Doctor Who and the Terror of the Autons (novelisation)

Novelisation

 * This novelisation is based on the original television serial DW: Terror of the Autons which was shown from 2nd January 1971 and written by Robert Holmes
 * The cover and information shown on the right is for the original Target novel and featured the artwork of Peter Brookes. (See below for information on other UK and international editions which published with a different cover).
 * The first edition cover art marked the first time no image of the Doctor appeared on the cover at all since the first edition of Doctor Who and the Crusaders nearly a decade earlier. (Apart from the one in the bottom right hand corner!)
 * Not released in a hardcover edition until 1981.

1979 edition
The evil Master leered at the Doctor, and triumphantly pointed out of the cabin window. The many-tentacled Nestene monster – spearhead of the second Auton invasion of the Earth – crouched beside the radio tower!

Part crab, part spider, part octopus, its single huge eye blazed with alien intelligence and deadly hatred…

Can the Doctor outwit his rival Time lord, the Master, and save the Earth from the Nestene horror?

Illustrations

 * This title contain some internal illustrations by Alan Willow.

Deviations from televised story

 * A scene cut from the script is retained in the book which sees the Master use the term “polynestene” to describe the material that the killer chair is made of.
 * The scene with the Master donning a disguise mask to escape UNIT is dropped from the novelisation.
 * At the climax of the story the Brigadier threatens to shoot The Master if he does not co-operate with The Doctor.
 * The novelisation skips the Doctors final remark about re-meeting the Master again, leaving him to tinker with the Master’s dematerialisation circuit.

Writing and publishing notes

 * The Doctor's identification of George Philips' weapon as a "Sontaran fragmentation grenade" predates the Sontarans' first on-screen appearance (in The Time Warrior). Terrance Dicks was still series Script Editor at the time, so likely to have known about the Sontarans arrival in the future.

Publishing History (UK)
To be added

First Publication:
 * Hardback
 * W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. UK


 * Paperback
 * Target

Re-issues:
 * 60p (UK)
 * 1979 Target Books with a new cover by Alun Hood priced 60p (UK)

International Editions
To be added

External Sources

 * The Target Book by David J Howe (Telos Publishing 2007)
 * On Target a comprehensive guide to the Target novelisations by Tim Neal