Down the Middle (anthology)
Down the Middle was an anthology published by Arcbeatle Press. It was the first full instalment in Cwej: The Series, a spin-off starring Chris Cwej, a former companion of the Seventh Doctor.
It was comprised of 28 short stories, and featured characters and concepts from various other series, some spin-offs, and others which weren't originally connected to the DWU, but crossed over for the duration of the anthology.
Vignettes of an Uprising, the last entry in Down the Middle acted as linking material for the previous short story, Rebel Rebel, and was also an umbrella title for 8 different stories.
Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
Chris Cwej. Once, a policeman, tasked with maintaining order through the galaxy. Once, a traveler through space and time, righting wrongs with his friends.
Now – an operative for powers far beyond humanity's comprehension. A soldier in cosmic games, trying to obey the commands of his Superiors, but facing, time and again, heartbreak and sacrifice. Far from everything and everyone he once cared about, and drifting through an infinity of wars, conspiracies and betrayals...
These are his stories – tales of unlikely allies, of doomed love affairs and of wild interventions in Earth's history. From battlefields to cozy meetings with adventuress Iris Wildthyme: a chronicle of a man split down the middle.
CWEJ: DOWN THE MIDDLE is an officially-licensed anthology continuing the adventures of the character created for the Virgin New Adventures book line, featuring contributions from Doctor Who writers Andy Lane (Original Sin, All-Consuming Fire, A Thousand Tiny Wings) and Simon Bucher-Jones (The Death of Art, The Taking of Planet 5), alongside a vast panel of new and diverse talents.
Stories[[edit] | [edit source]]
Arcs[[edit] | [edit source]]
On 27 September 2023, the anthology was cut down into what was known as "Arcs", which were essentially separate books containing a certain number of the stories from the anthology to enable purchase for fans who found the entire anthology to be too expensive. The third "Arc" was released on 26 November 2023.
Like the second edition, these re-releases excluded Hearts of Gold by Sam Maleski.
| # | Title | Release | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arc 1 | Living Memory | 27 September 2023 | |
| Arc 2 | Dying to Forget | ||
| Arc 3 | Uprising | 26 November 2023 | |
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- When the anthology was first announced, a slightly different cover with a non-final logo was released.
- At 686 pages, the paperback edition of the anthology is the longest work of DWU prose covered by this Wiki.
- The PsyCon Prediction was originally named Cwej and the Thief.[1]
- The cover art by Bri Crozier depicts in the front row (from left to right) Larles, Chris Cwej, and Kwol; in the second row Judy Collins, Iris Wildthyme, and Yanna; and in the upper corners a Hytherian and a Geldex.
- The back cover art by Johannes Chazot depicts Larles, Kwol, and Cwej.
- Aside from the illustrations printed in the anthology, an additional, online-exclusive illustration for the story The Ursine Brood was created by artist Kern McCarthy and released through the series's official Facebook page.[2]
- The score and sound effects were created by Ronan Goron.
- Katy Manning, who played Iris at Big Finish Productions and whose likeness appears on the cover, endorsed the anthology on her Twitter account.[3]
- In May 2022, Arcbeatle Press announced that the story Hearts of Gold would not be included in reprints of Down the Middle beyond the first printing, as Arcbeatle were ceasing association with BBV Productions (who held the copyright to the Cyberons, who were fairly central to the plot of Hearts of Gold), on top of having cut ties with writer Sam Maleski, precluding the extensive rewrites that would have been necessary.[4]
Gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]
First edition back cover by Johannes Chazot
Second edition, textless front cover art.
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External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Official Down the Middle page at Arcbeatle Press
Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/107319634107724/posts/170111517828535/?flite=scwspnss
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/chris.cwej.series/photos/a.119461952893492/138215724351448
- ↑ https://twitter.com/ManningOfficial/status/1215672626871443456
- ↑ Arcbeatle Press on Facebook
- ↑ https://www.timelash.com/tardis/display.php?4285
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