Time of Your Life (novel): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Novel|
|image           = Ma-8.jpg
novel name= Time of Your Life |
|series         = [[Virgin Missing Adventures]]
image= [[file:Ma-8.jpg|250px]]|
|range          = Virgin Missing Adventures
series=[[Doctor Who]] -<br/>[[Virgin Missing Adventures]] |
|number in range = 8
number= 8 |
|number          = 8
doctor=[[Sixth Doctor]] |
|doctor         = Sixth Doctor
companions= [[Grant Markham]] |
|companions     = [[Grant Markham|Grant]]
enemy= [[Krllxk]] |
|enemy           = [[Krllxk]]
year=[[Torrok]], [[2191]]|
|setting        = [[Torrok]], [[2191]]
writer= [[Steve Lyons]] |
|writer          = Steve Lyons
publisher= [[Virgin Books]] |
|cover          = [[Paul Campbell]]
release date= [[March]], [[1995]] |
|publisher       = Virgin Books
format= Paperback Book, ? Pages |
|release date   = 16 March 1995
isbn= ISBN 0426204387|
|format         = Paperback Book; 13 Chapters, 278 Pages
previous story=[[The Ghosts of N-Space (novel)|The Ghosts of N-Space]]|
|isbn           = ISBN 0-426-20438-7
next story= [[Dancing the Code]]
|prev            = The Ghosts of N-Space (novelisation)
}}'''Time of Your Life''' was the eighth book in the [[Virgin Missing Adventures]] series.
|next           = Dancing the Code (novel)
}}{{prose stub}}
'''''Time of Your Life''''' was the eighth book in the ''[[Virgin Missing Adventures]]'' series. Written by [[Steve Lyons]], it featured the [[Sixth Doctor]] and introduced the short-lived [[companion]] [[Grant Markham]]. Much like [[Jamie McCrimmon]] in ''[[The Highlanders (TV story)|The Highlanders]]'', Grant was largely a background character in his debut story until the Doctor offered to take him on "one trip" in [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] at the end of the novel. This proved to be no hyperbole; Markham did get only one more official trip, in [[1996 (releases)|1996]]'s ''[[Killing Ground (novel)|Killing Ground]]''.


==Publisher's summary==
In presenting a society that had begun to devolve because of its innate addiction to [[television]], the narrative had a lot of obvious similarity to the television stories ''[[Paradise Towers (TV story)|Paradise Towers]]'' and ''[[Vengeance on Varos (TV story)|Vengeance on Varos]]''. The story also contains a mostly subtle, but sometimes gross, criticism of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' fandom, of a kind also seen in ''[[The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (TV story)|The Greatest Show in the Galaxy]]''.
''''Organic bugs must be purged from the system,' the screen told him. Then, more succinctly, 'You die.''''


[[The Network]] broadcasts entertainment to the planets of the [[Meson System|Meson system]]: [[Death-hunt 3000]], [[Prisoner: The Next Generation]], [[Bloodsoak Bunny]]... Sixteen channels, and not one of them worth watching. But for the citizens of poverty-striken [[Torrok]], television offers the only escape from a reality too horrible to face.
== Publisher's summary ==
:''"Organic bugs must be purged from the system," the screen told him. Then, more succinctly, "You die."''


[[Angela (Time of Your Life)|Angela]], a young inhabitant of Torrok, leaps at the chance to travel to the Network with a hermit who calls himself the Doctor. However, all is not well on the giant, chaotic space station. A soap star has murdered his wife’s lover; the robotic regulars of [[Timeriders]] are performing random kidnappings; and a lethal new game show is about to go on the air.
[[The Network (Time of Your Life)|The Network]] broadcasts [[entertainment]] to the planets of the [[Meson system]]: ''[[Death-hunt 3000]]'', ''[[Prisoner: The Next Generation]]'', ''[[Bloodsoak Bunny]]''... Sixteen [[Television channel|channels]], and not one of them worth watching. But for the citizens of [[poverty]]-stricken [[Torrok]], [[television]] offers the only escape from a reality too horrible to face.


Can the Doctor uncover the cause of the apparently random disturbances - or will his appearance as a competitor on Death-hunt 3000 be the last of his life?
[[Angela Jennings|Angela]], a young inhabitant of Torrok, leaps at the chance to travel to the Network with a [[hermit]] who calls himself [[Sixth Doctor|the Doctor]]. However, all is not well on the giant, chaotic space station. A soap star has [[murder]]ed his wife's lover; the [[robot]]ic regulars of [[Timeriders]] are performing random kidnappings; and a lethal new game show is about to go on the air.


==Characters==
Can the Doctor uncover the cause of the apparently random disturbances — or will his appearance as a competitor on Death-hunt 3000 be the last of his life?
*[[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]]
*[[Grant Markham]]
*[[Krllxk]]
*[[Angela]]


==References==
== Plot ==
*There are many real world references to the [[BBC]] and to [[Doctor Who|Doctor Who's]] hiatus.
''to be added''
*There's also a reference to [[Mary Whitehouse]] in the form of a character called [[Miriam Walker]].


==Notes==
== Characters ==
*The Doctor's decision to become a recluse is also a reflection of [[DW]]: ''[[The Twin Dilemma]]'', after another violent episode involving [[Peri]]. We also saw a similar character, also played by [[Colin Baker]], becoming a hermit in the [[BBV]] The Stranger video, ''Summoned by Shadows'', which this may also be reflecting.
* [[Sixth Doctor]]
* [[Grant Markham]]
* [[Krllxk]]
* [[Angela Jennings]]
* [[Anjor]]
* [[Anson Hammond]]
* [[Dan Brookes]]
* [[Dominic Shepherd]]
* [[Firn Kaerson]]
* [[Giselle]]
* [[Glynda]]
* [[Jak Martyn]]
* [[Mae Jordan]]
* [[Miriam Walker]]
* [[Nik Calvin]]
* [[Raymond Day]]
* [[Stuart Revell]]
* [[Terry Marston]]


==Continuity==
== Worldbuilding ==
*The Doctor was put on trial by the [[Time Lord]]s in [[DW]]: ''[[Trial of a Time Lord]]'' and faced [[the Valeyard]], an evil future incarnation of himself, in [[DW]]: ''[[The Ultimate Foe]]''.
''to be added''
*Reference is made to [[Drathro]], the [[L3]] maintenance robot in [[DW]]: ''[[The Mysterious Planet]]''.
*The [[Celestial Intervention Agency]] make an appearance, vaguely mimicking scenes seen (and heard) in [[DW]]: ''[[The Brain of Morbius]]'' and [[BFA]]: ''[[Blood of the Daleks]]''.
*The "shadow that hung heavy over [the Doctor's] future" may be a reference to the series' hiatus in 1985 or to [[the Valeyard]].
*The mass transit systems were outlawed long ago ([[NA]]: ''[[Transit]]'').


==Timeline==
== Notes ==
*Time of Your Life occurs immediately after: [[DW]]: ''[[The Ultimate Foe]]''
* The decision by the Doctor to become a recluse is a reflection of the television story ''[[The Twin Dilemma (TV story)|The Twin Dilemma]]'' following after another violent episode involving [[Peri Brown|Peri]].
*Time of Your Life occurs before: [[MA]]: ''[[Killing Ground]]''
* [[Steve Lyons]] originally proposed this novel as an introductory story for the character of [[Melanie Bush]], whose first meeting with the Doctor had not been shown in televised ''Doctor Who.'' [[Rebecca Levene]], ''[[Virgin New Adventures]]''{{'}} editor at the time, rejected the idea in favour of introducing a new companion for the Doctor. Mel's introduction would later be written by [[Gary Russell]] in the novel ''[[Business Unusual (novel)|Business Unusual]].''
* The [[Virgin Missing Adventures covers|front cover]] is the only one in the ''[[Virgin Missing Adventures]]'' to feature no other character alongside [[the Doctor]] on the left. In breaking this convention, it joins ''[[Invasion of the Cat-People (novel)|Invasion of the Cat-People]]'', which features two other characters as opposed to one.
* This story marked the debut of new companion Grant Markham. Due to the end of the range, Grant never received a departure story. ''[[Short Trips: Repercussions]]'' would however later imply one.


==External links==
== Continuity ==
*{{dwrefguide|who_ma08.htm|Time of Your Life}}
* The Doctor was put on trial by the [[Time Lord]]s ([[TV]]: ''[[The Mysterious Planet (TV story)|The Mysterious Planet]]'') and faced [[the Valeyard]], an evil future incarnation of himself. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ultimate Foe (TV story)|The Ultimate Foe]]'')
*{{whoniverse|MA08.php|Time of Your Life}}
* Reference is made to [[Drathro]], the [[L3]] maintenance [[robot]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Mysterious Planet (TV story)|The Mysterious Planet]]'')
{{prose stub}}
* The [[Celestial Intervention Agency]] make an appearance. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Brain of Morbius (TV story)|The Brain of Morbius]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Blood of the Daleks (audio story)|Blood of the Daleks]]'')
* The mass transit systems were outlawed long ago. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Transit (novel)|Transit]]'')
* The Doctor recalls the [[poison]] vines and [[acid]] baths on [[Varos]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Vengeance on Varos (TV story)|Vengeance on Varos]]'') and [[Gustave Lytton|Lytton]]'s death on [[Telos]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Attack of the Cybermen (TV story)|Attack of the Cybermen]]'')
* The Doctor refers to his visit to the last [[Intergalactic Peace Conference]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Frontier in Space (TV story)|Frontier in Space]]'')
* The Doctor recalls his treatment of [[Peri Brown]] on [[Thoros-Beta]] in [[2379]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Mindwarp (TV story)|Mindwarp]]'')
 
== External links ==
{{dwrefguide|who_ma08.htm|Time of Your Life}}
* {{whoniverse|ma08|Time of Your Life}}
* [http://mysite.science.uottawa.ca/rsmith43/cloister/tolife.htm The Cloister Library: '''Time of Your life''']
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{{MA}}
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[[Category:Virgin Missing Adventure Novels]]
 
[[Category:MA novels]]
[[Category:Sixth Doctor novels]]
[[Category:Sixth Doctor novels]]
[[Category:1995 novels]]
[[Category:1995 novels]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2191]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2191]]

Latest revision as of 20:32, 9 November 2023

RealWorld.png

prose stub

Time of Your Life was the eighth book in the Virgin Missing Adventures series. Written by Steve Lyons, it featured the Sixth Doctor and introduced the short-lived companion Grant Markham. Much like Jamie McCrimmon in The Highlanders, Grant was largely a background character in his debut story until the Doctor offered to take him on "one trip" in the TARDIS at the end of the novel. This proved to be no hyperbole; Markham did get only one more official trip, in 1996's Killing Ground.

In presenting a society that had begun to devolve because of its innate addiction to television, the narrative had a lot of obvious similarity to the television stories Paradise Towers and Vengeance on Varos. The story also contains a mostly subtle, but sometimes gross, criticism of Doctor Who fandom, of a kind also seen in The Greatest Show in the Galaxy.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

"Organic bugs must be purged from the system," the screen told him. Then, more succinctly, "You die."

The Network broadcasts entertainment to the planets of the Meson system: Death-hunt 3000, Prisoner: The Next Generation, Bloodsoak Bunny... Sixteen channels, and not one of them worth watching. But for the citizens of poverty-stricken Torrok, television offers the only escape from a reality too horrible to face.

Angela, a young inhabitant of Torrok, leaps at the chance to travel to the Network with a hermit who calls himself the Doctor. However, all is not well on the giant, chaotic space station. A soap star has murdered his wife's lover; the robotic regulars of Timeriders are performing random kidnappings; and a lethal new game show is about to go on the air.

Can the Doctor uncover the cause of the apparently random disturbances — or will his appearance as a competitor on Death-hunt 3000 be the last of his life?

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

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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