Past Doctor Adventures


The Past Doctor Adventures were a series of spin-off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and published under the BBC Books imprint. For most of their existence, they were published side-by-side with the Eighth Doctor Adventures. The novels regularly featured the First through Seventh Doctors. The Infinity Doctors had an ambiguous place in continuity and featured an unidentified incarnation of the Doctor. The Eighth Doctor co-starred with the Fourth Doctor in one novel and, after the Eighth Doctor Adventures had ceased publication, a novel featuring the Eighth Doctor and set between two earlier Eighth Doctor Adventures was published within the Past Doctor series.

Publication history

Between 1991 and 1997, Virgin Publishing produced successful spin-off novels under the New Adventures and Missing Adventures ranges. However, following the Doctor Who television movie in 1996, the BBC did not renew Virgin Publishing's license to continue publishing Doctor Who material. Instead, they opted to publish their own range beginning in 1997 with The Devil Goblins from Neptune by Martin Day and Keith Topping. The range continued to be published through to 2005.
Virgin had distinguished the New and Missing Adventures with different cover designs. BBC Books, however, did not differentiate their novels featuring the current and past Doctors in this way, although they were listed separately within the books. Fans, however, continued to distinguish the ongoing story of the Eighth Doctor from the more stand-alone adventures of past Doctors.
Despite moving to the BBC, the writers have broadly attempted to maintain continuity with the New and Missing Adventures and many elements from these series have appeared in the Past Doctor Adventures. Indeed, one of the novels — Millennium Shock by Justin Richards — was a direct sequel to System Shock, a Missing Adventure published by Virgin. Another notable release was Scream of the Shalka, a novelisation of the webcast of the same title and the only release in the Past Doctor range that did not feature an "official" incarnation of the Doctor. The Infinity Doctors, written by Lance Parkin, featured an unidentified Doctor.
In addition to the Past Doctor Adventures and the Eighth Doctor Adventures, the BBC also published three short story collections under the title of Short Trips, which feature all eight Doctors. These were also inherited from Virgin, a version of their Decalog short story collections, and when the BBC ceased publishing them, a licence to continue was sought by Big Finish Productions, who continued to publish their own range of Short Trips collections until 2009.
The range has ceased publication. In the spring of 2005, BBC Books began publishing a series of hardcover books, the New Series Adventures. The BBC Past Doctor paperback series continued for the remainder of 2005, but no titles were announced after Andrew Cartmel's Atom Bomb Blues, which was released in November 2005. In a talk in July 2006, commissioning editor Justin Richards said that BBC Books have plans for the future of the Past Doctor Adventures, but that decisions had not yet been taken.
Beginning in 2012, hardback books featuring past Doctors are being published, though at a much reduced rate compared with the pre-2005 output. The books are longer, in a larger format, and written by prominent science fiction authors. As of the mid-2014, the titles published are Shada by Gareth Roberts, The Wheel of Ice by Stephen Baxter and Harvest of Time by Alastair Reynolds.

List of ''Past Doctor Adventures''

Including books featuring two of the Doctors, the numbers of books each appears in are as follows: Fourth and Seventh Doctors, 13 books each; Second and Third Doctors, 12 books each; Sixth Doctor, 11 books; Fifth Doctor, 10 books; First Doctor, 8 books; and Eighth Doctor, 2 books.
#TitleAuthorDoctorFeaturingPublished
1The Devil Goblins from NeptuneMartin Day and Keith Topping3rdLiz, UNITJune 1997
2The Murder GameSteve Lyons2ndBen and PollyJuly 1997
3The Ultimate TreasureChristopher Bulis5thPeriAugust 1997
4Business UnusualGary Russell6thMel and The BrigadierSeptember 1997
5Illegal AlienMike Tucker and Robert Perry7thAceOctober 1997
6The RoundheadsMark Gatiss2ndBen, Polly and JamieNovember 1997
7The Face of the EnemyDavid A. McIntee3rdThe Master, UNIT, The Brigadier,
Ian, Barbara, and Harry		January 1998
8Eye of HeavenJim Mortimore4thLeelaFebruary 1998
9The Witch HuntersSteve Lyons1stSusan, Ian and BarbaraMarch 1998
10The Hollow MenMartin Day and Keith Topping7thAce6 April 1998
11CatastropheaTerrance Dicks3rdJoMay 1998
12David A. McIntee6thFrobisherJune 1998
13Zeta MajorSimon Messingham5thTegan and NyssaJuly 1998
14Dreams of EmpireJustin Richards2ndJamie and VictoriaAugust 1998
15Last Man RunningChris Boucher4thLeelaSeptember 1998
16MatrixMike Tucker and Robert Perry7thAceOctober 1998
17The Infinity DoctorsLance ParkinUnspecified-November 1998
18SalvationSteve Lyons1stSteven and DodoJanuary 1999
19The Wages of SinDavid A. McIntee3rdJo and LizFebruary 1999
20Deep BlueMark Morris5thTegan, Turlough and UNITMarch 1999
21PlayersTerrance Dicks6th and 2ndPeriApril 1999
22Millennium ShockJustin Richards4thHarryMay 1999
23Storm HarvestMike Tucker and Robert Perry7thAceJune 1999
24The Final SanctionSteve Lyons2ndJamie and ZoeJuly 1999
25City at World's EndChristopher Bulis1stIan, Barbara and SusanSeptember 1999
26Divided LoyaltiesGary Russell5thAdric, Nyssa and TeganOctober 1999
27Corpse MarkerChris Boucher4thLeelaNovember 1999
28Last of the GadereneMark Gatiss3rdJo and UNITJanuary 2000
29Tomb of ValdemarSimon Messingham4thRomana I and K-9February 2000
30VerdigrisPaul Magrs3rdJo3 April 2000
31Grave MatterJustin Richards6thPeriMay 2000
32Heart of TARDISDave Stone2nd and 4thJamie, Victoria and Romana IJune 2000
33Prime TimeMike Tucker7thAceJuly 2000
34Imperial MoonChristopher Bulis5thTurlough and KamelionAugust 2000
35Festival of DeathJonathan Morris4thRomana II and K-9September 2000
36Independence DayPeter Darvill-Evans2nd and 7thJamie and AceOctober 2000
37The King of TerrorKeith Topping5thTegan, Turlough and The BrigadierNovember 2000
38The Quantum ArchangelCraig Hinton6thMelJanuary 2001
39Bunker SoldiersMartin Day1stSteven and DodoFebruary 2001
40RagsMick Lewis3rdJo and UNITMarch 2001
41The Shadow in the GlassJustin Richards and Stephen Cole6thThe Brigadier2 April 2001
42AsylumPeter Darvill-Evans4thNyssaMay 2001
43Superior BeingsNick Walters5thPeriJune 2001
44Byzantium!Keith Topping1stIan, Barbara and VickiJuly 2001
45Bullet TimeDavid A. McIntee7thSarah Jane SmithAugust 2001
46Psi-ence FictionChris Boucher4thLeelaSeptember 2001
47Dying in the SunJon de Burgh Miller2ndBen and PollyOctober 2001
48Instruments of DarknessGary Russell6thMel and Evelyn SmytheNovember 2001
49Relative DementiasMark Michalowski7thAceJanuary 2002
50DriftSimon A. Forward4thLeelaFebruary 2002
51Palace of the Red SunChristopher Bulis6thPeriMarch 2002
52Amorality TaleDavid Bishop3rdSarahApril 2002
53WarmongerTerrance Dicks5thPeriMay 2002
54Ten Little AliensStephen Cole1stBen and PollyJune 2002
55Combat RockMick Lewis2ndJamie and VictoriaJuly 2002
56The Suns of CareshPaul Saint3rdJoAugust 2002
57HeritageDale Smith7thAceOctober 2002
58Fear of the DarkTrevor Baxendale5thTegan and NyssaDecember 2002
59Blue BoxKate Orman6thPeriMarch 2003
60Loving the AlienMike Tucker and Robert Perry7thAceMay 2003
61The Colony of LiesColin Brake2nd and 7thJamie, Zoe and AceJuly 2003
62WolfsbaneJacqueline Rayner4th and 8thHarry and SarahSeptember 2003
63Deadly ReunionTerrance Dicks and Barry Letts3rdJo and UNITNovember 2003
64Scream of the ShalkaPaul CornellUnofficial 9th DoctorAlison, The MasterFebruary 2004
65Empire of DeathDavid Bishop5thNyssaMarch 2004
66The Eleventh TigerDavid A. McIntee1stIan, Barbara and VickiMay 2004
67Synthespians™Craig Hinton6thPeriJuly 2004
68The Algebra of IceLloyd Rose7thAceSeptember 2004
69The Indestructible ManSimon Messingham2ndJamie and ZoeNovember 2004
70Match of the DayChris Boucher4thLeelaFebruary 2005
71Island of DeathBarry Letts3rdSarahJuly 2005
72Spiral ScratchGary Russell6thMelAugust 2005
73Fear ItselfNick Wallace8thFitz and AnjiSeptember 2005
74World GameTerrance Dicks2ndLady SerenaOctober 2005
75The Time TravellersSimon Guerrier1stSusan, Ian and Barbara10 November 2005
76Atom Bomb BluesAndrew Cartmel7thAceDecember 2005