What do you think?
Rate this book
Past Doctor Adventures #5
Doctor Who: Illegal Alien
The Blitz is at its height. As the Luftwaffe bomb London, Cody McBride, ex-pat American private eye, sees a sinister silver sphere crash-land. He glimpses something emerging from within. The military dismiss his account of events - the sphere must be a new German secret weapon that has malfunctioned in some way. What else could it be?
Arriving amid the chaos, the Doctor and Ace embark on a trail that brings them face to face with hidden Nazi agents, and encounter some very old enemies.
An adventure featuring the Seventh Doctor, as played by Sylvester McCoy, and his companion Ace
Arriving amid the chaos, the Doctor and Ace embark on a trail that brings them face to face with hidden Nazi agents, and encounter some very old enemies.
An adventure featuring the Seventh Doctor, as played by Sylvester McCoy, and his companion Ace
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 1997
9 people are currently reading
492 people want to read
About the author
Mike Tucker
106 books46 followersMike Tucker is a special effects expert who worked for many years at the BBC Television Visual Effects Department, and now works as an Effects Supervisor for his own company, The Model Unit. He is also the author of a number of original tv tie-in Doctor Who novels (some co-written with Robert Perry), and three books based on episodes of the television series Merlin. He co-wrote the factual books Ace! The Inside Story of the End of an Era with Sophie Aldred in 1996, and BBC VFX - The Story of the BBC Visual Effects Department with Mat Irvine in 2010.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
September 8, 2021
With the BBC deciding to publish their own Doctor Who novels from 1997, they wisely set most of the Seventh Doctor stories in between the last televised serial Survival and the highly popular Virgin New Adventures range.
It really does feel like a continuation as The Doctor and Ace arrive in London during the blitz.
This being the second time they have visited The Second World War!
It also gives Ace the opportunity to understand that using Nitro-9 isn’t the solution for everything!
At the same time a sinister silver sphere has crash landed, bring one of The Doctor’s deadliest foes.
I liked that it was one of the 1960’s versions of the Cybermen, it’s a nice throwback to Classic Who.
Their constant presence lurking in the background of this story was so effective and sinister.
One of the best early Past Doctor Adventures!
It really does feel like a continuation as The Doctor and Ace arrive in London during the blitz.
This being the second time they have visited The Second World War!
It also gives Ace the opportunity to understand that using Nitro-9 isn’t the solution for everything!
At the same time a sinister silver sphere has crash landed, bring one of The Doctor’s deadliest foes.
I liked that it was one of the 1960’s versions of the Cybermen, it’s a nice throwback to Classic Who.
Their constant presence lurking in the background of this story was so effective and sinister.
One of the best early Past Doctor Adventures!
October 29, 2022
Mike Tucker to me feels like a safety blanket in the Doctor Who book range. Always a solid, decent and fun book but never a story that will knock your socks off. Since this was his first book, my expectations were not very high. Let me just say this: I was pleasantly surprised.
I bought this book for one simple reason: I simply adore the seventh Doctor and Ace. They are always a pleasure to watch, read about and listen to. This serves perfectly as a story between the end of the original series and the revival of the show. With a bit of darkness from the end of the show still lingering in this tale, it really brings out the best in the seventh Doctor and Ace.
The protagonist is Cody McBride, an American private eye who settled in London. Unfortunately for him, this story takes place in the second world war and the city is being bombed into oblivion. During the bombing however, he notices something different fall out of the sky. Everyone seems pleased to believe it is simply an unexploded new kind of bomb, McBride however is not convinced. The pursuit for the truth begins but he is thwarted by the police and the military. Combine this with the mysterious Doctor and a sassy Ace dragging McBride along their own investigation and a serial killer on the loose and we find ourselves immersed in a story we wish would have happened on the small screen.
Occasionally a bit chaotic due to a sizeable cast. Still, easy recommendation for any Doctor Who fan.
I bought this book for one simple reason: I simply adore the seventh Doctor and Ace. They are always a pleasure to watch, read about and listen to. This serves perfectly as a story between the end of the original series and the revival of the show. With a bit of darkness from the end of the show still lingering in this tale, it really brings out the best in the seventh Doctor and Ace.
The protagonist is Cody McBride, an American private eye who settled in London. Unfortunately for him, this story takes place in the second world war and the city is being bombed into oblivion. During the bombing however, he notices something different fall out of the sky. Everyone seems pleased to believe it is simply an unexploded new kind of bomb, McBride however is not convinced. The pursuit for the truth begins but he is thwarted by the police and the military. Combine this with the mysterious Doctor and a sassy Ace dragging McBride along their own investigation and a serial killer on the loose and we find ourselves immersed in a story we wish would have happened on the small screen.
Occasionally a bit chaotic due to a sizeable cast. Still, easy recommendation for any Doctor Who fan.
May 14, 2016
After the last two badly written Who books this was a breath of fresh air. The BBC books are far superior to the Virgin editions
July 19, 2024
*My Doctor Who reviews are also available at https://tardis.guide/
"They talk of the triumph of the machine, but the machine will never triumph."
D. H. Lawrence
Tucker and Perry's novel explores a different side of the Seventh Doctor, showcasing his ability to think on his feet and change plans. The Doctor's deep connection to Ace and his exploration of her TARDIS room during her kidnapping showcases his softer emotions.
The story is practically a noir film in descriptive prose, blending London's empty streets during the Blitz and Cody McBride, an American detective, narrating the opening scenes. The Cybermen are a more genuine threat here than in Silver Nemesis, with them d using citizens hiding underground from the Blitz as stock. The book features scenes that rival Attack of the Cybermen regarding body horror. Tucker and Perry skillfully craft horror off-screen, allowing the screams and silence to sink in.
Illegal Alien is a talented debut novel for the Seventh Doctor and Ace. It offers an excellent introduction to the Past Doctor Adventures series. The regulars and side characters are well-realized, and the plot is engaging.
"They talk of the triumph of the machine, but the machine will never triumph."
D. H. Lawrence
Tucker and Perry's novel explores a different side of the Seventh Doctor, showcasing his ability to think on his feet and change plans. The Doctor's deep connection to Ace and his exploration of her TARDIS room during her kidnapping showcases his softer emotions.
The story is practically a noir film in descriptive prose, blending London's empty streets during the Blitz and Cody McBride, an American detective, narrating the opening scenes. The Cybermen are a more genuine threat here than in Silver Nemesis, with them d using citizens hiding underground from the Blitz as stock. The book features scenes that rival Attack of the Cybermen regarding body horror. Tucker and Perry skillfully craft horror off-screen, allowing the screams and silence to sink in.
Illegal Alien is a talented debut novel for the Seventh Doctor and Ace. It offers an excellent introduction to the Past Doctor Adventures series. The regulars and side characters are well-realized, and the plot is engaging.
May 29, 2008
This would have made a great TV episode, but as a book it feels a bit overly padded.
Great historical setting and always good to see the Cybermen.
Though, the human bad guy didn't quite work for me. Never really bought his motivation.
Always liked the Doctor/Ace relationship. It saved a lot of the weaker TV episodes and the writer has done a nice job of capturing it here.
Great historical setting and always good to see the Cybermen.
Though, the human bad guy didn't quite work for me. Never really bought his motivation.
Always liked the Doctor/Ace relationship. It saved a lot of the weaker TV episodes and the writer has done a nice job of capturing it here.
April 21, 2012
Best Cybermen tale I've ever read.
March 18, 2024
This is a very authentic slice of late 80s Doctor Who, with Sylvester McCoy’s mischievous Doctor and his explosives-obsessed companion Ace running around 1940s London dodging Luftwaffe bombs and mad Cybermen. There’s a lot of atmosphere and gore, albeit not a lot of plot, and where the book makes efforts to tackle Nazi-ism it inadvertently recalls stronger Who books that did the same. Still, a good romp.
March 21, 2025
Another one I read in school, however, as a teen towards the end. I strongly remember loving this and was recently reminded after hearing Sophie Aldred discuss doing an audiobook for it.
Brutal cybermen, classic 7 & Ace, it was a joy.
Brutal cybermen, classic 7 & Ace, it was a joy.
January 15, 2018
What a great past doctor novel.
I loved that it was based in Southwark, London as I've recently visited the place for a play last month and Jersey which is a island I love very much and have been to it twice. It was interesting comparing it to the world war two Dr Who novels in Virgin New adventures Timewyrm; Exodus and Just War. This was very early in Ace days with the Doctor so that's how I imagined it with it being mentioned she never visited this era before but when she did.
I love Mcbride. I loved the Mcbride/Ace/Doctor gang. It gave me very Duggan vibes from City of Death and a Duggan/Romana/Doctor kind of vibe which I loved and think what the writers were trying to get at.
I also LOVED the Cybermats made out of small animals and babies. I got a Crystal of Cantus vibe with Brax making the Cybermats out of babies and this reading it, just made it all the more horrifying.
Was slow novel to start with but a great BBC book.
Would recommend.
I loved that it was based in Southwark, London as I've recently visited the place for a play last month and Jersey which is a island I love very much and have been to it twice. It was interesting comparing it to the world war two Dr Who novels in Virgin New adventures Timewyrm; Exodus and Just War. This was very early in Ace days with the Doctor so that's how I imagined it with it being mentioned she never visited this era before but when she did.
I love Mcbride. I loved the Mcbride/Ace/Doctor gang. It gave me very Duggan vibes from City of Death and a Duggan/Romana/Doctor kind of vibe which I loved and think what the writers were trying to get at.
I also LOVED the Cybermats made out of small animals and babies. I got a Crystal of Cantus vibe with Brax making the Cybermats out of babies and this reading it, just made it all the more horrifying.
Was slow novel to start with but a great BBC book.
Would recommend.
December 12, 2020
Da ich leider erst mit dem 9. Doktor meine Leidenschaft entdeckte, hieß es vor dem Lesestart erst einmal schauen, wer denn der 7. Doktor eigentlich war, wie er aussah und welche Eigenarten er hatte. Zudem schaute ich auch gleich nach Ace, da diese im Buch eine größere Rolle spielte.
Da ich nun den Herrn mit dem Fragezeichen-Pollunder und das kesse Mädchen im Kopf hatte, konnte die Geschichte losgehen. Dabei war ich sehr gespannt, da es ja diesmal um die Cybermen gehen sollte. Diese metallenen Riesen jagten mir stets immer ein wenig Angst ein, aber ich wollte trotzdem wissen, ob man genau wie im Vorgänger mit den Daleks, Informationen über sie preisgab. Bisher kante zumindest ich sie nur mit ihren ganzen Cyber-Spielereien.
Das Vorwort war schnell gelesen und die Story konnte beginnen. Allerdings tat ich mich ab der ersten Seite mit dem Szenario schwer. Da mein Interesse für geschichtlichen Gegebenheiten inklusive dem 2. Weltkrieges nicht besonders hoch ist, war es schon sehr eigenartig sich nun mitten in nächtlichen Bombardierungen wiederzufinden. Ich arrangierte mich jedoch damit, denn die Darstellung in Zusammenhang mit dem Doktor, war wirklich sehr gut lesbar. Besonders da sich Ace dies Zeit bewusst ausgesucht hatte.
Natürlich ließen die Cybermen natürlich nicht lange auf sich warten, blieben dabei aber erst einmal ein wenig im Hintergrund. Dies hatte auch gute Gründe, denn wer wie ich, die Cybermen nicht so gut kannte, erfuhr nun wie sie auf fremden Planeten agierten. Und dies war wirklich spannend, da die doch sehr schießwütigen Zeitgenossen alles taten damit ihr Plan auch gelingen würde. Dabei taten sie sich sogar mit Menschen zusammen, denn wo ein Krieg ist, will es ja auch einen Sieger geben.
Abgerundet wurde dies nur noch vom Schreibstil und den liebevollen Details, welche dieser mitbrachte. Von der Erklärung wieso die Gesichter der Cybermen so aussehen, wie sie eben aussehen, bis hin zur Angst und den Sorgen, welche die damalige Zeit mit sich brachte, war alles wirklich sehr stimmig und fühlte sich gut an. Dazu kam, dass man die Charaktere vom Doktor und von Ace hervorragend eingefangen hatte. Ich empfand das Gespann zwar trotzdem komisch, aber so wie sie handelten waren sie ein tolles Team. Kein Wunder also das ich mich jetzt schon auf die Nachfolger dieser Reihe mehr als freue.
So sehr mich die neuen Erkenntnisse über die Cybermen auch packten, konnte das Szenario mit dem 2. Weltkrieg dies nicht. Dies lag aber auch einfach daran, das man viel Wert auf die zeitlichen Gegebenheiten legte, die für mich einfach zu viel waren. Trotz allem würde ich jedem Doctor Who-Fan diesen Band empfehlen, da sowohl die Handlung unglaublich gut und man dem 7. Doktor einen würdigen Auftritt erwies.
Da ich nun den Herrn mit dem Fragezeichen-Pollunder und das kesse Mädchen im Kopf hatte, konnte die Geschichte losgehen. Dabei war ich sehr gespannt, da es ja diesmal um die Cybermen gehen sollte. Diese metallenen Riesen jagten mir stets immer ein wenig Angst ein, aber ich wollte trotzdem wissen, ob man genau wie im Vorgänger mit den Daleks, Informationen über sie preisgab. Bisher kante zumindest ich sie nur mit ihren ganzen Cyber-Spielereien.
Das Vorwort war schnell gelesen und die Story konnte beginnen. Allerdings tat ich mich ab der ersten Seite mit dem Szenario schwer. Da mein Interesse für geschichtlichen Gegebenheiten inklusive dem 2. Weltkrieges nicht besonders hoch ist, war es schon sehr eigenartig sich nun mitten in nächtlichen Bombardierungen wiederzufinden. Ich arrangierte mich jedoch damit, denn die Darstellung in Zusammenhang mit dem Doktor, war wirklich sehr gut lesbar. Besonders da sich Ace dies Zeit bewusst ausgesucht hatte.
Natürlich ließen die Cybermen natürlich nicht lange auf sich warten, blieben dabei aber erst einmal ein wenig im Hintergrund. Dies hatte auch gute Gründe, denn wer wie ich, die Cybermen nicht so gut kannte, erfuhr nun wie sie auf fremden Planeten agierten. Und dies war wirklich spannend, da die doch sehr schießwütigen Zeitgenossen alles taten damit ihr Plan auch gelingen würde. Dabei taten sie sich sogar mit Menschen zusammen, denn wo ein Krieg ist, will es ja auch einen Sieger geben.
Abgerundet wurde dies nur noch vom Schreibstil und den liebevollen Details, welche dieser mitbrachte. Von der Erklärung wieso die Gesichter der Cybermen so aussehen, wie sie eben aussehen, bis hin zur Angst und den Sorgen, welche die damalige Zeit mit sich brachte, war alles wirklich sehr stimmig und fühlte sich gut an. Dazu kam, dass man die Charaktere vom Doktor und von Ace hervorragend eingefangen hatte. Ich empfand das Gespann zwar trotzdem komisch, aber so wie sie handelten waren sie ein tolles Team. Kein Wunder also das ich mich jetzt schon auf die Nachfolger dieser Reihe mehr als freue.
So sehr mich die neuen Erkenntnisse über die Cybermen auch packten, konnte das Szenario mit dem 2. Weltkrieg dies nicht. Dies lag aber auch einfach daran, das man viel Wert auf die zeitlichen Gegebenheiten legte, die für mich einfach zu viel waren. Trotz allem würde ich jedem Doctor Who-Fan diesen Band empfehlen, da sowohl die Handlung unglaublich gut und man dem 7. Doktor einen würdigen Auftritt erwies.
December 19, 2020
Wow, it took me a while to get through this book. And obviously, that's not a good thing.
So, i actually like McCoy's 7th doctor and wanted to give one of his books a chance. And the book was very...disjointed? I guess is the best word for it.
The premise itself was fine, but the setting has kinda been overused to death. The biggest problem i found with this book was that it takes a LONG time to get started. it's ~300 pages and the first 100 were kind of a schlog to get through. Once i got to the halfway point though, the rest read pretty fast. It was honestly just getting to that point. If the whole book had been like the 2nd half i would have given it a 4, but i just couldn't forgive the first half.
i will say the characterization was good. It really felt like McCoy was there and they nailed his quirks and the way he acts very well. However, this novel falls into the hole that most doctor who stories fall into. Introducing WAYYYY too many characters who show up for five minutes and die. I can't tell you how many times i'd read it and go "oh no! not THAT guy! wait..who was that guy?" (flips back a few pages) "oh right. THAT guy."
Also, Doctor who's gotta stop with WWII london. we get it. it was a bad time. But there's a LOT of other places you can go in time Doc, please. Stop.
Overall, the cybermen story was fine and was competent. The bad guy was stock and fine, but it didn't jump out at me as AMAZING. It was...serviceable. If i was trying to sell someone on McCoy, it would not be this book. But if you already like McCoy...it's fine. Solid 3/5.
So, i actually like McCoy's 7th doctor and wanted to give one of his books a chance. And the book was very...disjointed? I guess is the best word for it.
The premise itself was fine, but the setting has kinda been overused to death. The biggest problem i found with this book was that it takes a LONG time to get started. it's ~300 pages and the first 100 were kind of a schlog to get through. Once i got to the halfway point though, the rest read pretty fast. It was honestly just getting to that point. If the whole book had been like the 2nd half i would have given it a 4, but i just couldn't forgive the first half.
i will say the characterization was good. It really felt like McCoy was there and they nailed his quirks and the way he acts very well. However, this novel falls into the hole that most doctor who stories fall into. Introducing WAYYYY too many characters who show up for five minutes and die. I can't tell you how many times i'd read it and go "oh no! not THAT guy! wait..who was that guy?" (flips back a few pages) "oh right. THAT guy."
Also, Doctor who's gotta stop with WWII london. we get it. it was a bad time. But there's a LOT of other places you can go in time Doc, please. Stop.
Overall, the cybermen story was fine and was competent. The bad guy was stock and fine, but it didn't jump out at me as AMAZING. It was...serviceable. If i was trying to sell someone on McCoy, it would not be this book. But if you already like McCoy...it's fine. Solid 3/5.
April 25, 2024
(3.5)
The ultimate random mood read but after Scratchman and with my falling back in love with the show, I could see this not being the only Doctor Who book I spontaneously read!
Great characterisations of my favourite Doctor-Companion duo with Seven and Ace, really interesting setting for a story and an awesome portrayal of the more broken scavenger Cybermen. The prose is really fun to read, with great side references, descriptions and tiny details in the text. Ultimately though I wasn't a huge fan of the plot, which had some odd pacing and tone, especially at the start, trying to be Dad's Army, Sherlock and a noir all at once, before gradually building to the typical tone we'd seen in Season 25/26 by the end.
The ultimate random mood read but after Scratchman and with my falling back in love with the show, I could see this not being the only Doctor Who book I spontaneously read!
Great characterisations of my favourite Doctor-Companion duo with Seven and Ace, really interesting setting for a story and an awesome portrayal of the more broken scavenger Cybermen. The prose is really fun to read, with great side references, descriptions and tiny details in the text. Ultimately though I wasn't a huge fan of the plot, which had some odd pacing and tone, especially at the start, trying to be Dad's Army, Sherlock and a noir all at once, before gradually building to the typical tone we'd seen in Season 25/26 by the end.
October 28, 2020
Dies war meine erste Begegnung mit dem siebten Doctor, denn als ich damals begann die Serie zu schauen, gab es lediglich wenige Folgen auf deutsch, außerdem begannen diese beim 9ten Doctor, und diese haben mich angefixt die weiteren auf englisch zu schauen. Wer sich das damals ausgedacht hat weiß ich auch nicht, aber das Buch zeigte mir, dass ich vielleicht doch mal auf die Suche gehen sollte nach älteren Folgen mit deutschem Untertitel. Ein klasse Kerl scheint er mir zu sein.
Was ich an jedem Doctor ja sehr mag, ist diese britische Art. Trocken im Abgang, schwarz im Humor. Herrlich. Durch das beschriebene Äußere, welches mit den Google Ergebnissen im übrigen sehr gut übereinstimmt, passte es dann gänzlich. Deswegen freue ich mich umso mehr auf den nächsten Band der Monster Edition, in welchem er wieder die Hauptrolle bekommt. Was ich sehr überraschend fand, dass die Atmosphäre, die auch in der Serie gerne mal etwas düster ist, hier wirklich sehr beklemmend war. Die Idee der Geschichte fand ich überhaupt absolut genial.
Normal kennen wir die Cybermen ja als recht brutale und überlegene Spezies, was sie auch sind, aber hier ist es ein klein wenig anders. Doch mehr möchte ich gar nicht dazu sagen. Spannend fand ich auch, dass Ace und der Doktor oftmals sehr unterschiedlich von einander agieren und man so die Geschichte aus zweierlei Perspektiven mit bekommt. Ace war mir persönlich oftmals zu leichtsinnig, was mich bis zum Ende doch ziemlich nervte. Nichtsdestotrotz gefiel mir die Geschichte wieder richtig gut, der Schreibstil war gut zu lesen und ich freue mich schon mega auf die weiteren Bände der Edition.
Fazit:
Die Begleiterin fand ich zwar etwas nervig, dafür den Doktor absolut großartig. Die Geschichte gefiel mir ebenfalls wieder gut.
Was ich an jedem Doctor ja sehr mag, ist diese britische Art. Trocken im Abgang, schwarz im Humor. Herrlich. Durch das beschriebene Äußere, welches mit den Google Ergebnissen im übrigen sehr gut übereinstimmt, passte es dann gänzlich. Deswegen freue ich mich umso mehr auf den nächsten Band der Monster Edition, in welchem er wieder die Hauptrolle bekommt. Was ich sehr überraschend fand, dass die Atmosphäre, die auch in der Serie gerne mal etwas düster ist, hier wirklich sehr beklemmend war. Die Idee der Geschichte fand ich überhaupt absolut genial.
Normal kennen wir die Cybermen ja als recht brutale und überlegene Spezies, was sie auch sind, aber hier ist es ein klein wenig anders. Doch mehr möchte ich gar nicht dazu sagen. Spannend fand ich auch, dass Ace und der Doktor oftmals sehr unterschiedlich von einander agieren und man so die Geschichte aus zweierlei Perspektiven mit bekommt. Ace war mir persönlich oftmals zu leichtsinnig, was mich bis zum Ende doch ziemlich nervte. Nichtsdestotrotz gefiel mir die Geschichte wieder richtig gut, der Schreibstil war gut zu lesen und ich freue mich schon mega auf die weiteren Bände der Edition.
Fazit:
Die Begleiterin fand ich zwar etwas nervig, dafür den Doktor absolut großartig. Die Geschichte gefiel mir ebenfalls wieder gut.
April 22, 2020
Just finished this book today and really liked it much better than the previous novel (in my opinion). I haven't read many of the virgin new adventures ,but this year I plan to read them in order to compare them to the BBC PDA novels of the seventh doctor. I really enjoyed this whole idea of this is part of a missing series we never got to see with The Hollow Men, Matrix, and Storm Harvest being the other stories. This is a good jumping on point for the PDA novels and the book itself is quite good and doesn't drag in the middle like most doctor who books with the doctor visiting places he has already been to looking for more clues for about 50 pages until the plot shows back up. None of that is in here and side not McBride is one of the best one of companion to date (again ,my opinion) and the twist around Part 4 is just wonderful. Really would recommend this one to any Classic Who fan.
December 17, 2014
I really wanted to give this novel four stars, but the opening half of the novel is full of characters best described as two-dimensional. Even Ace is rather cliched in the opening chapters, and as for Cody McBride...he's such a cardboard non-entity that he could be removed entirely from the novel without losing anything. Luckily, there is also much to enjoy here: the superb historical atmosphere, the surprisingly well-characterized Nazis, Ace suddenly waking up to become a riveting character, and a magnificently portrayed 7th Doctor. You can certainly imagine Sylvester McCoy relishing every line and milking every scene for all its worth. Make it through the first two parts of this novel, and you will be well-rewarded.
January 11, 2025
3.5/3.75
Illegal Alien is a great Seventh Doctor novel that captures the tone of the era as well as giving it some expanded scope. It maps well to a four-part story, given it is based on an unproduced TV script, with an appropriate level of atmosphere, cliffhanger moments, and splendid iconography (Cybermen in trench coats would be superb).
It captures a range of moods - dark comedy, intellectual detective story, and horror - and is full of well-paced intrigue. It kicks off with a serial killer in London, a crash-landing sphere, and military shenanigans. Throughout the book, there are some wonderful bits of character work which riff on Frankenstein, spy fiction, and war stories. The prose also provides us with some great passages which evoke the spirit of the series:
”What was it the Doctor used to say to her? She struggled to recompose the words in her head. ‘There is always evil to be fought. Evil thrives on neglect. It thrives on ignorance, on apathy, on hypocrisy. It thrives wherever we allow these things to grow unchallenged. It thrives wherever we turn our face away from need. Wherever we close our eyes, evil thrives.’”
Indeed, it’s not difficult to imagine Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred delivering these lines. It is, however, difficult to imagine the BBC1 show delivering something as horrific as teeth-bearing Cybermats and…Cyberbabies. In this way the envelope is pushed out further than the series managed, taking its lead from some of the darker Virgin New Adventures books. Ace’s reflections on the neo-Nazis of her time (“This was supposed to be the war that put paid to fascism. Except it wouldn’t…Maybe they would always be there, always have to be fought and guarded against”) also feel pertinent and redolent of some of the more political writing of the Cartmel era. The guest characters are also wonderfully written, with the Doctor’s dark mirror in the knowledge-crazy George Limb and Ace getting a foil in the American private eye Cody McBride.
Its only big drawback is the slapdash ending, which very much evoked the spirit of a Classic Who story in its lack of goodbye to our supporting cast. The removal of the action from Blitzed London to Jersey, too, may prove frustrating for those wanting to see this iteration of the Cybermen go out in a blaze of fire amid the Blitz. Still, this is a really readable novel which both evokes and extends the era it is based on.
Illegal Alien is a great Seventh Doctor novel that captures the tone of the era as well as giving it some expanded scope. It maps well to a four-part story, given it is based on an unproduced TV script, with an appropriate level of atmosphere, cliffhanger moments, and splendid iconography (Cybermen in trench coats would be superb).
It captures a range of moods - dark comedy, intellectual detective story, and horror - and is full of well-paced intrigue. It kicks off with a serial killer in London, a crash-landing sphere, and military shenanigans. Throughout the book, there are some wonderful bits of character work which riff on Frankenstein, spy fiction, and war stories. The prose also provides us with some great passages which evoke the spirit of the series:
”What was it the Doctor used to say to her? She struggled to recompose the words in her head. ‘There is always evil to be fought. Evil thrives on neglect. It thrives on ignorance, on apathy, on hypocrisy. It thrives wherever we allow these things to grow unchallenged. It thrives wherever we turn our face away from need. Wherever we close our eyes, evil thrives.’”
Indeed, it’s not difficult to imagine Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred delivering these lines. It is, however, difficult to imagine the BBC1 show delivering something as horrific as teeth-bearing Cybermats and…Cyberbabies. In this way the envelope is pushed out further than the series managed, taking its lead from some of the darker Virgin New Adventures books. Ace’s reflections on the neo-Nazis of her time (“This was supposed to be the war that put paid to fascism. Except it wouldn’t…Maybe they would always be there, always have to be fought and guarded against”) also feel pertinent and redolent of some of the more political writing of the Cartmel era. The guest characters are also wonderfully written, with the Doctor’s dark mirror in the knowledge-crazy George Limb and Ace getting a foil in the American private eye Cody McBride.
Its only big drawback is the slapdash ending, which very much evoked the spirit of a Classic Who story in its lack of goodbye to our supporting cast. The removal of the action from Blitzed London to Jersey, too, may prove frustrating for those wanting to see this iteration of the Cybermen go out in a blaze of fire amid the Blitz. Still, this is a really readable novel which both evokes and extends the era it is based on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2025
"This was supposed to be the war that put paid to fascism. Except it wouldn't. Creeps would still be peddling the same old prejudices in half a century - [Ace] had met them herself. Maybe they would always be there, always have to be fought and guarded against."
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It opens with great atmosphere and suspense, the Cybermen body horror is very well realised, and similarly gnarly is the depiction of Nazi brutality which is played completely straight and graphically captures the horror of a real life atrocity without ever being cartoonish. There's a very strong anti-fascism sentiment throughout the whole book which sadly feels more poignant than ever right now.
It's just a shame all this is hung on a convoluted and incoherent plot. Having re-read a plot synopsis I'm still confused about certain things, like why there are Cybermen in two different locations when they're supposed to have travelled back in time in only one small capsule. Why does the book make a point of having the Doctor remind himself to clean up all the cyber tech strewn around London ...only for him to not do that at all resulting in the cliffhanger ending? I could go on. Strangely, considering Tucker and Perry apparently adapted this story from a script submitted for season 26 of the show, it almost feels at points like they were just winging it and making things up as they went along. There's also odd structural decisions like using Cody McBride's noir internal monologues as the narrative framing device. The beginning of the book feels like he's being set up as the main character, only for him to be imprisoned by the military and disappear for a large part of the story and also be absent from the finale which takes place in a completely different location.
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It opens with great atmosphere and suspense, the Cybermen body horror is very well realised, and similarly gnarly is the depiction of Nazi brutality which is played completely straight and graphically captures the horror of a real life atrocity without ever being cartoonish. There's a very strong anti-fascism sentiment throughout the whole book which sadly feels more poignant than ever right now.
It's just a shame all this is hung on a convoluted and incoherent plot. Having re-read a plot synopsis I'm still confused about certain things, like why there are Cybermen in two different locations when they're supposed to have travelled back in time in only one small capsule. Why does the book make a point of having the Doctor remind himself to clean up all the cyber tech strewn around London ...only for him to not do that at all resulting in the cliffhanger ending? I could go on. Strangely, considering Tucker and Perry apparently adapted this story from a script submitted for season 26 of the show, it almost feels at points like they were just winging it and making things up as they went along. There's also odd structural decisions like using Cody McBride's noir internal monologues as the narrative framing device. The beginning of the book feels like he's being set up as the main character, only for him to be imprisoned by the military and disappear for a large part of the story and also be absent from the finale which takes place in a completely different location.
November 20, 2021
Illegal Alien find the Doctor and Ace teaming up with an American Expatriate private eye living in London as a series of mysterious killings have gripped London and the government is hiding something sinister while a mysterious man known as the Professor is playing his own game.
This is a solid story. As the cover indicates, the Cybermen are involved which sets up lots of hijinx during World War II. The Doctor is given an interesting foil, and the story moves along at a solid pace. There's little to lift the story beyond being "pretty good" as we're given a whole host of stock villains that are hard to keep track of. The one big highlight is Ace being forced to look at her adventuring with the Doctor ina less whimsical light when faced with Nazi atrocities.
Sophie Aldred does a fine job reading. She gives each character a distinct feel and perfectly paces her reading to fit the book's tone.
Overall, this is a fine story, just not a great one.
This is a solid story. As the cover indicates, the Cybermen are involved which sets up lots of hijinx during World War II. The Doctor is given an interesting foil, and the story moves along at a solid pace. There's little to lift the story beyond being "pretty good" as we're given a whole host of stock villains that are hard to keep track of. The one big highlight is Ace being forced to look at her adventuring with the Doctor ina less whimsical light when faced with Nazi atrocities.
Sophie Aldred does a fine job reading. She gives each character a distinct feel and perfectly paces her reading to fit the book's tone.
Overall, this is a fine story, just not a great one.
May 19, 2018
First Doctor Who book I've read in a while, and I really enjoyed diving back into the Doctor Who universe! This one focused on the Seventh Doctor and Ace, and I really got to know the characters, as I never watched Seven's episodes. It was just fast paced enough for me to see how it would work as an episode, and although it personally took a while for me to get into it, once I did, it flew by for me!
4*
- Rachel
4*
- Rachel
April 14, 2021
Blandly written and at least twice as long as it needed to be. Great chunks of the story involve treading water, running around pointlessly, and building up characters (both major and minor) that turn out to be nothing more than gross stereotypes.
December 28, 2023
A wonderful evocation of Blitz-era London with a truly terrifying turn for the chrome menace of the Cybermen, especially during a particular set of scenes near the end of the novel. A wonderful book featuring an amazing Doctor with an amazing companion.
October 30, 2024
I read this long ago; no idea why I didn't log it. It's been long enough I don't remember a ton of details, except that some parts dragged a bit, but overall I quite enjoyed it. The opening & coda maybe didn't work as well as they could have, but I liked what they were going for.
September 20, 2020
The cybermen have landed during the blitz and both sides want their technology......
June 14, 2021
Absolutely brilliant. Thoroughly enjoyed it
December 12, 2021
World War 2, intetesting detective character helping, the Seventh Doctor races to catch up with sinister goings on and genuinely frightening Cybermen.
April 18, 2022
An interesting story that lags a bit. I found myself not very intrigued until quite a bit into it. I think that this would be great for fans of the old doctors.
August 19, 2022
This was a great book! I didn't like the ending, kinda' left on a cliffhanger, but still a good story.
April 11, 2025
Classic Cyber romp!
September 13, 2025
Excellent
No book is perfect but this was excellent& imo showed what an underated doctor Sylvester McCoy was I always found the Cybermen more frightening than the Daleks
No book is perfect but this was excellent& imo showed what an underated doctor Sylvester McCoy was I always found the Cybermen more frightening than the Daleks
September 17, 2025
good story but another featuring nazis.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews