With plenty of suspense and mystery, as well as a twist ending I personally did not see coming, this is quite an enjoyable read. This theme is inherently captivating, and Lyons has formed it into a fast-paced novel. As a writer and reader, I find it both fascinating and terrifying to imagine what the world would be like if we were not allowed to create and fantasize. And of course, Lyons puts his own unique flair on this familiar concept. The plot is not an incredibly new or unique topic in fiction, but it’s nevertheless always an interesting one.

Out of all the Doctor Who novels I’ve read so far, this ended up being one of my favorites. When the trio accidently get split up, they become deeply involved in the dangerous workings of this truth-obsessed city. However, an underground society of dreamers is rising up, taking to the airwaves on a pirated radio station and attempting to bring fiction back to the people. In this society, being found to be “fiction crazy” is as bad if not worse than the act of murder. There are no writers or novels, and those who are caught engaging in the creation of stories-or something as simple as dreaming-are imprisoned in “The Big White House”, where they are meant to be “rehabilitated”. In this novel, the Doctor, Rose, and Jack find themselves entering a world where fiction and fantasy has been made illegal. That being said, when I found this one, I decided, why not give it a go-and to be honest, I ended up relatively pleased with my choice. The quality of the audio, the style of the narrator, whether those aspects are good or not, audiobooks and I have never gotten along especially well. I will say upfront that I am not a huge fan of audiobooks, feeling like they detract quite a bit from my personal reading experience. This is a particularly interesting review for me to do because my experience with this novel shifted back and forth between reading a physical edition and listening to an audiobook. Though perhaps it is not as deadly as the truth… With one of his companions stalked by shadows and the other committed to an asylum, the Doctor is forced to admit that fiction can be dangerous after all. A pirate TV station urges people to fight back, and the Doctor wants to help – until he sees how easily dreams can turn into nightmares. But now somebody is challenging the status quo. A world where it’s a crime to tell stories, a crime to lie, a crime to hope, and a crime to dream.

Synopsis: In the far future, the Doctor, Rose, and Captain Jack find a world on which fiction has been outlawed. Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository Series: Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #6 Doctor Who: The Stealers of Dreams by Steve Lyons

Doctor Who by Steve Lyons