Doctor Who review: The Witch Hunters (First Doctor novel)

Before we watch today’s episode The Witch Finders, let’s take a look at the First Doctor story The Witch Hunters, a dark and challenging Doctor Who novel from 1998.

While I haven’t exactly read all of the huge number of Doctor Who books out there, I’ve read a wide selection. Particularly the novels that featured the first eight Doctors published by the BBC from 1997 to 2005. Out of all the books I’ve read, The Witch Hunters has always been a favorite of mine.

Make no mistake, however. This is far from an easy read. Taking place during the Salem Witch Trials of the late seventeenth century, there are no alien invasions for the TARDIS team to fight in this novel. Indeed, like many First Doctor stories, it’s a pure historical, with the only science-fiction elements being the time travelers themselves.

As a result, the only monsters for the crew to confront in this story are the human kind. Worst of all, they know that they can’t help. Innocent people die in this story, people that the TARDIS crew grow close to. And there’s nothing they can do to save them. Particularly Rebecca Nurse, who’s execution in the Salem Witch Trials is a key moment in history.

Steve Lyons tells a very interesting story here. For the early chunk of the novel, he tells the story in a non-linear way, giving us glimpses of what to expect from the rest of the novel.

He also writes the original TARDIS crew really well. Especially Susan, who’s more affected by the Witch Trials and their outcome than anyone else. It doesn’t help that her telepathic powers (first seen in The Sensorites) are emerging once more, placing all of them in danger.

The Witch Hunters features the original TARDIS crew in an incredibly dark and difficult period of history. Can they escape such a bleak and desperate period?

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: official Doctor Who website.)

Faithful, but also original

But what’s also refreshing is that, while Lyons remains faithful in many ways to the spirit of that era, he also makes some interesting choices that deviate slightly from the usual pure historical story.

For example, the TARDIS crew actually escape Salem very early on in the novel. Unfortunately, one of the companions makes a very reckless choice that sends them all back there and puts them in even greater danger. It’s a nice twist in the story that allows for something just a little different.

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There’s also the fact that The Witch Hunters was written with an a more mature audience in mind than the era it was based on. As such, Lyons is able to be perhaps a little more true to life than what could have been depicted on screen back in the sixties. He doesn’t go too far with it, but there are many moments in The Witch Hunters that are difficult to read.

And that’s the best compliment I can give The Witch Hunters: it’s a very challenging and intense read, and certainly not recommended if you’re looking for a light Doctor Who story. But reading it is also an experience you will never forget. An excellent novel, and one that holds up very well twenty years later.

So it’s not surprising that it was reprinted back in 2015 as part of The History Collection. If you can track down a copy, do so. You won’t regret it.

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Have you read The Witch Hunters? Did you enjoy it? What’s your favorite Doctor Who novel? Let us know in the comments below.

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