Doctor Who Novelisations in the 80s

Between 1973 and 1991, ***Target Books*** published almost every Doctor Who television serial as a novelisation, starting with new editions of the Frederick Muller books.

Their first publications based on the serial were reprints in paperback of three novels which had been previously published as hardbacks, ‘Doctor Who and the Daleks’, ‘Doctor Who and the Crusaders’ by David Whitaker, and ‘Doctor Who and the Zarbi’ by Bill Strutton. As these sold well further novelisations of the show were commissioned.

The most prolific writer in the Doctor Who range was Terrance Dicks, while actor turned writer Ian Marter, Malcolm Hulke, Philip Hinchcliffe and Nigel Robinson (who was for a time the editor of the range) were also contributors.

Almost every story from the Doctor Who series was produced in novelisation form; the exceptions being three scripts by Douglas Adams (Shada, The Pirate Planet and City of Death) and two by Eric Saward (Resurrection of the Daleks and Revelation of the Daleks). Saward was reluctant to novelise these scripts himself due to the large percentage of the author's royalties demanded by the agents of the creator of the Daleks, Terry Nation, for the inclusion of the creatures, and other writers were dissuaded for the same reason. Adams, when interviewed on video about his involvement with Doctor Who, stated that he was unhappy with the standard one-off fee offered by Target Books for the novelisations saying "I do have this tendency to be a best-selling author". The estate of Douglas Adams eventually permitted a novelisation of Shada to be produced in 2011. It was written by Gareth Roberts and published by BBC Books in 2012.

### 1987

#### November 19, 1987: The Massacre

   ***The Massacre*** was a novelisation by John Lucarotti, based on the 1966 television serial The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve.

*The TARDIS lands in Paris on August 19, 1572. Driven by scientific curiosity, the First Doctor leaves Steven to meet and exchange views with the apothecary, Charles Preslin.*

*Before he disappears, he warns Steven to stay out of "mischief, religion and politics." But in sixteenth-century Paris it is impossible to remain a mere observer, and Steven soon finds himself involved with a group of Huguenots.*

*The Protestant minority of France is being threatened by the Catholic hierarchy, and danger stalks the Paris streets. As Steven tries to find his way back to the TARDIS he discovers that one of the main persecutors of the Huguenots appears to be - the Doctor.*

#### November 19, 1987: The Mysterious Planet

   ***The Mysterious Planet*** was a novelisation by Terrance Dicks, based on the 1986 television serial The Mysterious Planet.

*The TARDIS has been taken out of time and the Doctor has been brought before a court of his fellow Time Lords. There the sinister Valeyard accuses the Doctor of breaking Gallifrey's most important law and interfering in the affairs of other planets.*

*If the Valeyard can prove him guilty, the Doctor must sacrifice his remaining regenerations. To prove his case the Valeyard focuses on an adventure set in the Doctor's past.*

*It is an adventure set on the planet Ravolox, a seemingly primitive world but one which the Doctor and Peri find strangely familiar...*

#### December 10, 1987: The Macra Terror

    ***The Macra Terror*** was a novelisation based on the 1967 television serial The Macra Terror.

In the far future a group of humans is living an idyllic existence on a distant planet. Their colony is run like a gigantic holiday camp and nothing seems to trouble their carefree existence.

When one of them claims that the colony is being invaded by hideous monsters, no one takes him seriously. But the Doctor's suspicions are immediately aroused.

What is the terrible menace that lurks at the heart of this apparent paradise? Why are the colonists unaware of the danger that lies before their very eyes? And what is the Macra Terror?

No photographic reference material was available to cover artist Tony Masero, who based his design on real crabs.

### 1988

#### January 21, 1988: The Rescue

***The Rescue*** was a novelisation by Ian Marter based on the 1965 television serial The Rescue. Marter died in October 1986, nearly a year before the initial hardcover publication of The Rescue. It was the last of several novelisations that he had completed before his death to be published.

*From his one previous visit the Doctor remembers the inhabitants of the planet Dido as a gentle, peace-loving people.*

*But when he returns, things have changed dramatically. It seems that the Dido have brutally massacred the crew of the crashed spaceliner Astra. Even now they are threatening the lives of the sole survivors, Bennett and the orphan girl Vicki.*

*Why have the Didoi apparently turned against their peaceful natures? Can Bennett and Vicki survive until the rescue ship from Earth arrives? And who is the mysterious Koquillion?*

#### January 21, 1988: Vengeance on Varos

***Vengeance on Varos*** was a novelisation by Philip Martin based on the 1985 television serial Vengeance on Varos. Accepting the commission to novelise his own story, its proposed publication date of December 1985 was delayed for two years before finally being delivered and published in July 1987. The cover artwork for this title had been ready for the proposed release date, which is why the older neon-tubing logo was used rather than the contemporary Seventh Doctor era logo.

*The TARDIS has stalled in mid-flight, and it is only on the planet Varos that the Doctor can find his precious Zeiton-7 ore he needs to continue his travels through time and space.*

*Arriving on the planet, he saves the rebel Jondar from execution, and incurs the wrath of Sil, the sadistic representative of the Galatron Mining Corporation on Varos.*

*The hunt is on for the Doctor and his rebel friends. And as they are pursued through the corridors of the deadly Punishment Dome, the Doctor discovers that the people of Varos have some very disturbing ideas of entertainment...*

#### February 18, 1988: Terror of the Vervoids

***Terror of the Vervoids*** is a novelisation of the 23rd season 'Trial of a Timelord' story of the same name, written by Pip and Jane Baker. It was published by Target Books in hardback on September 17, 1987 and, in paperback, on February 18, 1988. Find out more at tardis.wikia.com.

*The Time Lords have brought the Sixth Doctor to trial, accusing him of gross interference in the affairs of other planets. If he is found guilty he must forfeit all his remaining regenerations.*

*In his defence the Doctor tells of an adventure set on board the Hyperion III space liner in his future. Answering a distress call, the Doctor and Mel arrive on the liner just as a series of grisly murders begins.*

*Who is behind the murders? Do the enigmatic Mogarians have anything to do with them? Who sent the distress call to the TARDIS? And what hideous menace lies waiting in the Hydroponic Centre?*