OVERVIEW

Action-packed original fiction for younger Doctor Who fans, starring the Eleventh Doctor with his companions Amy Pond and Rory Williams. Double-fronted books each contain two fast-paced, fun-filled adventures!

Heart of Stone A monster made from moon rock is attacking an Earth farm. Everything it touches turns to stone - even people. Can the Doctor, Amy and Rory find out what the creature wants before it's too late?

In Death Riders the Galactic Fair has arrived on the mining planet of Stanalan and the Death Ride roller coaster is really drawing in the crowds. But there's something sinister going on behind all the fun of the fair. Join the Doctor, Amy and Rory as they investigate...

Published by Penguin Books as BBC BOOKS.

COMMENT

“The sleeve of the Doctor’s tweed jacket change to grey, the elbow patch stiffened and turned to stone.

The Doctor turned his head to look at the others. His deep eyes blazed with fierce intent, the incredible mind behind them burning with the effort of speaking. “Don’t do anything – don’t do anything at all”, he said gruffly.

And then his eyes turned solid.”

If your perception of the “2 in 1” novels were one that primarily aimed at the under eight year olds then think again; they are thrilling, evocative of the current televised drama series, and intelligent, and are suitable for fans of the series – no matter what age – to be immersed into for an hour or two. Not only is the format valuable in encouraging children to become hooked on reading in the first instance but, perhaps, to satisfy a previously wet Sunday afternoon,

Continuing where the BBC BOOKS innovative range, QUICK READS, left off, “2 in 1” format is just as innovative with – to date – three volumes released and more planned for 2011.

Written by Trevor Baxendale, DOCTOR WHO – HEART OF STONE is, as above paragraph demonstrates, visually mature, challenging a younger reader to respond with fear and trepidation and without being cosseted in a literary “cotton wool”. Thankfully, the honesty of Baxendale’s book does not talk down to younger reader and there lies its strength.

Set in the bucolic English countryside where all is seemingly calm and tranquil, the Doctor, Amy and hapless Rory a literally thrown into a murky & stinky situation – well, the TARDIS does materialise, comically, in a pigsty – with a mystery to solve and an alien threat to neutralise.

Of course, the Doctor is in his time-travelling element; consumed by his own scientific gobbledegook but always in control, he uncovers the awful truth that “Rock Man” may be an adversary (is it acting alone without influence? To retain a farming metaphor, who is the “wolf in a sheep’s fleece?) that he cannot defeat. And can a jaunt to Earth’s singular satellite, the moon, hold the secret to crushing the threat?

Akin to the televised series, DOCTOR WHO – HEART OF STONE hardly gives you time to catch your breath, retains the eclectic personality of the Time Lord, the humour between Amy and Rory and non-stop action that will satisfy any reader.

The second short story, DOCTOR WHO – DEATH RIDERS by Justin Richards compliments the previous Earth-based story perfectly, setting it in the Galactic Fair on an asteroid.

However, the best advice I can give is read the story and sniff? Not scratch-and-sniff the actual book’s pages but metaphorically so. What could I smell? Candyfloss. Toasted but slightly burnt chestnuts. Cremated fried onions sizzling next to the archetypal “don’t-ask-what’s-inside-it” pallid hotdog. Richard’s skill is to establish a wonderfully alien environment with hints of humanity that we can all refer to.

The plotting is reminiscent of the CLASSIC SERIES as DEATH RIDERS combines the all-consuming tunnels for the unwary to traverse and a group of “pioneers” who are simply trying to make a living for themselves amid the chaos of a unseen threat (and the oncoming storm whipped-up by the Doctor appearance).

Littered with plot-intrinsic characters that DOCTOR WHO writer, Robert Holmes, would be proud, Justin Richards introduce a trio of seemingly unassuming “carnies”; the intriguing Perpetual Pete, musician Gravo and his pet animal, Drexxon. Wonderfully colourful in their description but how important are they in the mystery of the ultimate, and aptly named, Death Ride that spans the surface of the asteroid.

The writing of the Doctor and his team is as accurate in timbre & tone, intent & motivation and values as the television series, and that’s reassuring for younger readers. However, by the end of the story, the reader will be wondering what actually happened between the Doctor and the Queen Mother that was tantalisingly mentioned.

And for CLASSIC SERIES fans there is delightful echo to a bygone age when velvet smoking jackets and frilled dress shirts filled the television screen as Richards revives a much-missed Venusian lullaby. There’ll either a smile on your face or tear in your eye.

“Klokleda partha mennin klatch….”

Overall, BBC BOOKS seem to have hit upon a, and please excuse the pun, novel concept in presenting two complimentary novels at a value-for-money price (£6.99). It would be a more interesting twist in the concept to have two novel featuring two different Doctors; 11 th Doctor and the 3 rd Doctor?

Now, there’s an idea.