Mark Stammers

This was undoubtedly groundbreaking in 1994 as the first professional Doctor Who short story collection. I would have read it in 1996 or 1997 as a teenager, and I don't have any recollection of it at all. That's not too surprising, because while the authors should be applauded for giving it a stab, and even throwing in two or three stories with pretty challenging approaches, it's just not terribly memorable overall - and the wraparound material isn't especially cohesive, either, which sinks it down even further. The best stories are Vanessa Bishop's "The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back" (Third Doctor) and Paul Cornell's "Lackaday Express" (Fifth Doctor), each of them probably representing the best traits of traditional and radical Who writing at the time. Jim Mortimore's "The Book of Shadows" (First Doctor) is worth a look, too, presaging a lot of his later experimental work.… (more)

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1355899.html

Surprising to read that this was the very first anthology of Doctor Who short stories, published back in 1994 (other than the various annuals and fan publications). There is a supposed framing narrative of the Seventh Doctor visiting a California psychic to get readings of objects from his pockets, thus providing the stories, but it is not quite necessary enough to be convincing. Some contributors have since gone on to great things; some have disappeared completely. My favourite was Jim Mortimore's 'The Book of Shadows', about Barbara Wright marrying one of Alexander the Great's generals and ruling Egypt - particularly interesting to come to this so soon after Farewell Great Macedon which has a very similar theme. Also I gave a cheer for David Auger's 'The Golden Door' which features Dodo, though it is not very special otherwise… (more)

http://nhw.livejournal.com/1031683.html

A collection of ten DW short stories (actually one has no Doctor, but does have Sarah Jane, Mike Yates, K9 and the Master). As usual, of varying but mostly good quality; I hope any of the other contributors who read this will forgive me for favouriting the two Fourth Doctor / Leela stories, one by Tim Robins and set on a commercially exploited Mars, the other by Pam Baddeley and setting settlers against indigenous people on a planet with its own bizarre legal culture. Apart from that, I enjoyed all the rest except the one with Zoe and Jamie and the one with Peri and the peculiar timeshare.… (more)