So, I just picked up the Shada novel for those who don't know Shada is a lost serial written by one of the greatest minds ever, Douglas Adams author of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Douglas Adams wrote a few Doctor episodes, and this one was never actually made because of a writers strike, it eventually resurfaced as an audio drama, and there's a novel of it.

Basically, I picked up the novel because I've been meaning to get into the Doctor, and Douglas Adams is as mentioned DOUGLAS ADAMS! Freaking Hitchhiker's man, greatest sci-fi novels EVER!

Anyway, the novel is the closest you'll find to the orignal, it's the 4th doctor and the drama was the 8th.

Anyway though, this is rambling a bit, the point is to anyone who has read Shada who is knowledgeable of the series, is it a nice jumping in point, or should I start with something else?

Cause I have it, I can read it at any time, and I just want to know what would be the best to actually start in with the Doctor.

I know that personally the thought of something by one of my absolute favorite people ever seems like a good start.

I have read it yes. You'd at least need to know about the master, but I'd say go ahead!

Because it was never produced on the show, a lot of the stuff in it gets contradicted by later episodes. Which isn't really *that* big of a problem because that kind of thing is normal for Doctor Who. :) However, if you're not used to that because you're new to the franchise it can be a stumbling block when you move on to other parts of the franchise.

There's also a recreation video for Shada wandering around. Production had started before the strike happened, so they had chunks of video done. What they have is missing some special effects, and they did the best they could filling in the gaps with bridging narration from Tom Baker. I recommend reading the novel *first*, then watching the recreation if you can get ahold of it. If nothing else you'll get a good idea around how things change from original screenplay to what ended up on the telly.

In case you hadn't heard, the BBC has released an animated version of Shada! That brings Adam's unfinished story to completion three times over, with the audio book, the book, and now the animated release. There may also have been a webcast. I'm not sure. How appropriate for the man who wrote the world's only six-book trilogy.