Doctor Who: The Time Lord Letters: Brilliant and Entertaining Letters from 52 Years―A Collection of Never-Before-Seen Writings

by Justin Richards

A unique collection of more than 100 never-before-seen letters, notes, and jottings both by and to the Doctor—correspondence by turns entertaining and inspiring, funny and flippant, brilliant and incredible drawn from all fifty-two years of the show. No one could travel through history—past present and future—as much as the Doctor does without leaving an impression. Much of what we know about this mysterious figure comes from what he does— the planets he saves and the monsters he defeats. But until now we’ve had little knowledge of his writings. These rich and diverse documents paint an extraordinarily detailed picture of the Doctor and include his plea to the Time Lords to help end the War Games, an extract from the written defense he submitted at his subsequent trial, his application for the post of Caretaker at Coal Hill School, his apology to the Queen for missing dinner, even telepathic messages to the High Council on Gallifrey and his famous letter to Santa Claus. Like the Doctor himself, the mood can change in an instant. The Time Lord Letters captures the best and most dramatic moments of an impossible life. You’ll never see the Doctor in quite the same way again.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Media Tie In, Fiction, Ebooks, Science Fiction Fantasy

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

Justin Richards is a British writer. He has written many spin off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, and he is Creative Director for the BBC Books range. He has also written for television, contributing to Five's soap opera Family Affairs. He is also the author of a series of crime novels for children about the Invisible Detective, and novels for older children. His Doctor Who novel The Burning was placed sixth in the Top 10 of SFX magazine's "Best SF/Fantasy novelisation or TV tie-in novel" category of 2000.

Reviews

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cynical cash-grab or pointless fanwank? The world may never know.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very impressed with The Time Lords Letters book. This hardback book with a dust cover is very well laid out and illustrated throughout with exceptional photographs which, understandably, can be found in other publications but they beautifully compliment the text boxes and letters which appear throughout the publication. All the Doctors are featured, with the exception of the War Doctor who I would have thought had the most reasons to write letters during the Great Time War. The one thing I like about this book is that you don't have to read it cover to cover... during tv commercials, you can pick up the book and read a text box and accompanying letter, savouring the moment applicable to that moment in time and space.
The book would make an ideal gift for any Doctor Who fan or as an introduction to the 'classic' Doctors, companions and foes of the past.

[Taksya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collezione di lettere scritte dal Dottore (durante tutte le sue incarnazioni) e indirizzate a vari personaggi incontrati durante la serie. Sempre introdotte da una breve spiegazione del momento e della situazione in cui vennero scritte.
In pratica sono semplici trascrizioni di scene viste in serie, più facili da ricordare quelle della serie moderna, meno dirette quelle della classica. Ricordare l'episodio di riferimento può avere un effetto a doppio taglio... ti permette di ricordare meglio l'ambientazione, ma rischia di rendere il brano noioso o già sentito. Può essere utile per chi vuole un assaggio della serie nel suo complesso.
Belle le immagini di riferimento.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I lucked out when Doctor Who: The Time Lord Letters by Justin Richards was offered for free on Kindle as a pre-order. As a fan of the show, this sounded like a lot of fun. I really enjoyed reading the Doctor's letters and notes. Since I'm mostly familiar with the New series starting with Christopher Eccleston, so this gave me a decent look back at the lore and seeing the stills of early episodes. I particularly enjoyed reading the letters from the new series, since I know where they're coming from. The collection is a decent read for any fan of the tv series.

[Timothy Burbage · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable romp through the history of Doctor Who. I liked how each letter was part of a different episode. I liked how each Doctor had their own handwriting and the voice of each Doctor came through. The grouping of letters was a bit strange but an enjoyable read.

[France-Andrée · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure this book would be as enjoyable for a Whovian who has only a knowledge of the new series, I'm not saying that you need a very thorough knowledge of the Classic Doctor Who, but it helps a lot in reading these letters. The majority of the epistles are written by the Doctor (different incarnations), but a minority are from other characters.

Even though the book is separated in "chapters" (Gallifrey, Daleks and monsters, UNIT, The TARDIS), some of the letters are orphans and don't really fit the descriptions of the different parts.

To me there was three main categories:

The letters who just rehash what is in the show, I found those the least enjoyable, there is nothing new in them; they're almost word for word what is said in the script. For example: the one adressed to Mr. Copper or the one from Mme de Pompadour... I was really disappointed by those two in particular, I thought I would have a little tear over Reinette's, that it would expand a little, but not at all).

The humorous one, majority of the letters can be put in this category, some just make you smile, but I had a few laugh out loud moments. This is the letters where I thought a good knowledge of the show was warranted because I think some of the subtleties would sail over the heads of the casual viewers.

And the third category is a big spoiler, but let's say it is the most emotional and the one I really loved the best. Let's call it The Farewells... the one to Susan expand on the episode, but repeats the final speech, I cried from beginning to end; the one to The Brig or to Victoria... tearjerkers for me. I guess my reaction to the one to Susan's or The Brig's has a lot to do with how much I loved and are attached to the characters maybe someone less emotional about these characters leaving wouldn't have had the same reaction as I did.

Just thought though that the price of the book was a little steep at 18.99 CAD, but the images and format were really beautiful and it was a visual treat so all in all I'm pretty happy about my buying it. There's just one picture I really didn't like and it wasn't because it wasn't interesting or nice; it just broke the fourth wall and showed the fact that it was a studio setting... but that's me nitpicking!

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was one of the last in the first wave of 21st century coffee-table-style books covering the series' past. It's beautifully designed, and some of the letters depicted in the book are actually taken verbatim from past episodes...but the rest are just...ok? Adequate? I think a greater variety of authors and some more imagination is called for with such an endeavor. It's a great idea, but only modest in its realization.

[Erikka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome! Little snippets from the lives and adventures of all the Doctor's faces. Voices given to characters outside of their role in the episode, explanations for things that happen before and after episodes, and fitting ends and beginnings to some of his nearest and dearest companions. This is a must-read for all Whovians. :)

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars for the Kindle version. The letters were great. I really enjoyed them. I was able to hear the voices of the different doctors as I read them. They were really in character, for the doctor as a whole, but also for each different doctor. But this really isn't formatted very well for the Kindle. It was difficult to read. The whole thing was done as graphics, not text!

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3150712.html

This is a spinoff anthology of 128 letters that might have been written to or about the Doctor up to 2015 (so up to the first third of the Capaldi era). All are related to televised stories, with the exception of a note from the First Doctor addressed to Horatio Nelson referring to the "Hordes of Betralamir". (I'm delighted to say that this seems to have escaped other commentators.) The whole thing is gorgeously illustrated, but frankly doesn't offer a lot of substance, and really it's an excuse for a large selection of (very nice) stock photos with something that is barely an excuse for an illustrative narrative. I see Justin Richards as New Who's Terrance Dicks, capable of great stuff but often churning out pot-boilers, and this is certainly at the latter end of the spectrum.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was quite a nice idea and there are far too many letters offered here to dismiss this as simply an exercise in income-generation. But I can't say it especially engaged or moved me and some letters seemed too pat and too often didn't add anything to one's enjoyment of the Whoniverse. I think it might have been better to have more of a mixture of letters - these are mostly 'written by' the Time Lord himself.

I did enjoy the way they jumped about from regeneration to regeneration and I am sure many will appreciate being reminded of specific episodes. I also thought it was worthwhile to be reminded of the Doctor's flaws, from his arrogance to his clumsiness over leave taking. Some letters did make me smile - his complaint about poor customer service at the dentist for example.

[Trae Stratton · Rating 3 out of 5]

For long time, passionate fans. Lots of fun, amusing in the know references, and quite possibly I missed many of them. The more Doctors you are familiar with, (familiar, not an expert), the more you will get from the book. That said, it's also rife with meaningless anecdotes that miss the mark. This tome also submits that while the Doctor rarely says goodbye in the show, he leaves lots of letters that actually do. By no means a must read. My suggestion is peruse the letters from your favorite Doctors in the bookstore or do what I did- put it on your wish list for the people who never buy you the right gift.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does this add any content into the already vast canon of the Whoverse? No, not really. Is it a bit of a cash-in to make profit from a well known brand? Probably. Will you enjoy it? Maybe.

The Time Lord Letters are letters that are "found" in various archives and files around Earth. They were left by the Doctor in his first 12 regenerations. But do they really capture the essence of this universal wanderer? That is for you to judge.

But the last one was not written by the Doctor, rather it was correspondence from his closest confidant. I'll let you discover Who.

[Waleska Jungmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable, although I think that to get the most out of it, you'd have to seen both classic and new Who. I found that the best stories were the ones that came from episodes I had seen before. The rest were kind of ok. There was a complete lack of representation of the 8th doctor (although that makes sense) and the 2nd doctor is only on a couple pages.
The images and the format of the book make it that much more entertaining though, even for those episodes I hadn't seen.

[Dark-Draco · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting concept - a collection of written missives from the Doctor - found throughout the ages and from all of the Doctor's incarnations. TBH, some of the 'letters' didn't feel that true to character for me, but I did enjoy looking at all the wonderful stills, trying to remember if I'd seen those episodes. A great book to skip in and out of when you have a spare few moments to have a short read.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

TARDIS

Time and relative dimension in space. This was the first book of this type that I have read and I found it very informative. Having watched Doctor Who for so many years it was nice to tie up some loose ends, finally. I had so many memories from reading this book and it was a wonderful experience. If you have ever been a fan you should read this one.

[mundiemom5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a strange (and misrepresented) book. It's a series of actual letters to and from the Doctor. The reader must have an extensive knowledge of ALL Doctor Who series or they will spend more time researching then enjoying the read.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book for fans of both the old and new series. I like that they give you the background to each letter so that even if you aren't familiar with the episode you can still understand the context. Easy to dip in and out of as each letter is very short.

[Reagan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't have much to say about it except that it's cute for Doctor Who fans! It wasn't anything amazing and I skimmed through quite a few of the letters, but oh well. The ones with 9, 10, and 11 are my favorites because those were my Doctors.

[Jamieson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a fun look-through, but nothing special. It only covers TV-story-related events (as opposed to additional content based on novels, comics or audio) and covers through the Twelfth Doctor (at least through Series 8). Fun to look through, but glad I got it through my library.

[chloé · Rating 3 out of 5]

i hate myself

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Could have been better.

A nice compendium of adventures, however there were no revelations about, well, anything. And no letters from the 8th doctor.

[Haley The Caffeinated Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a really fun and light read, I enjoyed it!

[Jennifer Baratta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book

Every Whovian should read this book. You get to read the letters from the Doctor. The artwork is phenomenal and so is the writing!

[Megan Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one, though it is definitely geared towards long time fans of the show. The letters range from all of the twelve doctors, and covers villains, companions, even citizens of Gallifrey. We have silly little notes, reports, and even heartfelt letters.

But what I found especially enjoyable was the fact that each letter did seem to carry the personality of the Doctor who wrote it. That was what me smile the widest. So this is definitely a treat for any Whovian but especially one familiar with both the Classic and Modern seasons of Who.

[Andy Howells · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art of letter writing may appear to be a dying art but even to a time traveller such as The Doctor it is still a useful form of communication whether they are documenting an adventure to an old friend, sending an SOS to their Time-Lord superiors, or leaving a note for their milkman (and perhaps enquiring if they also, are an alien).

I received “Doctor Who: The Time Lord Letters” as a gift several Christmas’s ago and must admit, I had previously only read selections of the 128 letters featured. Such is the layout of the book, each double-page spread features an example of a letter, notelet or telepathic communication composed by The Doctor, usually in one of their first twelve incarnations (barring Doctor 8 or The War Doctor) alongside photographic stills from one of several tv adventures written to characters seen or even unseen.

Some of the phrases in the letters will be familiar, quoted directly from a story or script while other writings refer to an off-screen event such as The Doctor stealing the TARDIS, gifting K9 to Sarah-Jane, nominating the Brigadier for a knighthood or reminiscing with Napoleon Bonaparte.

Although an interesting look at the adventures of The Doctor, I think the narrative might have worked better if the letters featured had also been written to The Doctor from his variety of friends (or even enemies) as a few seem forced in places. Certainly, the style of Doctor ten and eleven’s writing gets a bit tedious as the book continues – and would the first Doctor really have dropped his “hmmm” mannerisms into his letter writing? I think not! Minor criticisms aside, this isn’t a bad book to revisit some classic Doctor Who moments from a different angle or maybe even remind yourself of episodes you haven’t viewed in a while!

[Gordon Mcghie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of letters taken from over 50 years of Doctor Who history. Sourced from the corners of the galaxy by Justin Richards who has carefully collated these unique notes and documents and presents them in a beautiful hardback volume which will appeal to fans young and old.

The Time Lord Letters is a delight to read through. Each double page explains where the letter was found, sometimes adding the context in which the letter came to be written. Most readers will understand why the Doctor left a letter for Amy Pond in her house but an application to enrol a young girl called Susan Foreman into the local school will delight the fans of the ‘classic’ series.

The letters are often a light hearted read – 12th Doctor’s letters about Clara and Danny Pink provided many giggles, In contrast the letters to Sarah Jane Smith and (in particular) a letter to Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart nearly broke me: Justin Richards knowing exactly which letters will resonate with fans.

Not sure what you may find? I had the same thought when I first picked up my copy so I flicked through the pages. Pictures of Donna, Martha and Amy – Jo, Ace and Zoe were in there too. I saw Daleks, Yeti, Cybermen and Ogron. River Song, K-9, Bessie and a Trojan Horse. How could I put it down? What could the Doctor possibly have written to Shakespeare and Dickens? Quite brilliant!

This is not a book you read once. There are letters I have revisited several times already, some make me laugh so I shared them with my son. Others are for a quiet moment when you just need to see how the Doctor really felt about the time he spent with friends and companions that have shared some of his adventures (or how they felt about him). Touching, poignant and evocative.

The Time Lord Letters would be a welcome addition to the bookshelves of any Doctor Who fan and must be given serious consideration when compiling ideas for Christmas gifts – it is a beautiful book.

[Lois · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hasn't changed my mostly cynical outlook on the need for doctor who tie ins - while its a perfect series to showoff more in novels, the minutia of the show is usually what gets flogged in them. The letters were all of varying quality both in terms of nailing each doctor's personalities and of simple grammar/spelling.
Ones aid 'I can't offer you hope' to promptly go onto 'I offer you this; hope.'
Clumsy :/
The only one of these books that really seems to be more than a money bleeder is the time lord fairytales book - THAT is the sort fo thing that truly expands a world like this.

[Maria Jaramillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro interesante para los fans de Doctor who, donde podemos ver como otra cara o otra parte de varias historias que ya sabemos. Yo no he visto las series viejas pero creo que igual lo disfrute mucho porque el Doctor es y siempre sera el Doctor, y ademas me dio mas ganas de verlas por algunas de las aventuras que vivió el Doctor en ellas!

Muy buena calidad de ilustraciones y fotos y los mensajes también son muy interesantes, mas las explicaciones de fechas, de donde se encontró y en que momento de la vida del Doctor fue. Divertido y fácil de leer!

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun and silly recap on some Doctor Who lore and fandom.