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Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #34
Doctor Who: The Taking of Chelsea 426
The Chelsea Flower Show - hardly the most exciting or dangerous event in the calendar, or so Doctor thinks. But this is Chelsea 426, a city-sized future colony floating on the clouds of Saturn, and the flowers are much more than they seem. As the Doctor investigates, a familiar foe arrives, and the stakes suddenly get much higher. The Sontarans have plans of their own, and they're not here to arrange flowers...
243 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2009
19 people are currently reading
1496 people want to read
About the author
David Llewellyn
111 books33 followersDavid Llewellyn is a Welsh novelist and script writer. He grew up in Pontypool and graduated from Dartington College of Arts in 2000. His first novel, Eleven, was published by Seren Press in 2006. His second, Trace Memory, a spin-off from the BBC drama series Torchwood, was published in March 2008. Everything Is Sinister was published by Seren in May 2008. He has written two novels for the Doctor Who New Series Adventures: The Taking of Chelsea 426, featuring the Tenth Doctor, and Night of the Humans, featuring the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond.
In addition to writing novels, Llewellyn wrote the Bernice Summerfield audio play Paradise Frost and the Dark Shadows audio drama The Last Stop for Big Finish Productions.
Llewellyn lives in Cardiff.
In addition to writing novels, Llewellyn wrote the Bernice Summerfield audio play Paradise Frost and the Dark Shadows audio drama The Last Stop for Big Finish Productions.
Llewellyn lives in Cardiff.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
February 8, 2019
As The Doctor arrives on a human colony of Saturn in time for the flower show, he soon notices that the local shopkeepers are acting oddly.
What secrets do the flowers hold and why do they seem familiar to him?
I really enjoyed this Tenth Doctor story.
The colony setting is really interesting and along with the introduction of the young teenager characters who help explain what life is like on Saturn is a great way to set the scene.
The mystery lasts long enough to keep the reader guessing.
The Sontarans are used to great effect and their reason for being there is perfectly explained.
The second half of the novel is really action packed with plenty of battles.
It’s a fun faced paced adventure with plenty of nods to The Doctor’s past, with mentions of previous encounters in Seville and medieval England being my favourite Easter Egg.
What secrets do the flowers hold and why do they seem familiar to him?
I really enjoyed this Tenth Doctor story.
The colony setting is really interesting and along with the introduction of the young teenager characters who help explain what life is like on Saturn is a great way to set the scene.
The mystery lasts long enough to keep the reader guessing.
The Sontarans are used to great effect and their reason for being there is perfectly explained.
The second half of the novel is really action packed with plenty of battles.
It’s a fun faced paced adventure with plenty of nods to The Doctor’s past, with mentions of previous encounters in Seville and medieval England being my favourite Easter Egg.
May 3, 2013
Reading "Taking of 426" is like drinking a cola. You pop the top and slightly hesitate as you remember hearing not-so-great things about how drinking cola is bad for you and gets worse and worser over time the more you do and do it. Yet, for whatever reason, when you sip the would-be contraband you find the sluice of sticky sweet suds is suddenly refreshing. Your sip becomes a gulp and as you finish. And, as you finish, you offer yourself a promise: No more colas... Well, at least not until the next Chelsea 426 Flower Show. [[[Simply put, while 426 is not among the best Doctor novels, it was an entertaining flight of whimsy. 426 easily delights as a "beach read" or "brain bubble bath".]]] Llewelyn captured the Sontaran spirit of single minded attempt to pursue war while layering just enough anti-war tutelage from the Doctor to make you wonder if those crazy potato heads may one day find peace enthralling. Naaaah. The Rutans were interesting, however they lacked breadth in backstory or depth of portrayal within the plot.
October 10, 2018
Really 3 1/2 stars this was an entertaining romp. The new aliens were good and having the sontarans in any story is also very good. The capturing of the 10th doctors voice was incredibly well realized in this particular story.
June 4, 2021
Once again, the Doctor is traveling alone. And, as is his wont, his eccentricities take him across the universe to strange and interesting venues and this one may be one of the strangest. Human colony Chelsea 426 - floating above the billowing clouds of the gas-giant Saturn is hosting an "Interplanetary Flower Festival"...which...in and of itself is fairly strange as the only plant life known in the Sol system is on Earth...soooo..."Interplanetary" has a whole new meaning. But, as it is with the Doctor, what starts off as a fun jaunt is soon revealed to be so much more. And...what's that smell of ammonia in the air?
David Llewellyn gives us his second venture into the Who Universe - the first being a great Torchwood Tie-In novel - with this his first adventure of the Doctor. Set during David Tennant's reign as the 10th Doctor and following the events of the loss of Donna. Llewellyn hits many of the regular beats of the both the series and Tennant's unique portrayal of the erstwhile lead while injecting a little bit of his own writing and characterization into the story that makes this an interestingly different kind of Doctor story. One place where he really hits it out of the park is with the atmosphere that he carries throughout the book. Giant Flowers...Sontarans...enclosed cities floating above giant planets. These have the feel of the BBC's productions of the Doctor from the 60s and 70s mashed-up with a Doctor of the new millennium. The reader can easily visualize the pieces that make up the main story line and it feels like stepping into a Tom Baker Who set.
Fun and fairly quick read.
David Llewellyn gives us his second venture into the Who Universe - the first being a great Torchwood Tie-In novel - with this his first adventure of the Doctor. Set during David Tennant's reign as the 10th Doctor and following the events of the loss of Donna. Llewellyn hits many of the regular beats of the both the series and Tennant's unique portrayal of the erstwhile lead while injecting a little bit of his own writing and characterization into the story that makes this an interestingly different kind of Doctor story. One place where he really hits it out of the park is with the atmosphere that he carries throughout the book. Giant Flowers...Sontarans...enclosed cities floating above giant planets. These have the feel of the BBC's productions of the Doctor from the 60s and 70s mashed-up with a Doctor of the new millennium. The reader can easily visualize the pieces that make up the main story line and it feels like stepping into a Tom Baker Who set.
Fun and fairly quick read.
May 1, 2018
I thought that the tenth Doctor was well represented in this novel, I could certainly picture David Tennant saying and doing most of the things in the book very easily which made the story very enjoyable.
The story reminded me, in a way, of the Waters of Mars episode except these alien takeovers were more subtle and you really had to pay attention to notice they were different.
I enjoyed the Sontarans part, the one fight scene was especially fun to imagine. The ending was predictable, yet I still laughed at it.
All in all, a very good installment in the DW series and one I'd recommend.
The story reminded me, in a way, of the Waters of Mars episode except these alien takeovers were more subtle and you really had to pay attention to notice they were different.
I enjoyed the Sontarans part, the one fight scene was especially fun to imagine. The ending was predictable, yet I still laughed at it.
All in all, a very good installment in the DW series and one I'd recommend.
March 23, 2023
It’s a great doctor who story! I love the Carstairs, they fit really nicely with the doctor’s character. Speaking of which, he’s written like the 10th doctor. I think besides one interaction in the book, he’s his character, which I like to see. The story was interesting and I love the Sontarans. The ending of the book was nice, if maybe a little rushed. My first Doctor WHO book I’ve read, won’t be the last!
February 23, 2025
2025 52 Book Challenge - 12) Has A Moon On The Cover
I've enjoyed these last few books without a companion more than most of the ones with companions. I think its quite interesting to see the Doctor on his own and how he interacts with others.
I did quite enjoy this book for elaborating further on the Sontaran and Rutan War and it was quite interesting to finally meet the Rutans.
I've enjoyed these last few books without a companion more than most of the ones with companions. I think its quite interesting to see the Doctor on his own and how he interacts with others.
I did quite enjoy this book for elaborating further on the Sontaran and Rutan War and it was quite interesting to finally meet the Rutans.
May 22, 2019
A Tenth Doctor adventure and my first Doctor Who novel to boot.
It has everything, from Sontarans to Rutans to space colonies, and of course the Doctor conveniently being in the right place at the right time. It reads and feels like an actual episode.
It has everything, from Sontarans to Rutans to space colonies, and of course the Doctor conveniently being in the right place at the right time. It reads and feels like an actual episode.
October 20, 2024
I quite enjoyed it, it read like an episode which was nice.
February 13, 2012
Listening to The Taking of Chelsea 426 on audio, I couldn't help but miss the "good old days" of the Target novels or the Virgin New Adventures series. It's not I dislike the BBC books, but I keep finding they pale a bit in comparison as tie-in novels.
Of course, I also have to remind myself the Virgin novels were written during the bleak time when we didn't have new Doctor Who on our screens on a regular basis.
Chelsea 426 is your basic base under siege story from the Troughton era told as a story for the tenth Doctor. But instead of facing just one alien threat, this time the Doctor must fend off two--in this case it's the Sonatarans (I'm not ruining anything here since they're on the cover) and their old enemies, the Rutans.
Saturn's Chelsea 426 is readying for their flower show in the hopes of boosting the local economy. But the flower show could prove to be part of a bigger plot from the Rutans. Seems that once upon a time the Sontarans planned to use Earth as breeding colony. The Rutans caught wind of this and created a plant whose spores would take over their hosts and make them agents for the Rutans. When the Sontarans abandoned this plan, the Rutans left the plants in place and they began to take over human hosts instead.
Along the way, there are some interesting moments in the story but it never quite solidifies into something more. Part of it could be limitations placed on the novel range by the on-going TV series. Or, as I keep reminding myself, these novels are written for younger fans whose exposure to Doctor Who is most likely the modern series and not the classic episodes.
That doesn't take away from the strength of the narration on this book. Reader Christopher Ryan does a solid impression of the David Tennant Doctor and his reading is, for the most part, spot-on.
Of course, I also have to remind myself the Virgin novels were written during the bleak time when we didn't have new Doctor Who on our screens on a regular basis.
Chelsea 426 is your basic base under siege story from the Troughton era told as a story for the tenth Doctor. But instead of facing just one alien threat, this time the Doctor must fend off two--in this case it's the Sonatarans (I'm not ruining anything here since they're on the cover) and their old enemies, the Rutans.
Saturn's Chelsea 426 is readying for their flower show in the hopes of boosting the local economy. But the flower show could prove to be part of a bigger plot from the Rutans. Seems that once upon a time the Sontarans planned to use Earth as breeding colony. The Rutans caught wind of this and created a plant whose spores would take over their hosts and make them agents for the Rutans. When the Sontarans abandoned this plan, the Rutans left the plants in place and they began to take over human hosts instead.
Along the way, there are some interesting moments in the story but it never quite solidifies into something more. Part of it could be limitations placed on the novel range by the on-going TV series. Or, as I keep reminding myself, these novels are written for younger fans whose exposure to Doctor Who is most likely the modern series and not the classic episodes.
That doesn't take away from the strength of the narration on this book. Reader Christopher Ryan does a solid impression of the David Tennant Doctor and his reading is, for the most part, spot-on.
December 9, 2011
I enjoyed this book-- there wasn't anything wrong with it, but I can't say there was anything great about it either. I guess the Sontarans are amusing. I liked the little glimpse of the Doctor's thoughts about taking on a new companion. The idea that the colony was meant to mimic 1950s England seemed a bit lazy. If I had the chance to write a Doctor Who novel I'd make up a truly alien or futuristic human society!
May 11, 2011
I am so excited to have discovered these books! I have been mourning the loss of David Tennant as the Doctor and this is just what I needed. What a wonderful surprise! The author really captures David's take on the character and makes the story work. It's just like watching an episode only you get to take your time with it(if you can!).
January 20, 2010
The book was okay, but I'd rather watch an episode of Doctor Who than read about one -- in this case.
August 3, 2012
My least favourite so far. Nothing particularly against it but still...
July 6, 2023
Great book. Loved it. Can’t explain why.
But I’m gonna try.
Maybe it was because of the Sontarans. I just like them. Not as those „haha funny potato villains“ but as an interesting alien species with their own power structures and way of thinking and stuff.
Maybe it was because I liked the characters. The teenagers were not too annoying, they were right between cute and bitchy. The parents, the major, the mayor… Yes, we have a major AND a mayor and for half of the book stupid german me was like „Damn it, can’t you decide how to type that title?“… yeah.
Maybe it was because I liked the setting with the retro-looking settlement, the big flower show in the gardens, all the shiny starships arriving, the old-fashioned hotel… it felt a bit like a place where you could spend a nice holiday at.
Maybe because the death count was very low (a few poor human soldiers) and the brutality was quite moderate. Definitely something appropriate for a tv episode.
Maybe because of the kinda clever theme of „people settle somewhere, then more new people come, but the „old new“ people don’t want more new people, so they stop being welcoming and spread evil rumors about the new people, and a very angry, very loud dude tells the „old new“ people to vote for him so he can get rid of all those dirty criminal new people… Jfc, they should’ve called the settlement „Acirema“ to make it even more obvious… But okay, this whole social pattern is pretty universal so… humans never change and history repeats itself is the message. Sad but true.
Maybe because the tenth Doctor was very well written. He was cheerful, he was wary, he was asking the right questions, he was trying to rescue everyone, AND he was NOT the god-like genius he is in most other stories (especially in the Moffat era… cough…). Let me explain: He does not figure out who the villain is, he is actually told who it is and he’s like „Aaaah, I should’ve known!“ which was cute. Let me explain a bit more: There are situations where he does not know how to hack into a certain computer system and needs help AND a situation where he doesn’t know the names of starships and gets help again. THAT is how I like my Doctor! Because if he were an all-knowing, perfect god there would be no point in him travelling at all. He travels to see new things, to learn new things, and here he does.
And last but not least, maybe it was because the very last sentence of the book made me gasp!
You can decide for yourself if you go and read the book! I’d recommend it!
But I’m gonna try.
Maybe it was because of the Sontarans. I just like them. Not as those „haha funny potato villains“ but as an interesting alien species with their own power structures and way of thinking and stuff.
Maybe it was because I liked the characters. The teenagers were not too annoying, they were right between cute and bitchy. The parents, the major, the mayor… Yes, we have a major AND a mayor and for half of the book stupid german me was like „Damn it, can’t you decide how to type that title?“… yeah.
Maybe it was because I liked the setting with the retro-looking settlement, the big flower show in the gardens, all the shiny starships arriving, the old-fashioned hotel… it felt a bit like a place where you could spend a nice holiday at.
Maybe because the death count was very low (a few poor human soldiers) and the brutality was quite moderate. Definitely something appropriate for a tv episode.
Maybe because of the kinda clever theme of „people settle somewhere, then more new people come, but the „old new“ people don’t want more new people, so they stop being welcoming and spread evil rumors about the new people, and a very angry, very loud dude tells the „old new“ people to vote for him so he can get rid of all those dirty criminal new people… Jfc, they should’ve called the settlement „Acirema“ to make it even more obvious… But okay, this whole social pattern is pretty universal so… humans never change and history repeats itself is the message. Sad but true.
Maybe because the tenth Doctor was very well written. He was cheerful, he was wary, he was asking the right questions, he was trying to rescue everyone, AND he was NOT the god-like genius he is in most other stories (especially in the Moffat era… cough…). Let me explain: He does not figure out who the villain is, he is actually told who it is and he’s like „Aaaah, I should’ve known!“ which was cute. Let me explain a bit more: There are situations where he does not know how to hack into a certain computer system and needs help AND a situation where he doesn’t know the names of starships and gets help again. THAT is how I like my Doctor! Because if he were an all-knowing, perfect god there would be no point in him travelling at all. He travels to see new things, to learn new things, and here he does.
And last but not least, maybe it was because the very last sentence of the book made me gasp!
You can decide for yourself if you go and read the book! I’d recommend it!
October 28, 2024
First read this many years ago and remembered liking it (along with Llewellyn's other Doctor Who novel Night of the Humans). Rereading it again it's still good, and now I can better appreciate some of the more subtle, or not so subtle, themes about immigration. It's notable how quick the residents of the colony are to latch the idea that it is the "Newcomers," capitalised, who are to blame for everything that is happening because it conveniently fits their simplistic, xenophobic world view, and even briefly entertain the notion that the Sontarans are the good guys for rounding them all up. I would have actually liked to see the book riff on the absurdity of that notion some more, draw those themes out a bit longer. There's the seed (see what I did there) of some great material here, but by the end I felt it was left underdeveloped.
The Sontarans are undoubtedly the highlight of the book for me. Llewellyn leans into the comedic value of a race of aliens entirely obsessed with the glory of war, without it ever feeling contrived as would often be the case with Strax, and to a degree with Chibnall's Sontarans later on in the TV show.
The Sontarans are undoubtedly the highlight of the book for me. Llewellyn leans into the comedic value of a race of aliens entirely obsessed with the glory of war, without it ever feeling contrived as would often be the case with Strax, and to a degree with Chibnall's Sontarans later on in the TV show.
July 28, 2023
I really enjoyed this - 4*
This series is very hit and miss and with the Sontarans on the front cover, I was convinced it was going to be on the 'miss' side of the series. I was surprised to how good this story actually was. I love the 10th Doctor which helps and Llewellyn captured his essence perfectly. The fact he was riding solo actually helped the story because there wasn't a companion lumping around and we were introduced to original characters, who had a starring role. The Sontarans aren't the most thrilling aliens and that's why I only gave this 4*.
This series is very hit and miss and with the Sontarans on the front cover, I was convinced it was going to be on the 'miss' side of the series. I was surprised to how good this story actually was. I love the 10th Doctor which helps and Llewellyn captured his essence perfectly. The fact he was riding solo actually helped the story because there wasn't a companion lumping around and we were introduced to original characters, who had a starring role. The Sontarans aren't the most thrilling aliens and that's why I only gave this 4*.
December 19, 2020
That book was agreeable.
Ehehe I couldn’t help but make that joke. It was a fun adventure with similarly unlikable and likeable side characters. I liked the use of the Rutan Host and the Sontarans. I also liked the references to the doctor’s previous defeats of the Sontarans and that he was known to their leaders.
No shocking or unforeseen moments that really made this book spectacular, but it was reasonably fast paced and enjoyable throughout. Really more 3.5 than 3 stars.
Ehehe I couldn’t help but make that joke. It was a fun adventure with similarly unlikable and likeable side characters. I liked the use of the Rutan Host and the Sontarans. I also liked the references to the doctor’s previous defeats of the Sontarans and that he was known to their leaders.
No shocking or unforeseen moments that really made this book spectacular, but it was reasonably fast paced and enjoyable throughout. Really more 3.5 than 3 stars.
July 12, 2024
This book has a lot of great content for the Sontarans, who generally really thrive in expanded media. Their leader is well characterised and their plotline has a great finale. Unfortunately there are parts where the Sontarans don’t appear.
The rest of the book is part commentary on anti-immigration sentiments (as the residents of colony bemoan “newcomers” at any and all opportunity) mixed with a somewhat confusing Rutan plot. Not sure what they were ultimately trying to achieve, nor why they are seemingly incapable of saying “yes”. The Doctor teams up with a bunch of kids/teenagers (not sure how old they’re actually supposed to be, as they’re written very young but seemingly have jobs working for their parents too), who happily don’t irritate as much as some kid characters in Who can.
All in all if you want some good exploration of the Sontarans, it’s worth a go.
The rest of the book is part commentary on anti-immigration sentiments (as the residents of colony bemoan “newcomers” at any and all opportunity) mixed with a somewhat confusing Rutan plot. Not sure what they were ultimately trying to achieve, nor why they are seemingly incapable of saying “yes”. The Doctor teams up with a bunch of kids/teenagers (not sure how old they’re actually supposed to be, as they’re written very young but seemingly have jobs working for their parents too), who happily don’t irritate as much as some kid characters in Who can.
All in all if you want some good exploration of the Sontarans, it’s worth a go.
March 31, 2025
A good representation of the Tenth Doctor and an interesting expansion on the Sontarans as a species, featuring an Intelligence division with a Commander who is more focused on the tactics of stopping the Rutans rather than just going in all guns ablazing.
The setting of a space flower show isn't the most exciting, but it's nice to have the Sontarans and Rutans engage again for the first time since "Shakedown" a decade before this book was released.
The setting of a space flower show isn't the most exciting, but it's nice to have the Sontarans and Rutans engage again for the first time since "Shakedown" a decade before this book was released.
December 1, 2020
1人旅中のドクター。チェルシー436という人工植民惑星に降り立ったドクター。20世紀の
ような街並みの中で人々も20世紀のような文化で規則に従って生きており、有り体に言えばドクターにとっては見所も特にない退屈な場所だった。しかし、ルターンという寄生宇宙人おいかけてきたソンターランが強引な捜査を始めため、ドクターはソンターランを追い払うため、ホテルでであった双子の姉弟と老ぼれ"少佐"と共に奔走する。
1人旅が好きだと強がるドクターが相変わらず切ない感じ。ターディスに話しかけまくるも返事をしてくれるわけではないことにしょんぼり。戦争大好きなソンターランに人間も自分たちと変わらず戦争好きだと指摘され、住民達からも疎ましがられ、ドクターの人間嫌いの部分がちょこちょこと顔を覗かせるも、双子と"少佐"から寄せられる信頼に応えるため全力をつくすドクターは相変わらずかっこかわいい。
ような街並みの中で人々も20世紀のような文化で規則に従って生きており、有り体に言えばドクターにとっては見所も特にない退屈な場所だった。しかし、ルターンという寄生宇宙人おいかけてきたソンターランが強引な捜査を始めため、ドクターはソンターランを追い払うため、ホテルでであった双子の姉弟と老ぼれ"少佐"と共に奔走する。
1人旅が好きだと強がるドクターが相変わらず切ない感じ。ターディスに話しかけまくるも返事をしてくれるわけではないことにしょんぼり。戦争大好きなソンターランに人間も自分たちと変わらず戦争好きだと指摘され、住民達からも疎ましがられ、ドクターの人間嫌いの部分がちょこちょこと顔を覗かせるも、双子と"少佐"から寄せられる信頼に応えるため全力をつくすドクターは相変わらずかっこかわいい。
May 5, 2017
The nerd in me was screaming in excitement the entire time when reading this book.
What can I say, I love the Doctor. And to be honest, I love this book. I could imagine the characters well and it's like one of Doctor Who's episode was playing in my head. Such a good story.
What can I say, I love the Doctor. And to be honest, I love this book. I could imagine the characters well and it's like one of Doctor Who's episode was playing in my head. Such a good story.
July 17, 2021
Interesting to finally see a chapter in the Sontaran/Rutan war, even if it seems a bit bizarre at the start.
A nice little story for the 10th Doctor, just another story where he attempting to actually be a tourist but still gets drawn into adventure but it’s nothing too outlandish this time.
A nice little story for the 10th Doctor, just another story where he attempting to actually be a tourist but still gets drawn into adventure but it’s nothing too outlandish this time.
January 3, 2026
Not a bad book by any means, but not the best doctor Who book I’ve read either. The Sontarans were written perfectly and I love the power struggle between them, the main characters were a little forgettable though and I wasn’t so keen on the setting of the story
June 6, 2017
I love D. W books
August 15, 2018
It was alright. I think I only like it because I like the Doctor. The storyline wasn't that great. I'd say it's a one-time read. Or in my case, a one-time listen.
March 17, 2019
This and other David Llewellyn books reviewed here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com...
September 14, 2020
Enjoyed the setting and the characters, but the story felt a bit chaotic towards the end. Still good fun though!
April 7, 2021
Well told story, captured the mannerisms of this doctor very well. Looking forward to others!
June 21, 2021
A fun addition to my Doctor Who books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews