Doctor Who Fiction - (overview courtesy of amazon.co.uk)

For anyone who thought that the adventures of the Doctor--a time travelling renegade Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey--finished in 1989 when the BBC transmitted his final televised adventure as part of the ongoing series, then you have a bit of a shock coming to you.

"What's that?" you say, maybe thinking of the one-off 1996 television movie which introduced Paul McGann as the nation's favourite time traveller. But did you know that Doctor WHO, as that film was titled, is now just the tip of the iceberg? Since then, the BBC have been publishing a new novel featuring this incarnation of the Doctor almost every month (barring December which, we suppose, must be a Time Lord's month off).

In these novels he has acquired new companions: currently a teenager from 1996 called Sam Jones (soon to be leaving), and a man from 1963 named Fitz Kreiner. There are more changes imminent however, and, as with the series which provides the bedrock concepts, part of the fun of the novels is watching how the regular characters change and cope with what their travels throw at them.

Also, just like the TV series, there are stories to suit all tastes here. The books are not aimed at children, and many feature graphic scenes and concepts in which our heroes are forced to confront fears and horrors only touched upon in psychological thrillers and films. There are often no easy solutions, and the authors are not afraid to dig deep to find the inspiration that the Doctor needs to win through ... but sometimes he doesn't, and this is important.

Unlike some series fiction based on TV shows, where all the characters must remain unchanged by their experiences, with Doctor WHO fiction, things can and do change. Companions leave the Doctor; they can be hurt; they can even die. The Doctor too is not immune, he can be changed by what he sees and achieves--or does not achieve. This keeps the books unpredictable, and perhaps more engaging for those readers who keep up to date with them. On the whole, however, there are only one or two titles which would provide a difficult starting point. Generally the range is fresh and original, and any book will provide a great starting point for readers and fans wanting to become acquainted (or re-acquainted as the case may be) with the travels, friends and adventures of the Doctor.