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The Sands of Time was the twenty-second novel in the Virgin Missing Adventures series. It was written by Justin Richards and featured the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan Jovanka.

Publisher's summary

1996 Virgin Books edition

"If Sutekh had escaped, no power in the universe could have stopped him wreaking havoc and destruction. This time, it's worse."

Arriving in Victorian London, the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan run straight into trouble: Nyssa is kidnapped in the British Museum by Egyptian religious fanatics; the Doctor and Tegan are greeted by a stranger who knows more about them than he should and invited to a very strange party.

Why are rooms already booked for the Doctor at the Savoy? How can Lord Kenilworth's butler Atkins be in Egypt and London at the same time? What is the history of the ancient mummy to be unwrapped at Kenilworth's house? And what has all this got to do with Nyssa?

The Doctor's quest for answers leads him across continents and time as an ancient Egyptian prophecy threatens 1990s England. While the Doctor attempts to unravel the plans of the mysterious Sadan Rassul, mummies stalk the night and an ancient terror stirs in its tomb.

2014 BBC Books edition

The Doctor is in Victorian London with Nyssa and Tegan — a city shrouded in mystery. When Nyssa is kidnapped in the British Museum, the Doctor and Tegan have to unlock the answers to a series of ancient questions.

Their quest leads them across continents and time as an ancient Egyptian prophecy threatens future England. To save Nyssa, the Doctor must foil the plans of the mysterious Sadan Rassul. But as mummies stalk the night, an ancient terror stirs in its tomb.

Plot

to be added

Characters

Worldbuilding

Individuals

  • Nephthys is released when the canopic jar containing her reasoning is broken while robbers are plundering her pyramid.
  • Marcus Scarman arrives for dinner at Lord Kenilworth's in 1896.

Notes

  • This novel continues many of the themes in the television story Pyramids of Mars and functions as both a prequel and a sequel.
  • The story was released as an e-book on the BBC website in 2004, with the book remaining on the website until 2010. It contained illustrations by Peter McKinstry and added an alternate ending to the story. The alternate ending was added into the story by having a character called the Chronicler run a simulation of the events of the ending of the novel "if things had gone differently".
  • This novel was reprinted and released as an ebook by BBC Books on 6 March 2014 as The Monster Collection Edition.
  • The phenomenon of the Web of Time and the Doctor's inability to change history despite his limitless ability to travel in time is central to the novel. It is discussed several times by the Doctor and Tegan. The Doctor does mention that he has seen history changed, but that it requires "fantastic power" and is often disastrous.
  • Despite this, Tegan attempts to change history in a minor way. However, events end up not being changed at all — something that doesn't surprise the Doctor.
  • Further history of the Osirans is detailed in this story.
  • This story is set between Arc of Infinity and Snakedance.

Continuity

Illustrations

The BBC e-book of The Sands of Time contained several illustrations by Peter McKinstry.

  • "She was hardly more than a girl, her eyes betraying her fear as she shivered in the warm rain. The Priests stood either side of her holding her arms out from her body. Their heads were lowered - perhaps in shame, perhaps in an effort to keep them dry."
    "She was hardly more than a girl, her eyes betraying her fear as she shivered in the warm rain. The Priests stood either side of her holding her arms out from her body. Their heads were lowered - perhaps in shame, perhaps in an effort to keep them dry."
  • "Nyssa was being drawn closer, into the kaleidoscope of light. She clasped her hands tightly over her shoulders as the blackness closed around her and Rassul's laughter faded into the hazy darkness."
    "Nyssa was being drawn closer, into the kaleidoscope of light. She clasped her hands tightly over her shoulders as the blackness closed around her and Rassul's laughter faded into the hazy darkness."
  • "The tree quivered and shook as a heavy object washed up against it, jamming hard in the mud. In a moment it was quiet again. Just the river, the breeze, the reeds and the tree. And the solid blue box of the TARDIS stuck fast in the muddy bank of the ancient river Nile."
    "The tree quivered and shook as a heavy object washed up against it, jamming hard in the mud. In a moment it was quiet again. Just the river, the breeze, the reeds and the tree. And the solid blue box of the TARDIS stuck fast in the muddy bank of the ancient river Nile."
  • The excavation was a huge pit in the desert, at the base of a sandy mound. On the side of the pit below the mound, the wall of sand was interrupted by the shining black marble of the pyramid side."
    The excavation was a huge pit in the desert, at the base of a sandy mound. On the side of the pit below the mound, the wall of sand was interrupted by the shining black marble of the pyramid side."
  • "Each of the figures was seven feet tall. Heavy legs moving the body stiffly forward with a rolling motion that transferred the weight of the mummy from one leg to the other as the figure twisted its way forwards towards the central dais."
    "Each of the figures was seven feet tall. Heavy legs moving the body stiffly forward with a rolling motion that transferred the weight of the mummy from one leg to the other as the figure twisted its way forwards towards the central dais."
  • "Simons lifted his hands slowly to her neck and sher closed her eyes, lifting her head towards his. She tried not to flinch when the stench grew stronger as he leaned forward, pushing her back on to the bed."
    "Simons lifted his hands slowly to her neck and sher closed her eyes, lifting her head towards his. She tried not to flinch when the stench grew stronger as he leaned forward, pushing her back on to the bed."
  • "Her hand was on the light switch when she saw the rows of specimen jars. She was already in the process of turning out the light as she began to realise what the shapes floating inside the discoloured fluids might be."
    "Her hand was on the light switch when she saw the rows of specimen jars. She was already in the process of turning out the light as she began to realise what the shapes floating inside the discoloured fluids might be."
  • "'Exactly.' the Doctor smiled. 'Now then...' He twisted round trying to get his bearings, licking his index finger and holding it up. Then he stared out across the desert sands in the opposite direction to the crater. 'That way, I think.'"
    "'Exactly.' the Doctor smiled. 'Now then...' He twisted round trying to get his bearings, licking his index finger and holding it up. Then he stared out across the desert sands in the opposite direction to the crater. 'That way, I think.'"
  • "Norris gaped at the mummy in amazement. Then he raised the shotgun to his shoulder and fired. One of the barrels spat flame and the mummy lurched back under the impact. The bandages on the upper body tore and smoked as the lead shot ripped through."
    "Norris gaped at the mummy in amazement. Then he raised the shotgun to his shoulder and fired. One of the barrels spat flame and the mummy lurched back under the impact. The bandages on the upper body tore and smoked as the lead shot ripped through."
  • "A drunk stirred in the gutter as one of the massive figures stepped over him. He stared in fuzzy horror at the shape moving above him, then dragged himself to his feet and fled noisily in the opposite direction."
    "A drunk stirred in the gutter as one of the massive figures stepped over him. He stared in fuzzy horror at the shape moving above him, then dragged himself to his feet and fled noisily in the opposite direction."
  • "The Chronicler peered into the glowing embers of reality. Deep within the holosphere, a single quantum choice played itself out for him. He was at one with the world he watched, oblivious to the great hallway in which he worked."
    "The Chronicler peered into the glowing embers of reality. Deep within the holosphere, a single quantum choice played itself out for him. He was at one with the world he watched, oblivious to the great hallway in which he worked."

Additional cover images

Editions published outside Britain

  • Published in Germany by Cross Cult in 2021 as a paperback edition.
  • German edition

    German edition

External links

v • e
Virgin Missing Adventures
First Doctor
Susan, Ian, Barbara
Ian, Barbara
Ian, Barbara, Vicki
Vicki, Steven
Dodo
Second Doctor
Ben, Polly
Jamie, Victoria
Jamie, Zoe
Third Doctor
Liz, UNIT
Jo, UNIT
Jo, Yates
Sarah, Jeremy,
The Brig
Fourth Doctor
Sarah, Harry
Sarah
Romana I, K9
Romana II, K9
Fifth Doctor
Adric, Nyssa, Tegan
Nyssa, Tegan
Tegan, Turlough, Kamelion
Turlough
Sixth Doctor
Peri
Grant
Mel
Seventh Doctor
Chris, Roz
Other
Victoria, Sarah, The Brig
Second, Third, Seventh Doctors
with Dodo and UNIT
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