The Doctor, Amy, and Rory wind up in London in 2789, just in time to see an android dredged from teh Thames. But how could a model of android that's just been created be almost a thousand years old? And what does its warning to the Doctor mean?

I'm not sure why I originally picked this up since I pretty much swore off reading George Mann after so-so experiences with The Affinity Bridge, The Osiris Ritual, and Ghosts of Manhattan. I think what sold me is that the plot description reminded me of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode where they found Data's severed head in a cave beneath San Francisco.

This Doctor Who novel was actually the best Eleventh Doctor novel I've read so far. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory were portrayed with more accuracy than I've encountered in the past. The supporting characters, Arven the Android and Archibald Angelchrist, an old man with a past of adventuring, did their part more than adequately.

The plot is a pretty good one and could easily have been an Doctor Who episode. While the Doctor goes back to 1910 to investigate, Rory and Amy stay put in 2789 to check on Professor Gradius, a scientist conducting time travel experiments, only to run into trouble on their own. There's some timey-whimey and the two plotlines converge, complete with running away and the Doctor saving the day.

The threat, the Squall, are a bat species of hive-minded aliens who invade the two points in time via a rift created by Gradius' experiments. Even though I knew all the main characters would survive, things got pretty tense a few times. The Doctor wrapped things up nicely and the epilogue was pretty fitting.

For once, everything is fish fingers and custard. This is probably as close to a 4 that I'll ever give a Doctor Who novel.2013 doctor-who sf33 s Ken2,306 1,345

Similar to Doctor Who: The Way Through the Woods as this Eleventh Doctor story is set over two time periods.
As The Doctor travels back to 1910, whilst Amy and Rory stay in London 2789 after an ancient android is dredged from the Thames.

The sections set in the past are the strongest in this novel, I really d the interaction between The Doctor and Professor Angelchrist.
I wanted to rush over the Amy and Rory scenes to get back to the past!

The Squall are a great alien that really added jeopardy to the story, whilst the Timey-Wimey events are tied up neatly.
Not quite as strong as McCormack’s novel from the previous batch of NSA’s, but plenty of continuity Easter Eggs that fans will enjoy.22 s Lauren Stoolfire3,961 277

This is a quick, but fun little Doctor Who story set in series six. I definitely preferred the second half of it, compared to the beginning. I also think that it could have made a cool tv episode. Mann does a good job of making Amy, Rory, and The Doctor come alive in the story and I enjoyed how the story is put together, even though sometimes things got a bit obvious. My main issue with this particular story is that the pace is all over the place. Either way, if you're a fan of the television series, you may definitely want to try this story set during the sixth series of New Who.

adventure media-tie-in sci-fi12 s F.R.Author 32 books207

I’m really going to have to take a step back and think about what it is I want from a book that’s set within a well-established era of ‘Doctor Who’. By well-established era, I mean a period of the show that has a beginning, a middle and an end (as opposed to the McCoy and McGann parts, both of which now do have endings, but there are still huge gaps one could drive the Number 22 to Putney Common through). Books set in an established era of the TV show can’t just drop companions, or have the Doctor lose an arm, or marry a Sontaran. Basically they can’t push the envelope until it nearly tears with an almighty rip. They can’t be as ambitious as their lost era counterparts, they have to stay true to the version of the TV series which exists around them, but still give us a sharp and well written tale of jeopardy, peril and adventure. Admittedly that template of jeopardy, peril and adventure is a large one with masses of possibilities, but all these books are still writing essentially the same story. And it’s a story that has to end pretty much where it began so it can’t jeopardise future events on the TV show.

So, since they’re all following the same pattern, why is it I vastly prefer some of these tales to others? Is it simply the case that some are better written and more expertly plotted than others, and so of course are going to provide a better reading experience? Or is it that some books find a better way to connect with their era and with the whole of Doctor Who itself, thus providing a much richer reading experience? Or is it something else altogether?

I recent weeks I’ve Stephen Baxter’s ‘The Wheel of Ice’, Jonathan Morris’s ‘Festival of Death’, Gary Russell’s ‘Beautiful Chaos’ and now George Mann’s ‘Paradox Lost’.

So what did I think?

‘The Wheel in Ice’ was an excellent read which stayed true to the Troughton era, whilst also pushing it to its limit and answering criticisms of it.

‘Festival of Death’ was a tricksy time travel tale which made the most of its cleverness and wit, even if that cleverness became a bit wearing as the book went on. It was a good novel though, if overlong.

Both those books were written after the era of ‘Doctor Who’ in which they’re set (Troughton and Tom Baker) were over and there was an established end in sight that they could play up to if they wanted. The latter two books though were spin-offs of a version of the TV shows that was at the time still running.

‘Beautiful Chaos’ is a relic of the Tennant era and I found it a bit meandering and sadly lacking in any sharp prose. It featured a return monster of the Tom Baker era and just built the story around that, but largely failed due to its slack pace and constant digressions. I remember the chapter where the Doctor and companions are forced to walk across London being particularly tedious.

‘Paradox Lost’ though, from the Matt Smith era, is fantastic.

Arriving in the 29th century The Doctor, Amy and Rory are just in time to see a metallic man fished out of the river by a team of archaeologists. This metallic man is new technology in the 29th century, and yet seems to have been in the water for nearly a thousand years. Our heroes are forced to dash back to 1910, where The Doctor elicits the help of the unly named Professor Angelchrist and they find themselves in conflict with the terrifying Squall: inter-dimensional parasites who have crawled through a hole in time and are intent of sucking the minds of every human being, but in particular of the last Time Lord.

I the subtle and clever way this book nods towards ‘Doctor Who’ past. The futuristic archaeologist they meet in the 29th century echoes Bernice Summerfield, in her arch befuddlement at these new arrivals (although she turns out to be a minor character). More important to the book is Professor AngelChrist, now retired, who used to fight Alien invaders in the Victorian/Edwardian age and is clearly an earlier version of the Third Doctor. He works for the secret service rather than UNIT (as UNIT wouldn’t exist yet), but it’s clear that the British have always had that kind of scientific adviser and The Doctor would eventually (or in the past for him) take that job. Angelchrist even has a vintage Edwardian roadster (although it obviously wouldn’t have been a vintage Edwardian roadster in 1910) which leads to a nice Bessie reference. In addition the kind of Holmes/Watson relationship the two form is hugely reminiscent of the kind of relationship he formed with Professor Jago in ‘The Talons of Weng Chiang’. Nothing is overtly stated, but the allusions are there to treat long term fans.

What makes one of these stories work then – and it’s obviously staring me in the face – is of course good writing, a sense of pace, an understanding of character motivation and meaningful jeopardy. All the things that make all good books work, in fact.

But more than that, when writing one of these ‘Doctor Who’ novels it isn’t simply the case that one can just drop an allusion to the past of the programme into the text, or even bring back an old villain. (Anyone can write for The Master, after all.) But it’s when the writer does put that allusion in, or does bring some old moth-balled villain back, that the writer then has the smarts to do something interesting with it. That’s when it becomes a good book, that’s when it becomes a thoroughly entertaining book, that’s when it becomes a book fans (as well as non-fans) can truly appreciate.

Spin-off novels of TV series/films are always going to be of a minority and highly geeky interest, but there is some damned entertaining stuff here and so I’m glad I’ve started to mine this seam.5 s Elizabeth (Miss Eliza)2,406 159

Rory, Amy and The Doctor have once again ended up where they didn't intend to go. They have landed in London in 2789, not the Rambalian Cluster. There there is a team dragging a thousand year old automaton out of the Thames. An automaton that recognizes The Doctor and gives him a warning that The Squall, a dangerous race of monsters that feed off psychic energy and destroy whole planets, are coming. Using his sonic screwdriver, The Doctor finds that he must go back to 1910 to fend off the invasion of The Squall. But seeing as the tear in time needed to bring about the Earth's destruction has two ends, he sends Amy and Rory to look for a Proffesor Gradius, who started the damage here in 2789.

Working the case from both ends Rory and Amy get the help of Professor Gradius's assistant, an automaton that Amy affectionately names Arven, while The Doctor teams up with the only man in Edwardian London who seems concerned about the rash of recent unexplained deaths, a Professor Angelchrist. Their timelines going the consistency of noodle soup, one might wonder if all this wouldn't have happened if they had left well enough alone. But The Doctor and Amy aren't ones to let mysteries remain unsolved and monsters left undefeated.

Now I'm not saying I'm the biggest Doctor Who fan out there. I mean, I haven't watched every single episode, after all some episodes are lost.... But besides all the DVD sets and VHS tapes, posters, gadgets, and scarves, I do have several bookshelves filled to capacity just with Doctor Who books to give you an idea of how my addiction has spread over the years. You can see my old Tom Baker paperbacks sharing shelf space with the newer line of books with the 9th, 10th, and 11th Doctor, as well as some Torchwood books thrown in for good measure. There's also the infamous set of books released for the fiftieth anniversary last year. Why infamous? Because while they look darn pretty sitting there on my shelf, some of the books selected are pure dreck. Taking all eleven doctors, the average star rating was less then 2.5. The psychic toll it took on me to actually finish those books was painful and almost made me not want to pick up another Doctor Who book ever again.

Needless to say the experiment of last year has left me with one clear talent, and that's to distinguish a good Doctor Who book. You read enough of the bad you get to know the good, and Paradox Lost is good. One clear reason it works is that George understands the show. While he does little things that make a fangirl sqwee, referencing past regenerations and putting in the "in" jokes, it's the bigger things he really nails. Meaning George gets the characters voices as depicted by the actors. It's not just that I am allowing a certain suspension of disbelief in order to enjoy the book, oh no, while you are reading it you can see the action unfolding before you just as if it was an actual episode. There is Amy Pond, there is Rory, and there is 11, Matt Smith in all his goofy glory. George nailed these characters! The dialogue, the description of their actions, the book whizzed by as fast as if it was a forty minute episode instead of a two-hundred page book.

What really makes the story work though is that George uses Rory as our entre into the action. If in recent years there is one companion who is universally loved and who everyone wanted to stay, it has to be Rory, hands down. I spent much time thinking of ways in how the show could just ditch Amy and have Rory be the main companion. Alas, that wasn't to be. But because Rory is so loved and relatable he makes the perfect conduit for us, the readers. By seeing the action of the story through his eyes we become a part of the story in a way that I don't think the show is ever able to do.

We see Rory's world, Amy and The Doctor, in a clearer way that totally just expands on what we know from the show. Plus, un Amy and The Doctor, Rory actually is more of an everyman, he has fears, he has loves, and danger and daring do aren't just a way to spend the afternoon! George counters Rory's POV with that of Angelchrist. Thus balancing the more knowledgeable with the more naive. Angelchrist is the character to relate to if you knew nothing about Doctor Who. He's there to ask the questions that the trio wouldn't ask as well as to be the link to the current time period, aka 1910. The switching between the two makes the story stay fresh but also provides different insights, resulting in a well balanced book.

But as I have been working my way through George's oeuvre, I can not forget to mention that yes, indeed, this book ties into his greater universe. Angelchrist himself has shown up in the Newbury and Hobbes books as well as the short stories. In fact in the short stories there are a few nudges and winks to this very book and the adventures that Angelchrist shared with The Doctor. Not to mention a certain Arven.... But what I really d was a subtler reference, the blink and you miss it because it's only mentioned twice.... What you might be saying is this reference? It's a reference to where Arven was made... a certain company that may have been up to some truly nasty things with an "Affinty Bridge." Yes George's work stands on it's own. Yes you will enjoy it whatever you pick up, but for the fans in it for the long haul... well, there's just so much more to find! George knows how to thank his long suffering fans (I mean seriously, get me The Revenant Express now, it's painful waiting).authors_i_have_met doctor_who_50th sci-fi_fantasy ...more2 s Dark-Draco2,226 41

A quick read and a good adventure get involved in. The creatures are suitably evil (the blood running from their victim's eyes is a nice touch) and the author doesn't give them any 'nice' qualities at all or tries to justify what they are doing, which I kind of . I prefer my baddies really bad. Not earth-shattering, but a good read nonetheless.dr-who science-fiction tv-tie-in2 s Kribu510 55

Hmm. Not bad. Not outstanding either, but a pretty enjoyable tie-in book - one that I could easily see working as an actual Doctor Who episode (apart from me having given up on actual Doctor Who episodes with Eleven so in this sense, this was a lot better).

Anyway, the TARDIS team - albeit it was pretty much the Doctor going off doing his own thing and Amy & Rory being left to cope on their own - worked fairly well, the plot about a bunch of feasting-on-minds aliens trying to take over Earth was serviceable if not strikingly original, the pacing was fine and I d both of the supporting original characters, Professor Archibald and Arven the artificial man, quite a bit.

So, all in all a rather nice read.

(Except that I rather wish they'd have said "a thousand years" a little less often. And especially not "more than a thousand years". For a period ranging from 1910 to 2789. I am not exactly a mathematician, but I am pretty sure there isn't "more than a thousand years" between 1910 and 2789. :-/)action adventure aliens ...more2 s Sean KennedyAuthor 62 books984

This is an entertaining story, but one that is let down by the quality of writing which at times is a bit Dick and Dora-ish and clunky (with lines "Rory looked at Amy. He couldn't believe she married him. He was the luckiest man in the world.")

What makes this story work are the characters that The Doctor, Rory and Amy meet. For once there is a truly happy ending, and it was nice to see, especially after a middle section which lags and becomes a bit boring.2 s Abi Pellinor584 65

This is the third and final Doctor Who book in the little collection that my mum bought me, and I enjoyed Paradox Lost by George Mann too!

This story follows The Doctor, Amy and Rory travelling from 2789 back to 1910. Not by any choice. Something had sent them back, and now it was hunting them. They end up split up, because of course they did, and having to work separately to figure out what was going on and solve a mystery which spans over a thousand years.

On CAWPILE I gave this book: Characters: 9, Atmosphere: 8, Writing: 7, Plot: 7, Intrigue: 8, Logic: 8, Enjoyment: 8 giving a score of 7.86 which is a solid 4 star read.

This was enjoyable, and I am convinced now that these books are just as good as an actual Doctor Who episode! I think I'm going to have to dive into the backlog for more of these Who books because they're so much fun!own1 Allen114

It's a good Doctor Who adventure which is pretty faced paced, the enemy of this story is rather interesting and the whole paradoxical elements to it, but I kinda wish there is more of it. 1 Eleanore June615 31 Read

I just discovered Dr Who novels and while it's not great, it is comfortable and quick.1 Mark125

Probably the best Doctor Who novel that I have read in quite a while. The main charcters personalities and charcteristics were very similar to the TV counterparts they are based on. So it was very easy to picture the Doctor, Amy and Rory charcaters in the situations and dialogues in this book. The storyline was not the most intriguing and a little predictable in places. But it was still a very nice smooth quick read. A lot more research seemed to have gone into this book in respect of the TV show it's based on compared to some of the other Doctor Who novels I've read so it was easy to imagine this book fitting nicely into the canon of the TV show. The only flaws (and they're very minor ones) was that the plot was quite predictablein places so there weren't many twists going on and the paradox that the title of the book refers too wasn't mentioned much other that just a passing reference. But in all a very well written book from an author who clearly watches the show un some of the other authors of Doctor Who books. The only thing that bothered me a little was that one of the charcters in this book has had experiences with aliens before through his previous work with Scotland Yard and the Secret Service. As this book was set in 1910 I kept expecting it to turn out that he'd worked for Torchwood as we know from the show that that institution was up and running around this time. But it appears he did just work for Scotland Yard and the Secret Service. Not that it's a major flaw in the book it's just something I thought would have been good to fit it in with the canon of the show a little more. doctor-who1 Natalie680 2

This was a wonderfully surprising 11th Doctor installment of the continuing series. The story takes place simultaneously in the the early 20th century and the late 28th century, centering on a psychic feeding race called the Squall that live outside of time. Amy and Rory are in character and capable as always, assisting the Doctor from across time. The Doctor gets help from an unly source- a ex-cop from London who has a history of dealing with creatures and other questionable cases named Professor Angelchrist. The situation and character are reminiscent of The Talons of Weng Chiang from Tom Baker's era. Amy and Rory are helped by an AI robot she names Arvin. As most of these future-past stories go, everything is connected and has been always as it will be. It's comforting to see narratives wrapped up this way, and I love how the Doctor was able to include the Professor and Arvin in the conclusion.
This is an interesting, fun timey-wimey little story, and a good place for anyone to enter the world of Doctor Who novels.doctor-who time-travel1 Rebecca SG52 1 follower

One of the better Doctor Who tie-in books I've read lately, Paradox Lost is an interesting romp through timey-wimey stuff with dangerous killer aliens snapping at your heels. The TARDIS responds to a distress call, dragging the Doctor, Amy and Rory to a future London where an old, damaged AI is being dragged out of the Thames. The AI has a message for the Doctor from 1917, where he's met the Doctor before...

I d the way the pieces of this story fit together, even if some parts were painfully obvious (such as WHO caused the rift in the first place ¬_¬). I d the new characters for the duration of the story, and so help me, I sort of ship Arven/Angelchrist. I know, I know, what is WRONG with me.sci-fi tv-spinoff1 Jono McDermott172 17

A clever and engaging story, with the lovely outsider P.O.V. narrative of the Doctor that makes stories about the Doctor so enjoyable. Also, what brilliant monsters!1 Melenia2,556 6

Great read! Completely copacetic with the show. Loved it!doctor-who kindle1 Ian1,034 3

An Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) adventure featuring his companions Amy and Rory.
The TARDIS is pulled off course and lands in London in the year 2789. There the Doctor learns that a parasitic extra-dimensional race called the Squall have begun invading London in 1910. He sets off to confront the Squall whilst Amy and Rory try to put a stop to the dangerous time travel experiment which caused the invasion in the first place.

Whilst it could be said that this isn't a particularly innovative Who novel, I have to say that it is a very solid Who story. This is the sort of story which would've played out very well onscreen and makes for a perfectly enjoyable adventure for the TARDIS travellers in prose format.
The three main characters are portrayed perfectly (and kudos to Mann for not just making Rory the third wheel, some authors have) and we're introduced to some interesting new characters in Professor Angelchrist and Arven, both of whom you genuinely develop an affection for despite them being one-time appearances.
Mann also does a solid job of building the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey paradoxical nature of time travel into his plots in a way that would earn Steven Moffat's approval.

Honestly, the only negative thing in this otherwise enjoyable book is the Squall themselves.
Their description is entirely generic (they're basically gargoyles), their motivation is fairly uninspired and the detail of their invasion is so similar to ideas that have appeared before that even the Doctor himself comments on it, noting the time he drove a double-decker bus through a rift in space to foil an invasion of locus- proportions (see David Tennant's episode 'Planet of the Dead').

* More here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com/ *sci-fi Alice Dillon46

2.5 stars

It took me quite a long time to get through this book. Despite its interesting premise involving creatures that come through cracks in time (I guess the Reapers were too destructive for Mann's purposes), the story fell a little flat and the writing even seemed childish at times, clunky and unoriginal. There were two good supporting characters, the AI Arven and the retired old professor Angelchrist, which is quite a name, but these weren’t really enough to lift the story. The Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory were true to character, which unfortunately meant I found them just as annoying as in the television series. I really should have learned by now that I rarely enjoy stories from their era, but I optimistically keep trying to no avail. The story itself almost exclusively involved the characters running around London (future and past) away from the threat until they find a solution. The climax was acceptable, though there was a diversion that shouldn’t have worked given something that was established earlier in the book and a bit of a deus ex machina. *spoilers* Moffat’s favourite ‘everybody lives’ rule also comes into play, because god forbid that stories end up having consequences for characters. *end spoilers*

One good element was the gratifying time paradox of the title. Not much time (ha) is spent on it, but it was an enjoyable moment nonetheless. The psychic abilities of the Squall also added an extra element of jeopardy, but this is mostly lost as George Mann seems to forget this later on in the novel.

Although parts of it were enjoyable and I found myself getting into it more as the book drew to a close, this is a very average Doctor Who story, even sub-par, and there are many far better ones you could spend your time reading (I recommend Human Nature, for one).

David Robert Bloomer165 1 follower

I enjoyed this period of Doctor Who and finding a book from then on my shelf, I thought I'd revisit it.
It feels just a story from then. An odd comment, as it was but some books try to be more than the show or just tack the characters to an otherwise generic sci-fi plot. This doesn't feel that way at all. The main trio are here solving a complex but very well written invasion of dimensional monsters. An another character is added which helps with the narrative. Professor Angelchrist is there for us. With Amy and Rory having quite a knowledge of the Doctors world, we have the Prof as us in the story. A great character he is too. Not just a plot device but a well rounded and we'll devised character.

The plot is fast paced and goes at a great speed. It doesn't ever feel it's getting bogged down in padding, everything fits in without slowing it down. I'd recommend this to any Who fans, of any era. It's even a decent sci-fi story without knowing all about Doctor Who. A fantastic book. Karen Ford267 1 follower

A distress signal homes the TARDIS to London in the year 2789, where the recovery of the remains of an android puts the Doctor, Amy and Rory in the middle of an invasion of psychic-harvesting creatures from another dimension. They discover that the Squall have invaded Earth on two fronts, in both 2789 and 1910. With the help of some unly allies, they must find a way to stop the Squall or face possibly the destruction of the entire universe.

Overall, this is a great entry in the world of the Doctor, with the time paradox explained well yet entertaining as he and his companions have dialogue and a story that wouldn't be out of place for an episode of the Matt Smith era. No spoilers here, but just a recommendation for this to go in any fan's library of Doctor Who novels. faith192 2

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The thing I love about these books is it gives you the thing you wish you had more of, time. Getting to see more of your favourite Doctor and Companion(s) in new adventures - even if they aren’t on screen.

When reading these books it’s watching an episode, I read what the characters say in their voice and I can imagine the Doctor marvelling over a top hat, they truly do come to life even if it’s just your imagination, it feels they were truly episodes.

I absolutely loved how we saw a lot of Rory and his thoughts throughout Paradox Lost, normally it’s more focused on the Doctor and Amy but it felt nice to have an adventure that was more Rory centric which is something I wished we saw in a TV episode.

One thing I thought the book done well was remind us of how dangerous the Doctor can be, quite a few times with Angelchrist’s chapters I found myself being reminded of Vampires in Venice when Rory told the Doctor he was dangerous and made people dangerous. We see the Doctor through a new pair of eyes and how easy it is for someone to just follow the Doctor despite all the danger and how easy it is to get caught up with him and to follow him.

I’m glad I picked this one up. John Parungao377 1 follower

The title kind of says it all. It's one of those entertaining time travel stories that you might need a flow chart to understand. Despite this I found it both fast paced and entertaining and enjoyed both of the supporting characters Professor Angelchrist and the android Arven.
I also enjoyed the various timey-wimey twists in the plot that come with a good complex time travel story this one.read-dr-who Rachelle431 5

One of the better Doctor Who books I’ve read in a while. Love reading about future Earths.

It’s funny, I listened to the audiobook, and this is the second time I’ve heard a reader give the 11th Doctor a 10th Doctor voice. It was sometimes a bit anachronistic, but not bad, necessarily. Just kind of funny. He’d emphasize syllables and words the way 10 does. Ayla Harper36

Quite enjoyed this Eleventh Doctor adventure. It was one of the few Eleventh Doctor ones I haven't read yet and found it quite fun. I love how George Mann got the characters just right which I think is difficult when you see the same characters on TV. I could see this being a televised adventure especially with Amy & Rory. Grey30

This book was brilliant from start to finish. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory were great. Even the new characters, Arvin and Anglechrist, were awesome. I would love to see a follow up to this book with them teaming up with the Doctor again. Lola Marguerita64 48

Interesting character in Professor Angelchrist - reminds me of Eustacius Jericho in the current series. Also makes me wonder why we don't see AI as a regular character in the new series. Well written story with lots of twists and turns.doctor-who Jamie (TheRebelliousReader)4,192 31

3 stars. This was a fun and quick read. The only reason it’s not getting higher than three stars from me is because I think some of the plot elements was handled sloppily. But the writing was good and the characters were fun and lovable. Just a quick adventure with The Doctor, Amy, and Rory. 2023 3-stars adult ...more John Spigner26

One of the best Doctor Who novels I have read. It felt an episode of the show! The dynamic between the Ponds and the Doctor was just right, and the supporting characters of the novel were a lot of fun! The Squall was also a fun villain to outwit. Heydi Smith2,909 7

I really enjoyed this story. It had great flow and wonderful wit. adult mystery scifi-fantasy K1,018 4

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