The Dimension Riders (novel)

The Dimension Riders is the twentieth novel in the Virgin New Adventures series. It was written by Daniel Blythe and featured the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice.

Publisher's summary[]

"Someone here has been playing with time, Ace. Like playing with fire, only worse - you get burnt before you've lit the match."

Abandoning a holiday in Oxford, the Doctor travels to Space Station Q4, where something is seriously wrong. Ghostly soldiers from the future watch from the shadows among the dead. Soon, the Doctor is trapped in the past, Ace is fighting for her life, and Bernice is uncovering deceit among the college cloisters.

What is the connection with a beautiful assassin in a black sports car? How can the Doctor's time machine be in Oxford when it is on board the space station? And what secrets are held by the library of the invaded TARDIS?

The Doctor quickly discovers he is facing another time-shattering enigma: a creature which he thought he had destroyed, and which it seems he is powerless to stop.

Chapter titles[]

Prologue - Input

Time Ghosts
Perception and Inception
Atmosphere Normal
Vertices and Vortices
Temporal Distraction
Communication Breakdown
On the Bridge
Conversations with the Dead
Far Out and Gone
Force Majeure
The Riders
Information Technology
Incubus
Cracks
Echoes
Into the Vortex
Come as You Are
Focus
The Link
Locations and Dislocation
Control
Ship of Time
Architecture and Mortality
Undiscovered Country
Reflections

Epilogue - Output

Plot[]

to be added

Characters[]

Terran Survey Corp[]

Space Station Q4[]

Septimus Ballantyne
Helina Vaiq
Cal Pagett
Emmi Dasselle

Oxford[]

Professor James Rafferty
Epsilon Delta aka Dr Styles and "The President"
Amanda
Tom Cheynor
Harry
Ellen Rocher

Worldbuilding[]

Androids[]

Amanda is a cybernetic android built by the President.

Books[]

The Doctor first read about the Garvond in The Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey.

The Doctor[]

The Doctor uses his Prydonian Chapter Debating Forum and Oxford Union Society membership cards as identification.

Events[]

Amanda mentions the Zygon Gambit, the Shoreditch Incident and the events of Auderly House.

Foods and beverages[]

The Doctor likes almond slices.

Individuals[]

Professor James Rafferty is Professor of Extra-Terrestial Studies at the University of Oxford.
Professor Rafferty knows Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Ian Chesterton, and Professor Travers.
The Doctor mentions Skagra.

Planets[]

The Doctor once thought about retiring to Florana.

Time Lords[]

Epsilon Delta, the President of St. Matthew's College, left Gallifrey, inspired by stories of the Master, the Rani and especially the Doctor. He is a Time Lord from the Ancient Time.
Before he left Gallifrey, Epsilon Delta was an attendant to the Gold Usher and left feeling angry and hateful towards his people for overlooking him.
Epsilon Delta scored a double-beta in cybernetics.
Epsilon Delta is in his second incarnation; he regenerated after encountering some Sontarans.

Time travel[]

Lt. Albion Strakk gets hit with a time beam giving him 10 years to live.

TARDIS[]

The TARDIS (from the alternate world) does not entirely trust the Doctor.
The Doctor's TARDIS can project itself a millisecond into the future through the Defence Indefinite Timeloop Option.
The President's TARDIS is a Type 102. It has a voice-operated lock and a reliable chameleon circuit.

Notes[]

This is the second novel in the Alternate Universe arc.
A prelude to this novel was published in DWM 206.
Mortimus and Artemis make an appearance (behind the scenes) in the prologue and the epilogue.
Despite being released in the month of Doctor Who's 30th anniversary, nothing in the book commemorates the event.

Continuity[]

The events mentioned by Amanda correspond to TV: Terror of the Zygons (the Zygon Gambit), Remembrance of the Daleks (the Shoreditch Incident) and Day of the Daleks (Auderly House).
There are a few references to TV: Shada.
Darius Cheynor reappears in PROSE: Infinite Requiem.

Tardis