Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters (novelisation)

Doctor Who and the Cave-Monsters was the novelisation of Doctor Who and the Silurians. Interestingly enough, even though the serial it adapted was accidentally given a Target-style title, the novelisation didn't take the chance to carry the same title and instead gave it a completely different one.

1974 edition
All is not well at the Wenley Moor underground atomic research station: there are unaccountable loses of power-output; nervous breakdowns amongst the staff; and then – a death! UNIT is called in and the Brigadier is soon joined by DOCTOR WHO and Liz Shaw in a tense and exciting adventure with subterranean reptile men – SILURIANS – and a 40ft. high Tyrannosaurus rex, the biggest, most savage mammal which ever trod the earth!

"DOCTOR WHO, the children's own programme which adults adore ..." Gerard Garrett, The Daily Sketch

Chapter titles

 * 1) Prologue: The Little Planet
 * 2) The Doctor gets a message
 * 3) The Traitor
 * 4) Power Loss
 * 5) The Fighting Monster
 * 6) Into the Caves
 * 7) Quinn Visits His Friends
 * 8) Into an Alien World
 * 9) The Search
 * 10) Man Trap
 * 11) The Doctor Makes a Visit
 * 12) Goodbye, Dr Quinn
 * 13) The Prisoner
 * 14) Man from the Ministry
 * 15) Attack and Counter-Attack
 * 16) The Itch
 * 17) Epidemic
 * 18) A Hot World
 * 19) The Lie

Deviations from televised story

 * A prologue tells of the Silurians going into hiding to avoid catastrophe.
 * Each of the reptile men is given an individual name and personality.
 * Major Baker is renamed 'Major Barker'.
 * In the book it is Dr. Meredith who discovers the death of Quinn.
 * At the end, the Brigadier only seals the Silurians in the caves, as opposed to blowing them up.

Story notes

 * As one of the early titles in the Target range, the writer was encouraged to flesh out his script for the novelisation.
 * Chapter 8 titled "Into an Alien World" is written from Morka's point of view.
 * The back-cover blurb on the original edition features a scientific error, as the Tyrannosaurus rex is referred to as a mammal, when in fact dinosaurs were reptiles.
 * The fact that Silurians can cry, stated here, flatly contradicts Blood Heat.

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


 * Paperback
 * Target
 * 25p (UK)
 * 80c Australia

Re-issues:
 * 70p (UK) - £1.50

1992 Virgin Publishing with a new cover by Alister Pearson priced £2.99

Netherlands

 * Published as Doctor Who en de Holenmonsters.

Finland

 * Published as Tohtori Kuka Ja Luolahirviöt.

Portugal

 * Published as Douter Who E Os Monstros Das Cavernas.

Japan

 * Published as (transliteration): Senritsu! Chitei Monsutaa

Audiobook
This Target Book was released complete and unabridged by BBC Audio and read by Caroline John who played Liz Shaw.

The audio set of 4 CDs with an ISBN 1-4056-7799-6 was released in September 2007 priced £13.99 (UK)

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