Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation (novelisation)

Novelisation

 * This novelisation is based on the original television serial (DW):  The Ribos Operation  which was shown from 2nd September 1978 and written by Robert Holmes
 * The cover and information shown on the right is for the original Target novel and featured the artwork of John Geary. (See below for information on other UK and international editions which published with a different cover).

Publisher's summary
Reluctantly cancelling his well-earned holiday, the Doctor sets off in the TARDIS to trace and re-assemble the six segments of the Key to Time on which the stability of the entire Universe depends. Assisted by the argumentative Romanadvoratrelundar and K9, he lands on the planet Ribos in search of the first segment and finds himself entangled in the machinations of two sinister strangers, Garron and the Graff Vynda Ka. Who are they? Is Garron simply a shady confidence-trickster dealing in interplanetary real estate? Is the Graff Vynda Ka just a power-crazed exile bent on revenge? Or are they both really agents of the Black Guardian, intent upon seizing the precious Key in order to throw the Universe into eternal chaos? Risking his life within the monster-infested catacombs of Ribos, the Doctor has to use all his wit and ingenuity to find out …

Illustrations

 * None

Deviations from televised story
To be added

Writing and publishing notes

 * Although based upon the first story to feature Romana, this book (and all the Key to Time novelisations that followed) was actually published after Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks which began the character's second series.
 * When Target retroactively numbered the first seventy-three novelisations alphabetically this was given the number #52; by coincidence it was the 52nd book to have been published.

Associated Images
To be added

British publication history
To be added

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


 * Paperback
 * Target

Re-issues:

Editions published outside Britain
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