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James Goss
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Doctor Who: The Giggle (Target Collection) Kindle Edition

by James Goss (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 137 ratings
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A sinister toyshop. The Earth erupting in violence. Shockwaves travelling through history.

With old friends powerless to help, the Doctor is drawn into a deadly duel against an old nemesis who can bend reality to his will – and change the Doctor’s future for ever…

Based on a script by Russell T Davies, this thrilling third adventure for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary features David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor and Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, as well as introducing Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor.

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  1. Print length
    197 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    BBC Digital
  5. Publication date
    December 14, 2023
  6. File size
    5845 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James Goss has adapted three Doctor Who stories by Douglas Adams for BBC Books (City of Death, The Pirate Planet, and The Krikkitmen). He's also written several original Doctor Who and Torchwood books. His novel #Haterz is in development as a motion picture. He's also written for the stage and the radio. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CLXVK9ZW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ BBC Digital (December 14, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 14, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5845 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 197 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1785948474
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 137 ratings

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James Goss

James Goss

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
137 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

metaldude30236
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2023
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Fun read
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Joe Kessler
4.0 out of 5 stars By far the best of its lot.
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2024
This. THIS is what I've been hoping for from these recent Doctor Who novelizations, a winking adaptation that elevates its source material into something even madder and ever more brilliant. Don't get me wrong: this James Goss novel obviously owes its existence to the original Russell T. Davies script, and there are elements of the TV special that can't be captured well outside of that medium, from the visual effects and a certain memorable dance number to guest star Neil Patrick Harris's intentionally broad accent work (though the audiobook narrator Dan Starkey does his best to channel that). I wouldn't recommend it as a substitute for actually watching the episode, if any potential reader out there were remotely considering that approach. But it is a lovely way to revisit the story and find a new spin on its events, beginning with the author's audacious choice to write everything from the perspective of the omniscient villain the Toymaker.

As he relates this adventure, the antagonistic creature from beyond our reality regularly breaks the fourth wall, offers wittily snide remarks about his opponents, and just generally seems to be having a great time. It's in line with the overall manic energy of the piece -- which finds the character wreaking havoc across contemporary earth by means of a signal he planted back in the first television broadcast in 1925 and culminates in the Time Lord hero 'bi-generating' into David Tennant and Ncuti Gatwa alike, with the outgoing and incoming Doctors teaming up to defeat their common foe -- and is packed with all manner of delightful turns of phrasing. We even get a few bonus scenes and flashback memories, which neither Gary Russell's version of The Star Beast nor Mark Morris's take on Wild Blue Yonder found much room for. All in all, a true triumph of its form.

[Content warning for gun violence and racism.]
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Top reviews from other countries

Greg Dunn
5.0 out of 5 stars The best addition to the Target range in a very long time
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 14, 2024
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Continuing mit his reading of ze Target novelizations, Herr Greg kommen to ze last of ze 60th anniversary specials to appear in ze papierbach format. Ze most special. *Meine* special! Ja, das ist richtig, zis is not Greg ge-writing zis review - it is I, ze Toymaker! After all, sie ist meine story, so who ist mehr ge-kvalifitziert to tell you how very gut it is? Ja ja, alright, it is ein bit naughty, but boo-hoo: zis ist meine spiel und I make ze rules. So tell me - bist du game...?

Such is the conceit behind The Giggle, and a brilliant one it is, too. (I couldn't keep it up for the whole review, since it would be a poor imitation in any case.) James Goss does it so well that it immediately marks the adaptation out not just as the most innovative and ingenious of the three festive specials, but of any Target novelisation in simply ages. It starts obliquely enough, with chapters rebranded as moves and the odd narratorial aside, but soon becomes more overt as the prose is interspersed with actual puzzles. Increasingly arch commentary leads to the revelation that it isn't the author credited on the cover who's dictating any of this: it's the Toymaker pulling all the strings, storyteller supreme.

Of course, Goss is ideally suited to this approach. Just as Gary Russell was a good choice to pen the soapiest of the instalments and Mark Morris' horror background made him an obvious pick for the most disconcerting of the specials, James Goss' sterling work novelising City of Death and The Pirate Planet means he's the perfect fit for this, by far the maddest (and campest) part of the trilogy. He also has an encyclopaedic knowledge of and love for the series - classic and new-series references abound, but there are nods to everything from the DWM comic strips to the BBC Books Past Doctor Adventures - and the two go hand in glove, producing a rich and raucous retelling. It's worth the price of admission alone for a cheeky quip about Dodo, but the page Goss dedicates to the young Kate Stewart's first meeting with the [4th] Doctor is a lovely little bonus as well.

Ten or so regenerations later, Goss' 14th Doctor starts seeing the writing on the wall very early doors. As soon as he steps onto the page he's frazzled, wary and introspective, seemingly sensing that of all his incarnations, his is destined to become the mayfly. This is never more pronounced than when he and Donna are drawn into the Toymaker's realm: almost the entirety of the middle section of the book is given over to this dark, doom-laden place, leaving the Doctor less sure of himself than he's ever been. It's made all the more discombobulating (if fun) by the author turning much of it into a Choose Your Own Adventure and then, once out the other side, tying himself up in hilariously meta knots to avoid copyright infringement. Baby, Sporty, Scary, Posh and Ginger do put in an appearance, just not in the way you expect. From the cleverness of the workaround to the imagination of the page layout, it's brilliantly rendered.

Breathlessly, too. For all its asides and bulked-up page count, the novelisation takes the frantic pace of the TV episode and turns it up to 11. It's a relentless onslaught, but somehow works better on paper than it did on screen. Where it doesn't improve on the original is in most of its guest cast, who are lucky to get a paragraph to themselves with everything else going on. The least well served in this regard is surprise returnee Mel, who apart from the occasional sympathetic arched eyebrow has nothing of much substance added to her appearance here, as though Goss wasn't quite sure why she was there or what he should do with her. But then just about everyone is overshadowed by the Toymaker anyway. He's unexpectedly sadistic and trigger-happy compared to the urbane version we first encountered - a sort of Magic Master, if you will - yet such a riot, and such a joy.

And that sums up this adaptation perfectly. James Goss just gets it: this story; RTD's voice and intent; Doctor Who in its beautiful, terrible, whimsical entirety. He may overindulge himself occasionally, let loose in this candy shop, but there's no denying that The Giggle is the novel[isation] he was born to write. Inventive, poignant and appropriately playful, it's the best addition to the Target range in a very, very long time.
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5.0 out of 5 stars You will definitely giggle. You will probably shudder with horror. You might even shed a tear.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 14, 2023
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This is a very cleverly written book that messes with your mind just as The Toymaker toys with the Doctor.

The novelisation sticks very closely to the original script, but there are some lovely additions - particularly to the epilogue of the story - but shh - Spoilers. (I assume these are "deleted scenes".) Much as I loved the TV version, the book allows you to navigate the story at your own pace so you can really pick up on the details. There are great moments of comedy but also moments of sheer horror - for example when Donna meets Stooky Sue.

You don't need to know anything at all about the history of Doctor Who to enjoy this. Fans will recognise references to past stories but it's fine if you don't understand them. Personally I loved the anecdote of the Third Doctor picking up Kate from school and offering to take her to the best ballet lesson of her life.

I particularly loved the characterization of Donna - so many pithy descriptions and you really get the point that this time Donna saved the Doctor.

It is probably best to read this on an electronic device because at one point you have a mini "choose your own adventure" game where you can decide which of the many identical doors in the never-ending corridors that the Doctor and Donna must go through by clicking on a link. There are other puzzles scattered throughout - most apt for a story dealing with the Toymaker's games.
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Bryan
5.0 out of 5 stars A unique novelisation of the third 60th anniversary special
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2024
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In writing the novelisation of Doctor Who - The Giggle, author James Goss has created the most unique book ever produced by the Target Doctor Who series. When the Doctor and Donna confront The Toymaker in his London shop in 1925, the story-telling changes perspective and is told through the eyes of The Toymaker in such a way as if he is the author of The Giggle novelisation. Also, the chapters are described as moves and so, in the book, when the Doctor and Donna are trapped in a corridor, the reader has the option to go to a selection of moves to decide the fate of the character. As if this isn't unusual in itself, there are a couple of puzzles for the reader to solve and some of the layout of the pages must have been quite a headache for the publisher. There are also a number of references made to classic friends and foes, which is a nice touch. Overall, the novelisation, in my opinion, is actually better than the broadcast story and explains why the New Doctor is dressed only in a shirt and underpants, being caused by the bi-generation process. On tv, I just found this scene embarrassing but now I know why and it isn't so pathetic as I first thought. The book is a great addition to the Target Doctor Who Library and has a beautiful illustrated cover of the Fourteenth Doctor, Donna Noble and The Toymaker by Anthony Dry.
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Alaran
4.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative adaption that provides some giggles
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 22, 2024
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There is a much more imaginative approach applied to this in comparison to the other two Fourteenth Doctor novelisations published alongside it. Whereas those were fairly standard renditions of the televised episodes this novelisation looks at the general story from a somewhat different angle to that seen onscreen. It works well, feels somewhat suitable and offers an intriguing take on the story.

Apt for the nature of the Toymaker, the novelisation makes use of a few games and/or puzzles throughout, occasionally breaking up the text. These are all fairly superficial and just present for effect.

Even the chapter titles are referred to as ‘moves’ to suggest playing a game. In a way this provides an echo of sorts of the Trilogic game moves that permeated the events of ‘The Celestial Toymaker’.

Around midway the writing ‘toys’ with the concept of adventure gamebooks, offering a small section where the reader plays events. However, like all the other little game type inclusions, it is only present as a novelty and best just read straight through rather than treating this section as an actual playable gamebook. There have been Doctor Who gamebooks (even Big Finish attempted a variation on audio with Seventh Doctor release ‘You Are The Doctor and Other Stories’), but this is more akin to that which appeared partway through the First Doctor novel ‘Ten Little Aliens’).

All this provides the novelisation with an amusing tone throughout, making for an entertaining read that doesn’t take the rather whimsical plot seriously.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the actual physical copy of the book, at least mine, it came with quite a few pages not glued onto the spine. This is quite poor for any new book, especially considering the price of this compared to its length.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2024
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The best Target novelisation I’ve read since The Day of The Doctor. Goes off at tangents you wouldn’t expect and a final scene that had me in (happy) tears. Brilliant!
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