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Eighth Doctor Adventures #3
Doctor Who: The Bodysnatchers
It is London, 1894. Amid the fog, cold and degradation, a gruesome business is being conducted. The bodies of the dead are being stolen from their graves - men, women and children alike - for the sinister purpose of a very mysterious gentleman.
When the Eighth Doctor and Sam arrive, they are witness to a horrifying scene in the evil-smelling fog: something rises up from the filthy waters of the Thames and devours a man - a man terrified for his life and on the run from the devil himself...
Teaming up with an old friend, pathologist Professor George Litefoot, the Doctor is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. Together with Sam, they discover there is a far graver threat facing London then just earthly grave robbers. Deadly alien beings the Doctor has encountered before are at work, and they bring a whole new twist to the word bodysnatchers...
When the Eighth Doctor and Sam arrive, they are witness to a horrifying scene in the evil-smelling fog: something rises up from the filthy waters of the Thames and devours a man - a man terrified for his life and on the run from the devil himself...
Teaming up with an old friend, pathologist Professor George Litefoot, the Doctor is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. Together with Sam, they discover there is a far graver threat facing London then just earthly grave robbers. Deadly alien beings the Doctor has encountered before are at work, and they bring a whole new twist to the word bodysnatchers...
280 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 18, 1998
11 people are currently reading
373 people want to read
About the author
Mark Morris
133 books239 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Mark Morris became a full-time writer in 1988 on the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, and a year later saw the release of his first novel, Toady. He has since published a further sixteen novels, among which are Stitch, The Immaculate, The Secret of Anatomy, Fiddleback, The Deluge and four books in the popular Doctor Who range.
His short stories, novellas, articles and reviews have appeared in a wide variety of anthologies and magazines, and he is editor of the highly-acclaimed Cinema Macabre, a book of fifty horror movie essays by genre luminaries, for which he won the 2007 British Fantasy Award.
His most recently published or forthcoming work includes a novella entitled It Sustains for Earthling Publications, a Torchwood novel entitled Bay of the Dead, several Doctor Who audios for Big Finish Productions, a follow-up volume to Cinema Macabre entitled Cinema Futura and a new short story collection, Long Shadows, Nightmare Light.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Mark Morris became a full-time writer in 1988 on the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, and a year later saw the release of his first novel, Toady. He has since published a further sixteen novels, among which are Stitch, The Immaculate, The Secret of Anatomy, Fiddleback, The Deluge and four books in the popular Doctor Who range.
His short stories, novellas, articles and reviews have appeared in a wide variety of anthologies and magazines, and he is editor of the highly-acclaimed Cinema Macabre, a book of fifty horror movie essays by genre luminaries, for which he won the 2007 British Fantasy Award.
His most recently published or forthcoming work includes a novella entitled It Sustains for Earthling Publications, a Torchwood novel entitled Bay of the Dead, several Doctor Who audios for Big Finish Productions, a follow-up volume to Cinema Macabre entitled Cinema Futura and a new short story collection, Long Shadows, Nightmare Light.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
September 14, 2012
This book was written by a nerd for nerds. Mark Morris unappologetically has his way with this book in a very classic Who kind of way. Perhaps not as heady as some other Who stories, the book services fans without pandering to them.
Morris takes the time to have a bit of fun with this story. There's humor, but there is also a surprising amount of viciousness that's not always from the Zygons! It's just as fun to think of the Eighth Doctor in a scuba suit as it was intense to read of a Skarasen ravaged village. He does a remarkable job taking a race of one time classic villains and making them more terrifying by adding a mixture of cold calculation and demonic evil that I hadn't previously associated with Zygons. At least to the degree he achieves.
Playing off of simple fears of foggy night time streets, creepy crawly things, and alienating loved ones, this book really kept me entertained. One could complain about the absence of Jago, and I was a little disappointed that the Eighth Doctor doesn't explain regeneration to Litefoot, thus slightly drawing a devide between the characters, but these choices go to augment the story in a responsible manner.
This book delivers what the title suggests- a B-horror monster of the week style story without being drab.
Morris takes the time to have a bit of fun with this story. There's humor, but there is also a surprising amount of viciousness that's not always from the Zygons! It's just as fun to think of the Eighth Doctor in a scuba suit as it was intense to read of a Skarasen ravaged village. He does a remarkable job taking a race of one time classic villains and making them more terrifying by adding a mixture of cold calculation and demonic evil that I hadn't previously associated with Zygons. At least to the degree he achieves.
Playing off of simple fears of foggy night time streets, creepy crawly things, and alienating loved ones, this book really kept me entertained. One could complain about the absence of Jago, and I was a little disappointed that the Eighth Doctor doesn't explain regeneration to Litefoot, thus slightly drawing a devide between the characters, but these choices go to augment the story in a responsible manner.
This book delivers what the title suggests- a B-horror monster of the week style story without being drab.
April 11, 2018
The Doctor and Sam visit Victorian London whilst at the same time dead bodies are mysteriously disappearing.
It’s not long before The Timelord and he’s companion gets caught up in another adventure.
This gothic horror fells like a love letter to the Hinchcliffe era of the show, with both the villain and one of The Doctor’s friends from that era.
It’s an enjoyable read, Morris has fun with the creepiness and gore. There’s also plenty of great references (especially Talons!)
A fun entry in the range.
It’s not long before The Timelord and he’s companion gets caught up in another adventure.
This gothic horror fells like a love letter to the Hinchcliffe era of the show, with both the villain and one of The Doctor’s friends from that era.
It’s an enjoyable read, Morris has fun with the creepiness and gore. There’s also plenty of great references (especially Talons!)
A fun entry in the range.
February 4, 2024
A grim and grimy trip to Victorian London featuring monsters of various sizes. This feels like a slice of Hinchcliffe era Tom Baker (no coincidence given the ties to The Talons Of Weng-Chiang) with ramped up gore for the page. It’s fun meat and potatoes Doctor Who, but there’s not a lot going on underneath.
February 2, 2018
Mark Morris's first Doctor Who Novel.
Set in the Victorian era, features Zygons and written by a fan for fans.
Is it good?
No. Although it has its moments, it seriously lacks in places and in others its pretty atrocious.
Okay, the structuring of the story feels something that could work as an full cast audio, adapted as a Big Finish Novel adaptation or into an actual Jago & Litefoot story and changed to feature Jago if Big Finish did have the green light to adapt BBC novels. Unfortunately, Big Finish don't have the permission to do so and the Novel adaptations range concluded with Cold Fusion.
It begins at a slow/steady pace and feels quite similar to how a few Jago & Litefoot stories are delivered that I quite liked. However, The Bodysnatchers is stuck in first gear and struggles to get into second. One of the worst aspects of this novel is the drive/pacing. It's slow and it needs tension. It get's tense in about the 220 page marks. It's a 280 page novel!
Nothing really exciting happens in the first 100 pages and depending on the reader you are. A fast reader might not have a big problem with this because I am; a slow reader would struggle quite a lot with this part and could think about DNF'ing the book.
It's got the essential requirements I and everyone expects a book to have. Characterisation for the 8th Doctor, Development put in place and for Sam as well. For Sam it goes back to the events of Vampire Science well.
Supporting characters were pretty meh. Besides, two Zygons and Litefoot. Litefoot was nailed. However, why not feature Jago? Makes no sense. It's the only story to only feature Litefoot in everything both Jago & Litefoot have been featured in.
The Zygons get development to. Both on their biology and their way of life after the destruction of Zygor by the villains who are featured in Deep Blue. Furthermore, their militaristic side is explored and some different roles Zygons have, how they think and their hierarchy.
Likely the worst thing about this novel is what The Doctor does at one point late in the book. He is portrayed as careless, ignorant and foolish! WHAT!? He goes on about a speech of Genocide and then "accidentally" does something very bad! This is the first time ever I've seen the Doctor developed in this form. Why first? Because the character isn't stupid. It could of been better handled and I could of done the same thing but executed it in a different way to make it work. Horrifically executed!
The book also relies too much on nostalgia to push itself. The writer hardly shows his own imagination and creativity. Isn't that one of the most important things a writer needs to stand out? To me yes. If you don't show your own creativity, then the novel will not stand out. it's pretty much 100% nostalgia driven. A re-telling of Terror of the Zygons, Litefoot, how the plot plays out and using classic who formulas.
I can say more but my YouTube review is more in-depth. if you're interested, from when this review here has been posted, the review is out tomorrow.
Overall, I think it's a big disappointment. It has the essential things I would expect from every novel to read (Invasion of the Cat-People didn't!) but the execution is bad and in a few places absolutely horrendous! Hopefully, Deep Blue demonstrates he can put in some imagination into his work.
4/10
Set in the Victorian era, features Zygons and written by a fan for fans.
Is it good?
No. Although it has its moments, it seriously lacks in places and in others its pretty atrocious.
Okay, the structuring of the story feels something that could work as an full cast audio, adapted as a Big Finish Novel adaptation or into an actual Jago & Litefoot story and changed to feature Jago if Big Finish did have the green light to adapt BBC novels. Unfortunately, Big Finish don't have the permission to do so and the Novel adaptations range concluded with Cold Fusion.
It begins at a slow/steady pace and feels quite similar to how a few Jago & Litefoot stories are delivered that I quite liked. However, The Bodysnatchers is stuck in first gear and struggles to get into second. One of the worst aspects of this novel is the drive/pacing. It's slow and it needs tension. It get's tense in about the 220 page marks. It's a 280 page novel!
Nothing really exciting happens in the first 100 pages and depending on the reader you are. A fast reader might not have a big problem with this because I am; a slow reader would struggle quite a lot with this part and could think about DNF'ing the book.
It's got the essential requirements I and everyone expects a book to have. Characterisation for the 8th Doctor, Development put in place and for Sam as well. For Sam it goes back to the events of Vampire Science well.
Supporting characters were pretty meh. Besides, two Zygons and Litefoot. Litefoot was nailed. However, why not feature Jago? Makes no sense. It's the only story to only feature Litefoot in everything both Jago & Litefoot have been featured in.
The Zygons get development to. Both on their biology and their way of life after the destruction of Zygor by the villains who are featured in Deep Blue. Furthermore, their militaristic side is explored and some different roles Zygons have, how they think and their hierarchy.
Likely the worst thing about this novel is what The Doctor does at one point late in the book. He is portrayed as careless, ignorant and foolish! WHAT!? He goes on about a speech of Genocide and then "accidentally" does something very bad! This is the first time ever I've seen the Doctor developed in this form. Why first? Because the character isn't stupid. It could of been better handled and I could of done the same thing but executed it in a different way to make it work. Horrifically executed!
The book also relies too much on nostalgia to push itself. The writer hardly shows his own imagination and creativity. Isn't that one of the most important things a writer needs to stand out? To me yes. If you don't show your own creativity, then the novel will not stand out. it's pretty much 100% nostalgia driven. A re-telling of Terror of the Zygons, Litefoot, how the plot plays out and using classic who formulas.
I can say more but my YouTube review is more in-depth. if you're interested, from when this review here has been posted, the review is out tomorrow.
Overall, I think it's a big disappointment. It has the essential things I would expect from every novel to read (Invasion of the Cat-People didn't!) but the execution is bad and in a few places absolutely horrendous! Hopefully, Deep Blue demonstrates he can put in some imagination into his work.
4/10
February 25, 2021
The Bodysnatchers is definitely the best Doctor Who novel I have ever read. It's got a little bit of everything you'd want to see in Doctor Who, and nothing you don't. There's plenty of the Doctor, very well characterized, and no long winded chapters about side characters who die or you'll never see again. The emphasis is placed exactly where it should be- on the Doctor and his companion, attempting to save the Earth from whatever outside forces threaten to take it. New Who fans will be familiar with the Zygons, the alien villain race in this particular novel, who at this point in time, had only shown themselves in a previous Tom Baker arc. The novel also heavily references The Talons of Weng Chiang, another Tom Baker arc, which takes place five years previous to the events in The Bodysnatchers. I'd highly recommend being familiar with both the alien race and Weng Chiang- as one of the characters from the latter plays a rather large role in the novel- and as for the former, it makes it easier to envision their appearance, abilities, and their spaceship.
The novel itself was wonderfully paced and I was never bored. Morris did a fabulous job of holding my interest and telling the story without filler. It really felt like this could have easily been a TV arc. There's a little bit of gore here, so be fore-warned. (That tends to happen when you have large alien pets with giant claws and teeth, and a character who is a mortician.) Also, Sam gets a little whiney and annoying, but I'll give that a pass since she hasn't been traveling with the Doctor for too long by this point.
If you're a fan of Who, regardless if you like Doctor 8 (McGann) or not, this is a brilliant story.
The novel itself was wonderfully paced and I was never bored. Morris did a fabulous job of holding my interest and telling the story without filler. It really felt like this could have easily been a TV arc. There's a little bit of gore here, so be fore-warned. (That tends to happen when you have large alien pets with giant claws and teeth, and a character who is a mortician.) Also, Sam gets a little whiney and annoying, but I'll give that a pass since she hasn't been traveling with the Doctor for too long by this point.
If you're a fan of Who, regardless if you like Doctor 8 (McGann) or not, this is a brilliant story.
July 2, 2019
It’s been a while since I last read a Doctor Who book and recently I thought I’d dive back in to the EDA’s kicking off with this one.
I had wanted to give this book ago for a long time as it was one that had always intrigued me ever since I started discovering more Doctor Who books to read. The main reason is is that the Zygons are in it (not a spoiler as they’re on the bloody cover!) and they are one of my favourite Who villains.
It’s written by Mark Morris whom I’m not terribly familiar with but I have to say I enjoyed his book quite a bit. However, there is one part of the book that did leave me questioning whether or not I thought this was a good aspect of the story. It’s quite unbelievable what happens (I won’t say what happens as it’s a massive spoiler, but it relates to The Doctors’ actions) but I’d say I’m on the fence with it.
While the story itself is quite slow, the atmosphere is brilliantly created here which does help to move the story along. Professor Litefoot is in this book and is characterised to perfection as is The Doctor. Sam is also written fairly well too, couple of times she can be a bit obnoxious but not too irritating!
As I said before the Zygons are in this story and they’re fairly well utilised as well. Their threat factor was pretty strong throughout the book, especially towards the end. It’s just a shame they’re on the front cover as it would’ve made for a great twist once their reveal actually happens.
Overall I’d say The Bodysnatchers is a decent story. Nothing fantastic but definitely not terrible IMO. Would recommend this especially if you’re a Zygon fan and definitely if you’re a Professor Litefoot fan!
I had wanted to give this book ago for a long time as it was one that had always intrigued me ever since I started discovering more Doctor Who books to read. The main reason is is that the Zygons are in it (not a spoiler as they’re on the bloody cover!) and they are one of my favourite Who villains.
It’s written by Mark Morris whom I’m not terribly familiar with but I have to say I enjoyed his book quite a bit. However, there is one part of the book that did leave me questioning whether or not I thought this was a good aspect of the story. It’s quite unbelievable what happens (I won’t say what happens as it’s a massive spoiler, but it relates to The Doctors’ actions) but I’d say I’m on the fence with it.
While the story itself is quite slow, the atmosphere is brilliantly created here which does help to move the story along. Professor Litefoot is in this book and is characterised to perfection as is The Doctor. Sam is also written fairly well too, couple of times she can be a bit obnoxious but not too irritating!
As I said before the Zygons are in this story and they’re fairly well utilised as well. Their threat factor was pretty strong throughout the book, especially towards the end. It’s just a shame they’re on the front cover as it would’ve made for a great twist once their reveal actually happens.
Overall I’d say The Bodysnatchers is a decent story. Nothing fantastic but definitely not terrible IMO. Would recommend this especially if you’re a Zygon fan and definitely if you’re a Professor Litefoot fan!
September 5, 2021
So I finally got around to reading the third doctor who novel in the EDA series, and in all honesty, it's pretty good.
First off, if you haven't seen "Talons of Weng Chiang" before, i recommend watching it before reading this. one of the main side characters is from that arc and it'll help you as he makes references to it more than a few times.
The actual writing of this book is good as well. The pacing is pretty good and the 8th doctor acts very doctor-y.
The only real issues i have with this book are kinda prevalent in a lot of doctor who novels. there's a side story with characters which really amount to nothing and then they die.
The funny thing about this is that the side character in this story is named Jack and oh my god. it's HILARIOUS how evil this guy is. like, he's the most mustache twirling villainous dude i've ever seen in a doctor who story. his backstory literally involves beating a child to death because he annoyed him. He was more a caricature than an actual character and it bordered on silly.
Zygons, as it is, are not really my favorite who villains. they're fine, but i don't really care that much about them.
The side character, Litefoot, is always fun and i enjoyed him in talons too, so it was nice to see him do stuff.
I wasn't very thrilled with the way the book ended and felt they mixed up the two villains' order. (this makes sense if you read it)
Sam was a little whiny in this one, but not as bad as Vampire Science, and i'm hoping she grows and learns from this and gets better for War of the Daleks (as i've already read genocide).
Overall, i still had fun with the book and enjoyed it. It got a little too gory for me at the end and took some of the enjoyment out of it, but all in all, a good time with the 8th doctor.
4 out of 5.
First off, if you haven't seen "Talons of Weng Chiang" before, i recommend watching it before reading this. one of the main side characters is from that arc and it'll help you as he makes references to it more than a few times.
The actual writing of this book is good as well. The pacing is pretty good and the 8th doctor acts very doctor-y.
The only real issues i have with this book are kinda prevalent in a lot of doctor who novels. there's a side story with characters which really amount to nothing and then they die.
The funny thing about this is that the side character in this story is named Jack and oh my god. it's HILARIOUS how evil this guy is. like, he's the most mustache twirling villainous dude i've ever seen in a doctor who story. his backstory literally involves beating a child to death because he annoyed him. He was more a caricature than an actual character and it bordered on silly.
Zygons, as it is, are not really my favorite who villains. they're fine, but i don't really care that much about them.
The side character, Litefoot, is always fun and i enjoyed him in talons too, so it was nice to see him do stuff.
I wasn't very thrilled with the way the book ended and felt they mixed up the two villains' order. (this makes sense if you read it)
Sam was a little whiny in this one, but not as bad as Vampire Science, and i'm hoping she grows and learns from this and gets better for War of the Daleks (as i've already read genocide).
Overall, i still had fun with the book and enjoyed it. It got a little too gory for me at the end and took some of the enjoyment out of it, but all in all, a good time with the 8th doctor.
4 out of 5.
April 30, 2018
Paul McGann only appeared twice as the eighth Doctor, but his character has featured in countless other media (books, comics, audio adventures ...). "The Bodysnatchers" is n° 3 in the long-running EDA (Eighth Doctor Adventures) novel series from BBC books.
The Doctor and his companion Sam arrive in Victorian London and find out someone is digging up dead bodies. This story features the shape-shifting Zygons and an old friend, Professor Litefoot.
Although this was published in 1997, well before the TV show's revival, the atmosphere here is quite similar to what would be shown on televison almost a decade later, although the blood and gore is much more explicit here. As the authors didn't have much to go on, characterization of the Doctor in these early EDAs is all over the place. Mark Morris laid down a good version of the Doctor, though. Good story, excellent building up of the atmosphere and quite humourous at times.
The Doctor and his companion Sam arrive in Victorian London and find out someone is digging up dead bodies. This story features the shape-shifting Zygons and an old friend, Professor Litefoot.
Although this was published in 1997, well before the TV show's revival, the atmosphere here is quite similar to what would be shown on televison almost a decade later, although the blood and gore is much more explicit here. As the authors didn't have much to go on, characterization of the Doctor in these early EDAs is all over the place. Mark Morris laid down a good version of the Doctor, though. Good story, excellent building up of the atmosphere and quite humourous at times.
October 6, 2024
I'd always intended to explore more of the EDA series after reading The Eight Doctors by Terrance Dicks as a teenager. The Bodysnatchers is an excellent story set in the late Victorian period, featuring an iconic enemy of the Doetor that we only ever see twice onscreen. Sam's character development is particularly great — some might find her annoying at times but it's refreshing to see a fully fleshed out companion who challenges the Doctor and stands her ground when needed. The writing was a bit clunky at times — possibly as an attempt for it to "feel" Victorian. The book is also quite dark and brutal, especially for Doctor Who, and I felt some of the violence was unnecessary (although witnessing Jack Howe's ending was admittedly satisfying!). Look forward to continuing with the series :)
June 15, 2022
It is London, 1894. Amid the fog, cold and degradation, a gruesome business is being conducted. The bodies of the dead are being stolen from their graves — men, women and children alike — for the sinister purpose of a very mysterious gentleman.
When the 8th doctor and sam arrive, they are witness to a horrifying scene in the evil-smelling fog: something rises up from the filthy waters of the Thames and devours a man — a man terrified for his life and on the run from the devil himself...
This book was brilliant It was the first novel to feature the Zygons who had previously appeared in the 1975 Doctor Who television story Terror of the Zygons. It also featured an appearance of Professor George Litefoot, whom the doctor had first met in the 1977 TV story The Talons Weng-Chiang.
When the 8th doctor and sam arrive, they are witness to a horrifying scene in the evil-smelling fog: something rises up from the filthy waters of the Thames and devours a man — a man terrified for his life and on the run from the devil himself...
This book was brilliant It was the first novel to feature the Zygons who had previously appeared in the 1975 Doctor Who television story Terror of the Zygons. It also featured an appearance of Professor George Litefoot, whom the doctor had first met in the 1977 TV story The Talons Weng-Chiang.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2025
loved this one set it an eerie foggy Victirian london meeting up with old friends and foes alike. great atmosphere and the best 8DA i've read so far.
August 16, 2020
Why are so many Doctor Who books set in the victorian era?
A good read, rather graphic with the gore for the series. None the worse for the blood, it fits the eighth doctor well.
All in all a fun read.
A good read, rather graphic with the gore for the series. None the worse for the blood, it fits the eighth doctor well.
All in all a fun read.
December 13, 2013
Read, but with a looot of skimming. While it's still better than The Eight Doctors, it's only by the virtue of having a clearly delineated plot. The characters are okay (if you've seen the Tom Baker-era "Talons of Weng-Chiang" (one of the best classic DW episodes by general fan consensus), then you'll like professor Litefoot once again giving a hand to the Doctor) and the premise is okay and the setting is fine but...it just did not click for me. Not in the least. Fell completely flat in the first chapter and never got up. I just could not get into it, which is a shame because I actually wanted to like it.
September 20, 2021
A first time author has a lot on their shoulders: they must prove to their audience that they can tell a story with good characters in a good pace and have a unique style to their writing. Some advice to beginning writers is to start by writing fanfiction, and indeed it is fanfiction which has given some Who authors, including Paul Cornell, their start. Writing a Doctor Who novel has some of the same difficulties as writing fanfiction, you have previously established characters to play around with, but you have to write those characters as those characters. Mark Morris is the first new author to be brought on to the BBC Books line to be given his own, standalone novel. Both Keith Topping and Jonathan Blum had their books coauthored with others, so in that sense The Bodysnatchers is an event novel in this sense and it has a lot to prove, and as a first novel Morris does an admirable job.
Perhaps the biggest issue the Eighth Doctor Adventures has had in its beginnings over the Virgin New Adventures, is that the Eighth Doctor Adventures were much less wary when it comes to the use of continuity. The first novel not to use any previous continuity is the seventh book in the series, Kursaal. The Bodysnatchers uses the Zygons and Professor George Litefoot as major elements in the story, and perhaps this is what is holding the book back from being amazing. In using the Zygons nearly every twist Morris executes is broadcast pages before it appears several pages later. Morris does an excellent job using his novel to develop the mythology of the Zygons, giving them a planet and an enemy which caused the destruction of their planet. There’s also the implication that there are several refugee groups of Zygons which have landed on Earth and have been manipulating their way into society, though this is left by the end of the novel ambiguous. Morris succeeds at making his Zygon characters different from the Zygons of “Terror of the Zygons”, mainly by playing out a piece on morality between a Zygon who serves as leader and warlord and a Zygon who leads as a scientist. Tuval, the scientist character, has an excellent arc going from begrudgingly following her leader, into making her own decisions and joining the Doctor, Sam, and Litefoot in the fight against her species. Balaak is a weaker character overall, essentially being more of your standard shouting villain, which works well enough for what the novel is, but Morris could have done more with the character. The climax also needed a bit more work, as the novel loses steam about forty pages from the end.
The Bodysnatchers takes a while to get going, the plot of shadowy creatures pitching off people around a factory owned by a one Nathaniel Seers and a young Skarasen terrorizing Victorian London works well enough. The plot is just incredibly predictable with Seers’ daughter, Emmeline, noticing her father being off and wouldn’t you know it, he’s a Zygon in human form. Emmeline for the first half of the novel serves as an almost companion to the Doctor and honestly she works better as a character than Sam. Samantha Jones continues to really only have the characterization of ‘I’m a social activist, Victorian London needs feminism’ which could work, but it’s just a bit too cliched for anything. By the second half of the novel Sam gets some time with the Doctor and their clashing about how he treats her as younger than he should could be interesting, but it just doesn’t really amount to much of a character. This is not a fault of Morris as it’s something Dicks, Orman, and Blum have also had issues with writing Sam. There just doesn’t seem to be much forethought onto what Sam was supposed to be. Morris is wonderful at characterizing the Eighth Doctor however, as he feels like he just went through “The TV Movie”. The Doctor is a hopeless romantic, there to help the damsels in distress and always gives the villains a second chance, and is willing to let some of the Zygons live. Litefoot as a character is also well written, and while there isn’t any indication that Jago & Litefoot occurs, his appearance here could be inbetween Series 3 or 4, as Jago is in Brighton. He’s a nice addition even without his partner in investigating infernal instances, so there’s a bit missing here. The novel is an enjoyably traditional romp through Victorian London from a first time writer. 7/10.
Perhaps the biggest issue the Eighth Doctor Adventures has had in its beginnings over the Virgin New Adventures, is that the Eighth Doctor Adventures were much less wary when it comes to the use of continuity. The first novel not to use any previous continuity is the seventh book in the series, Kursaal. The Bodysnatchers uses the Zygons and Professor George Litefoot as major elements in the story, and perhaps this is what is holding the book back from being amazing. In using the Zygons nearly every twist Morris executes is broadcast pages before it appears several pages later. Morris does an excellent job using his novel to develop the mythology of the Zygons, giving them a planet and an enemy which caused the destruction of their planet. There’s also the implication that there are several refugee groups of Zygons which have landed on Earth and have been manipulating their way into society, though this is left by the end of the novel ambiguous. Morris succeeds at making his Zygon characters different from the Zygons of “Terror of the Zygons”, mainly by playing out a piece on morality between a Zygon who serves as leader and warlord and a Zygon who leads as a scientist. Tuval, the scientist character, has an excellent arc going from begrudgingly following her leader, into making her own decisions and joining the Doctor, Sam, and Litefoot in the fight against her species. Balaak is a weaker character overall, essentially being more of your standard shouting villain, which works well enough for what the novel is, but Morris could have done more with the character. The climax also needed a bit more work, as the novel loses steam about forty pages from the end.
The Bodysnatchers takes a while to get going, the plot of shadowy creatures pitching off people around a factory owned by a one Nathaniel Seers and a young Skarasen terrorizing Victorian London works well enough. The plot is just incredibly predictable with Seers’ daughter, Emmeline, noticing her father being off and wouldn’t you know it, he’s a Zygon in human form. Emmeline for the first half of the novel serves as an almost companion to the Doctor and honestly she works better as a character than Sam. Samantha Jones continues to really only have the characterization of ‘I’m a social activist, Victorian London needs feminism’ which could work, but it’s just a bit too cliched for anything. By the second half of the novel Sam gets some time with the Doctor and their clashing about how he treats her as younger than he should could be interesting, but it just doesn’t really amount to much of a character. This is not a fault of Morris as it’s something Dicks, Orman, and Blum have also had issues with writing Sam. There just doesn’t seem to be much forethought onto what Sam was supposed to be. Morris is wonderful at characterizing the Eighth Doctor however, as he feels like he just went through “The TV Movie”. The Doctor is a hopeless romantic, there to help the damsels in distress and always gives the villains a second chance, and is willing to let some of the Zygons live. Litefoot as a character is also well written, and while there isn’t any indication that Jago & Litefoot occurs, his appearance here could be inbetween Series 3 or 4, as Jago is in Brighton. He’s a nice addition even without his partner in investigating infernal instances, so there’s a bit missing here. The novel is an enjoyably traditional romp through Victorian London from a first time writer. 7/10.
February 10, 2020
The third book of the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann) Adventures.
The Doctor and his teenage companion Sam travel to Victorian London to buy a copy of the Strand Magazine. However, they soon discover that a colony of shapeshifting Zygons is at work beneath the Thames and, with help from the Doctor's old friend George Litefoot, they attempt to stop the Zygon conquest of Earth.
This book has all the pieces in play for a great Doctor Who story; a murder mystery in Victorian London, a returning classic antagonist and the inclusion of a character from the classic TV series. It was odd then that it fell somewhat flat for me. I honestly can't point to anything that caused the book to be lesser than the sum of its parts (I do have a couple of down notes, which I'll discuss in a moment, but nothing major), and yet that was how it ultimately felt.
It's not a bad book at all, but it just felt run-of-the-mill and unremarkable, which is a great shame given its potential.
It was nice to learn a bit more about the Zygons and their society. I suspect this may have been their first ever reoccurence since 'Terror of the Zygons' (novelised as 'Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster' by Terrance Dicks) and, it has to be said, later appearances by the 'big red rubbery things covered in suckers' pretty much ignore the new lore introduced here.
The two things that I would pick out as not working for me are the characters of Sam and Professor Litefoot.
Litefoot is a perfectly good character, mind you, but I've never seen the Fourth Doctor story 'The Talons of Weng Chiang', nor read its novelisation. What this means is that the intended feeling of nostalgic warmth that Litefoot's return is supposed to engender was totally lost on me.
Sam, on the other hand, is a somewhat stickier issue. I know she develops nicely in later books in the series, but here she's every bit the difficult teenager; argumentative, stubborn and self-righteous, all of which makes her very hard to like. Sam's teenage character traits also force you to really consider the fact that she's a schoolgirl who the Doctor has psuedo-kidnapped, which makes things feel a bit uncomfortable.
One criticism of this book that I've seen but don't agree with is people's negative response to the violence and gore within it. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of both, but the EDAs and the PDAs were always intended to be Who novels aimed at adults. It's only those books released since the show returned to TV in 2005 that have been geared to a wider age range.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com/ *
The Doctor and his teenage companion Sam travel to Victorian London to buy a copy of the Strand Magazine. However, they soon discover that a colony of shapeshifting Zygons is at work beneath the Thames and, with help from the Doctor's old friend George Litefoot, they attempt to stop the Zygon conquest of Earth.
This book has all the pieces in play for a great Doctor Who story; a murder mystery in Victorian London, a returning classic antagonist and the inclusion of a character from the classic TV series. It was odd then that it fell somewhat flat for me. I honestly can't point to anything that caused the book to be lesser than the sum of its parts (I do have a couple of down notes, which I'll discuss in a moment, but nothing major), and yet that was how it ultimately felt.
It's not a bad book at all, but it just felt run-of-the-mill and unremarkable, which is a great shame given its potential.
It was nice to learn a bit more about the Zygons and their society. I suspect this may have been their first ever reoccurence since 'Terror of the Zygons' (novelised as 'Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster' by Terrance Dicks) and, it has to be said, later appearances by the 'big red rubbery things covered in suckers' pretty much ignore the new lore introduced here.
The two things that I would pick out as not working for me are the characters of Sam and Professor Litefoot.
Litefoot is a perfectly good character, mind you, but I've never seen the Fourth Doctor story 'The Talons of Weng Chiang', nor read its novelisation. What this means is that the intended feeling of nostalgic warmth that Litefoot's return is supposed to engender was totally lost on me.
Sam, on the other hand, is a somewhat stickier issue. I know she develops nicely in later books in the series, but here she's every bit the difficult teenager; argumentative, stubborn and self-righteous, all of which makes her very hard to like. Sam's teenage character traits also force you to really consider the fact that she's a schoolgirl who the Doctor has psuedo-kidnapped, which makes things feel a bit uncomfortable.
One criticism of this book that I've seen but don't agree with is people's negative response to the violence and gore within it. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of both, but the EDAs and the PDAs were always intended to be Who novels aimed at adults. It's only those books released since the show returned to TV in 2005 that have been geared to a wider age range.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com/ *
September 12, 2017
A 3-star entertaining read for non-Whovians, a 4-star read for Whovians, and probably a 5-star read for 8th Doctor fans, The Bodysnatchers was the third novel of the 8th Doctor era, when there seemed to be no hope that his incarnation of the Doctor would ever reappear on TV screens and his audio adventures by Big Finish were still a few years away. Nevertheless, those circumstances might actually have helped it to boost its entertainment value, even if some of the ideas it proposes have not (sadly) made it into the cannonical view of the "monsters of the week" the Doctor meets again in this book. The surprise return of the Zygons after an absence of twenty-something years might not have been so obvious for readers when the book first came out, although nowadays, with their prominent participation in the 50th anniversary of the show and their conflict with the 12th Doctor, it's all too easy to identify them in the cover. Nevertheless, although they appear as old-fashioned Who villains, Morris does a marvellous work expanding on their technology (which perhaps might have influenced their depiction in the 21st century) and their biology (which sadly was not taken up by the TV show). The utterly alien nature (with an Alien edge) of their technology is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book. And the Zyongs are not the only returning characters, as Litefoot makes a welcome comeback, although his depiction might pale in comparison with the way he is protrayed in the Jago & Litefoot audio adventures. And then, of course, there's Sam, the young 90s riot grrrl (well, sort of) who was the first companion of the 8th Doctor. Although at time she feels like a checklist of 90s girl power references, they actually work quite well in contrast with the Victorian values of the other human characters in this book. Much like Ace, she was a forerunner of 21st Doctor Who companions, it's interesting how her relationship with the Doctor develops.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2025
Going from Ruby Red to this book was like going from animal crossing to doom 💀 now I’ve read the first two EDA books, I knew these books could be a lot more mature than the show and modern Doctor Who novels but there were a few parts of this book that I wasn’t prepared for not that that’s a bad thing, in fact I thought this book was pretty great! Now I’ve read the first two EDA books and while I thought the Eight Doctors was pretty bad I liked Vampire Science quite a lot and seeing the Zygon on the cover for this one had me excited.
The story starts off with the Doctor ruining a copy of a magazine that contains a Sherlock Holmes story, wanting to replace it he and Sam travel back to 1894 London to buy a new copy, they seemingly arrive after all the shops had closed and while walking the streets encounter a seriously distressed man who is running away from the “devil himself”.
I won’t way much more of what happens in the story but I can say that I was absolutely delighted to see the return of George Litefoot, he works wonderfully with this story and really adds to the vibe of it, I loved how gritty and bleak everything was and felt the setting of Victorian London was a genius backdrop for a Zygon story.
Now I do my issues, I know not to expect god tier writing from Doctor Who novels but I sometimes found the way things were described to feel stilted and awkward and really took me out of certain scenes at times, I also have yet to warm up to Sam as a companion, I find her pretty annoying and whiny and given how her point of view makes up a good chunk of the book it kinda bogged it down a notch for me, hopefully I’ll warm up to her as I continue reading through them.
Anyways I’d highly recommend giving this book a shot, I’d say read at least Vampire Science first since it’s great and you can skip the Eight Doctors if you like unless you’re a completionist like me lol
The story starts off with the Doctor ruining a copy of a magazine that contains a Sherlock Holmes story, wanting to replace it he and Sam travel back to 1894 London to buy a new copy, they seemingly arrive after all the shops had closed and while walking the streets encounter a seriously distressed man who is running away from the “devil himself”.
I won’t way much more of what happens in the story but I can say that I was absolutely delighted to see the return of George Litefoot, he works wonderfully with this story and really adds to the vibe of it, I loved how gritty and bleak everything was and felt the setting of Victorian London was a genius backdrop for a Zygon story.
Now I do my issues, I know not to expect god tier writing from Doctor Who novels but I sometimes found the way things were described to feel stilted and awkward and really took me out of certain scenes at times, I also have yet to warm up to Sam as a companion, I find her pretty annoying and whiny and given how her point of view makes up a good chunk of the book it kinda bogged it down a notch for me, hopefully I’ll warm up to her as I continue reading through them.
Anyways I’d highly recommend giving this book a shot, I’d say read at least Vampire Science first since it’s great and you can skip the Eight Doctors if you like unless you’re a completionist like me lol
October 9, 2021
This was. Okay? I guess? It definitely feels great to finally be reading Doctor Who stuff again and making some progress on this series. I'm probably going to start the next one later today, lmao.
I think the bent of this book was dark in a way that isn't really in line with what I like from darker DW stuff. It was gratuitously gory and gross, and not in an overly interesting or unique way. Scherzo is a perfect example of DW body horror/gore done well. This book is not. Another thing I found detracting from my enjoyment of it was the use of an established monster. Don't get me wrong, that can be done super well! But it has to be approached right for me to really enjoy it, and this book missed the mark slightly on that.
On the positive, though, I really loved the characterization Sam got in this book. I feel like every book we see more of her sort of need to be seen as just as capable and experienced as the Doctor get her nearer and nearer to trouble, so I'm really excited where the series will take that. I love her attitude and I love her ego. There were some really interesting character moments for the Doctor in this one too.
Definitely looking forward to the next book; I've heard great things about it.
I think the bent of this book was dark in a way that isn't really in line with what I like from darker DW stuff. It was gratuitously gory and gross, and not in an overly interesting or unique way. Scherzo is a perfect example of DW body horror/gore done well. This book is not. Another thing I found detracting from my enjoyment of it was the use of an established monster. Don't get me wrong, that can be done super well! But it has to be approached right for me to really enjoy it, and this book missed the mark slightly on that.
On the positive, though, I really loved the characterization Sam got in this book. I feel like every book we see more of her sort of need to be seen as just as capable and experienced as the Doctor get her nearer and nearer to trouble, so I'm really excited where the series will take that. I love her attitude and I love her ego. There were some really interesting character moments for the Doctor in this one too.
Definitely looking forward to the next book; I've heard great things about it.
August 3, 2021
Pretty much as expected, the third 8th Doctor novel, The Bodysnatchers, is a fairly standard adventure, the Zygon on the cover strangling the early mystery of what's happening, but still adding a lot of detail to the alien race (which hasn't exactly been contradicted in their NuWho appearances). The story is set in Victorian London and features Professor Litefoot as a delightful guest star (I like the Doctor's clever cover story for his regeneration here), but the rest of the guest cast is either pretty cursory or surplus to requirements (there's really no need for the grave diggers' point of view except page count). Mark Morris's Doctor is generally more somber, but still manages some great moments. Sam has yet to prove her worth - she's kind of the Mel of the book range, whose main trait is her essential "Companionness". Morris would later pen another underwater menace book, Deep Blue, and this isn't too far from that, including some unnecessary gore that, to my mind, crosses the line for a Doctor Who adventure, even one published post-New Adventures. Despite the flaws, it's an entertaining read, using the toy box to good effect.
January 13, 2025
not as fun as ‘Vampire Science’, but still a cool story. however, some of the descriptions left me a bit confused, and i thought the whole subplot with Jack and Albert was completely unnecessary and pretty boring. i’m still not crazy on Sam, but i’m giving her time and hope she’ll grow on me. after all, i can’t complain that a teenager (btw, Doctor, she should be in SCHOOL) acts very much like a teenager; she wants to be tough and cool, and is trying way too hard. doesn’t help that for all of this story, she has nothing to do; even she comments on it. give this girl a win so she can calm down!!
also: the twist with the Doctor accidentally killing all the Zygons was shocking, but i think it should have been way more dramatic. i felt that they all forgot about it too fast. i was hoping for an epilogue with him and Sam talking about it, or at least something showing he was very troubled by what he did (by accident!!!), but no dice. oh well. can’t say that’s not in line with classic who, though.
also: the twist with the Doctor accidentally killing all the Zygons was shocking, but i think it should have been way more dramatic. i felt that they all forgot about it too fast. i was hoping for an epilogue with him and Sam talking about it, or at least something showing he was very troubled by what he did (by accident!!!), but no dice. oh well. can’t say that’s not in line with classic who, though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2021
The third novel in the BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures sees the Doctor and Sam up against the third returning monster in a row: the Zygons (this after the Time Lords and Vampires previously). When the Doctor arrives in 1894 London in order to replace a damaged magazine, he and Sam stumble on a man scared out of his mind who is soon eaten by a monster. Teaming up with George Litefoot (from the TV Story "The Talons of Wang-Chiang), they discover a genocidal Zygon plot.
What we get is a decent Zygon plot and an atmospheric adventure in Victorian London. While not quite as enjoyable as the previous novel, it's still a good read. It just takes a bit longer to really get going. On the bright side, the Eighth Doctor is in fine form and really fun to read. This is a good Doctor Who novel, maybe not great, but still really good. Though, as I work my way through these, I'm looking forward to original monsters and new villains.
What we get is a decent Zygon plot and an atmospheric adventure in Victorian London. While not quite as enjoyable as the previous novel, it's still a good read. It just takes a bit longer to really get going. On the bright side, the Eighth Doctor is in fine form and really fun to read. This is a good Doctor Who novel, maybe not great, but still really good. Though, as I work my way through these, I'm looking forward to original monsters and new villains.
June 13, 2022
Up next in the EDA line is The Bodysnatchers by Mark Morris, featuring the return of the Zygons.
The Plot: The Doctor and Sam arrive in late-Victorian London to find people and bodies have gone missing near the Thames. The Doctor teams up with Professor George Litefoot (from the TV episode The Talons of Weng-Chiang) to defeat the Zygons.
My Thoughts: The first half of The Bodysnatchers is suspenseful, entertaining, and moderately tense. The Doctor and Sam are supplied with a good cast of characters, most notably Litefoot and the Seers family. However, the quality drops when the Zygons appear as they are very two-dimensional and flat. Their goals are somewhat vague and they aren't memorable at all. The middle is pretty boring and uneventful. Fortunes improve in the last few chapters, but the final conclusion is farfetched.
Overall, a good but not especially unique book with a flat middle.
The Plot: The Doctor and Sam arrive in late-Victorian London to find people and bodies have gone missing near the Thames. The Doctor teams up with Professor George Litefoot (from the TV episode The Talons of Weng-Chiang) to defeat the Zygons.
My Thoughts: The first half of The Bodysnatchers is suspenseful, entertaining, and moderately tense. The Doctor and Sam are supplied with a good cast of characters, most notably Litefoot and the Seers family. However, the quality drops when the Zygons appear as they are very two-dimensional and flat. Their goals are somewhat vague and they aren't memorable at all. The middle is pretty boring and uneventful. Fortunes improve in the last few chapters, but the final conclusion is farfetched.
Overall, a good but not especially unique book with a flat middle.
September 22, 2018
Das war doch mal eine erfrischend kurzweilige Geschichte. Auch wenn die Story grundsätzlich nicht viel her gibt, passen die kleinen Teile einfach so gut ineinander, dass das ganze insgesamt so richtig Spaß macht.
Allein schon das Wiedersehen mit Professor Litefoot und den Zygons ist es wert das Buch zu lesen. Dazu kommt ein wirklich sehr gut getroffener achter Doctor und eine Portion Brutalität und böser Überraschungen. Das sich der Doctor hier als nicht unfehlbar erweist war wohl eine der überraschendsten Momente dieses Buches.
Am Ende bekommen wir noch eine Anspielung serviert, dass irgendetwas mit Sam nicht stimmt, die bisher leider immer noch etwas blass wirkt, die einen schon gespannt darauf macht, wie es mit diesem TARDIS Team weiter geht.
Von mir gibt es für The Bodysnatchers ein ganz starkes "Gut".
Allein schon das Wiedersehen mit Professor Litefoot und den Zygons ist es wert das Buch zu lesen. Dazu kommt ein wirklich sehr gut getroffener achter Doctor und eine Portion Brutalität und böser Überraschungen. Das sich der Doctor hier als nicht unfehlbar erweist war wohl eine der überraschendsten Momente dieses Buches.
Am Ende bekommen wir noch eine Anspielung serviert, dass irgendetwas mit Sam nicht stimmt, die bisher leider immer noch etwas blass wirkt, die einen schon gespannt darauf macht, wie es mit diesem TARDIS Team weiter geht.
Von mir gibt es für The Bodysnatchers ein ganz starkes "Gut".
December 20, 2021
I feel like the beginning was a little slow, like I was interested but kept having to put it down and try again. It just wasn't very attention grabbing and I found myself almost giving up on the book all together. I liked the middle. It was short and easy to follow along with what was going on.The ending has mixed emotions. I like the emotion the doctor showed when he realized his mistake and how he was trying to keep his cool. It was also interesting seeing how Sam reacted to the Doctor's mistake. It's also did drag on at the end and almost seemed to made up in the end for me I did not like it as much
September 12, 2018
Almost good. The gore is often offputting and smacks of cheap shock value. While I enjoyed the gross descriptions of the Zygon biotech, the moments of graphic violence (especially from side character Jack Howe) seemed completely unnecessary. The Doctor has a pretty major screw-up near the end of the book, but the consequences don't feel serious enough. There's a delightful surprise appearance of Dr. Litefoot! But no Jago. :(
May 11, 2022
That's a bit more like it. After the nonstop existential angst of Vampire Science it's nice to get a tale that could have been an actual story in the tv series (although they'd have had to tone down the gore a bit, especially the scene in the pub with the bodysnatcher and the unfortunate youth).
Still, returning villains, an old friend and saving the world - proper Who :)
I'm still not keen on Sam The Whiny Teenager, but hopefully that's the point and she'll grow up over a few more books.
Still, returning villains, an old friend and saving the world - proper Who :)
I'm still not keen on Sam The Whiny Teenager, but hopefully that's the point and she'll grow up over a few more books.
July 1, 2020
First official return of the Zygons, nearly two decades before they resurfaced on TV. It’s a standard story but enjoyable , and nice to see Litefoot, sadly sans Jago.
One can see the ways that the books and Big Finish fed back into the reborn tv show - Sam’s assumption that Emmeline is less intelligent than her because from the past foreshadows Rose and Gwyneth in Unquiet dead.
One can see the ways that the books and Big Finish fed back into the reborn tv show - Sam’s assumption that Emmeline is less intelligent than her because from the past foreshadows Rose and Gwyneth in Unquiet dead.
April 27, 2025
obviously i enjoyed this- i love the eighth doctor and him and sam are a really good pairing, a zygon story is always interesting. that being said, a lot of the beats do feel like they were taken from terror of the zygons, to the point where it could have easily been the fourth doctor and we do kinda gloss over the fact that the doctor commita genocide but that's just a regular day for this guy
September 20, 2025
It was fun to see both the Zygons and George Litefoot together in one adventure - which at the time would have been about 20 years. The writing is perfectly moody for the setting of foggy victorian England, and there's even a few elements of horror. My only gripe is the ending - I won't spoil it but it feels a little too quickly wrapped up in a convenient bow for my liking.
June 3, 2024
not quiiite as good as vampire science but still very good - very Very gory though they seemed to be trying to see how many times they could say gore blood flesh decay rot etc. anyways pretty cool, studying sam jones though she sure got Something going on
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