I hadn’t read any of the classic Doctor Who novels, I’d read a couple of the newer ones, but never really documented them for the blog. But I was craving more travels with the Doctor, so I dug into the first book in The New Doctor Who Adventures, Timewyrm: Genesys.

Author Peel picks up the adventures with the Seventh Doctor and Ace, and launches the book series with a story that sees the Doctor being warned by a holo-recording of his fourth incarnation to beware the Timewyrm before the TARDIS lands them in Mesopotamia, where they find themselves embroiled in a story with Gilgamesh and something masquerading as the goddess Ishtar.

Peel has the voices of the characters down, especially Sylvester McCoy’s take on the Doctor, I could hear the dialogue in my head as Peel guides readers through this adventure, which, as it reaches its climax is just a precursor for what is to come next.

There are some troubling things with nudity and sexuality, considering the ages of some of the characters in the story but the Doctor would remind us that it is the time and it is who we were then, so I took them in stride even if I didn’t like that aspect.

It seems Ishtar is really a vile cybernetic being that is intent on controlling not only the city of Kish that she has taken over, but the entire planet given the opportunity. It will be up to Ace, the Doctor, the warrior-king Gilgamesh, a surviving Neanderthals’, another marooned alien species, a king and a couple of teen girls to save the planet.

But in the process of saving the Earth will the Doctor create the very thing he warned himself about?

This ended up being a very fast-paced and enjoyable adventure, and honestly, it felt just like watching one of the Seventh Doctor’s adventures. It had the pacing, the style, the character interactions, everything you would expect to have from the Doctor and Ace.

It worked like gangbusters. I mean I don’t know why I’m surprised, but perhaps because the first Trek novels when they came along weren’t as solid as they could have been, but right out of the gate this series works.

I read this one just for something to enjoy, but now, I definitely have to see how the rest of the novels play out, or at least the Timewyrm saga. The next book carries on the journey, written by Doctor Who scribe, Terrance Dicks. I’m looking forward to checking out Timewyrm: Exodus.