Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Doomsday Manuscript (novel)

Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Doomsday Manuscript was the first full length novel published by Big Finish Productions following their production of audio story adaptions of novels from the Virgin New Adventures and Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures ranges. This novel continues to significantly develop the Braxiatel Collection which was first mentioned in 1979 Doctor Who television story City of Death though was not visited until 1994's Theatre of War a Virgin New Adventures novel. Both Theatre of War and this novel were written by Justin Richards.

Publisher's summary

The Doomsday Manuscript is the key to finding the Lost Tomb of Rablev and, legend has it, if the tomb is ever opened, the world will end. With the party at the Braxiatel Collection (home to one half of the Doomsday Manuscript) to celebrate the new millennium underway, Benny finds herself drawn into a web of mystery and intrigue that starts with death and gets more serious at every stage. Can she find the second half of the Doomsday Manuscript before it falls into the wrong hands?

Then there's the Fifth Axis, a callous force which assimilates territories and acquires art treasures and other archaeological finds, who are very interested in Kasagrad -- the last neutral planet in the Assimilated Territories. Strategically vital and protected from the Fifth Axis by its impenetrable defence systems, will Benny find the Lost Tomb there? And can she squeeze in another drink at "Piccolini's" -- favourite haunt of black marketeers, spies, counterfeiters, Fifth Axis officers, and desperate archaeologists -- before the end of the world?

Plot

to be added

Characters

References

Art objects

Braxiatel owns champagne glasses moulded on Marie Antoinette's breasts.

Foods and beverages

Vendolusian plankton is poisonous until partially digested by the Vendolusian pond squwelch, after which it is served as a delicacy.

Individuals

Benny's birthday is 21 June.
Adrian Wall is a Killoran. He's about eight feet tall. He is Head of Construction at the Braxiatel Collection. Adrian Wall isn't his real name (as that's practically unpronounceable for humanoids).
Clarissa Jones is head of administration at the Braxiatel Collection. She's fond of Wolsey.
Mr Crofton is the Braxiatel Collection's groundskeeper.
Wolsey has his paw broken by Daglan Straklant and then fixed by Ms Jones with genetic binding ointment.
Broderick Naismith is the Chief Publicity Relations Officer at the Braxiatel Collection. No one other than Irving Braxiatel has ever met him.
Irving Braxiatel gives Benny a replacement Joseph.

Literature

Braxiatel has a copy of Stanoff Osterling's The Good Soldiers.

Organisations

The Fifth Axis is the local meglomaniacal superpower that is taking over planets and space in the area. It's generally not friendly or nice.

Notes

This is the first full length novel published by Big Finish as part of the Bernice Summerfield series.
At the start of the novel is a Welcome to the Braxiatel Collection PR document. It sets out various things about the collection and as it states, is a 'working document' and comes complete with deliberate spelling mistakes/grammar mistakes.
Cover by Carolyn Edwards. The likeness of Bernice is based on Lisa Bowerman and the image on the back cover of Jason Kane is based on Stephen Fewell.

Continuity

Benny stands in awe in Braxiatel's Garden of Whispers, not for the first time, as this is where she first met Braxiatel in PROSE: Theatre of War (however this has occurred for Bernice, but not for Braxiatel).
The Braxiatel Collection was first mentioned in TV: City of Death.
Who the Fifth Axis really are (and who are behind them) is revealed in AUDIO: Death and the Daleks.

External links

Official The Doomsday Manuscript page at bigfinish.com
The Doomsday Manuscript at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
The Discontinuity Guide to: The Doomsday Manuscript at The Whoniverse

Tardis