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Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #4
Doctor Who: The Deviant Strain
The Novrosk Peninsula, the Soviet naval base, has been abandoned, and the nuclear submarines are rusting and rotting. Cold, isolated, forgotten until the Russian Special Forces arrive - and discover that the Doctor and his companions are here too. But there is something else in Novrosk. Something that predates everything else, even the stone circle on the cliff top. Something that is at last waking, hunting, killing... Can the Doctor and his friends stay alive long enough to learn the truth? With time running out, they must discover who is really responsible for the Deviant Strain...
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
38 people are currently reading
2154 people want to read
About the author
Justin Richards
330 books241 followersJustin 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
September 7, 2021
A perfectly creepy Ninth Doctor story set in the chillingly creepy abandoned Soviet naval base.
With this being the first of the recent batch of NSA that tied into the second half of Eccleston’s only series as The Doctor, meaning Captain Jack is also aboard the TARDIS.
I always prefer three people aboard this ship and they are all utilised perfectly.
As soon as they arrive at the base the time travellers meet Colonel Levin, suspicion arise especially with Jack’s American accent!
The group are soon thrust into a mystery as a body has been found by a local stone circle and is in a bad state.
A really strong adventure that has some really scary effective moments during the second half of the novel as the alien involvement is discovered and the unique plan has been revealed.
There’s a good ‘Bad Wolf’ mention.
For a TARDIS team that wasn’t onscreen that long, it’s great that we have these additional adventures.
With this being the first of the recent batch of NSA that tied into the second half of Eccleston’s only series as The Doctor, meaning Captain Jack is also aboard the TARDIS.
I always prefer three people aboard this ship and they are all utilised perfectly.
As soon as they arrive at the base the time travellers meet Colonel Levin, suspicion arise especially with Jack’s American accent!
The group are soon thrust into a mystery as a body has been found by a local stone circle and is in a bad state.
A really strong adventure that has some really scary effective moments during the second half of the novel as the alien involvement is discovered and the unique plan has been revealed.
There’s a good ‘Bad Wolf’ mention.
For a TARDIS team that wasn’t onscreen that long, it’s great that we have these additional adventures.
October 11, 2013
Everybody but everybody assumes that the BBC "dumbed down" its Doctor Who novels for the new series, presumably to appeal to younger readers. "The Deviant Strain" is no exception.
However, the story's panache lies in its brooding atmosphere and the ever-lingering dread that there's something verily lying just under the surface of the frozen Russian setting. The characters aren't particularly fleshed out, but we don't need them to be; "The Deviant Strain" is, after all, a creature feature, and strives to be nothing else.
The problem is not just with the insipid characterization of Captain Jack (this was written, after all, pre-"Torchwood"), but with the way the action takes a 180 degree turn from an atmospheric thriller to a standard runabout with zombies and blobs. Talking zombies, mind you. There's also a badly predictable whodunnit in there and plenty of running through corridors in a scientific research base that has a seemingly endless supply of...well, corridors.
Overall, not as bad as what some of the other reviewers have written about it, but "The Deviant Strain" has probably already lost itself in the quagmire of mediocrity that are the BBC NSAs in the last nine years.
However, the story's panache lies in its brooding atmosphere and the ever-lingering dread that there's something verily lying just under the surface of the frozen Russian setting. The characters aren't particularly fleshed out, but we don't need them to be; "The Deviant Strain" is, after all, a creature feature, and strives to be nothing else.
The problem is not just with the insipid characterization of Captain Jack (this was written, after all, pre-"Torchwood"), but with the way the action takes a 180 degree turn from an atmospheric thriller to a standard runabout with zombies and blobs. Talking zombies, mind you. There's also a badly predictable whodunnit in there and plenty of running through corridors in a scientific research base that has a seemingly endless supply of...well, corridors.
Overall, not as bad as what some of the other reviewers have written about it, but "The Deviant Strain" has probably already lost itself in the quagmire of mediocrity that are the BBC NSAs in the last nine years.
May 18, 2023
5 🌟
Nice to see an adventure with the Doctor, Rose, and Jack.
Nice to see an adventure with the Doctor, Rose, and Jack.
January 9, 2012
This is probably the worst Doctor Who book I've read. And I've read a lot of them now. Richards seems to have little concept of the Doctor, Rose, or Jack as characters. His storyline lacks focus and direction. His efforts to build suspense are misguided and frustrating. As short as this book is, it took me ages to read. There are so few 9th Doctor Books, it makes me really sad to know that this is one of them.
September 21, 2025
The Deviant Strain by Justin Richards is a solid, if not groundbreaking, entry in the Doctor Who New Series Adventures lineup. Set in a desolate Russian naval base on the Novrosk Peninsula, this novel leans heavily into atmosphere, blending cold isolation, creepy monsters, and a dash of Soviet-era grimness. If you’re a fan of the Ninth Doctor, Rose Tyler, and Captain Jack Harkness, it’s an enjoyable read but it’s not without its flaws.
The plot kicks off when the TARDIS crew responds to an alien distress signal, only to find themselves tangled in a mystery involving glowing, tentacled blobs, secret experiments, and villagers dying in bizarre ways. The setting is vividly described Richards nails the bleakness of post-communist Russia, with its decaying submarines and eerie stone circles. You can practically feel the freezing wind and hopelessness of the place. The monsters themselves, while creepy, are a bit generic and don’t leave a lasting impression. They flail their tentacles menacingly, but the stakes never feel high enough to truly terrify.
Character-wise, the Ninth Doctor is written well, capturing his mix of quiet authority and biting humor. Rose is proactive and brave, staying true to Billie Piper’s portrayal. Jack Harkness, however, feels off. Richards struggles to translate Jack’s charisma and cheeky charm onto the page, instead making him overly serious and awkwardly righteous at times. Some dialogue feels uncharacteristic, like Jack using British slang (“clever-clogs”) it’s jarring and doesn’t fit his usual vibe. That said, his moments of vulnerability shine, especially as this story takes place before his immortality kicks in.
The pacing is uneven. The first half builds tension beautifully, but the second half devolves into repetitive chase scenes with characters running from the blobs. The ending feels rushed, wrapping up the plot in a way that’s more convenient than satisfying. The villains, while sinister, are one-dimensional, which makes their motivations feel predictable. There’s a lot of “tell, don’t show” when it comes to the big reveals, which robs the story of some of its punch.
Still, the book has its strengths. The Russian setting and supporting cast add depth, and Richards’ writing style is engaging and easy to follow. Fans of base-under-siege stories will appreciate the claustrophobic vibe, and the death toll gives the story a darker edge than some other Doctor Who novels. It’s not the most innovative installment, but it’s entertaining enough for a quick weekend read.
A middling but enjoyable adventure with great atmosphere and decent character moments. It’s worth checking out if you’re nostalgic for the Ninth Doctor era, but don’t go in expecting groundbreaking sci-fi.
The plot kicks off when the TARDIS crew responds to an alien distress signal, only to find themselves tangled in a mystery involving glowing, tentacled blobs, secret experiments, and villagers dying in bizarre ways. The setting is vividly described Richards nails the bleakness of post-communist Russia, with its decaying submarines and eerie stone circles. You can practically feel the freezing wind and hopelessness of the place. The monsters themselves, while creepy, are a bit generic and don’t leave a lasting impression. They flail their tentacles menacingly, but the stakes never feel high enough to truly terrify.
Character-wise, the Ninth Doctor is written well, capturing his mix of quiet authority and biting humor. Rose is proactive and brave, staying true to Billie Piper’s portrayal. Jack Harkness, however, feels off. Richards struggles to translate Jack’s charisma and cheeky charm onto the page, instead making him overly serious and awkwardly righteous at times. Some dialogue feels uncharacteristic, like Jack using British slang (“clever-clogs”) it’s jarring and doesn’t fit his usual vibe. That said, his moments of vulnerability shine, especially as this story takes place before his immortality kicks in.
The pacing is uneven. The first half builds tension beautifully, but the second half devolves into repetitive chase scenes with characters running from the blobs. The ending feels rushed, wrapping up the plot in a way that’s more convenient than satisfying. The villains, while sinister, are one-dimensional, which makes their motivations feel predictable. There’s a lot of “tell, don’t show” when it comes to the big reveals, which robs the story of some of its punch.
Still, the book has its strengths. The Russian setting and supporting cast add depth, and Richards’ writing style is engaging and easy to follow. Fans of base-under-siege stories will appreciate the claustrophobic vibe, and the death toll gives the story a darker edge than some other Doctor Who novels. It’s not the most innovative installment, but it’s entertaining enough for a quick weekend read.
A middling but enjoyable adventure with great atmosphere and decent character moments. It’s worth checking out if you’re nostalgic for the Ninth Doctor era, but don’t go in expecting groundbreaking sci-fi.
October 24, 2021
The Novrosk Peninsula: the Soviet naval base has been abandoned, the nuclear submarines are rusting and rotting. Cold, isolated, forgotten. Until the Russian Special Forces arrive and discover that the Doctor and his companions are here too.
This was a strange one for sure, strange in writing and story. As at times it didn't feel like a DW story more like a generic creature feature that just so happens to involve, the Doctor, Jack, and Rose. The story is all over the place, but despite all that I can't sit here and say that i didn't enjoy myself, as the concepts for this story was there, huge floating jelly fish monsters, zombie soviet soldiers and empty human skin sacks, all set in the frozen depths of Russia. Everything was there, but it just didn't mesh for me, the story is good, but as a DW story it just doesn't fit, it felt like the author tried to mash to odd jigsaw pieces together and tried to call it art. Sadly i wasn't fooled, so yes as a spooky creature feature this is good, but add DW sci fi on top and it doesn't work. This could of been because i listened to the audiobook version of this story which has a terrible narrator (i wouldn't reccomend) that if i had read the book i might feel differently, I don't know maybe I'll try this in physical copy one day down the line, but for now im happy to move on to the next DW adventure, as even the show has its weaklink episodes.
3.5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐💫
65/100 Jelly blobs
This was a strange one for sure, strange in writing and story. As at times it didn't feel like a DW story more like a generic creature feature that just so happens to involve, the Doctor, Jack, and Rose. The story is all over the place, but despite all that I can't sit here and say that i didn't enjoy myself, as the concepts for this story was there, huge floating jelly fish monsters, zombie soviet soldiers and empty human skin sacks, all set in the frozen depths of Russia. Everything was there, but it just didn't mesh for me, the story is good, but as a DW story it just doesn't fit, it felt like the author tried to mash to odd jigsaw pieces together and tried to call it art. Sadly i wasn't fooled, so yes as a spooky creature feature this is good, but add DW sci fi on top and it doesn't work. This could of been because i listened to the audiobook version of this story which has a terrible narrator (i wouldn't reccomend) that if i had read the book i might feel differently, I don't know maybe I'll try this in physical copy one day down the line, but for now im happy to move on to the next DW adventure, as even the show has its weaklink episodes.
3.5/5 Stars GoodReads ⭐⭐⭐💫
65/100 Jelly blobs
March 2, 2025
2020 52 Book Challenge - December Mini Challenge - 1) Related To The Word "Snow"
This had such a cool premise, but the execution let it down. It started as an investigation, but quickly devolved into the Doctor, Rose and Jack running away from zombies and alien blobs and setting things on fire.
The characterisation was also way off, with Rose lacking all of her personality and just being a generic person who threw herself at the dangers and allowed for the Doctor to info dump. Yes, Rose, I'm also very upset over your broken nail. This is *totally* something that Rose would care about.
Captain Jack was also dreadfully characterized. While this was pre-Torchwood, it wasn't pre-Doctor Who, which had given some characterisation and personality to Captain Jack, and he spent most of this book butting heads with the Doctor and not acting like himself.
I would also like to note that I listened to the audiobook version of this story, and I think they chose the wrong narrator completely. For one, they cast an American to narrate British and Russian characters, and so the only person who sounded "correct" was Captain Jack.
This had such a cool premise, but the execution let it down. It started as an investigation, but quickly devolved into the Doctor, Rose and Jack running away from zombies and alien blobs and setting things on fire.
The characterisation was also way off, with Rose lacking all of her personality and just being a generic person who threw herself at the dangers and allowed for the Doctor to info dump. Yes, Rose, I'm also very upset over your broken nail. This is *totally* something that Rose would care about.
Captain Jack was also dreadfully characterized. While this was pre-Torchwood, it wasn't pre-Doctor Who, which had given some characterisation and personality to Captain Jack, and he spent most of this book butting heads with the Doctor and not acting like himself.
I would also like to note that I listened to the audiobook version of this story, and I think they chose the wrong narrator completely. For one, they cast an American to narrate British and Russian characters, and so the only person who sounded "correct" was Captain Jack.
March 22, 2021
Another quite enjoyable adventure in the Dr Who universe, with some suitably gory moments and scenes to make you shiver with excitement and terror!
I liked the whole premise of the story, although didn't quite understand how none of the Villagers could have been in on it too - without giving too much away, I'm sure they would have queried the age of their policewoman at least a few times. And a couple of the plot 'twists' were quite easy to spot.
But that said, by suspending belief and pretending that this parody of Russia was realistic, I was able to enjoy the read and could see the TV actors running around solving this problem just like they do on screen.
I liked the whole premise of the story, although didn't quite understand how none of the Villagers could have been in on it too - without giving too much away, I'm sure they would have queried the age of their policewoman at least a few times. And a couple of the plot 'twists' were quite easy to spot.
But that said, by suspending belief and pretending that this parody of Russia was realistic, I was able to enjoy the read and could see the TV actors running around solving this problem just like they do on screen.
July 21, 2016
A soviet era nuclear naval base has been abandoned. The town surrounding it is surviving essentially at a subsistence level. There is something far more dangerous than the radiation leaking from the subs. It's been there quite a long time sending out a message for help, which Captain Jack inadvertently answers forcing him, Rose and the Doctor to ride in for the rescue. Though their Russian is perfect, at least one person knows that there's more to the arrival of the threesome than their cover story implies.
I love Doctor Who with a ridiculous passion but that being said, this book left so much to be desired. Because Eccleston was only the Doctor for a short time, these stories are precious. After all, who doesn't want a bit more of the Fantastic? Unfortunately, this book is almost painful to read. It's a scant 256 pages and yet felt like a tome that was never going to come to an end. This is the first of the Doctor Who books that I almost gave a DNF rating.
When the Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack arrive, they discover one young man dead and his girlfriend Valeria drained of her youth. She is nothing but a husk, with no ability to communicate and absolutely incapable of taking care of herself. Because this is not the first time something like this has happened, townspeople have become suspicious and actually blame Vourdalk - a vampire from Russian folklore. That sounds interesting doesn't it? Naturally, it cannot possibly be Vourdalk as we discover when the Doctor begins investigating. Nope, it's all about aliens, glowing blue blobs and zombies. It seems some people decided that they want to live forever. The story takes a massive turn and feels like a bad rip off of Stephen King's Tommy Knockers. Since King already told this story and brilliantly at that, inserting the Doctor does nothing but remind us that we're reading an author with less than half the talent of King.
The story quickly turns from an intelligent investigation to the Doctor, Rose and Jack running from the blue blobs, and setting shit on fire. That's when it absolutely lost me because it felt like a complete bait and switch. Yes, I get that as much as the Doctor is a super brilliant Time Lord, he spends a good deal of time running and dodging to get away from the bed guys but that usually comes with a coherent story which The Deviant Strain greatly lacked.
In terms of characterisation it was absolutely off. Yes, I can picture Captain Jack running into combat and working to save someone he saw as vulnerable and need of his help. My question however is where did my smiling, flirtatious Jack go? He was absolutely generic. Even though The Deviant Strain is set before Torchwood, there should still be some sense of who Captain Jack is. This character is such a cardboard cut out with no personality that he really could have been anyone with the name Captain Jack tacked on for fan service.
Then there's Rose, who runs around tossing herself at anything that looks dangerous. She's like a fish out of water. I didn't recognise her at all. She seemed to be there so that the Doctor could explain what is going on. Yes, I realise that this is the main function of the companion in the Who universe, however; each companion has a personality that is distinct. Rose just ran and threw herself at stuff without trying to figure out the big picture or even giving the Doctor a sense of humanity which is something that she was really good at.
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I love Doctor Who with a ridiculous passion but that being said, this book left so much to be desired. Because Eccleston was only the Doctor for a short time, these stories are precious. After all, who doesn't want a bit more of the Fantastic? Unfortunately, this book is almost painful to read. It's a scant 256 pages and yet felt like a tome that was never going to come to an end. This is the first of the Doctor Who books that I almost gave a DNF rating.
When the Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack arrive, they discover one young man dead and his girlfriend Valeria drained of her youth. She is nothing but a husk, with no ability to communicate and absolutely incapable of taking care of herself. Because this is not the first time something like this has happened, townspeople have become suspicious and actually blame Vourdalk - a vampire from Russian folklore. That sounds interesting doesn't it? Naturally, it cannot possibly be Vourdalk as we discover when the Doctor begins investigating. Nope, it's all about aliens, glowing blue blobs and zombies. It seems some people decided that they want to live forever. The story takes a massive turn and feels like a bad rip off of Stephen King's Tommy Knockers. Since King already told this story and brilliantly at that, inserting the Doctor does nothing but remind us that we're reading an author with less than half the talent of King.
The story quickly turns from an intelligent investigation to the Doctor, Rose and Jack running from the blue blobs, and setting shit on fire. That's when it absolutely lost me because it felt like a complete bait and switch. Yes, I get that as much as the Doctor is a super brilliant Time Lord, he spends a good deal of time running and dodging to get away from the bed guys but that usually comes with a coherent story which The Deviant Strain greatly lacked.
In terms of characterisation it was absolutely off. Yes, I can picture Captain Jack running into combat and working to save someone he saw as vulnerable and need of his help. My question however is where did my smiling, flirtatious Jack go? He was absolutely generic. Even though The Deviant Strain is set before Torchwood, there should still be some sense of who Captain Jack is. This character is such a cardboard cut out with no personality that he really could have been anyone with the name Captain Jack tacked on for fan service.
Then there's Rose, who runs around tossing herself at anything that looks dangerous. She's like a fish out of water. I didn't recognise her at all. She seemed to be there so that the Doctor could explain what is going on. Yes, I realise that this is the main function of the companion in the Who universe, however; each companion has a personality that is distinct. Rose just ran and threw herself at stuff without trying to figure out the big picture or even giving the Doctor a sense of humanity which is something that she was really good at.
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January 27, 2019
This is the second Justin Richards book for the new series adventures and personally I think this is a much more of an improvement than his first entry, The Clockwise Man which, wasn’t bad but wasn’t good either.
I’ll start off the review by talking about the characterisation. The book features The Ninth Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack and they’re all fairly well written. They all get quite a lot do in the story, especially Jack who I think is probably one of the best things about the book as he does have some really good moments.
One of the things I liked most about The Deviant Strain is the tone. The new series books often go for quite a light hearted tone but this one is probably the most serious new who book I’ve read and definitely felt a lot more adult which I really appreciated. Another positive is that it’s packed full of story which is one of the reasons I found myself quite engaged with the book. Richards really nails the atmosphere in this story as there are moments where it really feels like a proper base under-siege story. I could almost see this working as a second doctor story.
Even though I liked the amount of story there was in the book, there were times where I found it to be somewhat convoluted and a little bit hard to follow. I still enjoyed it, however I did find myself a bit confused in some parts of the book. Another problem I had with the book is there’s quite large number of characters and there weren’t many which I really cared about. The villains themselves are quite underwhelming and the theme of immortality has already been done quite a few times in Doctor Who but it wasn’t really well executed in The Deviant Strain.
Overall it’s not a bad book and I’ll admit after reading a few of Justin Richard’s books, I’m not really in a hurry to go and seek out more of his work. Great characterisation, somewhat interesting story even if it is a little convoluted and villains that weren’t all that interesting. Definitely not a terrible book by any means!
I’ll start off the review by talking about the characterisation. The book features The Ninth Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack and they’re all fairly well written. They all get quite a lot do in the story, especially Jack who I think is probably one of the best things about the book as he does have some really good moments.
One of the things I liked most about The Deviant Strain is the tone. The new series books often go for quite a light hearted tone but this one is probably the most serious new who book I’ve read and definitely felt a lot more adult which I really appreciated. Another positive is that it’s packed full of story which is one of the reasons I found myself quite engaged with the book. Richards really nails the atmosphere in this story as there are moments where it really feels like a proper base under-siege story. I could almost see this working as a second doctor story.
Even though I liked the amount of story there was in the book, there were times where I found it to be somewhat convoluted and a little bit hard to follow. I still enjoyed it, however I did find myself a bit confused in some parts of the book. Another problem I had with the book is there’s quite large number of characters and there weren’t many which I really cared about. The villains themselves are quite underwhelming and the theme of immortality has already been done quite a few times in Doctor Who but it wasn’t really well executed in The Deviant Strain.
Overall it’s not a bad book and I’ll admit after reading a few of Justin Richard’s books, I’m not really in a hurry to go and seek out more of his work. Great characterisation, somewhat interesting story even if it is a little convoluted and villains that weren’t all that interesting. Definitely not a terrible book by any means!
February 28, 2013
Well, knock me over with a feather. A Justin Richards "Doctor Who" novel that is exciting, creepy, paced like greased lightning, and had me imagining it as a double length, film-worthy sets of TV episodes. The 9th Doctor & Captain Jack are beautifully characterized, Rose makes her best ever (and least annoying) appearance in print, and the Russian characters & setting are first class work. This was an absolutely delightful surprise...and Mr. Richards is now forgiven for writing "System Shock".
March 16, 2025
Best tardis team my beloved
October 9, 2023
reeeeally hate how this one makes it seem like rose is less capable than jack. and when she pouted over a broken nail?! did we watch the same episodes? because that’s not rose
January 3, 2021
So, this book is kinda the epitome of a 3 star. My reaction for most of it was "welp, this sure is a book!" it wasn't bad, it wasn't great, it was just kind of...there.
I kind of like Ecchelston's run with the 9th doctor and wanted to give a book of his a shot. This particular book's results was not fantastic.
There were several issues.
*spoiler warning*
1. the book took too long to start. the first half was kind of dull and you could tell the author REALLY liked talking about Russian military stuff (i saw he also wrote a book called 'option locke' for the 8th doctor and it's basically set in the same way).
2. the climax was way too long. like the actual final climax of the book started about 100 pages to the end. and considering the book is only ~250 pages, that's a LONG climax.
3. they introduce a character really early on where this girl who gets her energy drained is just kind of...there for the whole novel. she gets saved a bunch of times and then they don't do anything with her. she just literally kind of exists. she doesn't talk, move, or affect the plot in really any way. you expect her to be important because they keep talking about her so much but nope, she's there for literally no reason (even when they introduce a device that you think will be used later to heal her and they just don't)
4. a LOT of people randomly die in this one and there's a bunch of named people who i ASSUME you're supposed to know who they are or care about? but you don't. i know doc who likes to kill rando's, but this one felt a tad excessive.
*end spoilers*
Overall, the book wasn't terrible, just incredibly average. I definitely want to read another 9th doctor book, but i'm definitely going to give a different writer a chance and not go right into another one of Justin's. Even 3/5.
I kind of like Ecchelston's run with the 9th doctor and wanted to give a book of his a shot. This particular book's results was not fantastic.
There were several issues.
*spoiler warning*
1. the book took too long to start. the first half was kind of dull and you could tell the author REALLY liked talking about Russian military stuff (i saw he also wrote a book called 'option locke' for the 8th doctor and it's basically set in the same way).
2. the climax was way too long. like the actual final climax of the book started about 100 pages to the end. and considering the book is only ~250 pages, that's a LONG climax.
3. they introduce a character really early on where this girl who gets her energy drained is just kind of...there for the whole novel. she gets saved a bunch of times and then they don't do anything with her. she just literally kind of exists. she doesn't talk, move, or affect the plot in really any way. you expect her to be important because they keep talking about her so much but nope, she's there for literally no reason (even when they introduce a device that you think will be used later to heal her and they just don't)
4. a LOT of people randomly die in this one and there's a bunch of named people who i ASSUME you're supposed to know who they are or care about? but you don't. i know doc who likes to kill rando's, but this one felt a tad excessive.
*end spoilers*
Overall, the book wasn't terrible, just incredibly average. I definitely want to read another 9th doctor book, but i'm definitely going to give a different writer a chance and not go right into another one of Justin's. Even 3/5.
July 8, 2021
Definitely one of the better written of this fun series. I really enjoyed the storyline and the secondary characters in this one. Usually I am just happy hearing about the Doctor and his companions but in this case I was just more intrigued by what was going on with the mystery and the fate of the secondary characters. Also it was just fun being back with #9 - he was the first Doctor for me in a way. I never watched any Doctor Who before him as I grew up in the 70's (born in 1970) and the Doctor was Tom Baker and at the time him and the Trash Cans with Plungers freaked me out.
July 12, 2024
While maybe not the best written or best-characterized Doctor Who book, the plot and pacing make for an exciting read.
August 25, 2024
not that great of a reading year (so far) for me.
November 17, 2020
this was written so well. you can ask my friends (aka maya) how scared i was during the first half of the book. i couldn’t even pick up the book in the evening without getting paranoid. the second half was a fast read, though. it was super amazing and super unexpected.
November 18, 2024
This was by far the most enjoyable of the Doctor Who books I have read so far. The atmosphere is creepy, the villains are interesting, and the story moves at a good pace (which I wasn't expecting from this author after reading The Clockwise man). The only thing I'd say is there were some things I don't see the doctor doing at all (actually killing some of the enemies instead of trying to reason with them?) But other than that, good. It was also nice to have Jack aa a character for this one.
May 18, 2024
This was good. Well-paced mystery for one night or two evenings.
And the outcome - well I did not see that coming and that is a very good thing.
I was seriously worried after the Clockwise Man, but this time author seems to capture the characters slightly better.
And the outcome - well I did not see that coming and that is a very good thing.
I was seriously worried after the Clockwise Man, but this time author seems to capture the characters slightly better.
September 21, 2025
3.5 stars cause I could not for the life of me consistently imagine the layout of all the locations in my head so I had to keep reimagining where everything was but it kept me reading and it was pretty tense. I agree with some reviews saying the characters felt a bit generic compared to their TV counterparts. I liked Jack’s righteous anger but I’m not sure I agree with his choice to sacrifice that many healthy and well people in the hopes of saving one girl but he’s a character with flaws so maybe it’s realistic idk.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2017
I always like Justin Richards books for Doctor Who because they're just that little bit darker and that makes for great reading!
This one follows The Doctor, Rose Tyler and Captain Jack Harkness in early 21st Century at an abandoned Soviet base after the cold war. There's Russian soldiers, zombies, jellyfish aliens and bodies with the life sucked out of them.
What's going on, and can the Doctor save the day?
I did forget that Jack wasn't immortal because he was travelling with the Ninth Doctor and once I remembered his near death experiences were a lot more dramatic.
Oops. Sorry Jack.
Although his compassion toward one of the victims was lovely. There was no flirting, just genuine care.
I flew through this book like I always do with Doctor Who novels. Nice to continue with the Ninth Doctor's adventures in the form of written fiction :)
5/5 stars.
Really enjoyed :)
This one follows The Doctor, Rose Tyler and Captain Jack Harkness in early 21st Century at an abandoned Soviet base after the cold war. There's Russian soldiers, zombies, jellyfish aliens and bodies with the life sucked out of them.
What's going on, and can the Doctor save the day?
I did forget that Jack wasn't immortal because he was travelling with the Ninth Doctor and once I remembered his near death experiences were a lot more dramatic.
Oops. Sorry Jack.
Although his compassion toward one of the victims was lovely. There was no flirting, just genuine care.
I flew through this book like I always do with Doctor Who novels. Nice to continue with the Ninth Doctor's adventures in the form of written fiction :)
5/5 stars.
Really enjoyed :)
Read
March 20, 2016The audiobook reading was really crap. The narrator did very posh voices for both the Doctor and Rose. The Doctor with a touch of self-important professor and Rose almost constantly bewildered. It was so far out of character. Jack's accent was very successful either, and the Russians all sounded alike with stereotypical exaggerated Russian accents, which didn't make sense anyway considering the Tardis was translating. It would have been much better to read it without different voices.
Given the reading, I really can't fairly judge if the characters were otherwise in character. The plot was ok.
Given the reading, I really can't fairly judge if the characters were otherwise in character. The plot was ok.
July 21, 2021
I’ve been a long time fan of Doctor Who yet this is my first time reading one of the books and it read EXACTLY like watching an episode. You go through it super fast because of the mystery and thrill everyone loves in the show so if you’re also a fan of the tv series, I recommend giving it a read. I hope the rest are written like this too.
June 8, 2015
Пять звезд! не за ценность данной книги в мировой литературе, а за то, что придя домой, усталая и голодная, я всего лишь хотела посмотреть ее начало - и на несколько часов выпала из жизни! Браво! Кажется, для меня это станет удаленными сценами сериала Доктор Кто :)
December 25, 2016
An interesting premise, and I love both Rose and Captain Jack, but again I struggle to 'see' Eccleston's doctor here. A bit too generic.
July 27, 2024
A Perfect Sci-fi Horror Story That Utilises All Three Members Of This Tardis Team To Their Fullest.
A fantastic 9th Doctor novel that went places I did not expect at all. This story had the best building blocks ever. A perfect Tardis team with 9, Jack and Rose as well as an eiery snowy landscape with blood thirsty monsters out to get you. This novel went way darker than I expected too, it's definitely the darkest BBC book I've read. The villians of the week are know meer villian of the week they're a massive threat that endanger every human in the story. A Doctor Who story set in Russia shouldn't work but it does. I was smiling by the end of the novel due to how thrilling of a read it was.
Despite how enjoyable The Deviant Strain was I do have one critism which diminishes this novel. The Deviant Strain suffers from a problem a lot of on screen episodes can, there's too many side characters and as a result every single civilian and soldier introduced to feel stale. As a result it can take out some of the shock factor and horror over some of the darker twists in the book. It also got hard to keep up with side characters names and even with reading journaling daily I still got easily mixed up about who I was following and their purpose being their. Some scientists like Catherine just felt like they were there for the sake of it. The story had too big of a cast and as a result suffered for it.
Now onto the positives first the characterisation of 9, Rose and Jack. Justin Richards does this underrated Tardis justice and gets down the teams dynamic too a tea. Anytime they're together they are written a hundred percent in character. They also all get equal roles in the story posing as their "own military crew" sent to help. Jack gets to be a dashing hero and actually use his Captain rank just like in the S1 finale, Rose gets to rescue people and gather information and The Doctor gets to work with different members of the crew to solve the mystery of The Deviant Strain and the base as a whole. Everyone in the trio gets to shine and no one feels left out or out of character. 9, Jack and Rose are the glue of this novel.
Next the dark horror elements of the story. Justin Richards threw his shot and aimed it well, it fits with the really sinister episodes of 9s first season and doesn't feel too off putting. The Deviant Strain is definitely not for middle grade readers but it does a fantastic job of building up its creep factor as all the twists come in. The villians are not what they seem but they're still scary. These villians are like Mother Gothel Zombies + Creatures From A Quiet Place. This novel is not for the faintest of hearts as there is a lot of violence as well as a lot of body horror esc deaths. You can't hide under your sofa but you will be cuddling up in blankets as you read this story.
Finally the pacing and action. Although it does effect the side characters development, from the moment our Tardis team get the distress single the story is action packed and you don't get room to breathe, it makes you truly feel like you are in a scifi action story. The pacing is also great as the story is built up so well to the point that they crash down when you get to the climax and it pays off well. There's also a good balance between setting up our characters for where we need to be and having action packed terrifying chase scenes. The pacing and action made it feel like I was actually watching the story play out on screen. The action was gorey but also perfectly thrilling and entertaining.
Overall an amazing adventure, with an amazing tardis team in a perfectly spooky and eiery setting. It's a perfect sci-fi twist on conventional horror tropes whilst also sprinkling in the super natural. The mystery is entertaining and the story flows well. Highly recommend.
Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️
A fantastic 9th Doctor novel that went places I did not expect at all. This story had the best building blocks ever. A perfect Tardis team with 9, Jack and Rose as well as an eiery snowy landscape with blood thirsty monsters out to get you. This novel went way darker than I expected too, it's definitely the darkest BBC book I've read. The villians of the week are know meer villian of the week they're a massive threat that endanger every human in the story. A Doctor Who story set in Russia shouldn't work but it does. I was smiling by the end of the novel due to how thrilling of a read it was.
Despite how enjoyable The Deviant Strain was I do have one critism which diminishes this novel. The Deviant Strain suffers from a problem a lot of on screen episodes can, there's too many side characters and as a result every single civilian and soldier introduced to feel stale. As a result it can take out some of the shock factor and horror over some of the darker twists in the book. It also got hard to keep up with side characters names and even with reading journaling daily I still got easily mixed up about who I was following and their purpose being their. Some scientists like Catherine just felt like they were there for the sake of it. The story had too big of a cast and as a result suffered for it.
Now onto the positives first the characterisation of 9, Rose and Jack. Justin Richards does this underrated Tardis justice and gets down the teams dynamic too a tea. Anytime they're together they are written a hundred percent in character. They also all get equal roles in the story posing as their "own military crew" sent to help. Jack gets to be a dashing hero and actually use his Captain rank just like in the S1 finale, Rose gets to rescue people and gather information and The Doctor gets to work with different members of the crew to solve the mystery of The Deviant Strain and the base as a whole. Everyone in the trio gets to shine and no one feels left out or out of character. 9, Jack and Rose are the glue of this novel.
Next the dark horror elements of the story. Justin Richards threw his shot and aimed it well, it fits with the really sinister episodes of 9s first season and doesn't feel too off putting. The Deviant Strain is definitely not for middle grade readers but it does a fantastic job of building up its creep factor as all the twists come in. The villians are not what they seem but they're still scary. These villians are like Mother Gothel Zombies + Creatures From A Quiet Place. This novel is not for the faintest of hearts as there is a lot of violence as well as a lot of body horror esc deaths. You can't hide under your sofa but you will be cuddling up in blankets as you read this story.
Finally the pacing and action. Although it does effect the side characters development, from the moment our Tardis team get the distress single the story is action packed and you don't get room to breathe, it makes you truly feel like you are in a scifi action story. The pacing is also great as the story is built up so well to the point that they crash down when you get to the climax and it pays off well. There's also a good balance between setting up our characters for where we need to be and having action packed terrifying chase scenes. The pacing and action made it feel like I was actually watching the story play out on screen. The action was gorey but also perfectly thrilling and entertaining.
Overall an amazing adventure, with an amazing tardis team in a perfectly spooky and eiery setting. It's a perfect sci-fi twist on conventional horror tropes whilst also sprinkling in the super natural. The mystery is entertaining and the story flows well. Highly recommend.
Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️
January 24, 2025
This book was the first to feature Captain Jack joining the Tardis team of the 9th Doctor and Rose. His inclusion adds a comedic presence, with the benefit of someone who can serve as a proper action hero. This allows the Doctor can be more involved with the narrative and furthering plot threads as opposed to chase sequences and fights. Of course he still has plenty of action but there is allowed to be a more scientific feel to the story which is definitely important in a very science led story like this. The premise is a very simple alien story, one that has been done many times with humanity abusing alien technology so no points for originality really. If anything this premise really is rather thin so it being extended by generic bulletproof squid things feels like some sci fi element to actually engage the reader. At times this does work, with some great moments while Jack and Russian soldiers try to fight them off but on the whole they are only really there because overcoming the humans would be far too easy and this book needs to reach a certain page count. Rose gets some great stuff to work with later in the plot as she deals with one of the insane humans on her own, and her being alone increases the element of threat with no Jack or Doctor there to save her. The Doctor however really spends most of the book running around having conversations before suddenly being heavily involved in the climax and resolution. Tonally he is depicted very accurately to on screen but the fact he does very little in the story is a bit of a disappointment and one of the things that make the story just fine, not bad but nothing of really. The side characters are part of the problem really, all of them are just generic Russian named characters who all have the same thing to say and keep secrets that only really get revealed near the end. There are a few standouts such as the soldier who grows to be friends with Jack and obviously the murderous ones, but for the most part they don’t exactly offer exciting dialogue or action. The climax of the story is genuinely the Doctor making a bonfire so that was a bit weird, but it was just a relief to know that something was happening; this especially good given that once the alien element of the story is revealed nothing really comes of it, despite the Doctor saying he knows what it going on he just does nothing about it. The characterisation was great here so it felt very immersive in the parts of dialogue, and the action did provide lengthy descriptions that allowed for visualising events well; the shame being that none of these things prove to be particularly exciting and some not fruitful at all. I can hardly say I hated the book or its plot, it’s just executed in a way that leaves out a much needed direct alien presence in this, which is meant to be a kids book. A generic evil alien spurring events on is hardly original either but would’ve allowed for a real element of threat and foreboding presence to be revealed.
March 29, 2025
Having quite enjoyed The Clockwise Man, I had high hopes for The Deviant Strain. Unfortunately, I was left disappointed, and it’s hard to pin down exactly what went wrong—there’s just something that doesn’t quite click.
The setting is drab and uninspired, lacking the atmospheric charm or intrigue that makes a good Doctor Who story come alive. The characters, too, fall flat. They feel like one-dimensional stereotypes rather than people you care about, and this is especially noticeable because for much of the book, the three main companions—The Doctor, Rose, and Jack—are separated. As a result, the dialogue often feels impersonal and shallow, with much of the focus shifting to side characters and strangers who aren’t compelling enough to carry the weight of the story.
This separation particularly hurts the dynamic between The Doctor and Rose. When they’re apart, they each come across as surprisingly dull—stripped of the spark and warmth that make their on-screen relationship so enjoyable. Jack, on the other hand, is featured heavily, but oddly, he feels quite unlike his TV counterpart. He’s missing the usual roguish charm, quick wit, and layered personality, and instead comes across as a flat, generic action man.
One of the more jarring elements of the book is the sudden tonal shift from investigation to full-on “run for your life” survival. While this kind of transition is something Doctor Who has done successfully many times, here it feels clunky and mishandled. The pacing suffers as a result—the first few chapters drag badly, and although things briefly pick up in the middle, it never really finds its footing. It feels like the author couldn’t quite balance the investigative and action elements, and if that was the case, he might have been better off sticking with one tone and seeing it through. Again, comparing it to The Clockwise Man, which was around 90% mystery, that consistency worked in its favour and delivered a much stronger narrative.
The actual plot itself is bland—almost like watching a silent black-and-white film. It’s a shame, because I genuinely love the Ninth Doctor and always have high hopes whenever he features in a story. But in this case, it barely even feels like he’s present. The writing doesn’t capture his energy, intensity, or cleverness, and it ends up reading more like a generic sci-fi story with Doctor Who characters dropped in after the fact.
Overall, The Deviant Strain is a dull and forgettable entry in the Ninth Doctor’s line-up. It lacks the heart, energy, and cleverness that usually make Doctor Who books enjoyable, and worse—it lacks personality. In a universe bursting with possibilities, this one sadly just doesn’t deliver.
The setting is drab and uninspired, lacking the atmospheric charm or intrigue that makes a good Doctor Who story come alive. The characters, too, fall flat. They feel like one-dimensional stereotypes rather than people you care about, and this is especially noticeable because for much of the book, the three main companions—The Doctor, Rose, and Jack—are separated. As a result, the dialogue often feels impersonal and shallow, with much of the focus shifting to side characters and strangers who aren’t compelling enough to carry the weight of the story.
This separation particularly hurts the dynamic between The Doctor and Rose. When they’re apart, they each come across as surprisingly dull—stripped of the spark and warmth that make their on-screen relationship so enjoyable. Jack, on the other hand, is featured heavily, but oddly, he feels quite unlike his TV counterpart. He’s missing the usual roguish charm, quick wit, and layered personality, and instead comes across as a flat, generic action man.
One of the more jarring elements of the book is the sudden tonal shift from investigation to full-on “run for your life” survival. While this kind of transition is something Doctor Who has done successfully many times, here it feels clunky and mishandled. The pacing suffers as a result—the first few chapters drag badly, and although things briefly pick up in the middle, it never really finds its footing. It feels like the author couldn’t quite balance the investigative and action elements, and if that was the case, he might have been better off sticking with one tone and seeing it through. Again, comparing it to The Clockwise Man, which was around 90% mystery, that consistency worked in its favour and delivered a much stronger narrative.
The actual plot itself is bland—almost like watching a silent black-and-white film. It’s a shame, because I genuinely love the Ninth Doctor and always have high hopes whenever he features in a story. But in this case, it barely even feels like he’s present. The writing doesn’t capture his energy, intensity, or cleverness, and it ends up reading more like a generic sci-fi story with Doctor Who characters dropped in after the fact.
Overall, The Deviant Strain is a dull and forgettable entry in the Ninth Doctor’s line-up. It lacks the heart, energy, and cleverness that usually make Doctor Who books enjoyable, and worse—it lacks personality. In a universe bursting with possibilities, this one sadly just doesn’t deliver.
February 16, 2025
This was admittedly a bit of a mixed bag. On the downside, it’s kinda yet another base under siege story, though not quite. And it has Jack Harkness, but in a very early form that doesn’t feel like it gels with his later appearances, let alone how he is in season one of the TV show. But Nine and Rose do alright and unlike some of the other base under siege stories I’ve read recently, this one didn’t fail to live up to the promise of an interesting premise.
Admittedly that’s because I never found the premise of the setting that exciting. It’s certainly no artificial arctic environment in a dome or Viking village. Instead the Doctor and company wind up in contemporary times in a Russian village that houses decaying nuclear submarines and a lab occupied by only a few outcasts left over from the Soviet days. It seems something is sucking the youth and life force out of people, and now it’s up to the heroes to discover what.
Well, the heroes and a whole gang of Russian soldiers. It’s an interesting contrast to later stories where Ten will interact with UNIT, as Nine seems relatively warm to the military men as long as they don’t bother saluting him. And Jack fits right in, at least once he proves himself and isn’t just being dismissed as an Intelligence agent. I sorta want to credit this as being an interesting angle for the characters, especially with the Doctor being so soon out of the Time War, but on the other hand I wonder if it isn’t just the Doctor not being totally firmed up in his character when this was written. I have to wonder when these novels were produced relative to the production of the TV show, given that throughout I’ve noticed sometimes the characters from TV are captured well and sometimes they very much aren’t.
The overall plot manages to keep itself moving well enough, even if it feels like there’s too many moving parts by the end. There’s a crashed spaceship, evil henge stones extruding from the ship, big blue blobby monsters eating people, and a gang of scientists trying to stay immortal by hijacking the ship. It feels like it becomes a little incoherent and leads to a lot of running around that never quite goes anywhere.
Still, this isn’t the worst Doctor Who book I’ve read. And maybe I’m willing to cut it a bit of slack because it has some of my favorite characters and also because I wasn’t reading it for a really cool setting or monster idea. It does feel approximately like it’d fit as an episode of the show, but probably one that wouldn’t be thought that well of. I do like that at least if Nine has to go to Earth yet again, it’s fun to punt him to the other side of Eurasia so he’s not just hanging about the council flat yet again. My next Doctor Who read is by this same author but in a historical setting and minus Jack, so I’m curious to see how they end up comparing.
Admittedly that’s because I never found the premise of the setting that exciting. It’s certainly no artificial arctic environment in a dome or Viking village. Instead the Doctor and company wind up in contemporary times in a Russian village that houses decaying nuclear submarines and a lab occupied by only a few outcasts left over from the Soviet days. It seems something is sucking the youth and life force out of people, and now it’s up to the heroes to discover what.
Well, the heroes and a whole gang of Russian soldiers. It’s an interesting contrast to later stories where Ten will interact with UNIT, as Nine seems relatively warm to the military men as long as they don’t bother saluting him. And Jack fits right in, at least once he proves himself and isn’t just being dismissed as an Intelligence agent. I sorta want to credit this as being an interesting angle for the characters, especially with the Doctor being so soon out of the Time War, but on the other hand I wonder if it isn’t just the Doctor not being totally firmed up in his character when this was written. I have to wonder when these novels were produced relative to the production of the TV show, given that throughout I’ve noticed sometimes the characters from TV are captured well and sometimes they very much aren’t.
The overall plot manages to keep itself moving well enough, even if it feels like there’s too many moving parts by the end. There’s a crashed spaceship, evil henge stones extruding from the ship, big blue blobby monsters eating people, and a gang of scientists trying to stay immortal by hijacking the ship. It feels like it becomes a little incoherent and leads to a lot of running around that never quite goes anywhere.
Still, this isn’t the worst Doctor Who book I’ve read. And maybe I’m willing to cut it a bit of slack because it has some of my favorite characters and also because I wasn’t reading it for a really cool setting or monster idea. It does feel approximately like it’d fit as an episode of the show, but probably one that wouldn’t be thought that well of. I do like that at least if Nine has to go to Earth yet again, it’s fun to punt him to the other side of Eurasia so he’s not just hanging about the council flat yet again. My next Doctor Who read is by this same author but in a historical setting and minus Jack, so I’m curious to see how they end up comparing.
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