What do you think?
Rate this book
Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #176
Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars
Water is patient... water just waits. Water always wins!"
November 21st 2059, and Bowie Base One - the first human colony on Mars - is destined for destruction in a nuclear explosion. This tragedy is a fixed point in history. The Laws of Time dictate that it cannot - must never - be changed.
The Doctor arrives just as a viral life-form escapes from the Martian ice into the base's water supply. A single drop can transform a human into a terrifying monster with the power to infect others. History records that the threat is destroyed along with the base and every human in it. But as his darkest hour comes calling, the Doctor resolves to break the rules as he never has before...
November 21st 2059, and Bowie Base One - the first human colony on Mars - is destined for destruction in a nuclear explosion. This tragedy is a fixed point in history. The Laws of Time dictate that it cannot - must never - be changed.
The Doctor arrives just as a viral life-form escapes from the Martian ice into the base's water supply. A single drop can transform a human into a terrifying monster with the power to infect others. History records that the threat is destroyed along with the base and every human in it. But as his darkest hour comes calling, the Doctor resolves to break the rules as he never has before...
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 13, 2023
10 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 8, 2023
The Waters of Mars is a story Doctor Who can’t accommodate too often, but which every era of the show needs: a self-critical one which questions the methods and motivation of the lead character. It’s a zombie horror underlain with the question of who watches the watchmen, and what the great responsibility that comes with great power means.
Ford does a terrific job of translating this to the page: the carefully built claustrophobia of the episode is conveyed through the thoughts of the characters, their reactions and their contemplation of the consequences of events. Ford even manages to add some scale to the setting which adds to the tension.
The strongest elements though are the characterisation of the Doctor and Adelaide Brooke: the latter in particular is as well-realised as any since Malcolm Hulke’s work on the range. Ford cleverly builds both characters over the novel to the point where the conclusion of their clashing personalities and motivations feels inevitable: all the steps on that route are clearly laid out, even more so than it was on screen. It’s perhaps the bleakest the era ever got, and a natural conclusion to the hubris that was part of Tennant’s Doctor from his very first episode (his careless bringing down of Harriet Jones’ government isn’t a million miles away from the kind of thing he does here, though there’s no one to really answer him back - but then if he created the conditions for the Master to become Prime Minister, eventually leading to the events of The End of Time, then you can see his ending as the eventual consequences of his own actions).
In many ways then it’s the thematic conclusion of the Tennant era, and Ford’s work emphasises that it’s a story which bears the weight well. It’s the kind of story of the bleak downside of hero as practically a god that Zack Snyder tried to tell for years, but never pulled off nearly as well as Ford and Davies do here. Because, as the story makes very clear, you always need to emphasise the human viewpoint.
Ford does a terrific job of translating this to the page: the carefully built claustrophobia of the episode is conveyed through the thoughts of the characters, their reactions and their contemplation of the consequences of events. Ford even manages to add some scale to the setting which adds to the tension.
The strongest elements though are the characterisation of the Doctor and Adelaide Brooke: the latter in particular is as well-realised as any since Malcolm Hulke’s work on the range. Ford cleverly builds both characters over the novel to the point where the conclusion of their clashing personalities and motivations feels inevitable: all the steps on that route are clearly laid out, even more so than it was on screen. It’s perhaps the bleakest the era ever got, and a natural conclusion to the hubris that was part of Tennant’s Doctor from his very first episode (his careless bringing down of Harriet Jones’ government isn’t a million miles away from the kind of thing he does here, though there’s no one to really answer him back - but then if he created the conditions for the Master to become Prime Minister, eventually leading to the events of The End of Time, then you can see his ending as the eventual consequences of his own actions).
In many ways then it’s the thematic conclusion of the Tennant era, and Ford’s work emphasises that it’s a story which bears the weight well. It’s the kind of story of the bleak downside of hero as practically a god that Zack Snyder tried to tell for years, but never pulled off nearly as well as Ford and Davies do here. Because, as the story makes very clear, you always need to emphasise the human viewpoint.
July 13, 2023
"I don't care who you are. The Time Lord Victorious is wrong."
Captain Adelaide Brooke was supposed to die on Bowie Base One on Mars on 21st November, 2059. It was a fixed point in time. The Doctor should never have interfered. But when The Flood take over the Base as a prelude to invading the Earth, the Doctor has had enough of standing by and doing nothing.
Ford's novelisation makes it clear that the true horror of this story is not where readers might assume and the creeping terror builds throughout.
Captain Adelaide Brooke was supposed to die on Bowie Base One on Mars on 21st November, 2059. It was a fixed point in time. The Doctor should never have interfered. But when The Flood take over the Base as a prelude to invading the Earth, the Doctor has had enough of standing by and doing nothing.
Ford's novelisation makes it clear that the true horror of this story is not where readers might assume and the creeping terror builds throughout.
February 22, 2024
November 21st, 2059. Captain Adelaide Brooke and her crew were destined to die on Mars. The first ever human colony on Mars was detonated, and no one ever found out why. It's a fixed point of time, one that should never be meddled with. The Doctor knows that better than anyone. But what happens when upon his arrival, a virus overtakes the crew, turning them into monstrous lifeforms with the ability to infect others?
The Doctor is used to saving humanity and mankind. But no one is as important as Captain Adelaide. Perhaps she may be the only person that he's willing to break the laws of time for, no matter the cost.
As the last Time Lord in existence, those laws of time are his alone to maintain. The Time Lord Victorious. And nobody can stop him, right?
The Waters of Mars was amongst my very first Doctor Who episodes. In the fifteen years since its first broadcast, it's gone down as one of the most popular episodes of all time. What's better than rewatching the epicness? Reading the novelisation, of course, where the plotline is expanded to endless possibilities, only for the resolution to remain the same.
I had no idea that this started out as a potential Christmas special. Gosh, imagine that. The viewers would've been beyond traumatised after a day of festivities. I'm kind of glad that the idea never eventuated.
I want to see the Flood return at some stage, maybe an AU, where they manage to overtake Earth's water mass. In the likelihood that RTD ever manages to somehow read this review, please consider writing a script!
4.75 🌟
The Doctor is used to saving humanity and mankind. But no one is as important as Captain Adelaide. Perhaps she may be the only person that he's willing to break the laws of time for, no matter the cost.
As the last Time Lord in existence, those laws of time are his alone to maintain. The Time Lord Victorious. And nobody can stop him, right?
The Waters of Mars was amongst my very first Doctor Who episodes. In the fifteen years since its first broadcast, it's gone down as one of the most popular episodes of all time. What's better than rewatching the epicness? Reading the novelisation, of course, where the plotline is expanded to endless possibilities, only for the resolution to remain the same.
I had no idea that this started out as a potential Christmas special. Gosh, imagine that. The viewers would've been beyond traumatised after a day of festivities. I'm kind of glad that the idea never eventuated.
I want to see the Flood return at some stage, maybe an AU, where they manage to overtake Earth's water mass. In the likelihood that RTD ever manages to somehow read this review, please consider writing a script!
4.75 🌟
July 6, 2025
Every single Doctor Who fan will agree that "The Waters of Mars" is one of the best episodes in the entire franchise, but this novelisation adds so much more and I didn't even think that was possible. Somehow, the book manages to make you even more attached to the characters and understand their perspectives, which inevitably makes their fates have more of an impact. We get to see more of the Doctor's raw emotions and his obsessive thought process that even has the reader slightly fearing his actions and power.
You can tell the author is passionate about the story, since he was the one who co-wrote the episode with Russel T. Davies, and its refreshing to see an author so focused on what they're writing.
You can tell the author is passionate about the story, since he was the one who co-wrote the episode with Russel T. Davies, and its refreshing to see an author so focused on what they're writing.
July 17, 2025
Phil Ford takes what is on TV a masterful Doctor Who story and, in traditional Target fashion, expands on it in so many exciting ways.
The tragic tale of the doomed crew of Bowie Base One is even more so here, as we're treated to richly drawn backstories and fun character moments not in the episode.
But it's the creeping horror of the story that benefits most in this novelisation. Giving The Flood a voice is haunting, but then choosing to hone in on how claustrophobic and suffocating the premise is really elevates this book to another level.
As a big fan of the TV version, this is such a treat and I highly recommend it!
The tragic tale of the doomed crew of Bowie Base One is even more so here, as we're treated to richly drawn backstories and fun character moments not in the episode.
But it's the creeping horror of the story that benefits most in this novelisation. Giving The Flood a voice is haunting, but then choosing to hone in on how claustrophobic and suffocating the premise is really elevates this book to another level.
As a big fan of the TV version, this is such a treat and I highly recommend it!
January 28, 2025
One of my favorite Tenth Doctor adventures. With his imminent death looming, the Tenth Doctor defies the Laws of Time and declares himself the Time Lord Victorious. The monsters--The Flood--were very creepy and the "companion," Adelaide Brooke was a bad bitch. I'd have loved to have seen more of her.
August 2, 2023
Phil Ford is the man behind some of the very best The Sarah Jane Adventures scripts, including an all time favourite of mine The Lost Boy. It was only right that, at the tail end of RTD’s original tenure, he was asked to write for Doctor Who. The Waters of Mars is one of David Tennant’s most iconic and very best stories. It is certainly amongst the most chilling. We can now also count it amongst the best Target books ever written.
For me, the core appeal of The Waters of Mars is the catharsis you feel following a talented team of experts who’s certain fait it is to fail despite their every effort. It is so perfectly written that even though I knew how it ends I still felt, this time through, that there was some way the team would be able to escape Bowie Base One without massive casualties. The suicide of the main guest character at the end of the story is possibly the bravest move Doctor Who has ever made.
The first and last third of this book follow most of the television story beats with little additions here and there. The major difference of being able to be in the character’s heads which allows Ford to build out motivations and backstories. Most successfully it more convincingly details Adelaide’s journey from admiring to detesting The Doctor and The Doctor’s temporary dive into becoming the Time Lord Victorious - which felt all too brief in the televised episode.
The middle third of the book is home to a newly introduced story which massively expands Adelaide Brooke’s backstory, explaining more thoroughly what happened in her childhood to make her into the pioneer she became. It is a gripping read for those who are already very familiar with the source material.
Some Target books are “nice to haves”, this one is essential reading. Given that you can get through these books in a day or two there’s nothing to lose!
For me, the core appeal of The Waters of Mars is the catharsis you feel following a talented team of experts who’s certain fait it is to fail despite their every effort. It is so perfectly written that even though I knew how it ends I still felt, this time through, that there was some way the team would be able to escape Bowie Base One without massive casualties. The suicide of the main guest character at the end of the story is possibly the bravest move Doctor Who has ever made.
The first and last third of this book follow most of the television story beats with little additions here and there. The major difference of being able to be in the character’s heads which allows Ford to build out motivations and backstories. Most successfully it more convincingly details Adelaide’s journey from admiring to detesting The Doctor and The Doctor’s temporary dive into becoming the Time Lord Victorious - which felt all too brief in the televised episode.
The middle third of the book is home to a newly introduced story which massively expands Adelaide Brooke’s backstory, explaining more thoroughly what happened in her childhood to make her into the pioneer she became. It is a gripping read for those who are already very familiar with the source material.
Some Target books are “nice to haves”, this one is essential reading. Given that you can get through these books in a day or two there’s nothing to lose!
March 20, 2024
pretty cool, i really liked this one. also the extra lore was super fun, extra backstory for adelaide & the way the flood is described is cool
January 26, 2026
4.5 stars
Horrifying and emotional, Phil Ford retells his most tragic episode of Doctor Who, expanding on the story, while also staying faithful to his original script.
Horrifying and emotional, Phil Ford retells his most tragic episode of Doctor Who, expanding on the story, while also staying faithful to his original script.
April 5, 2024
“I don’t care who you are, the Timelord Victorious is WRONG!”
The Waters of Mars is a story I’ve adored for so many years and I remember being terrified when it first aired in 2009. So naturally when the target novelisation of the story was announced, I was unbelievably excited. Fast forward to 2024, I finally got round to reading it and boy, it was incredible.
I don’t usually read the target books of Doctor Who very often but this one really appealed to me. There are some target novels that are just a word for word from the script turned into a book, this one however is a fantastic adaption by Phil Ford who not only makes the story a compelling read, but also expands on the story with some really cool details not seen in the tv story.
A truly fantastic expanded novelisation of one of my favourite stories of all time. A truly dark, terrifying, exciting and epic story that I revisit quite often and to have it in the form of a target novel is an incredible thing to own. A book that I’ll definitely revisit sometime in the future.
I can’t recommend this book enough. Such a well put together novel that does a brilliant job of capturing the diamond of a story which is the tenth doctor’s penultimate adventure. A masterpiece.
The Waters of Mars is a story I’ve adored for so many years and I remember being terrified when it first aired in 2009. So naturally when the target novelisation of the story was announced, I was unbelievably excited. Fast forward to 2024, I finally got round to reading it and boy, it was incredible.
I don’t usually read the target books of Doctor Who very often but this one really appealed to me. There are some target novels that are just a word for word from the script turned into a book, this one however is a fantastic adaption by Phil Ford who not only makes the story a compelling read, but also expands on the story with some really cool details not seen in the tv story.
A truly fantastic expanded novelisation of one of my favourite stories of all time. A truly dark, terrifying, exciting and epic story that I revisit quite often and to have it in the form of a target novel is an incredible thing to own. A book that I’ll definitely revisit sometime in the future.
I can’t recommend this book enough. Such a well put together novel that does a brilliant job of capturing the diamond of a story which is the tenth doctor’s penultimate adventure. A masterpiece.
July 20, 2023
Of the three 2023 Doctor Who novelizations I’ve read so far, this is the one that feels most like a proper book. Ford hews to his original script relatively closely, sprinkling in a few extra tidbits here and there. But by and large, it’s very much “The Waters of Mars” as you remember it. Just translated perfectly into prose.
All the tension, the horror, and the emotional grandstanding are all right there, brilliantly captured. And the extra insight to characters’ thoughts and actions goes a long way toward expanding the story, too. By far the best element, though, is Ford’s prose. It’s not poetic, or anything, but he really communicates the tension of the story. His word choose always feels deliberate - making use of all the ways a novel can tell a story differently than a tv episode can. Nothing about the writing feels clunky or overly descriptive. It all just flows - like a flood, you might say.
At the end of the day, “The Waters of Mars” is a faithful novelization of the original tv episode, delivering a familiar, slightly expanded take on a Doctor Who favorite that’s well worth a read.
All the tension, the horror, and the emotional grandstanding are all right there, brilliantly captured. And the extra insight to characters’ thoughts and actions goes a long way toward expanding the story, too. By far the best element, though, is Ford’s prose. It’s not poetic, or anything, but he really communicates the tension of the story. His word choose always feels deliberate - making use of all the ways a novel can tell a story differently than a tv episode can. Nothing about the writing feels clunky or overly descriptive. It all just flows - like a flood, you might say.
At the end of the day, “The Waters of Mars” is a faithful novelization of the original tv episode, delivering a familiar, slightly expanded take on a Doctor Who favorite that’s well worth a read.
October 22, 2023
So much of “The Waters of Mars” works because of Ford and Davies’ script and Graeme Harper’s direction being incredibly aware of what a visual medium television is and making a horror episode that fits within that medium. Horror on film and horror on the page are two very different types of horror, and Phil Ford is a television writer so it was quite the pleasant surprise to see The Waters of Mars works just as well as a novelization as it does on television. The Doctor is the main point of view character in The Waters of Mars as was the case on television, though through third person limited perspective with a few shifts for the other characters when there are scenes on television the Doctor isn’t present for early on. There are particular deaths as presented in the novel through the Doctor’s viewpoint, translating and cementing the visual language of film that it was the death of Ed Gold, a self-sacrifice once infected with the Flood, that pushed the Doctor into the decision to save the survivors on Bowie Base One and it is the knowledge of the correct future that drives Adelaide Brook to her final decisions to destroy the base and herself, after being saved. Adelaide’s death seems quicker in the novel, it’s only a few pages from the end after all and is done in one line, but with that one line Ford has this excellent moment to genuinely look at how this tiny decision changes the world. Ford adds an aftermath: her suicide changed her daughter and granddaughter’s hardship the world beginning to believe Earth never actually went to Mars and that became the drive to get out into space.
There are several other interesting additions. Because this is a novel and Ford is aware that the audience of this adaptation is Doctor Who fans, there is a longer explanation of the Ice Warrior society that uncovered the Flood initially, a warning written in Martian being found and unheeded due to the inability to translate, Mia being revealed to secretly assigned as translator as well as archeologist as UNIT was aware of the Ice Warriors by 2059. It’s a nice little bit of worldbuilding that is expanded by sections from the perspective of the Flood, exclusively referring to humanity as the Flesh and not making distinctions of previous identities of Maggie Cain, something that feels as if Ford is taking inspiration from John Carpenter’s 1982 film The Thing; the prologue in particular does this by really making the reader understand how the water has been waiting. Adelaide’s flashback to “The Stolen Earth” is also greatly expanded to really give her this deeper love of space and exploration from the beginning, as well as recontextualizing the horror through the eyes of a child which is beautifully written with Ford really expanding his prose style to an almost lyrical nature.
Overall, The Waters of Mars manages to be equally as interesting as the televised episode with Phil Ford adding this depth necessary to make the transition to the format of a novel instead of a piece of television. Ford both does a tribute to pulp horror as well as keeping the strong characterization that made the story work, making some subtleties of the Time Lord Victorious slightly more explicit to compensate for the lack of performance and adding more depth in general to everyone. 10/10.
There are several other interesting additions. Because this is a novel and Ford is aware that the audience of this adaptation is Doctor Who fans, there is a longer explanation of the Ice Warrior society that uncovered the Flood initially, a warning written in Martian being found and unheeded due to the inability to translate, Mia being revealed to secretly assigned as translator as well as archeologist as UNIT was aware of the Ice Warriors by 2059. It’s a nice little bit of worldbuilding that is expanded by sections from the perspective of the Flood, exclusively referring to humanity as the Flesh and not making distinctions of previous identities of Maggie Cain, something that feels as if Ford is taking inspiration from John Carpenter’s 1982 film The Thing; the prologue in particular does this by really making the reader understand how the water has been waiting. Adelaide’s flashback to “The Stolen Earth” is also greatly expanded to really give her this deeper love of space and exploration from the beginning, as well as recontextualizing the horror through the eyes of a child which is beautifully written with Ford really expanding his prose style to an almost lyrical nature.
Overall, The Waters of Mars manages to be equally as interesting as the televised episode with Phil Ford adding this depth necessary to make the transition to the format of a novel instead of a piece of television. Ford both does a tribute to pulp horror as well as keeping the strong characterization that made the story work, making some subtleties of the Time Lord Victorious slightly more explicit to compensate for the lack of performance and adding more depth in general to everyone. 10/10.
September 14, 2023
This is a good novelisation of the TV story, and manages to keep a lot of the original darkness and bring it to the page. Maureen o'Brien does a wonderful job of narrating this - she reads the story so well, the characters sound clearly defined, and honestly I might imagine her voice instead of Lindsay Duncan's doing some of Adelaide's lines now!
There's not loads and loads of new things in here that aren't in the original, but there's some nice extras. We get some expanded backstories, a cool new bit with an ancient Mars relic from the Ice Warriors, as well as a prologue detailing the history of the Flood. (Although - I'd always assumed that's just what the Doctor called them! But it makes sense for the novelisation for it to become their Real Name.) The new aspect that works less well is the flashback to Adelaide's encounter with the Dalek. It starts with her away from home, camping, and involves her having to get into a stranger's lorry with some friends to make it back to London! It's honestly a bit of a bizarre choice, and though I get what we're meant to be learning about her character, it's a decision that made me feel quite uncomfortable, really.
The story itself is told really well, though. The biodome is slightly reimagined to become more Martian, which is nice, but the very creepy imagery of Andy and Tarik from the original is moved from a dark, shadowed path to a clearing, which I wasn't quite sure about. The description of the Flood-possessed crew is really scarily done, and there's a real sense of dread as they are taken, one by one. Hearing this book as a novelisation really emphasises how dark the story is, and makes it feel more real.
The 10th Doctor is characterised well, and pretty much as he is in the episode, but there's a little more exploration of his turn to becoming the 'Time Lord Victorious'. I did wonder if some of the more extravagant edges of the character, and of his arrogance, are softened a little bit here? We're maybe led to be slightly more forgiving of him over Adelaide's fate than we should be? I think Adelaide's fate isn't dealt with to the extent it could be... but maybe that's for the best? It's a very intense story, and therefore at times a very intense novelisation, and it's maybe not one Doctor Who can do very often. We're given the Doctor Who version of events that are not really very Doctor Who-y, but this novelisation keeps up the sense of dread really well.
There's not loads and loads of new things in here that aren't in the original, but there's some nice extras. We get some expanded backstories, a cool new bit with an ancient Mars relic from the Ice Warriors, as well as a prologue detailing the history of the Flood. (Although - I'd always assumed that's just what the Doctor called them! But it makes sense for the novelisation for it to become their Real Name.) The new aspect that works less well is the flashback to Adelaide's encounter with the Dalek. It starts with her away from home, camping, and involves her having to get into a stranger's lorry with some friends to make it back to London! It's honestly a bit of a bizarre choice, and though I get what we're meant to be learning about her character, it's a decision that made me feel quite uncomfortable, really.
The story itself is told really well, though. The biodome is slightly reimagined to become more Martian, which is nice, but the very creepy imagery of Andy and Tarik from the original is moved from a dark, shadowed path to a clearing, which I wasn't quite sure about. The description of the Flood-possessed crew is really scarily done, and there's a real sense of dread as they are taken, one by one. Hearing this book as a novelisation really emphasises how dark the story is, and makes it feel more real.
The 10th Doctor is characterised well, and pretty much as he is in the episode, but there's a little more exploration of his turn to becoming the 'Time Lord Victorious'. I did wonder if some of the more extravagant edges of the character, and of his arrogance, are softened a little bit here? We're maybe led to be slightly more forgiving of him over Adelaide's fate than we should be? I think Adelaide's fate isn't dealt with to the extent it could be... but maybe that's for the best? It's a very intense story, and therefore at times a very intense novelisation, and it's maybe not one Doctor Who can do very often. We're given the Doctor Who version of events that are not really very Doctor Who-y, but this novelisation keeps up the sense of dread really well.
December 1, 2023
The novelisation of the 2009 Autumn Special, originally scripted by Ford and Russell T. Davies.
The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) arrives on Mars seeking solitude but instead discovers the pioneering space explorers crewing Bowie Base One, the first human colony on the Red Planet. Although excited to be meeting such exceptional people, the Doctor is haunted by the knowledge that he has arrived on the very day in history that the entire colony is destroyed under mysterious circumstances.
The core story of a base under siege by what are effectively zombies is a solid, if somewhat derivative one. It's the bread and butter of Who storytelling and is enjoyable purely on that basis.
However, things are taken up a notch by the knowledge that all of the characters introduced are destined not to survive and that it's a fixed point in time that the Doctor cannot interfere with. There's a genuinely touching air of tragedy to this story as we, like the Doctor, are constantly reminded that all of these interesting new characters are doomed but that in their deaths, humanity finds a uniting impetus to take it out into the stars. It forces us to confront the concept of people who've died in the name of progress and whether the world would have been worse off if they'd lived.
Furthermore, this story is a brilliant character piece for the Tenth Doctor, as we see him go through the stages of boyish enthusiasm, powerless melancholy and, finally, crossing a line to become the Time Lord Victorious. It's a watershed (pun intended) moment for the characters and not only led into its own multimedia spinoff (the Time Lord Victorious novels, audio dramas and comics) but also built towards this incarnation's final story 'The End of Time'.
In general, this is just a really good Doctor Who story and surely you can't go far wrong with that.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) arrives on Mars seeking solitude but instead discovers the pioneering space explorers crewing Bowie Base One, the first human colony on the Red Planet. Although excited to be meeting such exceptional people, the Doctor is haunted by the knowledge that he has arrived on the very day in history that the entire colony is destroyed under mysterious circumstances.
The core story of a base under siege by what are effectively zombies is a solid, if somewhat derivative one. It's the bread and butter of Who storytelling and is enjoyable purely on that basis.
However, things are taken up a notch by the knowledge that all of the characters introduced are destined not to survive and that it's a fixed point in time that the Doctor cannot interfere with. There's a genuinely touching air of tragedy to this story as we, like the Doctor, are constantly reminded that all of these interesting new characters are doomed but that in their deaths, humanity finds a uniting impetus to take it out into the stars. It forces us to confront the concept of people who've died in the name of progress and whether the world would have been worse off if they'd lived.
Furthermore, this story is a brilliant character piece for the Tenth Doctor, as we see him go through the stages of boyish enthusiasm, powerless melancholy and, finally, crossing a line to become the Time Lord Victorious. It's a watershed (pun intended) moment for the characters and not only led into its own multimedia spinoff (the Time Lord Victorious novels, audio dramas and comics) but also built towards this incarnation's final story 'The End of Time'.
In general, this is just a really good Doctor Who story and surely you can't go far wrong with that.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
July 29, 2025
This story is such a good idea and it is a shame that the show doesn't do it more often. Setting a narrative just slightly in the future allows for a lot of interesting story choices, especially when you treat the setting with the historical weight of something like the Titanic or Vesuvius' eruption. I love the way The Flood is written, tapping into cosmic horror without giving too much away. Giving the original story some little room to breathe is so well done and enjoyable, allowing you to get into many of the characters heads. I also enjoyed the little tangents the book would go on, fleshing out the story of Adelaide's granddaughter, and the day the Earth moved from earlier in that season. But the structure of the narrative is interesting as well, as we see a late stage Tennant flip the script and go against everything he has said up to this point because of his own beliefs, only to be reminded that he can't and shouldn't do it. I know there was a whole storyline that spun out of this "Time Lord Victorious" idea across a few pieces of content.... I might need to check it out!
April 27, 2024
The Waters of Mars is a tricky Doctor Who episode that really is a character piece for the Doctor and Adelaide - and one of my all-time favourites. While opinions on the episode are split in the fandom, the story really lends itself to a novelisation.
It doesn’t stray too far from what we saw on screen but some wonderful additions, including a tie to the Ice Warriors and a more fleshed out backstory for Adelaide. There is some great set up for the final confrontation which sets them as equals who both have strong moral compasses and a case for their actions - a dynamic I don’t think we don’t get very often.
As a kid, the episode was terrifying and the novelisation does a great job of ramping up those horror elements with some extra detail on the Flood. But balanced enough to keep some mystery there.
A good read for fans of the episode or the show in general and faithful to the original.
It doesn’t stray too far from what we saw on screen but some wonderful additions, including a tie to the Ice Warriors and a more fleshed out backstory for Adelaide. There is some great set up for the final confrontation which sets them as equals who both have strong moral compasses and a case for their actions - a dynamic I don’t think we don’t get very often.
As a kid, the episode was terrifying and the novelisation does a great job of ramping up those horror elements with some extra detail on the Flood. But balanced enough to keep some mystery there.
A good read for fans of the episode or the show in general and faithful to the original.
June 4, 2024
I have such fond memories of this episode. I remember the goosebumps, the suspense, the chills. It was such a good story with amazing writing so when I saw came out as a Target book, it was a must read!
The audiobook - Narrated by Maureen O’Brien (who played Vicki - companion to the first Doctor), she did a great job at bringing the book to life. And with accompanying sound effects, it made it even more immersive and enjoyable to listen to.
A human colony on Mars, the fight to sustain the base and provide water has been an age old battle but even more so now when the water seems to house a hostile organism. The base is besieged and on follows a desperate attempt to vacate the planet. The doctor knows he shouldn’t interfere… it’s a fixed point in history but can be stop himself?
I loved this episode and it remains to be one of the best. The suspense, the chills, the storyline. Absolute god tier writing and performance. And it translated really well to a target book too.
The audiobook - Narrated by Maureen O’Brien (who played Vicki - companion to the first Doctor), she did a great job at bringing the book to life. And with accompanying sound effects, it made it even more immersive and enjoyable to listen to.
A human colony on Mars, the fight to sustain the base and provide water has been an age old battle but even more so now when the water seems to house a hostile organism. The base is besieged and on follows a desperate attempt to vacate the planet. The doctor knows he shouldn’t interfere… it’s a fixed point in history but can be stop himself?
I loved this episode and it remains to be one of the best. The suspense, the chills, the storyline. Absolute god tier writing and performance. And it translated really well to a target book too.
July 20, 2023
Rating between 4.5 & 5
One of the best, if not the best, of the recent Target novelisations of Doctor Who stories.
It had a strong story to start with and as with the original run of novels, adds enough extra details (additional scenes, character backgrounds, more overall detail) to enhance the story and take it to the next level. If only all Doctor Who novelisations could do the same.
Definitely well worth a read.
A minor criticism of the book has nothing to do with the contents for me and that is the quite poor quality of the book itself. Both the cover and pages feel cheap and considering that the uk price is £9.99, not really good enough in my opinion. For me the cost and quality of the book always has to be weighed against the enjoyment it’s contents being - on this occasion the contents were so good I still rated this a 4.5 rounded up rather than the other way around
One of the best, if not the best, of the recent Target novelisations of Doctor Who stories.
It had a strong story to start with and as with the original run of novels, adds enough extra details (additional scenes, character backgrounds, more overall detail) to enhance the story and take it to the next level. If only all Doctor Who novelisations could do the same.
Definitely well worth a read.
A minor criticism of the book has nothing to do with the contents for me and that is the quite poor quality of the book itself. Both the cover and pages feel cheap and considering that the uk price is £9.99, not really good enough in my opinion. For me the cost and quality of the book always has to be weighed against the enjoyment it’s contents being - on this occasion the contents were so good I still rated this a 4.5 rounded up rather than the other way around
June 29, 2024
I remember watching this episode for the first time when I was in middle school and being scared out of my mind - I refused to touch water for about a week. As an adult though, this has become one of my favorites.
I love the look into the Doctor's inner thoughts and feelings that we never see in the episode itself. The book reveals that his reason for going to Mars is to be alone and contemplate Ood Sigma's words of his song ending soon. But the TARDIS had other plans.
I also love that we get to know more about Adelaide Brooke. We learn more about her family, and her thoughts and feelings. We also get a look into the thoughts of those infected, which we don't get in the episode at all.
I'm really glad I chose to pick up this novelization, as it definitely made me appreciate the episode even more than I already do.
I love the look into the Doctor's inner thoughts and feelings that we never see in the episode itself. The book reveals that his reason for going to Mars is to be alone and contemplate Ood Sigma's words of his song ending soon. But the TARDIS had other plans.
I also love that we get to know more about Adelaide Brooke. We learn more about her family, and her thoughts and feelings. We also get a look into the thoughts of those infected, which we don't get in the episode at all.
I'm really glad I chose to pick up this novelization, as it definitely made me appreciate the episode even more than I already do.
November 2, 2024
waters of mars may be my favourite episode of doctor who (strong accusation to make) and in some ways it added more to the story and gave it more context and depth. like they put things in here that they couldn't put in the show.
but, some things were missing from the book that i loved in the show. like the final moments of the crew being taken by the flood, no matter how many times i watch it i scream cry cuz it feels so devastating, but in here it felt a little bit rushed which was unusual.
also getting a littttle bit more ed and adilaide info which they keep very vague in the show... but still i wish there was more!!
overall, i am not surprised i am so nitpicky about this episode since it sits so highly on my list, but i still very much enjoyed it. i would be interested to see what a person who hadn't seen the episode thinks of this.
but, some things were missing from the book that i loved in the show. like the final moments of the crew being taken by the flood, no matter how many times i watch it i scream cry cuz it feels so devastating, but in here it felt a little bit rushed which was unusual.
also getting a littttle bit more ed and adilaide info which they keep very vague in the show... but still i wish there was more!!
overall, i am not surprised i am so nitpicky about this episode since it sits so highly on my list, but i still very much enjoyed it. i would be interested to see what a person who hadn't seen the episode thinks of this.
July 3, 2024
(3.5)
One of my favourite stories, and a decent novelisation. Some of the descriptions are quite repetitive (makes me think it's stuck to the script quite tightly in places) but a few added backstories etc. which were fun. The prose isn't amazing imo (when compared to some recent novelisations) but I'll never be upset about a cheeky Target.
Always a good time revisiting stories in the novelisations, and I ain't stopping here. This story itself is genuinely one of my top DW episodes. I LOVE when DW does horror in any way, and this foundation of water-based, zombie-like creatures on Mars ROCKS.
One of my favourite stories, and a decent novelisation. Some of the descriptions are quite repetitive (makes me think it's stuck to the script quite tightly in places) but a few added backstories etc. which were fun. The prose isn't amazing imo (when compared to some recent novelisations) but I'll never be upset about a cheeky Target.
Always a good time revisiting stories in the novelisations, and I ain't stopping here. This story itself is genuinely one of my top DW episodes. I LOVE when DW does horror in any way, and this foundation of water-based, zombie-like creatures on Mars ROCKS.
August 5, 2024
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/the-waters-of-mars-by-phil-ford/
There’s a lot of juicy extra stuff here that didn’t appear in the TV story, whether because there wasn’t room for it in the original script or whether the author has imagined it more deeply when coming back to the novelisation. The characters on the Mars base are all more fully realised on the page than on the screen, and we get more into the secrets that the astronauts have discovered on planet; while the fundamental plot arc is not reinforced particularly, it isn’t weakened either. So, definitely one to look out for.
There’s a lot of juicy extra stuff here that didn’t appear in the TV story, whether because there wasn’t room for it in the original script or whether the author has imagined it more deeply when coming back to the novelisation. The characters on the Mars base are all more fully realised on the page than on the screen, and we get more into the secrets that the astronauts have discovered on planet; while the fundamental plot arc is not reinforced particularly, it isn’t weakened either. So, definitely one to look out for.
May 19, 2024
A Target book that is absolutely the best version of the story. It goes much deeper into Adelaide and the Doctor's inner thoughts and feelings, and why they end up as polar opposites on whether the fate of Bowie Base One should be changed.
We also get a really neat glimpse into young Adelaide during The Stolen Earth/Journey's End, whereas in the episode we only see one Dalek fly by her bedroom window, and some nice details about the aftermath of Adelaide's suicide. Definitely one of the best in the Target range.
We also get a really neat glimpse into young Adelaide during The Stolen Earth/Journey's End, whereas in the episode we only see one Dalek fly by her bedroom window, and some nice details about the aftermath of Adelaide's suicide. Definitely one of the best in the Target range.
September 9, 2025
3.5/5 ⭐️
honestly this was not a bad book at all to read, i just wish that it went more into depth of who the other astronauts were, and not just The Doctor and Adelaide’s backstory. like in the tv episode, it went into partial depth on who the people were, but i wanted more such as a glimpse into what happened to Yuri and Mia after this event and what was happening when Suzie finally claimed her grandmother’s legacy.
it was a good retelling of ‘The Waters of Mars’ Doctor Who and not a bad read. for all doctor who fans out there, i would recommend this book to you :)
honestly this was not a bad book at all to read, i just wish that it went more into depth of who the other astronauts were, and not just The Doctor and Adelaide’s backstory. like in the tv episode, it went into partial depth on who the people were, but i wanted more such as a glimpse into what happened to Yuri and Mia after this event and what was happening when Suzie finally claimed her grandmother’s legacy.
it was a good retelling of ‘The Waters of Mars’ Doctor Who and not a bad read. for all doctor who fans out there, i would recommend this book to you :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2023
We get more background on the characters and situations, and more on what happens after. Best of all, we get young Adelaide's account of what happened when the Earth moved, explaining why she became the person fit to command Bowie base. We see a bit more of the Doctor's trauma in reaching his decision and in its aftermath. A very rewarding expansion of a good episode
January 10, 2024
This is a novelization done right, where the book expands on what was shown on screen and makes the story even better. Every character gets added backstories, and that's especially true with Adelaide Brooke herself (her childhood encounter with the Daleks was so compelling to read, a mini horror story all on its own). This is definitely a recommended read if you're a Doctor Who fan.
July 22, 2024
An episode of the show that I think is one of the best is easily adapted into one of the best Target Novelisations.
Even though I am not usually a fan of details being added to the story, certain elements of Adelaide Brooke’s backstory that were included made her character much more real (especially considering the ending with her and the Doctor)
One for the rewatch list as well I think.
Even though I am not usually a fan of details being added to the story, certain elements of Adelaide Brooke’s backstory that were included made her character much more real (especially considering the ending with her and the Doctor)
One for the rewatch list as well I think.
October 25, 2025
It is a very good novelisation of one of my favourite Doctor Who episodes. While I thought some of the added context and perspective we get on the flood was unnecessary, perhaps reducing their mystique, the added introspection given by the character perspectives, in particular Captain Adelaide Brook deepened the already engaging human tragedy this story captures so well.
July 17, 2023
A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon read, I couldn't put it down. And honestly builds so much on an already perfect story.
An extended section of the Dalek Flashback is an excellent depiction and Yuri and Mia being a couple and having a child builds on the lives of the characters a lot.
An extended section of the Dalek Flashback is an excellent depiction and Yuri and Mia being a couple and having a child builds on the lives of the characters a lot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2023
An excellent expansion of a superb TV adventure, which offers some interesting insight into the thought processes of the creature called The Flood. Having read his excellent Torchwood novel, I'm not surprised Phil Ford could deliver the goods with this adaptation.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews