Target Reading Challenge

[Robert]

I have been a fan of DW for 35 years. I still remember the first episode I saw (Destiny of the Daleks) on PBS. I was enthralled by the quirkiness of it. The next week they aired City of Death and I was hooked. For my birthday that year, I asked for a complete set of the Target Novelizations. (Everything published through 1983). I've added some more to it later, but basically stopped in 1986. Still, I have quite a decent collection of over 100 (somewhere along the line I lost Doctor Who and the Time Warrior)

Well, I've read some, but most just sat on my bookshelf. Now I am creating a challenge for my self in the coming year to read or re-read each one in order. You can view the list in My Books under Doctor Who Target Challenge

My biggest problem with the books two fold:

1. The books just do not capture the unique character and charm of the show. Sure, they can tell the plot, and even clear things up (think of Doctor Who and Warriors' Gate) But let's face it, Doctor Who is a very visual show.

2. Too often the writers take too many liberties with dialogue and plot. I mean, why do they ignore the script of the show and think they can make better dialogue than the original writers?

Despite all that, I am finally going to read them all, and will report back my experiences here with you! And, if any of you would like to join me in the challenge... LET'S GO!

[Jadetyger]

This sounds like a cool idea! I don't have many of the Targets, but I'd be up for it! :)

[Robert]

Originally, I thought about making this a year long challenge for 2018. Thinking about it though, that would require better than 2 books a week all year long, which I am not about to do. (I have other things to read) So, no end date, and no pressure to finish fast.

First up is which is, let's be honest, not a great story, but it did all start here, so... (feigns enthusiasm) here we go!

[Travis]

The Targets are fun.
For the longest time they were the only way to experience some older Who.
I always appreciated when they'd try and get the episode writer to do the target adaptation.

Good luck with the read!

[Robert]

Well, it took me a little bit longer than I expected, but finally put down An Unearthly Child, and it was a bit better than I remember it being.



This story is notable as setting up the tried and true formulae of 'capture--> escape--> recapture--> re-escape' that would be used greatly throughout the run of the series.

At the end of the story, they all hurriedly depart in the Tardis, having just re-escaped from the Tribe of Gum. The Doctor explains that because of their hasty departure, he was unable to determine their exact place in time and space, and therefore he could not determine a course to return the 2 teachers to 1963 London. (also he could not really control the Tardis with any great certainty) But, why the hasty dematerialization in the first place. With the travelers safely within the Tardis, there was no threat from the tribesmen. The Doctor could have taken his time to deduce their location, and thus set a proper course to London. Instead, they make a fateful journey to Skaro and meet the greatest villains of all.

[Lori S.]

Robert wrote: "2. Too often the writers take too many liberties with dialogue and plot. I mean, why do they ignore the script of the show and think they can make better dialogue than the original writers?"

Often when this happens, the books are by the actual script writers and the results are spectacular and more interesting than the actual program. Compare Doctor Who and the Space War to the televised story Frontier In Space. The author, Malcolm Hulke was both the script writer and the author of the novelization for this story. When he wrote the novelization, he was able to explore the war with the Draconians in more depth as well as adding more personality to the characters.

Later, Ben Aaronovitch's novelization, Remembrance of the Daleks would add a lot of interesting twists and turns to the both Doctor's character and Gallifreyan history which would be picked up and explored in Virgin's New Adventure's line of books. A lot of fans consider it to be the first book of that series.

It does backfire too, such as when John Peel rewrote the novelization of the first Second Doctor story Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks. What a slog that turned out to be. Zzzzzz. John Peel is also known for the snooze fests that are War of the Daleks and Legacy of the Daleks.

[Lori S.]

Robert wrote: "(view spoiler)[At the end of the story, they all hurriedly depart in the Tardis, having just re-escaped from the Tribe of Gum. The Doctor explains that because of their hasty departure, he was unable to determine their exact place in time and space, and therefore he could not determine a course to return the 2 teachers to 1963 London. (also he could not really control the Tardis with any great certainty) But, why the hasty dematerialization in the first place. With the travelers safely within the Tardis, there was no threat from the tribesmen. The Doctor could have taken his time to deduce their location, and thus set a proper course to London. Instead, they make a fateful journey to Skaro and meet the greatest villains of all. (hide spoiler)]"

As for your spoiler, I agree for the most part, but would add that the First Doctor also had a bit of a mean or puckish streak going for him too (view spoiler)[witness the lie about the mercury fluid link in next story (hide spoiler)], so I would not put it past him to have deliberately misdirected things a bit.

He was having fun for the first time in his long life and he had companions to share it with - not to mention, being a Time Lord means he was a bit of an egotistical jerk and had a rather low opinion of short-lived folk - an attitude which shifted the longer he was around them, of course. I have a soft spot for the First Doctor ...

[Robert]

Lori S. wrote: "As for your spoiler. I agree for the most part, but would add that the First Doctor also had a bit of a mean or puckish streak going for him too [spoilers remove..."

Good point Lori,

and I can already see that in [book:Doctor Who and the Daleks|1417018] the author has taken a LOT of liberties with the story. The first chapter completely reimagines the beginning of Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child and how Barbara & Ian encountered the Doctor and TARDIS. I suppose, since this was the very first novelization, he felt continuity and cannon weren't important. I hope the liberties end there, but I am not confident.

[Lori S.]

Robert wrote: "Lori S. wrote: " I hope the liberties end there, but I am not confident."

Be prepared for disappointment. The best novelizations actually add to the series. At one point I wanted to make a list of all the books mentioned in the novels, but I lost track several years ago.

I was honestly disappointed to find that Terrence Dicks had not put in the 3rd Doctor's quote from The Mutants about becoming "un-people undoing un-things un-together".

[Robert]

I know I am way behind in updating this thread, procrastination is my nemesis...

I think I may have been very generous with my rating for this one, but I felt that in spite of the flaws, it was simply more sophistically well written and than I would have expected. I did not like the reimagining of the introduction of the companions, and I disliked the first person narrative, but it is better written than most of the newer novelizations.

Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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