Target Books/1982

Target Books' Doctor Who output in 1982 saw the number of new novelisations rise to levels that had been broadly typical in the late 1970s. The Fifth Doctor debuted, although with The Visitation instead of Castrovalva. The other seven novels went to the Fourth Doctor, making 1982 the first year in which none of the first three Doctors were novelised.

1982 was also a year in which no new non-fiction books were published, however, one new quiz and puzzle book was published, The Second Doctor Who Quiz Book.

Publishing Notes

 * After a tentative start the previous year, the notion of commissioning the original teleplay writers to pen novelisations entered full force this year (ironically, beginning with Target stalwart Terrance Dicks, this time adapting one of his own scripts, State of Decay).
 * An agreement regarding the use of artistic renderings of Peter Davison for cover art could not be reached, resulting in the decision to resort to using photographic covers for the Fifth Doctor novelisations, which begin publishing this year.