Doctor Who novels: a quick introduction

I suspect that for most people who have any conception of Doctor Who existing in book form - especially those outside the realms of SF fandom -it's purely in the form of the Target novelisations of the TV series. However, during the time since 1989 that the series has been off the air it has been 'kept alive', so to speak, in novel form.

It began in 1991, when Virgin Publishing obtained the rights to publish new Doctor Who stories continuing the story from the end of Survival, the last televised episode. Peter Darvill-Evans, the force behind the decision, also took what would be a monumental decision. Rather than continue the 'Young Adult' style of the Target novelisations, the books would be aimed at a much more adult audience.

Virgin continued publishing the 'New Adventures' until 1996, when the rights reverted to the BBC after the American TV Movie starring Paul McGann as the Doctor. The BBC then began to publish their own 'Eighth Doctor Adventures' which were effectively a continuation of the Virgin series (though without featuring any characters created for the Virgin series to which they did not hold the copyright - it get quite boringly complex so I won't discuss it) which are set to conclude in early 2005, in time for the new TV series starring Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor. New novels featuring this Doctor, as well as novelisations of the TV series, are promised. Interestingly, Russell T Davies, the Executive Producer/chief writerhead honcho/big cheese of the new Doctor Who series also wrote a Virgin New Adventure (Damaged Goods), as have Paul Cornell and Mark Gatiss, both of whom are contributing episodes for the new series.

There are also 'Missing Adventures', featuring previous incarnations of the Doctor and his companions in adventures set during the series' past.

Anyway, why am I telling you all this? Because I've started reading some of the New Adventures (there's a flourishing market for them on eBay, with some rarer ones reaching quite high prices) and thought I'd provide you with some background before I begin writing any reviews. The next post should be a review of John Peel's (no, not that John Peel) Timewyrm: Genesys, the first New Adventure.

If you want some more details on the books, try Outpost Gallifrey, the Dr Who Guide, or even the BBC's site about them (well the ones they publish, anyway)