The point of this page is to make some brief notes as I read the NSAs from start to finish (well, the first 63 novels at least; see the main NSA page for more on that). This project began in January 2024.

Novels are scored out of a possible five stars *****.

Ninth Doctor

The Clockwise Man: Feels a bit slow at first, and the 1920s setting with dispossessed European royalty hanging out in members clubs might not grab the average punter, but the history buff in me latched onto it. The second half is more action-packed and a pay-off for anyone who sticks with it. **1/2

(Author: Justin Richards, Release date: 19 May 2005)

The Monsters Inside: Surprising. I’m not a big fan of Raxacoricofallapatorians in the slightest, but this novel makes them feel really scary and deadly; basically how you should feel about them when watching them on TV. That said, I couldn’t see this being a Series 1 story. Quite brutal and gory. ***

(Author: Stephen Cole, Release date: 19 May 2005)

Winner Takes All: Not great. Feels super Series 1, though. Lots of running around the Powell Estate for the Doctor, Rose, and Mickey. A video game plot that is a bit chilling, but mostly cheesy. A child character who feels like a Jim’ll Fix It insert. Surprised they didn’t go all in and call him Gareth. **

(Author: Jacqueline Rayner, Release date: 19 May 2005)

The Deviant Strain: Although this gets caught up in running from here to there for what feels like most of the story, the setting of an old Soviet sub base (and the village left around it), plus modern Russian special forces, a sci-fi twist, and an unsympathetic ending make it an OK read. **1/2

(Author: Justin Richards, Release date: 8 September 2005)

Only Human: This is the first novel in the NSAs that feels like it’s had some above-average thought put into it, and isn’t doing “Doctor Who by numbers”. It starts with a Neanderthal in modern London and while some stories might stay there, it’s only the very start of the weirdness. A wild time. ****

(Author: Gareth Roberts, Release date: 8 September 2005)

The Stealers of Dreams: There’s clever analogies and some meta stuff going on, but this hangs on whether you can invest in a society that has banned – and is scared of – fiction. Nearing 200 pages an explanation for why is made. But by that point, it felt a bit late for me. I couldn’t invest in it. **1/2

(Author: Steve Lyons, Release date: 8 September 2005)

Tenth Doctor

The Stone Rose: Rayner’s second swing at an NSA is better than her first. Just. The first half is a mystery that’s not really a mystery and ancient Rome shenanigans. The second half is better, but hangs on a creative, yet very far-fetched idea that, like the previous book, I couldn’t invest in. **1/2

(Author: Jacqueline Rayner, Release date: 13 April 2006)

The Feast of the Drowned: This one starts off strong; a sunken British Navy ship and ghostly apparitions of the crew appearing to loved ones. Really spooky. Once it’s revealed what’s going on, however, it just turns into lots of people sloshing around in water and chasing one another. **1/2

(Author: Stephen Cole, Release date: 13 April 2006)

The Resurrection Casket: A tricky one to rate. Tries really hard to world build a fantastical place of steam-powered pirates in space – along with WHY they need steam-power – but some plot points seem obvious and it gets a bit meta and knowing in places. Almost a three, but giving it **1/2

(Author: Justin Richards, Release date: 13 April 2006)

The Nightmare of Black Island: Tucker has always had a slightly ‘old school’ vibe to his writing and even when writing for 10 and Rose it shines through. A lonely Welsh village, monsters, a creepy nursing home, and more. It’s all in here. It’s not Shakespeare either, by any means, but a page turner. ***

(Author: Mike Tucker, Release date: 21 September 2006)

The Art of Destruction: The first half is really good; the African setting is super rare in Doctor Who, the characters are interesting, and the threat seems really scary. But as more gets layered in, particularly one really weird alien race, it all gets a bit much and I’d have preferred it dialled back a bit. **1/2

(Author: Stephen Cole, Release date: 21 September 2006)

The Price of Paradise: I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like this one – something about the title didn’t work for me – and yet I’m giving it one of the higher scores in the NSAs so far. I came to really invest in the characters, even more than the plot, which had me coming back anytime I had free time. ***

(Author: Colin Brake, Release date: 21 September 2006)

Sting of the Zygons: Interesting… the first NSA where we have a classic era monster returning, and the result is REALLY good. I don’t know if it’s the familiarity of the monster, or maybe Cole knocking out an interesting pre-WW1 UK setting for them to run riot in. A really enjoyable NSA, this one. ***1/2

(Author: Stephen Cole, Release date: 19 April 2007)

The Last Dodo: Rayner’s novels have all been spotty in this listing, and this continues the trend. A storyline – and commentary – about extinct animals that didn’t grab me; half traditional novel, half Martha narrating the story to what is presumably a slow 10 year old. It just doesn’t gel. A real bore. **

(Author: Jacqueline Rayner, Release date: 19 April 2007)

Wooden Heart: A real page turner for the first half – this sets up an intriguing situation you really want to get to the heart of (no pun intended). But when it’s revealed as a riff on a concept from a Pertwee-era story and it starts to bog down and just get messy in general, it loses a degree of its allure. ***

(Author: Martin Day, Release date: 19 April 2007)

Forever Autumn: Forget the arty-farty title (presumably a homage to the song from the musical version of War of the Worlds, but which has little to do with the story, aside from the time of year it’s set), this is a real small town USA horror story with an avenging Doctor. It’s really good. ***1/2

(Author: Mark Morris, Release date: 6 September 2007)

Sick Building: Terrible title; great story. A really intriguing premise; genuinely quite dark in places; a page turner. Even the long-awaited resolution, which is a little childish (to the degree a character in the book even queries how childish it is), still feels ‘right’ for this era of Doctor Who. Great. ***1/2

(Author: Paul Magrs, Release date: 6 September 2007)

Wetworld: An interesting premise, with a group of colonists who have been flooded in recent times, working to get their settlement back together again in the face of adversity. But as it rolls on, it never seems to really get anywhere interesting with the monster of the piece almost unknowable. **1/2

(Author: Mark Michalowski, Release date: 6 September 2007)

Wishing Well: This feels ‘right’ from the start. We’re in a small English village. Something spooky is happening down a well. Boom – you’ve got me. This is peak Doctor Who and not only could come from the revival, but with a nip and a tuck here and there, could also be a classic era story, too. ***1/2

(Author: Trevor Baxendale, Release date: 27 December 2007)

The Pirate Loop: Not a page turner in the way that some of the releases around it have been, but a solid story, creating a kind of Groundhog Day environment (and knowing enough to acknowledge it), that’s fun and could easily be a middle of a season type adventure from the Tennant TV years. ***

(Author: Simon Guerrier, Release date: 27 December 2007)

Peacemaker: Similar to the last book, this didn’t have me breathlessly wanting to turn the next page, but at the same time I felt the story was quite good – better than the previous one – and the Wild West setting with some alien menace works quite well. A good example of a solid story here. ***

(Author: James Swallow, Release date: 27 December 2007)