Foreign Devils

Foreign Devils is a Doctor Who novella that combines time travel with supernatural mystery. Set between Canton, China in 1800 and England in 1900, the story follows the Second Doctor and his companions Jamie and Zoe as they encounter an ancient relic with unexpected powers. When the Doctor's companions are transported through time by the mysterious artifact, he must work with Carnacki, a psychic detective from the early 20th century. Together they investigate a series of murders in an English house that appears to exist outside normal space and time. The novella brings together elements from both the Doctor Who universe and the public domain character of Carnacki, created by William Hope Hodgson in 1909. Published in multiple formats including hardback and paperback editions, the book includes one of Hodgson's original Carnacki short stories as supplementary material. The story explores themes of colonialism, supernatural phenomena, and the intersection of science fiction with Victorian-era mysticism, blending historical elements with classic Doctor Who adventure tropes.

Readers describe Foreign Devils as a fast-paced Doctor Who novel featuring cat-and-mouse espionage and Chinese mythology. Readers appreciated: - The Cold War spy thriller elements - The Chinese historical and mythological aspects - Clear descriptive writing style - The side characters and their development - How it captures the personalities of 7th Doctor and Ace Common criticisms: - Slow start with too much setup - Plot becomes convoluted in the middle - Some found the supernatural elements jarring against the spy story - Secondary characters occasionally overshadow the Doctor Ratings: Goodreads: 3.71/5 (142 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (12 ratings) Reader quote: "Strong on atmosphere and period detail but gets tangled in its own plot threads" - Goodreads reviewer No ratings found on Amazon as the book is out of print and was originally published as part of the Virgin New Adventures Doctor Who series.

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🌟 Andrew Cartmel served as the script editor for Doctor Who during the Sylvester McCoy era (1987-1989), where he developed what became known as "The Cartmel Masterplan" to restore mystery to the Doctor's character. 🌟 Carnacki, the supernatural detective featured in the book, was created by William Hope Hodgson in 1910 and appears in six original short stories, making him one of the earliest occult detectives in literature. 🌟 Canton in 1800 was a crucial trading port for the British East India Company, where tensions were high due to strict Chinese regulations limiting foreign trade to specific "factories" along the Pearl River. 🌟 The Second Doctor, portrayed by Patrick Troughton (1966-1969), was known for playing the "cosmic hobo" and was the first regeneration of the character, establishing this crucial element of Doctor Who mythology. 🌟 The novel draws from a rich tradition of Victorian supernatural investigation stories, a genre that emerged during the height of both spiritualism and scientific rationalism in 19th century Britain.