July 23rd, 2026
64 comments
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Doctor Who The Key to Time (DW K2T) Hardcover
Available to order from www.amazon.co.uk
Six segments. One quest. The fate of the universe at stake.
For the first time, all six stories in Doctor Who’s epic Key to Time saga come together in a single collection – featuring THREE brand new novelisations!
The White Guardian has a mission for the Doctor: locate the six segments of the legendary Key to Time before the cosmos falls to chaos. Accompanied by the brilliant but inexperienced Time Lady Romana, the Doctor embarks on a series of incredible adventures…
The Ribos Operation by James Goss (exclusive to this edition!)
The search begins on the medieval world of Ribos, where conmen and conspiracies complicate the quest.
The Pirate Planet by James Goss
A world-devouring planet ruled by a bombastic cyborg captain hides a terrible secret.
The Stones of Blood by David Fisher
Ancient stone circles, druidic legends and justice from another dimension collide on present-day Earth.
The Androids of Tara by David Fisher
On a feudal world with a twist, the Doctor and Romana are entangled in a plot of android doubles and royal assassinations.
The Power of Kroll by Robert Shearman (exclusive to this edition!)
In the swamps of Delta Magna, colonial politics and native rebellion awaken an ancient and monstrous god.
The Armageddon Factor by James Goss (exclusive to this edition!)
On the war-ravaged planet Atrios, the true nature of the Key to Time is revealed. Will the final segment bring salvation to the universe – or disaster?
Categorised under: Books, Story books
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bob hellier
August 8th, 2026 - 11:16amgreat to see in 1 volume like the Vhs Key to time videos collection of 6
over and out
August 3rd, 2026 - 4:28pmover 800 pages who ever gets this and reads it all the way through are serious fans with strong arms
Bookcollector
August 3rd, 2026 - 5:08pm800 pages isn’t that much. There are novels well over that. This is great value.
over and out
August 3rd, 2026 - 5:16pmi lose interest in anything over 160-200 that is why i always loved the novelisations and not just for doctor who basically i read like a kid in the 70s or 80s
War Chief.
August 3rd, 2026 - 5:46pmI’ve recently read the David Fisher stories…so I’ll skip those…
I agree though, not really a book you can read in bed for very long…!
Bookcollector
August 3rd, 2026 - 5:55pmI’ve just read a 500 page book in two days. I’ve read 15 target books in the last two weeks as well.
The Highlanders
The macra terror
The mind of evil
The Claws of axos
Planet of evil
The android invasion
The seeds of doom
The deadly assassin
Image of the fendahl
Mawdryn undead
Terminus
Enlightenment
The curse of fenric
Twice upon a time
Kerblam!
Going to read a couple of crime novels next
Bookcollector
August 3rd, 2026 - 5:57pmI’ll skip the Fisher books as well as I read them again recently.
War Chief.
August 3rd, 2026 - 6:06pmI’d love to read those again, Bookcollector….Mawdryn Undead is the only one I still have….
But many happy memories of reading them at the time…
War Chief.
August 3rd, 2026 - 7:15pmMany happy memories of buying those books, in the long hot summers of the 70s and 80s (or what we thought were long hot summers)…
The Highlanders though was in a wonderfully cool December….but I was impatient for the Frontios novel next month…
And I was annoyed Terminus came out before Mawdryn Undead….some snafu with the photographic cover, I understand….
bookcollector
August 3rd, 2026 - 7:59pmTerminus was released on schedule followed later by mawdryn undead then enlightenment. It was kinda and snakedance that had the mixup. Snakedance was scheduled first until it was realised that kinda came before it. That’s why kinda, numbered 84 came out the month before snakedance numbered 83. The black guardian trilogy was like trial of a time Lord, released pretty much at random. Trial was terror of the vervoids (no 125), mysterious planet (no 127), ultimate foe (no 131) and finally, mindwarp (no 139)
War Chief.
August 3rd, 2026 - 8:29pmAnd because, at age 18, I considered myself too grown up to watch Dr Who, I had to wait until The Ultimate Foe novel to read what actually happened there…
Even Time and the Rani was novelised 6 months previously, giving tantalising hints as to the Valeyard’s origins….
over and out
August 5th, 2026 - 2:49pmwar chief,, you are never too grown up to watch Dr who lol
War Chief.
August 5th, 2026 - 5:08pmOh yes….but during my teenage years, I’m afraid I had…lapses….
I’m told Peter Capaldi was the same…
Shameful confession, I never watched part 2 of Attack of the Cybermen…
But the joke was on me, I had to wait 4 years…till the novel…to find out what happened….!
over and out
August 5th, 2026 - 5:29pmWar Chief…. but at least you come back in to the fold in the end .. i missed time and the rani part 1 and it was not until UK gold showed it years later that i realised how bad that regeneration was
War Chief.
August 5th, 2026 - 5:50pmThank heavens for the novels, over and out….I caught up on stores I’d missed….
Like Time and the Rani….I saw it in WH Smiths, and:
Because it was a regeneration story…
And by Pip and Jane Baker..
I decided to buy it….and I still have it to this day…just reread it last week…
over and out
August 5th, 2026 - 7:17pmi just reread the zarbi its a lot better the the tv episode
War Chief.
August 5th, 2026 - 7:55pmIn parts, yes….but a rather disappointing description of the Animus as just a ball of light….rather than the tv tentacled….thing….
War Chief.
July 29th, 2026 - 2:14pmJust reread Ian Marter’s Ribos Operation….
Vastly different in tone and style to the tv version…darker, grimmer….but good…!
Can’t imagine how James Goss will write it…
Bookcollector
July 29th, 2026 - 6:16pmI think he may go for a lighter touch, in keeping with the pirate novel.
War Chief.
July 29th, 2026 - 6:50pmA lighter touch in parts, but his description of the Captain was a bit gruesome….a man who had hot metal bits welded to him…
Bookcollector
July 29th, 2026 - 6:58pmGoss is good at light but gruesome
War Chief.
July 29th, 2026 - 7:05pmTry drinking a bottle of wine, then saying that…!
David
July 24th, 2026 - 10:30amWhat a great idea. Definitely getting this.
Peter
July 24th, 2026 - 10:06amI wonder if we’ll get audiobooks of the new novelisations exclusive to this bumper edition? (I love an audiobook – my preferred way of consuming Dr Who books, TBH).
Hewy
July 25th, 2026 - 4:38amYes it’s the way to go full immersion
bookcollector
July 23rd, 2026 - 7:10pmVery happy to get this for the three new novels. I’m not convinced we really need new ones as the existing novels are fine but I’ll happily read them. I am wondering if this will get a paperback release (not guaranteed these days as Fraser’s evil novel still hasn’t come out, and yes there was a target book free with the magazine but it was a significantly different version from the full novel) or will they perhaps release the three new books individually next year which could link into the previously announced goss target paperback (now August 27).
Hewy
July 23rd, 2026 - 10:13pmFraser has an evil novel? Is like an evil twin?
booboo
July 24th, 2026 - 1:32pmEvil of the Daleks
Hewy
July 25th, 2026 - 4:40amYes I know i was trying for wit unfortunately only half way there so much more of a half wit
Duncan
July 23rd, 2026 - 6:49pmMy debit card tembles in fear 🙂
“Not more bloody Doctor Who stuff ?!!!!!”
War Chief.
July 23rd, 2026 - 7:09pmMy local library is extremely helpful in ordering Dr Who books for me…
So long as I don’t make a habit of it….!
No way I want to buy this, if I’ve already read a third of it….
No, half of it, I forgot the Pirate Planet…
bookcollector
July 23rd, 2026 - 7:15pmRemember war chief at £25 its remarkable value. Even just paying for the three new books as paperbacks would now cost £32.97 as they retail at £10.99 now. All 6 would cost £64.93 so I’m getting the hardcover for the three new books.
War Chief.
July 23rd, 2026 - 7:20pmWell…if my local library does take a dim view….buying it is not off the table…
Duncan
July 23rd, 2026 - 7:42pmI’ve got the Fisher audiobooks of Stones and Tara, so the rest will be new to me. Now all we need are the blu-rays to go with it
davidhhh
July 24th, 2026 - 9:04amYou’re saying this on the Merchandise section of the Who site??? 😉
Maybe this isn’t the best place to be if money is tight?
Hewy
July 25th, 2026 - 4:42amWhen the trembling starts Just dance around saying “Kroll” a lot
War Chief.
July 23rd, 2026 - 5:43pmI just reread David Fisher’s excellent Stones of Blood and Androids of Tara a week ago….
Not sure about Bobby Sherman doing Power of Kroll though…!
But new versions of Ribos and Armageddon….most intriguing….!
bookcollector
July 23rd, 2026 - 7:01pmWasn’t keen on fisher’s Tara book but his stones novel was good. Looking forward to this now. Not sure about shearman as I didn’t like his dalek adaptation but his Jubilee book is good. Have Chimes ordered in paperback. I will get this in hardcover.
War Chief.
July 23rd, 2026 - 7:12pmI just liked Fisher’s meandering writing style…
Please Sherman, no convoluted back stories about Thawn, Dugeen, Harg and Fenner, making them thoroughly unlikeable people, and which have nothing to do with the Dr Who story…! Just saying…
bookcollector
July 23rd, 2026 - 7:17pmYes, that was definitely my issue with his dalek book
Duncan
July 23rd, 2026 - 7:45pmI thought Fisher’s explanation for the Taran woodbeast was neat. It fits that society’s culture. Shame it was never made explicit in the episode.
I enjoyed both re-writes. Am currently debating whether or not to buy the two recent Terrence audiobooks of Stones and Tara.
Bookcollector
July 23rd, 2026 - 8:12pmI’ve just read both of terrance’s books again. They are good reads.
War Chief.
July 23rd, 2026 - 8:23pmThe Terrance Dicks books were very good….but Fisher has all this wonderful backstory….
And he makes the 4th Doctor utterly eccentric….!
But on Tara, everyone apart from Count Grendel seems to be a nitwit….
And his mistress seems to get killed with a real crossbow, not an electronic one….
Bookcollector
July 23rd, 2026 - 8:32pmI found the tara book hard going. I do prefer Terrance’s version. I like both stones books and goss’ pirate target version is great fun. Always found Ian Marter’s ribos hard going, probably for me his weakest book. I love Kroll it’s so daft but great fun and Terrance does a great job with it. Armageddon suffers from not being a particularly good story but Terrance does what he can with it. Be very interesting to see what Goss does with ribos and armageddon. Just hope shearman is more like his jubilee book than his dalek one for Kroll.
War Chief.
July 23rd, 2026 - 9:13pmAt the time (aged about 11…!) I didn’t like Ian Marter’s Ribos book, because it strayed too far from the tv version….
The shrivenzale was NOT big enough to have three guards in its jaws at once…!
Binro was NOT sliced nearly in half by the laser bolts….
But now I love the book for just that reason, it expanded so much from the tv version….
Bookcollector
July 23rd, 2026 - 9:25pmMarter’s book is good but it’s not a favourite of his. I found it didn’t quite capture the 4th doctor/Romana that well for me. It’s one I have to be in the mood for. I like it sometimes, struggle other times.
Bookcollector
July 23rd, 2026 - 9:26pmOh I read it when it came out. I was nine. My how time flies…
War Chief.
July 23rd, 2026 - 9:50pmThe 4th Doctor/Romana relationship was as freezing as the planet Ribos….!
And certain liberties were taken with the Seeker….
Gareth Pugh
July 23rd, 2026 - 5:13pmAmazon have now posted more details and there’s a cover and press release. It is indeed what many were speculating: all six stories of Season 16, in their ‘expanded’ (post-Terrance) Target forms, with David Fisher’s expanded takes on his own two stories, James Goss’s Target cut of his Pirate Planet, and three brand-new novelisations for Ribos and Armageddon (by James Goss) and Kroll (by Rob Shearman). Foreword by Tom Baker.
LifeOfSunday
July 16th, 2026 - 4:55pmThe listed page count has doubled from 496 to 832. I think it’s got to be Key to Time at this point.
War Chief.
May 26th, 2026 - 9:03pmIt doesn’t explain David Fisher, but didn’t Bobby, sorry Robert Sherman, write audio Dr Who stories….?
He might have done a Key to Time one….and he has form for novelists these, like The Chimes of Midnight…
Amypondfan
May 26th, 2026 - 9:19pmHe did do big finish but none of the key2time trilogy were by him.
Jamie
May 26th, 2026 - 8:19pmIt could be the Key 2 Time Big Finish trilogy..
Amypondfan
May 26th, 2026 - 8:41pmDoesn’t explain rob shearman or David Fisher though. As someone pointed out on the ask a question thread though their inclusion may be a mistake.
Chris Stobart
May 26th, 2026 - 1:35amThe author blurb lists not only James Goss and David Fisher but also Robert Shearman so perhaps he’s re-novelising some of that season.
War Chief.
May 25th, 2026 - 1:05pmMalcolm Hulke used to condense about 10 pages worth of pointless action scenes into a single page…
And Terrance Dicks novels were very thin….(but, thus far there’s been no mention of TD…)
I give it up….its too hot…
See you in October…..!
Samantha Sainsbury
May 25th, 2026 - 9:58amI am finding good really nice and I’ll say fan of doctor who
Andrew Evans
May 24th, 2026 - 4:32pm… it may also be a pretty good hint that Season 16 is the next Collection Blu Ray release, and will come out at around the same time, in October 2026
Samantha Sainsbury
May 25th, 2026 - 9:56amHe so brilliant doctor who is.tje best and he style and very handsome man the he’s save the world and he did the best way to have a good documentary the ladies are.not helping other people
War Chief.
May 24th, 2026 - 4:00pmThese’s enough speculation about just what this is, to fill up those 400 (or 500) pages…..!
My strongest suspicion is, it concerns a certain Cube that maintains the cosmic stability of time and space itself, and ensures universal harmony…..
Clay
May 25th, 2026 - 12:15pmAnother Big Finish novelisation perhaps? Though squishing the entire Key2Time trilogy (+ companion chronicle) into a single 400-500 page book might be tricky…
Hewy
May 26th, 2026 - 4:26amYep – probably one of those “Potted History” of the Key To Time, like the I, TARDIS etc..
War Chief.
May 26th, 2026 - 12:31pmI really liked I, Tardis…..a similarly frivolous take on the Key to Time stories would be most excellent…
Bookcollector
May 26th, 2026 - 1:26pmI’ll cancel the book if it’s not a novel based on an unused script. No interest in original fiction or factual books now. I’m sure others will love it regardless of what it is and that’s absolutely fine. I’m just stepping right back in terms of what I buy now for who.