Atom Bomb Blues (novel)
Atom Bomb Blues was the seventy-fourth and final novel in the BBC Past Doctor Adventures series. It was written by Andrew Cartmel, released 25 December 2005 and featured the Seventh Doctor and Ace.
It became the final novel in the range after which the imprint began to focus exclusively on publishing books featuring the then-current television incarnation of the Doctor (the Ninth Doctor). It was the last full-length Doctor Who novel to date to be published in the traditional mass market paperback format (a number of shorter novellas have been published in trade paperback editions, however).
Publisher's summary
Los Alamos, New Mexico, 1945. The Second World War is coming to its bloody conclusion, and in the American desert the race is on to build an atomic bomb. The fate of the world is at stake in more ways than one.
Someone, or something, is trying to alter the course of history at this most delicate point. And destroy the human race. Posing as a nuclear scientist with Ace as his research assistant, the Doctor plays detective among the Manhattan Project scientists, while desperately trying to avoid falling under suspicion himself.
As the minutes tick away to the world's first atom bomb blast, the Doctor and Ace find themselves up to their necks in spies, aliens of the flying saucer variety, and some very nasty saboteurs from another dimension.
Plot
to be added
Characters
- Seventh Doctor
- Ace
- John Henbest
- Ray Morita
- Lady Silk
- Imperial Lee
- Rosalita
- Major Rex Butcher
- Dr Judson
- Robert Oppenheimer
- Kitty Oppenheimer
- Edward Teller
- Abner Apple
- Albert Storrow
- Dobbs
- Elina Storrow
- Klaus Fuchs
- Black Eyes
- Scar
- Sun Runner
- Zorg
Worldbuilding
- Ace mentions the bands Foo Fighters and Nirvana, and meets Duke Ellington.
Foods and beverages
- Ace drinks martinis and eats chilli and later has waffles, sausages, honey and white country butter for breakfast. She and the Doctor later share steak, baked potatoes and tomato salad.
Notes
- This was the final paperback novel to be published under the BBC's Past Doctor range. Until 2012, all consequent novels featured the current Doctor appearing on television — Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant or Matt Smith. However, BBC Books resumed irregular publication of original fiction featuring past Doctors with the hardback novel, The Wheel of Ice, in 2012.
Continuity
- Ace remembers meeting Courtney Pine and getting his autograph, referencing the events in TV: Silver Nemesis [+]Loading...["Silver Nemesis"]. There is a slight discrepancy between the sources, with the novel stating that it was a CD she got signed, while in the TV story it was an audio cassette.
- Ace takes alien fish oil pills which stimulate the centres of the brain involved in abstract thinking, specifically mathematical calculation. The Krillitanes in the future use Krillitane oil to similar effect in increasing intelligence to work out mathematical sums. (TV: School Reunion)
- The Doctor mentions Bessie. (TV: Spearhead from Space et al)
External links
- Atom Bomb Blues at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
- The Discontinuity Guide to: Atom Bomb Blues at The Whoniverse
- The Cloister Library: Atom Bomb Blues
