The Infinity Doctors
Encyclopedia
The Infinity Doctors is a BBC Books
original novel written by Lance Parkin
and based on the long-running British
science fiction television
series Doctor Who
. The book was released to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the series, and features several references to the series' past.
Millions of years later, an unknown version of the Doctor, his friend the Magistrate and star pupil Larna, together with the rest of the Time Lords are preparing to host a peace conference between the Sontarans and the Rutans to end their thousand year war. But behind the scenes a masked figure arranges a kidnapping and robbery in the Doctor's rooms and a strange anomaly appears across the universe, which seemingly has the power to alter the past and future. The epicentre of the effect is a black hole at the end of the universe to which the Doctor and his friends must travel to prevent disaster.
As part of this vein of ambiguity, it is not specified which incarnation of the Doctor
, the main character of the series, is featured. Among the possible explanations for which incarnation of the Doctor is featured include a young First Doctor
who has yet to leave Gallifrey
, a future Doctor past the last known incarnation (at the time the book was written, the Eighth Doctor
was the current incarnation) or the Other
, who may or may not be the Doctor. A scene in which this Doctor sees himself with long hair, that mirrors a scene in Lance Parkin
's latter novel Father Time
where the normal Eighth Doctor
sees himself with short hair in another reality, implies that this incarnation is certainly 'played' by Paul McGann
. Parkin's own guide to Doctor Who chronology, AHistory contains a footnote stating that "fan consensus" places the novel on the reconstructed Gallifrey implied by the end of Parkin's The Gallifrey Chronicles
(that is, between The Gallifrey Chronicles and "Rose").
The book's storyline features Omega
, and includes many events and themes reflecting the two television stories featuring the renegade Time Lord, The Three Doctors and Arc of Infinity
. It also features a character called Hedin, as in Arc of Infinity
and the character of Savar is mentioned in the BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures
novel Seeing I
. The story also provides more information about the character of Patience, who may be the Doctor's wife, who Parkin introduced in the Virgin Missing Adventures
novels Cold Fusion
.
Other continuity references include the character of the Magistrate, who may be the Master
, and the subplot featuring the leaders of the Sontaran
and Rutan
armies ending their centuries long-conflict after being locked in a TARDIS
. There are also references to the fall of Time Lord civilisation which prefigures the novel The Ancestor Cell
and the Time War
of the new series. The Doctor's reaction to a prediction of this event also implies his role in destroying Gallifrey.
BBC Books
BBC Books is an imprint majority owned and managed by Random House. The minority shareholder is BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation...
original novel written by Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who and Emmerdale...
and based on the long-running British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. The book was released to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the series, and features several references to the series' past.
Synopsis
During the Dark Time, the Gallifreyian scientist Omega leaves his wife to travel to the star, which when he causes it to go supernova, will give his people the power to become Lords of Time. But things do not go as planned and Omega is lost inside a black hole.Millions of years later, an unknown version of the Doctor, his friend the Magistrate and star pupil Larna, together with the rest of the Time Lords are preparing to host a peace conference between the Sontarans and the Rutans to end their thousand year war. But behind the scenes a masked figure arranges a kidnapping and robbery in the Doctor's rooms and a strange anomaly appears across the universe, which seemingly has the power to alter the past and future. The epicentre of the effect is a black hole at the end of the universe to which the Doctor and his friends must travel to prevent disaster.
Continuity
The book does not fit directly into the ongoing Doctor Who storyline that runs through the TV series and books. It is left to the reader to develop their own ideas how it relates to the series. The story appears to be written to a "what if" premise.As part of this vein of ambiguity, it is not specified which incarnation of the Doctor
Doctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
, the main character of the series, is featured. Among the possible explanations for which incarnation of the Doctor is featured include a young First Doctor
First Doctor
The First Doctor is the initial incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by the actor William Hartnell from 1963 to 1966. Hartnell reprised the role in the tenth anniversary story The Three Doctors in 1973 - albeit in a...
who has yet to leave Gallifrey
Gallifrey
Gallifrey is a fictional planet in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and is the homeworld of the Doctor and the Time Lords...
, a future Doctor past the last known incarnation (at the time the book was written, the Eighth Doctor
Eighth Doctor
The Eighth Doctor is the eighth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Paul McGann...
was the current incarnation) or the Other
Other (Doctor Who)
The Other is a fictional character in the expanded universe of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A legendary figure in Time Lord history, the Other does not appear in the television series itself, but is mentioned several times in the spin-off media based on the...
, who may or may not be the Doctor. A scene in which this Doctor sees himself with long hair, that mirrors a scene in Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who and Emmerdale...
's latter novel Father Time
Father Time
Father Time is usually depicted as an elderly bearded man, somewhat worse for wear, dressed in a robe, carrying a scythe and an hourglass or other timekeeping device...
where the normal Eighth Doctor
Eighth Doctor
The Eighth Doctor is the eighth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Paul McGann...
sees himself with short hair in another reality, implies that this incarnation is certainly 'played' by Paul McGann
Paul McGann
Paul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role...
. Parkin's own guide to Doctor Who chronology, AHistory contains a footnote stating that "fan consensus" places the novel on the reconstructed Gallifrey implied by the end of Parkin's The Gallifrey Chronicles
The Gallifrey Chronicles (2005 novel)
For the John Peel book of the same name, see: The Gallifrey Chronicles The Gallifrey Chronicles is a BBC Books original novel written by Lance Parkin and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
(that is, between The Gallifrey Chronicles and "Rose").
The book's storyline features Omega
Omega (Doctor Who)
Omega is a fictional character from the long-running British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. In the context of the series, Omega is known as one of the founding fathers of the Time Lords of the planet Gallifrey, and is a revered figure in Time Lord history together with the equally...
, and includes many events and themes reflecting the two television stories featuring the renegade Time Lord, The Three Doctors and Arc of Infinity
Arc of Infinity
Arc of Infinity is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 3 January to 12 January 1983...
. It also features a character called Hedin, as in Arc of Infinity
Arc of Infinity
Arc of Infinity is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 3 January to 12 January 1983...
and the character of Savar is mentioned in the BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures
Eighth Doctor Adventures
The Eighth Doctor Adventures are a series of spin off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and published under the BBC Books imprint. 73 books were published overall...
novel Seeing I
Seeing I
Seeing I is an original novel written by Jonathan Blum and Kate Orman and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
. The story also provides more information about the character of Patience, who may be the Doctor's wife, who Parkin introduced in the Virgin Missing Adventures
Virgin Missing Adventures
The Virgin Missing Adventures were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, which had been cancelled in 1989, featuring stories set between televised episodes of the programme. The novels were published from 1994 to 1997, and...
novels Cold Fusion
Cold Fusion (Doctor Who)
Cold Fusion is an original novel written by Lance Parkin and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Fifth Doctor, with Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan, immediately after Castrovalva...
.
Other continuity references include the character of the Magistrate, who may be the Master
Master (Doctor Who)
The Master is a recurring character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a renegade Time Lord and the archenemy of the Doctor....
, and the subplot featuring the leaders of the Sontaran
Sontaran
The Sontarans are a fictional extraterrestrial race of humanoids from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and also seen in spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures. They were created by writer Robert Holmes.-Culture:...
and Rutan
Rutan Host
Rutans are a fictional extraterrestrial race from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. They have been at war with the Sontaran Empire for more than 50,000 years, and this war dominates both cultures to the exclusion of all else...
armies ending their centuries long-conflict after being locked in a TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
. There are also references to the fall of Time Lord civilisation which prefigures the novel The Ancestor Cell
The Ancestor Cell
The Ancestor Cell is a novel by Peter Anghelides and Stephen Cole, based on the science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz Kreiner, Compassion and Romana III- as well as a brief appearance of the Third Doctor in a ghost-like state due to the Faction's...
and the Time War
Time War
Time War can refer to:*Time War , an event in the fictional Doctor Who universe.*Time War, a module in the Nintendo game Meteos.*Time War, a fantasy novel by Lin Carter, published in 1974....
of the new series. The Doctor's reaction to a prediction of this event also implies his role in destroying Gallifrey.