What do you think?
Rate this book
Past Doctor Adventures #25
Doctor Who: City at World's End
The Doctor and his companions land in the city of Arkhaven, the last bastion of civilisation in a doomed world.
The inhabitants of the city are pinning all their hopes on a final desperate gamble for survival. Behind the scenes there are jealous factions at work, secretly contesting for the chance to shape the destiny of a new world. Beneath its ordered surface, Arkhaven is a city of secrets and mysteries where outward appearances can be deceptive.
Is the thing they call the 'Creeper' really at large in Arkhaven's eerie outer zone - and is it beast or machine? What is the hidden force at work that has acted so strangely upon Susan?
With Barbara lost and the countdown to doomsday drawing to a climax, the Doctor must discover the true nature of the final enemy - or is that enemy simply fear itself?
Featuring the First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan, this adventure takes place between the TV stories THE REIGN OF TERROR and PLANET OF GIANTS.
The inhabitants of the city are pinning all their hopes on a final desperate gamble for survival. Behind the scenes there are jealous factions at work, secretly contesting for the chance to shape the destiny of a new world. Beneath its ordered surface, Arkhaven is a city of secrets and mysteries where outward appearances can be deceptive.
Is the thing they call the 'Creeper' really at large in Arkhaven's eerie outer zone - and is it beast or machine? What is the hidden force at work that has acted so strangely upon Susan?
With Barbara lost and the countdown to doomsday drawing to a climax, the Doctor must discover the true nature of the final enemy - or is that enemy simply fear itself?
Featuring the First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan, this adventure takes place between the TV stories THE REIGN OF TERROR and PLANET OF GIANTS.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 6, 1999
5 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Bulis
19 books21 followersChristopher Bulis is a writer best known for his work on various Doctor Who spin-offs. He is one of the most prolific authors to write for the various ranges of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who, with twelve novels to his name, and between 1993 and 2000 he had at least one Doctor Who novel published every year.
Bulis' first published work was the New Adventure Shadowmind, published in 1993 by Virgin Publishing. This was the only novel Bulis wrote featuring the Seventh Doctor, and his next five books were all published under Virgin's Missing Adventures range: State of Change (1994), The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1995), The Eye of the Giant (1996), Twilight of the Gods (1996), and A Device of Death (1997).
When Virgin lost their licence to publish novels based on Doctor Who, Bulis repeated this pattern writing novels for the BBC - with one novel written for the current incumbent Doctor as part of BBC Books' Eighth Doctor Adventures range, and then all of his other novels published as part of the Past Doctor Adventures range. Bulis' novels for the BBC were The Ultimate Treasure (1997), Vanderdeken's Children (1998), City at World's End (1999), Imperial Moon (2000) and Palace of the Red Sun (2002).
Bulis also wrote the novel Tempest as part of Virgin's Bernice Summerfield range of novels, and also a short story for Big Finish Productions' Short Trips series.
Bulis' first published work was the New Adventure Shadowmind, published in 1993 by Virgin Publishing. This was the only novel Bulis wrote featuring the Seventh Doctor, and his next five books were all published under Virgin's Missing Adventures range: State of Change (1994), The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1995), The Eye of the Giant (1996), Twilight of the Gods (1996), and A Device of Death (1997).
When Virgin lost their licence to publish novels based on Doctor Who, Bulis repeated this pattern writing novels for the BBC - with one novel written for the current incumbent Doctor as part of BBC Books' Eighth Doctor Adventures range, and then all of his other novels published as part of the Past Doctor Adventures range. Bulis' novels for the BBC were The Ultimate Treasure (1997), Vanderdeken's Children (1998), City at World's End (1999), Imperial Moon (2000) and Palace of the Red Sun (2002).
Bulis also wrote the novel Tempest as part of Virgin's Bernice Summerfield range of novels, and also a short story for Big Finish Productions' Short Trips series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 18, 2015
I've read the two Christopher Bulis First Doctor novels, and there's a lot to like here. City at World's End is a great sci-fi concept that's well-executed. The characterization of the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan is spot-on. But the thing Bulis doesn't do well seriously drags down this book: he doesn't know what to do with Barbara. My criticism here is identical to my main problem with The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Barbara spends the entire story a ping-pong ball, getting swatted from one horrendous experience to another. Granted, Barbara's characterization is done well, and the reader senses her innate dignity. But still... give the woman a break! Susan doesn't fare too much better, but at least she's spunky. The Bottom Line: Enjoyable for an intriguing plot and solid characterization. Those looking forward to great Babs scenes should steer clear.
August 28, 2020
So after reading "The Witch Hunters", which is another first doctor book, i did not have very high expectations for this one. Thank god i was proven wrong. This one was far and above WAY better than witch hunters. For one thing, this book was actually fun.
Ian and the Doctor get separated from Susan and Barbara on a planet where the moon is going to fall on it in a very short time and a rocket is being constructed by the people to get off the planet. and what's worse, the doctor lost his key to the Tardis.
The great thing about this book was that every character actually did something. Ian and the doctor had their own adventure as did Susan and Barbara. Susan was far less annoying than she was in Witch Hunters and actually contributed to the story.
The characters also talked and acted like the characters. While i was reading this, I was imagining Hartnell grabbing onto his jacket and talking in his uppity voice among the other actors saying their lines in turn. It was basically written like an episode of the show which i appreciated, while Witch Hunters was written more like a novel.
I can totally see why this book could NEVER have been an episode in the 60's show though as the production value would have been WAYYYY too high and they did things that could have never made it to TV at that time.
The only thing that was in detriment to the book was the little vignettes of side characters. There were a few scenes or chapters here and there where they would go off on side characters that don't really matter to the plot. A few times i would mix up who was who as there were a bunch of these side characters without any real personality that i just didn't care about. To be fair, they do this in the show all the time too. However, saying that, Bulis really nailed the way that Ian, the doctor, Barbara, and Susan acted. I definitely want to read more of his Who books and look forward to his next one.
Rating 4.5/5 rounded down to a 4.
Ian and the Doctor get separated from Susan and Barbara on a planet where the moon is going to fall on it in a very short time and a rocket is being constructed by the people to get off the planet. and what's worse, the doctor lost his key to the Tardis.
The great thing about this book was that every character actually did something. Ian and the doctor had their own adventure as did Susan and Barbara. Susan was far less annoying than she was in Witch Hunters and actually contributed to the story.
The characters also talked and acted like the characters. While i was reading this, I was imagining Hartnell grabbing onto his jacket and talking in his uppity voice among the other actors saying their lines in turn. It was basically written like an episode of the show which i appreciated, while Witch Hunters was written more like a novel.
I can totally see why this book could NEVER have been an episode in the 60's show though as the production value would have been WAYYYY too high and they did things that could have never made it to TV at that time.
The only thing that was in detriment to the book was the little vignettes of side characters. There were a few scenes or chapters here and there where they would go off on side characters that don't really matter to the plot. A few times i would mix up who was who as there were a bunch of these side characters without any real personality that i just didn't care about. To be fair, they do this in the show all the time too. However, saying that, Bulis really nailed the way that Ian, the doctor, Barbara, and Susan acted. I definitely want to read more of his Who books and look forward to his next one.
Rating 4.5/5 rounded down to a 4.
March 22, 2018
An enjoyable First Doctor adventure that reminded me of Utopia but with more 'Twists'.
September 26, 2020
There are many irritants in this novel, including (1) a Doctor/companion relationship far more prickly than should be in the stated gap between episodes, (2) far too many characters to keep track of, some of whom are disposed of rather quickly, and (3) Barbara is far too much of a peril monkey throughout the story. That said, the story itself is (1) rather epic in its sci fi setting, taking a number of apocalyptic tropes and using them in satisfying ways, (2) creates a very bleak atmosphere that is genuniely disturbing in a Whoniverse novel, and (3) provides an imaginative use of Susan, which sometimes makes up for the treatment of Barbara. Not 100% successful, but there are many diamonds mixed in with the gravel.
March 31, 2025
A world faces imminent destruction when its moon loses orbit in this busy, but page-turning First Doctor story.
Christopher Bulis has clearly thought about how this planet works, investing it with things like a class system and surprisingly advanced robots. There’s less thought given to the morality of what’s happening here — who should survive and who shouldn’t — which gets messier as it goes along, and some plot strands feel extraneous, especially all the stuff about Barbara. It’s a bit woolly, but the general drama of how anyone’s going to survive this is mostly enough to sustain it.
Christopher Bulis has clearly thought about how this planet works, investing it with things like a class system and surprisingly advanced robots. There’s less thought given to the morality of what’s happening here — who should survive and who shouldn’t — which gets messier as it goes along, and some plot strands feel extraneous, especially all the stuff about Barbara. It’s a bit woolly, but the general drama of how anyone’s going to survive this is mostly enough to sustain it.
September 24, 2015
The colonized world is a very lonely one, focusing on a single advanced city-state as it struggles against planetwide destruction. A caste system of technocrats, nobles and religious fanatics and a backdrop of a desolate post-apocalyptic landscape round out this classic sci-fi backdrop. The TARDIS is promptly lost at the beginning of the adventures, leaving our heroes to fend for themselves against the local citizens and hostile environment alike.
Each character forges their own path in this foreboding city. Barbara gets the short end of the stick, largely sidelined into a labyrinth of collapsed sewers. I like Barbara very much, but she needs other persons nearby to talk with, and voice her thoughts. In isolation, she is reduced to yet another damsel in distress putting on a brave face. Ian gets to play cop, escorting and even heading a team of city guards as they investigate crimes, fight rebels, and generally save the day. Susan is injured very early, and spends most of the story comatose or running out of breath. And the Doctor seems to stay uncharacteristically calm in the face of the planet crumbling away around his lost indestructible Ship. The characterizations are passable, but not very intriguing; all four of our heroes muck around with mostly unimpressive plot twists, and rarely have the time to meaningfully interact with one other or with other characters.
And there is no attempt to streamline this premise at the latter half of the book. Quite the reverse, we are peppered with every sci-fi trope which had preivously been left out: ominous AIs and brainwashed robots and humanoids bred for war, oh my! The story seemed to spiral out of control instead of reaching a premeditated climax.
In whole, City at World's End is a story focused on action, not character development. The writing is respectively terse and the scenes fast-paced. But even so, the impending doom fails to engage the reader, as all characters follow their own plots, many of them very small-scale in comparison with worldwide annihilation. The base of the story is fine, and with tighter writing and fewer meandering subplots it could have been a real pageturner.
Each character forges their own path in this foreboding city. Barbara gets the short end of the stick, largely sidelined into a labyrinth of collapsed sewers. I like Barbara very much, but she needs other persons nearby to talk with, and voice her thoughts. In isolation, she is reduced to yet another damsel in distress putting on a brave face. Ian gets to play cop, escorting and even heading a team of city guards as they investigate crimes, fight rebels, and generally save the day. Susan is injured very early, and spends most of the story comatose or running out of breath. And the Doctor seems to stay uncharacteristically calm in the face of the planet crumbling away around his lost indestructible Ship. The characterizations are passable, but not very intriguing; all four of our heroes muck around with mostly unimpressive plot twists, and rarely have the time to meaningfully interact with one other or with other characters.
And there is no attempt to streamline this premise at the latter half of the book. Quite the reverse, we are peppered with every sci-fi trope which had preivously been left out: ominous AIs and brainwashed robots and humanoids bred for war, oh my! The story seemed to spiral out of control instead of reaching a premeditated climax.
In whole, City at World's End is a story focused on action, not character development. The writing is respectively terse and the scenes fast-paced. But even so, the impending doom fails to engage the reader, as all characters follow their own plots, many of them very small-scale in comparison with worldwide annihilation. The base of the story is fine, and with tighter writing and fewer meandering subplots it could have been a real pageturner.
March 29, 2013
I love the First Doctor. I love the first TARDIS crew of the Doctor, Ian, Barbara & Susan. I love these characters so much that I figured their inclusion as main characters could make even the most lackluster of stories enjoyable.
Sadly, this is the novel that proved me wrong.
To be fair, many other readers seemed to have enjoyed this outing, and I am coming at it with my own bias: My least favorite use of Who is placing it in a firmly sci-fi setting, with alien worlds and alien peoples. I vastly prefer the historicals (or, failing that, contemporary settings with fantastical elements). So a setting like this one, with a bog-standard sci-fi future world, does nothing for me simply on principle alone. Worse, it just seemed like a copy of a copy: Due to an impending apocalyptic event, this society has built an ark/shuttle to take them from their world before disaster strikes. Fine - except for the fact that Classic Who already had two stories on that very idea: "The Ark", and "The Ark in Space". And "The Ark" was a First Doctor story, to boot!
(Even the title of this book is shamefully stolen from a 1950s SF novel.)
On top of that, the story has far too many twists and revelations that stretch credibility past the breaking point and beyond - like the fact that no one in the inner city has ever noticed that the outer sections are completely vacant and abandoned, because no one goes there. What, never? Seriously? (Oddly enough, the largest coincidence is not even brought up: The fact that the city's name of Arkhaven predates the oncoming disaster, and therefore predates their need for a Haven in which to build their Ark.)
I wouldn't say that it's a terrible book, per se. There are certainly worse.
But it bored me from nearly the start.
Sadly, this is the novel that proved me wrong.
To be fair, many other readers seemed to have enjoyed this outing, and I am coming at it with my own bias: My least favorite use of Who is placing it in a firmly sci-fi setting, with alien worlds and alien peoples. I vastly prefer the historicals (or, failing that, contemporary settings with fantastical elements). So a setting like this one, with a bog-standard sci-fi future world, does nothing for me simply on principle alone. Worse, it just seemed like a copy of a copy: Due to an impending apocalyptic event, this society has built an ark/shuttle to take them from their world before disaster strikes. Fine - except for the fact that Classic Who already had two stories on that very idea: "The Ark", and "The Ark in Space". And "The Ark" was a First Doctor story, to boot!
(Even the title of this book is shamefully stolen from a 1950s SF novel.)
On top of that, the story has far too many twists and revelations that stretch credibility past the breaking point and beyond - like the fact that no one in the inner city has ever noticed that the outer sections are completely vacant and abandoned, because no one goes there. What, never? Seriously? (Oddly enough, the largest coincidence is not even brought up: The fact that the city's name of Arkhaven predates the oncoming disaster, and therefore predates their need for a Haven in which to build their Ark.)
I wouldn't say that it's a terrible book, per se. There are certainly worse.
But it bored me from nearly the start.
March 24, 2023
This is the first Past Doctor Adventure I’ve ever read and I was seriously impressed. Expecting a gimmicky cash-in on all things ‘Doctor Who’, I instead found an original and engaging science-fiction novel in its own right. The usual DW cast are helpful catalysts to action that is independently tense and intriguing. There are many mysteries throughout the book, some of which are a little predictable while some take you completely by surprise - in my opinion, the best combination to make you feel both clever and invested. The downside of having an imaginative and exciting plot independently of the Doctor and co, is that their inevitable hand in the book’s eventual resolution is a little anti-climactic TARDIS-ex-machina, though admittedly not in the way one expects. Nonetheless, this will push me to try more entires in this presumably underrated range.
January 17, 2016
I applaud Christopher Bulis for giving us another great science fiction story here. This is truly the story of a dystopian future hiding under the guise of a utopia. The people of the city of Arkhaven have built a huge deceit to save themselves from the end of their world. Of course, the Doctor and his companions land right in the middle of it and end up exposing it piece by piece.
Bulis gives readers a thrilling story of a world on the edge with so many twists, turns and reveals that you can't possibly be bored with this book. While some moves are easily foreseen, other are hidden deftly in the narrative. I would recommend this novel to ANY science fiction fan, not just fans of Doctor Who.
Bulis gives readers a thrilling story of a world on the edge with so many twists, turns and reveals that you can't possibly be bored with this book. While some moves are easily foreseen, other are hidden deftly in the narrative. I would recommend this novel to ANY science fiction fan, not just fans of Doctor Who.
Read
October 21, 2007http://nhw.livejournal.com/900116.html[return][return]I thought Bulis had done very well in portraying the setting, a rain-drenched planet which is doomed to destruction in the near future, and the populace hoping to escape rather as in Utopia. But the various human (and AI) factions were rather confusingly portrayed as to their means and motivation. There's a nice nod to Planet of Giants at the end (the novel is set before that and immediately after The Reign of Terror).
September 26, 2014
The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan land in an abandoned futuristic city. The world is due to end and the population only have one hope, a rocket. This is a fast moving plot with great characterisation. I could imagine it as a Big Finish audio. Barbara and Susan are put through the ringer again. It has a real feeling of the era. I really liked it. A very good read.
March 8, 2010
Excellent. Bulis can divide opinion, and his different books divide mine, but this one is excellent.
June 29, 2019
An excellent 1st Doctor story that is very bleak in tone, with a lot of death, plot twists and very good characterization of the leads. Highly recommended: 8/10
November 27, 2022
Many have often called this book “the first Doctor’s Inferno” in reference to the season 7 television story of the same name. While that is a fair comparison, I don’t think it fully captures this book.
In regards to tone and subject matter it is very similar. There is an ominous and grim atmosphere throughout the book and a rising tension that consistently flows through the book.
The ending however holds a lot more twists and turns than you’d expect and while they all add up and make sense, I personally think they could have benefited from a bit more foreshadowing.
The characters, as is usually the case with Bulis, are very solid. The series regulars are well used and accurate while the unique characters to this book are memorable.
Overall a very solid book and worth a read for anyone in the mood for a thrilling Sci Fi adventure.
In regards to tone and subject matter it is very similar. There is an ominous and grim atmosphere throughout the book and a rising tension that consistently flows through the book.
The ending however holds a lot more twists and turns than you’d expect and while they all add up and make sense, I personally think they could have benefited from a bit more foreshadowing.
The characters, as is usually the case with Bulis, are very solid. The series regulars are well used and accurate while the unique characters to this book are memorable.
Overall a very solid book and worth a read for anyone in the mood for a thrilling Sci Fi adventure.
July 10, 2023
Help me read more books
One of the many great Dr. Who stories. I've liked every one I've read, and this one was no exception. It's absolutely astonishing how many times the Dr. gets into circumstances that make it seem like there's no escape, only to find a solution at the end. It's truly amazing to read these stories, because you just know the Dr. will survive, but it's often times difficult to tell just how he'll pull it off, and that's the draw of these books for the most part for me. Fun reading.
One of the many great Dr. Who stories. I've liked every one I've read, and this one was no exception. It's absolutely astonishing how many times the Dr. gets into circumstances that make it seem like there's no escape, only to find a solution at the end. It's truly amazing to read these stories, because you just know the Dr. will survive, but it's often times difficult to tell just how he'll pull it off, and that's the draw of these books for the most part for me. Fun reading.
February 20, 2021
Another fantastic adventure by Bulis, he definitely does a wonderful job with this line up. Again the characters were on point, although I tend to think this plot was a little deeper than many of the First Doctor's televised adventures.
I was engaged throughout the story and although I was anticipating the surprise I wasn't able to guess it. I liked the ending for the most part but was a little surprised by the Doctor's 'gift'.
I was engaged throughout the story and although I was anticipating the surprise I wasn't able to guess it. I liked the ending for the most part but was a little surprised by the Doctor's 'gift'.
March 25, 2024
A brilliant first doctor story and one that is continuously gripping! A truly fantastic PDA for the first doctor which I immensely enjoyed. This story really reminded me of the third doctor story Inferno, which is my all time favourite and the tenth doctor story, Utopia which is another I enjoy.
This is my first time experiencing a Chris Bulis book so I wasn’t really sure what to expect and I found myself really enjoying the story from start to finish. Bulis does a great job of characterising the main regulars and as a big fan of the original tardis team, this made me very happy.
The novel also has a great array of supporting characters who provide great interest to the story. One particular character near the end has quite a dark motive which I wasn’t expecting from that individual, especially when that character seemed pretty harmless from the start.
Highly recommend City at Worlds End to any one who is a fan of the first doctor and especially a fan stories that are set on another world. A fantastic read.
This is my first time experiencing a Chris Bulis book so I wasn’t really sure what to expect and I found myself really enjoying the story from start to finish. Bulis does a great job of characterising the main regulars and as a big fan of the original tardis team, this made me very happy.
The novel also has a great array of supporting characters who provide great interest to the story. One particular character near the end has quite a dark motive which I wasn’t expecting from that individual, especially when that character seemed pretty harmless from the start.
Highly recommend City at Worlds End to any one who is a fan of the first doctor and especially a fan stories that are set on another world. A fantastic read.
June 30, 2022
Bulis has a well-worn methodology of taking some subgenre of science fiction and making Doctor Who out of it. Sometimes it works, but more often it does not. In this one it works reasonably well. In fact, this is one of his best. The subgenre is the end of the world by natural disaster story. However, since, for various reasons, in the Who universe the Earth did not end by natural disaster, Bulis has set the book on a colony world. Typical of Bulis, he has split the story into different plot streams converging upon a single location. What works in this novel is that Bulis does not overplay the genre aspects as he is wont to do. Instead, he focuses on the story itself given the initial premises. The disaster is impending, the escape is improbable, and something seriously wrong with the whole plan means that many many people will die. Bulis has created a kind of David Whitaker or Malcolm Hulke plot in which there are no "bad guys" as such, just people deluded, and therefore following a disastrous course of action that they think is right. There are some confusing bits involving Susan's plot that never get satisfactorily worked out (just which parts was she dreaming and why was she dreaming them?). Recommended with reservations.
January 12, 2009
Good characterization can't save the fact that while this book has a good sci-fi concept it doesn't quite work as a Doctor Who story, so the Tardis crew feels shoe horned in.
The story feels more like an Asimov book or an episode of the 'Outer Limits' TV show.
Bit clunky and you walk away with the vague feeling the story might have ended the same way if the Tardis had never landed there.
Bulis writes the characters well and comes up with interesting ideas but can rarely make them mesh.
The story feels more like an Asimov book or an episode of the 'Outer Limits' TV show.
Bit clunky and you walk away with the vague feeling the story might have ended the same way if the Tardis had never landed there.
Bulis writes the characters well and comes up with interesting ideas but can rarely make them mesh.
January 20, 2025
This is an over-complicated version of 'Galaxy 5' really, with two factions trying to get off a doomed planet that's about to explode. Despite an abundance of hard-core sci-fi tropes including androids and mad computers, it's a pretty boring read in all honesty. None of the main 4 characters do anything of significance and the plot ( what little there is) just rambles along. Worth adding to a collection for anyone who's not got it, but there are better 1st Doc novels out there.
November 1, 2016
As with a lot of Doctor Who stories (but especially the modern ones), there might be one too many adversaries/complications to what wanted to be a truly classic science fiction story, but the characterizations were good (and yes, Ian redeemed himself a little) and a mystery beyond the central mystery kept my interest when the main plot dragged. A worthy effort.
May 5, 2021
Pretty great read
September 19, 2016
Really good, complex, multi - layered story with themes around class or caste, science v faith and the perceptions around the morality of decisions those in power take on our behalf.
May 14, 2024
Enjoyed this quite a bit. Starts off well and keeps up with a pretty good pace. Interesting ideas and a strong premise. Good sense of urgency, particularly for the companion subplots.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews