Everyone loves the TARDIS. Now you can read about how it all works. In a beautiful new hardback book, the TARDIS is explored in great depth. Relive some of the ship’s greatest adventures and marvel at the intricacies of the most powerful ship in the universe.
Written by Richard Atkinson and Mike Tucker, the Instruction Manual offers insight into every aspect of the Time and Space vessel. Traditional elements such as the TARDIS key and the Desktop Theme are focused upon. Additionally, other areas found within the labyrinth of corridors found on board, are also featured. It is a tough task. The TARDIS is ultimately just a tool for allowing a variety of stories to be told by taking the characters to different locations. Over more than half a century however, a mythology has developed around that particular magic box.
The writers carefully, and very impressively, explain the technical elements as matter of fact. There is no consideration that this is a fictional machine or a prop in a television series. Written as a factual instruction manual, there is also consideration for some of the more contradictory elements. For example, the claim that Susan coined the term TARDIS but it was also used on Gallifrey. Similarly, the trend for later regenerations to cause damage to the TARDIS console room. Overall, the writing is enjoyable and at times highly amusing as the writers make the fantastical sound plausible.
The Thirteenth Doctor’s TARDIS
Whilst other TARDIS related books have been published in the past, this is the very latest offering. Therefore, it includes images of the Thirteenth Doctor’s new TARDIS which debuted onscreen in ‘The Ghost Monument’. The image of the current crystalline set, beautifully lit, is beautiful and spoiled only by the crease of the joining pages. If you’ve ever wanted to make your own exterior box then detailed schematics are also provided of the current TARDIS used by the Thirteenth Doctor.
Further illustrations are provided by Gavin Rymill and are the main reason for purchasing this book. Simply put, they are glorious. Some are akin to the Haynes Instruction Manual style, to reveal the inner workings of an item. Other unseen gems are such as a visualisation of Missy’s TARDIS, are a real treat. Every conceivable variation of the TARDIS console room, or desktop theme, is also wonderfully illustrated. This even includes an ‘unused desktop theme’ which was only seen in a Doctor Who Night presentation in 1998. Inside a lovely rich TARDIS blue hardcover book, the collective package is a lovely item, worthy of any bookshelf.
