Doctor Who: The Good, the Bad and the Alien

Eleventh Doctor Adventures #7

by Colin Brake

The Doctor treats Rory to a trip to the Wild West, where they find a ghost
town full of sleeping people and the Black Hand Gang; outlaws intent on
robbing the local bank. But it's not quite the same as the films Rory's seen
on TV. They soon discover they're not the only visitors to Mason City,
Nevada and find themselves in a showdown against a deadly foe . . .


Originally published [Doctor Who New Series 2in1] The Good, the Bad and the Alien / System Wipe

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published February 3, 2011

About the author

Colin Brake is an English television writer and script editor best known for his work for the BBC on programs such as Bugs and EastEnders. He has also written spin-offs from the BBC series Doctor Who. He currently lives and works in Leicester.

Brake began working on EastEnders in 1985 as a writer and script editor, being partly responsible for the introduction of the soap's first Asian characters Saeed and Naima Jeffery. From there, he went on to work as "script executive" on the popular Saturday night action adventure program Bugs, before moving to Channel 5 in 1997 to be "script associate" on their evening soap Family Affairs.

In the early 2000s, Brake wrote episodes of the daytime soaps Doctors and the revival of Crossroads.

Away from television, Brake had his first Doctor Who related writing published as part of Virgin Publishing's Decalog short story collection in 1996. He then had his first novel Escape Velocity published by BBC Books in February 2001 as part of their Eighth Doctor Adventures range based on the television series Doctor Who. At the time, Brake was quoted as saying how appropriate it was that he was now writing for Doctor Who, as he was briefly considered as Eric Saward's replacement as script editor on the show - a job that eventually went to Andrew Cartmel instead.

Brake followed Escape Velocity with the Past Doctor Adventure The Colony of Lies in July 2003, and then with the audio adventure Three's a Crowd from Big Finish Productions in 2005. His Tenth Doctor Adventure The Price of Paradise was released in September 2006. He has also written an audio for their Bernice Summerfield range, and a short story for their Short Trips range.

Reviews

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The perfect short read for a cycle of laundry: it's a competent, cute, amusing western, although if I hear the words "tarnation" and "critter" again I might just scream. I have not been the biggest fan of Colin Brake's writing in the past, but he has a good handle on the 11th Doctor, Amy & Rory.

[Joe Pranaitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Colin Brake brings us an adventure with the Doctor, Amy, and Rory. As the Doctor fulfills one of Rory's drams about being a cowboy in the old west. The TARDIS sets down and the first thing that happens is they find a town full of people who are asleep for no reason. But once they start waking up and a gang of robbers comes into town they mistake the Doctor as one of the gang while Amy and Rory are deputized. Then the local doctor turns out not to be local at all but a cat like species who are looking for one thing that they think will bring them riches beyond belief. This then leads the Doctor to their crashed ship and the fact that the leader of the cat species set his ship to self-destruct. This is a great book and one that would've been an interesting episode of the series. I highly recommend it for all Doctor Who fans.   

[John Peel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another novel for younger readers based on the TV series - and, like the show, a bit silly, but with charm and a good deal of fun. The Doctor and his companions are in the Wild West, facing outlaws, irate townsfolk - and aliens...

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this was adorable. A super quick, super fun read that really captured the spirit of Doctor Who! I'm two for two recently on reading good Doctor Who books. The writing in this one wasn't anything to be astonished about, but it was definitely a fun read.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This and other Colin Brake books reviewed here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com...

[Becky Bladine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was about to finish the book in 2 hours. The story was cute and I ready enjoyed it. But it was definitely easy reading!

[David T · Rating 2 out of 5]

As Doctor Who books go, these ones all seem the same. Someone rarely dies in these books, and their not as adult as the show. I wish that one of these books would have, The Doctor, Rory, and Amy on the adventure actually together. Usually their always split up in these books, they always have to make friends. And the three can never have the time together. Also the books really like to make Rory only good for being a nurse. The stores really exploit him of this ability, when really he only ever used his nurse skills once or twice in the whole show. But any who. In this story The Doctor treats Rory to a trip to the wild wet. When there they meat two Clemars with plans to become very rich and powerful. it's up to the Tardis gang to put an end to their plan and get the safe deposit box back! Anther thing, in the begging of the story a boy named Jed becomes possessed by the falling object. And the story never gets back to this... EVER! The Sharif mentions it once and then that's it, they never come back to it! Now out of the three Doctor Who books I've read so far from this sires, I will rate them best to not so best. Underwater War, rain of Terror, and The Good The Bad And The Alien.

[vgy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing 2-2.5
Story - 3.5