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Doctor Who: Target Books #168
Doctor Who: The Fires of Pompeii
"My masters will follow the example of Rome... our mighty empire bestraddling the whole of civilization!"
It is AD 79, and the TARDIS lands in Pompeii on the eve of the town's destruction. Mount Vesuvius is ready to erupt and bury its surroundings in molten lava, just as history dictates. Or is it?
The Doctor and Donna find that Pompeii is home to impossible things: circuits made of stone, soothsayers who read minds and fiery giants made of burning rock. From a lair deep in the volcano, these creatures plot the end of humanity - and the Doctor soon finds he has no way to win...
It is AD 79, and the TARDIS lands in Pompeii on the eve of the town's destruction. Mount Vesuvius is ready to erupt and bury its surroundings in molten lava, just as history dictates. Or is it?
The Doctor and Donna find that Pompeii is home to impossible things: circuits made of stone, soothsayers who read minds and fiery giants made of burning rock. From a lair deep in the volcano, these creatures plot the end of humanity - and the Doctor soon finds he has no way to win...
174 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2022
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252 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
July 26, 2022
A near perfect Target novel. First of all, you have the original author adapting his own work. Second: James Moran manages to find the right combination of sticking to the script vs adding/enhancing his own material without going overboard. Third: there are plenty of subtle in-jokes Who fans will be able to pick up, while remaining humorous digressions for the general audience. Fourth: the author manages to make a few adjustments that remove the few links to the series 4 story-arc of the time, so that the story can stand alone. Finally, James Moran makes a few thematic choices that ups the action/adventure quotient, but leaves the apocalyptic tone for the final act...which makes it different from the televised episode, in which the apocalyptic threat maintains a constant malevolent presence. This simply flew by as I read it, and brought back so many golden memories of past Target readings from my childhood...and that's as powerful an endorsement as I can give.
July 20, 2022
Introducing Peter Capoldi before he became the Doctor. This happened with Both Lala Ward and Colin Baker. This a perfect time to read this a hot fire book when it's 40 c out side. No Up Pompeii with Frankie Howard. All missing bits
October 26, 2022
a lovely little read !! follows the tv story obviously but with a few added details which are really nice and give more of a few into the characters minds.
August 26, 2023
There’s something great about experiencing a story from a different perspective. James Moran’s singular television episode of Doctor Who, although he would write for Big Finish and Torchwood after and before this respectively, “The Fires of Pompeii” is an easy candidate for novelization, being part of the third wave of releases in 2022. Until very recently, about a month ago in fact, The Fires of Pompeii was the only novelization of an adventure with Donna Noble, adapting her first trip in the TARDIS and bending the plot around that fact. Moran’s main interest in adapting the story is to add depth to the characterization and some small deleted scenes that if filmed would have assisted in this but clearly made sense for deletion due to the 45 minute time constraint of a television episode. This is exemplified with this internal exploration of Donna’s internal thoughts about the not so snap decision she made to travel with the Doctor. Partially, this internal monologue is there to catch potential new readers to Donna’s history and the plot of “The Runaway Bride” and “Partners in Crime” which as of writing haven’t been novelized yet, but it’s also serving a dual purpose of showing Donna’s depth as a person. Donna has convinced herself this is what she wants and while there had been thought in packing for travel and finding the Doctor, she doesn’t actually know much about him. There’s this subtle fear that he could just want her there to kill her and nobody would ever know. With this depth, and some retrospect of how production changed on the fourth series with the passing of Howard Attafield, Moran actually reflects on the loss of a parent, something largely ignored on television because it was never meant to be a lens for Donna’s story.
The Fires of Pompeii is a story that couldn’t have been told entirely through Donna’s perspective, integral scenes are from the Doctor’s perspective, but in writing the novelization Moran makes the decision to focus on these scenes from the perspective of other characters. This and Donna’s perspective on the Doctor helps to alienate the Tenth Doctor more than David Tennant’s television portrayal ever did. There are scenes from Quintus and Caecilius that make up the majority of this effect, something that adds this sense of real history told through reference points that a modern reader would understand in the way that the characters speak. In universe this is explained by an extension of the TARDIS translation circuits which Moran does an excellent job at integrating into the narrative. There is also this beautiful moment when Vesuvius erupts that shows Moran clearly understands how to write a novel, the eruption is described on a single line, the only line of the page and chapter as a whole in stark contrast to Moran’s usual flowing prose. It's a simple device used to really hit home in the reader the unthinkable destruction that is now coming to pass, and with an extended scene before the Doctor goes back to save Caecilius makes the deus ex machina ending (for the family at least) feel earned.
Overall, while “The Fires of Pompeii” was an excellent episode of television The Fires of Pompeii works better as a novel. Moran, while letting in other little Doctor Who references, never forgets the scope of the novel that he is writing so it doesn’t become bogged down in additions of fanservice while the prose flows from beginning to end. Like many of the single episodes of the revival being adapted into novels that have nearly double the page count that the television scripts would have, Moran’s vision is expanded in simple ways to add depth that cannot be done in a 45 minute television story. 9/10.
The Fires of Pompeii is a story that couldn’t have been told entirely through Donna’s perspective, integral scenes are from the Doctor’s perspective, but in writing the novelization Moran makes the decision to focus on these scenes from the perspective of other characters. This and Donna’s perspective on the Doctor helps to alienate the Tenth Doctor more than David Tennant’s television portrayal ever did. There are scenes from Quintus and Caecilius that make up the majority of this effect, something that adds this sense of real history told through reference points that a modern reader would understand in the way that the characters speak. In universe this is explained by an extension of the TARDIS translation circuits which Moran does an excellent job at integrating into the narrative. There is also this beautiful moment when Vesuvius erupts that shows Moran clearly understands how to write a novel, the eruption is described on a single line, the only line of the page and chapter as a whole in stark contrast to Moran’s usual flowing prose. It's a simple device used to really hit home in the reader the unthinkable destruction that is now coming to pass, and with an extended scene before the Doctor goes back to save Caecilius makes the deus ex machina ending (for the family at least) feel earned.
Overall, while “The Fires of Pompeii” was an excellent episode of television The Fires of Pompeii works better as a novel. Moran, while letting in other little Doctor Who references, never forgets the scope of the novel that he is writing so it doesn’t become bogged down in additions of fanservice while the prose flows from beginning to end. Like many of the single episodes of the revival being adapted into novels that have nearly double the page count that the television scripts would have, Moran’s vision is expanded in simple ways to add depth that cannot be done in a 45 minute television story. 9/10.
September 27, 2023
Doctor Who series 4 episode 'The Fires of Pompeii' is amongst my favourites. The Doctor and Donna travel back in time, aiming for Ancient Rome, but instead find themselves in Pompeii. And it's Volcano Day.
It's a sensational episode. We have the Doctor trying to maintain history whilst surrounded by impossible things. There's Donna, who as usual, tries to save everyone from their terrible fate. And there's an ordinary family who's in the middle of it all.
Moran has expanded this universe beyond the television screen. Obviously, there's more classic DoctorDonna banter to revel in, but giving the already intriguing supporting cast a bigger role is a move that was well received. My absolute favourite moments were when old Caecilius became somewhat aware of his future Time Lord persona. Now imagine if we saw Peter Capaldi pull that one off!
It's been a long time since I've read a Doctor Who novelisation. There's more on the list, including Waters of Mars, so stay tuned!
4.75 🌟
It's a sensational episode. We have the Doctor trying to maintain history whilst surrounded by impossible things. There's Donna, who as usual, tries to save everyone from their terrible fate. And there's an ordinary family who's in the middle of it all.
Moran has expanded this universe beyond the television screen. Obviously, there's more classic DoctorDonna banter to revel in, but giving the already intriguing supporting cast a bigger role is a move that was well received. My absolute favourite moments were when old Caecilius became somewhat aware of his future Time Lord persona. Now imagine if we saw Peter Capaldi pull that one off!
It's been a long time since I've read a Doctor Who novelisation. There's more on the list, including Waters of Mars, so stay tuned!
4.75 🌟
July 9, 2025
"The Fires of Pompeii" episode has always been one of the Doctor Who episodes that really sticks out in my memory of when I was a child. I'm not sure why, but it's one of my favourite comfort episodes. This book definitely does it justice and gives us a better insight into the background characters, especially Quintus and Evelina. James Moran also gives us alot of Donna's perspective in this book and reminds us that this is Donna's first proper trip in the Tardis and how traumatizing this is for her.
Overall, a very enjoyable and simple read for any fans of Doctor Who.
Overall, a very enjoyable and simple read for any fans of Doctor Who.
July 19, 2022
The Doctor takes Donna Noble back to Pompeii on the eve of its destruction. Horrified, she tries to convince the Doctor to save the town, even though it is a fixed point in time. When the Doctor discovers that Vesuvius hides a secret, he must rush to save the world, even though his actions will kill everyone around him.
Moran novelises his episode of 'Doctor Who' well, capturing the sparks between Tate and Tennant in both humour and drama.
Moran novelises his episode of 'Doctor Who' well, capturing the sparks between Tate and Tennant in both humour and drama.
January 25, 2025
This era of Doctor Who will always be my favorite, and this episode will always be a personal favorite of mine as someone who loves history and has a passion for Pompeii. This novel is a nearly faithful adaption of the episode with a few added scenes as well. I loved the bonus scene where the Doctor says he won't forget Caecilius's face; that his is a strong face and the Doctor loves a strong face. It's a nice foreshadowing to Peter Capaldi (Caecilius) portraying the Twelfth Doctor.
July 7, 2023
This one was a lot of fun. I'd forgotten how much I adore Donna Noble. The tenth Doctor's character is also so dynamic, he really leaps off the page.
The banter between the Doctor and Donna has been expanded to great effect. This is what I like to see in the novelizations. There are also tons of little "Easter egg" references to the classic series sprinkled throughout the text. Romana even gets name dropped!
Donna might be my favourite companion of the modern era, Fires of Pompeii was always one of my favourite episodes, and this was a treat.
The banter between the Doctor and Donna has been expanded to great effect. This is what I like to see in the novelizations. There are also tons of little "Easter egg" references to the classic series sprinkled throughout the text. Romana even gets name dropped!
Donna might be my favourite companion of the modern era, Fires of Pompeii was always one of my favourite episodes, and this was a treat.
February 2, 2025
4,5 stars
July 22, 2022
And so onto the latest Doctor Who novelisation. After reviewing two Fourth Doctor stories (The Stones of Blood and The Androids of Tara), we’re next taking a big leap forward in time up to the Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant. With his companion Donna Noble (played by Catherine Tate), the Doctor travels to Pompeii in 79 AD, just as that famous eruption from Mount Vesuvius is about to take place.
However, the Doctor and Donna find that as well as the perhaps-to-be-expected soothsayers portending doom, Pompeii has things that weren’t expecting - stone circuits made out of marble, and monsters made of lava, for example. The Doctor finds that as the volcano is about to erupt, he may have other things to sort…
Unlike the previous two books, which were Audiobooks first, James Moran’s novelisation is new to us in prose format.
This is also my first read of a story from the more contemporary version of the Doctor after the series rested from 1989 – 1996, returning in 2005. This story was originally broadcast on the 12th April 2008.
So – what’s different? Most noticeable in the prose is the presence of Donna Noble, who is a much more-in-your-face Companion than Ramona ever was. This is Donna’s first story away from her home turf of present-day London, and Moran does well to convey her confusion – over time travel, the TARDIS – and even the Doctor himself!
The Doctor is also less sure of himself. As we have found in these later versions of the Doctor, there is a more complex background to the Time Lords than we have previously discovered. In The Fires of Pompeii we see through both the Doctor and Donna how difficult it can be as a Time Lord, dealing with the fact that many of those you know and meet are about to die. I am pleased that the Doctor again feels like the version created by David Tennant. His speech and mannerisms are as you might expect – enthusiastic yet moderated, knowledgeable, enigmatic, contradictory and even at times alien.
The story read smoothly. Moran (or Davies) know their Doctor Who backstory, and I liked the little touches of other Doctor Who stories that are peppered throughout. One of my personal favourites was a quiet little nod to Douglas Adams, creator of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and for a while a Doctor Who scriptwriter. You don’t have to get them to follow the plot, but fans do and they add an extra little touch to the context of the story.
On the downside, some of the minor characters meant for comic effect initially read like something out of Only Fools and Horses or Up Pompeii. Subtle and nuanced they are not, and they jar with the subtler developments of the Doctor and Donna (whose comedic moments are, it must be said, much better.) The unusual baddies are pretty lightweight too, and in my opinion lack the necessary evil required for a good villain. They would be no match against a well-placed Dalek.
Most noticeably, the changes between Tom Baker and David Tennant are striking, and this story reflects more modern attitudes and contemporary writing. The prose seems effortless to read and the main characters have more development, whilst the story seems slighter – perhaps this is due to the story being based on one 50-minute episode typical of the Russell T Davies period rather than the four 25-minute episodes typical of the Tom Baker serials.
Overall, though, I enjoyed this read. As a draw to those who only know the Doctor in his latest incarnations, this may not be a bad place to start.
However, the Doctor and Donna find that as well as the perhaps-to-be-expected soothsayers portending doom, Pompeii has things that weren’t expecting - stone circuits made out of marble, and monsters made of lava, for example. The Doctor finds that as the volcano is about to erupt, he may have other things to sort…
Unlike the previous two books, which were Audiobooks first, James Moran’s novelisation is new to us in prose format.
This is also my first read of a story from the more contemporary version of the Doctor after the series rested from 1989 – 1996, returning in 2005. This story was originally broadcast on the 12th April 2008.
So – what’s different? Most noticeable in the prose is the presence of Donna Noble, who is a much more-in-your-face Companion than Ramona ever was. This is Donna’s first story away from her home turf of present-day London, and Moran does well to convey her confusion – over time travel, the TARDIS – and even the Doctor himself!
The Doctor is also less sure of himself. As we have found in these later versions of the Doctor, there is a more complex background to the Time Lords than we have previously discovered. In The Fires of Pompeii we see through both the Doctor and Donna how difficult it can be as a Time Lord, dealing with the fact that many of those you know and meet are about to die. I am pleased that the Doctor again feels like the version created by David Tennant. His speech and mannerisms are as you might expect – enthusiastic yet moderated, knowledgeable, enigmatic, contradictory and even at times alien.
The story read smoothly. Moran (or Davies) know their Doctor Who backstory, and I liked the little touches of other Doctor Who stories that are peppered throughout. One of my personal favourites was a quiet little nod to Douglas Adams, creator of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and for a while a Doctor Who scriptwriter. You don’t have to get them to follow the plot, but fans do and they add an extra little touch to the context of the story.
On the downside, some of the minor characters meant for comic effect initially read like something out of Only Fools and Horses or Up Pompeii. Subtle and nuanced they are not, and they jar with the subtler developments of the Doctor and Donna (whose comedic moments are, it must be said, much better.) The unusual baddies are pretty lightweight too, and in my opinion lack the necessary evil required for a good villain. They would be no match against a well-placed Dalek.
Most noticeably, the changes between Tom Baker and David Tennant are striking, and this story reflects more modern attitudes and contemporary writing. The prose seems effortless to read and the main characters have more development, whilst the story seems slighter – perhaps this is due to the story being based on one 50-minute episode typical of the Russell T Davies period rather than the four 25-minute episodes typical of the Tom Baker serials.
Overall, though, I enjoyed this read. As a draw to those who only know the Doctor in his latest incarnations, this may not be a bad place to start.
August 12, 2022
I hate to say it but this is extremely basic writing, which spurts off onto unnessacary tangents at any opportunity. The doctor and donna are written well but the side characters are just as boring as they were in the episode itself, ideally I'd give it 2.5 stars but I'll round up as I'm just grateful to be getting modern who target books!
Read
September 12, 2022This great work of literature is a blast (lolz). It’s great getting a look into Donna Noble’s thought processes, they’re very funny and plausible. I enjoyed the novelisation much more than the episode which, I found a bit shallow, because of all of the details and asides. Give James Moran an opportunity and he’ll pull out all the stops.
March 15, 2024
A fun retelling of one of the 10th Doctor’s and Donna’s best episodes! Especially being a Pompeii nerd from childhood, I love this story. And it surprisingly has a great lesson for the Doctor at the end that you wouldn’t have expected to finish on in the beginning’s fun and romp.
February 22, 2024
Series 4 of Doctor Who is easily my favorite iteration of the show. There isn't a single story in the thirteen-episode season which doesn't constitute as a legitimate hit. One of my fondest stories from this season is James Moran's The Fires of Pompeii. Serving as a historical-piece narrative, the episode did an amazing job in showcasing the dynamic of Donna and The 10th Doctor with a emotionally grounded situation about the tragedy of the Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD. This episode, along with Keith Temple's Planet of the Ood are the latest wave of stories to receive the Target novelization treatment with Moran himself penning the book.
The story of The Fires of Pompeii follows The Doctor and Donna Noble on their first official adventure in the TARDIS together. Despite intending to head to Rome, the TARDIS lands the duo in Pompeii on the eve of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The immediate situation causes conflict between The Doctor and Donna as Donna wants to use the opportunity to save the residents of the city; whereas The Doctor wishes to leave and let history take its course. Despite being keen to leave, the pair find themselves tied up in a bigger conspiracy at the heart of Pompeii which includes a wealthy family, a sisterhood of fortune tellers and an alien race seeking to rise in the fires of Pompeii itself.
James Moran exceeded in multiple fronts when it came to writing the story of The Fires of Pompeii. I myself love a good history episode of Doctor Who, I find the show is a perfect format to not only entertain but educate its viewers on history as well as science. Pompeii is a tragic tale of mother nature and the way Moran pays respect to that tragedy by tying the central core of it around The Doctor and Donna's personal struggle to save Pompeii vs letting events proceed is brilliant writing. The other core concepts that are utilized within the boundaries of the narrative help unify everything in a really cohesive fashion. Caecilius and his family help exemplify the emotional layer of the story as it gives The Doctor and Donna a personal perspective at the people who will die in the coming tragedy. The Sibylline Sisterhood and the Pyrovile invasion give the story the much-needed Sci-Fi flavor that you would associate with Doctor Who. These components were all reflective in the original TV episode, but what I enjoyed about the Target novelization is Moran did his best to write the story up in a new format as apposed to simply writing around the screenplay.
When it comes to tone and pacing, Moran balances the story perfectly with the tonal requirements of the scenes that take place. Pompei at its very foundation is a tragic story and Moran gives all the necessary weight and emotion to the tragedy. This is offset with a remarkably witty and flavorful humor behind the story too. There's a great deal of levity and comedy embedded in the writing style which helps keep the story balanced and consistent all throughout.
The Fires of Pompeii is a truly definitive story in the entirety of Doctor Who. It exemplifies all the best elements of what the show was originally created for. It does an amazing job in educating the viewer on an important historical even while also delivering a really smart and imaginative story which ties the premise into the world of Doctor Who. The target novelization reflects all the same strengths as the TV show but with a new variation in formatting. It's a real shame James Moran didn't write any more episodes for the show, the guy understood the assignment better than anyone!
The story of The Fires of Pompeii follows The Doctor and Donna Noble on their first official adventure in the TARDIS together. Despite intending to head to Rome, the TARDIS lands the duo in Pompeii on the eve of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The immediate situation causes conflict between The Doctor and Donna as Donna wants to use the opportunity to save the residents of the city; whereas The Doctor wishes to leave and let history take its course. Despite being keen to leave, the pair find themselves tied up in a bigger conspiracy at the heart of Pompeii which includes a wealthy family, a sisterhood of fortune tellers and an alien race seeking to rise in the fires of Pompeii itself.
James Moran exceeded in multiple fronts when it came to writing the story of The Fires of Pompeii. I myself love a good history episode of Doctor Who, I find the show is a perfect format to not only entertain but educate its viewers on history as well as science. Pompeii is a tragic tale of mother nature and the way Moran pays respect to that tragedy by tying the central core of it around The Doctor and Donna's personal struggle to save Pompeii vs letting events proceed is brilliant writing. The other core concepts that are utilized within the boundaries of the narrative help unify everything in a really cohesive fashion. Caecilius and his family help exemplify the emotional layer of the story as it gives The Doctor and Donna a personal perspective at the people who will die in the coming tragedy. The Sibylline Sisterhood and the Pyrovile invasion give the story the much-needed Sci-Fi flavor that you would associate with Doctor Who. These components were all reflective in the original TV episode, but what I enjoyed about the Target novelization is Moran did his best to write the story up in a new format as apposed to simply writing around the screenplay.
When it comes to tone and pacing, Moran balances the story perfectly with the tonal requirements of the scenes that take place. Pompei at its very foundation is a tragic story and Moran gives all the necessary weight and emotion to the tragedy. This is offset with a remarkably witty and flavorful humor behind the story too. There's a great deal of levity and comedy embedded in the writing style which helps keep the story balanced and consistent all throughout.
The Fires of Pompeii is a truly definitive story in the entirety of Doctor Who. It exemplifies all the best elements of what the show was originally created for. It does an amazing job in educating the viewer on an important historical even while also delivering a really smart and imaginative story which ties the premise into the world of Doctor Who. The target novelization reflects all the same strengths as the TV show but with a new variation in formatting. It's a real shame James Moran didn't write any more episodes for the show, the guy understood the assignment better than anyone!
March 17, 2023
A fun novelisation of one of the early adventures with the Tenth Doctor and Donna. In terms of positives, we have some fun added dialogue that better explains how the concept of time works when you're a Time Lord that's constantly changing it. We got some fun references to past companion Romana (traveled with Four) and the Doctor's future Twelfth face and why he may have chosen that one. And the added scenes of Caecilius's family are absolutely beautiful and help build up that very believable familial connection even more than the show did.
The negatives mainly boil down to two things. The major one is that I didn't come away from this knowing anything more about the Pyroviles than I did watching the episode. They were really just *there.* A quick statement is made about how their planet is lost (leading in to the trend of s04 of planets and stars and various things disappearing), but little attention is paid to this by either the Doctor or Donna. In fact, at no point does the Doctor even think about what he knows about Pyrovillia within his own head. I can understand him not having the time to give Donna a history of the planet and its main species cos they're running for their lives, but taking the time within the context of the novel to have the Doctor just think about it could have made paying to read this novelisation a bit more worth it.
And the other negative (and this is a me thing) is that I read the book hoping for an answer to a question I had about one key line from the episode. When Lucius cryptically told the Doctor "She is returning," (and as fans of the show at the time knew, "she" meant Rose), I wanted to know what the Doctor thought about that prophecy. Did he wonder if Rose was a possibility? Did Rose coming back not cross his mind at all, and if not her, who did he think it *could* mean? My inner Doctor/Rose shipper had long-standing questions and I was excited to find out the answer. And said answer was...nil. It never occurs in the novelisation! While I can maybe rationalize to myself why it didn't -- to make it easier for casual fans to read a novel of a single episode without having to know anything about what happened before this adventure and letting it stand on its own -- I still can't really understand why it's not in here. I mean, they could have made it easier by just having that portion be from Donna's perspective and state that she couldn't understand the Doctor's expression to the words. There you go. Simple. (I still would have been frustrated, but at least it would have been somewhat addressed.) But instead we get random statements about Romana and a reference about an adventure the Doctor had with Rose (he mentions meeting Charles Dickens and ghosts being involved), but the whole reason I had for buying this particular adventure (aside from wanting to own all the Target novelisations) is completely removed from the book adaptation.
So, 4 stars for the actual write up of the episode. There's fun and emotional stuff added to the narrative and Donna is given a fun voice here. But one star removed due to personal disappointment and the occasional moment of Donna or the Doctor not quite sounding like themselves.
The negatives mainly boil down to two things. The major one is that I didn't come away from this knowing anything more about the Pyroviles than I did watching the episode. They were really just *there.* A quick statement is made about how their planet is lost (leading in to the trend of s04 of planets and stars and various things disappearing), but little attention is paid to this by either the Doctor or Donna. In fact, at no point does the Doctor even think about what he knows about Pyrovillia within his own head. I can understand him not having the time to give Donna a history of the planet and its main species cos they're running for their lives, but taking the time within the context of the novel to have the Doctor just think about it could have made paying to read this novelisation a bit more worth it.
And the other negative (and this is a me thing) is that I read the book hoping for an answer to a question I had about one key line from the episode. When Lucius cryptically told the Doctor "She is returning," (and as fans of the show at the time knew, "she" meant Rose), I wanted to know what the Doctor thought about that prophecy. Did he wonder if Rose was a possibility? Did Rose coming back not cross his mind at all, and if not her, who did he think it *could* mean? My inner Doctor/Rose shipper had long-standing questions and I was excited to find out the answer. And said answer was...nil. It never occurs in the novelisation! While I can maybe rationalize to myself why it didn't -- to make it easier for casual fans to read a novel of a single episode without having to know anything about what happened before this adventure and letting it stand on its own -- I still can't really understand why it's not in here. I mean, they could have made it easier by just having that portion be from Donna's perspective and state that she couldn't understand the Doctor's expression to the words. There you go. Simple. (I still would have been frustrated, but at least it would have been somewhat addressed.) But instead we get random statements about Romana and a reference about an adventure the Doctor had with Rose (he mentions meeting Charles Dickens and ghosts being involved), but the whole reason I had for buying this particular adventure (aside from wanting to own all the Target novelisations) is completely removed from the book adaptation.
So, 4 stars for the actual write up of the episode. There's fun and emotional stuff added to the narrative and Donna is given a fun voice here. But one star removed due to personal disappointment and the occasional moment of Donna or the Doctor not quite sounding like themselves.
May 7, 2023
The novelisation of the author's own TV script of a Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) adventure featuring his companion Donna.
On their first trip together, the Doctor decides to take Donna to see ancient Rome but instead they find themselves in Pompeii on the day before Vesuvius is due to erupt. As Donna desperately plans to save the people of the city, the Doctor discovers that Pompeii is filled with soothsayers with remarkable powers of precognition but none of whom has any inkling of the coming disaster.
This story is something of a perfect storm for me; with one of my favourite incarnations of the Doctor, the absolute best companion for that Doctor (Donna's great and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise) and a story set in Roman times (which have always fascinated me) amid one of the greatest natural disasters in recorded history. It has everything going for it and the onscreen version is among my favourite Who episodes of all time.
Thankfully, Moran does a perfect job of novelising his script too, hitting the two most important notes for a novelisation; catching the spirit of the original version and adding layers which couldn't appear onscreen.
The author clearly gets the relationship between the Doctor and Donna and does a great job of conveying their sense of fun, the ease of their friendship and their ability to call each other out on important issues in an open and honest way. All of that is here and added to it is Donna's internal thought processes where she considers the ramifications of running off with a spaceman. But one of the things that makes Donna great is her ability to see both the timeless alien and kind, lonely wanderer.
We also get to know several of the supporting characters much better, with welcome attention given to the soothsayer Mira and the architect Caecilius (the actors playing those parts would go on to have a big impact on Doctor Who; Karen Gillan and Peter Capaldi).
Moran also does a brilliant job of conveying the sheer mind-boggling tragedy of what happened to Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the thousands who lived therein, in 79 AD.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
On their first trip together, the Doctor decides to take Donna to see ancient Rome but instead they find themselves in Pompeii on the day before Vesuvius is due to erupt. As Donna desperately plans to save the people of the city, the Doctor discovers that Pompeii is filled with soothsayers with remarkable powers of precognition but none of whom has any inkling of the coming disaster.
This story is something of a perfect storm for me; with one of my favourite incarnations of the Doctor, the absolute best companion for that Doctor (Donna's great and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise) and a story set in Roman times (which have always fascinated me) amid one of the greatest natural disasters in recorded history. It has everything going for it and the onscreen version is among my favourite Who episodes of all time.
Thankfully, Moran does a perfect job of novelising his script too, hitting the two most important notes for a novelisation; catching the spirit of the original version and adding layers which couldn't appear onscreen.
The author clearly gets the relationship between the Doctor and Donna and does a great job of conveying their sense of fun, the ease of their friendship and their ability to call each other out on important issues in an open and honest way. All of that is here and added to it is Donna's internal thought processes where she considers the ramifications of running off with a spaceman. But one of the things that makes Donna great is her ability to see both the timeless alien and kind, lonely wanderer.
We also get to know several of the supporting characters much better, with welcome attention given to the soothsayer Mira and the architect Caecilius (the actors playing those parts would go on to have a big impact on Doctor Who; Karen Gillan and Peter Capaldi).
Moran also does a brilliant job of conveying the sheer mind-boggling tragedy of what happened to Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the thousands who lived therein, in 79 AD.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
August 4, 2024
Quite excited to see that this Target series of Doctor Who novelisations doesn't feel the need to keep what's on the page tightly tied to what happens on screen - which means James Moran (who wrote the original Fires of Pompeii episode, a classic in my book) gets to expand on scenes and colour in depth and layers that had to be cut for time.
That means more Doctor Donna banter (which is always excellent) and more insight into their dynamic - although you can decide whether you like how this book describes one of the best friendships the show has ever had. (Some of Donna's inner monologue doesn't feel QUITE right to me, especially her uncertainty around travelling with the Doctor now that she has regained the opportunity to do so, but that's a minor quibble, really, and a lot of her spark and fire are well-captured here.)
The book reads really nicely, and fills in some of the gaps around Caecilius' family and the underlying alien invasion plot that also work quite well. Love how the epilogue gives us a glimpse into the future, since we all know how the Doctor himself will remember Caecilius' face in time to come.
Solid novelisation of a brilliant episode, one that properly captures the dynamic between the Doctor and Donna (and how their bickering and bantering coexists with the way they see, save and make each other better). also love the Latin chapter titles - nice Celtic touch there!
That means more Doctor Donna banter (which is always excellent) and more insight into their dynamic - although you can decide whether you like how this book describes one of the best friendships the show has ever had. (Some of Donna's inner monologue doesn't feel QUITE right to me, especially her uncertainty around travelling with the Doctor now that she has regained the opportunity to do so, but that's a minor quibble, really, and a lot of her spark and fire are well-captured here.)
The book reads really nicely, and fills in some of the gaps around Caecilius' family and the underlying alien invasion plot that also work quite well. Love how the epilogue gives us a glimpse into the future, since we all know how the Doctor himself will remember Caecilius' face in time to come.
Solid novelisation of a brilliant episode, one that properly captures the dynamic between the Doctor and Donna (and how their bickering and bantering coexists with the way they see, save and make each other better). also love the Latin chapter titles - nice Celtic touch there!
November 27, 2022
Últimamente estoy obsesionada con las novelizaciones de TARGET y he leído las suficientes para poder decir subjetivamente que esta vale mucho, mucho la pena.
En su momento, este tipo de libros estaban escritos para que todos los fans pudiesen disfrutar de las historias ya transmitidas (en unos tiempos donde los VHS/DVDs o retransmisiones no eran comunes). A día de hoy, estos libros tienen que ofrecer algo más que una simple novelización del guión y James Moran, el autor, logra ello y mucho más.
El escritor fue también el guionista del capítulo de televisión por lo que aquí tuvo la oportunidad de compartir todos los detalles que se quedaron fuera de la pantalla. Las mejores escenas y conversaciones del episodio se alargan un poquito haciéndolas infinitamente mejores. ¡Ahh, y la caracterización de Donna es increíble! Sus monólogos internos se hacen nuestros y de verdad sientes por lo que la companion estaba pasando en aquella fatídica aventura.
No os hago más spoilers, pero si tenéis la oportunidad de leer esta novela ¡hacedlo sin pensarlo dos veces!
(Y si queréis más contenido de Doctor Who en español, seguidme en las redes sociales que aparecen en el siguiente link: https://linktr.ee/ValeryVal)
En su momento, este tipo de libros estaban escritos para que todos los fans pudiesen disfrutar de las historias ya transmitidas (en unos tiempos donde los VHS/DVDs o retransmisiones no eran comunes). A día de hoy, estos libros tienen que ofrecer algo más que una simple novelización del guión y James Moran, el autor, logra ello y mucho más.
El escritor fue también el guionista del capítulo de televisión por lo que aquí tuvo la oportunidad de compartir todos los detalles que se quedaron fuera de la pantalla. Las mejores escenas y conversaciones del episodio se alargan un poquito haciéndolas infinitamente mejores. ¡Ahh, y la caracterización de Donna es increíble! Sus monólogos internos se hacen nuestros y de verdad sientes por lo que la companion estaba pasando en aquella fatídica aventura.
No os hago más spoilers, pero si tenéis la oportunidad de leer esta novela ¡hacedlo sin pensarlo dos veces!
(Y si queréis más contenido de Doctor Who en español, seguidme en las redes sociales que aparecen en el siguiente link: https://linktr.ee/ValeryVal)
June 4, 2024
For some reason I could never find the time to start this novel, I’ve even carried it around with me a few times, but I never got around to reading it something always came up.
There is so much extra stuff here for the fans, Romana is mentioned, so is the fact that the Twelfth Doctor’s face is here, it’s a lot of fun.
Stories like this is what I feel like Doctor Who is missing, has been missing since at least the 12th Doctor days.
I wouldn’t want to many cause then it wouldn’t be special and heartbreaking anymore but like we need this kind of class again.
This novelization adds so much more of Donna and the Doctor just talking. I’m sucker for Doctor/Companion banter. And this novel offers plenty.
This was Donna’s third story with the Doctor by the way, like holy hell. And it’s written by someone who’s never written for the show before? Yeah, this is seriously good, and I wouldn’t have minded the episode to be longer now.
Kinda wish Doctor Who did one-hour stories.
I read this in one day btw that hasn’t been happening to me for a while. Damn this was seriously good. No notes.
There is so much extra stuff here for the fans, Romana is mentioned, so is the fact that the Twelfth Doctor’s face is here, it’s a lot of fun.
Stories like this is what I feel like Doctor Who is missing, has been missing since at least the 12th Doctor days.
I wouldn’t want to many cause then it wouldn’t be special and heartbreaking anymore but like we need this kind of class again.
This novelization adds so much more of Donna and the Doctor just talking. I’m sucker for Doctor/Companion banter. And this novel offers plenty.
This was Donna’s third story with the Doctor by the way, like holy hell. And it’s written by someone who’s never written for the show before? Yeah, this is seriously good, and I wouldn’t have minded the episode to be longer now.
Kinda wish Doctor Who did one-hour stories.
I read this in one day btw that hasn’t been happening to me for a while. Damn this was seriously good. No notes.
May 12, 2025
The Fires of Pompeii book adaptation brings the dramatic Doctor Who episode to life in a way that expands on what was saw on screen.
It captures the heart-pounding urgency of the volcanic eruption and the moral element and argument the Doctor faces in a fixed time point crisis. The characters, especially Donna and the Doctor, are fleshed out more in the book, which gives some nice extra depth to their relationship and motivations.
The story does a great job balancing historical detail with the sci-fi elements of the Doctor Who universe. You get a deeper look at Pompeii’s culture and the people, and the urgency of the Doctor’s decision to either save a few or change history entirely. The pace is quick, just like the episode, but the added narration helps build more tension and emotion.
For Doctor Who fans, it’s a solid read—especially if you love the drama and moral complexity that the show often brings. Plus, it’s a great way to revisit a fan-favorite episode with a few extra details!
It captures the heart-pounding urgency of the volcanic eruption and the moral element and argument the Doctor faces in a fixed time point crisis. The characters, especially Donna and the Doctor, are fleshed out more in the book, which gives some nice extra depth to their relationship and motivations.
The story does a great job balancing historical detail with the sci-fi elements of the Doctor Who universe. You get a deeper look at Pompeii’s culture and the people, and the urgency of the Doctor’s decision to either save a few or change history entirely. The pace is quick, just like the episode, but the added narration helps build more tension and emotion.
For Doctor Who fans, it’s a solid read—especially if you love the drama and moral complexity that the show often brings. Plus, it’s a great way to revisit a fan-favorite episode with a few extra details!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2022
This book wins out on the strength of its prose. Normally my big want from these Target Novelisations is to have them expand the world and side casts of classic Doctor Who stories, of which I thought Pompeii would have plenty to showcase. However, aside from the occasion glimpse into a side characters thoughts and a few extra conversations between 10 and Donna, this is mostly a one to one retelling of the 2008 tbh story. But that does not matter one bit. Because Fires of Pompeii has always been a beautiful story, and here it has been made beautiful and tragic all over again. The last 20/30 pages are solid gold with the Memento Mori chapter really tugging at my heart strings.
If you’re a fan of the original story, or just a fan of using sci-fi to explore emotional themes, then this is an easy recommendation.
If you’re a fan of the original story, or just a fan of using sci-fi to explore emotional themes, then this is an easy recommendation.
July 20, 2022
On TV, "The Fires of Pompeii" suffered from being absolutely overstuffed with way too many ideas while there was way too little time to do any of them justice. The novelization is fixing that problem somewhat. There's still too much going on, but now the characters and plot threads at least have some room to breathe, making the story at least somewhat coherent. Still, there's no satisfying answer to what all that jazz with the visions is about. And what can I say, even in book form I find the oh-so-funny banter between the Doctor and Donna rather grating. If the dialogue would be actually amusing I'd feel different about their dynamic, but roughly 98% of the jokes don't land, I'm sorry.
Anyway, at least it was a quick read that passed the time on a train ride or two.
Anyway, at least it was a quick read that passed the time on a train ride or two.
November 11, 2022
When it comes to Target Adaptations of Doctor Who I’ve found they can be very hot or miss.
This one was certainly a hit. Which is good because the story it’s adapting is easily one of my favourite episodes of New Who.
It was this version of the story that made me realise that it’s not the big action set pieces in the show that I love, it was the characters. And in my mind The Doctor and Donna have always been my standard for Doctor/Companion relationships thanks to this story.
So it’s a good thing that the original episode writer was the author for this book, it helped capture the feel of the characters.
The description of the volcanic eruption was easily some of the best prose in the book. Really pulled me into the scene. Would definitely recommend this book to any Whovian.
This one was certainly a hit. Which is good because the story it’s adapting is easily one of my favourite episodes of New Who.
It was this version of the story that made me realise that it’s not the big action set pieces in the show that I love, it was the characters. And in my mind The Doctor and Donna have always been my standard for Doctor/Companion relationships thanks to this story.
So it’s a good thing that the original episode writer was the author for this book, it helped capture the feel of the characters.
The description of the volcanic eruption was easily some of the best prose in the book. Really pulled me into the scene. Would definitely recommend this book to any Whovian.
January 25, 2023
An excellent adaptation of an incredible Television story. One of the best parts of the novelization is the additional background on Donna Noble. We get to see the vulnerability that is hiding behind her bluster and bravado. We also get to see the alien perspective of The Doctor. Both of these add to the story as we see the dilemma facing the Doctor regarding the fate of Pompeii.
There's also some additional material involving the family who were rescued at the end of the story, we see more of the impact they will have because they were rescued by the Doctor and Donna.
There's also some additional material involving the family who were rescued at the end of the story, we see more of the impact they will have because they were rescued by the Doctor and Donna.
April 1, 2023
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/doctor-who-the-fires-of-pompeii-by-james-moran/
This is great fun, with the episode script faithfully delivered to the page and more detail added, including that Caecilius and Metella’s son Quintus is gay. It’s exactly what you want from a novelisation – captures the fun of the original TV episode and adds a bit more characterisation and background. (Except for the Pyroviles.)
This is great fun, with the episode script faithfully delivered to the page and more detail added, including that Caecilius and Metella’s son Quintus is gay. It’s exactly what you want from a novelisation – captures the fun of the original TV episode and adds a bit more characterisation and background. (Except for the Pyroviles.)
April 25, 2023
A great episode of Doctor Who makes for a great novelisation. Love the additional details that this medium can provide - especially Caecilius and his family. Very occasionally I found the writing style a bit basic, although full of humour, but balanced well with the emotional trauma of witnessing such a horrific event (especially from Donna's POV). Would've loved to see more information about the pyroviles but you get about as much information as you do in the episode. Can't wait to read more novelisations in the future!
April 30, 2023
I had high hopes for the book since I love this episode. However, I was reminded WHY I love the episode, and that is David Tennant and Catherine Tate. If the talk about the story, the Pyroviles are extremely under-developed villains, the plot drags, and most of the action is silly or uninteresting. But Doctor and Donna have great chemistry, and the actors work together beautifully. What sells this story is their expression of agony, hopelessness, and desperation. The story itself is not it, and the book highlighted that for me.
March 25, 2025
A decent novelisation of a good TV episode, which notably benefitted from a genuine Italian shoot (albeit at Cinecittà Studios). Decent but not great. I didn’t quite connect with the prose style, which often feels a little overwritten. The dialogue, in particular, lacks the nimble, polished Doctor-Donna banter one expects (presumably the work of Russell T Davies in the televised version). Perhaps James Moran chose to revert to his original script? That said, the eruption chapter stands out, capturing the devastation and terror with real impact.
October 6, 2022
The Doctor and Donna land in Pompeii the day before Vesuvius is due to destroy the town - and yet nothing seems to be wrong, and the local soothsayers all claim that no explosion is imminent - and they're right. Something is very wrong with history... A delightful romp, lots of action and fun, and told well. Very enjoyable.
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