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Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #67
Doctor Who: Fear Death by Water
Northumberland, 1838. The TARDIS crash lands on board a sinking steamship. Stranded, the Doctor and the few survivors fight for their lives – while the local lighthouse keeper’s daughter, Grace Darling, risks her life to row to their rescue.
Lauded a heroine, Grace struggles to cope with her new-found fame. But the Doctor senses something else is troubling Grace. She’s been tormented by the terrifying vision she saw out at sea in the storm. There’s a monster in her mind, wrecking ships and stealing the souls of the drowned.
And it’s real.
Lauded a heroine, Grace struggles to cope with her new-found fame. But the Doctor senses something else is troubling Grace. She’s been tormented by the terrifying vision she saw out at sea in the storm. There’s a monster in her mind, wrecking ships and stealing the souls of the drowned.
And it’s real.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2025
7 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 13, 2025
It’s probably bad fortune that I read this back to back with Rip Tide, a Telos novella also themed around lifeboats and sea rescues. Where, with a similar word count, Louise Cooper was able to evoke the danger such crews put themselves in, Emily Cook can’t quite convey how terrifying it is, despite a higher death count. I suspect that’s the nature of the ranges though, with these current novels having a quick gestation time compared with the older ranges. They race through their story, with little time left for an emotional impact. That’s also a structural problem when the story you’re trying to tell is essentially a Vincent and the Doctor for Grace Darling - lots of this would play brilliantly on TV, with a suitably fine actress to bring Grace to life but it does often feel like she’s the icon rather than the human being, often being pushed through the plot by the Doctor.
Talking of the Doctor, Cook’s evocation of Gatwa’s Doctor is convincingly vivid and energetic, practically convincing you he’ll actually leap off the page at times, with some thoroughly Doctorish dialogue. If Cook writes more novels, that knack for character will be a gift that’ll serve her well. The Leviathan is a solidly interesting concept too, even if its nature is somewhat vague and its actions leave at least one character perfectly justified in their antagonistic attitude. I was just left with the feeling that the story needed to lean into its status as an embodiment of the terror of the sea a little more.
Two other stylistic points - I’m not quite sure the name of a certain ship stands up given the novel’s set around 160 years too early for it to make sense and there’s no indication of it belonging to time travellers, and I’m undecided as to whether the framing device is an indulgence too far or a smart stylistic nod to the regular fourth wall breaking of the current version of the show.
I can’t quite say that this was successful but there’s enough to enjoy here that I’d at least like to see if Cook can remain as ambitious with her next novel.
Talking of the Doctor, Cook’s evocation of Gatwa’s Doctor is convincingly vivid and energetic, practically convincing you he’ll actually leap off the page at times, with some thoroughly Doctorish dialogue. If Cook writes more novels, that knack for character will be a gift that’ll serve her well. The Leviathan is a solidly interesting concept too, even if its nature is somewhat vague and its actions leave at least one character perfectly justified in their antagonistic attitude. I was just left with the feeling that the story needed to lean into its status as an embodiment of the terror of the sea a little more.
Two other stylistic points - I’m not quite sure the name of a certain ship stands up given the novel’s set around 160 years too early for it to make sense and there’s no indication of it belonging to time travellers, and I’m undecided as to whether the framing device is an indulgence too far or a smart stylistic nod to the regular fourth wall breaking of the current version of the show.
I can’t quite say that this was successful but there’s enough to enjoy here that I’d at least like to see if Cook can remain as ambitious with her next novel.
July 17, 2025
I'm going to push this to 4.5 stars. My only real niggle is that I believe the ending is stretched out a little too long for its own good, but it's a minor point. This book manages to win me over by (1) producing a second brilliant lighthouse historical when I believed "Horror of Fang Rock" would always be the only one, and (2) creating a commanding re-creation of Ncuti Gatwa's 15th Doctor. Many writers default to the more manic side of his personality, but this is powerful, controlled panic mixed with power and wisdom. An enjoyable, engrossing novel, and it just makes me miss Ncuti's Doctor even more now that he's gone.
October 30, 2025
The 50 Prompt Eighth Doctor Reading Challenge - Historical Adventures - 24) A Book That Reimagines A Famous Historical Figure
This was a pretty cool book with the 15th Doctor and Grace Darling. I admit, being from the landlocked city of Birmingham, we don't learn much about famous figures related to oceans and water and lighthouses, so I was pretty happy to learn that Grace Darling was a real historical figure, which I thought was really cool. I do like it when the Doctor has companions who are real historical figures, much like when the 8th Doctor traveled with Mary Shelley.
The characterisation for both Grace and the Doctor felt on point. It felt like the Doctor could have leapt out of the pages, and Grace felt very consistent and realistic.
The plot was decent, if not a little predictable. It was definitely worth the read though.
This was a pretty cool book with the 15th Doctor and Grace Darling. I admit, being from the landlocked city of Birmingham, we don't learn much about famous figures related to oceans and water and lighthouses, so I was pretty happy to learn that Grace Darling was a real historical figure, which I thought was really cool. I do like it when the Doctor has companions who are real historical figures, much like when the 8th Doctor traveled with Mary Shelley.
The characterisation for both Grace and the Doctor felt on point. It felt like the Doctor could have leapt out of the pages, and Grace felt very consistent and realistic.
The plot was decent, if not a little predictable. It was definitely worth the read though.
Read
January 4, 2026So this was actually brilliant! It felt like a pure Doctor Who story through and through, mixing history with sci-fi adventure. I love the story of Grace Darling, and you could tell the author had great appreciation for her also, and did proper research to make sure it was faithful to her legacy. You can fully tell this from the epilogue (which could have been cringe, but actually works very well). The sci-fi stuff was really fun and I loved the Doctor’s characterisation here! Probably my favourite fifteen story.
Gutted this won’t ever be an actual episode of Doctor Who and I hope Emily Cook actually gets to write for the show one day because she clearly gets it!
Gutted this won’t ever be an actual episode of Doctor Who and I hope Emily Cook actually gets to write for the show one day because she clearly gets it!
June 19, 2025
Following on from a strong period for the series is always going to be difficult, but being published shortly after the unexpected end for a beloved Doctor makes things doubly hard, for the writer and the reader.
In the style of the modern celebrity historical Emily Cook introduces a real-life heroine that many have likely never heard, Grace Darling, and set in a part of the world I know a little bit, but still found it surprising when it’s been evoked so well.
Ncuti’s fifteen leaps off the page and, yes, the author game themselves a cameo. And why not. Top notch.
In the style of the modern celebrity historical Emily Cook introduces a real-life heroine that many have likely never heard, Grace Darling, and set in a part of the world I know a little bit, but still found it surprising when it’s been evoked so well.
Ncuti’s fifteen leaps off the page and, yes, the author game themselves a cameo. And why not. Top notch.
November 27, 2025
Superb story, rich in research, dripping with atmosphere, and developing a surprising storyline that doesn't necessarily go where you expect. Technically a celebrity historical centred on Grace Darling, it is warm and tender without ever getting mawkish. Highly recommended for all fans of the Fifteenth Doctor, especially any who live by a coast served by the RNLI.
Also, the Stevie Wonder moments are pure joyous magic.
Also, the Stevie Wonder moments are pure joyous magic.
May 31, 2025
Another good NSA and a good Doctor Who story in the sense that I learnt a lot! Emily Cook is a lovely human being and I really hope she writes more novels. The section that takes place on 29th May 2025 is cool but frustratingly I read it on 30th May!
June 6, 2025
So, this was an ambitious novel to begin with. Not only is this a Doctor-only story, but it portrays a revered real-life historical figure. It’s also coming out on the heels of the controversial season 2 finale — Emily Cook was definitely fighting an uphill battle with this book and I do not envy her one bit. With that said, I don’t believe she achieved what she set out to do for many reasons.
Firstly, the characterization felt off. The Doctor acts very silly and boisterous, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but it feels much more like the 11th Doctor, whose whole character centered around trying to act silly so he could hide from and forget the darkness within him. On top of that, there are many points in this book where the Doctor comments about the nature of humanity, how he’s much different from them, and how much he’s learned and can learn from them. This is another 11th Doctor motif. the 15th Doctor doesn’t go through this, at least not directly. His central arc is about family and what both his found and his real family means to him. The theme of humanity is not something he struggles with directly in his 15th incarnation.
At one point, Cook writes, “If he was honest with himself, there was a part of him that got a kick out of danger, a thrill out of saving lives. At some point during his centuries traveling, he had become The Hero, or rather The Hero had become him. Now, who would he be without it? It gave him his sense of purpose, his modus operandi, and he liked it.” While this could be applied to any Doctor, it fits the themes of 11 so much better than any other. 11 took risks and brought himself to the brink of death many times so that he could prove to himself that he was a hero — so that he could forget the atrocities he committed in the past.
Emily Cook’s questionable prose doesn’t help with the Doctor’s characterization either. Let’s use this quote, for example: “The Doctor’s hero instincts surged, an uncontainable wave of swashbuckling energy as he steeled himself to JUMP!” What is a “hero instinct” and what is “swashbuckling energy”? Cook might have said “He channeled the courage of both his hearts, a wave of ecstacy flowing through him before he leapt!” But she chose to use vague clichés that don’t serve his characterization or the emotion of the scene well at all.
Another example of this would be: “She breathed air that smelled of scent, not of the sea. The phantasmagoria she’d witnessed was fading like a dream.” Scent is a synonym for smell. Phantasmagoria means dream-like images in one’s mind. When you write descriptively, you can’t just use synonyms as similes. That’s not how that works.
There’s also a scene where the Doctor chides a character for wanting to save his brother, saying that he’s oathbound to not care about one life over another, and it felt extremely off. Regardless of incarnation, the Doctor not only isn’t a fan of oaths (rule 1, the Doctor lies), but he’s also known for going to great lengths to save those he cares about above everything.
The actual plot was fine. It wasn’t interesting enough to distract me from the issues of the novel, but the story with Grace was fine and her character was developed well. The setting was also good. It’s clear that this novel was well-researched, and that’s condemnable when writing a historical Who story.
All-in-all, this one was a miss for me. It isn’t written well, it mischaracterizes the Doctor egregiously, and the plot is only so-so.
Firstly, the characterization felt off. The Doctor acts very silly and boisterous, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but it feels much more like the 11th Doctor, whose whole character centered around trying to act silly so he could hide from and forget the darkness within him. On top of that, there are many points in this book where the Doctor comments about the nature of humanity, how he’s much different from them, and how much he’s learned and can learn from them. This is another 11th Doctor motif. the 15th Doctor doesn’t go through this, at least not directly. His central arc is about family and what both his found and his real family means to him. The theme of humanity is not something he struggles with directly in his 15th incarnation.
At one point, Cook writes, “If he was honest with himself, there was a part of him that got a kick out of danger, a thrill out of saving lives. At some point during his centuries traveling, he had become The Hero, or rather The Hero had become him. Now, who would he be without it? It gave him his sense of purpose, his modus operandi, and he liked it.” While this could be applied to any Doctor, it fits the themes of 11 so much better than any other. 11 took risks and brought himself to the brink of death many times so that he could prove to himself that he was a hero — so that he could forget the atrocities he committed in the past.
Emily Cook’s questionable prose doesn’t help with the Doctor’s characterization either. Let’s use this quote, for example: “The Doctor’s hero instincts surged, an uncontainable wave of swashbuckling energy as he steeled himself to JUMP!” What is a “hero instinct” and what is “swashbuckling energy”? Cook might have said “He channeled the courage of both his hearts, a wave of ecstacy flowing through him before he leapt!” But she chose to use vague clichés that don’t serve his characterization or the emotion of the scene well at all.
Another example of this would be: “She breathed air that smelled of scent, not of the sea. The phantasmagoria she’d witnessed was fading like a dream.” Scent is a synonym for smell. Phantasmagoria means dream-like images in one’s mind. When you write descriptively, you can’t just use synonyms as similes. That’s not how that works.
There’s also a scene where the Doctor chides a character for wanting to save his brother, saying that he’s oathbound to not care about one life over another, and it felt extremely off. Regardless of incarnation, the Doctor not only isn’t a fan of oaths (rule 1, the Doctor lies), but he’s also known for going to great lengths to save those he cares about above everything.
The actual plot was fine. It wasn’t interesting enough to distract me from the issues of the novel, but the story with Grace was fine and her character was developed well. The setting was also good. It’s clear that this novel was well-researched, and that’s condemnable when writing a historical Who story.
All-in-all, this one was a miss for me. It isn’t written well, it mischaracterizes the Doctor egregiously, and the plot is only so-so.
Read
September 2, 2025The Doctor teaming up with Grace Darling to face a sea monster? With a title borrowed from The Waste Land? Plus, a Who story based around a lighthouse recalls promising precedent. And after his second season ended in a Rusty finale fumble to top all Rusty finale fumbles, I quite liked the idea of checking back in on the Fifteenth. Unfortunate, then, that in its early stages this veers from the unsteady to the comically terrible. Characters explain to each other things they'd already understand ("Captain, the third boiler has also failed. The engines won't respond. Effectively, we are at sea with no power."), or the narration goes into a level of detail suggesting a Russian spy's Wikipedia-fuelled denial: "He stalled for a moment at the Grade II listed shrine, looking at the effigy of Grace Darling recumbent on a stone mattress adorned with seaweed carvings, which lay under a three-arched canopy supported by metal colonnettes." The overall effect is of one of those National Trust books for kids which take the shape of a story, but really are more concerned with sneaking facts to young readers (and yes, maybe I am still bitter that my favourite one has since turned out to be founded in dud archaeology). Even before Cook's closing note reveals that she is herself descended from the Darlings, it's clear that this is all rooted in a desire to do justice to momentous events and real heroism, but that's not enough to stop a line about "the five sole surviving Forfarshire crewmen" from being farcical (and thereby also undercutting the brilliant detail that they were all called John).
Mercifully, once we get a little distance from actual events, and Cook is no longer hamstrung by reverence, matters improve vastly. She catches Ncuti's impatience, his energy, his smile – as well as filling out details we never quite got to see, like this particular Doctor's attitude to fixed points (though I'm less happy about the correct and canonical hatred of pears being joined by a distaste for blue cheese). The Easter eggs are fun without becoming overwhelming (bar one jarring pop culture nod); the SF side of the story relies heavily on pseudoscience, but it's the exciting, narratively satisfying sort, rather than the lazy handwave on which RTD eras can too often rely because he's more interested in the feelings. The feelings are in full effect too, though, whether it's the power, danger and beauty of the sea or, in the closing chapters, Grace's unhappy relationship with her own celebrity. Cook is back in the realm of history here, but handles it all far better than in the opening storm, making me glad I persevered with what had initially felt as much car crash as shipwreck. Not to mention pulling off a neat structural/symbolic trick/gag, which would probably just have impressed me had it not also played a key part in an entirely different book I only finished last week, at which point it becomes mildly unnerving.
Mercifully, once we get a little distance from actual events, and Cook is no longer hamstrung by reverence, matters improve vastly. She catches Ncuti's impatience, his energy, his smile – as well as filling out details we never quite got to see, like this particular Doctor's attitude to fixed points (though I'm less happy about the correct and canonical hatred of pears being joined by a distaste for blue cheese). The Easter eggs are fun without becoming overwhelming (bar one jarring pop culture nod); the SF side of the story relies heavily on pseudoscience, but it's the exciting, narratively satisfying sort, rather than the lazy handwave on which RTD eras can too often rely because he's more interested in the feelings. The feelings are in full effect too, though, whether it's the power, danger and beauty of the sea or, in the closing chapters, Grace's unhappy relationship with her own celebrity. Cook is back in the realm of history here, but handles it all far better than in the opening storm, making me glad I persevered with what had initially felt as much car crash as shipwreck. Not to mention pulling off a neat structural/symbolic trick/gag, which would probably just have impressed me had it not also played a key part in an entirely different book I only finished last week, at which point it becomes mildly unnerving.
July 29, 2025
This adventure finds the Fifteenth Doctor traveling by himself, sometime after the events of Joy to the World (and presumably before The Robot Revolution, when Belinda Chandra joins the crew). It's in that sub-genre of Doctor Who stories where the time-traveller meets a historical celebrity, which in this case means nineteenth-century lighthouse keeper's daughter Grace Darling. That's a figure from British history I was previously unfamiliar with, but she was apparently famous in her time for helping her father rescue survivors of a nearby shipwreck and inspiring reforms for provisioning lifeboats that saved many further lives down the line. William Wordsworth even wrote a poem about the young woman, although for some reason this particular novel takes its title from an unrelated T. S. Eliot piece instead.
It's a tale that's clearly important to author Emily Cook. An afterword discusses the intensive firsthand research she did to get the details right -- which is not a step every Whoniverse writer would take! -- and she writes herself into the text as a minor character writing a book about the subject, whom she names as a distant relation. Other readers may feel differently, but that meta-twist offers a level of sentimentality that works for me, as do the Vincent-and-the-Doctor-like moments when the hero tries to impress on his new acquaintance the degree of impact that she's had on the future. It's a narrative element that ties into the season 2 focus on storytelling and legends, too.
The immediate plot of an alien incursion near the Darling home is standard enough for the franchise, but the voice of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor is captured well and the work is riddled with fun continuity nods, from River Song's perfume to low mercury in the TARDIS's fluid links, which is a reference all the way back to the very first season of the show in 1963. I wouldn't say the result is a must-read or anything, but I think fans will generally enjoy this expansion of the protagonist's timeline -- and hope that additional such installments are ahead on the publishing horizon, given the still-uncertain fate of the series on television.
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It's a tale that's clearly important to author Emily Cook. An afterword discusses the intensive firsthand research she did to get the details right -- which is not a step every Whoniverse writer would take! -- and she writes herself into the text as a minor character writing a book about the subject, whom she names as a distant relation. Other readers may feel differently, but that meta-twist offers a level of sentimentality that works for me, as do the Vincent-and-the-Doctor-like moments when the hero tries to impress on his new acquaintance the degree of impact that she's had on the future. It's a narrative element that ties into the season 2 focus on storytelling and legends, too.
The immediate plot of an alien incursion near the Darling home is standard enough for the franchise, but the voice of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor is captured well and the work is riddled with fun continuity nods, from River Song's perfume to low mercury in the TARDIS's fluid links, which is a reference all the way back to the very first season of the show in 1963. I wouldn't say the result is a must-read or anything, but I think fans will generally enjoy this expansion of the protagonist's timeline -- and hope that additional such installments are ahead on the publishing horizon, given the still-uncertain fate of the series on television.
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
December 26, 2025
The Doctor gets drawn into the life of Grace Darling, a young woman who helped save the lives of several people from a shipwreck in 1839.
This is well researched story about a real person who braved a rough and stormy sea to save people. A lighthouse keeper's daughter, Grace was well acquainted with the dangers of sea travel and how dangerous her mission was. Though hailed a hero by the press and the public, Grace was a young woman of her time and found the attention overwhelming and uncomfortable. Her bravery led to changes in boat design and how rescue operations were structured along the English coast.
The Doctor, too, gets some special touches with little references to past adventures, knitting a colorful scarf with Grace's mother, and being themselves.
Overall, an enjoyable read.
If you're interested in Grace Darlings life and times, here is a link to the Museum website: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/muse...
This is well researched story about a real person who braved a rough and stormy sea to save people. A lighthouse keeper's daughter, Grace was well acquainted with the dangers of sea travel and how dangerous her mission was. Though hailed a hero by the press and the public, Grace was a young woman of her time and found the attention overwhelming and uncomfortable. Her bravery led to changes in boat design and how rescue operations were structured along the English coast.
The Doctor, too, gets some special touches with little references to past adventures, knitting a colorful scarf with Grace's mother, and being themselves.
Overall, an enjoyable read.
If you're interested in Grace Darlings life and times, here is a link to the Museum website: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/muse...
July 12, 2025
Oh wow! This was great. The best Doctor Who books tend to go a step further in their ambition and Emily Cook has delivered here. A lot of heart went into this novel and the book also serves as a fleeting biography and love letter to Grace Darling, who I knew very little about until I read this book.
For me, this is the definitive Fifteenth Doctor book, particularly because the doctor is between companions and more focus can be given to our hero and Grace. I'm hoping Spectral Scream will be able to match this book so will reserve full judgement until then but, regardless, this is a must read. Excellent historical adventure with 'Vincent and the Doctor' style emotional vibes.
For me, this is the definitive Fifteenth Doctor book, particularly because the doctor is between companions and more focus can be given to our hero and Grace. I'm hoping Spectral Scream will be able to match this book so will reserve full judgement until then but, regardless, this is a must read. Excellent historical adventure with 'Vincent and the Doctor' style emotional vibes.
August 9, 2025
I found Fear Death By Water to be a very moving tribute to an important figure, who I wouldn't have been aware of if not for this work. I was really glad to read this after The Eden Rebellion, as that book had caused me to question whether or not I would enjoy the vibe of the Fifteenth Doctor in prose. Here he was very enjoyable; written in a way that was true to his character but didn't feel (for want of a better word) cringe.
The only real quibble I have with Fear Death By Water it is how abrupt the sequence was. It was a jarring change of pace that I felt needed a little longer to breathe and feel natural.
Otherwise a great read.
The only real quibble I have with Fear Death By Water it is how abrupt the sequence was. It was a jarring change of pace that I felt needed a little longer to breathe and feel natural.
Otherwise a great read.
August 17, 2025
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/fear-death-by-water-by-emily-cook/
The first original Fifteenth Doctor novel, by Emily Cook, who organised the memorable Twitter watchalongs during lockdown in 2020. Set between the two Fifteenth Doctor seasons, it’s a straightforward aliens-intervene-in-celebrity-history story, the celebrity being lighthouse heroine Grace Darling (apparently a relative of Cook’s; Cook writes herself into the book as well) and the aliens turning out to have some complexity. Gorgeous characterisation of Ncuti’s Doctor, not massively original plot.
The first original Fifteenth Doctor novel, by Emily Cook, who organised the memorable Twitter watchalongs during lockdown in 2020. Set between the two Fifteenth Doctor seasons, it’s a straightforward aliens-intervene-in-celebrity-history story, the celebrity being lighthouse heroine Grace Darling (apparently a relative of Cook’s; Cook writes herself into the book as well) and the aliens turning out to have some complexity. Gorgeous characterisation of Ncuti’s Doctor, not massively original plot.
September 11, 2025
I’m loving each new book and original story based around Ncuti’s Doctor. We didn’t get to spend nearly enough time with him and he’s such a great Doctor at his core. This was a great story and one without a companion so we get to see him solo!
Well written and the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Susan Twist (all of the audios I’ve listened to so far by her have been great). I felt it had a stronger start but it immediately hooked me and I enjoyed the tale. Slowly making my way through them all!
Well written and the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Susan Twist (all of the audios I’ve listened to so far by her have been great). I felt it had a stronger start but it immediately hooked me and I enjoyed the tale. Slowly making my way through them all!
June 13, 2025
A cool mishmash of real history and a very Doctor Who take on leviathans. But again, the Doctor feels very generic here, and it’s all a little bit ho-hum. Far more ambitious than “Spectral Scream”, the other newly-released Fifteenth Doctor story, but you can’t help feeling like the story really needed a longer word count and the kind of depth afforded to more nuanced sci-fi instead of the hapdash way the Doctor Who novel range seems to be treated nowadays.
September 20, 2025
Grace Darling is the star of this novel - 3.5*
I don't think I knew of Grace Darling. The name seemed familiar but I truly didn't know her. This is one of the reasons I love Doctor Who. This book offers an incredible insight into Grace Darling. Yes, there are monsters and aliens - but this novel wouldn't be half of what it was if it wasn't based on the real-life of Grace Darling.
Please read the author's note!
I don't think I knew of Grace Darling. The name seemed familiar but I truly didn't know her. This is one of the reasons I love Doctor Who. This book offers an incredible insight into Grace Darling. Yes, there are monsters and aliens - but this novel wouldn't be half of what it was if it wasn't based on the real-life of Grace Darling.
Please read the author's note!
July 7, 2025
A genuinely fun read. This had all the atmosphere and Intrigue of a good Doctor Who historical serial and gave an indepth look at a near forgotten Victorian figure. At times the history lesson took over the story but on the whole the characters were well written and the story had enough heart and emotion. Emily Cook did a great with this novel and it is a great edition to the Doctor Who literary canon.
June 12, 2025
I'd love to see this story adapted into an episode. I hadn't heard of Grace Darling before and it feels like it might be quite timely to remind people of why the RNLI are so important. Definitely worth a read.
June 7, 2025
This book was okay. It’s an easy Dr Who read, rather short but I don’t think it needed to be longer.
June 20, 2025
3.5: lots to recommend here, and easily the better of the two novels released together.
July 11, 2025
Sadly was disappointed in this book, it starts well and then the latter half was not what I was expecting. Some may love this, unfortunately I don't
July 15, 2025
A very lovely story! Emily Cook just gets the Fifteenth Doctor and has captured him the best of the original novel authors.
August 25, 2025
Brilliant!
September 8, 2025
Paced and written like a bonafide episode of the tv series, this is one of the stronger expanded media novels that perhaps takes a tad too long to wrap up even if it is a satisfying denouement.
September 16, 2025
While there’s always something delightful about seeing a familiar face in a Doctor Who story, the true strength of the historicals is their ability to bring us closer to shadowier pockets of history. Whether these are moments all but lost to time or occurrences we may miss solely for geographical or cultural reasons, the Doctor can bring any of them to our doorstep. Tie-in books in particular wield this strength well, given space to explore historical happenings that might not feel ‘blockbuster’ enough to be televised. Rosa Parks and Agatha Christie are the stuff of prime time TV, but Grace Darling doesn’t carry that same global name recognition. Though, after reading Fear Death by Water, one might wonder if perhaps she should be the stuff of prime time television.
Emily Cook (known for her work on Doctor Who Magazine and her orchestration of many lockdown watchalongs) brings her passion for the series to fiction, penning a solo 15th Doctor story. The companion-less adventure is set sometime between ‘Joy to the World’ and ‘The Robot Revolution,’ and sees the Doctor dropping in on the night Grace Darling helped to rescue eight survivors from the wrecked ship Forfarshire. Bookended by modern moments, this tale is as much a tribute to Doctor Who as a whole as it is a portrait of a heroine who never asked for the recognition she received.
The Doctor chases down a strange energy signature he picks up while visiting the very real RNLI Grace Darling Museum. His travels reveal that he was there on the night of the Forfarshire shipwreck. And it’s a good thing, too, because something more lurks off the coast of Northumberland. A Leviathan of Biblical proportion haunts Grace’s mind, but that isn’t all. Aliens from an ocean worlds away are also present. And while they’re more than willing to help tame the beast, their ideas (and their actions) are very different from the Doctor’s.
The plot of Fear Death by Water keeps relatively straightforward, with minimal twists and turns and red herrings, and that’s a good thing. This allows for plenty of focus and characterization on the Doctor in his solo travels, and Cook nails Gatwa’s passionate performance. There are also plenty of Easter eggs scattered throughout, from clever chapter titles (“John Smith and the Common Men”) to scarves and sonic sunglasses and yet another fluid link issue. But these little moments aren’t throwaways: Cook works them into the broader book, making each clever inclusion meaningful. The result is a tribute that’s at times jubilant, at others sedate and wholesome.
As an American, I was unaware of Grace Darling’s amazing work, and Fear Death by Water has led me to learn more about her. For as much as it’s an entertaining and well-crafted read, it is far higher praise to acknowledge its potential to educate. That was always part of Doctor Who’s early mission, and in that respect (among so many others) it exists firmly in the spirit of the show’s long history.
(Reviewed in Celestial Toyroom)
Emily Cook (known for her work on Doctor Who Magazine and her orchestration of many lockdown watchalongs) brings her passion for the series to fiction, penning a solo 15th Doctor story. The companion-less adventure is set sometime between ‘Joy to the World’ and ‘The Robot Revolution,’ and sees the Doctor dropping in on the night Grace Darling helped to rescue eight survivors from the wrecked ship Forfarshire. Bookended by modern moments, this tale is as much a tribute to Doctor Who as a whole as it is a portrait of a heroine who never asked for the recognition she received.
The Doctor chases down a strange energy signature he picks up while visiting the very real RNLI Grace Darling Museum. His travels reveal that he was there on the night of the Forfarshire shipwreck. And it’s a good thing, too, because something more lurks off the coast of Northumberland. A Leviathan of Biblical proportion haunts Grace’s mind, but that isn’t all. Aliens from an ocean worlds away are also present. And while they’re more than willing to help tame the beast, their ideas (and their actions) are very different from the Doctor’s.
The plot of Fear Death by Water keeps relatively straightforward, with minimal twists and turns and red herrings, and that’s a good thing. This allows for plenty of focus and characterization on the Doctor in his solo travels, and Cook nails Gatwa’s passionate performance. There are also plenty of Easter eggs scattered throughout, from clever chapter titles (“John Smith and the Common Men”) to scarves and sonic sunglasses and yet another fluid link issue. But these little moments aren’t throwaways: Cook works them into the broader book, making each clever inclusion meaningful. The result is a tribute that’s at times jubilant, at others sedate and wholesome.
As an American, I was unaware of Grace Darling’s amazing work, and Fear Death by Water has led me to learn more about her. For as much as it’s an entertaining and well-crafted read, it is far higher praise to acknowledge its potential to educate. That was always part of Doctor Who’s early mission, and in that respect (among so many others) it exists firmly in the spirit of the show’s long history.
(Reviewed in Celestial Toyroom)
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