Doctor Who and the Androids of Tara (novelisation)

 was a novelisation based on the 1978 television serial The Androids of Tara.

1980 Target Books edition
On a peaceful rural planet, where the colourful pageantry of old Ruritania mingles with ultra-modern Android technology, the Doctor becomes a kingmaker in spite of himself.

In his search for another segment of the Key to Time, the Doctor matches wits and swords with the evil Count Grendel – aided, of course, by Romana and the invaluable K9.

THE ANDROIDS OF TARA is a novel in the Key to Time Sequence. Read THE RIBOS OPERATION and THE STONES OF BLOOD available now.

Coming soon:

THE POWER OF KROLL, THE ARMAGEDDON FACTOR.
 * Note: the "Coming soon" line is not on all printings.

2012 AudioGo edition
In search of a segment of the Key to Time, the Doctor, Romana and K9 arrive on the planet Tara, whose population has long mastered the art of android engineering. Romana is apprehended by the ambitious Count Grendel, who seeks to overthrow the king in waiting, and the Doctor is coerced into helping those loyal to the crown. With Reynart locked away in Grendel's dungeons, the Doctor must perfect and android that can be crowned in his place. Yet Reynart is not the only one of Grendel's prisoners to have a double: the captive Princess Strella is Romana's doppelganger. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues as Grendel seeks to destroy the Doctor in his race to the Taran throne.

Chapter titles

 * 1) The Doctor Goes Fishing
 * 2) Count Grendel
 * 3) The Double
 * 4) The Princess
 * 5) The Prisoner of Gracht
 * 6) The Android King
 * 7) Invitation to an Ambush
 * 8) The Android Killer
 * 9) Flag of Truce
 * 10) Count Grendel plans a Wedding
 * 11) Attack by Night
 * 12) Victory

Deviations from televised story

 * The Doctor admires Grendel, rather than the other characters.
 * There is an extra scene at the end, where the Doctor rescues K9 from the boat stranded in the middle of the castle moat, using a rope and grappling hook from the castle gatehouse to hook the edge of the boat and pull it to shore.

Writing and publishing notes

 * First cover appearances of K9 and Romana I; for Romana this would only happen once more, with her appearing on the cover of Doctor Who and the Armageddon Factor. K9 subsequently appears on the novelisations of The Five Doctors and A Girl's Best Friend.
 * A new novelisation of the story by David Fisher was released as an audiobook in 2012.

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


 * Paperback
 * Target

Audiobook
A different version of this story, written especially by David Fisher, was released as an audiobook on 5 July 2012 by BBC Audio and read by John Leeson.

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.