Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia: A Definitive Guide to Time and Space

by Gary Russell

Book Overview

The definitive A-Z packed with never seen before photos, concept drawings and special effects artwork this is a must for every fan of the new series Doctor Who. Covering both Christopher Eccelston and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1846072913
• ISBN13: 9781846072918
• Release Date: November 2007
• Publisher: BBC Books
• Length: 191 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.7" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

Great for fans.

I found that this book is a must-read for both die-hard fans of Doctor Who, and people who are new to the series. I am a die-hard fan, and there were things in here that I didn't even know. The pictures are excellent, also.

Dr. Who Info that is great

If you follow Dr. Who the last 3 seasons and like to know more about the characters then this is the book for you. My kids love looking at this and having me remind them of the different characters and such.

A fun and engrossing reference book for "New Who"

I suppose one could use Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia to actually look things up, but really, I think it's more fun to start with the letter A and peruse its entries in order. This ensures that you don't miss any of the goodies within, while providing almost as chaotic a tour of the worlds of Doctor Who as one might get in the TARDIS itself. Take the letter D, for example. Here you learn why Madame de Pompadour was once called Madame d'Etoiles, what newspaper the Absorbaloff was reading when Ursula noticed his alien hands, the name of the beach where Rose said goodbye to the Doctor, the human name of the Slitheen in charge of the North Sea Boating Club, the provenance of the Doctor's claim that Martha was from Freedonia, the name of the Cabinet minister who called Saxon "insane" - and, of course, quite a bit about the words "Doctor" and "Daleks." The above list doesn't cover even half of the D entries found in the book, ranging in length from a sentence to an entire page each. Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia covers the first three seasons of the 2005-present revival of the series, plus the occasional mention of real-world creators of songs, films, etc. that appear in the show. I imagine the book could prove invaluable for the novice Doctor Who fan in learning more about the show's characters and continuity. Even a serious Doctor Who addict such as myself will find nuggets of forgotten or unsuspected detail, such as corporate information gleaned from a reception guest's telephone, or character names that were never actually heard on screen, or simply went by too fast. To keep the book to a manageable length (and possibly for licensing reasons), virtually nothing from the 1963-1989 adventures is mentioned unless it has been referenced in the new series, in which case a few older details are sometimes included. A few entries are misleadingly incomplete as a result. Aside from some awkward or repetitive wording, this is my only quibble with the book. I'm glad I bought it, and will almost certainly buy it again if there is a second edition after more adventures are aired, providing a basis for the not-yet entries author Gary Russell teases in his introduction.

Great for the trivia buff

I loved this book. I read a little at a time when I am in between things. It is great for the current Doctor Who fan or for anyone who would like to get into the show.

a real pleaser

If you are a fan of the Dr.Who series from BBC this armchair edition is something you will find yourself looking at with the "I knew that" as the mysteries unfold. Wonderful gift for the guys at my house!