Doctor Who and the Keeper of Traken

Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #37

by Terrance Dicks

For ages past, the Union of Traken has lived in peace and harmony thanks to the power of the Source, controlled by generations of Keepers.

But the current Keeper, his powers waning, senses some all-pervading evil about to invade his world. He summons the Fourth Doctor to his aid.

To save Traken the Doctor fights the terrifying Melkur – only to find that this new enemy conceals an older and even deadlier foe – one the Doctor has encountered before ...

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Fiction, Adventure

124 pages, Paperback

First published May 20, 1982

About the author

Terrance Dicks was an English author, screenwriter, script editor, and producer best known for his extensive contributions to Doctor Who. Serving as the show's script editor from 1968 to 1974, he helped shape many core elements of the series, including the concept of regeneration, the development of the Time Lords, and the naming of the Doctor’s home planet, Gallifrey. His tenure coincided with major thematic expansions, and he worked closely with producer Barry Letts to bring a socially aware tone to the show. Dicks later wrote several Doctor Who serials, including Robot, Horror of Fang Rock, and The Five Doctors, the 20th-anniversary special.
In parallel with his television work, Dicks became one of the most prolific writers of Doctor Who novelisations for Target Books, authoring over 60 titles and serving as the de facto editor of the range. These adaptations introduced a generation of young readers to the franchise. Beyond Doctor Who, he also wrote original novels, including children’s horror and adventure series such as The Baker Street Irregulars, Star Quest, and The Adventures of Goliath.
Dicks also worked on other television programmes including The Avengers, Moonbase 3, and various BBC literary adaptations. His later work included audio dramas and novels tied to Doctor Who. Widely respected for his clarity, imagination, and dedication to storytelling, he remained a central figure in Doctor Who fandom until his death in 2019, leaving behind a vast legacy in television and children's literature.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really faithful novelisation of a serial that is most noticeable for the start of a trilogy that will see some changes for the show.

Obviously I already know the big reveal, though I like how Dick's teases it out throughout the narrative.
It's also nice that it's not spoiled on the cover, unlike some other Target books.

Overall a quick entertaining read of a decent story.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novelization of the sixth serial of the eighteenth season of Doctor Who, which was broadcast in January and February of 1981. Terrance Dicks adapted the screenplay which had been written by Johnny Byrne for the book. The Doctor is in his fourth regeneration for the nest-to-final time, and is accompanied by Adric, who is somewhat more annoying than ever without another companion to interact with. Nyssa is introduced in this story, though she doesn't become a member of the team yet, and the big baddie is the longtime nemesis, The Master, who regenerates at the end of the story. It's a straightforward adaptation of a rather creepy episode with a somewhat Gothic feel and political framing with little of the humor for which the Fourth was known. Dicks' prose is clear and sparse, and tells the story well with no flourishes.

[Jason Koivu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dr Who classic, wherein one of the Doctor's old nemesis makes a return. Dicks' novelizations were never meant to light the literary world aflame, but rather they're faithful renderings of the tv series episodes. He did what he could with what he was given. In this case it's a win-win, because the source material is darn intriguing. Who IS that masked man?!

[Christian Petrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After completing the E-Space Trilogy, it is now onto the Master Trilogy. This story marks many different items as I reach the end of the Fourth Doctor. We also move back into familiar territory with Terrance Dicks' writing.

The Doctor and Adric, fresh from escaping E-Space, are summoned to Traken by the Keeper. Evil is starting to encroach upon this peaceful planet. Who, or what, is behind this evil and what is their plan?

This story marks the return of the Master and lays the foundation for the for Anthony Ainley's role as the master till the end of the classic series. We also get a new companion for the Doctor, who does not become a companion yet, Nyssa. Again laying the foundation for the start of the Fifth Doctor.

The story is simple, nothing too fancy. It helps to get all these parts in motion. Terrance Dicks' follows the same pattern of writing with other Target books.It is better than most of his other Target books. The story moves and the descriptions convey the televised story to the written form.

It is a good start to the Master Trilogy and still works as a good entry for new readers to Doctor Who. More of a 3 1/2 star book rounded up to a 4.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the peaceful world of Traken, even evil cannot survive long. The last dark power on the planet, Melkur, is slowly dying--but not slowly enough. It takes all the resources of the Doctor, Adric, and the aged Keeper of Traken to beat back Melkur's ambition.

[Nicholas Whyte]

http://nhw.livejournal.com/1052749.html#cutid1[return][return]A pretty standard effort from Dicks, closing out his contribution to the Fourth Doctor era with an account of what was visible on the screen.

[Alan Wightman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the references to scarves, I think this is a novelisation of a story of the fourth doctor, as played by Tom Baker. This was back in the crazy days, when the doctor had a single male companion (Adric), who knew nearly as much about science as the Doctor did, and was beginning to realise that not everything the Doctor said made much sense. In this story, the Doctor and Adric land on a planet where a sinister statue appears to be threatening the peaceful harmony in which the inhabitants have lived for centuries. The Doctor is suspected by some of being the cause of this new disharmony, and he must prove otherwise and defeat the real source of the evil. Sound familiar? Oh, and the tardis disappears, of course.

Reading a novelisation is quite enjoyable; one can lose oneself in the (admittedly rather familiar) plotting while not having to cringe at what I imagine were budget sets and effects.

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back into the prime universe, and immediately the universe certainly feels bigger and more crowded than the more scattered E-Space seemed to be.
An interesting story this one, definitely has the feel of getting to the end of the Fourth Doctor's run, and we meet Nyssa for the first time, and the Master for the first time in some while, but straight back into the malevolence that was portrayed in the Deadly Assassin, and while managed to seduce as such someone into helping him, still didn't really have the charm of the Delgado's master.
The story does have the trope of the Doctor copping the blame for bad events, always a painful trope for me, but is still an interesting an tense tale all the same.
The Doctor, Adric and Nyssa all in pretty good form here, and meshing reasonably well really, and the one off characters are pretty well fleshed out as well.
Ends on a bit of a bleaker note than normal for Doctor Who though, which does cast a bit of a pall on the story.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doctor Who and the Keeper of Traken (1982) by Terrance Dicks is the novelisation of the sixth serial of the eighteenth season of Doctor who and the penultimate Tom Baker episode.

The Doctor and Adric, upon leaving E-space find that the Keeper of Traken appears in the TARDIS and asks the Doctor to come to Traken to help. Traken has a great power source that is controlled by the Keeper. The Keeper then has a series of advisors, one of whom is selected to be the next Keeper. A mysterious and ominous being, Melkur has appeared in a sacred garden in Traken. Traken’s powers hav trapped Melkur and turned it into a statue. But one of the counsellors, Karissa, visits Melkur regularly. Karissa’s husband’s daughter Nyssa is set to tend Melkur next.

The story is notable for being the first appearance of Nyssa who would go on to become a companion.

Doctor Who and the Keeper of Traken is the first in another trilogy and is the start of the end of the Tom Baker era. It’s not a bad story.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Terrance Dicks' more straightforward adaptations. Nothing fancy, no major embellishments, just an easy-to-read, faithful prose version of a rather lyrical TV adventure. I appreciate that Mr. Dicks adds an introduction that neatly ties the story into the longer arc it was part of during the 1980/81 season.

[Asher Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novelization of the old Tom Baker tale. It expands the story well but doesn’t go too in-depth. The story beats are very familiar to anyone with knowledge of classic Who, which makes the story feel comfortable and homely. The story is pretty average Who fare but has a good amount of the humor and life mixed in.

[Finlay O'Riordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a fairly average Target novelisation. As always, Terrance Dicks captures the original episode well, but there's not much expansion beyond the original script, and in prose form, there's not really a lot of action going on here. It feels quite light when you have only ten pages left and the villain's true identity still hasn't been revealed.

[Ivana Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another faithful adaptation by Terrance Dicks. As usual, the short page count gave him little room for embellishments. There are a few errors that should have been spotted - at one point Tremas becomes Treman and 'pursuit' is 'pusuit', but nothing too distracting. Not an bad book, in general.

[Ian Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty straightforward retelling of a rather old-fashioned kind of Doctor Who story. It takes a little time to get into gear but delivers a decent climax and takes a bit of care with Adric and his character.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really noy a story that caught my interest. Had to keep start it over again to remember what was happening. not very rememberal. LOL would not read again.

[Julian White · Rating 2 out of 5]

Routine novelisation - nothing too startling or original.

[Gabor Hernadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Terrance Dicks` more straightforward adaptation. Still an enjoyable story where we can meet the Doctor`s new (not yet) companion Nyssa and see the return of his arch nemesis.....

[Clark Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice novelization of an episode with the 4th Doctor and Adric. Brings back fond memories of my first exposure to "my" Doctor - Tom Baker.

[Damon Habbin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite Dr who season but the book is better than the TV show, a little dull in places.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Sets things up well for the 4th Doctor's finale in Logopolis. The Master still desperate for a new lease of life attempts to take over the body of the Doctor allowing him full mobility once again. He'd then have had the Doctor's remaining lives. Once again the Doctor foils the Master's plan, but at a great cost. Life will never be the same again for the Doctor's young friend Nyssa. Her father is 'killed' by the Master who takes over his body and Tremas becomes the Master.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This brief novelization of one of the old Dr. Who sequences points out both the strengths and the weaknesses of the old episodes. Without the visual element, the plotting was actually kind of weak in some of these old shows, and the brief format of the novelizations did not permit any expansion or digression from the basic script. Thus, we are often told that we should be feeling a sense of menace, but without that menace actually being a natural result of what we're reading.
In this case, the Doctor and his current companion get dragged off course, an unusual feat, but the Keeper of Traken is remarkably powerful. In fact, so powerful that evil cannot function within his influence, and those with evil intent are literally immobilized. The problem is that eventually a Keeper grows old and must be replaced. During that replacement process, his powers are much weaker, and things can go wrong...which, of course, is why he has summoned The Doctor.
The story proceeds at breakneck speed as the real evil comes to light. Lots of fun. Not great literature, but fun nonetheless.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

An adaption of an odd TV episode.
The TV show had this surreal, almost fairy tale quality, so you didn't notice that not much happened in the middle two episodes.
The book doesn't have that feel, so the book drags in a lot of spots.
Still a great ending, but it feels more like this story was only done so they could set up several story threads that are dealt with in the next story, Logopolis.

The Keeper and the evil statue were cool characters. Too bad we never saw them again.

[Ron]

Of the companion, I really Like Nyssa. Novelized versions of the TV episodes help satisfy the need of a Doctor Who fan.

[stormhawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished ... has been on my currently reading shelf for just under a year, too many other books got in the way so reading all the Target Whos in order fell by the wayside. Fairly exciting episode as a mysterious alien force plays the long game to gain power on an alien planet with a massive source of power that will further some nefarious plans. Bit of a surprise villian, but only a bit. Bridge to set up for the final episode of the season.

[Hillary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good Dr Who novel, but nothing terribly interesting.