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{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Other Novels|
|image          = Walking to Babylon.jpg
novel name= Walking to Babylon |
|series         = [[Virgin New Adventures]]
image= [[File:Walking_to_Babylon.jpg|250px]] |
|range          = Virgin New Adventures
series= [[Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures|Virgin <br /> Bernice Summerfield New Adventures]] |
|number in range = 71
number= 10 |
|number         = 71
main character= [[Bernice Summerfield]]|
|adapted into    = Walking to Babylon (audio story)
featuring= |
|main character = [[Bernice Summerfield]]
enemy= [[WiRgo!xu]] and [[!Ci!ci-tel]] |
|featuring      = Joseph (Oh No It Isn't!)
year= [[Dellah]], [[St. Oscar's University]] [[2594]] <br /> [[The People]]’s [[Worldsphere]], [[2594]] <br /> Planet [[MD 20879]], [[2594]] <br /> [[Earth]], [[Babylon]], [[12 December]] [[1901]] <br /> [[Earth]], [[Babylon]], [[BC#6th century BC|570 B.C.]] |
|featuring2      = Clarence
writer= [[Kate Orman]] |
|featuring3      = God (The Also People)
publisher= [[Virgin Books]] |
|featuring4      = Wolsey
release date= February, 1998 |
|enemy           = [[WiRgo!xu]] and [[!Ci!ci-tel]]
format= Paperback Book, ? Pages |
|setting        = [[St Oscar's University|St Oscar's]], [[Worldsphere]], and [[MD 20879]], [[2594]]; [[Babylon]], [[12 December]] [[1901]] and [[BC#6th century BC|570 B.C.]]
isbn= ISBN 0-426-20521-9 |
|writer          = Kate Orman
previous story[[Tempest (novel)|Tempest]] |
|cover          = [[Mark Salwowski]]
next story= [[Oblivion (novel)|Oblivion]]}}
|publisher       = Virgin Books
|release date   = 3 February 1998
|format         = Paperback Book;<br/>14 Chapters, 256 Pages
|isbn           = ISBN 0-426-20521-9
|prev            = Tempest (novel)
|next            = Oblivion (novel)
}}{{prose stub}}
'''''Walking to Babylon''''' is the seventy-first [[Virgin New Adventures]] novel. It features [[Bernice Summerfield]] and [[the People]]. It was the third novel to be adapted by [[Big Finish Productions]] into a full cast audio story, which was released in [[November (releases)|November]] [[1998 (releases)|1998]].


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
''''I'm scared of letting all these people down. Like the whole human race. At least if I get blown up as well, they can say I died heroically. Assuming I ever existed at all.''''
''"I'm scared of letting all these people down. Like the whole human race. At least if I get blown up as well, they can say I died heroically. Assuming I ever existed at all."''


When Bernice Summerfield visits the People -- an incredibly advanced civilisation living in a [[Dyson Sphere]] -- she discovers that even in utopia, they still have their problems.
When [[Bernice Summerfield]] visits [[the People]] — an incredibly advanced civilisation living in a [[Dyson sphere|Dyson Sphere]] she discovers that even in utopia, they still have their problems.


An illegal time travel experiment threatens a war which could destroy them all. Rather than risk it, the People and their ultra-powerful computer, God, are prepared to eradicate the source of the problem -- the ancient city of Babylon. But such action would involve the death of a quarter of a million human beings, and do incalculable damage to Earth's history.
An illegal time travel experiment threatens a war which could destroy them all. Rather than risk it, the People and their ultra-powerful computer, [[God (The Also People)|God]], are prepared to eradicate the source of the problem the ancient city of [[Babylon]]. But such action would involve the death of a quarter of a million human beings, and do incalculable damage to [[Earth]]'s history.


Babylon -- and the human race -- have one hope. Benny returns to the cradle of civilisation to try and stop the interference. She has just one week to prevent a catastrophe that could mean she will never be born. Her only assistance comes from a Victorian linguist who has stumbled across the experiment himself. But he's no help at all -- even though he has a power neither of them suspects.
Babylon and the [[human]] race have one hope. Benny returns to the cradle of civilisation to try and stop the interference. She has just one week to prevent a catastrophe that could mean she will never be born. Her only assistance comes from a Victorian linguist who has stumbled across the experiment himself. But he's no help at all even though he has a power neither of them suspects.
 
== Chapter titles ==
* Chapter 0: An Invitation From God
* Chapter 1: In Too Deep
* Chapter 2: Basket Case
* Chapter 3: Language
* Chapter 4: The Party's Over
* Chapter 5: Past Shock
* Chapter 6: The Evening After the Afternoon Before
* Chapter 7: Head Above Water
* Chapter 8: The Shortest-Lived Profession
* Chapter 9: Helpless
* Chapter 10: Looking
* Chapter 11: The Plan
* Chapter 12: Rain and Snow
* Chapter 13: Walking on Home
 
== Plot ==
''to be added''


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
* [[Bernice Summerfield]]
* [[Bernice Summerfield]]
** Is studying some [[D'nasian]] poetry.
* [[God (The Also People)|God]]
** Once had sex with some [[Citdbtbed]]s.
 
* [[God (Worldsphere)|God]]
** Speaks through Benny’s porter [[Joseph (android)|Joseph]].
 
* [[John Lafayette]]
* [[John Lafayette]]
** Is a [[time sensitive]] and thus was able to walk the [[Time Path]].
* [[Clarence]]
* [[Clarence]]
** Collects Benny from [[St. Oscar's University|St Oscar's]].
* [[Cin-ta!x]]
* [[Cin-ta!x]]
** Spokesperson for the [[Temporal Interest Group]].
* [[Ninan]] (High Princess)
* [[Ninan]] (High Princess)
** Loved to hear of her guests' travels, but could never leave her temple.
* [[WiRgo!xu]]
* [[!Ci!ci-tel]]
* [[!qu-!qu-tala]]


* [[WiRgo!xu]]  
== Worldbuilding ==
** Is a veteran of the People’s war with ‘them’.
=== Biology ===
* Bernice once had [[sex]] with some [[Citdbtbed]]s by shaking hands with them.


* [[!Ci!ci-tel]]
=== Groups ===
** Is a veteran of the People’s war with ‘them’.
* Several Interest Groups are mentioned, including the [[Obscure and Unlikely Civilisations Interest Group]], the [[Abnormal Psychology Interest Group]], the [[Weird Aviation Interest Group]], the [[Seriously Primitive Societies Interest Group]], the [[Apathy Interest Group]], the [[Wilderness Gardening Interest Group]], the [[Temporal Interest Group]], the [[Interpersonal Dynamics Interest Group]], the [[Weapons Development Interest Group]], the [[Primitive Cooking Interest Group]], the [[Freak Accidents Interest Group]], the [[Ke Chedani Interest Group]], the [[Immortality Through Not Pissing Off God Interest Group]], the [[Solar Mechanics Interest Group]], the [[Creative Writing Interest Group]], and the [[Celibacy Interest Group]].
** Aged to death by temporal energy stored in John Lafayette.
* [[Cin-ta!x]] is a spokesperson for the Temporal Interest Group.


* [[!qu-!qu-tala]]
=== Individuals ===
** The drone accompanying !Ci!ci-tel and WiRgo!xu, the drone is also a veteran of the war.
* [[God (The Also People)|God]] speaks through Benny's porter [[Joseph (Oh No It Isn't!)|Joseph]].
* [[Clarence]] collects Benny from [[St Oscar's University|St Oscar's]].
* [[!qu-!qu-tala]] is a [[drone]] accompanying !Ci!ci-tel and WiRgo!xu. The drone is also a veteran of the war.


== References ==
=== Literature ===
* [[The People]] can't develop [[Time travel]] because of their treaty with the [[Time Lord]]s.
* Bernice Summerfield is studying some [[D'nasian]] poetry.


* [[Temporal Flexibility]] is the ability build up in frequent time travellers to not store up potential temporal energy (as a result of some forms of time travel).{{what}}
=== Planets ===
* Bernice mentions the planet [[Jalkejai]].


=== Time travel ===
* [[The People]] can't develop [[time travel]] because of their [[Time Lord-People Treaty|treaty]] with the [[Time Lord]]s.
* [[John Lafayette]] is a [[Time sensitivity|time sensitive]] and thus was able to walk the [[Time Path]].
* [[Temporal Flexibility]] is the ability to store up potential temporal energy (as a result of some forms of time travel).
* [[The Path]] is an unstable temporal path leading back to ancient Babylon.
* [[The Path]] is an unstable temporal path leading back to ancient Babylon.


=== Weapons ===
* The People decide to send back a [[Singularity Bomb]] to shut down the path, which would also destroy Babylon.
* The People decide to send back a [[Singularity Bomb]] to shut down the path, which would also destroy Babylon.
* Bernice mentions the planet [[Jalkejai]].


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* This novel was adapted for Big Finish by [[Jacqueline Rayner]], see ''[[Walking to Babylon (audio story)]]''.
* This novel was adapted into an audio story by [[Big Finish Productions]] by [[Jacqueline Rayner]]. (see [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Walking to Babylon (audio story)|Walking to Babylon]]'')


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The People first appeared in [[NA]]: ''[[The Also People]]''.
* The People first appeared in [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Also People (novel)|The Also People]]''.
 
* Benny agreed to become an agent of the People in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Oh No It Isn't! (novel)|Oh No It Isn't!]]''.
* Benny agreed to become an agent of The People in [[BNA]]: ''[[Oh No It Isn't! (novel)|Oh No It Isn't!]]''.
* The People make a deal regarding time travel in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Dead Romance (novel)|Dead Romance]]''.
 
* Benny tells the story of her solo dig on [[Capella Four]]. This was first mentioned in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Parasite (novel)|Parasite]]'' and expanded upon in [[PROSE]]: ''[[Steal from the World (short story)|Steal from the World]]''.
* The People make a deal regarding time travel in [[BNA]]: ''[[Dead Romance]]''.


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{dwrefguide|who_na71.htm|Walking to Babylon}}
{{dwrefguide|who_na71.htm|Walking to Babylon}}
* {{whoniverse|bs10.php|Walking to Babylon}}
* {{whoniverse|na71|Walking to Babylon}}
* [http://mysite.science.uottawa.ca/rsmith43/cloister/walk.htm The Cloister Library: '''Walking to Babylon''']
{{BNA}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}


[[Category:Bernice Summerfield sources]]
[[Category:1998 novels]]
[[Category:1998 novels]]
[[Category:BNA novels]]
[[Category:BNA novels]]
[[Category:Stories set in the distant past]]
[[Category:Stories set in 570 BC]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 20th century]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1901]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 26th century]]
[[Category:Stories set in Babylon]]
[[Category:Stories set in Babylon]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2594]]
[[Category:Novels set on Dellah]]

Latest revision as of 21:13, 12 January 2024

RealWorld.png

prose stub

Walking to Babylon is the seventy-first Virgin New Adventures novel. It features Bernice Summerfield and the People. It was the third novel to be adapted by Big Finish Productions into a full cast audio story, which was released in November 1998.

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

"I'm scared of letting all these people down. Like the whole human race. At least if I get blown up as well, they can say I died heroically. Assuming I ever existed at all."

When Bernice Summerfield visits the People — an incredibly advanced civilisation living in a Dyson Sphere — she discovers that even in utopia, they still have their problems.

An illegal time travel experiment threatens a war which could destroy them all. Rather than risk it, the People and their ultra-powerful computer, God, are prepared to eradicate the source of the problem — the ancient city of Babylon. But such action would involve the death of a quarter of a million human beings, and do incalculable damage to Earth's history.

Babylon — and the human race — have one hope. Benny returns to the cradle of civilisation to try and stop the interference. She has just one week to prevent a catastrophe that could mean she will never be born. Her only assistance comes from a Victorian linguist who has stumbled across the experiment himself. But he's no help at all — even though he has a power neither of them suspects.

Chapter titles[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Chapter 0: An Invitation From God
  • Chapter 1: In Too Deep
  • Chapter 2: Basket Case
  • Chapter 3: Language
  • Chapter 4: The Party's Over
  • Chapter 5: Past Shock
  • Chapter 6: The Evening After the Afternoon Before
  • Chapter 7: Head Above Water
  • Chapter 8: The Shortest-Lived Profession
  • Chapter 9: Helpless
  • Chapter 10: Looking
  • Chapter 11: The Plan
  • Chapter 12: Rain and Snow
  • Chapter 13: Walking on Home

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Biology[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Bernice once had sex with some Citdbtbeds by shaking hands with them.

Groups[[edit] | [edit source]]

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

Literature[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Bernice Summerfield is studying some D'nasian poetry.

Planets[[edit] | [edit source]]

Time travel[[edit] | [edit source]]

Weapons[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The People decide to send back a Singularity Bomb to shut down the path, which would also destroy Babylon.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

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