Target Books

Overview
Although Target Books was a publishing imprint set up in 1972 providing a range of paperback fiction for 14 year olds it was its long lived and highly successful range of Doctor Who novelisations with which it became best known. The Target imprint changed hands many times over its history but retained its distinctive logo. Few of its titles were first published by Target Books, indeed the first three launch titles had previously seen publication as hardbacks by Frederick Muller, and many others over the years saw a first printing in hardback by sister publishers Allan Wingate (and later by W. H. Allen).

During the 1990's with the company having been acquired by Virgin Publishing, the only titles still held by Target were the Doctor Who stories. Many of the titles were reissued with new covers, but to many readers they were still affectionately regarded as Target Books. Indeed Virgin itself referred to the later titles as part of "the Target Library"!.

In 2007 BBC Audio began a series of complete and unabridged releases of the Target novelisations giving new life to these old favourites. (see Target Books (BBC Audio releases)).

Target Books History / Development / Output

 * Target Books (1973)
 * Target Books (1974)
 * Target Books (1975)
 * Target Books (1976)
 * Target Books (1977)
 * Target Books (1978)
 * Target Books (1979)
 * Target Books (1980)
 * Target Books (1981)
 * Target Books (1982)
 * Target Books (1983)
 * Target Books (1984)
 * Target Books (1985)
 * Target Books (1986)
 * Target Books (1987)
 * Target Books (1988)
 * Target Books (1989)
 * Target Books (1990)
 * Target Books (1991)
 * Target Books (1992)
 * Target Books (1993)
 * Target Books (1994 and beyond)

Doctor Who Related Target Titles
Throughout the 1970's and early 1980's the Target imprint was responsible for a wide range of Doctor Who related titles;

Doctor Who Television Novelisations

 * All but three televised stories were novelised.


 * (see Target Novelisation Covers for a list in broadcast order)
 * (see Doctor Who Gift Sets for details of a series of nine Gift sets each comprising of four slipcased novelisations)

Radio Broadcast Adaptations

 * Doctor Who - The Pescatons
 * Slipback
 * Paradise of Death

Missing Episodes

 * A series of proposed scripts cancelled during the shows hiatus in 1985
 * Doctor Who - The Nightmare Fair
 * Doctor Who - Mission to Magnus
 * Doctor Who - The Ultimate Evil

The Companions of Doctor Who Series (3 titles)

 * K-9 and Company (novelisation of TV spin-off)
 * Harry Sullivan's War (new fiction)
 * Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma (new fiction)

Doctor Who Television Reference Tie-ins

 * The Making of Doctor Who
 * The Doctor Who Monster Book
 * The Second Doctor Who Monster Book
 * The Doctor Who Programme Guide Volume 1
 * The Doctor Who Programme Guide Volume 2
 * Doctor Who: The Universal Databank
 * Doctor Who: The Terrestial Index
 * The Doctor Who Programme Guide
 * Travel Without the TARDIS

Doctor Who Discovery Series:

 * A non-fiction series of educational books
 * including The Doctor Who Dinosaur Book
 * Doctor Who Discovers: Early Man
 * Doctor Who Discovers: Prehistoric Animals
 * Doctor Who Discovers: Space Travel
 * Doctor Who Discovers: The Conquerors
 * Doctor Who Discovers: Strange and Mysterious Creatures

Activity / Puzzle Books

 * Doctor Who: Build the TARDIS
 * Doctor Who Quiz Books
 * Second Doctor Who Quiz Book
 * Third Doctor Who Quiz Book
 * Doctor Who Crossword Book
 * Doctor Who Puzzles and Brain Benders
 * Terry Nation's Dalek Special
 * The Adventures of K-9 and Other Mechanical Creatures Special