A Journal of Impossible Things (reference book)

A Journal of Impossible Things was a small booklet released by Character Options in 2009. It was based on the in-universe diary of John Smith from the Human Nature/The Family of Blood two-parter, and featured many of the illustrations featured in the original production.

	John Smith (Tenth Doctor)
	Character Options
	2009
	ISBN 502-9-73-603410-8

Publisher's summary

The journal was initially also packaged with a miniature Sonic screwdriver pen

This book and pen set contains an A5 book with extremely detailed printed pages and blank pages for you to use you miniature Sonic Screwdriver pen with a realistic glowing blue top.

Later releases included The Master's ring in place of the screwdriver

As seen in the Christmas specials, The End of Time Journal of Impossible Things and Master's Ring Set has a journal with leather style cover with 22 blank and 78 highly detailed printed pages that not only contain the Doctor's notes and drawings from when he was disguised as John Smith, but has an aged appearance depicting its journey through time. To complete the set the Master's ring also plays an important part in the tale.

Plot

The book is a record of John Smith's dreams, after the Tenth Doctor used the Chameleon Arch to turn himself human, additionally giving himself a memory of a false life.

Smith begins by describing a gigantic centrepiece in some kind of ship. Vines surround the piece, as well as lights. Smith notes he feels safe there. He speculates that it is some kind of control power console. This is inside of a box, that almost looks like a telephone booth. The box takes him to other worlds, and in the dream he knows these places already.

Worldbuilding

• John Smith draws illustrations of:
  • The TARDIS control console
  • The TARDIS exterior, disguised as a Police box
  • The Sonic screwdriver
  • Circular Gallifreyan scribbles
  • Victims of the Empty Child Syndrome
  • Daleks
  • Cybermen
  • Some of the TARDIS control panels
  • Reapers
  • The Tenth Doctor
  • The Ninth Doctor
  • The Fourth Doctor
  • The Third Doctor
  • The Second Doctor
  • The Seventh Doctor
  • The Eighth Doctor
  • The First Doctor
  • The Sixth Doctor
  • The Fifth Doctor
  • Several roses
  • Rose Tyler
  • Shadowy figures, representing a family, who he can barely remember
  • A pocket watch, covered in odd inscriptions
  • A burning orb he thinks is the Sun
  • Moxx of Balhoon
  • The Earth being destroyed
  • Autons
  • A grouping of obscured faces
  • The Slitheen
  • Big Ben
  • Slitheen craft
  • Mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe
  • Satellite Five
  • Cassandra
  • Catkind
  • A Werewolf
  • Krillitane
  • K9 Mark III
  • Gears and a Clockwork Droid
  • Seal of Rassilon
  • Jack Harkness
  • Cars in a traffic jam
  • A companion whose face he can not remember
  • The Moon, covered in craters.
  • Royal Hope Hospital, on the Moon.
  • Joan Redfern
  • The Dalek Emperor
  • Zu-Zana
  • Anne Droid
  • Santa Claus robots
  • Sycorax leader
  • The London Eye
  • Rose Tyler's face trapped inside of a television
  • Ood
  • The Beast
  • Toby Zed
  • The Empire State Building
  • A stage
  • William Shakespeare

Notes

• The booklet includes 78 pages of illustrations and notes, and 22 blank pages after this. This imitates to some accuracy the original journal, as John Smith had not filled up the entire book.
• Years later, another publication (REF: The Doctor: His Lives and Times) would feature several unseen pages from the journal, showing Shayde, a Special Weapons Dalek, and the War Doctor. In the context of the original story, this is possible due the several pages from the real journal prop having clearly been ripped out by John Smith after completion.

Continuity

to be added