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Past Doctor Adventures #2
Doctor Who: The Murder Game
The faded glamour of a hotel in space, spinning in an all-but-forgotten orbit round the Earth, is host to some unusual visitors this weekend - including a party that claim to travel in a battered blue police box...
It is the year 2146. Answering a distress call from the dilapidated Hotel Galaxian, the TARDIS crew discover a games enthusiast is using the hotel to host a murder-mystery weekend. But it seems someone from his motley group of guests is taking things a little too seriously.
While the Doctor, Ben and Polly find themselves joining in the shadowplay, it becomes clear that a real-life murderer is stalking the dark, disused corridors of the Galaxian. But worse than this: there's a sinister force waiting silently in space for events to unfold. A terrible secret is hidden on board the Galaxian, and if it is discovered nothing - least of all murder - will ever be the same again. If this is a game, the stakes just got higher.
It is the year 2146. Answering a distress call from the dilapidated Hotel Galaxian, the TARDIS crew discover a games enthusiast is using the hotel to host a murder-mystery weekend. But it seems someone from his motley group of guests is taking things a little too seriously.
While the Doctor, Ben and Polly find themselves joining in the shadowplay, it becomes clear that a real-life murderer is stalking the dark, disused corridors of the Galaxian. But worse than this: there's a sinister force waiting silently in space for events to unfold. A terrible secret is hidden on board the Galaxian, and if it is discovered nothing - least of all murder - will ever be the same again. If this is a game, the stakes just got higher.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
4 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
About the author
Steve Lyons
186 books105 followersSteve Lyons is a science fiction writer, best known for writing television tie-ins of Doctor Who for BBC Books, and previously, Virgin. The earliest of these was Conundrum in 1994, and his most recent was 2005's The Stealers of Dreams. He has also written material for Star Trek tie-ins, as well as original work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 16, 2018
Answering a distress call from the dilapidated Hotel Galaxian, The Doctor, Ben and Polly soon discover that the hotel is hosting a murder-mystery themed weekend. But one of the guest of the guests seem to be taking things a little too seriously.
It’s a great Christie style mystery mixed with Sci-Fi and it surprisingly works.
The Selachians are great villain, they are so memorable that they even reappear later on in the Past Doctor Adventures range.
It’s a great Christie style mystery mixed with Sci-Fi and it surprisingly works.
The Selachians are great villain, they are so memorable that they even reappear later on in the Past Doctor Adventures range.
April 27, 2020
Doctor Who Past Doctor Adventures #2 - The Murder Game
A masterpiece and love letter to the Second Doctor era, and the base under siege formula. Steve Lyons doesn't make it feel formulaic, and it proves the Second Doctor base under siege formula is one of the best Doctor Who classic formula's ever conceived.
This is Agatha Christie crossed with Doctor Who, the first half or section is a murder mystery and slowly blends into the base under siege story featuring the Lyon's creation: The Selachians.
What I find frustrating about some Doctor Who books, is they piss about and not get us into the story from the start. (That's why I love Dean Koontz and Robert McCammon) This is the best Doctor Who novel I've read so far, and the first I rate 10/10. Nightshade has lost Number 1 (being 9.5/10) Lungbarrow changed to 9/10.
The main cast are nailed here. The 2nd Doctor is tricky to do in book format, but I capture his season 04 persona, but also I see his transition and blend to his serious persona which we witness in The Moonbase.
Supporting characters are done well, all interesting and the roles they play. The Selachians are awesome; assertive, don't mess about, and they don't let anybody change their minds. The Doctor tries to reason with them, but they just cut him off. Their actions are their words, The Selachians are a monster you can't manipulate or reason with to beat them, and their history explains their behavior, I very rarely see monsters expanded in that way.
Like I said, 10/10 for The Murder Game. Don't see any problems with it and happy I've finally read it.
A masterpiece and love letter to the Second Doctor era, and the base under siege formula. Steve Lyons doesn't make it feel formulaic, and it proves the Second Doctor base under siege formula is one of the best Doctor Who classic formula's ever conceived.
This is Agatha Christie crossed with Doctor Who, the first half or section is a murder mystery and slowly blends into the base under siege story featuring the Lyon's creation: The Selachians.
What I find frustrating about some Doctor Who books, is they piss about and not get us into the story from the start. (That's why I love Dean Koontz and Robert McCammon) This is the best Doctor Who novel I've read so far, and the first I rate 10/10. Nightshade has lost Number 1 (being 9.5/10) Lungbarrow changed to 9/10.
The main cast are nailed here. The 2nd Doctor is tricky to do in book format, but I capture his season 04 persona, but also I see his transition and blend to his serious persona which we witness in The Moonbase.
Supporting characters are done well, all interesting and the roles they play. The Selachians are awesome; assertive, don't mess about, and they don't let anybody change their minds. The Doctor tries to reason with them, but they just cut him off. Their actions are their words, The Selachians are a monster you can't manipulate or reason with to beat them, and their history explains their behavior, I very rarely see monsters expanded in that way.
Like I said, 10/10 for The Murder Game. Don't see any problems with it and happy I've finally read it.
January 29, 2024
A very traditional (bordering on creaky) adventure for the Second Doctor, Ben and Polly as they contend with a murder mystery game that leads to actual murders, a race of angry aquatic aliens and impending destruction by crashing into the Earth. It builds up an exciting head of steam by the end but this one is all incident and nothing underneath.
2.5
2.5
January 12, 2013
This is two books in one in my opinion. The first 40% is a murder mystery, a classic agatha christie! The other half is sci-if classic doctor who
March 26, 2020
I really wanted to like this story more than I did. The Second Doctor is my absolute favorite doctor and I love Ben and Polly, plus the idea of a murder mystery in space sounds amazing. However, there are some issues with plotting and characterization that kept this from really hitting home with me.
The Good:
-The overall story (enemies, conflict, murder mystery setting) The Selachians are really interesting and this book made me want to know more about them. The murder mystery was fun and added some great humor at the beginning of the story and the mystery weapon turned out to be really original. Overall, great ideas that didn't disappoint.
-Ben's characterization- The author really nailed Ben. There is some great depth and he is always in character. Not a lot of new information here, but solid characterization.
-Ben and Polly's relationship - There are some lovely scenes showing just how much they mean to one another as well as where they are at in figuring out their feelings for each other. Like in most EU materials, Ben has a hopeless crush and Polly has feelings that she thinks are friendship, but to the audience are clearly more than that, and this novel handles their relationship beautifully with a dash of dramatic irony, complex inner conflict, and both textual and subtextual longing.
The Bad:
-The side characters were pretty flat and uninteresting. There were several men with names that started with M and with such little information about them it was easy to get them confused during the first half of the book. The women fell into either "I'm a badass and have no feelings" or "omg someone save me" categories. Most of them seemed like fluff or filler. Mace had his moments of comedic relief, and Terri was interesting, but she wasn't given enough focus to truly develop into the complex character she was clearly meant to be.
-Polly's characterization was...uneven. Sometimes it felt like Polly and other times it was a shallow and generalized version of her. Also, minor note, but clearly this author has clearly never worn a large dress (or he would know how they are surprisingly easy to walk in.)
-The biggest issue I have with this story is that there are multiple scenes where either the villains or heroes do something ridiculous or out of character purely to move the plot forward in a certain direction. It really pulls the reader out of the story and makes it all feel less genuine. Very deus ex machina.
Overall, it's a fun story, and I would recommend it for people who are looking for more Second Doctor stories to read- but maybe don't make it your first one.
The Good:
-The overall story (enemies, conflict, murder mystery setting) The Selachians are really interesting and this book made me want to know more about them. The murder mystery was fun and added some great humor at the beginning of the story and the mystery weapon turned out to be really original. Overall, great ideas that didn't disappoint.
-Ben's characterization- The author really nailed Ben. There is some great depth and he is always in character. Not a lot of new information here, but solid characterization.
-Ben and Polly's relationship - There are some lovely scenes showing just how much they mean to one another as well as where they are at in figuring out their feelings for each other. Like in most EU materials, Ben has a hopeless crush and Polly has feelings that she thinks are friendship, but to the audience are clearly more than that, and this novel handles their relationship beautifully with a dash of dramatic irony, complex inner conflict, and both textual and subtextual longing.
The Bad:
-The side characters were pretty flat and uninteresting. There were several men with names that started with M and with such little information about them it was easy to get them confused during the first half of the book. The women fell into either "I'm a badass and have no feelings" or "omg someone save me" categories. Most of them seemed like fluff or filler. Mace had his moments of comedic relief, and Terri was interesting, but she wasn't given enough focus to truly develop into the complex character she was clearly meant to be.
-Polly's characterization was...uneven. Sometimes it felt like Polly and other times it was a shallow and generalized version of her. Also, minor note, but clearly this author has clearly never worn a large dress (or he would know how they are surprisingly easy to walk in.)
-The biggest issue I have with this story is that there are multiple scenes where either the villains or heroes do something ridiculous or out of character purely to move the plot forward in a certain direction. It really pulls the reader out of the story and makes it all feel less genuine. Very deus ex machina.
Overall, it's a fun story, and I would recommend it for people who are looking for more Second Doctor stories to read- but maybe don't make it your first one.
Read
July 6, 2020FINALLY got round to reading the highly anticipated past doctor adventure by Steve Lyons. After having watched TJ Productions’ review of it I finally chose to get round to reading it and oh boy, it didn’t disappoint!
I can see why there is so much hype surrounding this book. It’s truly fantastic and it’s quite difficult to actually write all of its positives as there are just so many. I’ll start off with the incredible characterisation of the three regulars, The Doctor, Ben and Polly, all of which are just superb and get plenty to do. The main villains of the story, the Selachians are a fantastic creation and are a real threat in the story. The supporting characters are also really well written.
The Murder Game really kicks off when there is an actual Murder within the game and when it does happen, the book suddenly becomes very atmospheric which really helps to drive the story along. The book has such a great sense of unpredictability to it as you really have no idea who’s going to be killed next. I just love how brutal the Selachians are and how strong they can be. They are really a monster you do not want to mess with. In the third act of the book there’s real feeling of impending doom even if you already know that the regulars will be ok in the end. However there are some really intense moments and the story never fails to drag.
A truly fantastic bit of story telling from Lyons. Brilliant characterisation, great monsters, good characters, great setting. Just everything you want from a doctor who novel. If you’re a fan of the second doctor then this will CERTAINLY not disappoint. I simply can’t recommend this book enough. Very much looking forward to reading its sequel, The Final Sanction.
I can see why there is so much hype surrounding this book. It’s truly fantastic and it’s quite difficult to actually write all of its positives as there are just so many. I’ll start off with the incredible characterisation of the three regulars, The Doctor, Ben and Polly, all of which are just superb and get plenty to do. The main villains of the story, the Selachians are a fantastic creation and are a real threat in the story. The supporting characters are also really well written.
The Murder Game really kicks off when there is an actual Murder within the game and when it does happen, the book suddenly becomes very atmospheric which really helps to drive the story along. The book has such a great sense of unpredictability to it as you really have no idea who’s going to be killed next. I just love how brutal the Selachians are and how strong they can be. They are really a monster you do not want to mess with. In the third act of the book there’s real feeling of impending doom even if you already know that the regulars will be ok in the end. However there are some really intense moments and the story never fails to drag.
A truly fantastic bit of story telling from Lyons. Brilliant characterisation, great monsters, good characters, great setting. Just everything you want from a doctor who novel. If you’re a fan of the second doctor then this will CERTAINLY not disappoint. I simply can’t recommend this book enough. Very much looking forward to reading its sequel, The Final Sanction.
January 14, 2013
My main issue with this 2nd Doctor novel is that, once the alien horde arrives, they tend to dumb down the action with their disdain for human "plankton" -- it's a little too B-movie for its own good. Luckily, the portion of the novel leading up to this is taut & interesting, with lots of nice character work, and a rare capturing of not only the Patrick Troughton incarnation of the Doctor, but the unpredictable, moody, season four Troughton. With its surprisingly downbeat ending, and its engaging plot, this turned out to be a novel I enjoyed far more than I thought I would. As a bonus, Steve Lyons would take his Selachian creations and give me far more scope in his next attempt at a 2nd Doctor novel.
January 5, 2015
There's nothing out of the ordinary or spectacular about this run-of-the-mill base-under-siege story by (my favorite DW novelist) Steve Lyons, but it's still quite satisfying. The Second Doctor, Ben, and Polly attend a galactic murder mystery party only to find themselves involved in a twisted web of murder and espionage. A great new alien species is unveiled (the Selachions) and havoc is wreaked extensively. The book has its plot holes, but this can be overlooked for the great bundle of fun that it is.
February 2, 2015
I was tempted to 3-star this one because the plot is more reminiscent of the haphazard episodes of the second incarnation...but it was the thoughtful characterizations and rewarding exploration of the relationship between Ben and Polly that hepped me to go with 4-stars. I like the subtle homage/foreshadowing to the cosmic hobo's penchant for ridiculous drag-costuming, something Polly will get to witness again with even larger guffaws when she ends up in Jacobean-Scotland.
April 12, 2017
There seems to be a strange response among Doctor Who writers. Ask them to create their own alien race and they'll just essentially do the Sontarans crossed with another animal. In this case we get the Selachians, Sontaran Sharks!
Apart from this it is actually quite a fun little novel. The old idea of a murder mystery game with a real murderer and everyone having their own secret agenda works well in the patchwork style of Season 4 and it has a lot of traditional touches.
Apart from this it is actually quite a fun little novel. The old idea of a murder mystery game with a real murderer and everyone having their own secret agenda works well in the patchwork style of Season 4 and it has a lot of traditional touches.
June 11, 2012
Eventful story with a good alien race and a well captured TARDIS team. It doesn't quite feel like a Sixties story and the sheer number of last minute reprieves from death becomes faintly ludicrous. But its entertaining.
March 23, 2021
This was actually a bit of fun, I love it when The Doctor and Co. go forward in time. Lots of evil in this one, evil aliens, evil computers and evil conspirators! Characters are recognisable most of the time and the action runs at a steady pace pretty much throughout. Strap in!
August 20, 2024
What struck me was the murder mystery game at the start, played pn a spaceship. All very Troughton-esque, but the book felt dated. Murder mysteries were all the rage in the 1990s, but had it been written today, I'd imagine Steve Lyons would've set it in an elaborate escape room on a ship.
But this set up a multiple series of threats - from the game to reality as the adventure turned with the arrival of the war-like shark-looking Selachians.
The Selachians are well realised, complete with a background, a rather sad background. We get a typical base-under-siege story which was the trademark of the show at this time.
For me it's a massive step up from the previous Missing Adventures range. It read, breathed, and felt like it could have been on TV as part of season 4.
Overall, 8/10.
Scoring: 0 bad; 1-3 poor; 4-6 average; 7-9 good; 10 excellent.
But this set up a multiple series of threats - from the game to reality as the adventure turned with the arrival of the war-like shark-looking Selachians.
The Selachians are well realised, complete with a background, a rather sad background. We get a typical base-under-siege story which was the trademark of the show at this time.
For me it's a massive step up from the previous Missing Adventures range. It read, breathed, and felt like it could have been on TV as part of season 4.
Overall, 8/10.
Scoring: 0 bad; 1-3 poor; 4-6 average; 7-9 good; 10 excellent.
August 30, 2017
Hmmmm....a tie in novel featuring the second Doctor which featured some promise in the first half as it reads almost like a classic stately home type WHOdunnit but which seems to lose steam in the last section despite some interesting aquatic adversaries who do have promise.
In closing not a bad entry in this series of books but that said far from the strongest ...a fun romp all told which however I felt plodded a little at the end despite an attempt to instil some adventure.
In closing not a bad entry in this series of books but that said far from the strongest ...a fun romp all told which however I felt plodded a little at the end despite an attempt to instil some adventure.
November 7, 2021
Only the second Doctor Who book I've ever read (fan of the show for many years though), and I liked it more than the last. Fast paced and kept you guessing to the end, the mystery part of the book was really well done. I also loved the 2nd Doctor and his companions. I only felt the ending was a bit rushed and a little less satisfying. But all in all, a very nice story and a must read if you're a fan of the show.
August 25, 2018
Murder mystery game on a space station spoiled by a murder, aquatic alien invasion, human greed and lots of me near death moments. Good portrayal of the second Doctor, moreso companions Ben and Polly. Not convinced of the Selachians as a 'monster' alien species.
May 29, 2024
The Doctor answers a call for help on a hotel in space that is hosting a murder mystery game which becomes real.
Steve Lyons does a great job of his portrayal of the 2nd Doctor, Ben, and Polly. He also takes a simple plot at first and fills it with lots of action and peril.
Steve Lyons does a great job of his portrayal of the 2nd Doctor, Ben, and Polly. He also takes a simple plot at first and fills it with lots of action and peril.
October 1, 2019
This is honestly one of my favorite Doctor Who novels that I've read. I will definitely be rereading it again in the future!
I also like the pairing that the author obviously has a soft spot for...
I also like the pairing that the author obviously has a soft spot for...
November 2, 2019
This and other Steve Lyons books reviewed here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com...
June 23, 2023
Couldn’t finish it. Terrible writing despite engaging plot.
August 5, 2023
A pretty decent murder mystery story with some really good villains. Need to get my hands on The Final Sanction.
January 19, 2017
This isn't a bad book, certainly the best of Steve Lyons' Dr Who novels. It's not brilliant and certainly doesn't follow the adage of 'show don't tell' but the story is quite good and the treatment of The Doctor, Ben and Polly is well done. All in all, it's quite good.
February 4, 2011
Now, I should preface this by saying this was the only DW book my school library had. I haven't seen much of Two's arc, and nothing at all of Ben and Polly, but, well, it was there and the cover had adorably frowny Two on it, so I thought what the heck. All this possibly explains why I've given it such a low rating - I had the vague impression the characterisation was good (though is Polly really that annoyingly clingy about Ben in the TV eps?) but obviously I couldn't go 'Yes, he's really nailed aspect X'. The plot was pretty awesome - murder mystery game on an abandoned space station gets interrupted by Actual Murder (and seriously, I'm never going to one of these things - the death rate is terrifyingly high). And aliens, because this is Doctor Who. So that's all fairly backstabby and interesting, and the aliens themselves were pretty well imagined, and the Doctor spends at least half a chapter 'in costume' in a nice red evening dress. But. Trouble is, some of the sentences are quite painfully clunky (I don't remember a single turn of phrase that I thought 'Ooh, I wish I'd written that!' which I usually can find in every book). And Polly, I'm sorry, this may be a perfectly fair representation of her character on TV, in which case my beef is less with Lyons, more with her scriptwriters, but she irritated me no end. 'Oh look, Ben is talking to A Girl. What are these feelings I'm having? They can't be jealousy, they just can't! Oh, I guess I'll just shove Pretty Girl out the way to talk to Ben, but not because I'm jealous or anything.' I felt like Lyons was trying to go for subtle hints of They Like Each Other Really, but ended up dumping in the whole carton. So yeah. It wasn't screamingly bad or anything, just... fairly mediocre.
July 12, 2024
The first half is a kind of Space Hotel murder mystery until things escalate into typical high-octane sci-fi excitement with the first proper appearance of the Selachians. Enjoyable stuff. The Selachians seem to be one of the more successful new additions to come from the Wilderness Years.
May 21, 2010
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1436293.html
Set between The Power of the Daleks and The Highlanders. The Tardis crew land on a low-orbit satellite where a small number of people has assembled for a murder mystery weekend; not all the guests are what they seem, and the game shifts brutally from pretend to reality. Lyons captures Troughton's Doctor well (more on this below), and likewise Polly, but the standout character is Ben, who is given a decent past, present and future, and even (albeit briefly) a love interest. I am always impressed when a writer of Who spinoff fiction succeeds in taking one of the minor canon characters and investing them with more substance, and this is a good example.
Set between The Power of the Daleks and The Highlanders. The Tardis crew land on a low-orbit satellite where a small number of people has assembled for a murder mystery weekend; not all the guests are what they seem, and the game shifts brutally from pretend to reality. Lyons captures Troughton's Doctor well (more on this below), and likewise Polly, but the standout character is Ben, who is given a decent past, present and future, and even (albeit briefly) a love interest. I am always impressed when a writer of Who spinoff fiction succeeds in taking one of the minor canon characters and investing them with more substance, and this is a good example.
December 16, 2008
A decent 'whodunit' set on a space station that falls apart a bit at the end. The new alien bad guys were mildly interesting.
Story has to coast a bit on the strong characterization of the Tardis crew and the fact that there were so few Ben and Polly stories that this one will attract the curious.
Much, As I like Jamie, Ben and Polly were decent companions who have pretty much been forgotten, which is a shame. The focus on them, in this book, builds them up and helps carry the story.
Story has to coast a bit on the strong characterization of the Tardis crew and the fact that there were so few Ben and Polly stories that this one will attract the curious.
Much, As I like Jamie, Ben and Polly were decent companions who have pretty much been forgotten, which is a shame. The focus on them, in this book, builds them up and helps carry the story.
October 28, 2013
It's a little weird, I suppose, writing about the second Doctor particularly, because he has a very specific personality, but it is one that I think is more suited to the screen, where his facial expressions and body language are more distinct, and this author is not exactly perfect at doing these subtle things in writing that would really bring this to life. The story is kind of fun, but could have used with a little paring down.
June 28, 2022
Steve Lyons is one of the better Who novelists. His characters are realistic, and their actions consistent with their attributes. The story to this one is classic Dr. Who: enclosed settings (a hotel in space and a spaceship with a water environment), a small set of characters, a plot revolving around a mystery, the Doctor and friends stumbling into places they should not be. A good read for people who like Who in that classic style.
September 15, 2009
The Second Doctor, Ben & Polly. Between The Power of the Daleks & The Highlanders.
The Murder Game is faithful to the Second Doctor format of the siege scenario, in this case a whodunit roster of characters trapped on the Hotel Galaxian orbiting Earth. Unfortunately, all the supporting characters are very shallow, uninteresting and as contrived as the plot.
The Murder Game is faithful to the Second Doctor format of the siege scenario, in this case a whodunit roster of characters trapped on the Hotel Galaxian orbiting Earth. Unfortunately, all the supporting characters are very shallow, uninteresting and as contrived as the plot.
March 8, 2010
Excellent, high class Doctor Who fiction.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews