If you would have asked me back in 1983, when it seemed I was the only person in the world who watched Doctor Who, how huge it would become in the 21st century, I would have laughed in your face. Daleks and the Tardis were words more foreign than Greek to everyone around me but now it’s as if the people who DON’T know what a Time Lord is are the ones on the outside. We are all geeks now.
When I was a kid, besides watching episodes of the show, I also thrilled to read the novelizations of the older episodes and, in fact, Doctor Who novels were some the first adult books I read. So, it’s with great excitement that I present you with this, a list of pretty darn cool Doctor Who books for your reading enjoyment, all of which are featured on our nifty display up on the second floor.
Shada: The Lost Adventure by Douglas Adams & Gareth Roberts
From the unique mind of Douglas Adams, legendary author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, comes Shada, a Doctor Who story scripted for the television series Doctor Who, but never produced–and now, transformed into an original novel…
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Imagine how dangerous a LOT of knowledge is… The Doctor’s old friend and fellow Time Lord Professor Chronotis has retired to Cambridge University, where among the other doddering old professors nobody will notice if he lives for centuries. He took with him a few little souvenirs–harmless things really. But among them, carelessly, he took The Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey. Even more carelessly, he has loaned this immensely powerful book to clueless graduate student Chris Parsons, who intends to use it to impress girls. The Worshipful and Ancient Law is among the most dangerous artifacts in the universe; it cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.
The hands of the sinister Time Lord Skagra are unquestionably the wrongest ones possible. Skagra is a sadist and an egomaniac, bent on universal domination. Having misguessed the state of fashion on Earth, he also wears terrible platform shoes. He is on his way to Cambridge. He wants the book. And he wants the Doctor…
The Price of Paradise by Colin Brake
Laylora – the Paradise Planet. A world of breath-taking beauty, where peace-loving aboriginals live in harmony with their environment. Or do they? The Doctor and Rose arrive to find that the once-perfect eco-system is showing signs of failing. The paradise planet has become a death trap as terrifying creatures from ancient legends appear and stalk the land… Is there a connection between the human explorers who have crash-landed and the savage monsters? What secret lies at the heart of the natives’ ancient ceremonies? And what price might one human have to pay to save the only home he has ever known? When a planet itself becomes sick, can there be a cure? The Doctor and Rose find themsleves in a race against time to find out…
The Science of Doctor Who by Paul Parsons
Almost fifty years after he first crossed the small screen, Doctor Who remains a science fiction touchstone. Taking the show as a starting point–episode-by-episode in some cases– Paul Parsons dissects its scientific concepts. In addition to explaining why time travel is possible, Parsons discusses who the Time Lords are and how we may one day be able to regenerate just like them, ponders the ways that the doctor’s two hearts might work and introduces us to a terrestrial animal with five, details the alien populations and cosmology of the Whovian Universe and relates them to what we currently know about our universe, and compares the robotics of the show with startlingly similar real-world applications.
This slender, equation-free discussion is penned by a Ph.D. cosmologist and is ideal beach reading for anyone who loves science and watches the show–no matter which planet the beach is on.
Doctor Who and Philosophy by Courtland Lewis & Paula Smithka
In Doctor Who and Philosophy, a team of mostly human philosophers (who are also fans) looks at the deeper issues raised by the Doctor’s mind-blowing adventures. They discuss, among other topics, the Doctor’s philosophy of science, the ethics of a universe with millions of intelligent species, what makes one life-form more important than another, whether time travelers can change history, and how the “Doctor Who” TV show is changing the world we live in.
The Mythological Dimensions of Doctor Who edited by Anthony Burdge, Jessica Burke, and Kristine Larson
Essays examine the abundant mythological elements underpinning the 46-year-run of the popular BBC television series “Doctor Who.” Contributors include a well-known “Doctor Who” novelist, an organizer of one of the largest “Doctor Who” online communities, plus several university scholars and founders of the American Northeast Tolkien Society.
Who Is The Doctor: The Unofficial Guide to Doctor Who-The New Series by Graeme Burke & Robert Smith?
Penned by the authors of the famed sci-fi series’ fanzine collections, this entertaining combination of episode guides and essays is a must-have for all Doctor Who aficionados. The handbook explores all facets of the six most recent seasons, providing an essential companion for the show’s avid fans and casual viewers alike. Delving into a top-rated series that has made stars out of its actors, gained fame internationally, and encompasses the genres of horror, science fiction, comedy, action, and historical adventure, this all-inclusive guide also features behind-the-scenes tidbits and in-depth analyses of the series’ latest installments.
The Coming of the Terraphiles by Michael Moorcock
Miggea — a world on the very edge of reality. 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, and 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.
Doctor Who Encyclopedia by Gary Russell
Completely revised and updated, the Doctor Who Encyclopedia is the ultimate fan’s guide to all things Doctor Who. Packed with photos, concept drawings, illustrations and artwork, and including the Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith incarnations of the Doctor, learn every fact and discover every figure from every episode.
Borrowed Time by Naomi Alderman
Andrew Brown never has enough time. The train’s late, the lift jams, the all-important meeting’s started by the time he arrives. Disaster. If only he’d had just a little more time. Time is the business of Mr Symington and Mr Blenkinsop. They’ll lend Andrew Brown some time – at a very reasonable rate of interest. Detecting a problem, the Doctor, Amy, and Rory go undercover at the bank. The Doctor’s a respected expert, and Amy’s his trusted advisor. Rory has a job in the post room. But they have to move fast to stop Symington and Blenkinsop before they cash in their investments. The Harvest is approaching!
Touched by an Angel by Jonathan Morris
n 2003, Rebecca Whitaker died in a road accident. Her husband Mark is still grieving. Then he receives a battered envelope, posted eight years ago, containing a set of instructions and a letter with a simple message: “You can save her.” Later that night, while picking up a takeaway, Mark glances at a security monitor – to see himself, standing in the restaurant in grainy black and white. And behind him there’s a stone statue of an angel. Covering its eyes, as though weeping… except, when Mark turns, there’s nothing there. As Mark is given the chance to save Rebecca, it’s up to the Doctor, Amy, and Rory to save the world. Because this time the Weeping Angels are using history itself as a weapon…
The Way Through the Woods by Una McCormack
After Rory disappears in 1917, the Doctor and Amy are desperate to find out what’s happened to him. At the core of the mystery lies an ancient wood. Something is waiting in the woods. Something that’s been there for thousands of years. Something that is now waking up . . .
The Silent Stars Go By by Dan Abnett
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. 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…
Chicks Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who and the Women Who Love It edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O’Shea
In Chicks Digs Time Lords, a host of award-winning female novelists, academics and actresses come together to celebrate the phenomenon that is Doctor Who, discuss their inventive involvement with the show’s fandom and examine why they adore the series. These essays will delight male and female readers alike by delving into the extraordinary aspects of being a female Doctor Who enthusiast.
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