MATHEMATICAL FICTION:

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

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Doctor Who (Episode: Logopolis) (1981)
Christopher Bidmead
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This episode of the popular BBC show "Doctor Who" (most famously the last episode featuring the fourth Doctor as played by Tom Baker) involves a city of whispering mathematicians whose computations keep the universe running smoothly.

Contributed by Finn Clark

"The next broadcast story was a sequel, called Castrovalva, which was more about the art of M.C.Escher but carried over the Logopolis concept of reality-altering maths. Both stories were written by Christopher Bidmead."

More information about this work can be found at www.isd.net.
(Note: This is just one work of mathematical fiction from the list. To see the entire list or to see more works of mathematical fiction, return to the Homepage.)

Works Similar to Doctor Who (Episode: Logopolis)
According to my `secret formula', the following works of mathematical fiction are similar to this one:
  1. The Mathenauts by Norman Kagan
  2. Doctor Who: The Turing Test by Paul Leonard
  3. The Pythagoras Problem by Trevor Baxendale
  4. Doctor Who: The Algebra of Ice by Lloyd Rose (pseudonym of Sarah Tonyn)
  5. A Very Peculiar Practice by Andrew Davies
  6. Foundation by Isaac Asimov
  7. The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin
  8. Drode's Equations by Richard Grant
  9. The Memory of Whiteness by Kim Stanley Robinson
  10. The Flight of the Dragonfly (aka Rocheworld) by Robert L. Forward
Ratings for Doctor Who (Episode: Logopolis):
RatingsHave you seen/read this work of mathematical fiction? Then click here to enter your own votes on its mathematical content and literary quality or send me comments to post on this Webpage.
Mathematical Content:
2/5 (4 votes)
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Literary Quality:
3.75/5 (4 votes)
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Categories:
GenreScience Fiction,
Motif
Topic
MediumTelevision Series or Episode,

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Where are the new works of mathematical fiction?: As you can see from this chronological listing, this database includes many works of mathematical fiction for each year from 1990 to 2025. Strangely, only two are listed for 2026, so far. Either less mathematical fiction is being published than in previous years or I'm just having more trouble finding it. If you know of any works of fiction that should be added to this list, especially recently published ones, please let me know. (Keep in mind that I do not include self-published works or children's fiction that just covers elementary mathematical concepts.) Thanks!

(Maintained by Alex Kasman, College of Charleston)