The Ambassadors of Death (novelisation)

The Ambassadors of Death was the 1987 Target novelisation of the Doctor Who serial of the same name. It was written by Terrance Dicks, based upon a script by David Whitaker.

1987 edition
Seven months after it left Mars there has still been no radio communication with the Probe Seven spacecraft or the astronauts inside it. Back on Earth concern is mounting and eventually a recovery capsule is sent up to rescue the astronauts.

But when the capsule returns to Earth it is found to be empty. As the Doctor and Liz investigate, they discover that the interior of the capsule is highly radioactive: if anyone was inside they would now surely be dead.

Have the astronauts returned to Earth? And if not, who are the sinister space-suited figures who stalk the countryside and whose very touch means instant death?

Chapter Titles

 * 1) 'Something Took Off from Mars...'
 * 2) 'That Sound--It Was Some Kind Of Message...'
 * 3) 'They'll Never Survive...'
 * 4) 'Recovery Seven--It's On The Way Back!'
 * 5) 'The Capsule Has Landed.'
 * 6) 'They've Started To Crack The Code...'
 * 7) 'You Must Feed Them Radiation--Or They'll Die!'
 * 8) 'We've Got To Get That Rocket Up!'
 * 9) 'Someone's Threatening To Kill Miss Shaw!'
 * 10) 'An Attack On The Space Centre?'
 * 11) 'Do You Really Think They're Not Human?'
 * 12) 'Large Unidentified Object Approaching On Collision Course...'
 * 13) 'The Capsule Will Be Smashed To Fragments...'
 * 14) 'Your Doctor Friend Is As Dead As A Doornail...'
 * 15) 'We May Not Have Much More Time!'
 * 16) 'We're Being Invaded!'

Deviations from televised story

 * Reporter John Wakefield is renamed Michael Wakefield, possibly in tribute to the actor who played him in the televised story, Michael Wisher.
 * The Time Lords wiped the Doctor's knowledge about the Ambassador's species.

Writing and publishing notes

 * It was the first time for a while that Jon Pertwee's likeness had been used on the cover of a Target novelisation. However, Pertwee himself was unhappy with the likeness presented, and so the cover illustration was redrawn with different lighting so as to bring out the actors’s silver hair.
 * The publication of this title completed the Third Doctor's novelisations. His era was the first to be completely adapted.

British publication history

 * Hardback (May 1987)


 * W.H.Allen & Co. Ltd. UK ISBN:0491037120, copies priced £7.50 (UK))
 * Paperback (October 1987)


 * Target / W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. Single paperback edition, estimated print run: 27,500, priced £1.95 (UK).
 * Paperback (March 1991)


 * Target / Virgin Publishing New cover artwork by Alister Pearson, estimated print run: 5,000,  priced £2.50 (UK).