The Time Travellers

Review: First Doctor saves history in new book.

Wouldn't it be refreshing if just for once the TARDIS landed in a parallel Earth that was actually nicer than our own?

The BBC Books range has a fondness for dystopias where the toilets don't flush, the coffee's weak, and there's no such thing as Waitrose.

Simon Guerrier's The Time Travellers is a fine book in this tradition - ruined London, police state, scavengers, and gore - look out for the description of a corpse covered in an undulating fur blanket of rats. Nice.

If you can get past the problem of most parallel world stories (why should we care about new people we meet, as they're not "real" anyway?) you'll find a clever book with an ingenious concept.

Imagine 70s kids-lost-in-time epic TimeSlip crossed with The Time Traveller's Wife (sci fi for chick lit fans) and you'll get somewhere near this story of what happens when a time travel experiment goes very badly wrong.

The original TARDIS crew of the First Doctor, spooky granddaughter and two plucky teachers arrive in Canary Wharf in 2006. The city is deserted, time travellers are popping up everywhere, and the train tracks are crowded with white rabbits.

Guerrier swiftly locks up Ian, Barbara and Susan while the Doctor tries to sort out the mess. The First Doctor shines as a manipulative codger, saving the universe with the minimum of charm.

There's a welcome return of granddaughter Susan's alien nature (not really seen on TV since her first story) - she's impetuous, giggly and patronising. Love her.

Ian and Barbara spend most of the book being captured and escaping - from soldiers, scientists, vagabonds, death squads, traitors, and the South African army. The one thing they can't escape from is their love for each other. Awww.

In the hands of a less skilled author it would be dull, but Guerrier writes a thrilling thriller.

Traditional Doctor Who fans will grin as they realise that the author has done a devil's pact with the show's heritage to produce a daring prequel/sequel/what-if-the-Doctor-never-turned-up? for a later story. While Barbara spends much of the book agonising over whether the Doctor could or should change events, the faithful reader suffers a creeping realisation that, actually, Doctor Who will be required to. But not for a couple of years.

It's a marvellous read, making something new out of parallel realities, and also creating a genuinely interesting Time Travel paradox story - something the original show did all too rarely.

Send us your comment now. We'll publish the best on this page.

Seanii7
Old guy, living in a parallel universe, teaching English to Koreans, miles and timezones from home...I found it perfect! Took me 2 chapters to stop seeing it in B and W.

Chirs
Reading it and loving it!

Yona Lambot
My first Who novel, utterly enjoyable and not a single alien.

Alison L
This is one of the best books in the range - a really super adventure story with lots of real emotional impact. I didn't want it to end, I got so involved in the characters' journeys. I'm a sucker for Ian and Barbara stories, and this is definitely their defining story. Well done, Simon - it's brilliant!

james tallin
a interesting storyline about the doctor saving history but very cool i would read it again anyday

tom byrne
i have read the book and i thought it was brilliant.

Harvey Unwin
An illogical book - for sme reason there is only one timeline in which the Tardis exists but at least three timelines with Ian on Earth. Has little internal sense and as a result falls apart. Has a lovely grim feel thoug

harvey unwin
So far a very intriguing , if a little dry, tome. Guerrier builds the mystery while dropping little hints that will take a proper explanation from the Doctor to resolve. That Edwards gets about doesn't he? Not sure about that cover though, doesn't exactly grab the potential reader's attention does it?

neil Baird
i thought this book was scary, funny, exciting, surprising and had a good plot. 10/10

Paul Tapner
A splendid debut. The original tardis crew are superbly characterised - great to see susan get a chance to be smart! - and the book is both a story that could have worked on TV but also something very broad and deep as well. Nicely subtle continuity references round out an excellent read

L Brown
Please change: "that, actually, Doctor Who will be required to" to "that, actually, the Doctor will be required to". Thanks. Editor adds: Ahh, now, we referred to him as Doctor Who for a very special reason there. You'll work it out when you read the book. We're normally very good about it.

Pigbin
Being a time traveller meself, I was really looking forward to this one. I was inthralled from the moment I picked it up until the moment I put it down. One day I might actually read it!

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