Business Unusual in April

Our sparkling review of Steve Lyons' The Crooked World can now be found here.  Thank you to James of The Doctor Who Podcast for providing a wonderful reading of the opening passage.

Within days (yes, this posting is going up rather late, and I apologize to those of you sitting on the edge of your seats) we will be posting the review of April's selection, which is Business Unusual by Gary Russell.  From the back cover:

A security force with no official identity... a managing director with no name... a sinister creature on guard patrol resembling some kind of hellhound... SeneNet is no ordinary multinational company...

 

The Doctor arrives in Brighton, 1989, traveling alone. He soon discovers his old friend, the Brigadier, has gone missing investigating SeneNet, whose new interactive games console is soon to be released at an absurdly reasonable price. He was last seen at their headquarters — based in the picturesque Ashdown Forest...

Investigating further, the Doctor becomes more and more entangled in a deadly web of intrigue. Together with Mel, a plucky computer programmer from Pease Pottage, the Doctor must overcome the conspiracy of silence, rescue the Brigadier and save the world once again — something that would be a lot easier if he just know where to start...

This novel is of note for a couple of reasons.  First, as you can likely tell from the back cover, it is the first appearance of Mel Bush, whose first meeting with the Doctor was (cleverly) overlooked in the television series.

Second, this is a sequel to the Virgin Missing Adventure The Scales of Injustice, also by Gary Russell.  We talked about Scales way back in Episode 5, so you might like to take a gander at that before you listen to our review of Business Unusual.

Third, this novel, like its prequel, features the return of one of Doctor Who's recurring monsters.  We won't tell you which, but if you go back and read the back cover very, very carefully you'll likely figure it out.

So quick!  Grab Business Unusual and watch this spot for its release within a week or so.  My crystal ball tells me this might be another polarizing episode, but I've been proven wrong in the past.

Fun links:

The Doctor Who Reference Guide (Spoilers abound!)

Our review of The Scales of Injustice

Gary Russell's Wikipedia page 

The Doctor Who Reprint Society 

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Episode 5...Guest Starring the Silurians! Plus, What's in Store for June

Welcome back, Book Clubbers! Summer is pretty much upon us here in DC (Erik here), and nothing says summer like listening to Sean and me waffle on about about Gary Russell's Virgin Missing Adventure The Scales of Injustice. Well, you're in luck--episode 5 is here for your listening delectation. The novel features UNIT, the Third Doctor, Liz Shaw and the Silurians, and our episode is graced by another stellar reading from a guest podcaster: this time Leeson Fischer* of the most excellent Radio Rassilon podcast provides the novel with a voice. This podcast is one giant spoiler for the contents of the novel, so be forewarned.

And now, to end your suspense, I can announce that our June selection is Conundrum (ISBN: 0-426-20408-5), entry #22 from January 1994. This is a Virgin New Adventure by Steve Lyons featuring Ace and Bernice "Benny" Summerfield and a second encounter with the Land of Fiction, last seen in "The Mind Robber."* If you go here, you can read a prelude to the novel written by Lyons originally published in Doctor Who Magazine. From the back cover:

‘Doctor, we’re talking about an old man who used to dress up in a skintight white jump suit and fly around New York catching super-villains. Don’t you think there’s something just a bit unusual about that?'
 
A killer is stalking the streets of the village of Arandale. The victims are found one each day, drained of blood. And if that seems strange, it’s nothing compared to the town’s inhabitants.

The Doctor, Ace and Bernice think they’re investigating a murder mystery. But it’s all much more bizarre than that. And much more dangerous. 

Someone has interfered with the Doctor’s past again, and he’s landed in a place he knows he once destroyed. This time there can be no escape. 


I love "The Mind Robber," so I am totally, totally psyched to see what can be done with the concept of the Land of Fiction in the expanded parameters of a full-length novel. So, find a copy and read along, won't you?


*It's also the fourth book in the "Alternate Universe cycle," a continuing series of the New Adventures, but I don't think that will interfere with our enjoyment of it.

Thanks to everyone who's listening, and let us know what you think! You can send all feedback to dwbcpodcast@gmail.com, leave us a comment here, or catch us on Twitter: @dwbcpodcast, @tardistavern (Sean), or @sjcaustenite (Erik).

Direct download: Episode 5

For more info:
Our comrades at Reprint the Doctor
Wikipedia
Doctor Who Reference Guide 

*This post originally credited the wrong member of the Radio Rassilon duo for the reading. DWBC regrets the error.

Episode 4, and Not a Moment Too Soon...Plus our May Selection

Finally, after several unfortunate delays, we are proud to bring you our April episode! We discuss David Bishop's 5th Doctor Adventure Past Doctor Adventure Empire of Death. We had a lively, if a bit lengthy, discussion on this tale, and I (Erik) sincerely apologize for my heavy breathing and thick voice--I was suffering from serious allergies. On the plus side, That Chip Guy, known to millions around the universe as The Two-Minute Time Lord, was kind enough to provide us a snippet of the book in his sonorous tones. Of course, spoilers lurk within this podcast, so be forewarned.

And now, the moment you've been waiting for: our May selection is... The Scales of Injustice (ISBN: 0-426-20477-8). Yes, indeedy! This is a Virgin Missing Adventure set between "Inferno" and "Terror of the Autons"* featuring the Third Doctor and Liz Shaw's second encounter with the Silurians...or homo reptilia, if you will. Plus, it's written by Gary Russell, so I think we're in for a bit of a treat.

'And what exactly, Doctor Shaw, do you think C19 does with the dead bodies of plastic dummies, reptile men, primordial throwbacks and all their human victims?'

A little boy goes missing; a policewoman begins drawing cave paintings; and the employees at the mysterious Glasshouse are desperate to keep everyone away — the Doctor suspects it's all down to a group of homo reptilia. His assistant, Liz Shaw, has ideas of her own and has teamed up with a journalist to search for people who don't exist.

While the Brigadier has to cope with UNIT funding, the breakdown of his marriage and Geneva's threats to replace him, the Doctor must find the reptiles alone.

And behind it all lies a conspiracy to exploit UNIT's achievements — a conspiracy reaching deep into the heart of the British Government.

I am a big fan of Liz Shaw and the Silurians, so I'm looking forward to diving into this tale. Join us, won't you? We'll release sometime in May.

*It's also set immediately after the VMA The Eye of the Giant, though I have no idea how important it is to know that.

That to everyone who's listening, and let us know what you think! You can send all feedback to dwbcpodcast@gmail.com, leave us a comment here, or catch us on Twitter: @dwbcpodcast, @tardistavern (Sean), or @sjcaustenite (Erik).

Direct download: Episode 4

For more info:
Our Friends over at Reprint the Doctor
Wikipedia
The Doctor Who Reference Guide