Endgame was the fortieth novel in the BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures series. It was written by Terrance Dicks, released 6 November 2000 and featured the Eighth Doctor.

It continued the Earth arc, with the Doctor remaining companionless.

The novel was also the second story in Dicks' Players trilogy, and the only one of the three not to be part of the BBC Past Doctor Adventures. It was preceded by Players in 1999 and followed by World Game in 2006, although Endgame is, chronologically, the last of the trilogy.

The plot of Endgame delves into Cold War politics and espionage, with a particular focus on Kim Philby who features in a prominent role for the first time. His colleagues, Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean, also made appearances, as do the contemporary world leaders Harry S. Truman and Joseph Stalin. Philby and Burgess later returned as prominent characters in the Early Adventures audio story Entanglement.

Publisher's summary[]

Winning is everything — and nothing.

Losing is nothing — and everything.

All that matters is the game.

The Players have decided on an Endgame. Play ends only when one side has been annihilated — even if the entire planet is destroyed in the process. They weren't expecting the Doctor to be one of the pieces — and neither was he. He really doesn't want to get involved.

The Doctor doesn't know who he is — but he's fast ceasing to care. Caught up in ennui, nothing seems to matter to him any more. He has no interest in the Cold War, in spies or double agents or secret documents.

But he's soon forced to take an active role. Because as far as the authorities are concerned, the Doctor is the Third Man...

Plot[]

to be added

Characters[]

• The Doctor (John Smith)
• Kim Philby
• Guy Burgess
• Donald Maclean
• Kent Howard
• Harry S. Truman
• Joseph Stalin
• Igor Timenko
• Jim Anderson
• Jimmy Melville
• Melinda Maclean
• John Philby
• Aileen Philby
• Krychov
• Oskar Dolinski
• Vasili Mikoyan
• Maria
• Delores
• Jeannie
• Vladek
• Rurik
• Boris
• Penny
• Monica
• Otto
• Franz
• Peters
• Felicity
• Bazyli
• Casimir
• Parker
• Fergus Maclean
• Gaston
• Number seven
• Galway
• Jonathan
• Marley
• Mike Oliver
• Molotov
• Malenkov
• Bulganin
• Beria
• Muriel
• Krushchev

The Players[]

• The Adjudicator
• Axel
• Countess (Madame Razetskia)
• Helga Stoll
• Myrek

Worldbuilding[]

• The Doctor mentions a Drashig shortly before forgetting what he was talking about.
• Light-beings from Altair III hovered beside American planes during World War II.

Notes[]

• This is the fourth story in the "Earth Arc".
• While the year the novel takes place in (1951) is made clear, the exact date is not. However, real-world events which take place in the story such as Donald Maclean's birthday, his defection to Moscow with Guy Burgess, along with the sacking of General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War the previous month, indicate everything as taking place in May.

Continuity[]

• The Doctor observes but does not recognise the Seventh Doctor and Ace at the Festival of Britain in 1951. (PROSE: Timewyrm: Exodus)
• The events of PROSE: The Turing Test are referenced many times in the novel.
• The Doctor recalls having "some sort of screwdriver thingy" with him. (TV: Doctor Who, et al.)
• The Countess recalls the "funny little clown" and "that great handsome bull of a man". (PROSE: Players)
• The Doctor unconsciously quotes his younger self, saying, "There’s no point in being grown up if you can’t be childish occasionally." (TV: Robot)

External links[]

• Endgame at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
• The Discontinuity Guide to: Endgame at The Whoniverse
• The Cloister Library: Endgame
• Outpost Gallifrey - Interview: Terrance Dicks (archived)