Telos Publishing 2006

Monday, 19 December 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Telos Publishing has released details and cover illustrations for three of its unofficial Doctor Who reference books due out in 2006 in a press release now on the website. The press release is reproduced below; click on each thumbnail for a larger version of each book's cover illustration.
Telos has also announced that its Time Hunter series, a spinoff from its now out-of-print Doctor Who novellas range, will be coming to an end in 2006. Says publisher Stephen James Walker: "The Time Hunter novels always tell exciting stand-alone stories, but readers who've followed the series regularly will probably have spotted that we've been gradually dropping more and more hints about the 'back story' to the adventures of Honore and Emily. In the final three novels, and in particular in the concluding title, Child of Time by George Mann, the full picture will be revealed at last - and there are some real surprises in store! We have been planning this for a long time, and I think readers will find these three final Time Hunter tales a fitting climax to the series." The three books will includeThe Albino's Dancer by Dale Smith in April 2006, with the other two to be released later in the year. (Thanks to Telos Publishing)
Published in March 2006 Talkback: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Doctor Who Interview Book Volume One: The Sixties is edited by Stephen James Walker.

Talkback brings together an incredible collection of interviews with the people behind the early years of the BBC's classic science fiction adventure series Doctor Who. From directors to designers, producers, story editors, writers and cast, all are featured in this latest addition to Telos's acclaimed range of factual books about Doctor Who.

Talkback is available to order now in a standard paperback edition, or as a deluxe signed and numbered, limited edition hardback.

In June 2006 we publish Timelink: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to the Continuity of Doctor Whoby Jon Preddle.

Timelink presents an in-depth exploration of the complex continuity of the world's longest running science fiction television programme. Over fifteen years in the making, Timelink offers a different perspective on the history of the Universe as told through the many adventures of the Doctor, and presents fresh theories and solutions to some of the series's many continuity anomolies and discrepancies.

The book covers both the original series which ran from 1963 to 1989, the one-off Paul McGann TV Movie of 1996, and the 2005 Doctor Who revival helmed by Russell T Davies.

Timelink is available to order now in a standard paperback edition, and as a deluxe signed and numbered, limited edition hardback.

Later in 2006 Telos will follow the broadcast of the second season of the new 2006 Doctor Who series with a companion volume to our acclaimed 2005 series guide, Back to the Vortex.

Second Flight: Back to the Vortex II - The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Doctor Who 2006 is, like it's predecessor, written by J Shaun Lyon and picks up where Back to the Vortex left off. Second Flight continues the story of the development of Doctor Who as David Tennant takes over the TARDIS from Christopher Eccleston and embarks on a 2005 Christmas special ('The Christmas Invasion') as well as a second series of adventures in time and space.

Second Flight reveals the background to the series, from the announcements, to the press releases, casting calls, the highs and lows, and the return of the dreaded Cybermen.

The book also features detailed analysis of the new adventures, facts and figures, and exclusive review commentary from an international panel of writers and critics.

Second Flight is available to order now in A5 paperback edition and in a signed and numbered, limited hardback edition.




FILTER: - Russell T Davies - Books

I Am A Dalek

Friday, 16 December 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Amazon is now listing the Tenth Doctor novel to be published by BBC Books next spring written by Gareth Roberts as being called I Am a Dalek. The paperback is due for publication on 11 May and is part of the government-sponsored Quick Reads initiative, designed to encourage literacy among reluctant readers. More information available atQuickReads and Amazon.




FILTER: - Books

A Cultural History of Doctor Who

Wednesday, 14 December 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

April 2006 will see the publication of Inside the Tardis: A Cultural History of Doctor Who by James Chapman. The book covers the show from 1963 through to the current series, and has been researched at the BBC Written Archives Centre. James Chapman is the author of a number of books on cinema and television, including "Licence to Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Films" and "Saints and Avengers: British Adventure Series of the 1960s". Inside the Tardis (which has previously been incorrectly listed on Amazon as Doctor Who - A Cultural History) will be available in hardback and paperback; further details can be obtained from the publisher atibtauris.com. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)




FILTER: - Books

TV Series Book Sales - Updated

Tuesday, 13 December 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The 9 December edition of the Bookseller focuses on Science Fiction and Fantasy books and includes a chart of the Top 20 SF Hardback Titles in the 26 weeks to 19 November, a period which neatly encompasses the whole sales period for the first three BBC Books Ninth Doctor novels. With combined sales of over 80,000 units, the initial Doctor Who range has been outsold only by Harry Potter and Terry Pratchett, and the trade magazine comments that "one of the stories of the year has been the revival of 'Doctor Who'. The six novels based on the regenerated BBC series all feature on the hardback chart, with combined sales through BookScan's Total Consumer Market of well over 100,000. A Christmas Day special will introduce the new Doctor, David Tennant, while three new novels by Stephen Cole, Justin Richards and Jacqueline Rayner will accompany the start of the next series at Easter 2006." The second batch of three novels also features in the chart although, with a sales period of only 38% of that for the first wave and with no series on television, this set has done well to sell 37% of the first-batch sales (30,673 in 11 weeks, to 81,942 in 26 weeks). The Bookseller's chart of the Top 20 Children's Books also continues to show great success for Panini's Doctor Who Annual 2006, which has continued to perform strongly over the last month and managing to break into the Top 10 for a while with steadily building sales.
Also, on the subject of TV series tie-in books, one of the books in the Doctor Who Files series from BBC Children's Books next spring has, according to Amazon, changed its title, from 'New Earth' to The Sycorax.
(Thanks to Steve Tribe)




FILTER: - Books

New Series Books

Sunday, 4 December 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

A new range of BBC Children's Books from Penguin have been listed on Amazon. Four new 48-page hardbacks under the series title "The Doctor Who Files" will be published on Thursday 25 May, comprising Slitheen,Rose, New Earth andThe Doctor. Each of these is listed at £5.99. Also listed for 25 May are Sticker Guide 2 and Activity Book 2, both paperbacks retailing at £3.99. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)




FILTER: - Books

Tie-In Books

Wednesday, 16 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Amazon.co.uk has published the final cover illustrations of three forthcoming Doctor Who books that Outpost Gallifrey has previously announced. Doctor Who: BFI TV Classics by Kim Newman is now in release, while Back In Time: A Thinking Fan's Guide to Dr Who by Steve Couch, Tony Watkins and Peter S. Williams is due out later this month, andThe Science of Doctor Who by Paul Parsons is due in April 2006. Click on each thumbnail for a larger version. (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)




FILTER: - Books

Mad Norwegian Update

Tuesday, 15 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Mad Norwegian Press has posted details of two forthcoming books due out soon. AHistory: An Unauthorized History of Doctor Who is Lance Parkin's update of his original Doctor Who history book, formally stated as covering the whole of the "Doctor Who" TV series up through the 2005 season starring Christopher Eccleston; the Virgin and BBC Books up through "The Gallifrey Chronicles"; all of the Telos novellas; the Big Finish "Doctor Who" audio range up through "Terror Firma." About Time: Volume 1 by Tat Wood and Lawrence Miles covers seasons 1 to 3 of the series, "focusing on the William Hartnell era of 'Doctor Who' in mind-bending detail. In addition to the usual concerns such as the TV show’s continuity (alien races, the Doctor’s abilities, etc.) and lore (anecdotal, "Did You Know?"-style material), authors Lawrence Miles and Tat Wood will examine each Hartnell story in the context of the year/historical period it was produced, determining just how topical the stories were." The cover illustrations for each are below; click on each thumbnail for a larger version.




FILTER: - Books

Quick Reads Dr Who Book

Friday, 11 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Friday's edition of The Bookseller reports on the 'Quick Reads initiative', a campaign sponsored by the Department for Education and Skills and others and intended to encourage reading among adults with low reading ages and people with little time to read. The books will retail at £2.99, are written by high-profile authors and will be published in two waves in March (for World Book Day) and in May (for Adult Learner's Week). Among the May releases will be "a title based on Dr Who"; it seems likely that this new novel will feature the Tenth Doctor and be written by one of the new series novel or television authors. More information will soon be available at Quick Reads, the Literacy Trust and World Book Day.
Meanwhile, as reported in The Bookseller, the Doctor Who Annual 2006has moved into the top ten in children's books charts, with a further rise in sales. The Panini publication is now at number ten (up from 14 last week) in the list, having sold 4,272 copies in the seven days to 29 October (up from 3,432 in the seven days to 22 October). This week's chart is dominated by the Beano Annual and Lemony Snicket, each with sales of around 12,000 units.




FILTER: - Books

New Tie-In Books

Thursday, 10 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

Amazon.co.uk has details of three new Doctor Who tie-in books due out in 2006. 4 May sees the release of the Doctor Who Party Planner, a 16 page paperback book, and the Doctor Who Sticker Activity Book, also 16 pages. 18 May is the release date for More Monsters and Villains, a follow-up to Justin Richards' 2005 "Monsters and Villains" book (and presumably by the same author).




FILTER: - Books

TV Zone Yearbook

Wednesday, 2 November 2005 - Reported by Shaun Lyon

The TV Zone Yearbook is out now; its Doctor Who content includes the following: "Anthony Stewart Head chats about David Tennant ('He's got some wonderful humour and also he's got the grit - you really believe, when he steps up to the plate, that he'd kick arse.') and the return of K-9 ('I thought they'd keep it up their sleeve. Sad...'), while The Long Game director Brian Grant casts his eyes back over his episode ('The layers of executives at the BBC were astonishing...'), and new series writer Mark Gatiss looks back at the highs and lows of this year's live Quatermass broadcast! We also present our retrospective of the year in Doctor Who, looking back at the TV series," and much more. The cover illustration is on the official page at TV Zone's website.




FILTER: - Books