Author:Terrance Dicks,Frazer Hines
Frazer Hines reads this classic novelisation of a TV adventure for the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe.
Many thousands of years ago, strange crystalline creatures came down from the stars and settled on the planet of the Gonds.
Over the years they educated the Gonds through teaching machines in the great Hall of Learning. In return, the Gonds periodically selected their two most brilliant scholars to become the ‘companions’ of these mysterious beings.
But when the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe arrive on the planet, they soon discover the true evil purpose of the aliens and learn what it really means to be companions of the Krotons…
Frazer Hines, who played Jamie in the TV series, reads Terrance Dicks’s novelisation of a 1968 TV serial by Robert Holmes.
Running time: 2 hours 55 minutes
(P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
© 2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Cover illustration by Andrew Skilleter
Novelisation copyright © Terrance Dicks 1985
Original script copyright © Robert Holmes 1968 Reading produced by Neil Gardner
Recorded at Ladbroke Audio Ltd
Sound design by Simon Power for Meon Productions - www.meonsound.com
Executive producer: Michael Stevens
Excellent, exactly how good science fiction should be: gripping story, beautifully told, while at the same time being scientifically well-informed.
—— PROFESSOR RICHARD DAWKINSReminiscent of vintage Arthur C. Clarke . . . has a chilling, nail-biting authenticity.
—— James Lovegrove , FINANCIAL TIMESThe Day After Tomorrow meets Neuromancer . . . When the planet's magnetic field fails, the naked sun threatens to deliver an extinction level event now – and every century – unless a high-tech near future humanity can save itself. Sunfall is sizzling stuff. And the best informed techno-thriller you are ever likely to read.
—— STEPHEN BAXTER, author of the Xeelee sequenceWith its well-crafted world-building, cutting-edge science, and believable, engaging characters caught in a desperate race to stave off the end of the world, this fast-paced near-future thriller is an impressive debut novel from one of our foremost science communicators. Brilliant!
—— Professor IAN STEWART, co-author of The Science of Discworld seriesA thrilling futuristic page-turner of a novel in which the future of science, and the technology that underpins it, is as gripping as the plot.
—— Professor MARK MIODOWNIK, author of Stuff MattersPacked with insights and action, Sunfall is a pacy and enlightening antidote to the usual dystopian drone about the unexpected consequences of technology, or when perverted science spins out of control. Jim Al-Khalili’s debut page-turner describes how, when our local star threatens Armageddon, science really can save the day.
—— Professor ROGER HIGHFIELD, science writer and director of The Science MuseumA wonderfully assured fusion of science fact and science fiction that takes the reader on a frightening narrative rollercoaster right up to the last page, exploring what physics might have in store for the future of the Earth. Featuring a wonderful cast of characters, Al-Khalili's novel shows why it’s experts like him who humanity will need if we hope to survive. Brilliant. Al-Khalili is the Carl Sagan of our generation.’
—— Professor MARCUS DU SAUTOY, author of The Creativity CodeBeautifully written, engrossing and provides insights into both the contemporary art scene and the individual artistic process. I loved each and every brushstroke
—— Ian Rankin , Guardian, *Summer Reads of 2021*A fast and wry SF adventure full of the deviousness and wit of Firefly.
—— Stephen DeasLalwani's novel tackles racism and xenophobia, but You People is essentially a compassionate human drama, full of perceptive insights
—— Independent, Books of the MonthFolds serious social issues into an entertaining plot
—— Daily MailBrilliant . . . A thriller reminiscent of Dirty Pretty Things. Really recommend it.
—— Nikesh ShuklaIntelligent and heart-piercing - an exceptional novel about the Britain we live in, even if we choose not to see it
—— Kamila Shamsie, author of Home FireLalwani's prose has a balletic lightness
—— EconomistA female lead who isn't defined by a romantic story arc? Yes please. Lalwani's serious, ravishing way of writing about the secret life of Britain is just what we need
—— TimesYou People is a short, complex novel that shines a light behind the smiles at your local restaurant, and asks tough questions about the nature of goodness in an unfair society
—— Sunday Telegraph BOOK OF THE WEEKA sensitive and thought-provoking examination of an issue that is never far from the news and, as the plot accelerates, it segues into a tense and nerve-wracking thriller
—— Western MailLalwani's novels are full of moments when the stories people tell about themselves and the world prove to be unreliable or open to manipulation.... observations are magical, fresh and unsettling
—— London Review of BooksIf you want a book to read this summer that taps into contemporary concerns, this excellent new one from Nikita Lalwani is the one to read
—— SpectatorLalwani explores kindness, altruism and the precariousness of interconnected lives in an economical tale that has the pace and suspense of a thriller
—— Daily MailLalwani eloquently explores the prejudices, financial pressures and loneliness faced by 'outsiders' trying to survive in a hostile environment
—— The Tablet