Doctor Who and the Daleks [Mass Market Paperback]

This was the first ever novelisation of a Doctor Who tv story, first published in the mid 60s. To most fans of the show this book is all kinds of wonderful, being hugely nostalgic and a crackingly well written novel in its own right. Back then this was the only way to relive an episode. VCRs or DVDs were more far-fetched science fiction ideas than some ones in the show. David Whitaker was Story Editor on the original serial and here he takes Terry Nation's script and really adds life and depth. Told in the first person from the point of view of Ian Chesterton the story kicks off by choosing to replace the whole school scenario of the first episode of an Unearthly Child with characters meeting each other for the first time after a traffic accident on Barnes Common. It's a pretty atmospheric opening. The Doctor is hostile and sly, playing his mindgames with Ian. The psychology of walking through those police box doors is explored quite comprehensively by Whitaker. Due to the limited point of view some characters don't get as much of the limelight as they might have done, notably Susan. Her alien qualities get lost in retelling and her early baptism of fire, having to retrieve the radiation drugs alone through the petrified forest, is only briefly mentioned as she recounts the episode to her friends. It's also fun to learn a bit more about the Tardis facilities and I would like to know what Venusian Night Fish or Martian Summer berries taste like. Other additions to the script are a full description of a Dalek mutant, a Glass Dalek, Everlasting Matches, an amusing boxing match that Ian arranges to try to get the Thalls to regard fighting in the same way as other physical sports, the seeds of a romance between Ian and Barbara, an un-sonic buttonhook and Ian's smoking habit. Whitaker writes well and has a nice line in poetic phrasing but he also knows how to colour a story with little character points and humour. I have only fond memories of reading this book back in the 1970s and I greatly enjoyed the recent reread. I'd like to think that the new reprints of these books will inspire a new generation of children in the same way as they did me when I was a little boy wandering about that big building filled with books with orders from my mum to 'choose one'.
This new edition has an introduction by Neil Gaiman, an about the authors spotlight of David Whitaker and Terry Nation, original illustrations and a between the lines feature about the script to novelisation process.

I used to collect all the "Target" Doctor Who novels when I was a kid. Before video recorders the novelizations of the TV stories was all we had if we wanted to experience the stories again. I used to buy every copy. My books have not stood the test of time, having experienced several years in my parents garage when I left home so I'm more than pleased to see them start appearing in Kindle form. I'd love to read them all again and with my Kindle I can. I can also share them with my young son who I'm sure will love them as much as I did all those years ago.

In some ways, these books are better than the original TV stories on which they're based as there are no dodgy special effects to contend with. Your imagination can provide the best special effects ever.

This story of course is the first Dalek story and the second ever Doctor Who story and what a story it is. Suspense, tension, excitement, action. Has it all in spades. Do yourself a favour and buy this and any and every original series Target novelization that gets released on Kindle.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I think that this book is worth reading if you have already watched the TV episode because of the way the story is told differently. At first I was put off by the fact it was in first person but when I came to reading it I found it made a wonderful effect. As a massive Dr. Who fan the Daleks being introduced for the first time is very exciting. Although it is different to that of the episode, the beginning is better, more fast moving than the episode. I am looking foreward to The End of Time...