The Gunfighters (novelisation)

Novelisation

 * This novelisation is based on the original television serial generally referred to as DW:  The Gunfighters  which included individual episode titles and was shown from 30th April 1966 and written by Donald Cotton.
 * The cover and information shown on the right is for the original Target novel and featured the artwork of Andrew Skilleter. (See below for information on other UK and international editions which published with a different cover).

Publisher's Cover Blurb
Back in the gun-totin’, hard-hittin’, fast-shootin’ days of the Old Wild West, when outlaws ruled the land and the good guys stayed off the streets, a troupe of travelling players-Miss Dodo Dupont, Steven Regret and the mysterious Doctor Caligari - moseyed into the town of Tombstone one October afternoon. Their method of transportation was a mite peculiar though. After all, a police box materialising out of thin air sure ain’t the usual way to enter a sedate town like Tombstone. And when the Doctor and his pardners meet up with Wyatt Earp and the notorious Clanton brothers, they soon find out that the scene is all set for high noon at the O.K. Corral.

Illustrations
None

Deviations from the Televised Story

 * Part of the novel is told in first person, from the perspective of a journalist hearing an account of the story from Doc Holliday some years afterwards on his deathbed. As such, the book includes a prologue and epilogue not connected to the televised story. The details given regarding Holliday's death are incorrect; the book indicates that he died on Nov. 10, 1887, when in fact he died on Nov. 8.
 * Cotton's novelisation makes use of coarse language and innuendo not present in the original serial (and in and of itself somewhat rare for a Target novelisation, too). For example, when the Doctor arrives at Doc Holliday's office, he accidentally walks in on Holliday in bed with his receptionist (p. 44).
 * The novel deviates wildly from the televised story. Among the many differences: the Doctor does not recognize Johnny Ringo, and he is initially recruited to take part in the gunfight. Therein the Doctor is depicted learning how to shoot a shotgun and at the outset of the gunfight accidentally shoots two onlookers to death!
 * The character Kate Fisher is renamed Kate Elder in the novel.

Author, Writing and Publishing Notes

 * Dedication: For TAMSIN, with coloured moon clouds
 * The back cover includes colour details of Fantastic Doctor Who Poster Offer!
 * Besides the date of Doc Holliday's death being wrong, the novel includes several other errors. Steven is said to know only a few songs, one of which is "America the Brave", although the first line of the song is actually from "The Star-Spangled Banner" (possibly in Steven's home era the song had been renamed). Also, the book switches between third and first person narration; supposedly told from Doc Holliday's point of view, the gunfighter is nonetheless referred to in third person, except on page 73 when it suddenly switches to first person.

Associated Images
To be added

Publishing History (UK)
To be added

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


 * Paperback
 * Target

Re-issues:
 * None

International Editions
To be added

External Sources

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