Doctor Who and the Web of Fear (novelisation)

 was a novelisation based on the 1968 television serial The Web of Fear.

1976 edition
Forty Years the Yeti had been quiet - Collector's item in a museum. Then without warning it awoke - and savagely murdered.

At about the same time patches of mist began to appear in Central London. People who lingered anytime in the mist were found dead, their faces smothered in cobwebs. The cobweb seeped down, penetrating the Underground System. Slowly it spread....

Then the Yeti reappeared, not just one but hordes, roaming the misty streets and cobwebbed tunnels, killing everyone in their path. Central London was gripped tight in a Web of Fear...

Chapter titles

 * 1) Return of Evil
 * 2) The Web in Space
 * 3) The Monster in the Tunnels
 * 4) Danger for the Doctor
 * 5) Battle with the Yeti
 * 6) The Terror of the Web
 * 7) Escape from the Web
 * 8) Return of the Yeti
 * 9) Kidnapped!
 * 10) Danger Above Ground
 * 11) 'I want your mind.'
 * 12) The Fall of the Fortress
 * 13) Captives of the Intelligence
 * 14) The Final Duel

Deviations from televised story

 * Julius Silverstein is renamed "Emil Julius" in order to remove the offensive Jewish stereotype.
 * The cliffhanger ending which saw the TARDIS crew holding on to the ship so they wouldn't fall into the time vortex from The Enemy of the World is not resolved. The first appearance of the TARDIS crew is when the Doctor and Jamie are arguing over the light on the console.
 * Emil is described as tall and white-haired; in the television version he is short, balding and dark-haired. It is stated that Travers sold the Yeti to him after his tales of his exploits were derided, and has tried to buy it back many times.
 * The Doctor's first meeting with Lethbridge-Stewart is depicted. The novel makes a number of references to their future friendship (referencing Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion) and ends with Lethbridge-Stewart talking about setting up an Intelligence Taskforce.
 * Travers' companion from Tibet is named Angus Mackay. The television version of The Abominable Snowmen named him John, the novelisation Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen named him Mackay.
 * Travers is already installed at the fortress when Chorley tries to interview him instead of being newly arrived.
 * Some characters' ranks are changed slightly. Staff Sergeant Arnold is usually referred to as Sergeant Arnold, except on one occasion when Knight calls him "Staff". Craftsman Weams and Driver Evans are referred to as Privates.
 * The Doctor meets up with Lethbridge-Stewart after Knight's death and they return to the fortress together. Lethbridge-Stewart's moment of despair and asking the Doctor if he will give himself up are omitted.
 * The Doctor's anger at his friends inadvertently ruining his plan to destroy the Intelligence is reduced somewhat.
 * The Doctor explains his not revealing himself to the soldiers by saying they would arrest or shoot him, giving Jamie further motivation for not revealing his existence to them.
 * The Doctor states that Arnold reverted to his original personality with no memory of his actions whenever the Intelligence had no use of him.
 * Blake is killed by a Yeti with a web gun rather than being dragged away and beaten.
 * Victoria refers to Travers as "Mister Travers" when they are first reunited, correcting a mistake in the televised version where she knows he's a professor without being told.
 * At the end of the scene where the Doctor and Lethbridge-Stewart accuse each other of being the Intelligence, Lethbridge-Stewart says they should trust each other at least, which the text notes as the beginning of their friendship.
 * The Yeti are said to have red glowing eyes.

Writing and publishing notes

 * The cover and information from the original Target Books edition featured the artwork of Chris Achilleos.
 * The first edition cover marked the last time an image of the Second Doctor would appear on a Target Books novelisation cover until The Power of the Daleks was novelised in 1993.

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


 * Paperback
 * Target

Re-issues:
 * 60p
 * 1983 W.H. Allen with a new cover by Andrew Skilleter priced £1.25 (UK)
 * 1993 Virgin Publishing with a new cover by Alistair Pearson priced £3.50 (UK)

Editions published outside Britain
to be added

Audiobook
This novel was released on 3 August 2017 complete and unabridged by BBC Audio and read by David Troughton.

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.