Doctor Who: The Giggle by James Goss (book review).

The Earth is under threat. Everybody seems to want to fight everyone and they all think they are right and everyone else is wrong. The doctor, identified as number 10A, is present, albeit not necessarily correct. Donna and Wilf have reunited with him, but it’s already time to head to UNIT headquarters.

In his absence and subsequent lifetimes, UNIT has gone all Avengers and has a nice office block that towers above London. Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, the leader of UNIT, has already surpassed the Doctor by developing a system that guards against the ‘rightness’ infection. The Doctor and Donna find an embedded signal and travel back in time to an odd toyshop and a shop owner with a dubious German accent.

Soon, it becomes clear that the Toymaker, an old foe, has returned to the universe and appears eager to play.

It’s unlikely you haven’t seen the episode, so this review is really concerned about whether this makes a good story on the page. It all leads up to the fifteenth Doctor arriving on scene, as well as the whole bi-generation thingy. I appreciate how the toymaker tells this part of the story. It’s well-structured and reveals everything slowly and carefully. He’s in the dark, like we were originally. Aside from that, there are some great toymakers. Shame we couldn’t have them in the episode. At this point, the word structure on the pages is almost poetic. Beautifully done, Mr. Goss.

It was an enjoyable read and a helpful aid in comprehension as the episodes flew by. Despite the toymaker’s loss, I believe he may be back. The game is afoot.

Sue Davies

April 2024

(pub: BBC Books, 2024. 224 page paperback. Price: £ 9.99 (UK). ISBN: ‎978-1-78594-847-3

check out website: www.penguin.co.uk/books/457030/doctor-who-the-giggle-target-collection-by-goss-james/9781785948473