wilson Mysteries will be The Phantoms of Tusker Rock by Christopher Bryant:

South Wales, of course, has been a hotspot of all things extraterrestrial, extratemporal and extraordinary ever since the BBC established the home of Doctor Who in Cardiff. As the capital of not only (unquestionably) the world’s most beautiful country, but also one of its most loved and enduring franchises, in recent years the city has drawn in tourists from all over the world, keen to see the real-life home of the Doctor’s adventures. As Candy Jar’s Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, put it:

The Phantoms of Tusker Rock is available to pre--order from the Candy Jar website.

Candy Jar Books currently have a sale on for their range of books, and have also made an additional free story available to listen to, Edge of Glory.

Obverse Books have announced two new charity anthologies

The Curse of Fanfic

Rraising funds for Parkinson's UK.

Available to order now, with the usual limited window for ordering (until 1st September),

Between these covers you’ll find such unexpected bedfellows as Basil Brush and Larry Grayson, Steve Zodiac and the Alien Facehuggers, Doomwatch and Tomorrow’s World, Inspector Gadget and the Cybermen, and many more.

Edited by Paul Castle, creator of legendary fanzine Shooty Dog Thing, with new fiction from the likes of Iain McLaughlin, Paul Magrs, John Dorney and many others!

Available for ordering until 1st September 2020.

Forgotten Lives

A short story anthology from Obverse Books in aid of Alzheimer’s Research UK
 

For many years, Doctor Who has implied that the Doctor William Hartnell played was the Time Lord’s first incarnation – but there has always been room for doubt. In 1976’s The Brain of Morbius, we were given glimpses of eight stern-faced men in assorted historical costumes – Doctors before the one we know as the first.What were they like, these forgotten Doctors? What worlds did they visit, and what adventures did they have there? Who were their companions, and who were their enemies?And perhaps just as interesting – what sort of stories would this forgotten prehistory of Doctor Who have told?

Forgotten Lives seeks to answer those questions, while raising money to benefit research into preventing and curing the loss of memory and identity that human longevity brings.

Featuring stories from Aditya Bidikar, Simon Bucher-Jones, Kara Dennison, Paul Driscoll, Andrew Hickey, Philip Purser-Hallard, and others, and artwork by Paul Hanley

Forgotten Lives will be published in late 2020, with pre-orders open in the autumn!

Penguin Random House Children’s and BBC Studios have announced the publication of Doctor Who: The Official Annual 2021 which includes an exclusive tie-in to the Time Lord Victorious story.

Time Lord Victorious is a brand-new multi-platform Doctor Who story told across audio, novels, comics, vinyl, digital, immersive theatre, escape rooms and games. Time Lord Victorious will launch in September 2020, with products and experiences releasing until early 2021.

The 2021 annual is packed with activities, puzzles, stories, facts and illustrations, including apeek into the world of the TARDIS with a TARDIS Tour and TARDIS Trip Reviewer.

Plus more in depth fact files on episodes like Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror and multiple opportunities to get to know your enemies better with breakdowns of monsters like the Skithra, the Dregs, the CyberMasters and much more.

The 2021 annual will publish on 3rd September 2020 in hardback priced £7.99 and is the perfect collectable gift for Doctor Who fans of all ages. Fans can pre-order the annual on Amazon.