The Also People

The Also People is a Doctor Who novel featuring the Seventh Doctor and his companions on a visit to the Worldsphere, a vast artificial habitat home to an advanced civilization called the People. The story takes place in a society where artificial intelligence permeates daily life, from sentient household objects to a governing computer named God, and where the inhabitants can freely alter their forms and gender. The People's advancement is demonstrated by their status as one of the few civilizations to have a non-aggression treaty with the Time Lords. Set against this backdrop of technological sophistication, the novel follows the Doctor and his companions as they settle into a villa overlooking iSanti Jeni, where they form connections with the local inhabitants and experience the unique culture of the Worldsphere. The narrative explores themes of technological advancement, artificial intelligence, and the boundaries between organic and synthetic life, while questioning the nature of identity in a society where physical form is fluid.

Too few reader reviews exist online to create a meaningful consensus summary of The Also People. The book is out of print and was a limited release in the Virgin New Adventures Doctor Who series. On Goodreads, it has only 80 ratings with an average of 4.13/5 stars. The few available reviews praise the humor and cultural references. Multiple readers note similarities to Iain M. Banks' Culture series, with one calling it "Doctor Who meets The Culture." Readers highlight the characterization, especially of Bernice Summerfield and the People. Common criticisms focus on the slow pacing and loose plot structure. Some readers found the story meandering with limited action. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.13/5 (80 ratings) LibraryThing: 4.0/5 (15 ratings) No reviews available on Amazon or other major retailers due to the book being out of print since 1995.

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🌟 The Worldsphere in the novel is a Dyson Sphere, a hypothetical megastructure that would completely encompass a star to capture all of its energy output. 🌟 Prior to writing this book, Ben Aaronovitch wrote for the actual Doctor Who television series, penning episodes like "Remembrance of the Daleks" and "Battlefield." 🌟 The society of the People is partially inspired by Iain M. Banks' Culture series, which also features a highly advanced civilization with fluid gender and form identities. 🌟 The novel's governing AI called "God" reflects a growing theme in 1990s science fiction that explored the implications of artificial superintelligence, predating many modern AI discussions. 🌟 The book's unique take on Time Lord diplomacy marked a departure from their usual portrayal as the universe's most advanced civilization, suggesting there were societies they considered equals or superiors.