Reviews Torchwood Encyclopedia by Mickie Newton

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE HIT TV SERIES

by Gary Russell

Published by BBC Books in 2009

When thinking of what I should review with regards to Gary Russell’s books I did think of Gary’s novel, ‘Twilights Streets,’ but the Encyclopedia seemed the most logical as it has become a kind of bible during my writing of my monthly column ‘Gadgets & Gizmos’.  In fact I would go as far as saying it has been a bible to most of the writers of Project: Torchwood.

This book covers three series of Torchwood and also covers four of the radio plays made for BBC Radio 4. In this tome you will encounter various gadgets, locations, episodes, aliens and people, be they main characters or those you see but for a fleeting moment, even The Doctor is mentioned and he’s not seen at all in Torchwood. The closest you get is hearing the sound of the TARDIS landing with its brakes on.

Of course there are some things missed out, as I have found out whilst writing the column. But if he’d covered everything it would have ended up thicker than the Encyclopedia Britannica!

If I were to pick on one annoying thing it would be the subtitle ‘The Definitive Guide’! Now I must add that this had nothing to do with Gary, as I now know it also annoys him (read our brilliant interview with Gary) as it is quite obviously not definitive, especially as there was a fourth series and more radio plays after this book was released (BBC books NEED to ask Gary to update this!). This annoying ‘definitive’ line is also used on ALL the Doctor Who Encyclopedia’s! They can’t all be the definitive version can they? So if Gary was to write an updated version with the fourth series and new radio plays, would this also be the definitive guide? Moving on now, as we could talk all day about how annoying the use of ‘definitive’ can be.

This book is excellent for any Torchwood fan, or any Doctor Who fan, for that matter, who wants to add to their spin-off series collection (we know they’re out there). It’s a good size book of 192 pages, full of colourful stills from all the episodes, along with descriptions of various characters and explanations of gadgets and gizmos, weapons, vehicles, and locations. If you want to know what songs appeared in what episodes; this is the book for you.  You heard Sheffield mentioned in an episode and want to know more…this is the book for you. You’re curious to know who Helen was in series 2 episode 11; THIS is the book for you! Want to know how to make your soufflé rise; this is NOT the book for you. Try a Mary Berry cookbook!

The character breakdowns of our heroes are excellent too, telling you how they joined and even how they leave, if that is the case, as well as giving some background history and anything specific to them. Even down to Gwen’s police number: Officer Gwen Cooper 159. Of course the largest amount of cover is of the good Captain; well he’s been around a while.

There are also such mentions as Amanda Burton (British actress), who doesn’t appear in any episode in anyway shape or form. But Gwen does liken Owen to Amanda’s pathologist character; she appeared as, in another BBC series ‘Silent Witness’ so she is mentioned as being mentioned.

But then you will find things missing, as I have already mentioned, such as the pen-like gadget Jack used in ‘Everything Changes’ to scan the space map! I did ask Gary about this. So if you are as curious, as I was, as to why some thing didn’t make it, but  DVDs that are mentioned/seen in ‘Random Shoes’ did, read his interview!

Most Encyclopedias’ to films or TV shows stick to the facts. The usual mundane stuff such as how R2D2 is constructed and just what his little aerial ‘really’ does. This Encyclopedia is NOT mundane. No, because this one was written by the fabulous Gary Russell and he would like you to know all sorts of little incidentals, all those little things I have already mentioned and more, except soufflés and pen-like gizmos used for reading star maps. You also get a very useful key at the end of each entry that tells you which episode or radio play the entry appeared in and you find the corresponding key at the back of the book on page 192, so you know what each number and letter means. For example (1.6) is series one Countrycide. Or you may see something like (LS) which is the radio play ‘Lost Souls’.

So you why not pick up a copy from Amazon or any other ‘good’ bookshop and have a gander! It is well worth a read!

And if you haven’t read the book, but are curious as to what is the first and last entry’s mentioned in the Encyclopedia;

A for Andromeda BBC science fiction series, the DVD version of which Eugene Jones had borrowed from Josh’s DVD rental store but never returned.

Zenegon Rain A movie for rent in Josh’s DVD store

Me thinks Gary was having a laugh here starting and finishing with TWO DVD’s from Josh’s DVD store!