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Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #177
Doctor Who: Warriors' Gate and Beyond
I am Biroc. The shadow of my past... and your future.
Warriors' Gate
In this new-to-print, expanded novelisation of the classic 1981 adventure, the TARDIS is caught in a collapsing void between two different universes - and the 4th Doctor, Romana and Adric must enter into a dangerous alliance with the Tharils - a race of enslaved, time-sensitive aliens. The consequences are explored in two further short stories...
The Kairos Ring
Now allies of the enslaved across all creation, Romana and the Tharil Laszlo ride the time winds in search of the sinister Sluagh - aliens who retool the dead as deadly warriors.
The Little Book of Fate
Searching for the source of a scream across time, the Eighth Doctor investigates a most unusual carnival freak show in the north of England - where a figure from his past awaits him.
Not one story but three, from one of classic Doctor Who's most original voices - Stephen Gallagher, author of the original screenplay for Warriors' Gate.
Warriors' Gate
In this new-to-print, expanded novelisation of the classic 1981 adventure, the TARDIS is caught in a collapsing void between two different universes - and the 4th Doctor, Romana and Adric must enter into a dangerous alliance with the Tharils - a race of enslaved, time-sensitive aliens. The consequences are explored in two further short stories...
The Kairos Ring
Now allies of the enslaved across all creation, Romana and the Tharil Laszlo ride the time winds in search of the sinister Sluagh - aliens who retool the dead as deadly warriors.
The Little Book of Fate
Searching for the source of a scream across time, the Eighth Doctor investigates a most unusual carnival freak show in the north of England - where a figure from his past awaits him.
Not one story but three, from one of classic Doctor Who's most original voices - Stephen Gallagher, author of the original screenplay for Warriors' Gate.
249 pages, Paperback
Published December 26, 2023
8 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Gallagher
153 books135 followersStoker and World Fantasy Award nominee, winner of British Fantasy and International Horror Guild Awards for his short fiction, Stephen Gallagher has a career both as a novelist and as a creator of primetime miniseries and episodic television. His fifteen novels include Chimera, Oktober, Valley of Lights and Nightmare, with Angel. He's the creator of Sebastian Becker, Special Investigator to the Lord Chancellor's Visitor in Lunacy, in a series of novels that includes The Kingdom of Bones, The Bedlam Detective, and The Authentic William James. In his native England he's adapted and created hour-long and feature-length thrillers and crime dramas. In the US he was lead writer on NBC's Crusoe, creator of CBS Television's Eleventh Hour, and Co-Executive Producer on ABC's The Forgotten. Recent screen credits include an award-winning Silent Witness and Stan Lee's Lucky Man.
He began his TV career as a writer on two seasons of Doctor Who, and wrote two novelizations of his stories under the pseudonym John Lydecker.
** Photo by Lisa Bowerman **
He began his TV career as a writer on two seasons of Doctor Who, and wrote two novelizations of his stories under the pseudonym John Lydecker.
** Photo by Lisa Bowerman **
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 10, 2023
Ghastly because it's not what was broadcast, changed ending and load of missing story. When you buy Target you normally get missing story, not story removed.
The only good thing about this is that the two short stories are brilliant almost as if they written by different person and cover is bad too. I love the zombie style story. It was influenced by Harry Turtledove 's The Guns of the South.
The 2nd story was set with a shadow of the Time wars hitted at, but cannot say much or I guess it would spoil it.
The only good thing about this is that the two short stories are brilliant almost as if they written by different person and cover is bad too. I love the zombie style story. It was influenced by Harry Turtledove 's The Guns of the South.
The 2nd story was set with a shadow of the Time wars hitted at, but cannot say much or I guess it would spoil it.
August 10, 2023
A brilliantly surprising package of delight. This is Mr. Gallagher's second take on novelizing his 1981 TV episodes...once much closer to his original approach. The main adaptation follows much of the original novel and TV story...then starts to diverge in interesting and surprising ways. The biggest change is the new focus on Lazlo and Romana's growing relationship, and much more build-up to her eventual departure from the TARDIS crew. It's a different but no less impressive take on the original version of "Warriors' Gate" and it is to be cherished. This is followed up by two stories: first, a delightful, almost Harry-Potter-ish tale of Romana in action, post-TARDIS; second, a tale when a future version of Romana runs into the 8th Doctor, and their reunion forms the core of a compact, concise, melancholy tale. Overall, this is a sumptuous package many years in the making.
Read
July 20, 2023On Sunday I went to a celebration of Target Doctor Who books*, and one of the things that kept coming up was how the special effects are much better in prose. Which is mostly true, but every so often it falters, and this is one of those times. Warriors' Gate was the closest TV Who ever came to Last Year At Marienbad, and simply being told "Laszlo was pulling her out of phase", or reading a plain description of a time-shifted garden, doesn't capture the same genuinely uncanny quality as those early eighties visual effects being pushed to the limits of their ability, and then a little sideways. There are a few lovely little details here, not least a business plan straight out of Douglas Adams, and Rorvik, the villain of the piece, remains a particularly punchable monster even by Who standards - not just a slaver, but a man loudly convinced of his own compassion and competence while noticeably devoid of either. He'd go far in 21st century politics. Too often, though, a story which on screen was like nothing else here feels like fairly standard Who.
There is that 'and beyond', though - two short stories following on from Romana's decision to stay behind with the Tharils. At least one of which is hard to square with her having been Gallifrey's president during the Time War, but then canon has always been elastic in Who, doubly so in Target, and necessarily peculiar during a Time War. I was also puzzled by the notion of the Doctor not believing in psychic ability, considering. But looked at in themselves, one is a nice enough bridge between eras, the other a fun crosstime romp which builds on the original serial's anti-slavery themes before slipping in an extra emotional payload.
*And you might assume I'd have bought this there. So did I, in advance. Turns out the booksellers at geek events have something like the Tharils' ability to clutch at the slenderest thread of victory in a terrible situation, except in reverse.
There is that 'and beyond', though - two short stories following on from Romana's decision to stay behind with the Tharils. At least one of which is hard to square with her having been Gallifrey's president during the Time War, but then canon has always been elastic in Who, doubly so in Target, and necessarily peculiar during a Time War. I was also puzzled by the notion of the Doctor not believing in psychic ability, considering. But looked at in themselves, one is a nice enough bridge between eras, the other a fun crosstime romp which builds on the original serial's anti-slavery themes before slipping in an extra emotional payload.
*And you might assume I'd have bought this there. So did I, in advance. Turns out the booksellers at geek events have something like the Tharils' ability to clutch at the slenderest thread of victory in a terrible situation, except in reverse.
August 5, 2023
The restoration of Gallagher’s original adaptation is well worth the wait: while the themes of slavery and the turn of the wheel of history is deepened it’s particularly good at bringing out the underlying class antagonism of the piece: that the slavers are essentially a bunch of jobsworths on a run down ship gives the Tharils’ yoke extra tightness around their necks. Rorvik’s petty authoritarianism, strongly brought out here, is a terrific illustration of the banality of evil. It might lack the oddness of the TV version, but it’s a reasonable trade-off for the added characterisation. Conveniently, it also helps unpick the elements Gallagher and Joyce brought to the serial.
Both the accompanying stories sit beautifully with Warriors’ Gate, thoughtfully complementing the earlier story and deepening and extending its themes. The final story in particular also reflects one of the strongest underlying elements of Steven Moffat’s era of the show, which gives the whole thing a pleasing contemporary resonance.
Both the accompanying stories sit beautifully with Warriors’ Gate, thoughtfully complementing the earlier story and deepening and extending its themes. The final story in particular also reflects one of the strongest underlying elements of Steven Moffat’s era of the show, which gives the whole thing a pleasing contemporary resonance.
July 14, 2023
Trying to escape N-Space, the Doctor encounters a race of beings who can naturally warp space and may provide him with a path home. However the Tharils are a slave race and their use may be a price too high to pay.
Gallagher's story is great and the expansion helps tie the story into the life of the Doctor in new and surprising ways. The novelisation adds to the television presentation, but the startling imagery from the show cannot be adequately described on the page.
Gallagher's story is great and the expansion helps tie the story into the life of the Doctor in new and surprising ways. The novelisation adds to the television presentation, but the startling imagery from the show cannot be adequately described on the page.
July 18, 2023
It's really difficult to write a book containing characters we already know and love, and make those characters paper-thin and dull.
Difficult, but not impossible.
So... yay?
With three stories in one volume, Stephen Gallagher gives us the novelisation of Warriors' Gate, an adventure from Season 18 (in old money) of Doctor Who, featuring Romana, Adric and an ailing K-9.
It feels from the off that Gallagher has presumed that we all saw Gate, and as such don't need anything more than a tedious retelling of the tale.
He also clearly believes we all know the three main characters well enough that they don't need any fleshing out, any depth.
An approach he takes with all the other characters as well, sadly.
And herein lies the problem.
While I may well know The Doctor, Romana and Adric well, on the page they still need to become three-dimensional characters. They need heft, weight, and it shouldn't be presumed that this comes from the name alone.
One of the joys, way back in the mists of time, of reading a Doctor Who book from the library (ask your grandparents) was getting that first description of The Doctor. Of course we knew what they looked like, but having it there on the page told us we were all on the same page, so to speak. It told us the author knew what they were doing.
Secondary characters, and even the major guest ones, are always harder. In TV land they have no backstory, and we are left to the dialogue and skills of the actor to tell us what we need to know.
And that, by and large, works.
Not so much in a book.
The result is a bunch of people we don't care about are doing things we don't care about to people we also don't care about, and people we actually know but end up not caring about are caught up in the mess.
Hurrah.
The second (Romana Has An Adventure) and third (Doctor 8 Has An Adventure Too) stories are a bit more fun, partly because they're short, as they bounce further on from the action of Warriors' Gate, but the old problems persist.
This is one more for the completists.
Right, I'm off to dig out the Season 18 BluRay to remind myself what actually happened.
Difficult, but not impossible.
So... yay?
With three stories in one volume, Stephen Gallagher gives us the novelisation of Warriors' Gate, an adventure from Season 18 (in old money) of Doctor Who, featuring Romana, Adric and an ailing K-9.
It feels from the off that Gallagher has presumed that we all saw Gate, and as such don't need anything more than a tedious retelling of the tale.
He also clearly believes we all know the three main characters well enough that they don't need any fleshing out, any depth.
An approach he takes with all the other characters as well, sadly.
And herein lies the problem.
While I may well know The Doctor, Romana and Adric well, on the page they still need to become three-dimensional characters. They need heft, weight, and it shouldn't be presumed that this comes from the name alone.
One of the joys, way back in the mists of time, of reading a Doctor Who book from the library (ask your grandparents) was getting that first description of The Doctor. Of course we knew what they looked like, but having it there on the page told us we were all on the same page, so to speak. It told us the author knew what they were doing.
Secondary characters, and even the major guest ones, are always harder. In TV land they have no backstory, and we are left to the dialogue and skills of the actor to tell us what we need to know.
And that, by and large, works.
Not so much in a book.
The result is a bunch of people we don't care about are doing things we don't care about to people we also don't care about, and people we actually know but end up not caring about are caught up in the mess.
Hurrah.
The second (Romana Has An Adventure) and third (Doctor 8 Has An Adventure Too) stories are a bit more fun, partly because they're short, as they bounce further on from the action of Warriors' Gate, but the old problems persist.
This is one more for the completists.
Right, I'm off to dig out the Season 18 BluRay to remind myself what actually happened.
June 28, 2025
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/doctor-who-warriors-gate-and-beyond-by-stephen-gallagher/
The BBC have released a print version of the new audiobook, plus two more short stories by Stephen Gallagher set in the same continuity.
As I said before, the revised novelisation gives us a lot more background and characterisation of the slavers and the Tharils than did either the TV series or the 1982 text, and mixes up the plot quite substantially. Gallagher is probably the best known mainstream sf writer to have worked on 1980’s Doctor Who, and he clearly loves the story and can now shape it the way he wants.
The first of the two extra stories is quite a long one, “The Kairos Ring”, featuring Romana and the Tharils and aliens infesting an American Civil War battle. It was also originally released as an audiobook, as the first in a series of five of which the other four were all by Paul Magrs. I had not come across these before, and must look our for them.
The other new story is “The Little Book of Fate”, basically a vignette bringing the Eighth Doctor back into this particular continuity, but nicely done.
Sometimes the BBC tries to make money off us fans by putting old wine in new bottles, but this is very refreshing.
The BBC have released a print version of the new audiobook, plus two more short stories by Stephen Gallagher set in the same continuity.
As I said before, the revised novelisation gives us a lot more background and characterisation of the slavers and the Tharils than did either the TV series or the 1982 text, and mixes up the plot quite substantially. Gallagher is probably the best known mainstream sf writer to have worked on 1980’s Doctor Who, and he clearly loves the story and can now shape it the way he wants.
The first of the two extra stories is quite a long one, “The Kairos Ring”, featuring Romana and the Tharils and aliens infesting an American Civil War battle. It was also originally released as an audiobook, as the first in a series of five of which the other four were all by Paul Magrs. I had not come across these before, and must look our for them.
The other new story is “The Little Book of Fate”, basically a vignette bringing the Eighth Doctor back into this particular continuity, but nicely done.
Sometimes the BBC tries to make money off us fans by putting old wine in new bottles, but this is very refreshing.
August 28, 2023
Doctor Who: Warrior's Gate novelisation was originally published as part of the Target Books series. This book expands that original novelisation by giving more information on how the privateer spaceship became stranded in E-Space, along with the TARDIS, and a little more on the Gundan robots.
As a bonus, the book contains two additional tales. The Kairos Ring is a novelisation of the previously released audio adventure featuring Romana and the Tharil, Laszlo, direct from Warrior's Gate. The story concerns an alien parasite which sits in the front of the host's brain and Romana and Laszlo set about defeating the creature with the help of a rescued young soldier, who has an unexpected twist about him revealed at the end of the story.
The Little Book Of Fate is a very short tale which sees the Eighth Doctor investigating a seaside town fair which Romana and Laszlo are using to rescue aliens from the casualty of wars on other planets.
There are no chapters in any of the stories, as was the case with the original publication of Warrior's Gate, and so paragraph breaks have to be selected to break up the reading. The book is ideal for those who like to keep a completed Target Book library.
As a bonus, the book contains two additional tales. The Kairos Ring is a novelisation of the previously released audio adventure featuring Romana and the Tharil, Laszlo, direct from Warrior's Gate. The story concerns an alien parasite which sits in the front of the host's brain and Romana and Laszlo set about defeating the creature with the help of a rescued young soldier, who has an unexpected twist about him revealed at the end of the story.
The Little Book Of Fate is a very short tale which sees the Eighth Doctor investigating a seaside town fair which Romana and Laszlo are using to rescue aliens from the casualty of wars on other planets.
There are no chapters in any of the stories, as was the case with the original publication of Warrior's Gate, and so paragraph breaks have to be selected to break up the reading. The book is ideal for those who like to keep a completed Target Book library.
February 23, 2025
This starts out as a more or less straight copy of Gallagher’s original novel, with just a few words changed here and there, along with a couple of POV shifts. Then the story changes, with the Doctor heading off with Rorvik and his party instead of Romana. The core story remains but there’s less for Romana to do in it: I’m guessing it was beefed up on screen because it was her last story and she needed to go out with something more heroic. I’m not sure which version I prefer at the moment: time will, no doubt, tell.
We also get a couple of short stories, both of which start off quite differently to where they wind up going. I enjoyed the first one, although there’s no real explanation for why Romana doesn’t get picked up by the Time Lords and taken back to Gallifrey because of her time-hopping shenanigans in N-Space. The second story is a lot of fun as well, but because the focus is more on the Doctor, we get a sketchy account of what Romana has been up to rather than something more satisfying. I do like the nods towards future history, though.
We also get a couple of short stories, both of which start off quite differently to where they wind up going. I enjoyed the first one, although there’s no real explanation for why Romana doesn’t get picked up by the Time Lords and taken back to Gallifrey because of her time-hopping shenanigans in N-Space. The second story is a lot of fun as well, but because the focus is more on the Doctor, we get a sketchy account of what Romana has been up to rather than something more satisfying. I do like the nods towards future history, though.
July 14, 2024
So, this was something of a read. Finished a while ago only uploading the review now.
I did like how this novel expends on some of the things in the story, mainly the goodbye but overall it was just fine for me.
WHY ARE THERE NO BLOODY CHAPTERS IN THIS NOVEL WHY THE HELL WOULD SOMEONE DO THAT?!
Yeah, that was my biggest problem with the novel. For the life of me I do not understand this choice, I never knew where I was supposed to stop and such which is something chapters provide for you. It feels so simple, doesn’t it?
The first short story dealing with a normal day in the life of Romana after she left, I don’t dislike it but most of the time is spend on this other character who we don’t care for? What the hell?
Then the second short story which has the Doctor and Romana meet again after so long it was so terribly short, they meet, in a paragraph they catch up and four pages later the story is done.
I did like how this novel expends on some of the things in the story, mainly the goodbye but overall it was just fine for me.
WHY ARE THERE NO BLOODY CHAPTERS IN THIS NOVEL WHY THE HELL WOULD SOMEONE DO THAT?!
Yeah, that was my biggest problem with the novel. For the life of me I do not understand this choice, I never knew where I was supposed to stop and such which is something chapters provide for you. It feels so simple, doesn’t it?
The first short story dealing with a normal day in the life of Romana after she left, I don’t dislike it but most of the time is spend on this other character who we don’t care for? What the hell?
Then the second short story which has the Doctor and Romana meet again after so long it was so terribly short, they meet, in a paragraph they catch up and four pages later the story is done.
March 5, 2024
I could take or leave the retelling /return to the original script of Warrior's Gate. I get that in novel form, some of the more funky visual storytelling doesn't translate, but it's not really replaced by anything particularly interesting. Without the screen performances, Rorvik and crew are dull and one-dimensional and I had a hard time recognizing the Doctor, Romana and Adric. Perhaps I just love the televised story too much, but this seemed like a pale shadow. I also remember liking the original adaptation more. I also appreciate that the author wanted this version realized, it just wasn't for me.
However, I adored the two additional stories which were full of invention, charm and melancholy. Worth the price of the book, no question.
This would actually be 3 1/2 stars purely for their inclusion.
However, I adored the two additional stories which were full of invention, charm and melancholy. Worth the price of the book, no question.
This would actually be 3 1/2 stars purely for their inclusion.
March 22, 2024
Only read if (like me) you absolutely adore the TV serial.
Warrior's Gate is easily in my top 3 DW's, and this new 'novelisation' seems to be closer to Gallagher's original scripts than anything broadcast.
While for fans of the serial like me there's a lot to appreciate in seeing how the story changed over the course of writing (and production), this isn't the most involving or cohesive version to read.
As a curiosity, it was interesting enough for me to get through, but I was disappointed this wasn't to be the 'definitive version' of the story, with Gallagher revising his initial novelisation of the shooting scripts and injecting some more of his own initial ideas.
For fans of the story, I highly recommend this book - it's a great making of and analysis.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Warrior's Gate is easily in my top 3 DW's, and this new 'novelisation' seems to be closer to Gallagher's original scripts than anything broadcast.
While for fans of the serial like me there's a lot to appreciate in seeing how the story changed over the course of writing (and production), this isn't the most involving or cohesive version to read.
As a curiosity, it was interesting enough for me to get through, but I was disappointed this wasn't to be the 'definitive version' of the story, with Gallagher revising his initial novelisation of the shooting scripts and injecting some more of his own initial ideas.
For fans of the story, I highly recommend this book - it's a great making of and analysis.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
November 19, 2023
Stephen Gallagher has another go at novelizing his own script for "Doctor Who" with this volume. Nicely written, it clearly explains the complex plot. The time sensitive Tharils are enslaved by humans to guide their space ships. It's karma of a kind, since the Tharils were once enslavers themselves. But the Doctor, Romana and Adric get embroiled with their escape attempt while they are all lost in a sub-space void that is contracting...
And, as a bonus, there are two short stories about the Tharils that, with a bit of expansion, could be standalone novels of their own. Very enjoyable!
And, as a bonus, there are two short stories about the Tharils that, with a bit of expansion, could be standalone novels of their own. Very enjoyable!
April 7, 2024
Another great target book. The main aspect, the novelisation of Warrior's Gate, is brilliant, but it's the short stories that stand out here. The Kairos Ring gives an exciting battle against an enemy called the Slaugh, and The Little Book Of Fate is an excellent character piece, uniting the Eighth Doctor with a new regeneration of Romana. I particularly like the idea of the Tharils being part of a travelling fair, and it being a cover for a refugee camp from a war. A clever twist when readers are expecting their performances as part of the fair's freak show to be something far more cruel.
August 23, 2023
Rating between 4 & 5
A very good adaptation/rewrite of the classic who story from Tom Baker’s final season.
It is a great improvement over the original target book which was essentially too short to do the author’s ideas justice I think.
The two short stories included follow Romania’s story as she works with Lazlo and the Tharils. Both of these are good I thought but the Kairos Ring is definitely the better of them.
Well worth reading and adding to your Target Books collection.
A very good adaptation/rewrite of the classic who story from Tom Baker’s final season.
It is a great improvement over the original target book which was essentially too short to do the author’s ideas justice I think.
The two short stories included follow Romania’s story as she works with Lazlo and the Tharils. Both of these are good I thought but the Kairos Ring is definitely the better of them.
Well worth reading and adding to your Target Books collection.
December 17, 2023
A simple retelling on the original Warriors' Gate. Some scenes added for context but many removed or changed, much of the mystery and surreal nature of the original toned down.
The two short stories are a mixed bag, Karios Ring is an interesting tale that continues Romana's story after the end of Warriors Gate.
The Little book of Fate serves as a short epilogue to the story of Romana and Tharils but doesn't really add much.
The two short stories are a mixed bag, Karios Ring is an interesting tale that continues Romana's story after the end of Warriors Gate.
The Little book of Fate serves as a short epilogue to the story of Romana and Tharils but doesn't really add much.
August 16, 2025
A reprint of the old Target book with 2 new short stories. I've always thought that this was one of the better Target books, as it adds more context to the TV series. The 2 stories follow Romana in her quest to help the Thrails. They are decent stories and definitely make this book worth buying again. A good read.
August 25, 2023
One of the best regarded of later Tom stories and the most enigmatic. A take of shifting tine phases ,slavers becoming slaves and time lords fleeing their fate . I love this one . This expanded novelisation with two very good short stories is a treat .
October 19, 2023
Always good to read a classic Doctor Who target novel but a nice addition to this one is the two stories at the end which recount what happened to Romana after she left the Doctor with K9 and in the second story a meeting with the 8th Doctor. Definitely worth a read.
November 11, 2023
A wonderful extension to a great TV story, with this book a very different animal. The only thing I miss from the tv version is the girl Tharil. However, the beefing up of other Tharil characters makes up for this, as does the general expansion of the events.
March 29, 2024
The main story is a hard read. Oh, it is written well and isn't a challenging story, it is that the bulk of the story is just everyone wandering around aimlessly, with the supporting characters mainly unlikeable dolts. As for the TARDIS crew, Adric fares pretty badly. There is nothing to like about his characterization. The Doctor is at best benignly disinterested in him, and Romana does little to hide her disdain. I barely remember the episode so I have little to compare this book with.
The two short stories are better than the main story, although the first one really only exists to be a background to the second. It is ok on its own but no big deal.
The two short stories are better than the main story, although the first one really only exists to be a background to the second. It is ok on its own but no big deal.
April 30, 2024
Space-time shatters at
zero coordinates. An
opaque parable.
zero coordinates. An
opaque parable.
September 15, 2024
Enjoyable lyrical SF with big ideas and fun characters. The short stories were a pleasant bonus.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews