Changes: Death to the Daleks (novelisation)

Latest revision as of 22:51, 5 February 2024

Death to the Daleks

1978 edition
1991 edition

Based on:

Death to the Daleks

Key crew

Publisher:

Target Books

Writer:

Terrance Dicks

Read by:

Jon Culshaw, Nicholas Briggs

Cover by:

Roy Knipe

Release details

Release number:

20 (given to later editions)

Release date:

20 July 1978

Format:

Hardcover and paperback editions; 125 pages

ISBN:

ISBN 0-426-20042-X

Target novelisations
← Previous	Next →
Doctor Who and the Time Warrior	Doctor Who and the Android Invasion

Target novelisation numbering
← Previous	Next →
Doctor Who and the Deadly Assassin	Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks

TV series order
← Previous	Next →
Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion	Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon

Death to the Daleks was a novelisation based on the 1974 television serial Death to the Daleks.

Publisher's summary[]

1978 Target Books edition[]

A mysterious power-loss strands the TARDIS on Exxilon, a sinister fog-shrouded alien planet. Forced to brave the dangers of the planet, the Doctor meets the survivors of a beleaguered expedition from Earth searching for a precious mineral that can save the galaxy from a terrible space-plague. Sarah finds a mysterious super-City and becomes a captive of the savage Exxilons, and, worst of all, the Doctor's greatest enemies, the dreaded Daleks, arrive on a secret mission of their own.

What terrifying power makes captives of all who come to the planet? What is the secret of the mysterious deserted City with its great flashing beacon? And what sinister plan has brought the Daleks to Exxilon? The Doctor and Sarah must risk their lives time and again in a desperate attempt to foil the Daleks and save millions of humans from the horrific plague.

1991 Target Books edition[]

'IT'S AS IF THE TARDIS IS DYING,' WHISPERED SARAH...

Mysteriously drained of its energy by a strange force, the TARDIS and its occupants are stranded on the planet Exxilon, a planet inhabited by a savage and degenerate race. But it's here alone that the cure for the hideous space plague can be found, a cure so vital that even the Daleks are willing to join forces with the Doctor in order to find it...

Doctor Who - Death to the Daleks was first broadcast in 1974 and was written by Terry Nation, the creator of the Daleks. This novelization was written by Terrance Dicks, who was script editor of the series for five years and who has novelized more than sixty Doctor Who television stories.

Doctor Who is currently being reshown on BSB television.

Chapter titles[]

Prologue

Death of a TARDIS
The Ambush
Expedition from Earth
The Deadly Arrivals
A Truce with Terror
The Sacrifice
Escape to the Unknown
Bellal
The Pursuit
The City Attacks
The Trap
The Nightmare
The Antibodies
The Last Victory

Deviations from televised story[]

The Dalek's replacement weapons are referred to as "machine-guns" (i.e. fully automatic slugthrowers). In the television story, they appeared to function only as semi-automatics.
The Doctor remains to examine the frozen figure in the mists, instead of wandering away when Sarah goes back to the TARDIS.
Railton is said to be a scientist rather than a Marine Captain, although he is still specified as being senior to Galloway. His first name Richard is never mentioned.
Galloway is said to have lost his entire family in the Dalek Wars, having grown up in a refugee camp and worked his way up through the ranks of the Space Corps. He feels Stewart has been blocking his promotion because of disagreements on previous missions.
Jill is stated to be blonde whereas, on screen, she has red hair.
Instead of saying to Jill that they didn't find Jack, Railton and Galloway tell her they found his body and buried him.
The Marine Space Corps party were originally ten in total, with the remaining members lost to two previous ambushes from the Exxilons.
The Exxilons capture three Daleks rather than two. The fourth is knocked down with a boulder and their battering triggers its self-destruct.
The surface-based Exxilons have no recorded dialogue. All of them are described as wearing black rags rather than brown.
Sarah is unable to understand the Exxilons during their ritual in the temple and it is stated that Galloway and the Dalek leader communicate with them verbally through a kind of "pidgin galactic", which the former finds difficult to follow.
The Doctor provides Sarah with more background information to the Daleks.
Galloway and Peter are given four bombs by the Daleks rather than two, meaning they attach three to the beacon. The beacon is described as having four struts like a "miniature Eiffel tower" rather than the single pillar as seen in the televised story.
The probe that attacks the digging emerges from the sand rather than a lake. Hamilton attempts to pull one of the Exxilons clear before it can strike, but to no avail.
Bellal and his break-away Exxilon faction are identified as Subterranean Exxilons.
Gotal is introduced by name to the Doctor and Sarah by Bellal. On-screen, he is only identified in the credits of part three. The subterranean Exxilon spying on the Daleks is named as Jebal.
Sarah is strapped to the altar during her aborted sacrifice.
It is made clearer that the Daleks do not bother to supervise Galloway on board their ship.
The City generates a group of antibodies rather than the two seen in the televised story. Rather than forming from a series of columns, they emerge from "translucent screens" like windows into a vast "shadowy room filled with swirling mists." Once activated, they attack the control room indiscriminately and drive the Doctor and Bellal to the back wall.
The Doctor and Bellal cross the patterned floor in a mixture of red and white tiles. On screen, they only use white tiles. Additionally, the floor is said to be set in a large hall rather than a corridor.
The Dalek from which Jill escapes panics, but doesn't self-destruct.
The Doctor's party attempt to reach their respective ships before the Daleks launch their plague missiles to contaminate the planet. While he was silent on-screen, Bellal whispers their success on destroying the City in the novelisation. The Doctor wishes to continue their journey to Florana, but Sarah asks him to instead concentrate on getting her home.

Writing and publishing notes[]

An unused and unfinished piece of cover artwork for this title by Roy Knipe was later finished and and sold privately in the early 2000s.

Additional cover images[]

British publication history[]

First publication:

Hardback

W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. UK

Paperback

Target

Re-issues:

75p

1991 Target Books / Virgin Publishing with a new cover by Alister Pearson priced £2.50 (UK)

Editions published outside Britain[]

Published again in Germany by Goldmann Verlag in 1989 as a paperback edition, translated by Bettina Zeller and published as Dr. Who und der Tod den Daleks!, it was one of six German novelisations published in the late 1980’s and early 1990's.

Audiobook[]

This Target Book was released as an audiobook on 3 March 2016 complete and unabridged by BBC Physical Audio and read by Jon Culshaw with Dalek voices by Nicholas Briggs.

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.

The audiobook version was re-released in June 2020 as part of The Dalek Collection box set.

External links[]

to be added

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{title dab away}}
 {{real world}}
-{{Infobox Story
+{{Infobox Story SMW
-|image=Death To The Daleks novel.jpg
+|image        = <gallery>
+Death To The Daleks novel.jpg|1978 edition
-|number= 20 (given to later editions)
+DeathtotheDaleks novel.jpg|1991 edition
-|doctor=Third Doctor
+</gallery>
-|companions=[[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]]
+|number       = 20 (given to later editions)
-|enemy=[[Dalek]]s
+|doctor       = Third Doctor
-|setting= [[Exxilon]]
+|companions   = [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]]
-|writer= [[Terrance Dicks]]
+|enemy        = [[Dalek]]s
-|read by=[[Jon Culshaw]], [[Nicholas Briggs]]
+|setting      = [[Exxilon]]
-|publisher= Target Books
+|writer       = Terrance Dicks
-|publisher2= W.H. Allen
+|read by      = [[Jon Culshaw]], [[Nicholas Briggs]]
-|novelisation of= Death to the Daleks
-|cover= [[Roy Knipe]]
+|cover        = [[Roy Knipe]]
+|publisher    = Target Books
-|release date= [[20 July (releases)|20 July]] [[1978 (releases)|1978]]
+|publisher2   = W.H. Allen
-|format= Hardcover and paperback editions; 125 pages
+|novelisation of = Death to the Daleks (TV story)
-|isbn= ISBN 0-426-20042-X
+|release date = 20 July 1978
-|series = Publication order
+|format       = Hardcover and paperback editions; 125 pages
-|prev = Doctor Who and the Time Warrior (novelisation)
+|isbn         = ISBN 0-426-20042-X
-|next = Doctor Who and the Android Invasion (novelisation)
-|series2 = [[Target novelisation]] numbering
+|series       = [[Target novelisation]]s
-|prev2 = Doctor Who and the Deadly Assassin (novelisation)
+|prev         = Doctor Who and the Time Warrior (novelisation)
-|next2 = Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)
+|next         = Doctor Who and the Android Invasion (novelisation)
+|series2      = [[Target novelisation]] numbering
-|series3 = [[List of Doctor Who television stories|TV series order]]
-|prev3 = Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion
+|prev2        = Doctor Who and the Deadly Assassin (novelisation)
-|next3 = Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon
+|next2        = Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)
+|series3      = [[List of Doctor Who television stories|TV series order]]
+|prev3        = Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion
+|next3        = Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon
 }}
 '''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was a novelisation based on the 1974 television serial ''[[Death to the Daleks (TV story)|Death to the Daleks]]''.
 == Publisher's summary ==
-=== 1978 edition ===
+=== 1978 Target Books edition ===
-A mysterious power-loss strands [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] on [[Exxilon]], a sinister fog-shrouded alien planet. Forced to brave the dangers of the planet, [[Third Doctor|the Doctor]] meets the survivors of a beleaguered expedition from [[Earth]] searching for a precious mineral that can save the galaxy from a terrible [[space plague|space-plague]]. [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]] finds a mysterious super-City and becomes a captive of the savage Exxilons, and, worst of all, the Doctor's greatest enemies, the dreaded [[Dalek]]s, arrive on a secret mission of their own.
+A mysterious power-loss strands [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] on [[Exxilon]], a sinister fog-shrouded alien planet. Forced to brave the dangers of the planet, [[Third Doctor|the Doctor]] meets the survivors of a beleaguered expedition from [[Earth]] searching for a precious mineral that can save the galaxy from a terrible [[space plague|space-plague]]. [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]] finds a mysterious [[Great City of the Exxilons|super-City]] and becomes a captive of the savage Exxilons, and, worst of all, the Doctor's greatest enemies, the dreaded [[Dalek]]s, arrive on a secret mission of their own.
 What terrifying power makes captives of all who come to the planet? What is the secret of the mysterious deserted City with its great flashing beacon? And what sinister plan has brought the Daleks to Exxilon? The Doctor and Sarah must risk their lives time and again in a desperate attempt to foil the Daleks and save millions of humans from the horrific plague.
-=== 1991 edition ===
+=== 1991 Target Books edition ===
+'IT'S AS IF THE TARDIS IS DYING,' WHISPERED SARAH...
-"It's as if [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] is dying," whispered [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]]...
-Mysteriously drained of its energy by a strange force, the TARDIS and its occupants are stranded on the planet [[Exxilon]], a planet inhabited by a savage and degenerate race. But it's here alone that the cure for the hideous space plague can be found, a cure so vital that even the [[Dalek]]s are willing to join forces with [[Third Doctor|the Doctor]] in order to find it...
+Mysteriously drained of its energy by a strange force, the TARDIS and its occupants are stranded on the planet Exxilon, a planet inhabited by a savage and degenerate race. But it's here alone that the cure for the hideous space plague can be found, a cure so vital that even the Daleks are willing to join forces with the Doctor in order to find it...
-Doctor Who - Death to the Daleks was first broadcast in [[1974 (releases)|1974]] and was written by [[Terry Nation]], the creator of the Daleks. This novelization was written by [[Terrance Dicks]], who was script editor of the series for five years and who has novelized more than sixty Doctor Who television stories.
+Doctor Who - Death to the Daleks was first broadcast in [[1974 (releases)|1974]] and was written by [[Terry Nation]], the creator of the Daleks. This novelization was written by [[Terrance Dicks]], who was [[script editor]] of the series for five years and who has novelized more than sixty Doctor Who television stories.
 Doctor Who is currently being reshown on BSB television.
@@ Line 64: / Line 67: @@
 * The Dalek's [[Firearm|replacement weapons]] are referred to as "machine-guns" (i.e. fully automatic slugthrowers). In the television story, they appeared to function only as semi-automatics.
 * The Doctor remains to examine the frozen figure in the mists, instead of wandering away when Sarah goes back to the TARDIS.
-* [[Richard Railton|Railton]] is said to be a scientist rather than a Marine Captain, although he is still specified as being senior to [[Dan Galloway|Galloway]]. His first name is not mentioned.
+* [[Richard Railton|Railton]] is said to be a scientist rather than a Marine Captain, although he is still specified as being senior to [[Dan Galloway|Galloway]]. His first name Richard is never mentioned.
-* Galloway is said to have lost his entire family in the Dalek Wars, having grown up in a refugee camp and worked his way up through the ranks of the [[Marine Space Corps|Space Corps]]. He feels [[Stewart (Death to the Daleks)|Stewart]] has been blocking his promotion because of disagreements on previous missions.
+* Galloway is said to have lost his entire family in the [[Dalek Wars]], having grown up in a refugee camp and worked his way up through the ranks of the [[Marine Space Corps|Space Corps]]. He feels [[Stewart (Death to the Daleks)|Stewart]] has been blocking his promotion because of disagreements on previous missions.
 * [[Jill Tarrant|Jill]] is stated to be blonde whereas, on screen, she has red hair.
-* Instead of saying they didn't find [[Jack (Death to the Daleks)|Jack]], Railton and Galloway state that they found his body and buried him.
+* Instead of saying to Jill that they didn't find [[Jack (Death to the Daleks)|Jack]], Railton and Galloway tell her they found his body and buried him.
-* The Marine Space Corps party were originally ten in total with the remaining members lost to two previous ambushes from the Exxilons.
+* The Marine Space Corps party were originally ten in total, with the remaining members lost to two previous ambushes from the Exxilons.
 * The Exxilons capture three Daleks rather than two. The fourth is knocked down with a boulder and their battering triggers its self-destruct.
-* The surface-based Exxilons have no recorded dialogue.
+* The surface-based Exxilons have no recorded dialogue. All of them are described as wearing [[black]] rags rather than [[brown]].
 * Sarah is unable to understand the Exxilons during their ritual in the temple and it is stated that Galloway and the Dalek leader communicate with them verbally through a kind of "pidgin galactic", which the former finds difficult to follow.
+* The Doctor provides Sarah with more background information to the Daleks.
 * Galloway and [[Peter Hamilton|Peter]] are given four bombs by the Daleks rather than two, meaning they attach three to the beacon. The beacon is described as having four struts like a "miniature Eiffel tower" rather than the single pillar as seen in the televised story.
-* The probe that attacks the digging emerges from the sand rather than a pool. Hamilton attempts to pull one of the Exxilons clear before it can strike to no avail.
+* The probe that attacks the digging emerges from the sand rather than a lake. Hamilton attempts to pull one of the Exxilons clear before it can strike, but to no avail.
+* [[Bellal]] and his break-away Exxilon faction are identified as [[Subterranean Exxilon]]s.
-* [[Gotal]] is introduced by name to the Doctor and Sarah by Bellal. On screen, he is only identified in the credits. The subterranean Exxilon spying on the Daleks is named as [[Jebal]].
+* [[Gotal]] is introduced by name to the Doctor and Sarah by Bellal. On-screen, he is only identified in the credits of part three. The subterranean Exxilon spying on the Daleks is named as [[Jebal]].
 * Sarah is strapped to the altar during her aborted sacrifice.
-* It is made clearer that the Daleks do not bother to supervise Galloway onboard their ship.
+* It is made clearer that the Daleks do not bother to supervise Galloway on board their ship.
 * [[Great City of the Exxilons|The City]] generates a group of [[Exxilon antibody|antibodies]] rather than the two seen in the televised story. Rather than forming from a series of columns, they emerge from "translucent screens" like windows into a vast "shadowy room filled with swirling mists." Once activated, they attack the control room indiscriminately and drive the Doctor and Bellal to the back wall.
 * The Doctor and Bellal cross the patterned floor in a mixture of red and white tiles. On screen, they only use white tiles. Additionally, the floor is said to be set in a large hall rather than a corridor.
-* The Dalek from whom Jill escapes panics, but doesn't self destruct.
+* The Dalek from which Jill escapes panics, but doesn't self-destruct.
 * The Doctor's party attempt to reach their respective ships before the Daleks launch their plague missiles to contaminate the planet. While he was silent on-screen, Bellal whispers their success on destroying the City in the novelisation. The Doctor wishes to continue their journey to [[Florana]], but Sarah asks him to instead concentrate on getting her home.
@@ Line 87: / Line 92: @@
 == Additional cover images ==
 <gallery position=center captionalign=center hideaddbutton="true" >
+HardbackDeathToTheDaleks.jpg|1978 Hardback edition
-File:2DeathtotheDaleks novel.jpg|1991 Target reprint, cover by [[Alister Pearson]]
+DeathtotheDaleks novel.jpg|1991 edition.<br /> Cover by [[Alister Pearson]]
 </gallery>
@@ Line 101: / Line 107: @@
 == Editions published outside Britain ==
+* Published again in Germany by Goldmann Verlag in 1989 as a paperback edition, translated by Bettina Zeller and published as ''Dr. Who und der Tod den Daleks!'', it was one of six German novelisations published in the late 1980’s and early 1990's.
-''to be added''
+<gallery position=center captionalign=center hideaddbutton="true" >
+File:GermanDeathToTheDaleks.jpg|German edition
+</gallery>
-==  Audiobook ==
+== Audiobook ==
-This Target Book was released on [[3 March (releases)|3 March]] [[2016 (releases)|2016]] complete and unabridged by [[BBC Physical Audio]] and read by [[Jon Culshaw]] with Dalek voices by [[Nicholas Briggs]].
+This Target Book was released as an audiobook on [[3 March (releases)|3 March]] [[2016 (releases)|2016]] complete and unabridged by [[BBC Physical Audio]] and read by [[Jon Culshaw]] with Dalek voices by [[Nicholas Briggs]].
 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]].
+The audiobook version was re-released in [[June (releases)|June]] [[2020 (releases)|2020]] as part of ''[[The Dalek Collection]]'' box set.
 <gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
@@ Line 118: / Line 129: @@
 {{TitleSort}}
-[[Category:Third Doctor novels]]
+[[Category:Third Doctor novelisations]]
 [[Category:Target novelisations]]
 [[Category:1978 novels]]
-[[Category:Dalek novels]]
 [[Category:Sarah Jane Smith novels]]
 [[Category:Novels set in Mutter's Spiral]]
+[[Category:The Dalek Collection novels]]

Tardis