The Sword of Forever was the seventy-fifthVirgin New Adventures novel.

The cover of this novel was the last to feature the "The New Adventures" titling and the "NA" logo. It was also the final to feature a conventionally illustrated cover; all future covers were computer-aided in design rather than this and previous covers' painting/drawn aesthetic. As such, this was the final Virgin novel to featureBernice Summerfield on the cover; the next prose-based publication she would appear on would be2000'sBig Finish Productions' anthologyProfessor Bernice Summerfield and the Dead Men Diaries.

This was also the final monthly release in the novel series. Hereafter, the frequency of release was reduced.

Publisher's summary[[edit] |[edit source]]

"I'm sure the Beach Boys didn't have mutant elephants in mind when they wrote "Surfin' USA.".

WhenBernice Summerfield findshumanskull fragments containing her ownDNA in thestomach of a mummifieddinosaur, she embarks on a trail ofmurder and betrayal. From the alienjungles ofFrance to the primalcontinent ofPangaea, the trail leads ever further back in time. Together withPatience, the cloned smart-raptor, Benny must brave alienhybrids, agents of theKnights Templar guarding a secret older than time — and have breakfast with the man who would be Emperor ofEarth.

All to find the fabledSword of Forever, a mythical device with the power to destroy and create civilisations — but at what price?

Everything goes critical as Bernice andPatience travel across 120 million years and twouniverses — where ancient traps guard crumbling ruins, love is unrequited, time is running out, treasure is always buried and X never fails to mark the spot.

Chapter titles[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Prologue: Guardians of Forever

1. Egypt: 1287
2. Arginy: 2562
3. Paris: 1307
4. Arginy: 2560
5. Paris: 1314

• Part One: A Map of Skulls

1. Antarctica: 2595
2. Paris: 1314
3. Antarctica: 2595
4. Paris: 1314
5. Egypt: 2595
6. Paris: 1314
7. London: 2595
8. Arginy: 1354
9. London: 2595

• Part Two: The Breath of the Serpent

1. Pangaia: 80 Million BC
2. London: 2595
3. Pangaia: 80 Million BC
4. London: 2595
5. Pangaia: 80 Million BC
6. The Midlands: 2595
7. Pangaia: 80 Million BC
8. Glasgow: 2595
9. Pangaia: 80 Million BC
10. Loch Ness: 2595
11. Pangaia: 80 Million BC
12. Loch Ness: 2595
13. Pangaia: 80 Million BC
14. Loch Ness: 2595
15. Pangaia: 80 Million BC
16. London: 2595

• Part Three: A Labyrinth of Ghosts

1. Arginy: 2595
2. Ethiopia: 2575
3. Arginy: 2595
4. Ethiopia: 2575
5. Arginy: 2595
6. Ethiopia: 2575
7. Arginy: 2595
8. Ethiopia: 2575
9. Paris: 2595
10. Hampuchea: 2577
11. Paris: 2595

• Part Four: The Blood and the Flame

1. Antioch: 2595
2. Pangaia: 80 Million Anno Quincunx
3. Hampuchea: 2595
4. The Orient: 4500 Anno Quincunx
5. Hampuchea: 2595
6. Jerusalem: 3355 Anno Quincunx
7. Hampuchea: 2595
8. Hampuchea: 150 Anno Quincunx
9. Quincunx

• Epilogue: The Birth of Forever

Plot[[edit] |[edit source]]

to be added

Characters[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Bernice Summerfield
• Marillian
• Patience
• Daniel Beaujeu
• Gebmoses III

Worldbuilding[[edit] |[edit source]]

Culture[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Indiana Jones: Final Genesis was made sometime after1998.

Individuals[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Bernice Summerfield marries Marillian to get aresearch license.
• Patience is a super smartutahraptor.

Locations[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Marillian ownsLondon.
• Kenya andSomalia are sites of massive bio-infection (caused by viruses from theDalek invasion of Earth).
• TheLibrary of Things That Never Were reappears as theMuseum of Things That Don't Exist.

Objects[[edit] |[edit source]]

• TheSword of Forever has four parts: theSpear of Longinus, theCrown of Thorns, theHoly Grail and theArk of the Covenant.

Organisations[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Knights Templar agents follow Benny throughout her quest.

Religion[[edit] |[edit source]]

• TheFreemasons assassinate Benny.

Sports[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Bernice plays and loses a game ofnetball to a blindpriest (who sees byfaith).

Notes[[edit] |[edit source]]

• This is the last novel to have the "New Adventures" front-cover logo and title that had been in place sinceOh No It Isn't! (although it was retained on the spine) and the cover design format that had been in place sinceHappy Endings.

Continuity[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Benny trades the platinum American Express card that the Doctor gave her and Jason inPROSE:Happy Endings andEternity Weeps.
• Benny previously encountered intelligent dinosaurs inPROSE:Blood Heat.

External links[[edit] |[edit source]]

• The Sword of Forever at theDoctor Who Reference Guide
• The Discontinuity Guide to:The Sword of Forever atThe Whoniverse