The 50th Anniversary Book collection

[SiHart]

Well don't these look lovely?

News has just emerged from BBC Books about a series of eleven reissues being published on 7th March 2013, with new branding and new introductions. One book for each Doctor, they will retail at £6.99.

It's a rather odd set of books- nicely packaged, but some weird choices...

[Si Hunt]

Yes I agree with Si. I struggle to see the point. Surely these are aimed at collectors, but the inclusion of a Target book bothers me having been collecting the recent stylised reprints.

I guess you have to put these down as a "one off" luxury set of merchandise... but then, they did with those super-deluxe set of Target re-issues that time, do you remember? And no-one bought those.

Si.

[SiHart]

I love the covers and the style, but it's such a strange idea. None of them are representatives of the ranges they come from at their best (aside from Remembrance perhaps) and the inclusion of a Target book is odd to say the elast, when there are a huge range of McCoy era NAs and PDAs that would fit this set much better.

[Si Hunt]

Doctor Who fans love collections and things being uniform, which is why this is such an odd idea!

Si.

[SiHart]

I'll only be happy when every Doctor Who book ever is re-released to match this style!

[Jon Masters]

I'll only be happy when every Doctor Who book ever is re-released to match this style!

Really ? I thought they looked cheap and nasty, like the re-issues of novels you find in shops like The Works.

And a very odd collection - only 2 I would actually pick for their particular Doctor. Its almost like its based on who they're written by (and therefore easier to make available ?)

[Si Hunt]

I just wish they'd release all the Target books in the same bleeding style, I don't care what it is as long as they all look the same!

Si.

[Rob McCow]

It does include 'Beautiful Chaos', my all time most hated Doctor Who book. In fact, one of the books I've disliked most in my entire life!

So a classic range.

[Andrew Curnow]

I think they look quite nice... but what an odd idea, and what an odd bunch!!!

[Dino]

Well... I am completely out of touch with Doctor Who novels! I'll probably go with Terrance out of brand loyalty.

[Anthony Williams]

Odd bunch, but I think that they look gorgeous!

[SiHart]

More news from The Bookseller:

Next year heralds the 50th anniversary of super-long scarves, time-travelling Tardises and those monotone nemeses, the Daleks—and BBC Books is already firing on all cylinders to celebrate.

In January comes the paperback of Shada, the lost "Doctor Who" story, an unbroadcast episode started by Hitchhikers' Guide author Douglas Adams, and completed by "Doctor Who" writer Gareth Roberts (31st January, £6.99, pb). This is followed in February by Quick Read title The Silurian Gift by Mike Tucker (14th February, £1, pb).

In March the "first official piece of anniversary publishing" is released, according to BBC Books editorial director Albert DePetrillo, with the publication of 11 classic Doctor Who novels with a new, "little bit retro, but fresh" look. All are published on 7th March 2013, with titles including Beautiful Chaos by Gary Russell, Festival of Death by Jonathan Morris, Ten Little Aliens by Stephen Cole, Dreams of Empire by Justin Richards and Only Human by Gareth Roberts. There is one book for each of the 11 Doctors, which have included Christopher Eccleston, Tom Baker and David Tennant, with Matt Smith currently occupying the role. Each will be a £7.99 B-format paperback.

In April, three £6.99, mass-market paperback fiction titles will be released, returning after a break this year. They will be Plague of the Cybermen by Justin Richards, Dalek Generation by Nicholas Briggs and Shroud of Sorrow by Tommy Donbavand.

Meanwhile, this autumn has already seen the release of some major projects, as well as the first exclusive Dr Who e-book—a Melody Malone Mystery—that DePetrillo says could be the first of many, depending on the market reaction. He said: "That's certainly the hope—we are looking into it now and, considering the response we've had, we could do more." The team will also be updating the Dr Who Encyclopedia app for iPad to include the episodes that aired this autumn, as well as the Christmas special.

Other major autumn titles have included graphic novel The Dalek Project, and Doctor Who: A History of the Universe in 100 Objects, which covers the entire run of the series so far, picking out key artefacts from the doctor's universe, with new artworks by Dr Who concept artist Peter McKinstry.

DePetrillo said: "Next year we have new stuff publishing every month. We are trying to celebrate the anniversary in every different way—the past of classic episodes and stories, the present, and looking to the future too. This autumn is very much the build-up to the big show next year."