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Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #159
Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion
Discover the new Doctor Who classics.
Earth is under attack by power-hungry aliens. This is no time for the Doctor to be out of action.
When a British space probe is intercepted by a sinister alien vessel on the eve of Christmas, it marks the beginning of an audacious invasion of the Earth by the Sycorax – horrifying marauders from beyond the stars. Within hours, a third of humanity stands on the brink of death with not a single shot fired.
Our planet needs a champion – but the Doctor is not fit for service. He’s just regenerated, delirious in a new body and a dressing gown. Forced into his battered shoes is his friend, Rose Tyler, a girl from a London council estate. Will she save the world from this nightmare before Christmas – or see it destroyed?
ebook
First published April 5, 2018
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About the author
Jenny T. Colgan
29 books95 followersJenny T. Colgan is a pseudonym of author Jenny Colgan.
Jenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including 'The Little Shop of Happy Ever After' and 'Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery', which are also published by Sphere.' Meet Me at the Cupcake Café' won the 2012 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, as was 'Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams', which won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013.
Under her Jenny T. Colgan pseudonym, she is a writer of romantic comedy fiction and science-fiction, and has written for the Doctor Who line of stories.
She also uses the pseudonyms Jane Beaton and J.T. Colgan
Jenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including 'The Little Shop of Happy Ever After' and 'Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery', which are also published by Sphere.' Meet Me at the Cupcake Café' won the 2012 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, as was 'Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams', which won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013.
Under her Jenny T. Colgan pseudonym, she is a writer of romantic comedy fiction and science-fiction, and has written for the Doctor Who line of stories.
She also uses the pseudonyms Jane Beaton and J.T. Colgan
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
December 1, 2023
I just finished watching David Tennant return as The Doctor in The Star Beast on Disney + . Absolutely brilliant! But it wasn’t enough and I wanted more. I love Dr. Who, especially the Christmas specials. I love Jenny Colgan’s books. And who doesn’t love a Target exclusive?
In my younger years, I often read novelizations of my favorite TV shows and movies, especially the X-Files, Marvel, and Star Wars franchises. It was very nostalgic for me to read this novelization of The Christmas Invasion episode of Doctor Who.
It has been some time since I’ve seen the episode, but it all came back to me during my reading experience. Jenny Colgan does a wonderful job with the dialogue and descriptions. I loved the suspense and dissonance created by the author during the initial attack and after the “spell” was cast.
The doctor is newly regenerated, but there has been a complication. While he is unconscious, and recovering an alien invasion begins. I love the supporting cast, especially the Prime Minister. I love space exploration, so I especially appreciated the aspect of the Mars probe in the story. This is a tale of warning to be careful, and very aware of what we, the people of earth, send into space for other life forms to learn about the human race.
What I love most about the Doctor Who series is how everything comes together at the end in a positive and uplifting way. Whether you go back and watch this classic episode or read the book, I hope you come away with that uplifted feeling.
In my younger years, I often read novelizations of my favorite TV shows and movies, especially the X-Files, Marvel, and Star Wars franchises. It was very nostalgic for me to read this novelization of The Christmas Invasion episode of Doctor Who.
It has been some time since I’ve seen the episode, but it all came back to me during my reading experience. Jenny Colgan does a wonderful job with the dialogue and descriptions. I loved the suspense and dissonance created by the author during the initial attack and after the “spell” was cast.
The doctor is newly regenerated, but there has been a complication. While he is unconscious, and recovering an alien invasion begins. I love the supporting cast, especially the Prime Minister. I love space exploration, so I especially appreciated the aspect of the Mars probe in the story. This is a tale of warning to be careful, and very aware of what we, the people of earth, send into space for other life forms to learn about the human race.
What I love most about the Doctor Who series is how everything comes together at the end in a positive and uplifting way. Whether you go back and watch this classic episode or read the book, I hope you come away with that uplifted feeling.
December 26, 2020
It's brilliant that the new series is now getting the Target novelisation treatment and bestselling author Colgan is the perfect choice for the Tenth Doctor's debut adventure.
She really captures the traditional style of these releases with predominantly staying faithful to the original script, whilst th
The new additions fit seamlessly.
For example the Children in Need scene 'Born Again' is included in the opening chapters, it really highlights Rose's initial weariness to this next Doctor - it's a great way to explain the regeneration process for those that had only seen the revived series.
So much of this story is instantly quotable, sticking with the snappy dialogue easily summons up memories of originally watching it 15 years ago.
That Lion King gag gets me all the time!
I've always found this to be an enjoyable episode as London is under threat from the horrific Sycorax.
It's one of my favourite specials and easy to see why these become a regular yearly fixture in the schedule.
She really captures the traditional style of these releases with predominantly staying faithful to the original script, whilst th
The new additions fit seamlessly.
For example the Children in Need scene 'Born Again' is included in the opening chapters, it really highlights Rose's initial weariness to this next Doctor - it's a great way to explain the regeneration process for those that had only seen the revived series.
So much of this story is instantly quotable, sticking with the snappy dialogue easily summons up memories of originally watching it 15 years ago.
That Lion King gag gets me all the time!
I've always found this to be an enjoyable episode as London is under threat from the horrific Sycorax.
It's one of my favourite specials and easy to see why these become a regular yearly fixture in the schedule.
September 3, 2021
4.5
~~~~
Thanks, Jenny T. Colgan, now I have extra beef with you. You're a great Big Finish author, but I'm still salty about that Tentoo story. And now...now you have THE AUDACITY to rip my heart out with pages 156 and 157 respectively. I AM SAD TOWN! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME FOLKS!!
But all jokes aside, this was a pretty great novelization. It isn't my favorite Christmas special, but Colgan's penmanship really brings out the humor and charm of the episode. Plus, I was bawling over those closing chapters.
Out of the Target novels I've read so far, this is the only one not to be adapted from the episode's original author. While Colgan is great, it's a very literal adaptation of the TV story. As a result, the first half of the book is fairly unexciting. Then again, that's an extreme nitpick.
Imma just go read more Doctor Who fanfiction y'all. Peace.
~~~~
Thanks, Jenny T. Colgan, now I have extra beef with you. You're a great Big Finish author, but I'm still salty about that Tentoo story. And now...now you have THE AUDACITY to rip my heart out with pages 156 and 157 respectively. I AM SAD TOWN! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME FOLKS!!
But all jokes aside, this was a pretty great novelization. It isn't my favorite Christmas special, but Colgan's penmanship really brings out the humor and charm of the episode. Plus, I was bawling over those closing chapters.
Out of the Target novels I've read so far, this is the only one not to be adapted from the episode's original author. While Colgan is great, it's a very literal adaptation of the TV story. As a result, the first half of the book is fairly unexciting. Then again, that's an extreme nitpick.
Imma just go read more Doctor Who fanfiction y'all. Peace.
December 26, 2024
a girl may outgrow many things, but never her love for timepetals.
"They sat down at the table and he pulled a cracker with her. She screamed, absurdly. He won, but handed her the bigger half anyway, because he liked to see her smile, and she did. She pulled out the party hat.
'It’s pink! Mum, it should be yours!'
Jackie smiled as Rose put the hat on anyway, laughing.
It wasn’t pink, thought the Doctor. It was rose."
"They sat down at the table and he pulled a cracker with her. She screamed, absurdly. He won, but handed her the bigger half anyway, because he liked to see her smile, and she did. She pulled out the party hat.
'It’s pink! Mum, it should be yours!'
Jackie smiled as Rose put the hat on anyway, laughing.
It wasn’t pink, thought the Doctor. It was rose."
September 1, 2023
The author decimated me by the dedication page, which simply said “The cover illustration of this book portrays the tenth DOCTOR WHO, whose physical appearance was later transformed after an overdose of radiation–although he didn’t want to go.” Like WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT
February 8, 2021
This was a lot funnier then I remembered it being on TV
December 27, 2021
The Christmas Invasion feels like a classic Target despite its more modern basis. The expansion of some elements of the TV episode are welcome and help bulk out the book.
October 29, 2020
4 stars. This was chaotic and wonderful. These books are just the episodes with more added to them and that’s what makes them so much fun. It follows Rose and the Tenth Doctor and honestly, can you name a more iconic duo? I’ll wait. Anyway, I loved getting Rose’s thoughts after the Doctor’s regeneration and just how freaked out she was. It takes her a while to accept that he is the Doctor as she was wanting the Ninth one back. I will say though, as much as I love Rose she was never good enough for Mickey. Poor guy deserved so much better. I’ve never liked how she did him and this book just reminded me of that. Other than that, this was great. I preferred the previous book but this was still a joy to read. I’m enjoying these Target books so far and I look forward to reading more.
December 14, 2018
A delightfully cheap, easy read. I could never get into the Target books by Terrance Dicks that served as screenplays with occasional attribution, but a few months ago, we ordered some of the new Target books for subscriber at the store I work at. That person never picked them up.
Jenny Colgan's prose is breezy and well-constructed, and perfectly brings to mind The Christmas Invasion episode while adding just enough to the narrative to make it feel like a book and not an adapted screenplay (though it is an adapted screenplay).
If you're a fan of the show, and have long commutes with no access to streaming services, this book is a fun way to enjoy Doctor Who.
Jenny Colgan's prose is breezy and well-constructed, and perfectly brings to mind The Christmas Invasion episode while adding just enough to the narrative to make it feel like a book and not an adapted screenplay (though it is an adapted screenplay).
If you're a fan of the show, and have long commutes with no access to streaming services, this book is a fun way to enjoy Doctor Who.
July 31, 2022
3.5 stars
December 7, 2020
I would like to say this review is unbiased but let’s face it, I’m a huge Doctor/Rose shipper and a huge 10th Doctor fan so this book was the best combination of the two of them. But let’s get on with the review.
Now, if you thought The Stone Rose was a fanfic made canon The Christmas Invasion is going to be right up your alley! Yes, you’ve already seen the Special, there’s nothing new to it, except now you know what each of the characters are thinking at the moment everything is happening.
Some conversations have more dialogue added up, even the deleted scenes from the Special are added to the book. But the most important thing is you get to know more about what Rose is thinking, how she feels about this change, and her insecurities about the Doctor leaving her behind and where they come from (and it gives more depth to the School Reunion episode). You get the Doctor feeling his new regenerated body and personality, how he actually felt insecure of Rose not approving of him, and it gives you a little bit of his vanity issues (that play such an important part in the fourth series Specials before regenerating).
I must say that the characters that get the most out of the novelizations are Jackie and Mickey. Especially Mickey! In the Rose Novelization (I’ll expand in a further review) we get his background, his friends and his family; and in the Christmas Invasion we get to know more about his inner thoughts and feelings, how bitter he is of Rose leaving him, how jealous he is of the Doctor, and how he wants for something else, something more and just for him.
If this doesn’t convince you to read it let me tell you that the last chapter of the novel is called All I Want for Christmas is You and is soooo adorkable, the Christmas dinner and the Doctor and Rose being insecure and awkward around each other and then both of them being idiots in love. There’s even one phrase that is soooo cheesy you wouldn’t find in a fanfic and yet is canon! Enough said!
But yeah, if you’re searching for a sign to read it, this is it!
Now, if you thought The Stone Rose was a fanfic made canon The Christmas Invasion is going to be right up your alley! Yes, you’ve already seen the Special, there’s nothing new to it, except now you know what each of the characters are thinking at the moment everything is happening.
Some conversations have more dialogue added up, even the deleted scenes from the Special are added to the book. But the most important thing is you get to know more about what Rose is thinking, how she feels about this change, and her insecurities about the Doctor leaving her behind and where they come from (and it gives more depth to the School Reunion episode). You get the Doctor feeling his new regenerated body and personality, how he actually felt insecure of Rose not approving of him, and it gives you a little bit of his vanity issues (that play such an important part in the fourth series Specials before regenerating).
I must say that the characters that get the most out of the novelizations are Jackie and Mickey. Especially Mickey! In the Rose Novelization (I’ll expand in a further review) we get his background, his friends and his family; and in the Christmas Invasion we get to know more about his inner thoughts and feelings, how bitter he is of Rose leaving him, how jealous he is of the Doctor, and how he wants for something else, something more and just for him.
If this doesn’t convince you to read it let me tell you that the last chapter of the novel is called All I Want for Christmas is You and is soooo adorkable, the Christmas dinner and the Doctor and Rose being insecure and awkward around each other and then both of them being idiots in love. There’s even one phrase that is soooo cheesy you wouldn’t find in a fanfic and yet is canon! Enough said!
But yeah, if you’re searching for a sign to read it, this is it!
August 9, 2024
Perfect August reading, I know
One of my favourite modern Target novelisations so far. Colgan does a great job here - this is such a well-known story, and they manage to add a level of tension that makes reading it a whole new experience. Genuinely, the scene where they all on the Sycorax ship felt really scary?? Colgan writes a subtle hopelessness into the scene that really made me feel sad!!
Also, with backstory on the Guinevere One team, I felt absolutely heartbroken when Llewellyn got got. Damn.
This one /is/ for the 10/Rose girlies - look, they are in love, we all know this - and Colgan's expertise in replicating those tiny moments that S2 was full of - love it. Feels very true to the energy of the episode. Made me happy.
One of my favourite modern Target novelisations so far. Colgan does a great job here - this is such a well-known story, and they manage to add a level of tension that makes reading it a whole new experience. Genuinely, the scene where they all on the Sycorax ship felt really scary?? Colgan writes a subtle hopelessness into the scene that really made me feel sad!!
Also, with backstory on the Guinevere One team, I felt absolutely heartbroken when Llewellyn got got. Damn.
This one /is/ for the 10/Rose girlies - look, they are in love, we all know this - and Colgan's expertise in replicating those tiny moments that S2 was full of - love it. Feels very true to the energy of the episode. Made me happy.
May 24, 2018
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3018154.html
As with Russell T. Davies' novelisation of Rose, Rose Tyler is the central character here - partly because, as you may remember, the new Tenth Doctor spends about half of the story asleep in post-regenerative repose. We long-term fans can get rather blasé about regeneration, but Colgan really brings us inside the head of Rose who has just seen her best friend's body explode and burn, to be replaced by a total stranger who knows far too much about her - and of course Rose here stands for every fan whose first Doctor gets replaced by another; I have myself finally forgiven Peter Davison for not being Tom Baker, but it took me a long time, and the show has sometimes taken fan acceptance of the new lead too lightly (I'm looking at you, The Twin Dilemma) - though admittedly it has got it right more often than not.
Apart from that, the Sycorax are even nastier in Colgan's book, there is a lovely doomed romance between Dr Llewellyn and Sally Jacobs, and the depiction of an accidentally elevated British Prime Minister somewhat out of her depth when faced with the biggest political crisis in living memory seems more prescient than satirical from the viewpoint of today. ("In a particularly 2017 move, by the way," Colgan says in the afterword, "my Harriet also has a cough.") All rather glorious.
As with Russell T. Davies' novelisation of Rose, Rose Tyler is the central character here - partly because, as you may remember, the new Tenth Doctor spends about half of the story asleep in post-regenerative repose. We long-term fans can get rather blasé about regeneration, but Colgan really brings us inside the head of Rose who has just seen her best friend's body explode and burn, to be replaced by a total stranger who knows far too much about her - and of course Rose here stands for every fan whose first Doctor gets replaced by another; I have myself finally forgiven Peter Davison for not being Tom Baker, but it took me a long time, and the show has sometimes taken fan acceptance of the new lead too lightly (I'm looking at you, The Twin Dilemma) - though admittedly it has got it right more often than not.
Apart from that, the Sycorax are even nastier in Colgan's book, there is a lovely doomed romance between Dr Llewellyn and Sally Jacobs, and the depiction of an accidentally elevated British Prime Minister somewhat out of her depth when faced with the biggest political crisis in living memory seems more prescient than satirical from the viewpoint of today. ("In a particularly 2017 move, by the way," Colgan says in the afterword, "my Harriet also has a cough.") All rather glorious.
March 20, 2024
jenny t colgan is i think my favourite doctor who extended universe author this book is just AHHHHH the way she describes ten is so funny and also so real like. yup. he's just like that. also rose's distress and confusion at the regeneration is done better here than in the episode I think. and the way she writes rose having a Massive Crush on ten is like the only convincing description of that I've ever read. tenrose shippers you win this time I guess. like the way they look at each other at the end of the episode is like yeahhhhhhhhhhhhh and she captures that really well here. i just really like this one!! it was cool!!! i like these guys!!!! also the authors note at the end was really lovely
December 26, 2025
I loved how much this novelisation of "The Christmas Invasion" included such interesting and more indepth emotional details in comparison to most Target novels which add their own boring bits. I loved how Jenny T Colgan showed Jackie and Micky's opinions about Rose's adventures with the Doctor and how alone they really are without her.
I liked how we got to see Rose be slightly selfish and how the book confirmed that she sometimes puts herself above others without really thinking, because I'm so tired of the Doctor Who fandom acting like Rose did no wrong and everything she did was justified when it really is the opposite.
I liked how we got to see Rose be slightly selfish and how the book confirmed that she sometimes puts herself above others without really thinking, because I'm so tired of the Doctor Who fandom acting like Rose did no wrong and everything she did was justified when it really is the opposite.
July 26, 2018
A far more literal adaptation than Rose or Day of the Doctor (but then I suspect it's easier to rip into your own work than someone else's). However, I suspect that if you put this side by side with the episode and compared them beat for beat, you'd find more subtle little changes, additions, and bits of commentary than might first appear.
November 1, 2024
take notes chicken run. this is how you make a movie/ tv episode to book adaptation.
this added elements that make you wish they were in the actual show, so much context to store in my doctor who database (brain).
very well paired with murray gold in my headphones, would recommend.
big fan of these, i am very excited to read more ❤️
this added elements that make you wish they were in the actual show, so much context to store in my doctor who database (brain).
very well paired with murray gold in my headphones, would recommend.
big fan of these, i am very excited to read more ❤️
July 30, 2025
I LOVED this novelisation! This is my personal favorite Doctor Who Christmas special and reading it in book form was AMAZING! It was a little slow at times bc I have seen the episode so many times, and this is an extremely faithful adaptation, but the little insights into the character's minds were SO worth it.
March 18, 2018
An amazing novelisation - the passion is clear from page one all the way through to the brilliant afterword. Desperate to re-watch the episode now!
May 19, 2024
forgot i read this too but UGHHHHHHH
I LOVE THEM TOO MUCH GOOD LORD
I LOVE THEM TOO MUCH GOOD LORD
December 24, 2024
Fun Christmas read with some good additions. Found a few grammar mistakes but didn’t take away any enjoyment!
December 7, 2025
The chapter titles being Christmas songs just made me extra happy
December 29, 2021
So this is the first Doctor Who Target book that I’ve read, and despite being a massive Doctor Who fan it doesn’t make me that excited to read more. I totally understand that in the first few decades of Doctor Who, DVDs, DVRs, and streaming services didn’t exist so the only way to catch up on an episode you missed was to get the Target novelization. And under those circumstances, it makes sense that you would want the book to closely follow the episode.
But today, I can rewatch just about any episode I want with the touch of a button, so I hoped that the new Target novels (Including The Christmas Invasion) would add more information to the episode to actually give me a reason to want to read the book instead of re-watching the episode. This one did not deliver that experience for me. Colgan does add some new material, but not as much as I was hoping. The new information primarily concerns the backgrounds of the scientists who built Guinevere, which I didn’t care about much. I’m much more interested in the Doctor and Rose, and there’s only a couple new lines from them.
Overall, there’s nothing wrong with this book, it just didn’t turn out to be what I was hoping for. I still enjoyed it, because it’s Doctor Who and it’s a good episode of Doctor Who, but I probably would have preferred to watch the episode instead of reading about it. I did, however, really enjoy that all of the chapter titles are lines from Christmas carols.
But today, I can rewatch just about any episode I want with the touch of a button, so I hoped that the new Target novels (Including The Christmas Invasion) would add more information to the episode to actually give me a reason to want to read the book instead of re-watching the episode. This one did not deliver that experience for me. Colgan does add some new material, but not as much as I was hoping. The new information primarily concerns the backgrounds of the scientists who built Guinevere, which I didn’t care about much. I’m much more interested in the Doctor and Rose, and there’s only a couple new lines from them.
Overall, there’s nothing wrong with this book, it just didn’t turn out to be what I was hoping for. I still enjoyed it, because it’s Doctor Who and it’s a good episode of Doctor Who, but I probably would have preferred to watch the episode instead of reading about it. I did, however, really enjoy that all of the chapter titles are lines from Christmas carols.
December 3, 2024
all right all right!! I AM SO NORMAL ABOUT THIS… "the christmas invasion" is soooo special to me since it not only made me fall even more in love with david tennant (no joke I spent that whole night on tiktok watching edits, looking at his beautiful face on pinterest and writing about his brilliance on tumblr…)
but also generally this is one of my absolute comfort episodes ever EVER and the best christmas special ever made (although it’s actually a tie with "the runaway bride" which deserves a novelization as well!!)
BUT TENROSE WAS TENROSING SO HARD HERE URGHHH 😩 this was the moment I knew they’d be my end, my destruction, my 13th reason why-
I was giggling and kicking my feet over some words on paper again and here are some examples (especially the end oh my dear lord-)
"however, the possibility that rose of all people that rose, his heart of the tardis, might not recognise him, nor accept him... he would never have admitted to himself how close to an unbearable thought that was"
HE JUST CALLED HER THE HEART OF THE TARDIS!!?? I DON’T CARE IF THAT’S MEANT METAPHORICAL 🙂↕️
"he pulled a cracker with her. he won, but handed her the bigger half anyway, because he liked to see her smile, and she did. she pulled out the party hat. 'it's pink' it wasn't pink, thought the doctor. it was rose"
*starts sobbing uncontrollably, turns into a weeping angel*
"and they beamed at each other like idiots, as if they were the only people there"
"rose smiled happily watching him. she couldn't take her eyes off him, thought mickey crossly. not for a minute. and the other guy. that guy had been old, and a bit weird looking. this one was young. and handsome. and she stared at him like he was chocolate cake"
SAME GIRL SAME 🤭🤭🤭
"his hand was held out towards her; just as it had always been; just as she'd dreaded it might never be again. […] she took it, of course, as she had known she would, because it was the only place her hand ever wanted to be"
"oblivious to anyone else, they stared at one another, then up at the light of the stars"
"and the very clear and certain, undeniable inevitability that this doctor and rose would fall madly in love is on the page from the very start"
with that being said: MISS JENNY T. COLGAN CONFIRMED WHAT WE’RE ALL THINKING. TENROSE FOR THE WIN! TENROSE FOREVER! TENROSE FOR ALL OF TIME AND SPACE <3
on another note: I’ve always felt bad for jackie since her daughter takes off to travel the universe with some man but yk I’d do the same… and eventually mothers have to deal with their children leaving home HOWEVER the way rose treats mickey and by reading in between the lines of this novelization as well as "rose"… IT HURTS I feel so bad for him but yk I’d do the same… like sure mickey I love you as my bestie let’s stay friends but THAT’S THE FREAKING DOCTOR AND HE’S PERFECT WE’RE PRACTICALLY MARRIED SINCE DAY ONE I CAN’T LET HIM TRAVEL ON HIS OWN 👀
but also generally this is one of my absolute comfort episodes ever EVER and the best christmas special ever made (although it’s actually a tie with "the runaway bride" which deserves a novelization as well!!)
BUT TENROSE WAS TENROSING SO HARD HERE URGHHH 😩 this was the moment I knew they’d be my end, my destruction, my 13th reason why-
I was giggling and kicking my feet over some words on paper again and here are some examples (especially the end oh my dear lord-)
"however, the possibility that rose of all people that rose, his heart of the tardis, might not recognise him, nor accept him... he would never have admitted to himself how close to an unbearable thought that was"
HE JUST CALLED HER THE HEART OF THE TARDIS!!?? I DON’T CARE IF THAT’S MEANT METAPHORICAL 🙂↕️
"he pulled a cracker with her. he won, but handed her the bigger half anyway, because he liked to see her smile, and she did. she pulled out the party hat. 'it's pink' it wasn't pink, thought the doctor. it was rose"
*starts sobbing uncontrollably, turns into a weeping angel*
"and they beamed at each other like idiots, as if they were the only people there"
"rose smiled happily watching him. she couldn't take her eyes off him, thought mickey crossly. not for a minute. and the other guy. that guy had been old, and a bit weird looking. this one was young. and handsome. and she stared at him like he was chocolate cake"
SAME GIRL SAME 🤭🤭🤭
"his hand was held out towards her; just as it had always been; just as she'd dreaded it might never be again. […] she took it, of course, as she had known she would, because it was the only place her hand ever wanted to be"
"oblivious to anyone else, they stared at one another, then up at the light of the stars"
"and the very clear and certain, undeniable inevitability that this doctor and rose would fall madly in love is on the page from the very start"
with that being said: MISS JENNY T. COLGAN CONFIRMED WHAT WE’RE ALL THINKING. TENROSE FOR THE WIN! TENROSE FOREVER! TENROSE FOR ALL OF TIME AND SPACE <3
on another note: I’ve always felt bad for jackie since her daughter takes off to travel the universe with some man but yk I’d do the same… and eventually mothers have to deal with their children leaving home HOWEVER the way rose treats mickey and by reading in between the lines of this novelization as well as "rose"… IT HURTS I feel so bad for him but yk I’d do the same… like sure mickey I love you as my bestie let’s stay friends but THAT’S THE FREAKING DOCTOR AND HE’S PERFECT WE’RE PRACTICALLY MARRIED SINCE DAY ONE I CAN’T LET HIM TRAVEL ON HIS OWN 👀
December 21, 2025
Ohhh I loved this! Reliving one of my favourite and most nostalgic episodes in the form of a book. And a target book no less! And written by one of my favourite authors?! Massive yes please.
I love that they adapt some episodes into book format as it gives you the opportunity to experience it again in a whole different way. And especially based off such an epic episode as well made for great reading. I could picture it all so clearly in my head! Jenny Colgan did an amazing job at bringing this from the screen and onto the page, from watchers to readers!
I had the audiobook voiced by Camille Cadouri who plays Jackie Tyler and it was just epic. It brought so many happy feelings back as a child when I watched this for the first time around christmas, with all the adventures of a newly regenerated doctor, killer Christmas trees, epic sword fights and alien space ships. Love love loved it!
EDIT: I’ve listened to this every year near Christmas and it’s still the best thing ever. (2023)
EDIT2: Listened to it again this year, it’s somehow become a tradition now and I look forward to see every Christmas? All for that happy wave of nostalgia (2024).
EDIT3: how have I done this every year for the past four years? And I’ve done it again. Never gets old. (2025. See you next year).
I love that they adapt some episodes into book format as it gives you the opportunity to experience it again in a whole different way. And especially based off such an epic episode as well made for great reading. I could picture it all so clearly in my head! Jenny Colgan did an amazing job at bringing this from the screen and onto the page, from watchers to readers!
I had the audiobook voiced by Camille Cadouri who plays Jackie Tyler and it was just epic. It brought so many happy feelings back as a child when I watched this for the first time around christmas, with all the adventures of a newly regenerated doctor, killer Christmas trees, epic sword fights and alien space ships. Love love loved it!
EDIT: I’ve listened to this every year near Christmas and it’s still the best thing ever. (2023)
EDIT2: Listened to it again this year, it’s somehow become a tradition now and I look forward to see every Christmas? All for that happy wave of nostalgia (2024).
EDIT3: how have I done this every year for the past four years? And I’ve done it again. Never gets old. (2025. See you next year).
February 13, 2021
Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion is Target novels at their best, retelling the story well, while adding nice details and capturing the mood of the episode.
The internal monologue of Jackie and Mickey is done with care it's nice to hear from them and get a little more insight into their thoughts. Jenny T. Colgan treats both of them with compassion, which was sometimes lacking from RTD. The same goes for the side characters, even one-off ones such as Sally and Llewellyn, they feel like real people. Nice job of fitting so much into a ~160 page long novel. Although this story is light on plot, so that helps.
I've never been a fan of the decision to nerf the Doctor for most of the story, and have Rose sit around in despair. This comes right after her big heroic moment at the of series/season 1, it's a downgrade for sure. I'm not saying she's weak for being upset and crying but the story gives her nothing to do but worry about the Doctor and be a little mean to her Mum and Mickey. Which is a part of her character I never liked. If it was a deliberate flaw I wouldn't mind but it's never called out, we're just supposed to accept this behaviour. Not a fan.
However, the novelization makes the parts before 10 waking up interesting, while you can tell it takes a while (~120 pages) for him to show up, it's never boring. Colgan did a great job of showing how shocking and scary the regeneration was for Rose, it's easy to sympathize with her and understand why she's so desperate, even if the plot lets her down. The Doctor didn't do the best job of explaining what the regeneration is (not his fault, as he had little time and was basically dying) or provide instructions on what to do in case he's unconscious (more of his fault, 5 could do it, so could you 10). It's made clear Rose thinks the person she cares about is dead, and some kind of alien took over his body. Even after he clears this up, her disbelief makes sense because he also passes out during an alien invasion and lets Earth fend for itself fir about a day. Not his fault, but you can see why Rose thinks The Doctor abandoned her.
I liked the chapters being named after Christmas songs. I cracked up at Jackie's iconic line being in the one titled O Christmas Tree. Because of course it is.
There's nothing I can fault with the book itself, all of my dislikes come from the story as originally written. Other than the Doctor asleep/Rose worries thing, I still hate the Doctor bringing Harriet Jones down. While I don't agree with her actions, what she says to him to justify them isn't incorrect. It took the Sycorax leader 2 seconds to attempt to kill 10 even though he swore not to. What's to say he won't come back, at a time The Doctor is off Earth. Which he is, often. In this adventure, two innocent people died in front of Harriet while he was still taking his nap. It can't be expected of him to save everyone of course, but one can't blame her for trying to defend humanity. If this means the Doctor will no longer consider her an ally, then so be it, that would be deserved.
What he does is pretty awful though. There was no reason to have him be vengeful, it would've been enough for him to walk away, saying he won't be here to help if people don't want her in power after this, and make the alien invasion the reason she will have to resign. The bigger issue is bringing down a female politician over her appearance, it's very sexist. Women in politics are ruthlessly criticised over what they look like, what they're wearing and have to endure demeaning and objectifying remarks all the time, on a scale male politicians don't have to deal with. Picking this rhetoric for the Doctor was a misstep. The audience's supposed to be on his side as he uses sexism to ruin a female prime minister's career? No thanks. I don't think it was intended this way, but RTD, being a man, probably didn't realise the implications. The "don't you think she looks tired" could've worked with a male PM, but it's not a male PM, doing this to a woman carries a lot of sexism with it. Obviously not something the Doctor should stand for. I also don't like 10 meddling with Earth politics to this degree. Curse Harriet Jones out, by all means, but interfering with politics because he was pissed off is a no from me.
The internal monologue of Jackie and Mickey is done with care it's nice to hear from them and get a little more insight into their thoughts. Jenny T. Colgan treats both of them with compassion, which was sometimes lacking from RTD. The same goes for the side characters, even one-off ones such as Sally and Llewellyn, they feel like real people. Nice job of fitting so much into a ~160 page long novel. Although this story is light on plot, so that helps.
I've never been a fan of the decision to nerf the Doctor for most of the story, and have Rose sit around in despair. This comes right after her big heroic moment at the of series/season 1, it's a downgrade for sure. I'm not saying she's weak for being upset and crying but the story gives her nothing to do but worry about the Doctor and be a little mean to her Mum and Mickey. Which is a part of her character I never liked. If it was a deliberate flaw I wouldn't mind but it's never called out, we're just supposed to accept this behaviour. Not a fan.
However, the novelization makes the parts before 10 waking up interesting, while you can tell it takes a while (~120 pages) for him to show up, it's never boring. Colgan did a great job of showing how shocking and scary the regeneration was for Rose, it's easy to sympathize with her and understand why she's so desperate, even if the plot lets her down. The Doctor didn't do the best job of explaining what the regeneration is (not his fault, as he had little time and was basically dying) or provide instructions on what to do in case he's unconscious (more of his fault, 5 could do it, so could you 10). It's made clear Rose thinks the person she cares about is dead, and some kind of alien took over his body. Even after he clears this up, her disbelief makes sense because he also passes out during an alien invasion and lets Earth fend for itself fir about a day. Not his fault, but you can see why Rose thinks The Doctor abandoned her.
I liked the chapters being named after Christmas songs. I cracked up at Jackie's iconic line being in the one titled O Christmas Tree. Because of course it is.
There's nothing I can fault with the book itself, all of my dislikes come from the story as originally written. Other than the Doctor asleep/Rose worries thing, I still hate the Doctor bringing Harriet Jones down. While I don't agree with her actions, what she says to him to justify them isn't incorrect. It took the Sycorax leader 2 seconds to attempt to kill 10 even though he swore not to. What's to say he won't come back, at a time The Doctor is off Earth. Which he is, often. In this adventure, two innocent people died in front of Harriet while he was still taking his nap. It can't be expected of him to save everyone of course, but one can't blame her for trying to defend humanity. If this means the Doctor will no longer consider her an ally, then so be it, that would be deserved.
What he does is pretty awful though. There was no reason to have him be vengeful, it would've been enough for him to walk away, saying he won't be here to help if people don't want her in power after this, and make the alien invasion the reason she will have to resign. The bigger issue is bringing down a female politician over her appearance, it's very sexist. Women in politics are ruthlessly criticised over what they look like, what they're wearing and have to endure demeaning and objectifying remarks all the time, on a scale male politicians don't have to deal with. Picking this rhetoric for the Doctor was a misstep. The audience's supposed to be on his side as he uses sexism to ruin a female prime minister's career? No thanks. I don't think it was intended this way, but RTD, being a man, probably didn't realise the implications. The "don't you think she looks tired" could've worked with a male PM, but it's not a male PM, doing this to a woman carries a lot of sexism with it. Obviously not something the Doctor should stand for. I also don't like 10 meddling with Earth politics to this degree. Curse Harriet Jones out, by all means, but interfering with politics because he was pissed off is a no from me.
July 17, 2018
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Back in High School, I remember attending an author event -- some SF author that I'd never heard of (you probably haven't either), but what did I care? He was an actual SF/Fantasy/Horror writer visiting Idaho (it happens a little more now, but back then I hadn't thought it was possible). He discussed getting to write a novelization of a major Horror film thinking, "How hard can it be? Take the script, throw in some adjectives and verbs -- maybe a few adverbs and you're done!" He then went on to talk about all the things he learned about how hard it was taking a script of whatever quality and turning it into something that works in an entirely different medium. That's really stuck with me for some reason, and I've always respected anyone who can pull it off well (and even those who get close to doing it well).
Before I babble on too much, Colgan is one who can pull it off pretty well.I discovered Doctor Who a couple of years before I saw that unnamed SF author, but didn't get to watch much of it, mostly because I lived in about the only place in the States where PBS didn't air old ones. I saw a few Sylvester McCoy episodes (mostly due to the magic of VHS and a friend who lived somewhere with a better PBS affiliate). Other than that, it was the small paperback novelizations of episodes. I owned a few, the same friend owned a few more -- so I read those. A lot. Then comes Russel T. Davies, Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, etc. and all was better. But I still remembered those novels as being Doctor Who to me.
So when they announced that they were re-launching that series this year, I got excited. I own them all, but I've only found time to read one -- I started with Jenny T. Colgan, because I know how Paul Cornell writes, and I assume I'll love his -- ditto for Davies and Moffat. Besides, The Christmas Invasion is one of my favorite episodes ever.
I won't bother with describing the plot much -- you know it, or you should. On the heels of regenerating into the 10th Doctor, Rose brings a mostly unconscious stranger into her mother's apartment to recuperate. At the same time, an alien invasion starts -- the British government -- under the direction of Harriet Jones, MP -- and the Torchwood project tries to respond, but really is pining all their hopes on the resident of the TARDIS.
Colgan does a great job bringing the episode to life -- I could see the thing playing out in my mind. But she doesn't just do that -- she adds a nice little touch of her own here and there. Expands on some things and whatnot. In general, she just brings out what was there and expands on it. Adds a few spices to an already good dish to enhance the flavors. Colgan absolutely nails Rose's inner turmoil about who this stranger in her old friend's body is.
I particularly enjoyed reading the scene where the Doctor emerges from the TARDIS, finally awake and ready to resume being Earth's protector -- between Rose's reaction, the already great dialogue, and Colgan's capturing the essence of Tennant's (and everyone else's) performances in her prose. Seriously, I've read that scene three times. I never do that.
I'm not particularly crazy about the little addition she made to Harriet Jones' downfall, but I get it. I'm not scandalized by it or anything, I just didn't think it was necessary. Other than that, I appreciate everything Colgan did to put her stamp on this story.
If the rest of these books are as good, I'm going to be very glad to read them, and hope that there are more to come soon.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Back in High School, I remember attending an author event -- some SF author that I'd never heard of (you probably haven't either), but what did I care? He was an actual SF/Fantasy/Horror writer visiting Idaho (it happens a little more now, but back then I hadn't thought it was possible). He discussed getting to write a novelization of a major Horror film thinking, "How hard can it be? Take the script, throw in some adjectives and verbs -- maybe a few adverbs and you're done!" He then went on to talk about all the things he learned about how hard it was taking a script of whatever quality and turning it into something that works in an entirely different medium. That's really stuck with me for some reason, and I've always respected anyone who can pull it off well (and even those who get close to doing it well).
Before I babble on too much, Colgan is one who can pull it off pretty well.I discovered Doctor Who a couple of years before I saw that unnamed SF author, but didn't get to watch much of it, mostly because I lived in about the only place in the States where PBS didn't air old ones. I saw a few Sylvester McCoy episodes (mostly due to the magic of VHS and a friend who lived somewhere with a better PBS affiliate). Other than that, it was the small paperback novelizations of episodes. I owned a few, the same friend owned a few more -- so I read those. A lot. Then comes Russel T. Davies, Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, etc. and all was better. But I still remembered those novels as being Doctor Who to me.
So when they announced that they were re-launching that series this year, I got excited. I own them all, but I've only found time to read one -- I started with Jenny T. Colgan, because I know how Paul Cornell writes, and I assume I'll love his -- ditto for Davies and Moffat. Besides, The Christmas Invasion is one of my favorite episodes ever.
I won't bother with describing the plot much -- you know it, or you should. On the heels of regenerating into the 10th Doctor, Rose brings a mostly unconscious stranger into her mother's apartment to recuperate. At the same time, an alien invasion starts -- the British government -- under the direction of Harriet Jones, MP -- and the Torchwood project tries to respond, but really is pining all their hopes on the resident of the TARDIS.
Colgan does a great job bringing the episode to life -- I could see the thing playing out in my mind. But she doesn't just do that -- she adds a nice little touch of her own here and there. Expands on some things and whatnot. In general, she just brings out what was there and expands on it. Adds a few spices to an already good dish to enhance the flavors. Colgan absolutely nails Rose's inner turmoil about who this stranger in her old friend's body is.
I particularly enjoyed reading the scene where the Doctor emerges from the TARDIS, finally awake and ready to resume being Earth's protector -- between Rose's reaction, the already great dialogue, and Colgan's capturing the essence of Tennant's (and everyone else's) performances in her prose. Seriously, I've read that scene three times. I never do that.
I'm not particularly crazy about the little addition she made to Harriet Jones' downfall, but I get it. I'm not scandalized by it or anything, I just didn't think it was necessary. Other than that, I appreciate everything Colgan did to put her stamp on this story.
If the rest of these books are as good, I'm going to be very glad to read them, and hope that there are more to come soon.
July 18, 2018
(3.5/5)
Jenny T. Colgan had the hardest job of any of the four authors who novelized an episode for this first wave of new Target books: she had to take an episode that I really didn't care for and make it a good novel. I just really didn't care for the televised version of The Christmas Invasion. The Doctor's asleep for nearly 3/4 of the story and I never much cared for Rose and Mickey, so it's near the bottom of my list of favorite Christmas specials. I say this to explain why I didn't adore this book. All the problems I have with it boil down to the problems I had with the original script and not with the actual writing of this novel. Jenny T. Colgan has a gift for prose and her prose is what makes this novel actually enjoyable. The plot is still extremely weak, but the way Colgan describes everything and the way she's able to get into the heads of each of her characters, and deepen our understanding of them, their emotions, and their motivations makes this book a worthwhile read.
On the surface, it's probably the novelization that stays the closest to what we saw on TV. Like Paul Cornell's Twice Upon a Time, she doesn't change a whole lot from the televised story to the novelization, but she does add some new stuff. Most of that new stuff comes in the form of superb characterization. There aren't many new scenes, but the point of view is often different when compared to the TV version. Colgan takes us into the heads of a lot of different characters, and the way she does that really elevates this mediocre story into an enjoyable one. She spends a lot of time with the UNIT folk and Harriet Jones, and the way she fleshes out all of those characters helps us forget the absence of the Doctor for a little bit. It helps that she's able to do the thing that Terrance Dicks (legendary Doctor Who writer who wrote like half of the original Target novelizations) did: she can weave a tapestry with just a few words and make it beautiful.
The Christmas Invasion is a weak story. The Doctor's literally just regenerated and he spends the vast majority of the story completely unconscious. That may have been super interesting and subversive when it aired, but it doesn't hold up all that well. You spend the whole time wishing it could just get on with it and bring the Doctor into the story. But it doesn't until the very end, and sure, that climax is really good, but it doesn't make up for the forty-five minutes that led up to it. Colgan's novelization suffers from this, too, but it's saved, primarily, by her excellent characterization and her beautiful prose. She's able to turn an episode I really dislike into a book I enjoyed well enough. It's easily my least favorite of the four new Target novelizations, but it's still very good. It's a big improvement on the actual episode and an enjoyable read, overall.
Jenny T. Colgan had the hardest job of any of the four authors who novelized an episode for this first wave of new Target books: she had to take an episode that I really didn't care for and make it a good novel. I just really didn't care for the televised version of The Christmas Invasion. The Doctor's asleep for nearly 3/4 of the story and I never much cared for Rose and Mickey, so it's near the bottom of my list of favorite Christmas specials. I say this to explain why I didn't adore this book. All the problems I have with it boil down to the problems I had with the original script and not with the actual writing of this novel. Jenny T. Colgan has a gift for prose and her prose is what makes this novel actually enjoyable. The plot is still extremely weak, but the way Colgan describes everything and the way she's able to get into the heads of each of her characters, and deepen our understanding of them, their emotions, and their motivations makes this book a worthwhile read.
On the surface, it's probably the novelization that stays the closest to what we saw on TV. Like Paul Cornell's Twice Upon a Time, she doesn't change a whole lot from the televised story to the novelization, but she does add some new stuff. Most of that new stuff comes in the form of superb characterization. There aren't many new scenes, but the point of view is often different when compared to the TV version. Colgan takes us into the heads of a lot of different characters, and the way she does that really elevates this mediocre story into an enjoyable one. She spends a lot of time with the UNIT folk and Harriet Jones, and the way she fleshes out all of those characters helps us forget the absence of the Doctor for a little bit. It helps that she's able to do the thing that Terrance Dicks (legendary Doctor Who writer who wrote like half of the original Target novelizations) did: she can weave a tapestry with just a few words and make it beautiful.
The Christmas Invasion is a weak story. The Doctor's literally just regenerated and he spends the vast majority of the story completely unconscious. That may have been super interesting and subversive when it aired, but it doesn't hold up all that well. You spend the whole time wishing it could just get on with it and bring the Doctor into the story. But it doesn't until the very end, and sure, that climax is really good, but it doesn't make up for the forty-five minutes that led up to it. Colgan's novelization suffers from this, too, but it's saved, primarily, by her excellent characterization and her beautiful prose. She's able to turn an episode I really dislike into a book I enjoyed well enough. It's easily my least favorite of the four new Target novelizations, but it's still very good. It's a big improvement on the actual episode and an enjoyable read, overall.
May 23, 2023
Ah the Target Novelizations. The only way for people to revisit their favourite Doctor Who episodes, in a by-gone era where repeats and VHS/DVDs; didn't exist. Now as someone who grew up with Nu-Who and the almost endless repeats on BBC 3, I consider myself and people of my age incredibly lucky that we had easy access to these stories right from the very beginning of our Doctor Who fandom thanks to BBC 3 and the old basic DVD releases (with up to three and sometimes four Who stories!!!), so when the BBC announced they were bringing back the Target Novels for a brand new era of the show, I was excited and curious to see if it would work. Spoilers: it did.
'The Christmas Invasion' was selected along with a handful of other episodes to be turned into a novel by the BBC due to its impact on the shows history, being a) the first episode of Doctor Who to air on December 25th since 1965's 'The Feast of Steven' (episode seven of the twelve part epic 'The Dalek's Masterplan') and b) the first story of the ever popular Tenth incarnation of the titular hero, played by David Tennant. Whilst being written for television by the then, and current show-runner Russell T. Davies, this novel has been written by author Jenny Colgan whom I can say does a wonderful job of capturing the style and feel of the RTD Era of the show.
Whilst the book does bounce around from different POV's, sometimes in the same chapter (though never for too long), it fleshes out quite wonderfully many moments from the episode, whilst still staying loyal to what was transmitted. OK the story is more or less a copy of what was on screen, with a few addition of deleted material, which could be a turn off for some readers; but because I knew the story like the back of my hand, this was no problem really as it really felt like there was a movie (well TV show) playing in my head.
Where the book shines, is with its fleshing out of certain characters and moments from the episode, giving us more to them and to their fates. Most fleshed out was Daniel Llewellyn, head of the Guinevere One Space Mission. A side character in the episode, Colgan allows us inside his head and gives him a nice little romantic storyline that makes one all the more upset when he is killed by the Sycorax Leader. If you're angry at me spoiling this, it aired nearly eighteen years ago and if you haven't seen it; then what the hell are you doing reading the bloody novelization? Go watch it now, and come back later.
With the inclusion of the Children in Need Minisode 'Born Again' at the beginning and epilogue, we get some truly lovely insights into the thoughts of Rose, Mickey and Jackie and how their lives are effected by The Doctor, which is something the show touches on, but due to the forty-five minute runtime; never got more than a brief moment or two.
A nice little read, that was a breeze to get through (even if you haven't seen the episode for a number of years).
4.25/5
'The Christmas Invasion' was selected along with a handful of other episodes to be turned into a novel by the BBC due to its impact on the shows history, being a) the first episode of Doctor Who to air on December 25th since 1965's 'The Feast of Steven' (episode seven of the twelve part epic 'The Dalek's Masterplan') and b) the first story of the ever popular Tenth incarnation of the titular hero, played by David Tennant. Whilst being written for television by the then, and current show-runner Russell T. Davies, this novel has been written by author Jenny Colgan whom I can say does a wonderful job of capturing the style and feel of the RTD Era of the show.
Whilst the book does bounce around from different POV's, sometimes in the same chapter (though never for too long), it fleshes out quite wonderfully many moments from the episode, whilst still staying loyal to what was transmitted. OK the story is more or less a copy of what was on screen, with a few addition of deleted material, which could be a turn off for some readers; but because I knew the story like the back of my hand, this was no problem really as it really felt like there was a movie (well TV show) playing in my head.
Where the book shines, is with its fleshing out of certain characters and moments from the episode, giving us more to them and to their fates. Most fleshed out was Daniel Llewellyn, head of the Guinevere One Space Mission. A side character in the episode, Colgan allows us inside his head and gives him a nice little romantic storyline that makes one all the more upset when he is killed by the Sycorax Leader. If you're angry at me spoiling this, it aired nearly eighteen years ago and if you haven't seen it; then what the hell are you doing reading the bloody novelization? Go watch it now, and come back later.
With the inclusion of the Children in Need Minisode 'Born Again' at the beginning and epilogue, we get some truly lovely insights into the thoughts of Rose, Mickey and Jackie and how their lives are effected by The Doctor, which is something the show touches on, but due to the forty-five minute runtime; never got more than a brief moment or two.
A nice little read, that was a breeze to get through (even if you haven't seen the episode for a number of years).
4.25/5
May 14, 2023
It’s kind of a shame that I’m doing these novelizations of Russell T. Davies era stories in series broadcast order, as it means I have already experienced two adapted by their original writers which allows this elevation from a standard novelization and expansion of these 45-minute episodes into something genuinely amazing. Jenny T. Colgan was already an established novelist and storyteller both in and out of the Doctor Who world, having written two full length Doctor Who novels, several short stories and audios, and her own series of young adult romantic comedies. She is a lifelong Doctor Who fan, and you can tell she is relishing the chance to adapt a story from the man whose era returned her love of the show. The Christmas Invasion is a Target novelization and I mean that in the absolute best way possible: it takes the 60 minute Christmas special and adapts it to the short novel format wonderfully, but unlike the other two modern novelizations I have covered (perhaps because Colgan didn’t write the original script) there isn’t actually all that much added in terms of plot or characterization. There is an added prologue and epilogue which are nice, a few moments scattered throughout that add mini scenes including a nice description of the Guinevere space program being stared, and an added adaptation of “Born Again” as a single chapter, but other than that The Christmas Invasion is “The Christmas Invasion”. It doesn���t take steps to iron out some of the issues of the televised story, or maybe give Harriet Jones more to do, it’s perfectly content to be the story and to be just as enjoyable. Colgan’s prose is light and breezy, focused on converting the performances and emotions of the characters to prose very well in her added descriptors. There is an adherence to the script to perhaps too large of a degree, some of the dialogue being very mid-2000s television dialogue. And of course, the story still has the Doctor out of the action and the uncertainty of where the Tenth Doctor’s characterization could go which was something Colgan perhaps could have added to in a novelization like this. The chapter titles being all lyrics or titles for Christmas carols was a nice touch to enhance the Christmas atmosphere though.
Overall, The Christmas Invasion is a perfectly enjoyable read from an author who knows exactly what she’s doing, though is perhaps a bit too reserved when it comes to converting an hour long script into prose. It’s an experience that if you enjoy “The Christmas Invasion” as a story on television you are going to enjoy The Christmas Invasion in prose form. It does make me want to see Colgan let loose with the ability to fully expand an episode and maybe not adhere so closely as she did here, but this is a book that I can happily recommend as a fun time. 7/10.
Overall, The Christmas Invasion is a perfectly enjoyable read from an author who knows exactly what she’s doing, though is perhaps a bit too reserved when it comes to converting an hour long script into prose. It’s an experience that if you enjoy “The Christmas Invasion” as a story on television you are going to enjoy The Christmas Invasion in prose form. It does make me want to see Colgan let loose with the ability to fully expand an episode and maybe not adhere so closely as she did here, but this is a book that I can happily recommend as a fun time. 7/10.
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