Doctor Who and the Time Warrior (novelisation)

 was a novelisation based on the 1973 television serial The Time Warrior.

1978 edition
His spaceship crippled in an inter-stellar battle, the Sontaran warrior, Linx, is forced to crash-land on earth. He arrives in the Middle Ages, a time too primitive to provide the technology he needs to repair his ship. Allying himself with the local robber chief, Linx uses his powers to `borrow' scientists and equipment from twentieth-century earth.

Doctor Who tracks down the missing scientists and journeys into the past to save them. But can he defeat the ruthless Linx and his savage human allies before the course of human history is changed forever?

Chapter titles

 * Prologue
 * 1) Irongron's Star
 * 2) Linx's Bargain
 * 3) Sarah's Bluff
 * 4) Irongron's Captive
 * 5) The Doctor Disappears
 * 6) A Shock for Sarah
 * 7) Prisoner in the Past
 * 8) The Robot Knight
 * 9) Linx's Slaves
 * 10) Irongron's Wizard
 * 11) The Rescue
 * 12) The Doctor's Magic
 * 13) Counter Attack
 * 14) The Robot's Return
 * 15) Shooting Gallery
 * 16) Return to Danger
 * 17) Linx's Departure

Deviations from televised story

 * An opening sequence of a space battle between the Sontarans and Rutans is added. The scout ship featured throughout the story is the last surviving component of a space cruiser pursued by nine Rutan attack craft.
 * A greater emphasis is placed on the Doctor's role as a spy for the Brigadier at the country house. The Time Lord has to request access to the TARDIS directly, rather than it already being provided for him on-site. Given the Doctor's propensity to abscond, the Brigadier has reservations about providing it, but instructs his men to carry out the instruction.
 * Cut scenes with Hal the Archer and the messenger boy are reinstated.
 * Sarah's first trip in the TARDIS is depicted. She hides in a wardrobe room, just off the main console room, and speculates as to the Doctor's affiliation with the Brigadier.
 * Linx makes it clear to the Doctor that the punishment circuit of the computer console will give him a lethal electrical charge if he attempts to leave it. He's trapped at the workstation long enough for the evening to arrive without him solving the puzzle.
 * Irongron, Bloodaxe and Linx travel to Sir Edward's castle on horseback.
 * The Doctor's reflective shield from the TARDIS survives his duel with Linx long enough for Rubeish to be transported back to the modern-day. Sarah searches for a weapon to strike the Sontaran's probic vent while the two fight.
 * Linx refrains from killing the Doctor and Sarah as he's wasted enough time disposing of Irongron. His ship is already on automatic countdown, so he believes they'll be destroyed in the blast regardless. The alien warrior is already dead from Hal's arrow by the time his hand comes down on the take-off button.
 * The destruction of Castle Irongron takes place at night. The Doctor, Sarah and Hal flee among the dead warlord's men. The Sontaran scout pod survives the explosion, rising into the sky on autopilot with its dead occupant, to rejoin the war above.

Writing and publishing notes

 * Robert Holmes submitted three pages towards 'his' novelisation of the story, before handing it over to Terrance Dicks (who used the notes as a prologue), to finish.

British publication history
First publication:
 * Hardback
 * W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. UK


 * Paperback
 * Target

Re-issues:
 * 1993 Virgin Publishing with a new cover by Alister Pearson priced £3.50 (UK)

Audiobook
This Target Book was released on 13 November 2008 complete and unabridged by BBC Audio and read by Jeremy Bulloch.

The cover blurb and thumbnail illustrations were retained in the accompanying booklet with sleevenotes by David J. Howe. Music and sound effects by Simon Power.