The Adventures of Doctor Who

by Terrance Dicks

Vintage book

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Fiction

Paperback

First published June 1, 1968

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

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a great fan of the Doctor, particularly of the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker), and of the episodes written by Terrance Dicks. That being said, these three tales, while quite excellent on screen, still read like scripts that have simply been fleshed out a little.

It does, however, contain an excellent rant by Harlan Ellison (Yes, they say it's a foreword, but this is Ellison, after all).

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Adventures of Doctor Who really brought me back to my childhood watching Tom Baker on TV. As other reviewers noted, Harlan Ellison's forward is fabulous. Those of us of who were in the know about the Doctor before he went mainstream in the U.S. will easily identify with Ellison's geeky enthusiasm. As for the stories, they offer a light and easy read that captures the feel of the show in all its corny sci-fi glory. If that's what you're looking for, you won't be disappointed.

[Gwen Bartlett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a science fiction fan, but I wanted to get an idea of what Doctor Who is all about. This was a good introduction. It had three of the books in one volume. I liked the Loch Ness Monster the best. Now I know who the characters are, what a TARDIS is and what Doctor Who does. That will probably take care of my curiosity. I probably won't be reading the rest of the series.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the late 1970s, the “Classic” Doctor Who episodes had come to the U.S., largely on PBS stations and other non-network broadcast channels. That wasn't how Harlan Ellison got hooked on the show, though. He was introduced to it by fellow writer Michael Moorcock, an English sf and fantasy writer of great imagination and greater taste.
Thus, Harlan Ellison came to write the introduction to this volume, which contained three novelizations of Dr. Who stories from the period in which Tom Baker played The Doctor, to the delight of fans all around the world. The stories of that time period included both the “classic” aliens of the series, and various one-shot creations almost suited to mild horror movies.
The three stories contained in this book, Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks, Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen, and Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster, captured the period very well, and writer Terrance Dicks did a delightful job of capturing the mood of the stories. This was the period of Sarah Jane and Harry as the companions, and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and U.N.I.T. as the official British response to the weirdness of the space age and its tendency to attract creatures from other worlds.
If you've never seen a Tom Baker episode, these will give you a taste of what they were like. If you've seen these episodes in the distant past, they will provide a nice reminder of what the show was like back in the "classic" days. The stories aren't perfect, but they're entertaining, and a good introduction to the show from that period. If you like these stories, then by all means find a way to watch those shows and the others that went with them!

[Joy Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, the first story (Genesis of the Daleks) was hard for me to get into, which is crazy for me to say as I loved the tv episode. However, the other two stories gave me joy; hence the 3.5 stars.

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't really expecting too much from this book. Script writers aren't necessarily the best at writing novels. I'm quite glad that Terrance Dicks is one of those who can.

This book is comprised of three novels. Each novel is an adaptation of a classic Doctor Who episode. The first 2 stories Genesis of the Daleks and Revenge of the Cybermen take place at the end of Season twelve Terror of the zygons, here titled Loch Ness Monster, takes place at the beginning of season 13.

These stories were good. I might even prefer reading them to watching the episodes. Terrance does an excellent job of conveying the doctor.

Harry is as dull as Harry is, as far as I remember. Sarah is not as well conveyed. I also don't like them constantly calling her old girl, and occasionally calling her fat. She isn't at least not in the show.

The stories are all quite interesting. They really feel like WHO as they should. They are WHO.

[Miriam]

Contains three short novels: "Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks," "Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen," "Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster." The three were originally published in Great Britain in 1976. The introduction by Harlan Ellison is copyright 1979. The television script of the Daleks story was written by Terry Nation and novelization by Dicks. The Cybermen story is credited to Dicks and Gerry Davis. The Loch Ness story is credited to Dicks and Roberts Banks Stewart.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume consists of novelizations of three Fourth Doctor episodes: "Genesis of the Daleks," "Revenge of the Cybermen," and "Terror of the Zygons" (here confusingly called "Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster." It also contains a rather odd introduction by Harlan Ellison.

Reading these brought back the childish glee I felt as a child while following the Doctor's adventures.