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Doctor Who New Series anthologies
Doctor Who: Ten Days of Christmas: Festive tales with the Tenth Doctor
Return to the incredible days of Ten this Christmas . . .
For the Tenth Doctor, the festive season always brought adventure.
In fact, he's saved Christmas across space and time more times than we ever knew . . .
Join the Doctor (and Donna and Martha and Rose, and other friends old and new) for incredible tales of daring and danger. From Daleks plotting to save humanity to Sycorax working to exploit it . . . from star-narwhals massing on the Moon to a toy factory in space.
Because even in the jolliest of seasons there's a world or two to save.
For the Tenth Doctor, the festive season always brought adventure.
In fact, he's saved Christmas across space and time more times than we ever knew . . .
Join the Doctor (and Donna and Martha and Rose, and other friends old and new) for incredible tales of daring and danger. From Daleks plotting to save humanity to Sycorax working to exploit it . . . from star-narwhals massing on the Moon to a toy factory in space.
Because even in the jolliest of seasons there's a world or two to save.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2023
54 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Steve Cole
309 books101 followersAlso publishes as Stephen Cole.
Steve Cole is the slightly crazy, highly frantic, millions-selling, non-stop author of Astrosaurs, Cows In Action, Astrosaurs Academy, The Slime Squad, Z. Rex and many other books (including several original Doctor Who stories).
He used to edit magazines and books but prefers the job of a writer where you can wear pyjamas and eat chocolate all day.
Steve just can't stop writing - if he does, strange robots appear and jostle him vigorously until he starts again.
In his spare time he loves making music, reading old comics, thinking up ideas for new books and slumping in front of a warm TV.
Steve Cole is the slightly crazy, highly frantic, millions-selling, non-stop author of Astrosaurs, Cows In Action, Astrosaurs Academy, The Slime Squad, Z. Rex and many other books (including several original Doctor Who stories).
He used to edit magazines and books but prefers the job of a writer where you can wear pyjamas and eat chocolate all day.
Steve just can't stop writing - if he does, strange robots appear and jostle him vigorously until he starts again.
In his spare time he loves making music, reading old comics, thinking up ideas for new books and slumping in front of a warm TV.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 29, 2023
I've read a few of the Tenth Doctor comics (good ones by Nick Abadzis) and found that not everyone (*cough* Robbie Morrison) can capture the Tenth Doctor. Steven Cole does a brilliant job of highlighting some of the qualities that makes the Tenth Doctor so special. While Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor, Vol. 1: Revolutions of Terror captured the Tenth Doctor's humility, this set of short stories foregrounded his penchant for revolutionary activism, his selflessness, and his tragic pathos.
The first framing story was brilliant (and voiced pitch-perfect to David Tennant in the audio adaptation). It careens blissfully close to fanfiction, with the climax hinging on the idea that we as audience members know that the Tenth Doctor would, without a second's thought, put himself in the place of others if his pain could alleviate someone else's suffering. My drug is Ten's selflessness and seeing this part of him acknowledged so obviously made me trust Steve Cole right from the start. And to top it off,
The final story with Jackson Lake was particularly poignant and cleverly-written. With that subtle but devastating anguish so particular to the Tenth Doctor at the end of his life. Putting that tone and story with a now much older Jackson was a brilliant touch, reflecting the Doctor’s age and regrets and self-loathing. Never taking over the story, but just enough there to make me know Steve Cole understands Ten and all his tragic layers. The twist in the end of that story is particularly ironic and sad, like the Doctor is always fated to “make it happen.”
The other stories were fun reads and good romps, with the occasional glorious instance of the Doctor taking down oil miners and exploitative human societies. I just love that these were the themes brought to Ten, because that's why I love him so much: his moral convictions, his compassion. And I found that here. So I was definitely pleased. Tenth Doctor stories like this in 2023? Yes please and always! Long live Ten!
The first framing story was brilliant (and voiced pitch-perfect to David Tennant in the audio adaptation). It careens blissfully close to fanfiction, with the climax hinging on the idea that we as audience members know that the Tenth Doctor would, without a second's thought, put himself in the place of others if his pain could alleviate someone else's suffering. My drug is Ten's selflessness and seeing this part of him acknowledged so obviously made me trust Steve Cole right from the start. And to top it off,
The final story with Jackson Lake was particularly poignant and cleverly-written. With that subtle but devastating anguish so particular to the Tenth Doctor at the end of his life. Putting that tone and story with a now much older Jackson was a brilliant touch, reflecting the Doctor’s age and regrets and self-loathing. Never taking over the story, but just enough there to make me know Steve Cole understands Ten and all his tragic layers. The twist in the end of that story is particularly ironic and sad, like the Doctor is always fated to “make it happen.”
The other stories were fun reads and good romps, with the occasional glorious instance of the Doctor taking down oil miners and exploitative human societies. I just love that these were the themes brought to Ten, because that's why I love him so much: his moral convictions, his compassion. And I found that here. So I was definitely pleased. Tenth Doctor stories like this in 2023? Yes please and always! Long live Ten!
December 26, 2023
10 Doctor Who short stories, some of them were just Ok, while others I just loved so much and made me cry. In the end, this was a really fun read
January 4, 2024
Another great short story collection. Favourites were Gifts From Afar (with Martha as cimpanion) and Dark Waters (reuniting the Doctors with (Jackson Lake).
December 22, 2024
a fun christmassy book of stories about the tenth (and fourteenth) doctor!
to be honest they were all a little bit too short to really sink your teeth into, and i was falling asleep as i read a lot of them (lol) but it was nice and festive.
i especially liked the jackson lake story towards the end and the one set in the national trust house with donna.
merry christmas gang
to be honest they were all a little bit too short to really sink your teeth into, and i was falling asleep as i read a lot of them (lol) but it was nice and festive.
i especially liked the jackson lake story towards the end and the one set in the national trust house with donna.
merry christmas gang
December 15, 2024
There was nothing festive about any of these stories…all they said was “it’s Christmas” and that’s as Christmas-y as it got…
December 27, 2024
I was gifted this book as an early Christmas present by my partner, and it did not disappoint. The stories are imaginative and full of serious, funny, and heartwarming moments. My only complaint is the use of informal word shortenings such as 'cos' in place of 'because' - while these can work in writing, they felt out of place with the writing style of this short story collection. But overall, this is a fun read and I loved it - a fantastic, festive page-turner, perfect for any Whovian!
October 13, 2023
The trouble with time travel is that you run the risk of losing touch with friends. Christmas gives the Doctor a chance to spend time with old friends and enemies as he wanders across the universe.
Some fun stories which see the Tenth Doctor at various points in his timeline doing what he does best: saving lives and causing mayhem.
Some fun stories which see the Tenth Doctor at various points in his timeline doing what he does best: saving lives and causing mayhem.
November 12, 2023
Ten stories of both the 10th and the 14th Doctor, all set around Christmas time in different places.. From UNIT to toys to Rose in the jungle. Few stories of the Doctor on his own.
My favorite story is No. 9.I can't say because it is spoilers I hate people who spoil stories. The first and last story are the 14th and it's a tie into the new Doctor Who Annual 2024.
My favorite story is No. 9.I can't say because it is spoilers I hate people who spoil stories. The first and last story are the 14th and it's a tie into the new Doctor Who Annual 2024.
December 24, 2024
Neither festive nor a good representation of Ten.
April 25, 2025
FRICKING AMAZING
December 26, 2023
Nothing special but fun to pick off chapters between annoying holiday engagements.
December 18, 2024
A lovely mix of stories for everyone in this. And nice to see characters/companions in new stories. Loved Jackson Lake meeting the Daleks. Beautifully done and a cute wee read in the lead up to Christmas 🎄
April 20, 2024
I loved reading/audiobooking the full length Doctor Who novels from the 10 era and I thought this might fill the hole that those books left.
Boy was I wrong.
These short stories read like cheap fan-fiction from someone who has only seen Tumblr-style GIFs of the Doctor saying his famous catch lines. The amount of call backs to old episodes was comical up to a point - after the first few, it became clear they were using nostalgia as the main source of fuel to power through the sometimes gruelling story telling.
To be brutally honest I only liked 1 of the 10 short stories. The plots all feel flat, perhaps due to the restricted page numbers of the tales.
Maybe it's my fault for still engaging in a TV show that caters to a "family" audience, and I am a grown adult! But I'll live in hope for the new season & future works.
Boy was I wrong.
These short stories read like cheap fan-fiction from someone who has only seen Tumblr-style GIFs of the Doctor saying his famous catch lines. The amount of call backs to old episodes was comical up to a point - after the first few, it became clear they were using nostalgia as the main source of fuel to power through the sometimes gruelling story telling.
To be brutally honest I only liked 1 of the 10 short stories. The plots all feel flat, perhaps due to the restricted page numbers of the tales.
Maybe it's my fault for still engaging in a TV show that caters to a "family" audience, and I am a grown adult! But I'll live in hope for the new season & future works.
May 19, 2024
Steve Cole is a writer I blow hot and cold on, no matter what he is writing in the Whoniverse. This particular collection of stories blows...lukewarm? It's perfect well-written, with a few stand out moments...but it's a light snack compared to past Christmas collections, such as "The Wintertime Paradox" and "Twelve Angels Weeping".
August 13, 2024
A fun book about the Tenth Doctor on adventures during Christmas sounded like a great idea for a book but ultimately it fell flat. None of the stories in this book kept my attention enough for me to get past the first 5 pages of each story. All of them just didn't have that charm that makes Doctor Who so special. I really wanted to enjoy this book but I just couldn't.
December 17, 2023
Purchased copy
Had to buzz through this quickly because I bought it for a gift for a young fan and have to pass it along tomorrow.
I've never seen an episode of the television program, so felt like I was dropped in medias res; maybe the stories are continuations of episodes? Everything I know about Dr. Who comes from Solomons' The Secret of Vault 13 (2018) and Cooper's What is the Story of Dr. Who (2019). There are a variety of settings and characters, and the stories stand alone fairly well, although I think this would be much more interesting with the background of the television show in mind.
One interesting thing about the book was that I really got a feel for the character of the tenth doctor. He was funny and acerbic, and ready to jump into any situation. I enjoyed reading the stories, and the Christmas connection to all of them was quite fun.
The book itself is very pretty, and I adored the amount of white space of the borders of the pages. It seemed so luxurious. I know that's silly, but it makes reading so much more pleasurable when the words aren't crammed onto the page. I'm not entirely sure why the first story had me turn to page 255, but since we are dealing with a time traveler, it makes an odd kind of sense. Another reviewer said that the last story ties into the new Doctor Who Annual 2024. The concept of annuals dealing with favorite literary characters sounds so delightful, and I'm rather sad that I didn't know about htese when my own children were young; they would have loved having a Jacqueline Wilson annual. (If you have any Minecraft fans, there is one available!)
Had to buzz through this quickly because I bought it for a gift for a young fan and have to pass it along tomorrow.
I've never seen an episode of the television program, so felt like I was dropped in medias res; maybe the stories are continuations of episodes? Everything I know about Dr. Who comes from Solomons' The Secret of Vault 13 (2018) and Cooper's What is the Story of Dr. Who (2019). There are a variety of settings and characters, and the stories stand alone fairly well, although I think this would be much more interesting with the background of the television show in mind.
One interesting thing about the book was that I really got a feel for the character of the tenth doctor. He was funny and acerbic, and ready to jump into any situation. I enjoyed reading the stories, and the Christmas connection to all of them was quite fun.
The book itself is very pretty, and I adored the amount of white space of the borders of the pages. It seemed so luxurious. I know that's silly, but it makes reading so much more pleasurable when the words aren't crammed onto the page. I'm not entirely sure why the first story had me turn to page 255, but since we are dealing with a time traveler, it makes an odd kind of sense. Another reviewer said that the last story ties into the new Doctor Who Annual 2024. The concept of annuals dealing with favorite literary characters sounds so delightful, and I'm rather sad that I didn't know about htese when my own children were young; they would have loved having a Jacqueline Wilson annual. (If you have any Minecraft fans, there is one available!)
January 4, 2024
A nice little set of Doctor Who stories to kick off the year, all centred around the Tenth (and Fourteenth) Doctors. They were mostly your pretty standard stuff, nothing too overly clever, no stories overly full of references or crossovers, but then again nothing too adventurous which was a shame. Highlights for me included Dark Waters, Not a Creature Was Stirring, The Big Store and particularly The Christmas Blessing, what with its ship called the Benton and a character known as Sergeant Franklin, which felt particularly poignant around the time of reading, just days after the passing of the late great Richard Franklin. The only thing that could have made this anthology better was if they'd had a Pete's World Christmas tale, thereby having stories with all the Doctors that David Tennant has played in the Whoniverse!
December 5, 2023
Not gonna lie, there was no way I could ever not buy and read this book. Tennant, ten (or is it fourteen now?!) 10th doc and many of our favourite companions. And at Christmas time too. Spoilt!
This book was great and launches you on an adventure through time, space and aliens. It has all the charm of our doctor and captures all of his most beloved traits down to his childish glee. It was endearing and great to join him on his travels (as always).
A return of the sycorax? Visits to far off planets? Cute moments between Rose and 10? Donna on form? Yes to all of these.
Tried to limit myself to a few chapters a day but it was hard. It’s a binge worthy read and I couldn’t put it down. Couple it with a whovian soundtrack in the background and it’s perfect!
This book was great and launches you on an adventure through time, space and aliens. It has all the charm of our doctor and captures all of his most beloved traits down to his childish glee. It was endearing and great to join him on his travels (as always).
A return of the sycorax? Visits to far off planets? Cute moments between Rose and 10? Donna on form? Yes to all of these.
Tried to limit myself to a few chapters a day but it was hard. It’s a binge worthy read and I couldn’t put it down. Couple it with a whovian soundtrack in the background and it’s perfect!
January 18, 2024
Steve Cole presents ten tales from the Christmas period, featuring the Tenth Doctor played by David Tennant and assisted by his travelling companions during his time. The stories are easy reading, some featuring old enemies, and Steve Cole uses different styles in his story telling, including first person narrative and in posted letter form, adding to the inventiveness of his presentation of stories in this book.
The cover of the book is very intriguing with its gold stars and icons and the main image of the Tenth Doctor and Doctor Who logo composed from a glossy film. The book would make an ideal gift for any Doctor Who fan at Christmas.
The cover of the book is very intriguing with its gold stars and icons and the main image of the Tenth Doctor and Doctor Who logo composed from a glossy film. The book would make an ideal gift for any Doctor Who fan at Christmas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2023
10 stories from the 10th/14th Doctor.
We get to travel through time and space, with the different companions and the Doctor all set at Christmas time. 1st and 10th stories are the 14th Doctor to tie in with the new specials, the rest of the stories are the 10th Doctor. I loved them all, which I don't normally say with short story collections and maybe I'm biased as the 10th Doctor is my favourite. They were well written short, fun stories that each felt like the Christmas episodes we get. This is a must for any Doctor Who fan who wants to read some festive.
We get to travel through time and space, with the different companions and the Doctor all set at Christmas time. 1st and 10th stories are the 14th Doctor to tie in with the new specials, the rest of the stories are the 10th Doctor. I loved them all, which I don't normally say with short story collections and maybe I'm biased as the 10th Doctor is my favourite. They were well written short, fun stories that each felt like the Christmas episodes we get. This is a must for any Doctor Who fan who wants to read some festive.
December 12, 2024
A very entertaining book that any fan of the Tenth Doctor is going to enjoy.
Throughout the book there are stories in which many of his companions appear, including one that I was not expecting at all and was a welcome surprise.
The stories are packed with action, monsters and Christmassy vibes and the Doctor uses all of his signature sentences.
The adventures are quite simple in general though and they might be a bit boring if you're not a fan of the Tenth Doctor or if you don't know that much about him.
Throughout the book there are stories in which many of his companions appear, including one that I was not expecting at all and was a welcome surprise.
The stories are packed with action, monsters and Christmassy vibes and the Doctor uses all of his signature sentences.
The adventures are quite simple in general though and they might be a bit boring if you're not a fan of the Tenth Doctor or if you don't know that much about him.
December 14, 2025
Book 362 - Steven Cole - Doctor Who - Ten Days of Christmas
An anthology of Doctor Who themed stories around the David Tennant Doctors. Ten stories… 288 pages and written as recently as 2023 so have tales of the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors.
Unfortunately there aren’t any real standouts. They are all a bit meh.
There was always bound to be one Doctor Who anthology that was yawn inducing… so disappointing.
An anthology of Doctor Who themed stories around the David Tennant Doctors. Ten stories… 288 pages and written as recently as 2023 so have tales of the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors.
Unfortunately there aren’t any real standouts. They are all a bit meh.
There was always bound to be one Doctor Who anthology that was yawn inducing… so disappointing.
January 1, 2025
A nice collection from throughout Tenant's tenure, the christmas theme is generally fairly subtle (some might say tenuous, especially if looking for further alliteration). My favourite was the letter from an aged Jackson Lake, not because the plot was especially dramatic but for an encore of the character moments of the underappreciated The Next Doctor.
December 11, 2025
Easy to listen to set of stories starring the tenth Doctor and various companions. Like most anthologies, I liked some stories more than others, so I’ll simply say I enjoyed the penultimate story, and the split bookend story starting and ending the book the most. The reader in the first and last reads the Tenth Doctor like no one else. Good fun.
February 6, 2024
My favorite story in this collection was definitely Dark Waters, which brought together so many threads of the Tenth era and just absolutely nailed the character of the Tenth Doctor through the eyes of .
A great collection overall.
A great collection overall.
March 21, 2024
Lovely Christmas stories. Some better than others. The first story started the book strong. The story with Donna is brilliant. You can literally hear her voice in it. Overall a recommended read for any Whovian.
November 23, 2023
3.5 stars
December 24, 2023
You can really hear David Tennant's voice when you read this aloud! Not all of the stories sing, but the opening and closing two-parter is particularly memorable, and when it works, it really works.
December 30, 2023
A good collection of short stories about the festive adventures of 10/14th doctor.
January 7, 2024
Great tales with my favaroute doctor and some of his best companions. Some of the tales were good and some were great. A must read for any Doctor who fans out there.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews