Doctor Who Wednesday #22

Welcome to the first Doctor Who Wednesday of 2018!

In fact, this is the first DWW since August, which is far too long a gap.  Hopefully that won't happen before DWW #23 as I have some Doctor Who figures in my intended AHPC output.  Watch this space...

So, with very little to comment on, here we go.

Target Books

Yesterday I came across a whole pile of Doctor Who novelisations in a charity shop.  I've never really bothered with these because, a) many seem to be written for children, b) many are also no good and, c) there are hundreds of the buggers.   I'd appreciate feedback from people with more experience.  Are they worth bothering with when they can be picked up cheaply?  I'm wondering what inspiration they might provide for some solo gaming.

Having said this, I couldn't resist buying these Target Books.  Which have an obvious nostalgia appeal.

For those who don't know, Target Books were published from the 1970s onwards (detail can be found on Wikipedia) and include both novelisations of broadcast serials and, later, newly commissioned works.  They're sometimes useful as they can contain back-stories which have been since been recognised as canonical.

The addition of these four brings the total of my Target Books up to six, which I suppose can be considered a nascent collection.  As you can see, I'm not too fussed about condition.  I'm not going to go out of my way seek then out, but if they cross my path, I'll pick more up

For the record, I currently have

2nd Doctor

• Doctor Who and the Cybermen (1975), based on the 1967 serial 'Moonbase'.  Apparently contains some back-story 0f the Cybermen now considered canonical.  This was one of the serials episodes of which the BBC destroyed or lost after broadcast.  It was recently released with animations filling the gaps.



Yetis!

• Doctor Who and the Web of Fear (1976), based on the 1968 serial 'The Web of Fear' - Yeti on the London Underground and worth getting for the first appearance of Colonel Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart.  Also one of the 'lost serials'

3rd Doctor

• Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters (1974), based on the 1970 serial 'Doctor Who and the Silurians'.  I'm not sure what the reason for the change of title is - Wikipedia tells me that the book avoids the name 'Silurians' but not why (rights issues?).  The answer will be out there, and I may look for  it when I read the book.
• Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks (1974), based on the 1972 serial 'Day of the Daleks'
• Doctor Who and the Green Death (1975), based on the 1973 serial 'The Green Death' remembered for the departure of Jo Grant.

4th Doctor

• Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (1979), based on the serial 'Destiny of the Daleks'.  This is the only one of the six that I've read - it's a fairly ropy novelisation of a ropy serial.  But it's got Davros and marks the regeneration of Romana from actress Mary Tamm to Lala Ward.

Gratuitous Sara-Jane Smith Photo