Sophie Aldred has written a Doctor Who novel and it’s intriguing. Doctor Who: At Childhood’s End is out in February 2020 and there’s a lot to unpack. It’s one of the few novels I think I will be buying – I don’t get review copies at present and by no means can I afford to buy everything. I also only have finite time!

At Childhood’s End

First that title: even with the highlight of the letters A C E, I still see the classic Arthur C Clarke story Childhood’s End. Will there be a link? Extra points to Sophie if so!

The blurb tells us a lot:

Past or future, which path do you choose?

Past, present and future collide as the Thirteenth Doctor meets classic Doctor Who companion Ace – in the first epic novel from the woman who played her, Sophie Aldred.

Once, a girl called Ace travelled the universe with the Doctor – until, in the wake of a terrible tragedy they parted company. Decades later, she is known as Dorothy McShane, the reclusive millionaire philanthropist who heads global organisation A Charitable Earth.

And Dorothy is haunted by terrible nightmares, vivid dreams that begin just as scores of young runaways are vanishing from the dark alleyways of London. Could the disappearances be linked to sightings of sinister creatures lurking in the city shadows? Why has an alien satellite entered a secret orbit around the Moon?

Investigating the satellite with Ryan, Graham and Yaz, the Doctor is thrown together with Ace once more. Together they must unravel a malevolent plot that will cost thousands of lives. But can the Doctor atone for her past incarnation’s behaviour – and how much must Ace sacrifice to win victory not only for herself, but for the Earth?

A huge idea going on here with Ace meeting the Thirteenth Doctor, what is Sophie’s vision for her character? We have A Charitable Earth again, and let’s not forget Big Finish has already linked Ace to the current series in their Class stories. Presumably it’s the Seventh Doctor who has done something bad in the past. I can’t wait to find out!

Can Sophie write? I know she edited DWM one time, and has read any number, so why not? We’ll find out next year!