Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks by Terrance Dicks

 

(pb; 1974: first book in the Dr. Who series. Based on Louis Marks, Terry Nation and Sydney Newman’s screenplay.)

 

From the back cover

“Exterminate! Exterminate!

“The Daleks. Doctor Who’s oldest and most ruthless enemies, have one goal—total world power. Their prime weapon is time travel. In the late Twentieth Century, they attacked the Planet Earth. Their plan: alter the course of history. Start World Wars. Wipe out the human population. They were very effective.

“Can Doctor Who, trapped in the Twenty-Second Century, reverse history’s course in time to save our planet and every living thing on it, including himself, from the devastating and evil force of the Daleks?”

 

Review

Day is a fun, fast-moving and action-blunt adaptation of the four-episode Doctor Who storyline, which aired between January 1, 1972 and January 22, 1972 on England’s BBC channel. Jon Pertwee, father of actor Sean Pertwee, was the titular, time- and space-traveling Gallifreyan at this point in the series, and the book succinctly captures the spirit of Pertwee’s portrayal of said character, as well as the cold malevolence of one of the Doctor’s key nemeses, the Daleks.

Breezy and overall entertaining, this adaptation is worth reading, especially during this estival season. Followed by Malcolm Hulke’s adaptation of Doctor Who: The Doomsday Weapon.

Doctor Who and the Face of Evil by Terrance Dicks

(1978: twenty-fifth book in the Doctor Who series. Based on Chris Boucher's teleplay.)

From the back cover

"Setting the controls for Earth, the Fourth Doctor is surprised when the Tardis lands in a primeval forest. Has the Tracer gone wrong or has some impulse deep in the unconscious mind directed him to this alien planet? In investigating the forest, the Doctor meets and assists Leela, a warrior banished from her tribe, the Sevateem. Through Leela, it gradually becomes apparent that the constant war between the Sevateem and the Tesh has been instigated by the god they both worship, Xoanon.

"Xoanon, an all-powerful computer, is possessed by a desperate madness – a madness that is directly related to Doctor Who, that causes Xoanon to assume the voice and form of the Doctor, a madness that is partly caused by the Doctor and that only the Doctor himself can rectify!

"The Doctor must not only do battle with Xoanon, but also must escape from the savage practices of the Sevateem, and the technically mind-controlling destructive impulses of the Tesh."  


Review

Face is an entertaining, word-lean, plot-swift and sometimes humorous science fiction novel that reflects its source television episodes. It is an excellent adaptation, one worth owning.

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The four-part television serial this novel is based on aired on the BBC channel between January 1st and 22nd, 1977. Pennant Roberts directed it, from Chris Boucher's teleplay. 

Tom Baker played The Doctor. Louise Jameson played Leela. Brendan Price played Tomas. 

Leslie Schofield played Calib. David Garfield played Neeva. Leon Eagles played Jabel. Mike Elles played Gentek. Peter Baldock played "Acolyte". Roy Herrick provided the voice of Xoanon.