Theatre of War (novel)

Five years ago, an archaeological expedition came to Menaxus to explore the ruins of an ancient theatre. All but one of the visitors died horribly, and the planet was abandoned, bathed in lethal radiation.

Now the only survivor has returned, determined to uncover the theatre's secrets whatever the cost. Among her archaeological team is a certain Professor Bernice Summerfield.

Soon the deaths begin again, while the front line of an interstellar war moves ever closer. Desperate for help, Bernice tries to summon her companions. But when the TARDIS lands on the planet, the Doctor finds himself participating in a frighteningly real performance of Shakespeare's greatest tragedy. And he begins to realise that the truth about Menaxus may be far stranger than anyone imagines.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

There were at least 509 sim-prog enactments done by Rippearean High Command.

Literature[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Good Soldiers by Stanoff Osterling is considered to be in Shakespeare's league.
Michael Campling's Shakespeare's Playing Space was published in 1998.
Devereaux Watkins' play Death's Bane was first performed in the early 21st century.
Phil Houseman's The Myth of Artificial Intelligence was published in 2009.
Peter Hinton's The Greeks had a Play about It was published in 2012.
Wanlek Ackman's The Absurdity of Performance was published in 2044.
Vyse Plaquet's and Hughes Frost's Verbal Non-Communication was published in 2137.
Booth Kitava's Fictional Voices was published in 2267.
Bernice Summerfield's Down Among the Dead Men was published in 2466.
F. Van der Cleele's The Dramatist's Art was published in 2811.
Rankin Alduss's Reality - An Overrated Concept was published in 2876.
Azcline Grigsen's Osterling's Legacy was published in 3498. Grigsen died in 3515 before completing Beyond Osterling's Legacy.
Barbas Lothal's The New Dramatists was published in 3544.
Al Jardine's The Dream Scenario, a Case Study in Virtual History was published in 4123.
William Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Won was published in 1599; a copy of the play was found in the "dream machine" in the Pentillanian Theatre.

Foods and beverages[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor has some tea bags and powdered milk in his pockets.
Benny is given Craxiatanian Chardonnay during her stay at the Braxiatel Collection.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

A prelude to this novel was published in DWM 212.
In 2015, Big Finish Productions released an audio adaptation of this novel.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Braxiatel Collection was first mentioned in TV: City of Death.
This story marks the first meeting between Irving Braxiatel and Bernice Summerfield in her personal timeline whereas Braxiatel meets Benny for the first time from his perspective in PROSE: Dragons' Wrath and AUDIO: Disassembled.
In PROSE: Tears of the Oracle more detail is revealed concerning Irving Braxiatel's link to the Doctor.
The Doctor refers to his frequent visits to the Eye of Orion, (TV: The Five Doctors) being hunted across the universe by the Daleks, (TV: The Chase) playing backgammon with Kublai Khan, (TV: Marco Polo) seeing the skies over Metebelis III, (TV: The Green Death) trying the experiential grid on Argolis (TV: The Leisure Hive) and watching the space yachts of the Eternals race across the stars. (TV: Enlightenment)
The Tenth Doctor would later witness the sole performance on Earth of Love's Labour's Won. (TV: The Shakespeare Code)

Cover gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]

Original cover
Textless cover

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