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Doctor Who: Virgin New Adventures #28
Doctor Who: Blood Harvest
'Doc's peddling bootleg liquor in an illegal speakeasy. You’re carrying a gun for him, Ace - which makes you no better than any other gun-moll.'
Dekker is a private eye; an honest one. But when Al Capone hires him to investigate a new joint called ‘Doc’s’, he knows this is one job he can’t refuse. And just why are the Doctor and Ace selling illegal booze in a town full of murderous gangsters?
Meanwhile, Bernice has been abandoned on a vampire-infested planet outside normal space. There she meets a mysterious stranger called Romanadvoratrelundar -- and discovers an ancient and malevolent power, linking 1929 Chicago with a lair of immortal evil.
The consequences of this story are inextricably linked to events in the Doctor’s past.
Dekker is a private eye; an honest one. But when Al Capone hires him to investigate a new joint called ‘Doc’s’, he knows this is one job he can’t refuse. And just why are the Doctor and Ace selling illegal booze in a town full of murderous gangsters?
Meanwhile, Bernice has been abandoned on a vampire-infested planet outside normal space. There she meets a mysterious stranger called Romanadvoratrelundar -- and discovers an ancient and malevolent power, linking 1929 Chicago with a lair of immortal evil.
The consequences of this story are inextricably linked to events in the Doctor’s past.
288 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 1994
1 person is currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
Terrance Dicks
326 books219 followersTerrance Dicks was an English author, screenwriter, script editor, and producer best known for his extensive contributions to Doctor Who. Serving as the show's script editor from 1968 to 1974, he helped shape many core elements of the series, including the concept of regeneration, the development of the Time Lords, and the naming of the Doctor’s home planet, Gallifrey. His tenure coincided with major thematic expansions, and he worked closely with producer Barry Letts to bring a socially aware tone to the show. Dicks later wrote several Doctor Who serials, including Robot, Horror of Fang Rock, and The Five Doctors, the 20th-anniversary special.
In parallel with his television work, Dicks became one of the most prolific writers of Doctor Who novelisations for Target Books, authoring over 60 titles and serving as the de facto editor of the range. These adaptations introduced a generation of young readers to the franchise. Beyond Doctor Who, he also wrote original novels, including children’s horror and adventure series such as The Baker Street Irregulars, Star Quest, and The Adventures of Goliath.
Dicks also worked on other television programmes including The Avengers, Moonbase 3, and various BBC literary adaptations. His later work included audio dramas and novels tied to Doctor Who. Widely respected for his clarity, imagination, and dedication to storytelling, he remained a central figure in Doctor Who fandom until his death in 2019, leaving behind a vast legacy in television and children's literature.
In parallel with his television work, Dicks became one of the most prolific writers of Doctor Who novelisations for Target Books, authoring over 60 titles and serving as the de facto editor of the range. These adaptations introduced a generation of young readers to the franchise. Beyond Doctor Who, he also wrote original novels, including children’s horror and adventure series such as The Baker Street Irregulars, Star Quest, and The Adventures of Goliath.
Dicks also worked on other television programmes including The Avengers, Moonbase 3, and various BBC literary adaptations. His later work included audio dramas and novels tied to Doctor Who. Widely respected for his clarity, imagination, and dedication to storytelling, he remained a central figure in Doctor Who fandom until his death in 2019, leaving behind a vast legacy in television and children's literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
September 12, 2014
I’d been looking forward to re-reading this one. It had been a particular favourite of mine ever since it arrived on the shelves in 1994 – Dicks’ depictions of 1920s Chicago and the Gothic splendour of his own vampire planet had stayed with me over the course of 20 years, and I remembered the verve and humour he’d instilled in his prose style.
I was conscious of one danger, though, which is that 20 years is a long time – I’ve grown up since then and become less keen on copious continuity references. Doctor Who has also moved on considerably – the fact we actually have a TV series has significantly altered what these types of book needed to do. And because this one always felt like a TV story that Dicks had novelised rather than the self-created piece it was, there’s a question over whether such an approach was needed in this changed, more sophisticated era.
There’s always a danger in bringing treasured childhood possessions into the glare of adult like. I wasn’t sure whether my overwhelmingly positive view of this book would be spoiled by my more cynical outlook as a 33 year old. Was I wrong in my 13-year-old self’s enthusiasm? No. I wasn’t. Having re-read it, I can say, hand on heart, that it’s one of the best New Adventures Virgin Publishing ever gave us.
I’m not the only person who seems to have got a bit more cynical in my old age. Terrance Dicks seems to have come in for a bit of criticism in recent years, for being too derivative, and for an overly simplistic prose style. These criticisms seem to come from the very people who grew up reading his novelisations yet still, despite everything, consider him to be a legend. I’ll say this – some of his later work (‘Warmonger’, anyone?) didn’t match his usual high standards but my word when he is on form, the results are superb.
I think it’s his background as a script editor which helps with this one – a willingness to work within the templates others created. Someone with Dicks’ experience didn’t need to make ‘Blood Harvest’ fit within the New Adventures chronology, but he does. He could have written the main characters as they’d have been portrayed on TV, and ignored everything that had happened previously, and I doubt many people would have complained. But no. Here we have a Doctor who is unquestionably Sylvester McCoy, yet is just as unquestionably the ‘Time’s Champion’ version he’d been in the books that surrounded it. Ace is just the right mix of hard-bitten soldier and moral crusader, and Bernice – a character Dicks hadn’t written for before – is just as she should be. Once again, I’m glad Dicks cared so much about making things fit.
This is not so much a game of two halves as bite sized sections of a two-pronged story married together. I’m hard pressed to say whether gangster-land Chicago or the Gothic charms of the Vampire Planet work better, as Dicks nails them both. I’d plump for the gangsters, at a push. Dicks’ depiction of Chicago is just as readers would want it to be, with all the clichés included, and the speech patterns remaining on just the right side of parody.
The characterisation is great, too. Just as Dicks somehow managed to make the likes of Goering and Hess almost sympathetic in ‘Exodus’, here we see an Al Capone who’s genuinely tired of the bloodshed that surrounds his city and would give up on his own contributions to this environment if he could only believe that others were similarly minded.
That’s not to denigrate the sections set on the Vampire Planet, though. I, like a lot of the book’s first readers, hadn’t seen ‘State of Decay’ before, which meant Dicks would have been entitled to do what he liked with the setting he’d created himself. Who’d have noticed or cared if something was changed? Not here, though – we get to see a bit more of the planet than the village, woods and tower its TV prequel gave us, and there’s a genuine sense of world-building going on, so the place comes across as far more than the one-note storytelling device it started life as. Plus, most importantly, the situations Bernice finds herself in are bl00dy scary – even 20 years later, and having known what to expect, I still found her encounters with the Undead to be genuinely spine-chilling.
Structurally, the book works superbly – around three chapters in one setting, followed by three chapters of the other, until the two worlds, if not collide, then join together thanks to the machinations of one of the most genuinely frightening villains the New Adventures ever gave us. Agonal is a great villain – influencing situations which are already violent, for no other reason than self-gratification. We sympathise with the Doctor’s outrage that such a creature should prevail, and hope he’ll get a well-deserved come-uppance…
… Which leads me to the only negative aspect of the entire book – the sections set on Gallifrey. Time has not taken away just how weak these final chapters are – everything moves along at far too great a speed, and what could have been a thrilling dénouement is crammed into one paragraph. Brousa gets resurrected! But he’s not a baddie anymore! Agonal takes his place on the plinth! And that’s it… This could have been handled so much more effectively if Dicks had been allowed to write maybe one more chapter. After all, the books that preceded this one (‘All-Consuming Fire’, ‘Theatre of War’ and ‘Legacy’) were all a little longer than the average – and needed to be – so it’s a shame the same principle couldn’t have been applied here.
That said, 95% of this book is among the very best of the New Adventures. I can’t give it five stars because the climax is such a let-down, even though I really would like to. But everything else about it works so well, and I’m glad I picked it up again.
Come on Big Finish – when’s the audio adaptation coming?
I was conscious of one danger, though, which is that 20 years is a long time – I’ve grown up since then and become less keen on copious continuity references. Doctor Who has also moved on considerably – the fact we actually have a TV series has significantly altered what these types of book needed to do. And because this one always felt like a TV story that Dicks had novelised rather than the self-created piece it was, there’s a question over whether such an approach was needed in this changed, more sophisticated era.
There’s always a danger in bringing treasured childhood possessions into the glare of adult like. I wasn’t sure whether my overwhelmingly positive view of this book would be spoiled by my more cynical outlook as a 33 year old. Was I wrong in my 13-year-old self’s enthusiasm? No. I wasn’t. Having re-read it, I can say, hand on heart, that it’s one of the best New Adventures Virgin Publishing ever gave us.
I’m not the only person who seems to have got a bit more cynical in my old age. Terrance Dicks seems to have come in for a bit of criticism in recent years, for being too derivative, and for an overly simplistic prose style. These criticisms seem to come from the very people who grew up reading his novelisations yet still, despite everything, consider him to be a legend. I’ll say this – some of his later work (‘Warmonger’, anyone?) didn’t match his usual high standards but my word when he is on form, the results are superb.
I think it’s his background as a script editor which helps with this one – a willingness to work within the templates others created. Someone with Dicks’ experience didn’t need to make ‘Blood Harvest’ fit within the New Adventures chronology, but he does. He could have written the main characters as they’d have been portrayed on TV, and ignored everything that had happened previously, and I doubt many people would have complained. But no. Here we have a Doctor who is unquestionably Sylvester McCoy, yet is just as unquestionably the ‘Time’s Champion’ version he’d been in the books that surrounded it. Ace is just the right mix of hard-bitten soldier and moral crusader, and Bernice – a character Dicks hadn’t written for before – is just as she should be. Once again, I’m glad Dicks cared so much about making things fit.
This is not so much a game of two halves as bite sized sections of a two-pronged story married together. I’m hard pressed to say whether gangster-land Chicago or the Gothic charms of the Vampire Planet work better, as Dicks nails them both. I’d plump for the gangsters, at a push. Dicks’ depiction of Chicago is just as readers would want it to be, with all the clichés included, and the speech patterns remaining on just the right side of parody.
The characterisation is great, too. Just as Dicks somehow managed to make the likes of Goering and Hess almost sympathetic in ‘Exodus’, here we see an Al Capone who’s genuinely tired of the bloodshed that surrounds his city and would give up on his own contributions to this environment if he could only believe that others were similarly minded.
That’s not to denigrate the sections set on the Vampire Planet, though. I, like a lot of the book’s first readers, hadn’t seen ‘State of Decay’ before, which meant Dicks would have been entitled to do what he liked with the setting he’d created himself. Who’d have noticed or cared if something was changed? Not here, though – we get to see a bit more of the planet than the village, woods and tower its TV prequel gave us, and there’s a genuine sense of world-building going on, so the place comes across as far more than the one-note storytelling device it started life as. Plus, most importantly, the situations Bernice finds herself in are bl00dy scary – even 20 years later, and having known what to expect, I still found her encounters with the Undead to be genuinely spine-chilling.
Structurally, the book works superbly – around three chapters in one setting, followed by three chapters of the other, until the two worlds, if not collide, then join together thanks to the machinations of one of the most genuinely frightening villains the New Adventures ever gave us. Agonal is a great villain – influencing situations which are already violent, for no other reason than self-gratification. We sympathise with the Doctor’s outrage that such a creature should prevail, and hope he’ll get a well-deserved come-uppance…
… Which leads me to the only negative aspect of the entire book – the sections set on Gallifrey. Time has not taken away just how weak these final chapters are – everything moves along at far too great a speed, and what could have been a thrilling dénouement is crammed into one paragraph. Brousa gets resurrected! But he’s not a baddie anymore! Agonal takes his place on the plinth! And that’s it… This could have been handled so much more effectively if Dicks had been allowed to write maybe one more chapter. After all, the books that preceded this one (‘All-Consuming Fire’, ‘Theatre of War’ and ‘Legacy’) were all a little longer than the average – and needed to be – so it’s a shame the same principle couldn’t have been applied here.
That said, 95% of this book is among the very best of the New Adventures. I can’t give it five stars because the climax is such a let-down, even though I really would like to. But everything else about it works so well, and I’m glad I picked it up again.
Come on Big Finish – when’s the audio adaptation coming?
January 17, 2021
I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars at times but ended up at 4. I wish I could give it 5 but the two storylines felt extremely unrelated for the majority of the book , only coming together in the final act and the conclusion felt particularly rushed. However the ensemble cast of the Doctor, Ace, Dekker, Benny AND Romana was a sight to see. On top of that the characterization of prohibition era Chicago (and the US in General) was spot on. That lawless land across the border from me where there are way too many trigger happy people! Also did anyone else get Han and Leia vibes from Ace and Dekker? I sure did.
September 2, 2024
Good old Uncle Terrance stands out as a seasoned writer in this series, even if his characters are a little two dimensional. There are two stories for the price of one here as the Doctor goes all Untouchable in Chicago with Al Capone and Benny gets mixed up in a sequel to State of Decay which assumes you remember the TV episodes very well. Both plots are entertaining romps even if the climax struggles to bring them together.
April 26, 2019
What I love about DOCTOR WHO is its ambition. That it can take any genre of story in any place or time and turn it into a DOCTOR WHO story.
But the thing with vaunting ambition is that you have to coalesce it into something meaningful. If you don’t, you just end up with a big mess.
This Terence Dicks novel is really messy.
The majority of it is The Doctor and Ace with Al Capone in Prohibition era Chicago. That’s fine, I suppose, even if the idea of The Doctor hanging out with vicious murderer Scarface is a bit of a leap. But it’s clearly the section Dicks is most engaged with, although that engagement might not be anything more than “Hey! I’d like to write an old fashioned gangster story like Warner Bros used to make!”
There’s another section where Bernice Summerfield finds herself with Romana on a feudal vampire planet, which probably needs to be a bit better developed.
And it all ends up in full-on Time Lord lore, back on Gallifrey – which is supposed to be an ambitious conclusion but all ends up too cluttered for its own good.
(There’s also what you would call an adult section – where Ace is drugged, stripped to her underwear and nearly raped – which yuck! It’s a weird mis-step that I’m amazed got through the editing).
The problem is that none of these things come together in one book. (Nor are any of them unqualified successes.) Yes, there’s the same villain in Chicago and the vampire planet and he escapes to Gallifrey, but the narrative still feels awkwardly jammed together. Undoubtedly Dicks is trying to create a big story here, but it’s a big story that just doesn’t work.
But the thing with vaunting ambition is that you have to coalesce it into something meaningful. If you don’t, you just end up with a big mess.
This Terence Dicks novel is really messy.
The majority of it is The Doctor and Ace with Al Capone in Prohibition era Chicago. That’s fine, I suppose, even if the idea of The Doctor hanging out with vicious murderer Scarface is a bit of a leap. But it’s clearly the section Dicks is most engaged with, although that engagement might not be anything more than “Hey! I’d like to write an old fashioned gangster story like Warner Bros used to make!”
There’s another section where Bernice Summerfield finds herself with Romana on a feudal vampire planet, which probably needs to be a bit better developed.
And it all ends up in full-on Time Lord lore, back on Gallifrey – which is supposed to be an ambitious conclusion but all ends up too cluttered for its own good.
(There’s also what you would call an adult section – where Ace is drugged, stripped to her underwear and nearly raped – which yuck! It’s a weird mis-step that I’m amazed got through the editing).
The problem is that none of these things come together in one book. (Nor are any of them unqualified successes.) Yes, there’s the same villain in Chicago and the vampire planet and he escapes to Gallifrey, but the narrative still feels awkwardly jammed together. Undoubtedly Dicks is trying to create a big story here, but it’s a big story that just doesn’t work.
January 17, 2012
Part sequel to both State of Decay and The Five Doctors, part pseudo-historical set in Prohibition era Chicago, this Doctor Who New Adventure seems to promise vampire gangsters, but doesn't really deliver on that. Not to say it isn't fun anyway, with great atmosphere (such as the Chandleresque narration by private dick Dekker in places) and a certain humor (Dicks has to wit to make fun of himself and his Target books work). So while things don't come quite together, the plots being connected only by the thinnest thread, and the big bad gets pwned all too easily, the parts are more than the whole. (Man, for someone who thinks vampires are extra-lame and is really sick of that particular fad, I've absorbed a heck of a lot of vampire fiction lately.)
July 30, 2012
Gaping plot holes, non-existent characterization, horrible attempt at writing noir, color-by-numbers TV plot. Much of the book is exciting and there's some good continuity here, so the book's not entirely without merit, but it's pretty hard to overlook its flaws all the same.
March 4, 2021
Guys, if you all liked Doctor Who: Vampire Science, you all seriously need to read Doctor Who: Blood Harvest by Terrance Dicks because let me tell you, it’s honestly amazing! It is a sequel to State of Decay featuring 1920′s Chicago ad the Vampire Planet. Major spoilers below.
It features Romana, Ace and Benny and Benny and Romana have a team up in this against the vampires
Benny is very possessive of archaeology in this and it’s great to see her and her having doubts on whether or not she’s a real archaeologist because she faked her qualifications.
The Doctor and Ace run a speakeasy and the Doctor brews beer in the TARDIS swimming pool and whiskey in the bath tub.
Mobsters fear Ace and call her the Lady in Black.
Upon first meeting Romana, Bernice thought she was a bitch and a stuck up horsey woman but they later become friends.
Vampires! LOTS OF VAMPIRES.
Great Chicago 1920′s gangsta setting featuring the Untouchables and Al Capone. The Doctor and Ace come friends with him.
Benny and Romana have so much differences and it’s great to see. In a peace meeting between the Peasants and Lords, Romana sits with the Lords and Benny notices it but she sits with the peasants.
Benny tries to show off to Romana by riding a black stallion despite her limited horse riding skills and every time she falls off the horse, Romana comes and saves her and Benny is just in awe.
Romana, Ace and Benny get taken to Gallifrey and get locked in a really posh Gallifreyan cell together. Ace gets them out.
Flavia and Borusa and Rassilon make an appearance and Rassilon battles against the Great Vampire.
Romana can play the harp
TW: I should mention, there is a sexual assault scene here where Ace gets kidnapped and almost raped but her friend Dekker and the Doctor saves her so please do bare that in mind!
It features Romana, Ace and Benny and Benny and Romana have a team up in this against the vampires
Benny is very possessive of archaeology in this and it’s great to see her and her having doubts on whether or not she’s a real archaeologist because she faked her qualifications.
The Doctor and Ace run a speakeasy and the Doctor brews beer in the TARDIS swimming pool and whiskey in the bath tub.
Mobsters fear Ace and call her the Lady in Black.
Upon first meeting Romana, Bernice thought she was a bitch and a stuck up horsey woman but they later become friends.
Vampires! LOTS OF VAMPIRES.
Great Chicago 1920′s gangsta setting featuring the Untouchables and Al Capone. The Doctor and Ace come friends with him.
Benny and Romana have so much differences and it’s great to see. In a peace meeting between the Peasants and Lords, Romana sits with the Lords and Benny notices it but she sits with the peasants.
Benny tries to show off to Romana by riding a black stallion despite her limited horse riding skills and every time she falls off the horse, Romana comes and saves her and Benny is just in awe.
Romana, Ace and Benny get taken to Gallifrey and get locked in a really posh Gallifreyan cell together. Ace gets them out.
Flavia and Borusa and Rassilon make an appearance and Rassilon battles against the Great Vampire.
Romana can play the harp
TW: I should mention, there is a sexual assault scene here where Ace gets kidnapped and almost raped but her friend Dekker and the Doctor saves her so please do bare that in mind!
February 6, 2022
Uncle Terrace Dicks writes about Vampires. And does so brilliantly.
Set in Chicago during the gangster era of Al Capone, with the Doctor is masquerading as a rival crime lord, 'Doc'. The story is told by private eye Dekker in the style of Raymond Chandler. I can 'hear' Humphrey Bogart reading this story to me as I read it.
Simultaneously, the Doctor's other companion, Bernice, is on the planet of the Vampires, in a direct sequel to the TV story, State of Decay. And it isn't long before she meets vampires and becomes involved in local politics, as well as allying herself with former TV companion Romana. The freed villagers want to retain their independence, but new Lords have arrived to take up the reigns of command from the previous Lords that the Doctor destroyed in the TV story.
The vampire planet segment is a bit contrived and a rehash of the TV story (same people, same descriptions), but overall it is fun. But, what is the connection between Earth gangsters and off world vampires?
Actually very little. Off worlder superbeing Agonal lives on the agony of others (agony, Agonal... get it?) and makes bad situation worse. On Earth he keeps the Chicago gangs on a war footing; on the vampire planet he keeps the Lords and commoners in a state of mistrust. In both cases a well placed word here or there will escalate or prolong the skirmish.
This is a good concept, but throughout the story there's the hidden hand of meddling Time Lords. I haven't read many Virgin New Adventures, but those I have follow the same setup as Blood Harvest. A good strong opening, intriguing, interesting, fun but end up limping to the conclusion as some Big Bad has to be at the end. Here's it's the customary let down when we get to Gallifrey which is riddled with clichés.
I'm going to rate this book as 'Good' on the basis of the Chicago and vampire planet segments. A pity that we couldn't have stayed there. I felt I was in Chicago, I felt I was on the vampire planet, I skim read the Gallifrey segments.
But would I recommend this book? Overall, yes I would. If nothing else, it brought Romana home.
I'd rate it as 7/10
Scoring: 0 absolutely rubbish; 1-3 poor; 4-6 average; 7-9 good; 10 excellent.
Set in Chicago during the gangster era of Al Capone, with the Doctor is masquerading as a rival crime lord, 'Doc'. The story is told by private eye Dekker in the style of Raymond Chandler. I can 'hear' Humphrey Bogart reading this story to me as I read it.
Simultaneously, the Doctor's other companion, Bernice, is on the planet of the Vampires, in a direct sequel to the TV story, State of Decay. And it isn't long before she meets vampires and becomes involved in local politics, as well as allying herself with former TV companion Romana. The freed villagers want to retain their independence, but new Lords have arrived to take up the reigns of command from the previous Lords that the Doctor destroyed in the TV story.
The vampire planet segment is a bit contrived and a rehash of the TV story (same people, same descriptions), but overall it is fun. But, what is the connection between Earth gangsters and off world vampires?
Actually very little. Off worlder superbeing Agonal lives on the agony of others (agony, Agonal... get it?) and makes bad situation worse. On Earth he keeps the Chicago gangs on a war footing; on the vampire planet he keeps the Lords and commoners in a state of mistrust. In both cases a well placed word here or there will escalate or prolong the skirmish.
This is a good concept, but throughout the story there's the hidden hand of meddling Time Lords. I haven't read many Virgin New Adventures, but those I have follow the same setup as Blood Harvest. A good strong opening, intriguing, interesting, fun but end up limping to the conclusion as some Big Bad has to be at the end. Here's it's the customary let down when we get to Gallifrey which is riddled with clichés.
I'm going to rate this book as 'Good' on the basis of the Chicago and vampire planet segments. A pity that we couldn't have stayed there. I felt I was in Chicago, I felt I was on the vampire planet, I skim read the Gallifrey segments.
But would I recommend this book? Overall, yes I would. If nothing else, it brought Romana home.
I'd rate it as 7/10
Scoring: 0 absolutely rubbish; 1-3 poor; 4-6 average; 7-9 good; 10 excellent.
June 29, 2020
Blood Harvest is possibly one of my favourite New Adventures so far! Going into it I was a little concerned - State of Decay is one of my favourite Who stories and I was a little concerned this might not live up to it, but nah, it's a worthy sequel - really great stuff!
I love the idea of the Doctor starting a speakeasy in Chicago - the Doctor doing more kind of 'grounded' longterm things like this to try and fit in on Earth is 1000000 times more interesting to me than the more comedy based antics in NuWho episodes that attempt stuff along these lines. It's also pretty fun seeing him and Ace trying to fit in with this setting, especially with Ace at this particular era of her character. Their interactions with the mob, and other forces, are all really engaging.
On the other side of a CVE, it's also pretty fun having Benny getting a chance to do her thing on the vampire planet, and pairing her up with Romana makes for a really interesting dynamic with their similarities. If anything, the main letdown is that we don't really get much of a chance to have the Doctor and Romana together, but even then the moments they do get together are lovely, and it's a pairing that I'd love to see/hear more of in future (please and thank you, Big Finish).
I love the idea of the Doctor starting a speakeasy in Chicago - the Doctor doing more kind of 'grounded' longterm things like this to try and fit in on Earth is 1000000 times more interesting to me than the more comedy based antics in NuWho episodes that attempt stuff along these lines. It's also pretty fun seeing him and Ace trying to fit in with this setting, especially with Ace at this particular era of her character. Their interactions with the mob, and other forces, are all really engaging.
On the other side of a CVE, it's also pretty fun having Benny getting a chance to do her thing on the vampire planet, and pairing her up with Romana makes for a really interesting dynamic with their similarities. If anything, the main letdown is that we don't really get much of a chance to have the Doctor and Romana together, but even then the moments they do get together are lovely, and it's a pairing that I'd love to see/hear more of in future (please and thank you, Big Finish).
August 31, 2020
Another excellent adventure for the Seventh Doctor and his companions, Ace and Bernice. It's taken me a long time, but I'm finally getting used to Bernice and not finding her quite as annoying as I used to.
Having said that, Bernice still manages to dominate a large part of the story, and as always, she seems to gain high status and a position of almost-authority. In this story, she has to team up with Romana, and I did enjoy the fact that she felt inferior to Romana in some scenes.
I love the way this story ties in with the Doctor's and Romana's adventures in E-Space from the TV episodes.
There are other diverse elements, such as the Doctor and Ace becoming embroiled in gangster wars in Prohibition era Chicago. This was my favourite part of the story, since I love the old-school gangsters and private detectives.
Overall this is an interesting multi-faceted story. The only criticism I have is that the showdown scene seems quite weak after all the massive build-up of tension all the way through. A barely explained Deus Ex Machina moment saves the day, which is a pity. So much more could have been made of what should have been a pivotal scene.
Having said that, Bernice still manages to dominate a large part of the story, and as always, she seems to gain high status and a position of almost-authority. In this story, she has to team up with Romana, and I did enjoy the fact that she felt inferior to Romana in some scenes.
I love the way this story ties in with the Doctor's and Romana's adventures in E-Space from the TV episodes.
There are other diverse elements, such as the Doctor and Ace becoming embroiled in gangster wars in Prohibition era Chicago. This was my favourite part of the story, since I love the old-school gangsters and private detectives.
Overall this is an interesting multi-faceted story. The only criticism I have is that the showdown scene seems quite weak after all the massive build-up of tension all the way through. A barely explained Deus Ex Machina moment saves the day, which is a pity. So much more could have been made of what should have been a pivotal scene.
February 27, 2025
This time the Doctor and Ace are in Prohibition-era Chicago befriending Al Capone while Bernice Summerfield is stuck on the vampire planet from State of Decay and both areas see a rise in violence. Terrance Dicks makes Capone out to be a relatively decent guy caught up in the machinations of an evil being that enflames violence regardless of the source. Most of it's rather fun but it isn't well-written. Dekker's a good character in the noir mold but his viewpoint switches to first-person when no one else gets that and it's jarring. It's not an epistolary story like All-Consuming Fire. The ending's a real mess with the all-powerful villain suddenly dying because the book has to end. I like State of Decay but the gangster plot was strong enough on its own and didn't need the State of Decay connections. Now Blood Harvest had to tie into the inaugural Missing Adventures novel, Goth Opera, but Dicks could've gotten vampires from elsewhere for that. It's not a terrible novel but there's so much wrong with it.
July 28, 2022
Two parallel plotlines for most of this Seventh Doctor novel - a gangster-centric storyline in Prohibition-era Chicago, and a vampire-centric storyline following up on the Fourth Doctor story "State of Decay". Both work pretty well for the majority of the novel, although the latter might not be as effective if you aren't familiar with the earlier story. Unfortunately, Dicks' attempt to bring both plotlines together for the finale - and move us to a different setting that references other old stories - just doesn't work very well. It's rushed, and it feels like it wastes all the buildup for the lead villain (who's ultimately kind of dull). It's a shame the ending doesn't pay off after such a good start. (Note, there are also some moments where Dicks seemed obliged to throw in a shock moment or slur, as if to remind you that this is Doctor Who for adult readers and totally not for kids. Not a deal-breaker, but it definitely feels gratuitous.) (B)
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March 8, 2025I bought this one ages ago, but only just got around to reading it. I'd been wanting to explore more of the New Adventures and Missing Adventures series. This book seemed kind of a safe bet: the author who had written a bulk of the TV novelisations from the original series (and more than a few of the tv scripts), and with a reliable villain in the shape of vampires.
It opens with a very film-noir feeling with first-person narration from a private eye... weirdly that narrative tool drops in and out of use sometimes in the middle of a scene.
I'm sure that Dicks was happy to be able to chuck a bit of booze and sex into the Who-mix but this is closer to the original show's vibe than some of the other New Adventures. Dicks throws in plenty of references to the original show with characters, locations and even lines of dialogue revisited.
Enjoyable enough but not my favourite thing Dicks has ever done.
It opens with a very film-noir feeling with first-person narration from a private eye... weirdly that narrative tool drops in and out of use sometimes in the middle of a scene.
I'm sure that Dicks was happy to be able to chuck a bit of booze and sex into the Who-mix but this is closer to the original show's vibe than some of the other New Adventures. Dicks throws in plenty of references to the original show with characters, locations and even lines of dialogue revisited.
Enjoyable enough but not my favourite thing Dicks has ever done.
January 22, 2025
One of my favorite Doctor Who books, and I've read about great many of them! This book featuring the Seventh Doctor is a sequel to a Fourth Doctor story and also a prequel to the Fifth Doctor story, Goth Opera. It's a bit timey-wimey!
I was not particularly impressed with the Seventh Doctor's first year, as it reveals his darker and more manipulative side. Ace, being older and more mature than her TV counterpart, significantly contributes to the book. The narrative consists of two parallel: one featuring the Doctor and Ace in Al Capone's Chicago, and another with Bernice Summerfield in E-space on the planet of the vampires. If you have not watched the Fourth Doctor TV story, "State of Decay," parts of the book may be unclear. However, if you have seen "State of Decay," this book is a must-buy.
I was not particularly impressed with the Seventh Doctor's first year, as it reveals his darker and more manipulative side. Ace, being older and more mature than her TV counterpart, significantly contributes to the book. The narrative consists of two parallel: one featuring the Doctor and Ace in Al Capone's Chicago, and another with Bernice Summerfield in E-space on the planet of the vampires. If you have not watched the Fourth Doctor TV story, "State of Decay," parts of the book may be unclear. However, if you have seen "State of Decay," this book is a must-buy.
July 27, 2020
Honestly I think the attempted rape scene did a serious amount of damage to my enjoyment of this book. It's just so unpleasant and unnecessary, and then the plot immediately moves on, and it makes it seem like a gratuitous 'Terrance Dicks is writing for an adult audience now' scene.
I also found myself a bit underwhelmed by the ending?
Ah well. It was by no means the worst VNA, and I do value any and all Romana content so it gets some appreciation from me.
I also found myself a bit underwhelmed by the ending?
Ah well. It was by no means the worst VNA, and I do value any and all Romana content so it gets some appreciation from me.
May 8, 2022
6.5/10
Mostly enjoyable.
The book is divided into 2 main stories, Ace & Doctor, in 1920s Chicago & Bernice & Romana in
an extra terrestrial State Of Decay-esque tale.
The earth based adventure is far superior , is fun and exciting and inspired me to find out more about this period. On reflection the whole book would have benefitted from being set in the prohibition era as there is easily enough drama and excitement in the time-period alone to fill a whole novel.
Mostly enjoyable.
The book is divided into 2 main stories, Ace & Doctor, in 1920s Chicago & Bernice & Romana in
an extra terrestrial State Of Decay-esque tale.
The earth based adventure is far superior , is fun and exciting and inspired me to find out more about this period. On reflection the whole book would have benefitted from being set in the prohibition era as there is easily enough drama and excitement in the time-period alone to fill a whole novel.
October 18, 2017
Just finished reading Blood Harvest, what a good read! I know some people don’t like the Galliffrey stuff near the end but I thought it worked well, I didn’t really mind the amount of continuity to be honest. I liked the little references to The Death Zone and the Drashigs. Not the best book I’ve ever read but it was enjoyable! Recommended if you are a fan of Terrance Dicks.
December 28, 2021
An excellent New Adventures novel from Terrance Dicks. I really liked the storylines and the switch between 1930s Chicago mobster land to vampire filled medieval adventure.
I really enjoyed the characterisation of the Doctor and Ace, but felt Dicks's interpretation of Benny was a little weak.
A solid entry to the series and one which I would read again.
I really enjoyed the characterisation of the Doctor and Ace, but felt Dicks's interpretation of Benny was a little weak.
A solid entry to the series and one which I would read again.
April 11, 2023
A weird book of three halves, the least of which is The Doctor and Ace in 1920s Chicago. Which just didn’t grab me. However, Bernice and Romana (2) really grabbed me and tickled all my Dr Who fancies
And then suddenly, 40 pages to the end, there’s a weird digression op to Gallifrey and Rassilon, which just feels like it should be a book on its own..
And then suddenly, 40 pages to the end, there’s a weird digression op to Gallifrey and Rassilon, which just feels like it should be a book on its own..
February 22, 2020
It was a great idea but things don't get going until about 200 pages in. Once they do, it has some nice call backs to previous Who; so I'd say its worth a read. The characterization of Ace and Romana seem a little off but nothing too bad.
November 27, 2020
Highly enjoyable, nostalgia driven fun. The only issue is the ending feels rushed and the two stories have very little to do with each other. Terrance Dicks writes historicals better than anyone else though !
December 10, 2020
Definitely one of the better VNA novels, and perhaps no surprise that it's written by Terrance Dicks. If you're about to read this, I'd recommend re-watching or re-reading State of Decay first, as Blood Harvest makes lots of references to that story.
August 8, 2024
It's a young adult reader from the 80's, I cut it some slack. Still, melodrama in a vampire story works and this one bounces between doctors with skill, solving the mystery of what happened to Romana in e-space.
October 15, 2024
Aside from a few slips, Terrance Dicks eschews the more grimdark approach of the New Adventures in favour of pure fun, and it works a treat. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...
December 10, 2024
Three different stories in totally different settings loosely stitched together by Terrance Dicks' flimsy and repetitive writing. Uncle Terrance may have been prolific, but, let's be honest, he was never an especially good writer.
May 22, 2017
very well written novel, but it's like the ending was suddenly chopped off and cauterized.
April 23, 2020
The Doctor and Ace are particularly violent in this one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2021
Great to have Romana back, even if it's just the one story
January 6, 2024
Had a lot of fun with this! Enjoyed both settings basically equally which is rare for a book split between two locations like this. Got very sucked in and finished this a lot quicker than I expected
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