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Doctor Who: Virgin New Adventures #43
Doctor Who: Head Games
'This isn’t Hell,' the Doctor assured her. 'It’s only a sequel.'
Stand by for an exciting new adventure with Dr Who and his companion, Jason. Once again, our time-hopping friends set out to seek injustice, raise rebel armies, overthrow dictators and beat up green monsters.
But this time, Dr Who faces a deadly new threat: a genocidal rogue Time Lord and his army of combat-hardened, gun-slinging warrior women. To make matters worse, this foe is a twisted version of the good Doctor himself - and if Dr Who and Jason can’t stop him, he’ll end all life on Detrios and Earth.
Armed only with their wits and with the modest power of control over reality, our heroes must face Doctor Who’s evil double: the megalomaniac scientist who calls himself simply... 'The Doctor’.
Stand by for an exciting new adventure with Dr Who and his companion, Jason. Once again, our time-hopping friends set out to seek injustice, raise rebel armies, overthrow dictators and beat up green monsters.
But this time, Dr Who faces a deadly new threat: a genocidal rogue Time Lord and his army of combat-hardened, gun-slinging warrior women. To make matters worse, this foe is a twisted version of the good Doctor himself - and if Dr Who and Jason can’t stop him, he’ll end all life on Detrios and Earth.
Armed only with their wits and with the modest power of control over reality, our heroes must face Doctor Who’s evil double: the megalomaniac scientist who calls himself simply... 'The Doctor’.
258 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 1995
275 people want to read
About the author
Steve Lyons
186 books104 followersSteve Lyons is a science fiction writer, best known for writing television tie-ins of Doctor Who for BBC Books, and previously, Virgin. The earliest of these was Conundrum in 1994, and his most recent was 2005's The Stealers of Dreams. He has also written material for Star Trek tie-ins, as well as original work.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 8, 2019
Here's another AWFUL NA. I got about 50 pages in and there were about six plot lines going already. I gave up. Look, the NA's are not Dune, but seriously, FOCUS YOUR MATERIAL!! It can't be that hard can it? How are we supposed to engage with the story if it reads like a Jackson Pollock painting?
I sure couldn't. For masochists only.
0/5 Stars
I sure couldn't. For masochists only.
0/5 Stars
October 14, 2013
As is the hallmark of The New Adventures, this book contained a few great character moments, but the vast majority of it didn't make the slightest bit of sense. I kept turning the page, hoping against hope that all the wiggy plot bits would coalese into something meaningful, but alas my hope was all in vain. There were times when I felt like the book was trying to make a statement, a big sweeping thing that was supposed to turn the genre on its head...but all that happened was it gog more convoluted. I still have no idea who kevin is, why he was important, or what the deal was with the evil!6th doctor -- who apparently the 7th doctor murdered? Or something?? Now, I'll admit that I've never watched a 6th or 7th doctor tv adventure, and when I read TNA I read them out of order and treat each book as a standalone adventure. Maybe other books explain what was going on, but I seriously doubt it. And that's sad. Because Kevin (whoever the hell he is) raises a valid point -- TNA's 7th doctor does a lot of *terrible* things, to the point where I was right on board with Chris' crisis of faith. Why should the companions keep blindly following the doctor and trusting him implictly when 9/10 times he manipulates and emotionally abuses them for his own purposes, purposes which generally mean more death and distruction all around. In so many ways, this doctor is waaaaay too full of himself and should be taken down a peg. But what's the answer to Chris' crisis of faith? That he's wrong and we need to keep trusting the doctor and not asking questions because, dude, he's the doctor. Of all the companions, only Mel had the balls to refuse to be manipulated and bow out, *Mel*! The companion famous for being really really obnoxious! And considering I've read lungbarrow, I really wish poor Chris had gotten out when he could.
The point to this long rant is that Head Games is what it is --a poorly edited mishmash of half realized ideas. It's the kind of wasted potential that just makes you sad.
The point to this long rant is that Head Games is what it is --a poorly edited mishmash of half realized ideas. It's the kind of wasted potential that just makes you sad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2011
What I like about "Head Games": Steve Lyons' excellent prose, the awesome cover, the twisted use of the Land of Fiction, and the amazing use of Mel...proving that she had far more potential than what was seen on screen in 1986 and 1987.
What bothers me: everything that I love and loathe about the attitude of "The New Adventures" at this time. On one hand, it takes the mickey out of the novel range's cliches, and examines its flaws in much depth. On the other hand, it revels and celebrates those same characteristics...and gives the middle finger to anyone who disagrees.
End result: a completely mental roller-coaster ride -- a novel that is VERY easy to like & appreciate, but VERY hard to love unconditionally.
What bothers me: everything that I love and loathe about the attitude of "The New Adventures" at this time. On one hand, it takes the mickey out of the novel range's cliches, and examines its flaws in much depth. On the other hand, it revels and celebrates those same characteristics...and gives the middle finger to anyone who disagrees.
End result: a completely mental roller-coaster ride -- a novel that is VERY easy to like & appreciate, but VERY hard to love unconditionally.
July 19, 2015
The truly awful cover aside it's not too bad of a book, but it takes the manipulative side of the 7th Doctor a little too far. Or at least the other characters' perception of it. Gee, I got that Mel (who makes a return) is shocked at what became of him after 3 pages, but stating the point over and over again makes it a little heavyhanded.
Anyway, it's not the weakest entry in the series but not the best either.
Anyway, it's not the weakest entry in the series but not the best either.
March 21, 2021
Another fast-paced adventure with the Seventh Doctor and his three companions ... wait, make that five companions ... or should it be six?
In a story where imagination can become an odd sort of distorted reality, the Doctor has to face his evil counterpart (named Dr Who for sake of clarity) and his previous incarnation.
Cheesy comic-book fun blends with darker moments and moral dilemmas.
Some great guest characters add diversity to this enjoyable story.
In a story where imagination can become an odd sort of distorted reality, the Doctor has to face his evil counterpart (named Dr Who for sake of clarity) and his previous incarnation.
Cheesy comic-book fun blends with darker moments and moral dilemmas.
Some great guest characters add diversity to this enjoyable story.
May 3, 2022
I didn't love this in the same way as Toy Soldiers, but it's also a book that gets pretty interestingly meta at times about the nature of Doctor Who and I think it's setting up a lot of stuff that I'm hoping will pay off in later books. My one big qualm is that there are a few elements of Mel's characterisation that jar with my view of her (I don't, for example, think she's the kind of person to call someone a bitch).
November 6, 2022
I'm really not sure what to think about this story, other than it was 'good'. Head Games is one of those rare VNAs in which its value and purpose extends far beyond the novel, and more exists in concept, in what it stands for - ironically like the Land of Fiction in many ways. Lyons is a considerate writer here; I somehow doubt the coincidence is accidental. I more have series of thoughts than a coherent message of the novel, and so:
- The novel feels totally different than its predecessors, The Mind of Fiction and Conundrum. I'm not quite sure that's entirely for the best. In itself, the story is seldom about 'fiction'; Jason and Dr Who are arguably the only consequential features to the story. I understand, however, the limit and risk of doing the same story again. As an author, I could understand why it was potentially more interesting (and limiting for the all-powerful character, thus more freeing) to set the novel in reality - especially considering the grim reality of the Doctor's actions, a vital theme within Head Games, once again leaves bitter ramifications for total strangers. The horror he leaves cannot be escaped by everyone.
- Mel. I think she does her job well, but I'll admit, it was difficult to imagine her the way Lyons wrote her. Not physically, but emotionally - having said that, she completes her purpose well, and offers up a valid commentary on the difference between Who and the VNAs, and their attitudes. My only criticism is that I just can't imagine Mel calling anyone, least of all Ace, a 'bitch'.
- I did enjoy the novel and its characters, but Kat and the Detrios storyline left me cold. However, the novel's perspective is (rightfully) more on the TARDIS team, past and present, and all of them are used well. Chris gets an early chance to shine, and Roz's empathy feels raw and rarer than you'd like to think.
- For me the novel's issues are the overarching meta ideas. I know I've spoilers this, but I think they're things you have to really read to understand, and so I won't discuss them too much. I don't like the discussion of the sixth Doctor's era here, in-universe or out, and I don't like the idea that the seventh Doctor ends the sixth at all. Again, I won't go into the message too deeply, but it leaves me troubled with my own personal disagreements.
Overall, an enjoyable, yet troubling, novel. It's a shame Roz and Chris are still new; the book is in the right place in the 60-book arc the seventh Doctor has across the series, but in-universe Roz and Chris still feel so fresh to the TARDIS and the Doctor's ways, but, in Lyon's defence, he does use this to advantage - I suspect this is the point of the Detrios narrative. I'd be interested to hear Lyons's opinion on the book now. Next up is The Also People, which compliments the themes and consequences of this book nicely.
Tl;dr: Probably a firm 7/10. Enjoyable enough execution of troubling ideas, with a message it certainly manages to get across in an almost concise manner.
- The novel feels totally different than its predecessors, The Mind of Fiction and Conundrum. I'm not quite sure that's entirely for the best. In itself, the story is seldom about 'fiction'; Jason and Dr Who are arguably the only consequential features to the story. I understand, however, the limit and risk of doing the same story again. As an author, I could understand why it was potentially more interesting (and limiting for the all-powerful character, thus more freeing) to set the novel in reality - especially considering the grim reality of the Doctor's actions, a vital theme within Head Games, once again leaves bitter ramifications for total strangers. The horror he leaves cannot be escaped by everyone.
- Mel. I think she does her job well, but I'll admit, it was difficult to imagine her the way Lyons wrote her. Not physically, but emotionally - having said that, she completes her purpose well, and offers up a valid commentary on the difference between Who and the VNAs, and their attitudes. My only criticism is that I just can't imagine Mel calling anyone, least of all Ace, a 'bitch'.
- I did enjoy the novel and its characters, but Kat and the Detrios storyline left me cold. However, the novel's perspective is (rightfully) more on the TARDIS team, past and present, and all of them are used well. Chris gets an early chance to shine, and Roz's empathy feels raw and rarer than you'd like to think.
- For me the novel's issues are the overarching meta ideas. I know I've spoilers this, but I think they're things you have to really read to understand, and so I won't discuss them too much. I don't like the discussion of the sixth Doctor's era here, in-universe or out, and I don't like the idea that the seventh Doctor ends the sixth at all. Again, I won't go into the message too deeply, but it leaves me troubled with my own personal disagreements.
Overall, an enjoyable, yet troubling, novel. It's a shame Roz and Chris are still new; the book is in the right place in the 60-book arc the seventh Doctor has across the series, but in-universe Roz and Chris still feel so fresh to the TARDIS and the Doctor's ways, but, in Lyon's defence, he does use this to advantage - I suspect this is the point of the Detrios narrative. I'd be interested to hear Lyons's opinion on the book now. Next up is The Also People, which compliments the themes and consequences of this book nicely.
Tl;dr: Probably a firm 7/10. Enjoyable enough execution of troubling ideas, with a message it certainly manages to get across in an almost concise manner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2024
The Virgin New Adventures was a range of novels that was written after the cancellation of Doctor Who in 1989. Steve Lyons was one of many Doctor Who writers for this range and he wrote the brilliant 'Conundrum', obviously with the success of such a metaphorical and trippy novel a sequel was in order, but not going to lie I wish he hadn't bothered.
Dr. Who and Jason are fighting injustices across the universe, defeating bad guys, and righting wrongs. But Dr. Who has a mission, he wants to hunt down The Doctor and end his villainy for good. The Doctor must stop his doppelganger from succeeding, but he needs the help of his companions to close the land of fiction for good.
On paper Head Games sounds pretty interesting and exciting, the return of Ace, Mel, and Brigadier Bambera and a sequel to Conundrum that takes the mickey out of the range it's placed in and criticizes it. Unfortunately, this is one novel that really didn't work for me, the criticisms and metaphors provided in this novel are interesting, but nothing worthwhile is actually done with them and the criticisms that are made are eventually thrown away only to use them without a sense of nuisance. This novel is a love letter to the 7th Doctor era, arguably in the worst way possible. It's a messy, contrived, bonkers novel that doesn't come together. The 7th Doctor's character development since Human Nature is undermined, Mel learns to hate The Doctor and the story has too many things going on for its good.
It's a fun read with a few engaging and thoughtful scenes, but these feel few and far between, especially towards the end. The 7th Doctor is my 2nd favorite Doctor (Ncuti being my favorite), but even I struggled to feel much for him, which isn't helped at all when Mel is only in the novel to gasp and criticize his every move and ends up leaving The Tardis hating him.
Overall: It's a novel that wants to be a love letter to the 7th Doctor era, but completely misses the point. 3/10
Dr. Who and Jason are fighting injustices across the universe, defeating bad guys, and righting wrongs. But Dr. Who has a mission, he wants to hunt down The Doctor and end his villainy for good. The Doctor must stop his doppelganger from succeeding, but he needs the help of his companions to close the land of fiction for good.
On paper Head Games sounds pretty interesting and exciting, the return of Ace, Mel, and Brigadier Bambera and a sequel to Conundrum that takes the mickey out of the range it's placed in and criticizes it. Unfortunately, this is one novel that really didn't work for me, the criticisms and metaphors provided in this novel are interesting, but nothing worthwhile is actually done with them and the criticisms that are made are eventually thrown away only to use them without a sense of nuisance. This novel is a love letter to the 7th Doctor era, arguably in the worst way possible. It's a messy, contrived, bonkers novel that doesn't come together. The 7th Doctor's character development since Human Nature is undermined, Mel learns to hate The Doctor and the story has too many things going on for its good.
It's a fun read with a few engaging and thoughtful scenes, but these feel few and far between, especially towards the end. The 7th Doctor is my 2nd favorite Doctor (Ncuti being my favorite), but even I struggled to feel much for him, which isn't helped at all when Mel is only in the novel to gasp and criticize his every move and ends up leaving The Tardis hating him.
Overall: It's a novel that wants to be a love letter to the 7th Doctor era, but completely misses the point. 3/10
July 7, 2020
Another great entry! It almost feels like it shouldn’t work and, okay, it’s not perfect, but it’s still really very good! We get a follow up to Conundrum in the most brilliantly crazy way possible.
On top of this, we get some great exploration for most of the main characters, especially the Doctor, and we even get a chance to revisit some previous characters and how travelling with the Doctor can have a lasting effect on them. It’s also an interesting look at how things have changed for the Doctor since the start of his current incarnation, and even picking up on a concept introduced all the way back in Love and War, in suitably grim (and at one point disturbing) fashion.
Story-wise, it maybe drifts a little at points and - I rarely find myself saying this - could maybe have done with another twenty or so pages just to kind of fill things out a little more, especially in some of the earlier Seven and Mel interactions.
Beyond that though, it’s probably one of the stronger offerings in the NAs overall, and even finds time to throw in a cheeky hint or two at things to come.
On top of this, we get some great exploration for most of the main characters, especially the Doctor, and we even get a chance to revisit some previous characters and how travelling with the Doctor can have a lasting effect on them. It’s also an interesting look at how things have changed for the Doctor since the start of his current incarnation, and even picking up on a concept introduced all the way back in Love and War, in suitably grim (and at one point disturbing) fashion.
Story-wise, it maybe drifts a little at points and - I rarely find myself saying this - could maybe have done with another twenty or so pages just to kind of fill things out a little more, especially in some of the earlier Seven and Mel interactions.
Beyond that though, it’s probably one of the stronger offerings in the NAs overall, and even finds time to throw in a cheeky hint or two at things to come.
June 28, 2021
This is one of the books I found more interesting than enjoyable. The idea behind this is a solid one, of the consequences of The Seventh Doctor's actions beginning to catch up with him. We get pieces from throughout most of his tenure coming together to judge his choices and address his guilt at making them.
A few problems with it though. First of all I wish this happened earlier in the book range, a lot of these things he is being judged for happened much earlier on and almost feels like a throwback by this point. Secondly, Mel does not feel like the Mel we know. It could be said her experiences changed her but many similar events during her time with the Doctor we don't see her act this way, so it feels odd to me. Finally, the plot itself is very uneven, with some parts feeling very slow and others happening way too quickly.
So interesting but not one of my favourites.
A few problems with it though. First of all I wish this happened earlier in the book range, a lot of these things he is being judged for happened much earlier on and almost feels like a throwback by this point. Secondly, Mel does not feel like the Mel we know. It could be said her experiences changed her but many similar events during her time with the Doctor we don't see her act this way, so it feels odd to me. Finally, the plot itself is very uneven, with some parts feeling very slow and others happening way too quickly.
So interesting but not one of my favourites.
March 23, 2025
Probably too dependent on past continuity to be especially accessible to people who haven't at least skimmed the prior New Adventures novels, but if you are up on your continuity it's genuinely excellent, spinning a truly impressive number of plates and still coming up with some semblance of a coherent point by the end. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...
November 12, 2024
This is a very canon heavy novel and honestly functions better as a theoretical examination of the thematic oversights of Classic Who than as a narrative. My girlfriend doesn't really like Doctor Who since, according to her, the stakes are always too high to relate to or enjoy. Reading The New Adventures, I sometimes see her point.
May 28, 2022
6/10 - Elements of this book work well , but as is often the case with New Adventures the story is overly ambitious and ends up being more confusing that it needs to be, a very busy Tardis doesn't help. Although there were some enjoyable and amusing aspects to the book.
October 10, 2021
A roller coaster ride. I need to read Conundrum and then Head Games again (one day) to try and put it to bed... Love the reprise of Mel and Ace (already missing Ace).
Read
October 15, 2023Dnf for now
August 25, 2023
A delicate four stars. This novel will have less resonance for fans now, partly because the new TV series has dealt with many of these same issues but also because at the time this really was tying up a decade of fan debate over the Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy doctors. Lyons is always a fun read though, even if the context has somewhat faded.
July 27, 2013
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2128105.html[return][return]this is the only spinoff novel (as far as I know) which unites Mel with the Seventh Doctor (and Ace as well, along with current regulars, Benny, Chris and Roz), in a slightly surreal tale where the Doctor must deal with his alter ego, Dr Who, emanating somehow from the Land of Fiction and threatening the universe, or at least the planet Earth and another world. It's a sequel to Lyons' earlier Conundrum, and I confess I had forgotten many of the salient plot points so found it a bit confusing in places. But it's interesting to see Lyons' style developing; he is now one of the better Who spinoff writers, and this was published almost two decades ago.
August 15, 2016
One of the better New Adventures with a wicked concept. Offers great insight into both the psyches of 7th Doctor and the 6th Doctor, as well as laying ground for a future confrontation between a forthcoming Doctor and the Valeyard (or even the 6th Doctor). Features a cornucopia of companions; including Benny, Ace, Mel, as well as a cameo for Glitz.
January 21, 2013
Great character work, especially for its insights into Seven's nature, but a really meandering plot and some weirdly bad writing.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews