Doctor Who: GodEngine

Doctor Who: Virgin New Adventures #51

by Craig Hinton, Peter Elson (Illustrator)

‘We’re on Mars, we’re surrounded by Ice Warriors, and the TARDIS has been destroyed. Business as usual, I suppose.’

Stranded on Mars, the Doctor and Roz team up with a group of colonists on a journey to find much-needed supplies at the North Pole. But when their expedition is joined by a party of Ice Warrior pilgrims, tensions are stretched to breaking point. Meanwhile, Chris finds himself on Pluto’s moon, trapped with a group of desperate scientists in a deadly race against time.

The year is 2157: the Earth has been invaded, and forces are at work on Mars to ensure that the mysterious invaders are successful. Unless the Doctor can solve the riddle of the GodEngine, the entire course of human history will be changed.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Fiction

243 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1996

About the author

Craig Paul Alexander Hinton was a British writer best known for his work on spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who. He also wrote articles for science fiction magazines and was the Coordinator of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society. He taught mathematics in London, where he was found dead in his home on 3 December 2006. The cause of death was given as a heart attack.

Hinton first was known for his articles about science fiction television programmes, including Doctor Who and Star Trek. These brought him to the attention of the editor of Marvel UK's Doctor Who Magazine, who offered him the job of reviewing merchandise for the magazine's Shelf Life section. Whilst writing for the magazine, Hinton had his first novel published. The Crystal Bucephalus was part of Virgin Publishing's Missing Adventures range. The book - which Hinton often jokingly referred to as "The Crystal Bucket" - was originally submitted for Virgin's New Adventures, and 50,000 words of this version were written before the change was made.

This novel was followed by a further Missing Adventure, Millennial Rites in 1995, and then by Hinton's only New Adventure in 1996, GodEngine, which features the Ice Warriors as well as oblique appearances by the Daleks.

Following Virgin's loss of their licence for Doctor Who merchandise, Hinton began submitting proposals to BBC Books. In 2001 they published his novel The Quantum Archangel as part of their BBC Past Doctor Adventures range. This was followed in 2004 by Synthespians™. This had started life as a proposal for the Eighth Doctor before being adapted to a previous Doctor. An image of the television show Dynasty was used on the cover: the cover's creators had arranged for permission to use the copyrighted image, but had neglected to get permission to alter it. At the last minute a replacement cover had to be produced. It is this that appears on the cover.

Hinton's Doctor Who novels often contain references to or explanations of elements of past continuity. He claimed to have been the originator of the term "fanwank", which he applied to his own work.

Hinton continued to work with Virgin, writing pseudonymously under the name Paul C. Alexander for their Idol range. He wrote three books in the range: Chains of Deceit, The Final Restraint and Code of Submission. These titles were a major departure from his science fiction. They explored aspects of his sexuality only suggested in his other works.

Hinton wrote for Big Finish Productions' Audio Adventures. The play Excelis Decays was produced in 2002 for their Doctor Who range and The Lords of Forever in 2005 for their The Tomorrow People range. Hinton also wrote short stories for their short fiction collections.

Outside of the science fiction world Hinton was a noted IT journalist in the UK. He edited magazines in the mid-1990s for VNU Business Publications in London and moved on to ITNetwork.com shortly afterwards.

Reviews

[Xanxa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent story featuring two opposing factions of Ice Warriors, two groups of humans and a Dalek invasion force.

I particularly enjoyed reading about the different sects of Ice Warriors and finding out that they're not all warmongers. Dark secrets from decades ago are revealed and old enmities are resurrected, all against the backdrop of the imminent threat of Dalek invasion.

A risky experiment appears to have destroyed the TARDIS and flung its occupants into hostile territory. They have to make uneasy alliances and find a murderer.

Ultimately, they have to stop the God Engine (a weapon of mass destruction) being completed and used. Many mis-steps and misadventures ensue before the Doctor and his companions are reunited and can get on with the onerous task of stopping the Martians from forging an ill-advised alliance with the Daleks and using the weapon.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5
I didn't...hate this book. But I think it flags a recurring problem I've had with the New Adventures, where I just don't care about enough of the characters to be invested - and along with that (and a few reveals I felt were poorly paced) it pulls a 'the Doctor knew what was going on all along' which had no impact on me both because he spent the entire story so far removed from the forefront, and because it didn't really focus on the other characters' reactions (unlike, say, The Curse of Fenric, where it's effective because the focus is on Ace, and how she feels about him continually doing this). I did find the Ice Warrior stuff reasonably interesting, but I doubt I'll remember this one much in a year's time.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whilst this is not the *Worst* of the Virgin books, as I sometimes see is claimed, it exemplifies the issues with Virgin books when they are bad. A dozen new cliched characters to focus on, inconsistent characterization of the regulars, ridiculous amounts of continuity, long dull sections of angst, hidden bond villain style base, solution in a massive explosion etc.
The one thing that raises it up a bit is that Hinton is a good writer so the prose is solid, in spite of the constant refrain of "I really wish Benny was here."

[John Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Take a drink every time:

* someone reflects how ironic it is that Benny just left before they had an adventure with Ice Warriors in it

*a character is mortally wounded and their killer stands over them reciting a Monologue For Young Actors

Try not to die of liver failure.

[Mikey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love me some Ice Warriors so I was really looking forward to this one, and it really delivers! We get thrown into the action straight away with the Doctor and Roz separated from Chris in the aftermath of the TARDIS falling apart, and straight off we get some really great development and worldbuilding for the 22nd century setting and for the Ice Warriors.

It’s strange after all this time reaching a NA without Benny, and while her departure is definitely felt (by me as well as Chris and Roz) it still gives the Adjudicators a chance to get some more time in the spotlight. Chris gets some great moments, on top of some action sequences we get him pondering over things he’s learned during his time with the Doctor and Benny, including contemplating the Web of Time and Martian rituals. Sadly, he does lapse into thirsting for the latest ‘girl of the week’, which comes across pretty disappointing so soon - literally hours - after bidding farewell to Ishtar Hutchings in Happy Endings.

Roz, meanwhile, really seems to benefit from not having Benny around. She’s thrown in at the deep end and she soon finds herself questioning her faith in the Doctor, which is a really interesting angle to explore, especially at this stage of her run as a companion, but I’m glad it doesn’t seem to be something that will get dragged out too much so we don’t run the risk of things devolving into early post-Deceit Ace territory. At the same time, she also has plenty of opportunity to take charge and use her training and intuition, and a few rather nice moments where she considers how the past year that she’s been with the TARDIS has changed her for the better, confronting some of her past xenophobic attitudes. This is much better than the sudden increased xenophobia that the Doctor’s suddenly got in full display - seriously... didn’t we get past the Ice Warrior xenophobia all the way back in the Pertwee era? - but him being a bit off (besides said xenophobia) is interesting after a run of softer 7.

The human supporting cast are probably the weakest part of this for me. Rachel and McGuire are probably the most interesting of the lot but even then I don’t have much to say about either of them. The Ice Warriors on the other hand are all pretty interesting, and their different dynamics are familiar but also used excellently for developing them in a way that their TV appearances have never quite managed. Getting the chance to see them on their home turf too, many years before Empress of Mars, is also lovely, and the Martian cities and nests are really atmospheric and brilliant settings that I’d love to see more of in future.

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 50 pages felt slow to get through, and I think the sense of near-disjointment sticks with the novel throughout, but not so much as to spoil your enjoyment. It was a decent read afterwards, but the Doctor feels way too frank throughout- the ending seems almost cruel. Not Hinton's best or worst work. Just enjoyable.

[Arthur B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exercise in answering canon questions which didn't really need to be answered. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the best New Adventures novels, 'GodEngine' takes threads of established continuity and weaves them together into a satisfying and enjoyable tapestry. I have no problem with drawing on the rich lore of a long running series to develop the mythos and reward those of us long immersed in the show. If you're new to Dr Who, then obviously don't start here but it's doubtful anyone would pick up number 51 in a series of television tie-ins as their initiation to its backstory.

Hinton takes the potentially contradictory established continuity of both 'Pyramids of Mars' and the numerous Ice Warrior stories, and combines them into an exciting tale which explores themes of war and peace. Throw in a few careful mentions of a certain evil monocular race of invaders (even a cheeky cameo) and the fan in me is suitably impressed.

The prose doesn't always flow as fluidly as perhaps it should but the ideas are all there and stimulating enough to maintain my interest.

[Michael Mills · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting lore, but the story feels very unpolished. There are too many characters, coming in and out, and reaching for grand emotional moments that the reader hasn't got to. Hinton had, and would go on to do, much better.

[Danny Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans consider Craig Hinton a very hit-or-miss Doctor Who writer; they see his work as either terribly ballsy or fanwanky nonsense, the latter being a term he apparently coined. I personally enjoy the man's work. His stuff is outrageous, ballsy and full of continuity references galore, but he has this way about that comes across as imaginative and sometimes even incredibly clever. "GodEngine" is arguably his most disliked novel, but is it as bad as people say it is?

The Tardis has been destroyed. The destruction of the Tardis has separated the Doctor and Roz from Chris across the solar system. The Doctor and Roz help rescue a crew after a crash landing, only to discover one of them has a very xenophobic hatred towards the Ice Warriors. Chris on Pluto's moon is about to come to terms with what it means to alter established history. Meanwhile, underneath Mars and in the ancient cities, a group of Ice Warriors are gathering to make a terrible deal with The Doctor's greatest enemy. The Dalek Invasion of Earth is underway and history is on the brink of collapsing.

Craig Hinton has written a very engaging and fun Doctor Who novel that, for the most part, uses its continuity references to actually benefit the story. It's a story with a lot going on; action, explosions, political tension, xenophobia stemming from trauma, an explanation for why The Daleks wanted to remove the Earth's core, etc.

It's a very underrated Doctor Who novel that despite what some people say actually does something interesting with its characters: Hinton uses a character's xenophobia to highlight just how far Roz has come on her travels in the Tardis, while Chris fully contributes to the story on his own which is a very proud moment for him. It was also interesting to see what 7's like without The Tardis and fully believing for a while the old girl's dead.

My one criticism of this novel is the fact one of its characters doesn't get the comeuppance they deserve. It's hard to explain without spoiling a pivotal plot point, but it's one that left me frustrated.

Overall: A really underrated Doctor Who novel that I got a kick out of. 8/10

[Robert Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

The NA have been hit or miss for me. This was a definite hit.

We have the return of the underutilized Ice Warriors. A great bit of continuity that fits in with the Dalek Invasion of Earth. But the topper is Chris actually being a decent and readable character in this adventure. Normally, he alternately bores or annoys me.

That Hinton's book is fun, continuity conscious, and makes good use of otherwise annoying characters should come as no surprise from the author of The Crystal Bucephalus or Millennial Rites, which made equally good use of characters.

Sad to find the author is passed away and he had so few Doctor Who stories published.

[Mary JL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never trust anyone's ratings but your own (?) I had read several reviews elsewhere that did not rate this book highly---but I thought it was one of the better of the Seventh Doctor's adventures!

Featuring the Seventh Doctor and Roz Forrester stranded on Mars, while their other companion, Chris Cwej, is stranded on Pluto's moon.

I really liked the idea of splitting up roz and Chris so both could show their skills separately. We also have the Doctor's old enemies, the Ice Warriors. A well written story; nice plotting and good characterization. Yes, there were some WHO fan references to earlier adventures, but I enjoy those. I know some people do not.

A very solid 3 star WHO---could not quite give it a four but I considered it. But as hinted at in my first paragraph, the only way to know for sure is read it yourself! I think most WHO fans will really enjoy this one!

[Leela42 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and all its detail. Does some nice things with the 'magic' of the Doctor--everything fits until you later wonder about the difference between Chris and Roz's emergency kits, or the Doctor's familiarity with the Charon project. But the actual text was pretty poor: Clauses often argue, and the word 'but' is used too often. There are sections that seem to have been written in dribs and drabs, each of a different style, pacing, and author maturity. Unsurprisingly the characters are cliched. The text repeatedly indicates there are four members in Chris's party of three. The author never explains why most of the humans keep raging about a war that ended fifty years before they were born--even after another character remarks on the absurdity of it.

[Matthew Kresal · Rating 3 out of 5]

All told, I enjoyed this despite a few cardboard characters and some of the cliches that went with them. I'm rather amused by how much Craig Hinton managed to get the Daleks into the novel without actually putting them into the novel (usually just calling them "the invaders" instead). A bit heavy on the continuity at times but, considering who wrote this, I'm not suprised and it did make some good use of the Ice Warriors and the whole Osirins business from Pyramids Of Mars. A good read, though not one of the better books of the Virgin New Adventures range.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A largely mediocre book that could have been great. The biggest problem was the author's obsessive attention to continuity. In the big picture it was good, since we got elements of The Dalek Invasion of Earth and The Ice Warriors combined, but he kept going down that obsessive windy maze, until he was referencing The Horns of Nimon and other less likely pieces. Though I liked the structure of much of the plot, the writing just wasn't up to it, and so the book overall came across as pretty off-kilter.

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2253926.html[return][return]A really enjoyable Seventh Doctor story, as the Doctor, Chris and Ros appear on twenty-second century Mars in the midst of the Dalek Invasion of Earth, with the politics of Ice Warrior appropriation of left-behind Osirian technology putting all at risk. Simply excellent stuff, missing only Bernice Summerfield for whom this is the world of her expertise.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the definitive work of the 1990s regarding the Ice Warriors -- raising them to a level of equivalence comparable to the Klingons in the "Star Trek" universe. What holds it back is a strangely stiff prose style...something that isn't at all evident in Craig Hinton's other fanwank epics, such as "Millenial Rites" or "The Quantum Archangel". I smell a fishy editorial decision behind the odd tone of this book...

[Bruce Greenwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a terrible book - that would be giving the author too much credit. It's a lazy, dull book with a cop-out ending and a "mystery" so laughably obvious that it had me firmly convinced no decent author would've use it except as a red herring. This author did not use it as a red herring.

[James Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty solid Seventh Doctor adventure, combining together bits of existing Who canon on Mars, with the Dalek Invasion of Earth as a backdrop. Ending could have been better, though. A bit too continuity-obsessed, but I liked it.