Recently, BBC released three brand new novels based on its incredibly popular franchise, Doctor Who. I could have easily reviewed each book from Broadway Paperbacks separately, but there is a reason all three are being reviewed together. We have three different novels, and they are:

Shroud of Sorrow by Tommy Donbavand

It’s November 23, 1963. President John F. Kennedy has been assassinated, and the faces of the dead are appearing everywhere. As the faces continue to torment and push their way through, an alien Shroud is feeding on the grief of Earth. With his new companion Clara in tow, the Doctor is determined to save the day. But if anyone has sorrow and death to face in their past, it’s him.

The Dalek Generation by Nicholas Briggs

The Doctor finds himself on the planet Sunlight 349, a world created by his old enemies the Daleks. It’s one of several made by the Dalek Foundation, a group of Daleks who help people and house those suffering from economic problems. The Doctor knows that the Daleks are evil and up to something, but can he convince a world who have grown up under their benevolence.

Plague of the Cybermen by Justin Richards

The Doctor arrives in the 19th century village of Klimtenburg, finding a plague that wastes its victims away, causing their deaths. And then the dead seem to rise from the graves as the Plague Warriors. The Doctor is skeptical of a myth like the Plague Warriors, but when the Cybermen start appearing, he may find himself wrong.

All the books are enjoyable, with Shroud of Sorrow being the best one, due to Donbavand’s understanding not just of the 11th Doctor’s quirks and mannerisms, but his relationship with Clara (who is sadly not in the other books). The Dalek Generation also deserves note due to it being written by Nicholas Briggs, the voice of the Daleks themselves.

Now, there’s a reason why I reviewed all three as one. All three are essentially Doctor Who episodes, and good ones at that. They all have the same strengths, which is the fun and already established characters to just take and put into new situations. They also have the same flaws, which is that if you’re not a fan already, these probably won’t be the things to change your opinion.

That said, if you’re a fan, these deserve to be in your library.