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Doctor Who: The Missing Episodes #3
Doctor Who: Mission to Magnus
This story was scheduled to be produced in 1985 when the programme was suddenly placed on an unexpected hiatus by the BBC. It takes place in the "missing season" between Revelation of the Daleks and The Trial of a Time Lord.
'Did I hear "Doctor"? Is it the Doctor I have drawn to me?' The laugh became more strident, forcing the Doctor to thrust his fingers into his ears in panic and close his eyes, as if here were a frightened child.
The TARDIS has been pulled off course and sent hurtling through space and time. When it finally stops, Peri is amazed to witness the Doctor's transformation into a cringing coward.
The takeover of the TARDIS by the school bully from the class of the fourth millennium on Gallifrey is only the first of the Doctor's problems. On the surface of the planet Magnus more of his old enemies are conspiring to trick the planet's all-female rulers; the Doctor and Peri have to foil a plot to freeze the entire world and wipe out most of the population.
'Did I hear "Doctor"? Is it the Doctor I have drawn to me?' The laugh became more strident, forcing the Doctor to thrust his fingers into his ears in panic and close his eyes, as if here were a frightened child.
The TARDIS has been pulled off course and sent hurtling through space and time. When it finally stops, Peri is amazed to witness the Doctor's transformation into a cringing coward.
The takeover of the TARDIS by the school bully from the class of the fourth millennium on Gallifrey is only the first of the Doctor's problems. On the surface of the planet Magnus more of his old enemies are conspiring to trick the planet's all-female rulers; the Doctor and Peri have to foil a plot to freeze the entire world and wipe out most of the population.
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 8, 2023
Possibly the most 'Some Dr Who stuff happened' Dr Who story ever, very generic plus a bit sexist.
March 16, 2017
I enjoyed that far more than I remember doing from my first read through of it a number of years ago. It's not brilliant, but it would have made for a fairly good story if it had been televised.
September 5, 2015
The seeds of an interesting story are here - a Time Lord who used to be the Doctor's class bully (to whom the Doctor reacts completely uncharacteristically), a female-dominated planet at war with a male-dominated planet, Sil, and the Ice Warriors - but they utterly fail to come together into a solid plot. (One suspects the broadcast version would have been much more coherent, but we'll never know.) Despite that, the overall story has an odd charm. So while I definitely can't recommend it for quality, it may still be an entertaining read...
October 17, 2024
I’m glad Philip and Big Finish were able to revisit this for the audio range, and give it another draft.
The novel is competently written, but suffers from the plague of “isn’t Doctor Who stage drama for children?” misconception. It also throws a bunch of random major antagonists and motivations into a single location, and none of it works.
The intentionally sexist segments are thankfully isolated to the few moments when the two simplistically divided halves of the planet’s society unite. Boy do those sections drag this rating down, though.
Sil’s presence throughout is fine, but could’ve been put to better use. It would have been more interesting if he had been helping the Magnusians enough that the Doctor’s appearance and insistence otherwise makes the Doctor try underhanded tricks to reveal the ruse. Something where our hero’s motivations are called into question would be appropriate for this story’s place in the overall series.
Anzor is a stupid and useless addition to this plot. Either Sil or he shouldn’t be here. If Anzor stays, he needs to be a real character. In the book, he’s really just there to get the TARDIS crew into this mess, and disappears halfway through.
The Ice Warriors are well represented, and wisely held back until the last half of the book. Their dialog and various ranks add color to the story that doesn’t deserve them. It makes very little sense (or just isn’t justified by the backstory) why they were specifically on Magnus, so far from home. Their undoing is handled way too quickly and is too obvious/telegraphed to be satisfying.
I hope the audio version holds together better, but regardless, the performance sells this Doctor, and the written version just comes off as immature. This is another story that separates he and Peri, giving their relationship no real time for any development. Peri gets her own moments, albeit brief, to have agency and even a glimpse of what unearned power feels like. Had those moments been the counterbalance to the “reverse sexism” crap in here, something interesting might have come out of them. Instead it just sounds like generic playground girls v boys bullshit that the televised series steered clear of most of the time.
Wasted opportunities all around:
Two stars.
The novel is competently written, but suffers from the plague of “isn’t Doctor Who stage drama for children?” misconception. It also throws a bunch of random major antagonists and motivations into a single location, and none of it works.
The intentionally sexist segments are thankfully isolated to the few moments when the two simplistically divided halves of the planet’s society unite. Boy do those sections drag this rating down, though.
Sil’s presence throughout is fine, but could’ve been put to better use. It would have been more interesting if he had been helping the Magnusians enough that the Doctor’s appearance and insistence otherwise makes the Doctor try underhanded tricks to reveal the ruse. Something where our hero’s motivations are called into question would be appropriate for this story’s place in the overall series.
Anzor is a stupid and useless addition to this plot. Either Sil or he shouldn’t be here. If Anzor stays, he needs to be a real character. In the book, he’s really just there to get the TARDIS crew into this mess, and disappears halfway through.
The Ice Warriors are well represented, and wisely held back until the last half of the book. Their dialog and various ranks add color to the story that doesn’t deserve them. It makes very little sense (or just isn’t justified by the backstory) why they were specifically on Magnus, so far from home. Their undoing is handled way too quickly and is too obvious/telegraphed to be satisfying.
I hope the audio version holds together better, but regardless, the performance sells this Doctor, and the written version just comes off as immature. This is another story that separates he and Peri, giving their relationship no real time for any development. Peri gets her own moments, albeit brief, to have agency and even a glimpse of what unearned power feels like. Had those moments been the counterbalance to the “reverse sexism” crap in here, something interesting might have come out of them. Instead it just sounds like generic playground girls v boys bullshit that the televised series steered clear of most of the time.
Wasted opportunities all around:
Two stars.
July 27, 2021
Oh dear. There is definitely strands of a good story in here, but is coloured unfortunately by misogyny and the Doctor being cowardly (out of character level so) at the beginning here.
The general plot of two planets being fooled by the Ice Warriors into thinking they are at war with each other, with Sil making a mess in the middle is an interesting one with some good twists, so I think could have been made into a good story.
Having one of the planets being a Matriarchal society could also be cool, but they painted this as clearly a 'bad thing', with only a passing reference that perhaps Patriarchal societies aren't good either, but never painted as badly as this society, and the end bit with the leaders going to be made wives is just very wrong, and I can't really think of any point during Doctor Who's run where that would have been the acceptable societal view that women must be wives, so not sure why it would be here late in the Classic run.
The Doctor facing a childhood bully is an interesting idea as well, but the Doctor being a snivelling coward to begin with during it is just so out of character for him, that it really detracts from the story. Once past that, the Doctor is in reasonable form at least.
Peri, while having some reasonable moments and a degree of proactiveness, also seems used to portray the general misogynistic bent that the story has.
So overall, possibly being a bit generous to give it 2 stars given the major issues above, but under it was a reasonable story, and was a quick read, but I think it is good this never was a TV episode (though there are hopes that if it was it would have been edited), as would have presented the nadir of the show if it was I think.
The general plot of two planets being fooled by the Ice Warriors into thinking they are at war with each other, with Sil making a mess in the middle is an interesting one with some good twists, so I think could have been made into a good story.
Having one of the planets being a Matriarchal society could also be cool, but they painted this as clearly a 'bad thing', with only a passing reference that perhaps Patriarchal societies aren't good either, but never painted as badly as this society, and the end bit with the leaders going to be made wives is just very wrong, and I can't really think of any point during Doctor Who's run where that would have been the acceptable societal view that women must be wives, so not sure why it would be here late in the Classic run.
The Doctor facing a childhood bully is an interesting idea as well, but the Doctor being a snivelling coward to begin with during it is just so out of character for him, that it really detracts from the story. Once past that, the Doctor is in reasonable form at least.
Peri, while having some reasonable moments and a degree of proactiveness, also seems used to portray the general misogynistic bent that the story has.
So overall, possibly being a bit generous to give it 2 stars given the major issues above, but under it was a reasonable story, and was a quick read, but I think it is good this never was a TV episode (though there are hopes that if it was it would have been edited), as would have presented the nadir of the show if it was I think.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2020
I have now read all three of the Target novelisations that cover the 'missing' season of Doctor Who, and I have not been impressed with any of them. 'Mission to Magnus' is the best of the three, although there is far too much going on: a renegade Time Lord, Sil and the Ice Warriors, all competing for attention. Alas, although far more coherent than Philip Martin's contribution to the Trial of a Timelord season, 'Mission to Magnus' ends up being highly anti-climactic. A notable criticism has to be the characterisation of Peri, who is whiny and at times downright unpleasant in this story. Definitely one for completists only.
September 26, 2024
An interesting but ultimately disappointing story. It’s not particularly bad but also doesn’t offer anything very good, a script that needed some further editing and reworking to make it enjoyable for TV, could have benefited from a less faithful book adaptation. Plot aspects and characters that serve little to no purpose, lack of conflict, direction and when it does get interesting, it then falls flat.
April 27, 2021
I had high hopes for this one at first. It was set on a matriarchal world and Peri was making some pretty good feminist points. But then, as always, they turned into hysterical women that can't handle their own problems. Also, the return of my least favorite of The Doctors enemies the Ice Warriors. In conclusion, quite disappointing.
May 9, 2019
Rubbish, thank god this sexist drivel never made it to our TV Screens.
August 13, 2019
A fairly average 6th Doctor story featuring Sil and the Ice Warriors.
June 6, 2023
A lovely quick read that fills in a gap for doctor who fans! Old enemies; new planets; one action packed book!
March 3, 2025
An 'ok' read. Nothing special.
October 18, 2025
Colin Baker
full cast
big finish
found on Spotify
not a podcast but a song
full cast
big finish
found on Spotify
not a podcast but a song
Read
April 8, 2009http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1287541.html#cutid3[return][return]It will be interesting to see what Big Finish manages to make of this story, because on the page it is a confused and confusing mess. We start with the Doctor being uncharacteristically terrified by a fellow Time Lord, who we are told was the class bully in Gallifrey, and who is in any case dispatched before we are a third of the way through. We have a planet populated by women and boys, all the men having died off, but not much is done with this interesting setup. It's a Philip Martin script, so we also have Sil just being generally villainous. For some reason we also have the Ice Warriors, who appear at the half-way point, keep changing their minds about shooting people, and try and blow the planet into a new orbit for their own inexplicable motivations. The Doctor and Peri get to run around between all these elements. Despite this rather rich menu of happenings, the 120-page novel still feels padded in places. For completists only.
January 25, 2016
This is one of the 'missing episodes' series of books, an story that is not based on an actual episode. It's about the Doctor and Peri landing on a planet ruled by women. All the males on the planet are subservient to the women.
There's also another time lord there, and both he and the Doctor are captured by the women who want to learn how to use the Tardis in order to deal with a threat to their planet from the men from a nearby planet. What they don't know is that Martian Ice Warriors are on their planet, working to move the planet's orbit and establish their own control over the entire planet.
In the end, the Ice Warriors are defeated and the women find out that they might not object to the men from the other planet as much as they thought. In other words, it's an all-women-in-control plot where the women find their 'proper' place in the end, and that they need men in their lives.
The story itself would be good, but the underlying theme is not, and that damages the over-all quality of the story.
There's also another time lord there, and both he and the Doctor are captured by the women who want to learn how to use the Tardis in order to deal with a threat to their planet from the men from a nearby planet. What they don't know is that Martian Ice Warriors are on their planet, working to move the planet's orbit and establish their own control over the entire planet.
In the end, the Ice Warriors are defeated and the women find out that they might not object to the men from the other planet as much as they thought. In other words, it's an all-women-in-control plot where the women find their 'proper' place in the end, and that they need men in their lives.
The story itself would be good, but the underlying theme is not, and that damages the over-all quality of the story.
November 16, 2008
This story is from the 'missing season' of Doctor Who, when the show was on hiatus and almost cancelled. None of the stories were wonderful, but had acquired a bit of a mystique as fans pondered 'what might have been'.
Like with so many sixth Doctor stories there are good ideas here that don't quite work as a whole.
The Doctor encountering an old bully from his school days was amusing, and you could see Colin Baker having a field day with it, but pointless.
Teaming up two monsters was very cool, but the Ice Warriors hardly got to do anything.
The bit with the two tribes was also amusing, but kind of fizzles out, rather than actually being written to a good conclusion.
Another of the many later, could have been so much better than it actually was stories.
Shame as the sixth and seventh Doctors were great characters that got stuck with weak stories.
Like with so many sixth Doctor stories there are good ideas here that don't quite work as a whole.
The Doctor encountering an old bully from his school days was amusing, and you could see Colin Baker having a field day with it, but pointless.
Teaming up two monsters was very cool, but the Ice Warriors hardly got to do anything.
The bit with the two tribes was also amusing, but kind of fizzles out, rather than actually being written to a good conclusion.
Another of the many later, could have been so much better than it actually was stories.
Shame as the sixth and seventh Doctors were great characters that got stuck with weak stories.
May 26, 2016
If Mission to Magnus had ever been made, it would be considered the greatest Sixth Doctor episode.
Now, that's not to say that it's a good story. Mission to Magnus is a pretty ridiculous story that fits right in with mid-80's era of Doctor Who. Literally with 3 pages left in the book with guns pointed at the Doctor and his companions, the Ice Warriors collapse. And die. And then the book ends. You can almost envision the hastily made sets with clunky Troughton era Ice Warriors gingerly "falling" to the ground seconds before the end credits hit.
But, you can't be a Doctor Who nerd without also being a ridiculously naive Doctor Who apologist. So, that being said, whether Mission to Magnus is good is NOT important; it's fun and it's ridiculous. Which is all Doctor Who ever needs to be.
Now, that's not to say that it's a good story. Mission to Magnus is a pretty ridiculous story that fits right in with mid-80's era of Doctor Who. Literally with 3 pages left in the book with guns pointed at the Doctor and his companions, the Ice Warriors collapse. And die. And then the book ends. You can almost envision the hastily made sets with clunky Troughton era Ice Warriors gingerly "falling" to the ground seconds before the end credits hit.
But, you can't be a Doctor Who nerd without also being a ridiculously naive Doctor Who apologist. So, that being said, whether Mission to Magnus is good is NOT important; it's fun and it's ridiculous. Which is all Doctor Who ever needs to be.
April 18, 2022
What was to have been the sequel to the excellent Vengeance on Varos never got made for TV. So, this novelization came out. Since it was part of the Target line, it had to be kept simple for the young audience. The story itself is nothing like the gritty "Vengeance." Instead it is rather a farce with The Doctor as the former victim of a Time Lord school bully now being scared of the same bully and trying to hide much of the time. In typical camp fashion, the plot is basically "boys vs. girls," to go with the schoolyard theme begun with Anzor the Time Lord bully.
February 13, 2011
Thank god this pile of steaming rubbish didn't reach our TV screens. That an author like Philip Martin -- who could produce satisfying mind-candy like "Vengeance on Varos" and "Mindwarp" -- manages to turn out a story like THIS is inconceivable. This is terrible: full of nothing but cliches and embarrassment. Avoid at all costs.
December 18, 2013
Based on a "Doctor Who" script that was never produced, and featuring two of my favourite villains - Sil and the Ice Warriors. Unfortunately, as other reviewers have noted, although this story contains some interesting ideas they just don't seem to add up to a satisfying whole.
January 5, 2014
Good entry in the Doctor Who novel series.
July 24, 2014
A bit of a mish-mash of a story, but good silly fun.
August 13, 2014
Ice Giants, a valkyrie race and a misoginistic race, what's not to like?
These old Dr Who books are short and wonderfully campy.
These old Dr Who books are short and wonderfully campy.
May 14, 2019
These are not so great pulp novels -- if you are a dedicated Dr Who fan, they are quite fun.
Read
December 25, 2018pdf, 99 pages
I don't think this is a very good book - apart from the (usual) bad science most of the cast are there for no obvious reason: the Time Lord Anzor, a bully from the Doctor's schooldays appears 'terrorises' the Doctor for all of a chapter and then disappears without trace; Sil is Sil but without the presence of Nabil Shaban he is a shadow of himself; the Ice Warriors appear too late in the book to save it - and are retreading an old plot by attempting to areoform Magnus.
One of the rare Target books that I think I actively dislike - we were lucky this didn't make it to the screen.
I don't think this is a very good book - apart from the (usual) bad science most of the cast are there for no obvious reason: the Time Lord Anzor, a bully from the Doctor's schooldays appears 'terrorises' the Doctor for all of a chapter and then disappears without trace; Sil is Sil but without the presence of Nabil Shaban he is a shadow of himself; the Ice Warriors appear too late in the book to save it - and are retreading an old plot by attempting to areoform Magnus.
One of the rare Target books that I think I actively dislike - we were lucky this didn't make it to the screen.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews