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Doctor Who: Target Books
Doctor Who: Empire of Death
What's gotten into the TARDIS?
Enlisting UNIT in their search for an enigmatic woman who appears all throughout time and space, the Doctor and Ruby uncover deeper mysteries. What is the secret of Susan Triad? What happened on the night that Ruby was born? The answers lead the Doctor and Ruby to a horrifying confrontation with the greatest evil of all...
Russell T Davies' epic two-part finale of Ncuti Gatwa's first season as the Doctor is novelised by series script editor Scott Handcock, reinstating material from earlier drafts. It also concludes the TARDIS travels of Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson.
Enlisting UNIT in their search for an enigmatic woman who appears all throughout time and space, the Doctor and Ruby uncover deeper mysteries. What is the secret of Susan Triad? What happened on the night that Ruby was born? The answers lead the Doctor and Ruby to a horrifying confrontation with the greatest evil of all...
Russell T Davies' epic two-part finale of Ncuti Gatwa's first season as the Doctor is novelised by series script editor Scott Handcock, reinstating material from earlier drafts. It also concludes the TARDIS travels of Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 17, 2025
I may very well be in a minority position, but the new series Target novelisations that I enjoy the most are the ones that treat the source episode as a jumping off point to tell a deeper and broader story. Handcock’s own novelisations of 73 Yards is an excellent example of this.
However, logistical constraints such as maximum page counts mean that this approach is less feasible for two-part stories. And that’s my main problem with this novelisation. Handcock does a good scene-by-scene translation of what happened on screen (and I’m doing him a disservice here – this is far more accomplished than simply taking the script and scattering a few ‘he said’, ‘she saids’ where appropriate) but ultimately, despite a slightly more generous page count than usual, this doesn’t really build on what we saw on screen. There are a handful of elements resurrected from earlier drafts (hello Vortis!) but essentially this is the TV story on paper, but nothing more.
If you enjoyed these two episodes on screen then this is an efficient and very enjoyable reproduction of them, but if you are looking for something that uses those episodes as a jumping off point for something bigger then this might leave you slightly underwhelmed.
However, logistical constraints such as maximum page counts mean that this approach is less feasible for two-part stories. And that’s my main problem with this novelisation. Handcock does a good scene-by-scene translation of what happened on screen (and I’m doing him a disservice here – this is far more accomplished than simply taking the script and scattering a few ‘he said’, ‘she saids’ where appropriate) but ultimately, despite a slightly more generous page count than usual, this doesn’t really build on what we saw on screen. There are a handful of elements resurrected from earlier drafts (hello Vortis!) but essentially this is the TV story on paper, but nothing more.
If you enjoyed these two episodes on screen then this is an efficient and very enjoyable reproduction of them, but if you are looking for something that uses those episodes as a jumping off point for something bigger then this might leave you slightly underwhelmed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2025
Now this is an adaptation worthy of Terrance Dicks at his height. In some ways it's a crisp, fast-moving, straightforward & unpretentious adaptation...but there are more than enough additions and layers to add extra depth without bogging the novelization down in too much detail. There are even a few deep-dive moments snuck in for the hardcore fanbase. I was quite surprised how well this all worked out.
August 11, 2025
All the missing bits that could not be done because of both cost and time from Zarbie,to lot more.
The biggest weird thing about Susan and the shadow of Mrs Flood makes it more fun now we know, but didn't realise then.
The biggest weird thing about Susan and the shadow of Mrs Flood makes it more fun now we know, but didn't realise then.
September 12, 2025
The legend of ruby sunday/Empire of death is a finale that most fans didn't enjoy or found rather disappointing. I was one of them. Reading this today it's actually sad knowing how this very short promising era ended in the way that it did. Especially the lost of the brilliant Ncuti gatwa way before we should off. So while I was sad to re read these stories knowing how it all ended, I was actually excited to see just how they'd fix or expand on these stories. I do wish they'd wait awhile before doing these books though. So that way they can listen to the criticism and they can flesh out any problems that people had. This along with the fact that the writer respects RTDs orginal work too much and that the bbc wanted this out during when the era was on the tv, means we're never gonna get a fully target style book like we have with other stories. This story is so close to being a somewhat understandable and well structured story. So close to even say, its not perfect but it works enough and it's pretty good.
While this story does some great work at expanding scenes, filling out missing gaps and actually giving us some answers to what is going on. It's the silly or ridiculous moments and storyline conculsions that just ruin it. Skipping to part 2 we learn just how sutekh actually survived and how he created Susan in link with the tardis to appear on any planet or time that the dr landed. Explaining how sutekh was able to kill so many planets etc. These moments are very enjoyable and do make him a threat again. Even more so is here it's more personal. Sutekh doesn't want to just rule, he wants to destroy everything to keep the universe full peaceful and clam for himself. To do so he uses the dr and the tardis which really gets to the dr, its because of him he can do this. I loved that this was much more the focus. The end of the world plot is boring if it gonna be reset at the end anyway so making it a personal trick just to annoy the dr is brilliant. But to be clear, this is the best version of the finale well ever see. Its surprising and impressive how well the writer makes the second half of the book with the dr, ruby and mel running around in the memory tardis while sutekhs agents hunts them down really enjoyable.
It's here the writer really does he best to make sense of the plot involving Ruby's mum and why sutekh wants to know or even care. This is literally said in the book and we do get an answer and at least a flashback to sutkehs orgins and his brother to at least show us and set up a theme and answer. While the answer itself is rather ridiculous, I at least appreciate that Scott did it, as Russell didn't bother. Here, sutekh had killed nearly everything, mainly because everyone on earth has there dna on files. But he wants the dr and Ruby alive so he can find the secret of Ruby's mum. Why does he care? Because he's slightly scared because he can't find her and kill her she could end up being his downfall. The only problem is it's not answered or shown if that means Ruby's mum is actually still alive during the gift of the dust of death. I feel this needed to be show in a chapter or explained better.
Another nearly fixed moment is the answer as to why Ruby's mum was pointing at the dr. The answer is still the ridiculous idea that she was pointing at the sign to name her. Which makes no sense because no one was there to see it. But here the book plays around with the idea that the she was telling the dr or the time window in general because the memory tardis made that moment real and made her feel love hope and her inner dreams, one being to name her child despite the fact she had to leave her. Okay brilliant, we have answer regardless whether you like it or not. However it's later on that she doesn't regonsie the dr or the tardis and it's never even mentioned if she had a memory of doing this for them. It's just little things like that, that stop the story being pretty good and enjoyable.
For the most this is a good book and parts of it feel more suited to a novel. I think Part 1 was still massively over written and dragged. It's 116 pages, we really didn't need it. Personally I think it should of been much sorter keeping the main plot and basics and saving those pages for more expansion in part 2. Which needs it much more.
There are some great moments here in this book. I did enoy the moment the dr drags sutekh through the vortex and we get a scene of no dialogue but from inside there head staring at each other. Which I loved. Sutekh has only appeared twice but he's made a massive impact on the dr and it deserves the impact being talking about and acknowledged. I also loved kates final goodbye to dr in part 1 "send this monster back to hell". The opening chapter for part 1 seeing Susan's different forms was very good too, especially seeing the zarbi again. I also really enjoyed getting into this drs head and feelings after he gets a unit solder killed in the time window. And having Kate look at him in disgust was such great drama.
So overall, if you really didn't like this story originally you won't get enough new, changed or expanded material to completely change your mind on it. But I think you'll appreciate it alittle more for the little answers we do get. Scott does his best to make this story work and for the most part he actually makes it work enough for a good read. Its a shame it still has some scenes that make you eye roll but I'd say it's worth checking out. It's not massively better but it's still better than what we got on TV.
While this story does some great work at expanding scenes, filling out missing gaps and actually giving us some answers to what is going on. It's the silly or ridiculous moments and storyline conculsions that just ruin it. Skipping to part 2 we learn just how sutekh actually survived and how he created Susan in link with the tardis to appear on any planet or time that the dr landed. Explaining how sutekh was able to kill so many planets etc. These moments are very enjoyable and do make him a threat again. Even more so is here it's more personal. Sutekh doesn't want to just rule, he wants to destroy everything to keep the universe full peaceful and clam for himself. To do so he uses the dr and the tardis which really gets to the dr, its because of him he can do this. I loved that this was much more the focus. The end of the world plot is boring if it gonna be reset at the end anyway so making it a personal trick just to annoy the dr is brilliant. But to be clear, this is the best version of the finale well ever see. Its surprising and impressive how well the writer makes the second half of the book with the dr, ruby and mel running around in the memory tardis while sutekhs agents hunts them down really enjoyable.
It's here the writer really does he best to make sense of the plot involving Ruby's mum and why sutekh wants to know or even care. This is literally said in the book and we do get an answer and at least a flashback to sutkehs orgins and his brother to at least show us and set up a theme and answer. While the answer itself is rather ridiculous, I at least appreciate that Scott did it, as Russell didn't bother. Here, sutekh had killed nearly everything, mainly because everyone on earth has there dna on files. But he wants the dr and Ruby alive so he can find the secret of Ruby's mum. Why does he care? Because he's slightly scared because he can't find her and kill her she could end up being his downfall. The only problem is it's not answered or shown if that means Ruby's mum is actually still alive during the gift of the dust of death. I feel this needed to be show in a chapter or explained better.
Another nearly fixed moment is the answer as to why Ruby's mum was pointing at the dr. The answer is still the ridiculous idea that she was pointing at the sign to name her. Which makes no sense because no one was there to see it. But here the book plays around with the idea that the she was telling the dr or the time window in general because the memory tardis made that moment real and made her feel love hope and her inner dreams, one being to name her child despite the fact she had to leave her. Okay brilliant, we have answer regardless whether you like it or not. However it's later on that she doesn't regonsie the dr or the tardis and it's never even mentioned if she had a memory of doing this for them. It's just little things like that, that stop the story being pretty good and enjoyable.
For the most this is a good book and parts of it feel more suited to a novel. I think Part 1 was still massively over written and dragged. It's 116 pages, we really didn't need it. Personally I think it should of been much sorter keeping the main plot and basics and saving those pages for more expansion in part 2. Which needs it much more.
There are some great moments here in this book. I did enoy the moment the dr drags sutekh through the vortex and we get a scene of no dialogue but from inside there head staring at each other. Which I loved. Sutekh has only appeared twice but he's made a massive impact on the dr and it deserves the impact being talking about and acknowledged. I also loved kates final goodbye to dr in part 1 "send this monster back to hell". The opening chapter for part 1 seeing Susan's different forms was very good too, especially seeing the zarbi again. I also really enjoyed getting into this drs head and feelings after he gets a unit solder killed in the time window. And having Kate look at him in disgust was such great drama.
So overall, if you really didn't like this story originally you won't get enough new, changed or expanded material to completely change your mind on it. But I think you'll appreciate it alittle more for the little answers we do get. Scott does his best to make this story work and for the most part he actually makes it work enough for a good read. Its a shame it still has some scenes that make you eye roll but I'd say it's worth checking out. It's not massively better but it's still better than what we got on TV.
August 10, 2025
"What good did love do, Doctor? When did it ever help?"
While I may have my problems with the televised finale (I mean, who doesn't?), there's no denying that Handcock did a fantastic job at novelising the story and plugging some of its many plot holes; which is quite telling of just how problematic the original script was - And yes, that does include a slightly easier to digest take on the whole mystery around Ruby's mum and the Doctor's changing memory.
The first chapter is brilliant, showing us more iterations of Susan Twist including some references to past stories (examples include "The Time Of Angels" and Series 6 with the Kovarian Chapter), further enforcing the idea that Sutekh really has been attached to the TARDIS this whole time, which helps to soften the blow of that seemingly impossible revelation later on.
The way the prologue is justified as being in the middle of the story is fantastic too, and makes this book accessible to new fans and new readers as well. For longer-standing fans such as myself, the prologue itself serves as a nice and welcome way to tie the modern era back to the very beginning of the franchise. Indeed, there are other on the nose references throughout the novel which help tie all eras of the show together thematically.
Another cool reference, and I may be nerdily jumping a bit here, is the fact that one version of Susan Triad was on Vortis from "The Web Planet." Now, since that was a First Doctor story, Sutekh would not have infiltrated the TARDIS yet... But there is a Fifth Doctor Big Finish story called "Return To The Web Planet", so in theory, technically, this novelisation is canonising the BF continuity! Yeah, I know it's a nerdy little leap, but I'm obsessed with this franchise so I love making these connections, no matter how extravagant they are. Indeed, the Zarbi actually do make a cameo in this novel, which they did not in the televised episodes.
Around the middle of the novel, the 'Tales From The TARDIS: Pyramids of Mars' scenes featuring the Doctor and Ruby are also novelised, albeit in an abridged from, along with a brief history of Sutekh, Horus and the Osirians. This is a really cool and welcome interlude; it gives us a few minutes to break away from the main plot to let events simmer, while also providing us with some simple and easy context absent from the TV version.
A final comment, on the cover art, I love the backdrop of Sutekh and the time window, but what on Earth is happening with Ruby there? Her head looks so awkward at that neck-breaking angle. I would rather she was either standing next to the Doctor or just had her face buried in his chest completely.
While I may have my problems with the televised finale (I mean, who doesn't?), there's no denying that Handcock did a fantastic job at novelising the story and plugging some of its many plot holes; which is quite telling of just how problematic the original script was - And yes, that does include a slightly easier to digest take on the whole mystery around Ruby's mum and the Doctor's changing memory.
The first chapter is brilliant, showing us more iterations of Susan Twist including some references to past stories (examples include "The Time Of Angels" and Series 6 with the Kovarian Chapter), further enforcing the idea that Sutekh really has been attached to the TARDIS this whole time, which helps to soften the blow of that seemingly impossible revelation later on.
The way the prologue is justified as being in the middle of the story is fantastic too, and makes this book accessible to new fans and new readers as well. For longer-standing fans such as myself, the prologue itself serves as a nice and welcome way to tie the modern era back to the very beginning of the franchise. Indeed, there are other on the nose references throughout the novel which help tie all eras of the show together thematically.
Another cool reference, and I may be nerdily jumping a bit here, is the fact that one version of Susan Triad was on Vortis from "The Web Planet." Now, since that was a First Doctor story, Sutekh would not have infiltrated the TARDIS yet... But there is a Fifth Doctor Big Finish story called "Return To The Web Planet", so in theory, technically, this novelisation is canonising the BF continuity! Yeah, I know it's a nerdy little leap, but I'm obsessed with this franchise so I love making these connections, no matter how extravagant they are. Indeed, the Zarbi actually do make a cameo in this novel, which they did not in the televised episodes.
Around the middle of the novel, the 'Tales From The TARDIS: Pyramids of Mars' scenes featuring the Doctor and Ruby are also novelised, albeit in an abridged from, along with a brief history of Sutekh, Horus and the Osirians. This is a really cool and welcome interlude; it gives us a few minutes to break away from the main plot to let events simmer, while also providing us with some simple and easy context absent from the TV version.
A final comment, on the cover art, I love the backdrop of Sutekh and the time window, but what on Earth is happening with Ruby there? Her head looks so awkward at that neck-breaking angle. I would rather she was either standing next to the Doctor or just had her face buried in his chest completely.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2025
I enjoyed author Scott Handcock's novelization of the recent Doctor Who episode 73 yards, but it turns out that when he has weaker material to work with, the output is correspondingly worse. (And let's not let him off the hook entirely there either, since he did serve as the script editor for the television series when these stories all aired.) This volume, for instance, adapts the two-part finale of Ncuti Gatwa's first season as the Fifteenth Doctor, The Legend of Ruby Sunday and Empire of Death, and what was anticlimactic and confusing about that adventure on the screen isn't rendered any more satisfying on the page.
The basic premise is fine for the franchise and genre -- the time-traveling hero and his young companion are investigating the mystery of a woman they keep seeing in their journeys as well as Ruby's own unknown origin, only to stumble into the scheme of an ancient enemy bent on revenge -- but that villain's motives and personality aren't really explored at much length. The gamble instead remains that audiences will be awed to recognize the name from the Classic era of the show, and yet even if we do, the individual's fundamental nature has changed so significantly since then that there's minimal actual continuity involved. At the end the threat is dispatched in a fairly arbitrary way, another curiosity is set up for the future, and the teenage heroine reunites with her birth mother in time for an emotional quasi-earned quasi-farewell with the Doctor.
I tend to view these projects as redo attempts, presumably to be read by people who already know the TV versions and are looking for additional details or improved storytelling to enhance their understanding and appreciation of the original. Unfortunately I've found little of that here, which might have helped distract from the inherited weaknesses of the piece. Whereas some such adaptations have fleshed out their worlds with greater character insights or plot-hole-smoothing, this title is content to merely add back in a few elements that were cut for budget reasons. So yes, we technically now get a brief early appearance of the Zarbi from the First Doctor serial The Web Planet, but that's hardly enough to save the ensuing misfire from itself.
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The basic premise is fine for the franchise and genre -- the time-traveling hero and his young companion are investigating the mystery of a woman they keep seeing in their journeys as well as Ruby's own unknown origin, only to stumble into the scheme of an ancient enemy bent on revenge -- but that villain's motives and personality aren't really explored at much length. The gamble instead remains that audiences will be awed to recognize the name from the Classic era of the show, and yet even if we do, the individual's fundamental nature has changed so significantly since then that there's minimal actual continuity involved. At the end the threat is dispatched in a fairly arbitrary way, another curiosity is set up for the future, and the teenage heroine reunites with her birth mother in time for an emotional quasi-earned quasi-farewell with the Doctor.
I tend to view these projects as redo attempts, presumably to be read by people who already know the TV versions and are looking for additional details or improved storytelling to enhance their understanding and appreciation of the original. Unfortunately I've found little of that here, which might have helped distract from the inherited weaknesses of the piece. Whereas some such adaptations have fleshed out their worlds with greater character insights or plot-hole-smoothing, this title is content to merely add back in a few elements that were cut for budget reasons. So yes, we technically now get a brief early appearance of the Zarbi from the First Doctor serial The Web Planet, but that's hardly enough to save the ensuing misfire from itself.
Like this review?
--Throw me a quick one-time donation here!
https://ko-fi.com/lesserjoke
--Subscribe here to support my writing and weigh in on what I read next!
https://patreon.com/lesserjoke
--Follow along on Goodreads here!
https://www.goodreads.com/lesserjoke
--Or click here to browse through all my reviews!
https://lesserjoke.home.blog
July 23, 2025
Adapting 2024’s “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” and “Empire of Death”, Scott Handcock’s Doctor Who: Empire of Death offers a very standard, though nevertheless enjoyable, novelization of the final story of the Fifteenth Doctor’s first season. If you’ve seen the episode, you’ll know exactly what to expect. Handcock’s novelization isn’t one of those that strays far from its source material, or even adds much to it. Instead, things play out pretty much as they did on screen—save for an extended prologue and a few little tidbits of deleted scenes here and there. That being said, Handcock’s novelization still breathes a lot of fresh life into a story that proved quite controversial when it originally aired.
In truth, Empire of Death may actually work better as a novel. Its strange pacing proves a strength in novel form, as does its exposition dumps and budget-straining ideas. On the flip side, however, some of the story’s more nonsensical parts come across even more nonsensically on the written page. But overall, Handcock’s novelization remains wholly enjoyable. He captures the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday’s voices perfectly and delivers quite an enjoyable—if standard—reimagining of a very divisive episode. It won’t change anyone’s mind about Empire of Death, but it may prove to be the most enjoyable way to experience the story.
Reviewed as part of Geek Vibes Nation's July 2025 Book Round-Up.
In truth, Empire of Death may actually work better as a novel. Its strange pacing proves a strength in novel form, as does its exposition dumps and budget-straining ideas. On the flip side, however, some of the story’s more nonsensical parts come across even more nonsensically on the written page. But overall, Handcock’s novelization remains wholly enjoyable. He captures the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby Sunday’s voices perfectly and delivers quite an enjoyable—if standard—reimagining of a very divisive episode. It won’t change anyone’s mind about Empire of Death, but it may prove to be the most enjoyable way to experience the story.
Reviewed as part of Geek Vibes Nation's July 2025 Book Round-Up.
October 6, 2025
“Then, tell your maker I will come to storm down his gates of gold and seize his kingdom in my true name”
(One of my favourite lines ever from the show)
Honestly so good, it adds heaps and makes me enjoy the episode more. Didn’t like the episode on first viewing heaps, but I’m now looking forward to revisiting it. Still reckon it would be better if Sutekh was from the salt line, not from back in the day. Really liked in this novelisation i got to learn more about Sutekh, I probably won’t watch the classic series, but I love the show, you have to give people a primer.
Turned out to be prophetic in a way I couldn’t imagine;
“I’m sorry to say, his story ends in absolute terror”
(One of my favourite lines ever from the show)
Honestly so good, it adds heaps and makes me enjoy the episode more. Didn’t like the episode on first viewing heaps, but I’m now looking forward to revisiting it. Still reckon it would be better if Sutekh was from the salt line, not from back in the day. Really liked in this novelisation i got to learn more about Sutekh, I probably won’t watch the classic series, but I love the show, you have to give people a primer.
Turned out to be prophetic in a way I couldn’t imagine;
“I’m sorry to say, his story ends in absolute terror”
December 14, 2025
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/doctor-who-empire-of-death-by-scott-handcock/
As sometimes happens with novelisations, the written word is capable of fixing some of the flaws of the televised story. The sillier special effects are lost, thank heavens, and we do get some more background to Susan Twist and indeed to Ruby. But it remains a fundamentally messy story, privileging spectacle over substance. Not Handcock’s fault, of course: it’s a good novelisation of a disappointing story.
As sometimes happens with novelisations, the written word is capable of fixing some of the flaws of the televised story. The sillier special effects are lost, thank heavens, and we do get some more background to Susan Twist and indeed to Ruby. But it remains a fundamentally messy story, privileging spectacle over substance. Not Handcock’s fault, of course: it’s a good novelisation of a disappointing story.
August 9, 2025
The episodes had some good ideas but the resolution was a bit of a let down, and parts of it were rushed and confusing. Here we finally find out what the gang got up to in the Memory TARDIS which made a bit more sense of the plot. Sadly, we lost Harriet's tear as she became the harbinger. The book is significantly more satisfying than the episodes it adapts. All it lacks is the magic of Mr Woolf's silky voice.
August 13, 2025
The new batch of Target novels kicks off at the end of the 2024 season with a chunky expansion of the epic two part finale which is chock full of bits and bobs that would have been lovely to see on screen.
Following on from his adaptation of 73 Yards Scott does a great job of distilling this adventure into prose and giving us a strong sense of Ncuti, Millie, Bonnie and all the rest of the awesome cast.
Fantastic!
Following on from his adaptation of 73 Yards Scott does a great job of distilling this adventure into prose and giving us a strong sense of Ncuti, Millie, Bonnie and all the rest of the awesome cast.
Fantastic!
October 17, 2025
The television two-parter was a real let down and nothing can save it, not even Scott Handcock. It is a fairly perfunctory retread of the story with a few extra bits thrown in which are pretty forgettable as well. I wish more had been made of the emotional journeys, particularly one towards/at the end. I don't think I will be revisiting this novelisation any time soon.
December 6, 2025
I wish they'd kept the deleted scenes in the actual episode. I think it would have worked much better. I don't mind the Ruby twist. I hated the 'sign post' thing but it's explained much better in the book
July 20, 2025
It’s a decent novelisation of a promising story, but the ending is so bad - twice!
September 5, 2025
PLANET VORTIS + THE ZARBI MENTIONED !!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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