fallen gods award

Friday, 16 April 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Fallen Gods, the Telos novella from 2003 written by Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum, recently won the 2004 Aurealis Award for Best Australian Science Fiction Novel, the first TV spin-off novel to win this award. The Aurealis is a jury-voted professional science fiction award. Congratulations to Jon and Kate on this achievement.




FILTER: - Books - Awards/Nominations

synthespians ™

Thursday, 15 April 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Outpost Gallifrey has received the cover blurb for the forthcoming BBC Books novel Synthespians™ by Craig Hinton, in release this summer. It reads as follows (with thanks to Craig):

Synthespians™, by Craig Hinton

"We're the Nestenes, darling," she said, turning to the camera and giving her trademark smile. "We've been colonising other planets for a thousand million years.

"All right, Mr Matheson - I'm ready for my close-up." 


In the 101st century, nostalgia is everything. Television from the 20th century is the new obsession, and Reef Station One is receiving broadcasts from a distant Earth of the past, transmitting them to a waiting audience. Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars and Professor X are ratings winners - and the inhabitants of the New Earth Republic can't get enough.

But there are other forces in the galaxy; other forces that need Reef Station One. An ancient but dying race sees this human outpost as a last desperate hope for survival... and billionaire Walter J Matheson III sees them as a marvellous business opportunity.

When the Doctor and Peri arrive on Reef Station One, they find a fractured society, totally dependent on film and television. They also discover that the Republic's greatest entrepreneur is in league with one of the Doctor's oldest enemies.

As the Nestene Consciousness spreads its tentacles throughout the Republic, the Doctor and Peri must unravel the link between Walter J Matheson's business empire and the Nestenes. Because, if they don't, they'll end up in the deadliest soap opera of all time.




FILTER: - Books

DWM Graphic Novel delay

Monday, 22 March 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
According to DWM editor Clayton Hickman, "Due to circumstances beyond DWM's control, 'The Iron Legion', the first volume of collected comic strips from Panini Books has been delayed by several weeks. Originally due out in late March, the Graphic Novel will now hit UK shops on or around April 15. Apologies for the delay, but there have been certain printing problems which needed to be solved before we were happy for the book to be released to shops. We've spent many months ensuring that the comic strips collected here look their very best, and the printing also needed to be top-notch to do them justice. We hope you'll agree that the delay was worth it when you see the finished item." (Thanks to Clayton Hickman/DWM)




FILTER: - DWM - Books

The Future of BBC Books?

Friday, 19 March 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Outpost Gallifrey has it on good authority that while the Doctor Who series currently being published by BBC Books will indeed continue into next year, the adventures of the Eighth Doctor -- as they exist now, as their own separate series -- are coming to an end. After the first quarter of next year, the Eighth Doctor series (featuring the Paul McGann incarnation) will be blended into the "past Doctor" adventures, as the new television series gets going; while they won't be every other month there will be some emphasis placed on this Eighth Doctor, and novels will be able to branch back into the current existing series with Eighth Doctor companions that are no longer traveling in the TARDIS. There is currently no word as to whether or not there will be a book series running concurrently featuring the new Doctor, nor if the books will go back to the two-per-month release schedule of years past; hopefully there will be word on this in the next issue of Doctor Who Magazine, which is said to feature definitive word on the subject from range consultant/editor Justin Richards. More details as we get them.




FILTER: - Books

More on Halflife

Saturday, 6 March 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Outpost Gallifrey now has the cover blurb for the forthcoming BBC Books novel Halflife by Mark Michalowski, which is as follows. We're also reposting the graphic of the book cover so you can see it all together. (Thanks to Mark Michalowski)

Halflife, by Mark Michalowski

To lose one set of memories may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose two smacks of carelessness.

The Terran colony world of Espero seems the unlikely source of a sophisticated distress call. And the Doctor, Fitz and Trix are not the only ones responding to it.

While Fitz consorts with royalty, the Doctor's on the run with a sixteen year old girl, and Trix meets a small boy with a dark secret.

In a race for the minds and souls of an entire planet, the Doctor and Trix are offered temptations that may change them forever.

At least one of them will be unable to resist.




FILTER: - Books

Scales of Injustice

Thursday, 4 March 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
BBCi has begun serializing Gary Russell's The Scales of Injustice, the latest Virgin Publishing novel to be adapted to e-book form. The book, which pits the Third Doctor against classic monsters the Silurians and Sea Devils, also features a 'proper' goodbye to Liz Shaw (set between "Inferno" and "Terror of the Autons"). Russell contributed extensive notes, and artist Daryl Joyce illustrates. "Daryl has really gone to town with The Scales of Injustice," BBCi's news clip says, "creating fake R




FILTER: - Books

To the Slaughter

Wednesday, 3 March 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Stephen Cole will be returning to the novel fold next January, penning To the Slaughter, an Eighth Doctor novel from BBC Books. Says the new issue (#341) of Doctor Who Magazine, which announced it, "the Doctor and friends find themselves in Changing Rooms ... but on a planetary scale!" The issue promises news from editor Justin Richards about the future of the novel line, in light of the new series, in issue 342. (Thanks to DWM)




FILTER: - DWM - Books

Halflife Cover

Tuesday, 2 March 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Outpost Gallifrey has received the cover illustration for the forthcoming novel Halflife by Mark Michalowski from BBC Books. "To lose your memory once may be regarded as a misfortune," says the press info, "to lose it twice looks like carelessness. The Doctor's forgotten why he came to the colony world of Espero in the first place, but he's sure it was something important. Before long, he's engaged in the search for a time-bomb that could have consequences not only for Espero, but also for the Doctor himself... and his missing past." The Eighth Doctor, Fitz and Trix MacMillan novel will be out in April. Click on the thumbnail for a larger version. (Thanks to Mark Michalowski)




FILTER: - Books

Walking in Eternity

Wednesday, 25 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The editors of the long-out-of-print charity anthology Walking In Eternity have announced that they have an additional 100 copies of the book to sell. The copies "are the readers edition, which has page 308 missing but we supply the missing page as a loose-leaf sheet and are a bargain at only 5 pounds plus p&p!" says editor Jay Eales. The book was published to benefit the Foundation for the Study of Infant Death and features contributions by both fans and professional Doctor Who authors. Additionally, some rare illustration is available by comics artist Mike Collins. Visit thewebsite for details.




FILTER: - Books

Portal to Infinity

Monday, 23 February 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Portal To Infinity by Keith Bradbury, an unauthorized "review guide" to the original Doctor Who series previously covered on OG, is now in release.




FILTER: - Books