The Price of Paradise
Encyclopedia
The Price of Paradise is a BBC Books
original novel written by Colin Brake
and based on the long running science fiction television
series Doctor Who
. It was published on September 21, 2006, alongside The Nightmare of Black Island
and The Art of Destruction
. It features the Tenth Doctor
and Rose
.
Like all Doctor Who spin-off media, its canonicity in relation to the television series is unknown.
, only to find that the once-perfect eco-system is showing signs of failing. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent, and creatures from ancient legends are appearing and attacking people. The Doctor realises that the planet is a perfect equation
, when left alone it is a paradise, but when alien objects visit the planet, the equation becomes unbalanced, and the planet causes disasters to try to repair itself.
(Pete Tyler
) was released in November 2006 (ISBN 1-40567-686-8) by BBC Audiobooks
. Also included was a "behind-the-scenes" discussion between the author and reader.
BBC Books
BBC Books is an imprint majority owned and managed by Random House. The minority shareholder is BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation...
original novel written by Colin Brake
Colin Brake
Colin Brake is an English television writer and script editor best known for his work for the BBC on programs such as Bugs and EastEnders. He has also written spin-offs from the BBC series Doctor Who...
and based on the long running science fiction television
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. It was published on September 21, 2006, alongside The Nightmare of Black Island
The Nightmare of Black Island
The Nightmare of Black Island is a BBC Books original novel written by Mike Tucker and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was published on September 21, 2006, alongside The Art of Destruction and The Price of Paradise...
and The Art of Destruction
The Art of Destruction
The Art of Destruction is a BBC Books original novel written by Stephen Cole and based on the long running science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was published on September 21, 2006, alongside The Nightmare of Black Island and The Price of Paradise...
. It features the Tenth Doctor
Tenth Doctor
The Tenth Doctor is the tenth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is played by David Tennant, who appears in three series, as well as eight specials...
and Rose
Rose Tyler
Rose Marion Tyler is a fictional character portrayed by Billie Piper in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was created by series producer Russell T Davies...
.
Like all Doctor Who spin-off media, its canonicity in relation to the television series is unknown.
Plot
Laylora, the Paradise Planet, is a world of breath-taking beauty, where peace-loving Aboriginals supposedly live in harmony with their environment. Years ago, a human called Rez arrived on the planet as a baby in an escape pod, and was adopted by the native people. The Doctor and Rose arrive to answer a distress signal from a group of scientists, who were shot down by an EMPElectromagnetic pulse
An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
, only to find that the once-perfect eco-system is showing signs of failing. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent, and creatures from ancient legends are appearing and attacking people. The Doctor realises that the planet is a perfect equation
Equation
An equation is a mathematical statement that asserts the equality of two expressions. In modern notation, this is written by placing the expressions on either side of an equals sign , for examplex + 3 = 5\,asserts that x+3 is equal to 5...
, when left alone it is a paradise, but when alien objects visit the planet, the equation becomes unbalanced, and the planet causes disasters to try to repair itself.
Continuity
- When an alarm sounds in the TARDISTARDISThe TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
console room, Rose asks if it is a 'mauve alert'. This universal danger alert was mentioned in "The Empty ChildThe Empty Child"The Empty Child" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on 21 May 2005. It is the first of a two-part story. The concluding episode, "The Doctor Dances", was broadcast on 28 May...
". - The crystal trisilicate is used as spaceship fuel in the book, and is found in abundance on Laylora. Trisilicate was first seen in The Curse of PeladonThe Curse of PeladonThe Curse of Peladon is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 29 January to 19 February 1972.-Synopsis:...
. - When Rose searches through the pockets of the Doctor's coat, she likens them to the TARDIS as they go on forever. She discovers a number of iconic items, including a banana ("The Doctor DancesThe Doctor Dances"The Doctor Dances" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on 28 May 2005. It is the second of a two-part story and saw Jack Harkness, played by John Barrowman, join the Doctor as a companion. The first part, "The Empty Child", was...
" and "The Girl in the FireplaceThe Girl in the Fireplace"The Girl in the Fireplace" is the fourth episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on 6 May 2006, and is the only episode in the 2006 series written by Steven Moffat...
"), a yo-yo, and the Fifth Doctor'sFifth DoctorThe Fifth Doctor is the fifth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Peter Davison....
cricket ball (most memorably seen in Four to DoomsdayFour to Doomsday*The working title for this story was Days Of Wrath.*Although Castrovalva was the first story aired which featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, this story was the first in the season to be produced....
). The long-held fan theory that the Doctor's pockets are bigger on the inside was confirmed in "The Runaway BrideThe Runaway Bride (Doctor Who)"The Runaway Bride" is a special episode of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, starring David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor...
". - A spaceship is reported drifting out of control 'at the edge of DraconianDraconian (Doctor Who)The Draconians are a fictional extraterrestrial race from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Their only television appearance to date was in the 1973 serial Frontier in Space. Unlike many "monster" races in Doctor Who, the Draconians were articulate and portrayed as having a...
Space.' - The Doctor quotes Shakespeare, and later claims credit for the final edit of HamletHamletThe Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
, which he also claimed in City of DeathCity of Death-Pre-production:Writer David Fisher had contributed two scripts to Doctor Whos sixteenth season – The Stones of Blood and The Androids of Tara – and was asked by producer Graham Williams for further story ideas...
. - For the first time in the novels, a reference is made to one of the other novels in the New Series range. Rose mentions that she is reminded of her visit to Ancient Rome, which took place in The Stone RoseThe Stone RoseThe Stone Rose is a BBC Books original novel written by Jacqueline Rayner and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was published on April 13, 2006, alongside The Feast of the Drowned and The Resurrection Casket. It features the Tenth Doctor, Rose and...
. - The Doctor mentions the Axons and the Zygons.
Audio book
An abridged audio book version of The Price of Paradise read by Shaun DingwallShaun Dingwall
Shaun Dingwall is a British actor and is known for his roles on British television.-Early life:Shaun Dingwall was born in 1972 and attended Ilford County High School for boys. His initial ambition was to become a photographer and for several years he worked as an assistant photographer within the...
(Pete Tyler
Pete Tyler
Pete Tyler, full name Peter Alan Tyler, is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, played by Shaun Dingwall...
) was released in November 2006 (ISBN 1-40567-686-8) by BBC Audiobooks
BBC Audiobooks
BBC Audiobooks is a publisher of audiobooks and also a range of spoken word and large-print titles.BBC Audiobooks has published unabridged audio novels, and also the BBC Radio Collection which incorporates dramatisations and non-fiction output derived from BBC Radio programming.In 2010, BBC...
. Also included was a "behind-the-scenes" discussion between the author and reader.
See also
- New Series Adventures Canonicity
- WhoniverseWhoniverseWhoniverse, a portmanteau of the words "Who" and "universe", is a word used to describe the fictional setting of the television series Doctor Who, K-9 and Company, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and K-9, as well as other related stories...