The Kaleidoscope

"No easy thing, to live up to your own legend."

Writer: Jo Martin

Format: Novel

Released: September 2026

Series: Circuit Breaker #10

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

When memories lie, the truth can be fatal. In the aftermath of an improbable mission, the Fugitive Doctor and Martha realise that something is interfering with their minds. Something that doesn't want to be found.

Their investigation leads to a curious artefact in the British Museum: an apparently medieval toy known as the Kaleidoscope. But the object refuses to stay in one place, one time – or one identity. And when the Doctor is repeatedly mistaken for someone she's never met, fragments of unfamiliar memories begin to surface. 

Across Earth, a hidden pattern emerges; evidence of a secret that someone has gone to extraordinary lengths to conceal. As ancient enemies close in and innocent lives are put at risk, the Doctor learns the hard way that some truths were buried for a reason...

Verdict

The Kaleidoscope was a good novel to continue my way through the ongoing Circuit Breaker multimedia event! And just like that it feels like we are at the end as this book saw the Fugitive Doctor return the final object into place, but crikey she didn't half go a roundabout way to get there! I have thoroughly enjoyed the entire concept behind this release and with the absence of Doctor Who from our screens this year and for the foreseeable, this has felt like the 'current' adventure and I've been a huge fan of that filling the gap. I think the crossover across the different formats from comic strips to short stories both in print and online has been seamless and this story continues in that vain, but I do think it is hurt by its very nature. A full-length novel is long and when we have had The Honourable Society for example as a pretty short comic strip fulfilling the same purpose in returning an object to its place, I couldn't help but feel we were putting off the inevitable and finding ways to delay the Doctor returning the item that was the titular kaleidoscope. Given this was a novel I can't help but feel that this adventure would have benefited from returning multiple objects instead. I'm starting a bit negatively here and I don't want that to be the case as I still very much enjoyed the book as my rating reflects. Kudos to Jo Martin in writing this because she's done a terrific job. I thought the first person narrative was intriguing and that's not something we get much of at all when it comes to the Doctor. This incarnation remains shrouded in mystery with the Doctor herself not even sure of her past and I thought that was explored really well here. I loved hearing the internal dialogue of the Doctor tackling with that and the impact of Division on her memories. The concept of memory was utilised really well here though when it came to the Silence. They're a really strong villain and having them tackle the Fugitive Doctor was a really clever match given the memory lass of the latter and the very nature of the former. I thought the idea of their memory erasure ability being transferred was good stuff and something that ought to have been weaponised more. I was a big fan of that. The Silence being committed to the Doctor not answering the Question of who she was worked very well in tying into the future and everything we know during the Eleventh Doctor era, and the continuation of the Fugitive Doctor hearing of the future Doctor she will become perhaps a feel little overdone by now. She's repeatedly asked not to mention him and how she doesn't live up to her future incarnations but she just goes unnoticed. I thought Martha had a really strong outing here and it was lovely to hear just how much the Fugitive recognised her as a strong companion. She could see why her future self would take her under his wings. I thought that was nicely presented. I wasn't a huge fan of the whole Stella angle in the story. I think it works fine in principle but considering we already know the Fugitive Doctor in another life as Ruth from Fugitive of the Judoon, it just felt a tad repetitive. I also think the investigation into the kaleidoscope itself went a tad too far with the specifics of the soil and the links to red solace and the hibernation technology. It wasn't bad at all but it just felt a bit unnecessary. The death of Civeline as the Doctor's adoptive mother in her Stella life was impactful though and I must say I didn't see it coming! I still have my suspicions about Andrew in how eager he was to complete the mission and I like that the Doctor noticed that, but the book ending on a cliffhanger was a nice way to lead into the Big Finish release coming up as we head to UNIT Tower! Kate is involved which is good fun but it's going to be strange now for Martha to just leave as I'm pretty certain Freema Agyeman won't be in the audios which is a shame as she's been a big part of the last few adventures in this series. Overall, a fascinating book and I was more interested in the insight of this incarnation of the Doctor. I feel like we know her better now and it was nice for her to add her own specs and modifications to the sonic. A good read. I look forward to hearing the aftermath now of the objects all being returned. Has it been the plan of the Conductor all along?

Rating: 7/10