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Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious - The Novels #1
Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious - The Knight, The Fool and The Dead
Heralding the multi-platform Time Lord Victorious project, The Knight, the Fool and the Dead is a pulsating adventure that pitches the Doctor back into the Ancient Days and a deadly foe that threatens the entire universe. Packed with the excitement, adventure and wit that are the hallmark of Doctor Who, this is a brand new story not to be missed.
We live forever, barring accidents. Just like everyone else in the universe.
The Doctor travels back to the Ancient Days, an era where life flourishes and death is barely known...
Then come the Kotturuh – creatures who spread through the cosmos dispensing mortality. They judge each and every species and decree its allotted time to live. For the first time, living things know the fear of ending. And they will go to any lengths to escape this grim new spectre, death.
The Doctor is an old hand at cheating death. Now, at last, he can stop it at source. He is coming for the Kotturuh, ready to change everything so that Life wins from the start.
Not just the last of the Time Lords. The Time Lord Victorious.
We live forever, barring accidents. Just like everyone else in the universe.
The Doctor travels back to the Ancient Days, an era where life flourishes and death is barely known...
Then come the Kotturuh – creatures who spread through the cosmos dispensing mortality. They judge each and every species and decree its allotted time to live. For the first time, living things know the fear of ending. And they will go to any lengths to escape this grim new spectre, death.
The Doctor is an old hand at cheating death. Now, at last, he can stop it at source. He is coming for the Kotturuh, ready to change everything so that Life wins from the start.
Not just the last of the Time Lords. The Time Lord Victorious.
178 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2020
117 people are currently reading
626 people want to read
About the author
Steve Cole
308 books101 followersAlso publishes as Stephen Cole.
Steve Cole is the slightly crazy, highly frantic, millions-selling, non-stop author of Astrosaurs, Cows In Action, Astrosaurs Academy, The Slime Squad, Z. Rex and many other books (including several original Doctor Who stories).
He used to edit magazines and books but prefers the job of a writer where you can wear pyjamas and eat chocolate all day.
Steve just can't stop writing - if he does, strange robots appear and jostle him vigorously until he starts again.
In his spare time he loves making music, reading old comics, thinking up ideas for new books and slumping in front of a warm TV.
Steve Cole is the slightly crazy, highly frantic, millions-selling, non-stop author of Astrosaurs, Cows In Action, Astrosaurs Academy, The Slime Squad, Z. Rex and many other books (including several original Doctor Who stories).
He used to edit magazines and books but prefers the job of a writer where you can wear pyjamas and eat chocolate all day.
Steve just can't stop writing - if he does, strange robots appear and jostle him vigorously until he starts again.
In his spare time he loves making music, reading old comics, thinking up ideas for new books and slumping in front of a warm TV.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
February 27, 2025
This is a book based on the television show. This mainly has The Tenth Doctor and he is traveling alone. He comes across a race of species that judges other species and gives them a sentence of how much longer they have to live. The Doctor does not care for this and aims to stop it.
I have seen other reviewers enjoy this more than I did and after doing some research I believe I know why. I came across this book on this website and immediately knew I wanted to read it. Goodreads had this listed as the first novel. The problem is that the novels are just one form that this story line uses to tell the story. And it is not the starting point for the story. I was never lost in the story but I did feel like I was dropped in the middle of the action and I believe I did not get all the enjoyment from this particular offering. As for the story itself I liked it. It is a nice contrast between the protagonist and the antagonist as one is always striving to save people while the other is the personification of death. Speaking of the protagonist I thought the author nailed the portrayal of David Tennant's Doctor especially his dark side. The highlight of this book was the cliffhanger. It is so good that you might immediately jump into the next book.
This wasn't my favorite offering from this universe but that might be more on me than anything else. I didn't know I was jumping into the middle of a story. I am going to backtrack and start off at the beginning and maybe I will come to appreciate this book more in the future. If The Doctor can do timey-wimey stuff I believe I can about this book also.
I have seen other reviewers enjoy this more than I did and after doing some research I believe I know why. I came across this book on this website and immediately knew I wanted to read it. Goodreads had this listed as the first novel. The problem is that the novels are just one form that this story line uses to tell the story. And it is not the starting point for the story. I was never lost in the story but I did feel like I was dropped in the middle of the action and I believe I did not get all the enjoyment from this particular offering. As for the story itself I liked it. It is a nice contrast between the protagonist and the antagonist as one is always striving to save people while the other is the personification of death. Speaking of the protagonist I thought the author nailed the portrayal of David Tennant's Doctor especially his dark side. The highlight of this book was the cliffhanger. It is so good that you might immediately jump into the next book.
This wasn't my favorite offering from this universe but that might be more on me than anything else. I didn't know I was jumping into the middle of a story. I am going to backtrack and start off at the beginning and maybe I will come to appreciate this book more in the future. If The Doctor can do timey-wimey stuff I believe I can about this book also.
September 28, 2020
The whole timeline for this epic multiplatform crossover might seem a tad confusing, thankfully this novel firmly establishes itself as the first part of the puzzle.
Set straight after Waters of Mars as the Tenth Doctor is steal reeling from the suicide of Adelaide Brooke.
The theme of being able to cheat death runs throughout this instalment of the saga as the Time Lord travels back to the dark times and encounters The Kotturuh, the legendary bringers of death.
We also get to meet Brain the Ood for the first time, though a timey-wimey tease reveals that he already knows about the TARDIS.
This trained assassin makes for a great foil for The Doctor.
The three interludes were perfect additions.
Including the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale 'Godfather Death' - a physician who trys to cheat death was brilliantly told and had a nice Who twist.
It was quite a short (lower page count than a New Series Adventure) but fast paced read, with a great build up to a memorable cliffhanger.
I've been really impressed with Time Lord Victorious so far, it's really been in keeping with the era it's set around.
Set straight after Waters of Mars as the Tenth Doctor is steal reeling from the suicide of Adelaide Brooke.
The theme of being able to cheat death runs throughout this instalment of the saga as the Time Lord travels back to the dark times and encounters The Kotturuh, the legendary bringers of death.
We also get to meet Brain the Ood for the first time, though a timey-wimey tease reveals that he already knows about the TARDIS.
This trained assassin makes for a great foil for The Doctor.
The three interludes were perfect additions.
Including the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale 'Godfather Death' - a physician who trys to cheat death was brilliantly told and had a nice Who twist.
It was quite a short (lower page count than a New Series Adventure) but fast paced read, with a great build up to a memorable cliffhanger.
I've been really impressed with Time Lord Victorious so far, it's really been in keeping with the era it's set around.
October 3, 2020
The first part of the epic, multi-platform “Time Lord Victorious” storyline. I would have given it 5 stars, but part of me desperately wishes that this had been a television special/mini series of some sort. But the book is fast paced, whilst being well written. Steve Cole has captured the character of the Tenth Doctor very well. I have yet to try the Big Finish audio stories, with fear of not being able to concentrate on them and also the cost. But for this, I may finally have to give them a go.
Filled with plenty of surprise moments that will please any avid Doctor Who fan, this is such a gripping first part and made me itching for more! I LOVED the interludes.
It’s a very quick read and the less you know about the storyline, the better. The synopsis will do!
The ending will go down as one of the greatest cliffhangers in Who’s history! I’m still shaking in utter delight. December can’t come quick enough for the second part - ”All Flesh Is Grass”
Filled with plenty of surprise moments that will please any avid Doctor Who fan, this is such a gripping first part and made me itching for more! I LOVED the interludes.
It’s a very quick read and the less you know about the storyline, the better. The synopsis will do!
The ending will go down as one of the greatest cliffhangers in Who’s history! I’m still shaking in utter delight. December can’t come quick enough for the second part - ”All Flesh Is Grass”
January 11, 2021
This review is also available on my blog!
The Waters of Mars is my all time favourite Doctor Who episode, partly because of the overall plot, but especially because of these two quotes by the Doctor:
"There are laws of time. Once upon a time there were people in charge of those laws but they died. They all died. Do you know who that leaves? Me! It's taken me all these years to realize that the laws of time are mine and they will obey me!"
and
"For a long time now, I thought I was just a survivor, but I'm not. I'm the winner. That's who I am. The Time Lord victorious."
I've been obsessed with those three words ever since. Time Lord Victorious. There's something so dark, so Master-esque about them, and you bet your arse I've written countless fanfiction where the words Time Lord Victorious features promiently. I've been super annoyed that the words Time Lord Victorious never appeared again in canon since that episode, because god - imagine all that potential!
So when this book was announced - a whole multi-media series based off the concept of the Time Lord Victorious, something that I'd believed was a throwaway line from an episode ten years ago - the concept of this vainglorious Doctor who has the best possible goals and goes about them in the worst possible ways; a white knight with a god complex? Not to mention that this is the Tenth Doctor?
I thought I'd dreamt it.
Seriously. My brain's pretty fucked at the best of times; this wouldn't be the first time. So I Googled it, one hundred percent certain that I must have dreamt this because there is no way that my obsession that I've been hankering after for AN ENTIRE DECADE has actually happened. No way.
Well, way.
Of course, that meant that The Knight, the Fool and the Dead had a lot to live up to. Could it ever reach my expectations, which are somewhere in the vicinity of the stratosphere? Would the Doctor be insane enough, would he be arrogant enough, or would be just be a bit wishy-washy like all the Doctor Who content over the past couple of years? (Jodie, I love you, but Chibnall can't fucking write your character.)
Yes, is the answer. This is the Doctor at his worst from a personality point of view, and therefore the best from a narrative point of view. He goes back to the Dark Times, when Gallifrey was just a speck in the universe's eye, which is ambitious enough as it is.
And then he tries to eliminate Death. From the universe. Forever.
So yes, the Doctor was narcissistic enough for my hungry dark tastes. And against all odds, this definitely lived up to my expectations.
The Waters of Mars is my all time favourite Doctor Who episode, partly because of the overall plot, but especially because of these two quotes by the Doctor:
"There are laws of time. Once upon a time there were people in charge of those laws but they died. They all died. Do you know who that leaves? Me! It's taken me all these years to realize that the laws of time are mine and they will obey me!"
and
"For a long time now, I thought I was just a survivor, but I'm not. I'm the winner. That's who I am. The Time Lord victorious."
I've been obsessed with those three words ever since. Time Lord Victorious. There's something so dark, so Master-esque about them, and you bet your arse I've written countless fanfiction where the words Time Lord Victorious features promiently. I've been super annoyed that the words Time Lord Victorious never appeared again in canon since that episode, because god - imagine all that potential!
So when this book was announced - a whole multi-media series based off the concept of the Time Lord Victorious, something that I'd believed was a throwaway line from an episode ten years ago - the concept of this vainglorious Doctor who has the best possible goals and goes about them in the worst possible ways; a white knight with a god complex? Not to mention that this is the Tenth Doctor?
I thought I'd dreamt it.
Seriously. My brain's pretty fucked at the best of times; this wouldn't be the first time. So I Googled it, one hundred percent certain that I must have dreamt this because there is no way that my obsession that I've been hankering after for AN ENTIRE DECADE has actually happened. No way.
Well, way.
Of course, that meant that The Knight, the Fool and the Dead had a lot to live up to. Could it ever reach my expectations, which are somewhere in the vicinity of the stratosphere? Would the Doctor be insane enough, would he be arrogant enough, or would be just be a bit wishy-washy like all the Doctor Who content over the past couple of years? (Jodie, I love you, but Chibnall can't fucking write your character.)
Yes, is the answer. This is the Doctor at his worst from a personality point of view, and therefore the best from a narrative point of view. He goes back to the Dark Times, when Gallifrey was just a speck in the universe's eye, which is ambitious enough as it is.
And then he tries to eliminate Death. From the universe. Forever.
So yes, the Doctor was narcissistic enough for my hungry dark tastes. And against all odds, this definitely lived up to my expectations.
October 4, 2020
I'd probably push this to 3.5 stars if I could, as part of the reason I inhaled the story in just over an hour can be explained by simple enjoyment. However, I'm disappointed by the length (not very long) and the simplicity (not exactly fully of layers). The story is epic, and it deserves an epic treatment: something along the lines of novels like "The Infinity Doctors" or "Alien Bodies" or even "The Eyeless". This is A1 apocalyptic time line disaster...but it's lack of depth and breadth is surprising. It's one part of a multi-part story, and Big Finish is certainly going to town with the 8th Doctor side of the story...but as the opening salvo in a story so big, it deserved more than what I read here. Now, I'm happy that the great Una McCormick is writing the concluding volume (she's utterly fantastic), but now I'm not sure that even she can rescue this not-quite epic.
March 12, 2021
A very dark but epic story that introduces us to Brian the Ood who is an absolute joy to read, such an interesting idea for an Ood to be an Assassin! The Kotturuh are a fascinating but eerie concept for a species that brings nothing but death to other forms of life. The other characters were great too. But the 10th Doctor was incredible in this, he has his usual charm but he’s also very sinister and dark at times which leads to a very exciting cliffhanger! The story also has interesting ideas of its own with the life shrouds and is also at times surprisingly very gory!
Overall a really good way for me to start this epic series of stories that goes across various different types of media and if the rest of the series is as good as this, then bring it on!! 8/10
Overall a really good way for me to start this epic series of stories that goes across various different types of media and if the rest of the series is as good as this, then bring it on!! 8/10
October 5, 2020
Primo libro pubblicato della serie Time Lord Victorious, il progetto multipiattaforma che ha già visto le collaborazioni della Titan Comics (Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: Defender of the Daleks #1) e della Panini (Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: Monstrous Beauty #1), oltre che vari contributi sul Magazine ufficiale della serie e nella newsletter.
Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious - The Knight, The Fool and The Dead si può definire il punto di partenza di tutta la faccenda è vede come protagonista il decimo Dottore, reduce dalla disavventura su Marte in The Waters of Mars.
Contro il parere del Tardis (e ancora sotto l'influsso della smania di onnipotenza che ha portato al suicidio riparatore di Adelaide Brooke) il Dottore viaggia indietro nel tempo, fino a raggiungere i Tempi Oscuri, i Dark Times successivi alla nascita degli universi e di migliaia di creature pressoché immortali... i Jagaroth, i Racnoss, gli Exxilons e gli Eterni tra gli altri.
Tempi oscuri che hanno creato la nascita della leggenda dei Kotturuh, solo che non sono una leggenda e la loro missione di portare la morte tra le stelle, stabilendo un limite alla durata della vita di ogni razza, non piace al Dottore.
Dopo vari tentativi di salvare nuovi amici ed essere riuscito ad inimicarsi la razza dei Kotturuh, il Dottore decide di prendere in mano la situazione, rendendo pan per focaccia.
Ovviamente, come abbiamo visto su Marte, quando il decimo Dottore esagera, le conseguenze non sono mai leggere e, con un cliffhanger che si risolverà (dicono le note a fine libro) in Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: All Flesh is Grass, vediamo comparire le altre due incarnazioni protagoniste della saga, il nono è l'ottavo Dottore, con a seguito degli alleati improbabili.
Come prima storia completa (i fumetti sono in corso e, nell'ottica della serie, non sappiamo ancora come si inseriranno nell'insieme) non è male, il Dottore è perfettamente riconoscibile e le citazioni gradevoli.
La migliore new entry resta Brian, l'Ood assassino, mentre gli altri sono funzionali alla storia ma non eccellono.
I Kotturuh sono villain notevoli, ancora misteriosi nonostante le spiegazioni date e con un progetto a lungo termine ancora tutto da scoprire.
Mentre attenderemo dicembre per la risoluzione del cliffhanger, ci prepariamo all'entrata nell'arena della Big Finish, con la sua parte di storia.
Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious - The Knight, The Fool and The Dead si può definire il punto di partenza di tutta la faccenda è vede come protagonista il decimo Dottore, reduce dalla disavventura su Marte in The Waters of Mars.
Contro il parere del Tardis (e ancora sotto l'influsso della smania di onnipotenza che ha portato al suicidio riparatore di Adelaide Brooke) il Dottore viaggia indietro nel tempo, fino a raggiungere i Tempi Oscuri, i Dark Times successivi alla nascita degli universi e di migliaia di creature pressoché immortali... i Jagaroth, i Racnoss, gli Exxilons e gli Eterni tra gli altri.
Tempi oscuri che hanno creato la nascita della leggenda dei Kotturuh, solo che non sono una leggenda e la loro missione di portare la morte tra le stelle, stabilendo un limite alla durata della vita di ogni razza, non piace al Dottore.
Dopo vari tentativi di salvare nuovi amici ed essere riuscito ad inimicarsi la razza dei Kotturuh, il Dottore decide di prendere in mano la situazione, rendendo pan per focaccia.
Ovviamente, come abbiamo visto su Marte, quando il decimo Dottore esagera, le conseguenze non sono mai leggere e, con un cliffhanger che si risolverà (dicono le note a fine libro) in Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: All Flesh is Grass, vediamo comparire le altre due incarnazioni protagoniste della saga, il nono è l'ottavo Dottore, con a seguito degli alleati improbabili.
Come prima storia completa (i fumetti sono in corso e, nell'ottica della serie, non sappiamo ancora come si inseriranno nell'insieme) non è male, il Dottore è perfettamente riconoscibile e le citazioni gradevoli.
La migliore new entry resta Brian, l'Ood assassino, mentre gli altri sono funzionali alla storia ma non eccellono.
I Kotturuh sono villain notevoli, ancora misteriosi nonostante le spiegazioni date e con un progetto a lungo termine ancora tutto da scoprire.
Mentre attenderemo dicembre per la risoluzione del cliffhanger, ci prepariamo all'entrata nell'arena della Big Finish, con la sua parte di storia.
November 6, 2025
The 150 Prompt Doctor Who Reading Challenge - The Fifth Doctor - 3) Read a book where a character's death or a major loss changes everything.
This is the beginning of the Time Lord Victorious series, starting straight after the Waters of Mars TV episode. I actually found the Kotturuh really interesting and I wish that there had been more involved in this book about them and their history and why they choose when races die off.
I really liked the 10th Doctor and Brian the Ood together. I liked the other books where the 8th Doctor meets Brian, and it predispositioned me to liking Brian because I just think the whole idea of Brian is really cool, but for Brian to work with the TLV 10th Doctor was really cool and I liked how well they worked together.
Obviously, my favourite part was the end with the 8th and 9th Doctor's turning up. I thought it was really cool.
I actually really like the idea of the Time Lord Victorious series, but it's so hard to get the entire story as it's so many years after the event now, and the average reader will not have played the escape room, have all of the novels, audios and comics that tie in, and for that reason, I wish that they had just stuck to one media so that the majority could follow the bulk of the plot. And clearly, the projects that have tried the same thing since (like Doom's Day) have not been as popular as Time Lord Victorious.
This is the beginning of the Time Lord Victorious series, starting straight after the Waters of Mars TV episode. I actually found the Kotturuh really interesting and I wish that there had been more involved in this book about them and their history and why they choose when races die off.
I really liked the 10th Doctor and Brian the Ood together. I liked the other books where the 8th Doctor meets Brian, and it predispositioned me to liking Brian because I just think the whole idea of Brian is really cool, but for Brian to work with the TLV 10th Doctor was really cool and I liked how well they worked together.
Obviously, my favourite part was the end with the 8th and 9th Doctor's turning up. I thought it was really cool.
I actually really like the idea of the Time Lord Victorious series, but it's so hard to get the entire story as it's so many years after the event now, and the average reader will not have played the escape room, have all of the novels, audios and comics that tie in, and for that reason, I wish that they had just stuck to one media so that the majority could follow the bulk of the plot. And clearly, the projects that have tried the same thing since (like Doom's Day) have not been as popular as Time Lord Victorious.
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November 4, 2023outing myself as a massive nerd on goodreads by logging this fml
December 5, 2020
A fun, science fiction easy read.
This book is the first installment in the newest Time Lord Victorious series. Im impressed with this idea, it easily segways into already established doctor who lore while allowing the writing to have fun and make a mark with serious consequences on their own series without fear of destroying any cannon. Giving a book this much freedom instead of tip toeing on egg shells and not making an lasting impact like other doctor who books really allows this series to flourish.
The interlude chapters puzzled me at first. What seemed like an unconnected plot gradually reveals an exploration of the fairy tale the brothers grimm - an apt thematic choice considering this book is all about stopping the aliens that cause death through a genetic retrovirus - The Kottoruah design. I will guiltly admit that once I figured out these interludes focus on a different doctor I quickly hopped through the book trying to figure out which incarnation it contained like a child with no self control. These chapters make an excellent job at drip feeding key hints and context about which doctor it is without out right stating it, giving the reader, who is hopefully a fan, a satisfying pay off at figuring out which incarnation it is.
The book was shorter than I hoped and that was before I realised it is actually a series installment, which ends by beginning the seamless transition into the next chapter. I cant tell you, I havent felt this much excitement about a follow up book in a long time. The scope and idea of 3 doctors in a single novel is a worthy cliff hanger you'd expect in the televised series. I feel impatient, eagerly awaiting the next book, a sensation I havent felt for a long while and I for one cannot wait for the 10th December to continue this saga.
This book is the first installment in the newest Time Lord Victorious series. Im impressed with this idea, it easily segways into already established doctor who lore while allowing the writing to have fun and make a mark with serious consequences on their own series without fear of destroying any cannon. Giving a book this much freedom instead of tip toeing on egg shells and not making an lasting impact like other doctor who books really allows this series to flourish.
The interlude chapters puzzled me at first. What seemed like an unconnected plot gradually reveals an exploration of the fairy tale the brothers grimm - an apt thematic choice considering this book is all about stopping the aliens that cause death through a genetic retrovirus - The Kottoruah design. I will guiltly admit that once I figured out these interludes focus on a different doctor I quickly hopped through the book trying to figure out which incarnation it contained like a child with no self control. These chapters make an excellent job at drip feeding key hints and context about which doctor it is without out right stating it, giving the reader, who is hopefully a fan, a satisfying pay off at figuring out which incarnation it is.
The book was shorter than I hoped and that was before I realised it is actually a series installment, which ends by beginning the seamless transition into the next chapter. I cant tell you, I havent felt this much excitement about a follow up book in a long time. The scope and idea of 3 doctors in a single novel is a worthy cliff hanger you'd expect in the televised series. I feel impatient, eagerly awaiting the next book, a sensation I havent felt for a long while and I for one cannot wait for the 10th December to continue this saga.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2021
Well this is quite the start to a unique cross-media Doctor Who collaboration! Time Lord Victorious reveals just how far the Tenth Doctor went between The Waters of Mars and The End of Time, the dark depths of his obsession to hold off death.
The vivid figureheads of oblivion known as the Kotturuh are fascinating with their retrovirus 'curses' that limit the lifespans of select alien races. I can't think of a worthier foe to send the Last of the Time Lords over the edge. Of course Brian the Ood is also partly to blame for this; a suave and slippery assassin who manipulates events according to the instructions of the mysterious 'Mr Ball'. Estinee and Fallomax are equally vital to the Doctor's emotional journey but their roles have all but been served by the end of this book.
Cole, who has been writing Doctor Who novels for a long time, is reliably talented and manages to weave in some excellent easter eggs for observant Whovians such as myself. Not to give too much away, he even manages to write for multiple Doctors within a 178 page limit, which is both sneaky and commendable.
My only complaint with the novel is that it feels very much like the introduction to something bigger and so can never truly stand alone. Then again that is the risk the Time Lord Victorious collaboration runs: the experience requires full commitment to not just books and comics but the annuals and audio dramas as well. While I intend to keep on with this series (as much as my wallet will allow) it won't be a great jumping-on point for those who just want to read another Tenth Doctor adventure.
That being said I recommend Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: The Knight, The Fool and The Dead to curious Whovians with cash to splash.
The vivid figureheads of oblivion known as the Kotturuh are fascinating with their retrovirus 'curses' that limit the lifespans of select alien races. I can't think of a worthier foe to send the Last of the Time Lords over the edge. Of course Brian the Ood is also partly to blame for this; a suave and slippery assassin who manipulates events according to the instructions of the mysterious 'Mr Ball'. Estinee and Fallomax are equally vital to the Doctor's emotional journey but their roles have all but been served by the end of this book.
Cole, who has been writing Doctor Who novels for a long time, is reliably talented and manages to weave in some excellent easter eggs for observant Whovians such as myself. Not to give too much away, he even manages to write for multiple Doctors within a 178 page limit, which is both sneaky and commendable.
My only complaint with the novel is that it feels very much like the introduction to something bigger and so can never truly stand alone. Then again that is the risk the Time Lord Victorious collaboration runs: the experience requires full commitment to not just books and comics but the annuals and audio dramas as well. While I intend to keep on with this series (as much as my wallet will allow) it won't be a great jumping-on point for those who just want to read another Tenth Doctor adventure.
That being said I recommend Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: The Knight, The Fool and The Dead to curious Whovians with cash to splash.
October 3, 2020
A thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish that not only gives more insight into the mysterious Kotturuh, but to the Doctor's thought processes and eventual spiral into a despot who will lord himself over Time and Death. A must-read even if you're not interested in consuming every part of Time Lord Victorious.
EDIT: After sitting on it a while, I have decided to edit my review to 4 stars. While I am still very happy with everything, thinking on it for a bit had me feeling wanting for more. The book was just a bit shorter than I would have liked, and I think extra pages could have went into it to help flesh it out that much more instead of barrelling forward to the finish line.
EDIT: After sitting on it a while, I have decided to edit my review to 4 stars. While I am still very happy with everything, thinking on it for a bit had me feeling wanting for more. The book was just a bit shorter than I would have liked, and I think extra pages could have went into it to help flesh it out that much more instead of barrelling forward to the finish line.
October 23, 2020
Time Lord Victorious, referencing a previous tenth doctor episode, is a saga told across books, audios, comics and YouTube series. This is the Gallifreyan dark times, the war of the great vampires , the death zone, the Kotturuh bringing mortality to the universe.
Why does the tenth doctor declare war on his past selves? Interesting.
Why does the tenth doctor declare war on his past selves? Interesting.
June 1, 2021
Wow, what a great book, I'm loving the Time Lord Victorious platform so much. Such an amazing concept and wow what an ending, I loved the cameos by other Doctors too :)
second time around, it holds up even better, with more knowledge of the TLV arc each piece makes much more sense and is more enjoyable :)
second time around, it holds up even better, with more knowledge of the TLV arc each piece makes much more sense and is more enjoyable :)
November 14, 2020
Technically a 3 3/4. The ending was amazing. Can’t wait for the next installment. Not sure how I feel about taking Ten in this direction, but will absolutely be reading December’s book.
October 18, 2024
When David Tennant first presented himself as The Tenth Doctor, he was a little bit more lighthearted than his predecessor Christopher Eccleston's take on the character, but he definitely had those darker undertones. The Knight, The Fool and The Dead takes the time to revel in those undertones and have fun exploring the darker character traits of an almost arrogant Doctor, exhausted of losing so much despite how much power a time lord has.
The Time Lord Victorious. The Tenth Doctor has faltered following on from the bleak closing moments of The Waters Of Mars. Burdened with the consequences of his actions, in an almost PTSD like state, we find a tired Tenth Doctor driven by anger determined not to lose again. Then, he immediately witnesses a genocide by the Koturrah, an entire race that is essentially the embodiment of death considered to be a myth.
It's a somewhat darker story for The Whoniverse and serves as the real stepping on point for The Time Lord Victorious narrative. The action ramps up with each chapter pushing the envelope of how far The Doctor will go for victory. This is The Tenth Doctor as we've never seen him, taking the idea touched upon in The Waters Of Mars and completely running with it. How far can The Doctor be pushed, abusing his own rules, his own laws, before he goes too far. All leading to an explosive finale and an intriguing cliffhanger leading directly into the next book of The Time Lord Victorious; All Flesh Is Grass.
The Time Lord Victorious. The Tenth Doctor has faltered following on from the bleak closing moments of The Waters Of Mars. Burdened with the consequences of his actions, in an almost PTSD like state, we find a tired Tenth Doctor driven by anger determined not to lose again. Then, he immediately witnesses a genocide by the Koturrah, an entire race that is essentially the embodiment of death considered to be a myth.
It's a somewhat darker story for The Whoniverse and serves as the real stepping on point for The Time Lord Victorious narrative. The action ramps up with each chapter pushing the envelope of how far The Doctor will go for victory. This is The Tenth Doctor as we've never seen him, taking the idea touched upon in The Waters Of Mars and completely running with it. How far can The Doctor be pushed, abusing his own rules, his own laws, before he goes too far. All leading to an explosive finale and an intriguing cliffhanger leading directly into the next book of The Time Lord Victorious; All Flesh Is Grass.
April 28, 2023
This short Who was a ton of fun. 10 is flying solo, and he heads back in time for grins to the 'dark ages' of the universe- a span of time even before the Time Lords. He runs into a Grim Reaper race who exacts their will in the form of death upon unsuspecting races and planets, giving their lives limits where previously there were none. There is a single survivor, Estinee, and through her, The Doctor is determined to stop the reaper race from enacting their judgment upon another planet. There's an Ood named Brian who assists the Doctor, and an entrepreneur named Fallomax. There's quite a bit that happens in these 170 some odd pages, including a quick flashback to the first Doctor, and a scene with Rose and the Metacrisis Doctor.
All this being said, this book is NOT for the casual Who fan. There are a bunch of nods in here to previous characters, episodes and storylines, and if you haven't watched most of modern Who, you won't get it. There is also a bit of 8 in here, so watching the 90's movie will help out as well. There's also references to the Time War and his trip to Mars. The more Who you've watched, the more you will get out of this. I'm going to roll right into the next, because I can't wait to see more of 8 (and I guess 9 too, what the hell).
All in all, entertaining, quick, and a real treat for a Whovian!
All this being said, this book is NOT for the casual Who fan. There are a bunch of nods in here to previous characters, episodes and storylines, and if you haven't watched most of modern Who, you won't get it. There is also a bit of 8 in here, so watching the 90's movie will help out as well. There's also references to the Time War and his trip to Mars. The more Who you've watched, the more you will get out of this. I'm going to roll right into the next, because I can't wait to see more of 8 (and I guess 9 too, what the hell).
All in all, entertaining, quick, and a real treat for a Whovian!
October 9, 2020
Finally we get some meat on the bones of this special event.
This novel basically introduces the main players and especially the villains (?).
Plus, the 10th Doctor is at his most arrogant and superior, right after the episode where he declared himself the Time Lord Victorious, Lord of all Time.
The "science" used in this is complete and utter BS, and it even calls itself out on that, "call it science, call it Dark Time magic". In my opinion, they should therefore have cut back on the "techno"babble a bit and just waved about some magic wands and got on with the action. But it is Doctor Who, so I guess it needs to have some semi-scientific words thrown in, stringed together in a random manner.
The story itself...
the book is not very long, barely 200 pages, so you could finish it in a single evening if you wanted to. So the story cannot help but feel a bit "light", despite the supposed "epic" material.
In the end, this was a fun run around, spiced up a bit by a 10th Doctor who is very close to the edge of being a villain himself. Which makes for a nice change.
Plus, the book ends on a cliffhanger (kind of) leading straight into the next book...
and at least I am captivated enough to be curious how this will develop further.
This novel basically introduces the main players and especially the villains (?).
Plus, the 10th Doctor is at his most arrogant and superior, right after the episode where he declared himself the Time Lord Victorious, Lord of all Time.
The "science" used in this is complete and utter BS, and it even calls itself out on that, "call it science, call it Dark Time magic". In my opinion, they should therefore have cut back on the "techno"babble a bit and just waved about some magic wands and got on with the action. But it is Doctor Who, so I guess it needs to have some semi-scientific words thrown in, stringed together in a random manner.
The story itself...
the book is not very long, barely 200 pages, so you could finish it in a single evening if you wanted to. So the story cannot help but feel a bit "light", despite the supposed "epic" material.
In the end, this was a fun run around, spiced up a bit by a 10th Doctor who is very close to the edge of being a villain himself. Which makes for a nice change.
Plus, the book ends on a cliffhanger (kind of) leading straight into the next book...
and at least I am captivated enough to be curious how this will develop further.
October 20, 2024
THIS BOOK HAD ME SHAKING
I was on edge the ENTIRE time, I just kept on wanting to read more and more. Super duper fast read. The interludes were great and the FREAKING CLIFFHANGER MY GOSH
I think the characterization of the 10th Doctor especially at THIS specific point was ON POINT. I FELT it so hard. The darkness was excellent and the story itself, the protagonist and antagonist and everything in between, had so much depth and the exact feel as the episodes of this moment. The darkness and the battle of right verses wrong left me contemplating my morals and the Doctor and HIS morals.
The side characters as well had a lot of complex aspects to them, I really enjoyed them.
There’s so much about this book and I can’t. I should’ve taken a minute before writing this but OH MY GOODNESS.
I was on edge the ENTIRE time, I just kept on wanting to read more and more. Super duper fast read. The interludes were great and the FREAKING CLIFFHANGER MY GOSH
I think the characterization of the 10th Doctor especially at THIS specific point was ON POINT. I FELT it so hard. The darkness was excellent and the story itself, the protagonist and antagonist and everything in between, had so much depth and the exact feel as the episodes of this moment. The darkness and the battle of right verses wrong left me contemplating my morals and the Doctor and HIS morals.
The side characters as well had a lot of complex aspects to them, I really enjoyed them.
There’s so much about this book and I can’t. I should’ve taken a minute before writing this but OH MY GOODNESS.
February 3, 2022
Ugh. Painfully not good and unreadable. Basically, this is a schlock action episode of Dr Who in book form. Do you know what doesn't work in book form? Schlock action. Running around a lot and 'doing things even when they don't matter' doesn't really work in the written medium. Little character exploration, underwhelming plot. Worse, it plays a lot on the maudlin episodes where the Doctor thinks/knows he's about to regenerate, so you don't even get a fun Ten, you get a depressing Ten. Didn't win me over to this whole 'Time Lord Victorious' thing they've got going on.
October 13, 2020
Packs a lot of story into a relatively small page count, but definitely does not stand on it's own, and won't be very satisfying if you're not following the bulk of the Time Lord Victorious multimedia event.
December 20, 2020
Average at best. Ends on a cliffhanger but doesn't inspire me to rush to buy the next installment
April 28, 2021
The good:
One of the most interesting villains I’ve seen in Doctor Who, the tenth Doctor is in character rather well, Brian is a fun character (and a new favorite), an exciting cliffhanger, the entire premise is great fun. These things made it worth reading the book. These things carried the book. Keep that in mind, because I’m about to get critical.
The bad:
For such a short book, I really struggled to get through this one. I didn’t gel with Cole’s prose at all. After reading other reviews, this seems to be a me problem, but the way he wrote was really difficult for me to comprehend and I ended up reading at a much slower pace than my usual. I think the main problem is his lack of proper transitions. This isn’t a thing I usually think about in prose, because frankly, it’s not a problem I’ve ever seen before. But often Cole will describe one thing happening in the scene, and then move on to the next thing, but not connect the two in any way. Here’s an example of what I mean from page 90:
Did the Doctor not hear Brian? Was he going to respond but was startled by the face on the screen? Who’s to say? A nice little transitional sentence or clause sure would come in handy.
This an issue I had throughout the book. Often I found myself skipping back and rereading sections to work my brain around what was going on. As you can imagine, this makes his writing feel choppy.
Additionally, Cole used excessive technobabble. This is digestible in television form because you can gloss over it, but in prose, it’s the worst. It slowed me down even more because I was trying to figure out what it all meant. I know that the technobabble doesn’t actually mean anything, but look - I personally like to understand all the words that I’m reading.
Lastly in regards to his prose: descriptions. Some things that felt unnecessary were described in more detail. Some things that warranted more description were barely described at all. And sometimes descriptions of things contradicted each other. The image I had in my head of the Kotturuh shifted every time he described them. I swear their eyes were described three different times, and never in the same way. Additionally, he had a habit of using nouns as adjectives to describe things. Good writers have made great use of this tactic but Steve Cole uses it to make things more confusing. For example, the Kotturuh’s eyes were once described as “jellyfish eyes” and once described as “graveyard eyes". I have no fucking clue what either of these means.
And now for something that seems to be a more common problem among readers: the length. Clocking in at 178 pages, this book covers a lot of ground in a short time. As a result, nothing is covered in as much depth as I’d like. Worldbuilding and character development are ostensibly there, but nothing much is done with them. Worldbuilding is especially disappointing - there are so many interesting things that could have been done with the Dark Times - and instead, it just feels like any other Doctor Who setting but people are less used to death.
In conclusion, if someone else wrote this book and allowed it a better page count, this book would probably be damn near perfect. Here’s hoping I enjoy Una McCormack’s prose more.
One of the most interesting villains I’ve seen in Doctor Who, the tenth Doctor is in character rather well, Brian is a fun character (and a new favorite), an exciting cliffhanger, the entire premise is great fun. These things made it worth reading the book. These things carried the book. Keep that in mind, because I’m about to get critical.
The bad:
For such a short book, I really struggled to get through this one. I didn’t gel with Cole’s prose at all. After reading other reviews, this seems to be a me problem, but the way he wrote was really difficult for me to comprehend and I ended up reading at a much slower pace than my usual. I think the main problem is his lack of proper transitions. This isn’t a thing I usually think about in prose, because frankly, it’s not a problem I’ve ever seen before. But often Cole will describe one thing happening in the scene, and then move on to the next thing, but not connect the two in any way. Here’s an example of what I mean from page 90:
“‘A logical next step.’ Brian regarded him. ‘Are you feeling any ill effects?’
‘Whoa!’ The Doctor jumped as a twisted, hideous figure suddenly rose into view before them on the screen.”
Did the Doctor not hear Brian? Was he going to respond but was startled by the face on the screen? Who’s to say? A nice little transitional sentence or clause sure would come in handy.
This an issue I had throughout the book. Often I found myself skipping back and rereading sections to work my brain around what was going on. As you can imagine, this makes his writing feel choppy.
Additionally, Cole used excessive technobabble. This is digestible in television form because you can gloss over it, but in prose, it’s the worst. It slowed me down even more because I was trying to figure out what it all meant. I know that the technobabble doesn’t actually mean anything, but look - I personally like to understand all the words that I’m reading.
Lastly in regards to his prose: descriptions. Some things that felt unnecessary were described in more detail. Some things that warranted more description were barely described at all. And sometimes descriptions of things contradicted each other. The image I had in my head of the Kotturuh shifted every time he described them. I swear their eyes were described three different times, and never in the same way. Additionally, he had a habit of using nouns as adjectives to describe things. Good writers have made great use of this tactic but Steve Cole uses it to make things more confusing. For example, the Kotturuh’s eyes were once described as “jellyfish eyes” and once described as “graveyard eyes". I have no fucking clue what either of these means.
And now for something that seems to be a more common problem among readers: the length. Clocking in at 178 pages, this book covers a lot of ground in a short time. As a result, nothing is covered in as much depth as I’d like. Worldbuilding and character development are ostensibly there, but nothing much is done with them. Worldbuilding is especially disappointing - there are so many interesting things that could have been done with the Dark Times - and instead, it just feels like any other Doctor Who setting but people are less used to death.
In conclusion, if someone else wrote this book and allowed it a better page count, this book would probably be damn near perfect. Here’s hoping I enjoy Una McCormack’s prose more.
January 4, 2021
The Knight, The Fool, And The Dead, Part 1 of The Time Lord Victorious storyline, is kind of a hard book to rate and review. While there is a lot to enjoy with this fast-read, I can’t help but be a little disappointed with one of the main arcs to this storyline.
The book starts off strong by placing the Tenth Doctor in the Dark Times shortly after the events of “The Waters of Mars” special. Within the first few chapters the Doctor encounters the Kotturuh, the bringers of death, a race of aliens who judge the species of planets and determine their life-span. This is a great premise for a Doctor Who villain, but ultimately they didn’t do very much in this story. They show what they’re capable of right away, but after that it’s a lot of threats with little payoff.
Once the Doctor determines what the Kotturuh are doing is wrong and vows to stop them, we are soon introduced to the supporting cast of characters that will team up with the Doctor to stop this death, and this is where the pace of this book screeched to a halt for me. Brain, the Ood Assassin, and Estinee, a survivor of the Kotturuh, were by far the most interesting of the side characters, and the story would have benefited more with just them. The book spends more time developing these other unlikeable characters to help or hinder the Doctor’s plans instead of giving more character depth to the Doctor’s more interesting companions. I found myself wanting more interactions between Brian and the Doctor, I wanted more exploration as to how Estinee continued to survive her encounters with the Kotturuh, and I wanted more time with the Doctor facing off with the Kotturuh. Instead, we get a lot of techno-babble on how to improve a sweater that protects the wearer from Kotturuh attacks.
Negative things aside, there was a bit to enjoy with this read. The book overall was very well written, with great descriptions and attention to detail. The Tenth Doctor felt and sounded like his incarnation, and it was fun to see him become darker and make shadier decisions. Brian the Ood is a fascinating concept in and of itself, and this book really developed his character, creating and unlikely ally to the Tenth Doctor, and making you trust him all while wondering what his ulterior motive is. And while the third act feels very rushed with some unfulfilling conclusions to certain characters and their arcs, it does deliver a whopping cliffhanger that will make you want to find out what happens next.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. While I don’t think it lived up to what it could have been, there are some interesting aspects to this story, some great characters, and a different take and look into one of the Doctor’s more popular incarnations. If you are at all curious about The Time Lord Victorious storyline, I would recommend The Knight, The Fool, And The Dead, as it is the most in-depth look at what this event is all about.
The book starts off strong by placing the Tenth Doctor in the Dark Times shortly after the events of “The Waters of Mars” special. Within the first few chapters the Doctor encounters the Kotturuh, the bringers of death, a race of aliens who judge the species of planets and determine their life-span. This is a great premise for a Doctor Who villain, but ultimately they didn’t do very much in this story. They show what they’re capable of right away, but after that it’s a lot of threats with little payoff.
Once the Doctor determines what the Kotturuh are doing is wrong and vows to stop them, we are soon introduced to the supporting cast of characters that will team up with the Doctor to stop this death, and this is where the pace of this book screeched to a halt for me. Brain, the Ood Assassin, and Estinee, a survivor of the Kotturuh, were by far the most interesting of the side characters, and the story would have benefited more with just them. The book spends more time developing these other unlikeable characters to help or hinder the Doctor’s plans instead of giving more character depth to the Doctor’s more interesting companions. I found myself wanting more interactions between Brian and the Doctor, I wanted more exploration as to how Estinee continued to survive her encounters with the Kotturuh, and I wanted more time with the Doctor facing off with the Kotturuh. Instead, we get a lot of techno-babble on how to improve a sweater that protects the wearer from Kotturuh attacks.
Negative things aside, there was a bit to enjoy with this read. The book overall was very well written, with great descriptions and attention to detail. The Tenth Doctor felt and sounded like his incarnation, and it was fun to see him become darker and make shadier decisions. Brian the Ood is a fascinating concept in and of itself, and this book really developed his character, creating and unlikely ally to the Tenth Doctor, and making you trust him all while wondering what his ulterior motive is. And while the third act feels very rushed with some unfulfilling conclusions to certain characters and their arcs, it does deliver a whopping cliffhanger that will make you want to find out what happens next.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. While I don’t think it lived up to what it could have been, there are some interesting aspects to this story, some great characters, and a different take and look into one of the Doctor’s more popular incarnations. If you are at all curious about The Time Lord Victorious storyline, I would recommend The Knight, The Fool, And The Dead, as it is the most in-depth look at what this event is all about.
January 20, 2021
I received a copy of Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious: The Knight, The Fool and The Dead from Penguin Random House Australia to review.
Rating of 4.25.
Prepare to follow the Tenth Doctor into one of his darkest adventures as he faces death itself in the early days of the universe with the first novel in the Time Lord Victorious multimedia series, Doctor Who: The Knight, The Fool and The Dead, by bestselling author Steve Cole.
Shortly after the events of the 2009 television special The Waters of Mars, the Tenth Doctor attempts to outrun his guilt and his prophesised death by fleeing deep into the past to the Dark Times. Near the birth of the universe, life flourishes and death is barely known. Only a few rare people die, and most beings live for vast quantities of time. That is until the Kotturuh arrive and turn the peaceful and bountiful planet that the Doctor is visiting into a dead world within seconds.
The Kotturuh are a vile and terrible race who are spreading throughout the cosmos dispensing death and destruction on an unbelievable scale. Worshiping a mysterious equation, the Kotturuh view themselves as the arbiters of life and death, travelling to planets and dispensing mortality. With each new species they encounter, they decree what that species’ lifespan will be, whether centuries or moments, and any who have lived beyond their set time are instantly killed.
Determined to stop the Kotturuh’s reign of terror, the Doctor and a small team of companions begin to work on a defensive strategy that will ensure life forms are immune to the Kotturuh’s power. After travelling to the Kotturuh’s world and witnessing the equation that they follow, the Doctor begins to formulate a plan that will not only stop the Kotturuh for good but may even put an end to the Doctor’s greatest enemy, death. Determined to change all of time and space so that life will win for all time, the Doctor will become more than just a Time Lord, he will be The Time Lord Victorious.
To see the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2021/01/18/...
An abridged version of this review ran in the Canberra Weekly on 14 January 2021:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2021/01/20/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Rating of 4.25.
Prepare to follow the Tenth Doctor into one of his darkest adventures as he faces death itself in the early days of the universe with the first novel in the Time Lord Victorious multimedia series, Doctor Who: The Knight, The Fool and The Dead, by bestselling author Steve Cole.
Shortly after the events of the 2009 television special The Waters of Mars, the Tenth Doctor attempts to outrun his guilt and his prophesised death by fleeing deep into the past to the Dark Times. Near the birth of the universe, life flourishes and death is barely known. Only a few rare people die, and most beings live for vast quantities of time. That is until the Kotturuh arrive and turn the peaceful and bountiful planet that the Doctor is visiting into a dead world within seconds.
The Kotturuh are a vile and terrible race who are spreading throughout the cosmos dispensing death and destruction on an unbelievable scale. Worshiping a mysterious equation, the Kotturuh view themselves as the arbiters of life and death, travelling to planets and dispensing mortality. With each new species they encounter, they decree what that species’ lifespan will be, whether centuries or moments, and any who have lived beyond their set time are instantly killed.
Determined to stop the Kotturuh’s reign of terror, the Doctor and a small team of companions begin to work on a defensive strategy that will ensure life forms are immune to the Kotturuh’s power. After travelling to the Kotturuh’s world and witnessing the equation that they follow, the Doctor begins to formulate a plan that will not only stop the Kotturuh for good but may even put an end to the Doctor’s greatest enemy, death. Determined to change all of time and space so that life will win for all time, the Doctor will become more than just a Time Lord, he will be The Time Lord Victorious.
To see the full review, click the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2021/01/18/...
An abridged version of this review ran in the Canberra Weekly on 14 January 2021:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2021/01/20/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
May 15, 2023
So this was a REALLY short who read. like, 170 pages short. That's fine, but you just have to be prepared for that. As for the story itself, there's something you HAVE to know walking in. On the wiki, it says that the book stars the 8th, 9th, and 10th doctor. This is not true.
The book stars 10, and 8 and 9 only come in at the WAY end. So as long as you're okay with that, that's fine. But i was expecting a lot more 8 and 9, so i was more than a little disappointed. (i don't really care for tennant's doctor, i like mcgann and eccleston WAY more) I know this is a setup for the next book where i'm sure they'll really shine, but man, i kept reading this book waiting and hoping for 8 and 9 to show up, and they didn't show up (other than out of story cameos) until the WAYYY end. like, the very very end.
The story itself is fine. 10 goes back to super far back in the past before death was a common thing and is trying to stop these alien creatures that genocide everyone on every planet they encounter.
That's basically the TLDR premise. It's a standard fare and 10 does his best doctoring and it's in character and all that good stuff. The book is written by Steven Cole, so you know you're in good hands as he's an old hat at this doctor who novel stuff and has written a few decent ones.
It reads EXTREMELY fast and you're finished before you know it. Reading here and there, it literally took me 2 days to get through. I'm absolutely going to read the next one as i'm excited to see 8 and 9 have a much bigger part (The reason i picked up this book in the first place)
Overall, the story is fine. it's not great, it's not terrible, it's just fine. It's Doctor who distilled to a young YA crowd (the wording was easier than normal as well as the page count and formatting being very YA-like) it reminds me a lot of the other 2 tennant books i've read. serviceable, but not great.
3 out of 5.
*edit* did a re-read as last time i kind of zoned out while reading it and now that i want to read the sequel and i knew i wouldn't understand it since i forgot everything that happened in this book. on re-read, still 3 out of 5, that didn't change. i definitely got more out of the story, but enjoyed it enough to keep it at a solid 3 out of 5. Tennant was fine, but it was basically all him doing his wacky 10 shenanigans trying to save the worlds from the death creatures. original which is cool, but not the most engaging story for me.
The book stars 10, and 8 and 9 only come in at the WAY end. So as long as you're okay with that, that's fine. But i was expecting a lot more 8 and 9, so i was more than a little disappointed. (i don't really care for tennant's doctor, i like mcgann and eccleston WAY more) I know this is a setup for the next book where i'm sure they'll really shine, but man, i kept reading this book waiting and hoping for 8 and 9 to show up, and they didn't show up (other than out of story cameos) until the WAYYY end. like, the very very end.
The story itself is fine. 10 goes back to super far back in the past before death was a common thing and is trying to stop these alien creatures that genocide everyone on every planet they encounter.
That's basically the TLDR premise. It's a standard fare and 10 does his best doctoring and it's in character and all that good stuff. The book is written by Steven Cole, so you know you're in good hands as he's an old hat at this doctor who novel stuff and has written a few decent ones.
It reads EXTREMELY fast and you're finished before you know it. Reading here and there, it literally took me 2 days to get through. I'm absolutely going to read the next one as i'm excited to see 8 and 9 have a much bigger part (The reason i picked up this book in the first place)
Overall, the story is fine. it's not great, it's not terrible, it's just fine. It's Doctor who distilled to a young YA crowd (the wording was easier than normal as well as the page count and formatting being very YA-like) it reminds me a lot of the other 2 tennant books i've read. serviceable, but not great.
3 out of 5.
*edit* did a re-read as last time i kind of zoned out while reading it and now that i want to read the sequel and i knew i wouldn't understand it since i forgot everything that happened in this book. on re-read, still 3 out of 5, that didn't change. i definitely got more out of the story, but enjoyed it enough to keep it at a solid 3 out of 5. Tennant was fine, but it was basically all him doing his wacky 10 shenanigans trying to save the worlds from the death creatures. original which is cool, but not the most engaging story for me.
September 3, 2025
Doctor who: Timelord Victorous
Was a big event that didn't leave quite the impact fans had hoped for
The main focus was on the Tenth Doctor going a little too far in his character, which would span comics, big finish audios, and of course
The two novels
This one: The Knight, The Fool and the Dead
Other being: All flesh is grass
Which I still haven't picked up
For the sake of not writing the whole title, I'll refer to this as Vic1
I finally read Vic1 early this year despite being on my shelf for almost two years (my dw obsession only comes every couple of months)
Vic 1 is a good title on itself and maybe would be even better not being a tie-in for the whole victorious event. The characters are strong, and the tenth doctor is scared throughout due to an ancient being that shouldn't exist
Steve Cole is definitely up there in terms of my favorite writers for DW
I've manily read quite a few of his works with the 9th Doctor novels and a few other stories
I hope he gets to write an actual episode one day
For my ADD/ADHD viewers (the point of these reviews)
The pacing in this is excellent. This was made like other BBC DW with young adults in mind, and if you're a fan of any RTD era episode
You'll have no problem picking this up.
Basic summary
Not one of the best doctors who novels you can grab, there's plenty of better Tenth Doctor novels out in the world, but if you're curious about the usage of Victorious
Well, it certainly won't hurt, but again, I would read a few more Tennant ones before jumping in.
I should also note that you don't have to check out the rest of timelord victorious media to consume these books in particular, infact this is where most of the juicy stuff happens
Welp I really need to get a copy of the sequel already
This is hooder
Sighing off
Was a big event that didn't leave quite the impact fans had hoped for
The main focus was on the Tenth Doctor going a little too far in his character, which would span comics, big finish audios, and of course
The two novels
This one: The Knight, The Fool and the Dead
Other being: All flesh is grass
Which I still haven't picked up
For the sake of not writing the whole title, I'll refer to this as Vic1
I finally read Vic1 early this year despite being on my shelf for almost two years (my dw obsession only comes every couple of months)
Vic 1 is a good title on itself and maybe would be even better not being a tie-in for the whole victorious event. The characters are strong, and the tenth doctor is scared throughout due to an ancient being that shouldn't exist
Steve Cole is definitely up there in terms of my favorite writers for DW
I've manily read quite a few of his works with the 9th Doctor novels and a few other stories
I hope he gets to write an actual episode one day
For my ADD/ADHD viewers (the point of these reviews)
The pacing in this is excellent. This was made like other BBC DW with young adults in mind, and if you're a fan of any RTD era episode
You'll have no problem picking this up.
Basic summary
Not one of the best doctors who novels you can grab, there's plenty of better Tenth Doctor novels out in the world, but if you're curious about the usage of Victorious
Well, it certainly won't hurt, but again, I would read a few more Tennant ones before jumping in.
I should also note that you don't have to check out the rest of timelord victorious media to consume these books in particular, infact this is where most of the juicy stuff happens
Welp I really need to get a copy of the sequel already
This is hooder
Sighing off
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2021
"The trick is to spend our days trying to live instead of trying not to die."
Taking place after the devastating events in The Waters of Mars, the Doctor, still haunted by the suicide of Adelaide Brooke, journeys back to the end of the Ancient Days, when death was a rarity and life flourishes. But come the Kotturuh, leaving death and decay in their wake, judging the worth of each species and decide how long each deserves to live. Here at the dawn of the Dark Ages, the living comes face to face with death for the first time, and they will do anything to stop it. And the Doctor, as The Time Lord Victorious, is going to help them destroy death itself and change all of history.
This book was fantastic! Exciting, clever, and moving, I can't recommend this book enough. It does a wonderful job portraying all of the characters and has an excellent cliffhanger. I can not wait to read the finale!!!
Taking place after the devastating events in The Waters of Mars, the Doctor, still haunted by the suicide of Adelaide Brooke, journeys back to the end of the Ancient Days, when death was a rarity and life flourishes. But come the Kotturuh, leaving death and decay in their wake, judging the worth of each species and decide how long each deserves to live. Here at the dawn of the Dark Ages, the living comes face to face with death for the first time, and they will do anything to stop it. And the Doctor, as The Time Lord Victorious, is going to help them destroy death itself and change all of history.
This book was fantastic! Exciting, clever, and moving, I can't recommend this book enough. It does a wonderful job portraying all of the characters and has an excellent cliffhanger. I can not wait to read the finale!!!
November 9, 2020
3.5/5 stars
Time Lord Victorious, the first Doctor Who multimedia crossover event, has begun. Promising to chronicle how the Tenth Doctor tries to become the master of death, it looks like a fun and creative way to tell a truly expansive Doctor Who story. With the event fully underway, what better place to begin my coverage than with the first novel - The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead. Written by Steve Cole, it’s a pretty solid Doctor Who story and lays some intriguing groundwork for the Time Lord Victorious event, but as a stand-alone story, it’s a bit lacking. It’s got great characters, a great premise, and some solid writing, but the whole thing is undercut by a criminally low page count that prevents Cole from examining any of his ideas with the depth they deserve.
Picking up some time after The Waters of Wars, The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead sees the Tenth Doctor in a melancholy mood. He is nearing the end of his life, and he’s recently undergone a series of personal tragedies. So, he’s taken a brief refuge in the Dark Times - a time in history before the Time Lords rose to power. And, as it turns out, a time before Death was ever-present. In those early days of the universe, death was a rarity. It happened, to be sure, but only in rare cases. Until now. Vacationing on Andalia, the Doctor comes face to face with the bringers of death - the Kotturah. And he's none too happy about what they're up to.
Honestly, it's a clever idea. Having the Doctor who most didn't want to die face off against the beings literally responsible for introducing the concept of widespread death to the universe. This is a Doctor who's let the weight of his lives get to him. He's the Last of the Time Lords and he wants to act like it. The elements of The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead that explore this concept are some of the best parts of the book. I love a morally ambiguous Doctor and he's rarely been as morally ambiguous as he is here. His desire to stop the Kotturah before they can usher death upon the universe seems like a noble cause, but does he have the right? It's not the first time Doctor Who has grappled with the Doctor's right to meddle in the affairs of the universe, but it is, perhaps, the most consequential one as he seeks to literally end death. This conflict is at the heart of both this book and the Time Lord Victorious event itself - and it's the thing that most interests me.
Unfortunately, the book doesn't explore this conflict with anywhere near as much depth as it should. The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead is about 190 pages long, and it feels even shorter than that. There is a lot crammed into such a short amount of space, and none of it gets thoroughly explored. There’s a lot of plot to get through, and it’s all dealt with in a very breezy, naturalistic way, but very little time is spent on anything, thereby robbing many events of their weight. We get a brief glimpse at the aftermath of the Kotturuh gifting death to a society, but we don’t get to spend enough time in that aftermath to truly feel the weight of this event. The same is true throughout the entire novel. Lots of interesting things happen - we visit what seems to be the Kotturah’s home planet, where there are caves filled with mysterious glyphs that drive you insane, and we see the Doctor hatch his plan to stop the Kotturah, among other things - but we never spend enough time with any of this to truly dig into it. It’s like riding a rollercoaster: things keep happening in rapid succession, but we’re just along for the ride. It makes for a fun read, but not one that leaves a huge impression.
The same is true for the characters. There's a cast of intriguing characters, none of whom are given any real development. Brian, the Ood assassin, makes his first appearance here - and it's an eye-catching one. But you can tell most of Brian's development is being saved other stories (either the Big Finish audios or the final book in the event, All Flesh is Grass). The Kotturah, especially, are wildly underdeveloped. Described as a mixture of the traditional image of a Grim Reaper and an eldritch horror, the Kotturah are basically the boogeymen of the Dark Times. The very idea of a being who can literally bestow death upon an entire civilization is a great one and it's a shame they're not utilized more. In the book, they're essentially left in the shadows. Cole teases at their origin, their methods, and their motives, but he doesn't do much more with them. Again, maybe this is being saved for later in the event, but all of this adds up to a book that doesn't feel like an entire story. It ends on a cliffhanger that feels like the kind of cliffhanger you'd get in the first half of a two-episode story. This works very well for weekly television, but it's less enjoyable in literature.
Doctor Who: The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead is less its own story and more the opening salvo of the entire Time Lord Victorious event. It lays an effective and intriguing groundwork for all of these other stories to exist in, but I do wish it had a little more weight to it. The writing is quick and easy to read, the plot is immediately captivating, and the characters are engaging, though underdeveloped. It's a fun read, but it goes by so quickly that you'll feel like you just started it as you finish the final chapter. You won't really understand more about what's going on. If you approach this book as merely the opening chapter of a bigger story, I think you'll get more out of it. But if you're expecting an entire narrative here, as you'd normally get in a Doctor Who book, you're gonna be sorely disappointed.
Time Lord Victorious, the first Doctor Who multimedia crossover event, has begun. Promising to chronicle how the Tenth Doctor tries to become the master of death, it looks like a fun and creative way to tell a truly expansive Doctor Who story. With the event fully underway, what better place to begin my coverage than with the first novel - The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead. Written by Steve Cole, it’s a pretty solid Doctor Who story and lays some intriguing groundwork for the Time Lord Victorious event, but as a stand-alone story, it’s a bit lacking. It’s got great characters, a great premise, and some solid writing, but the whole thing is undercut by a criminally low page count that prevents Cole from examining any of his ideas with the depth they deserve.
Picking up some time after The Waters of Wars, The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead sees the Tenth Doctor in a melancholy mood. He is nearing the end of his life, and he’s recently undergone a series of personal tragedies. So, he’s taken a brief refuge in the Dark Times - a time in history before the Time Lords rose to power. And, as it turns out, a time before Death was ever-present. In those early days of the universe, death was a rarity. It happened, to be sure, but only in rare cases. Until now. Vacationing on Andalia, the Doctor comes face to face with the bringers of death - the Kotturah. And he's none too happy about what they're up to.
Honestly, it's a clever idea. Having the Doctor who most didn't want to die face off against the beings literally responsible for introducing the concept of widespread death to the universe. This is a Doctor who's let the weight of his lives get to him. He's the Last of the Time Lords and he wants to act like it. The elements of The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead that explore this concept are some of the best parts of the book. I love a morally ambiguous Doctor and he's rarely been as morally ambiguous as he is here. His desire to stop the Kotturah before they can usher death upon the universe seems like a noble cause, but does he have the right? It's not the first time Doctor Who has grappled with the Doctor's right to meddle in the affairs of the universe, but it is, perhaps, the most consequential one as he seeks to literally end death. This conflict is at the heart of both this book and the Time Lord Victorious event itself - and it's the thing that most interests me.
Unfortunately, the book doesn't explore this conflict with anywhere near as much depth as it should. The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead is about 190 pages long, and it feels even shorter than that. There is a lot crammed into such a short amount of space, and none of it gets thoroughly explored. There’s a lot of plot to get through, and it’s all dealt with in a very breezy, naturalistic way, but very little time is spent on anything, thereby robbing many events of their weight. We get a brief glimpse at the aftermath of the Kotturuh gifting death to a society, but we don’t get to spend enough time in that aftermath to truly feel the weight of this event. The same is true throughout the entire novel. Lots of interesting things happen - we visit what seems to be the Kotturah’s home planet, where there are caves filled with mysterious glyphs that drive you insane, and we see the Doctor hatch his plan to stop the Kotturah, among other things - but we never spend enough time with any of this to truly dig into it. It’s like riding a rollercoaster: things keep happening in rapid succession, but we’re just along for the ride. It makes for a fun read, but not one that leaves a huge impression.
The same is true for the characters. There's a cast of intriguing characters, none of whom are given any real development. Brian, the Ood assassin, makes his first appearance here - and it's an eye-catching one. But you can tell most of Brian's development is being saved other stories (either the Big Finish audios or the final book in the event, All Flesh is Grass). The Kotturah, especially, are wildly underdeveloped. Described as a mixture of the traditional image of a Grim Reaper and an eldritch horror, the Kotturah are basically the boogeymen of the Dark Times. The very idea of a being who can literally bestow death upon an entire civilization is a great one and it's a shame they're not utilized more. In the book, they're essentially left in the shadows. Cole teases at their origin, their methods, and their motives, but he doesn't do much more with them. Again, maybe this is being saved for later in the event, but all of this adds up to a book that doesn't feel like an entire story. It ends on a cliffhanger that feels like the kind of cliffhanger you'd get in the first half of a two-episode story. This works very well for weekly television, but it's less enjoyable in literature.
Doctor Who: The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead is less its own story and more the opening salvo of the entire Time Lord Victorious event. It lays an effective and intriguing groundwork for all of these other stories to exist in, but I do wish it had a little more weight to it. The writing is quick and easy to read, the plot is immediately captivating, and the characters are engaging, though underdeveloped. It's a fun read, but it goes by so quickly that you'll feel like you just started it as you finish the final chapter. You won't really understand more about what's going on. If you approach this book as merely the opening chapter of a bigger story, I think you'll get more out of it. But if you're expecting an entire narrative here, as you'd normally get in a Doctor Who book, you're gonna be sorely disappointed.
November 30, 2020
Tennant is like marmite to me. Sometimes I like him, sometimes I do not. This story is marmite.
Its exploration of death is a little light for my liking but there is not much that could have been done about that considering the book’s audience. I love the conflicts that the Doctor faces in relation to this theme.
I felt I could invest in the characters enough to feel something for them, but I never really felt like I was getting into this book at all. Nothing to really sink my teeth into. It is a solid and simple story, just not much more than that.
The cliffhanger at the end has gotten me quite excited. I get that “tune in next time” vibe with this one.
Its exploration of death is a little light for my liking but there is not much that could have been done about that considering the book’s audience. I love the conflicts that the Doctor faces in relation to this theme.
I felt I could invest in the characters enough to feel something for them, but I never really felt like I was getting into this book at all. Nothing to really sink my teeth into. It is a solid and simple story, just not much more than that.
The cliffhanger at the end has gotten me quite excited. I get that “tune in next time” vibe with this one.
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