The Wages of Sin (novel)

The Wages of Sin
Doctor:	[[doctor::Third Doctor]]
Companion(s):	Jo Grant Liz Shaw
Main enemy:	The Ochrana
Main setting:	Tunguska, the Russian Empire, 30 June 1908 St. Petersburg, the Russian Empire, December 1916
Key crew
Publisher:	[[publisher::BBC Books]]
Writer:	David A. McIntee
Release details
Release number:	19
Release date:	February 1999
Format:	Paperback Book, ? Pages
ISBN:	ISBN 0-563-55567-X
BBC Past Doctor Adventures
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Next →	Deep Blue

Publisher's summary

The Doctor has always been wary of meddling with established history. But what happens when the history books lie?

With the secrets of time-travel restored to him after his long exile on Earth, the Doctor decides to test out the TARDIS with a trip into the past. Accompanying him are his assistant, Jo, and an old friend, scientist Liz Shaw. Soon after landing, the travellers realise they have landed at one of the most significant periods of Earth's history - and one of the most dangerous...

It is Russia, 1916, and Europe is in the grip of the Great War. With the TARDIS confiscated by Imperial guards, its crew find themselves trapped in a country on the brink of revolution.

The Doctor and Liz are soon caught up in the deadly machinations of Tsar Nicholas' court, while Jo appears to fall under the sinister spell of the infamous Mad Monk, Rasputin...

Characters

• The Doctor
• Jo Grant
• Liz Shaw

• Drinks several alcoholic drinks whilst in Russia.

• Grigori Rasputin
• Tsar Nicholas II
• Tsarina Alexandra

References

• This is the Doctor’s first test-flight since regaining his time travel knowledge.
• Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart's paternal grandfather, who was also named Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, worked with the British ambassador to Russia, Bertie Stopford, in Military Intelligence before and during the First World War until the Russian Revolution of 1917.
• Jo has seen a film about Rasputin and is aware of the Boney M song about him.

Notes

• The front cover of the novel features a photograph of the actual Rasputin.

Continuity

• The last time that Liz met the Doctor was in DWM: Change of Mind.
• Jo tells Liz that she failed General Science at "O" level. (DW: Terror of the Autons)
• Jo recalls being hypnotised by the Master (DW: Terror of the Autons) and the 22nd century Dalek invasion of Earth in an alternative timeline (DW: Day of the Daleks).
• The First Doctor previously encountered Rasputin in Siberia in 1903 in the company of Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright and Susan Foreman. However, Rasputin has no memory of that event. (CC: The Wanderer)

Timeline

• The Wages of Sin occurs after DW: The Three Doctors
• The Wages of Sin occurs before ST Categorical Imperative

External links

• The Wages of Sin at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
• The Discontinuity Guide to: The Wages of Sin at The Whoniverse