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Doctor Who: The Target Collection - July Titles

Penguin Books has been in touch with details of four more titles for their expanding Doctor Who Target range. The books will be published on 14th July 2022, each with newly commissioned cover artwork by Anthony Dry, in the style of the late Chris Achilleos, whose artwork graced a number of the original releases.

Penned by the original scriptwriter the late David Fisher and adapted from his 2011 and 2014 audio novelisations, The Stones of Blood, and The Androids of Tara are now being released as two glorious Target books for fans to add to their collections. These will be accompanied by a Target edition of The Fires of Pompeii by James Moran, as well as The Eaters of Light by Rona Munro.

For Doctor Who fans, the range of novelisations published by Target Books in the 1970s and 1980s hold a special place. There was a novel published for almost every Doctor Who serial between 1963 and 1989, with a very few (five, actually) notable exceptions. Since 2012, BBC Books has been successfully reissuing these classic paperbacks and expanding the Target range to include all-new novelisations of modern-era Doctor Who episodes.

These latest additions to the collection, all by the original writers of the TV episodes, will help Target fans complete their classic and modern-era collections.

James Moran said:

"I’ve been watching Doctor Who and reading the Target books for as long as I can remember. The books were an essential part of my childhood, examining the amazing cover art, and “seeing” stories that aired before I was born. I loved learning new words from them, like “capacious”, and am beyond thrilled to become part of this publishing legend!"

Rona Munro said:

"It’s wonderful to have another chance to revisit the ideas of my last Doctor Who story, Eaters of Light, they are ideas that have been with me for a very long time and Doctor Who, as always, proved to be the largest and most exciting world in which to realise them."

+  PREORDER The Stones Of Blood on Amazon for £6.55 (RRP: £7.99)!
 PREORDER The Androids Of Tara on Amazon for £6.55 (RRP: £7.99)
 PREORDER The Fires Of Pompeii on Amazon for £6.55 (RRP: £7.99)
 PREORDER The Eaters Of Light on Amazon for £6.55 (RRP: £7.99)

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[Source: Penguin]

BBC Books' New Series Target Novel Covers & Synopsis'

BBC Books / Penguin have confirmed the synopsis' and covers for the new series Doctor Who Target novelisations, due out in April.

In addition to the four, new series adventures, a fifth title, (The 4th Doctor adventure) 'City Of Death', will be released at the same time. City Of Death was one of only five stories from the original series (1963-1989), not to have been novelised for the Target book range.

Synopsis for each title are below, and the covers are in the right-hand column, with the exception of 'Twice Upon A Time' and 'City Of Death' which we will be adding very shortly. The covers for the range have been designed by Anthony Dry, in the style of Chris Achilleos, who provided the covers for the original Target range.

Audiobook releases of the titles will be released in June.


Rose
By Russell T. Davies

“Nice to meet you, Rose. Run for your life!”

In a lair somewhere beneath central London, a malevolent alien intelligence is plotting the end of humanity. Shop window dummies that can move – and kill – are taking up key positions, ready to strike.

Rose Tyler, an ordinary Londoner, is working her shift in a department store, unaware that this is the most important day of her life. She’s about to meet the only man who understands the true nature of the threat facing Earth, a stranger who will open her eyes to all the wonder and terror of the universe – a traveller in time and space known as the Doctor.

+  Rose is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE
this title on Amazon.co.uk!


The Christmas Invasion
By Jenny T. Colgan

Earth is under attack by power-hungry aliens. This is no time for the Doctor to be out of action.

When a British space probe is intercepted by a sinister alien vessel on the eve of Christmas, it marks the beginning of an audacious invasion of the Earth by the Sycorax – horrifying marauders from beyond the stars. Within hours, a third of humanity stands on the brink of death with not a single shot fired.

Our planet needs a champion – but the Doctor is not fit for service. He’s just regenerated, delirious in a new body and a dressing gown. Forced into his battered shoes is his friend, Rose Tyler, a girl from a London council estate. Will she save the world from this nightmare before Christmas – or see it destroyed?

+  The Christmas Invasion is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE
 this title on Amazon.co.uk!


The Day Of The Doctor
By Steven Moffat

When the entire universe is at stake, three different Doctors will unite to save it.

The Tenth Doctor is hunting shape-shifting Zygons in Elizabethan England. The Eleventh is investigating a rift in space-time in the present day. And one other – the man they used to be but never speak of – is fighting the Daleks in the darkest days of the Time War. Driven by demons and despair, this battle-scarred Doctor is set to take a devastating decision that will threaten the survival of the entire universe… a decision that not even a Time Lord can take alone.

On this day, the Doctor’s different incarnations will come together to save the Earth… to save the universe… and to save his soul.

+  The Day Of The Doctor is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE
 this title on Amazon.co.uk!


Twice Upon A Time
By Paul Cornell

Still reeling from his encounter with the Cybermen, the First Doctor stumbles through the bitter Antarctic wind, resisting the approaching regeneration with all his strength. But as he fights his way through the snowdrifts, he comes across the familiar shape of a blue police box, and a mysterious figure who introduces himself as the Doctor…

Thrown together at their most vulnerable moments, the two Doctors must discover why the snowflakes are suspended in the sky, why a First World War Captain has been lifted from his time stream moments before his death, and who is the mysterious Glass Woman who knows their true name. The Doctor is reunited with Bill, but is she all she seems? And can he hold out against the coming regeneration?

+  Twice Upon A Time is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE
 this title on Amazon.co.uk!


City Of Death
By James Goss

The key to Earth's destruction lies buried in its past.

Visiting Paris in 1979, the Doctor and Romana’s hopes for a holiday are soon shattered by armed thugs, a suave and dangerous Count, a plot to steal the Mona Lisa and a world-threatening experiment with time.

Teaming up with a British detective, the Time Lords discover that a ruthless alien plot hatched in Earth’s pre-history has reached its final stage. If Scaroth, last of the Jagaroth, cannot be stopped then the human race is history, along with all life on Earth…

+  City Of Death is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE
 this title on Amazon.co.uk!

[Sources: BBC Books; Amazon.co.uk]

Classic Doctor Who Novel Republications

BBC Books are very pleased to announce the republication of 6 Classic Doctor Who novels with Chris Achilleos’s stunning classic artwork and a series of new introductions by Neil Gaiman, Charlie Higson, Gareth Roberts, Stephen Baxter, Russell T Davies and Terrance Dicks.

Doctor Who and the Daleks

Written by: David Whitaker - Introduction by: Neil Gaiman

The mysterious Doctor and his granddaughter Susan are joined by unwilling adventurers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in an epic struggle for survival on an alien planet 

In a vast metal city they disc over the survivors of a terrible nuclear war – the Daleks.  Held captive in the deepest levels of the city, can the Doctor and his new companions stop the Daleks’ plan to totally exterminate their mortal enemies, the peace-loving Thals?  More importantly, even if they can escape from the Daleks, will Ian and Barbara ever see their home planet Earth again?

This novel is based on the second Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 21 December 1963 – 1 February 1964. Featuring the First Doctor as played by William Hartnell, and his companions Susan, Ian and Barbara.

Doctor Who and the Crusaders

Written by: David Whitaker - Introduction by: Charlie Higson

Arriving in the Holy Land in the middle of the Third Crusade, the Doctor and his companions run straight into trouble.  The Doctor and Vicki befriend Richard the Lionheart, but must survive the cut-throat politics of the English court. Even with the king on their side, they find they have made powerful enemies.

Looking for Barbara, Ian is ambushed – staked out in the sand and daubed with honey so that the ants will eat him.  With Ian unable to help, Barbara is captured by the cruel warlord El Akir. Even if Ian escapes and rescues her, will they ever see the Doctor, Vicki and the TARDIS again?

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 27 March – 17 April 1965. Featuring the First Doctor as played by William Hartnell, and his companions Ian, Barbara, and Vicki.

Doctor Who and the Cybermen

Written by: Gerry Davis - Introduction by: Gareth Roberts 

In 2070, the Earth’s weather is controlled from a base on the moon. But when the Doctor and his friends arrive, all is not well. They discover unexplained drops of air pressure, minor problems with the weather control systems, and an outbreak of a mysterious plague.

With Jamie injured, and members of the crew going missing, the Doctor realises that the moonbase is under attack. Some malevolent force is infecting the crew and sabotaging the systems as a prelude to an invasion of Earth. And the Doctor thinks he knows who is behind it: the Cybermen.

This novel is based on ‘The Moonbase’, a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 11 February–4 March 1967. Featuring the Second Doctor as played by Patrick Troughton, and his companions Polly, Ben and Jamie.

Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen

Written by: Terrance Dicks - Introduction by: Stephen Baxter

The Doctor has been to Det-Sen Monastery before, and expects the welcome of a life time.  But the monastery is a very different place from when the Doctor last came.  Fearing at attack at any moment by the legendary Yeti, the monks are prepared to defend themselves, and see the Doctor as a threat.

The Doctor and his friends join forces with Travers, an English explorer out to prove the existence of the elusive abominable snowmen.  But they soon discover that these Yeti are not the timid animals that Travers seeks.  They are the unstoppable servants of an alien Intelligence.

This novel is based on a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 30 September – 4 November 1967. Featuring the Second Doctor as played by Patrick Troughton, and his companions Jamie and Victoria.

Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion

Written by: Terrance Dicks - Introduction by: Russell T Davies

Put on trial by the Time Lords, and found guilty of interfering in the affairs of other worlds, the Doctor is exiled to Earth in the 20th century, his appearance once again changed. His arrival coincides with a meteorite shower.  But t hese are no ordinary meteorites.

The Nestene Consciousness has begun its first attempt to invade Earth using killer Autons and deadly shop window dummies. Only the Doctor and UNIT can stop the attack.  But the Doctor is recovering in hospital, and his old friend the Brigadier doesn’t even recognise him.  Can the Doctor recover and win UNIT’s trust before the invasion begins? 

This novel is based on ‘Spearhead from Space’, a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 3 – 24 January 1970. Featuring the Third Doctor as played by Jon Pertwee, and his companion Liz Shaw and the UNIT organisation commanded by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters

Written by Malcolm Hulke - Introduction by: Terrance Dicks

UNIT are called in to investigate security at a secret research centre buried under Wenley Moor.  Unknown to the Doctor and his colleagues, the work at the centre has woken a group of Silurians – intelligent reptiles that used to be the dominant life form on Earth in prehistoric times.

Now they have woken, the Silurians are appalled to find ‘their’ planet populated by upstart apes.  The Doctor hopes to negotiate a peace deal, but there are those on both sides who cannot bear the thought of humans and Silurians living together.  As UNIT soldiers enters the cave systems, and the Silurians unleash a deadly plague that could wipe out the human race, the battle for planet Earth begins.

This novel is based on ‘The Silurians’, a Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 31 January – 14 March 1970. Featuring the Third Doctor as played by Jon Pertwee, and his companion Liz Shaw and the UNIT organisation commanded by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

All 6 titles will be published on 7th July at £4.99 each.

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[Source: BBC Books]