The Romans (novelisation): Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Story | {{Infobox Story SMW | ||
|image= Romans novel.jpg | |image = Romans novel.jpg | ||
|series=[[Target novelisation]]s | |series = [[Target novelisation]]s | ||
|number= 120 | |number = 120 | ||
|novelisation of=The Romans (TV story) | |novelisation of = The Romans (TV story) | ||
|doctor=First Doctor | |doctor = First Doctor | ||
|companions= [[Barbara Wright|Barbara]], [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]], [[Vicki Pallister|Vicki]] | |companions = [[Barbara Wright|Barbara]], [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]], [[Vicki Pallister|Vicki]] | ||
|enemy= [[Locusta]] | |enemy = [[Locusta]] | ||
|setting= [[Rome]], [[July]] [[64]] | |setting = [[Rome]], [[July]] [[64]] | ||
|writer= [[ | |writer = Donald Cotton | ||
|publisher= Target Books | |read by = [[Tim Treloar]], [[Jamie Glover]], [[Dan Starkey]], [[Clare Corbett]], [[Jon Culshaw]], [[Maureen O'Brien]], [[Louise Jameson]] | ||
|publisher2= W.H. Allen | |cover = [[Tony Masero]] | ||
|release date= | |publisher = Target Books | ||
|format= Hardcover and paperback editions; 31 Chapters, 128 Pages | |publisher2 = W.H. Allen | ||
|isbn= ISBN 0-426-20288-0 | |release date = 17 September 1987 | ||
|prev= The Rescue (novelisation) | |format = Hardcover and paperback editions; 31 Chapters, 128 Pages | ||
| | |isbn = ISBN 0-426-20288-0 | ||
|prev = The Reign of Terror (novelisation) | |||
|next = The Ambassadors of Death (novelisation) | |||
|series2 = [[List of Doctor Who television stories|TV series order]] | |||
|prev2 = The Rescue (novelisation) | |||
|next2 = Doctor Who and the Zarbi (novelisation) | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was a novelisation based on the 1965 television serial ''[[The Romans (TV story)|The Romans]]''. | '''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was a novelisation based on the 1965 television serial ''[[The Romans (TV story)|The Romans]]''. | ||
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But in the gory grandeur that is Rome, things don't stay quiet for long. If the time-travellers can save themselves from being sold as slaves, assassinated by classical hit-men, poisoned by the evil [[Locusta]], thrown to the lions, maimed in the arena and drowned in a shipwreck, they still have to face the diabolical might of the mad [[Nero|Emperor Nero]]. | But in the gory grandeur that is Rome, things don't stay quiet for long. If the time-travellers can save themselves from being sold as slaves, assassinated by classical hit-men, poisoned by the evil [[Locusta]], thrown to the lions, maimed in the arena and drowned in a shipwreck, they still have to face the diabolical might of the mad [[Nero|Emperor Nero]]. | ||
As if that isn't enough, they also discover that, although Rome wasn't built in a day, it was burnt down in considerably less time... | As if that isn't enough, they also discover that, although Rome wasn't built in a day, it was [[Great Fire of Rome|burnt down]] in considerably less time... | ||
== Chapter titles == | == Chapter titles == | ||
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* Other characters have their parts reduced: [[Sevcheria]] disappears after recapturing Ian and Delos in Rome, [[Locusta]]'s death is omitted, Delos departs after the gladiatorial fight and [[Tavius]] only meets the Doctor briefly, with his status as a Christian and conspirator against Nero only established in the epilogue. | * Other characters have their parts reduced: [[Sevcheria]] disappears after recapturing Ian and Delos in Rome, [[Locusta]]'s death is omitted, Delos departs after the gladiatorial fight and [[Tavius]] only meets the Doctor briefly, with his status as a Christian and conspirator against Nero only established in the epilogue. | ||
* The Doctor encounters Barbara at the palace and bustles her and Ian away from the scene when Nero and [[Poppaea]] are distracted by the lions he released earlier, before accidentally starting the fire himself by dropping the burning plans into the sewer. | * The Doctor encounters Barbara at the palace and bustles her and Ian away from the scene when Nero and [[Poppaea]] are distracted by the lions he released earlier, before accidentally starting the fire himself by dropping the burning plans into the sewer. | ||
* [[Otho (emperor)|Otho]] | * [[Otho (emperor)|Otho]] and [[Vespasian]] are mentioned. | ||
== Writing and publishing notes == | == Writing and publishing notes == | ||
* No photographic reference material was available at the time and cover artist [[Tony Masero]], instead took his inspiration from a picture of Peter Ustinov as [[Nero]] in the film [[Quo Vadis]]. | * No photographic reference material was available at the time and cover artist [[Tony Masero]], instead took his inspiration from a picture of [[Peter Ustinov]] as [[Nero]] in the film [[Quo Vadis]]. | ||
== Additional cover images == | == Additional cover images == | ||
' | <gallery position=center captionalign=center hideaddbutton="true" > | ||
File:HardbackRomans.jpg|1987 Hardback edition | |||
</gallery> | |||
== Audiobook == | |||
This Target Book was released as an audiobook on [[5 January (releases)|5 January]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]] complete and unabridged by [[BBC Audio]] and read by [[Tim Treloar]], [[Jamie Glover]], [[Dan Starkey]], [[Clare Corbett]], [[Jon Culshaw]], [[Maureen O'Brien]] and [[Louise Jameson]]. | |||
This audiobook was the first release to use the [[Doctor Who logo#2022-present|stacked version]] of the [[2022 (releases)|2022]] logo. | |||
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true"> | |||
The Romans audiobook.jpg|Audiobook cover | |||
</gallery> | |||
== British publication history == | == British publication history == | ||
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{{DWN}} | {{DWN}} | ||
{{TitleSort}} | {{TitleSort}} | ||
[[Category:Target novelisations]] | [[Category:Target novelisations]] | ||
[[Category:1987 novels]] | [[Category:1987 novels]] | ||
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[[Category:Stories set in 64]] | [[Category:Stories set in 64]] | ||
[[Category:Novels set in the Roman Empire]] | [[Category:Novels set in the Roman Empire]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in Italy]] | |||
[[Category:Target novelisations with audiobook readings]] | |||
Latest revision as of 20:50, 3 November 2024
The Romans was a novelisation based on the 1965 television serial The Romans.
Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
The TARDIS crew members have taken a break from their adventures and are enjoying a well-deserved rest in a luxury villa on the outskirts of Imperial Rome.
But in the gory grandeur that is Rome, things don't stay quiet for long. If the time-travellers can save themselves from being sold as slaves, assassinated by classical hit-men, poisoned by the evil Locusta, thrown to the lions, maimed in the arena and drowned in a shipwreck, they still have to face the diabolical might of the mad Emperor Nero.
As if that isn't enough, they also discover that, although Rome wasn't built in a day, it was burnt down in considerably less time...
Chapter titles[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Prologue: Epistle to The Keeper of the Imperial Archives, Rome
- Document I: First Extract from the Journal of Ian Chesterton
- Document II: First Extract from the Doctor's Diary
- Document III: First Letter from Legionary (Second Class) Ascaris
- Document IV: Second Extract from the Doctor's Diary
- Document V: Second Extract from the Journal of Ian Chesterton
- Document VI: Second Letter from Legionary (Second Class) Ascaris
- Document VII: Third Extract from the Doctor's Diary
- Document VIII: Third Letter from Legionary (Second Class) Ascaris
- Document IX: Third Extract from the Journal of Ian Chesterton
- Document X: Fourth Extract from the Doctor's Diary
- Document XI: First Extract from the Commonplace Book of Poppea Sabina
- Document XII: Fourth Extract from the Journal of Ian Chesterton
- Document XIII: First Selection of Jottings from Nero's Scrapbook - An Ode to Barbara
- Document XIV: Fourth Letter from Legionary (Second Class) Ascaris
- Document XV: Fifth Extract from the Doctor's Diary
- Document XVI: Fifth Extract from the Journal of Ian Chesterton
- Document XVII: Second Extract from the Commonplace Book of Poppea Sabina
- Document XVIII: A Poisoner Remembers (Extract from The Autobiography of Locusts)
- Document XIX: Letter from Barbara Wright
- Document XX: Second Selection of Jottings from Nero's Scrapbook
- Document XXI: Sixth Extract from the Journal of Ian Chesterton
- Document XXII: Third Extract from the Commonplace Book of Poppea Sabina
- Document XXIII: Fifth Letter from Legionary (Second Class) Ascaris
- Document XXIV: Sixth Extract from the Doctor's Diary
- Document XXV: Seventh Extract from the Journal of Ian Chesterton
- Document XXVI: Seventh Extract from the Doctor's Diary
- Document XXVII: Sixth Letter from Legionary (Second Class) Ascaris
- Document XXVIII: Third Selection of Jottings from Nero's Scrapbook
- Document XXIX: Eighth Extract from the Doctor's Diary
- Epilogue: A Second Epistle to The Keeper of the Imperial Archives, Rome
Deviations from televised story[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Rather than write a straightforward narrative, Cotton chose to write this novelisation in the form of letters and journal entries.
- Ascaris continues to appear in the second half of the story, accidentally killing the Centurion, being pursued into the arena by lions unwittingly unleashed by the Doctor during Ian and Delos' gladiatorial fight, and fleeing Rome during the Great Fire, with the epilogue stating he is currently working on Hadrian's Wall and could be blamed for the fire. The novelisation also makes him a legionary first class and Locusta's son.
- Other characters have their parts reduced: Sevcheria disappears after recapturing Ian and Delos in Rome, Locusta's death is omitted, Delos departs after the gladiatorial fight and Tavius only meets the Doctor briefly, with his status as a Christian and conspirator against Nero only established in the epilogue.
- The Doctor encounters Barbara at the palace and bustles her and Ian away from the scene when Nero and Poppaea are distracted by the lions he released earlier, before accidentally starting the fire himself by dropping the burning plans into the sewer.
- Otho and Vespasian are mentioned.
Writing and publishing notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- No photographic reference material was available at the time and cover artist Tony Masero, instead took his inspiration from a picture of Peter Ustinov as Nero in the film Quo Vadis.
Additional cover images[[edit] | [edit source]]
1987 Hardback edition
Audiobook[[edit] | [edit source]]
This Target Book was released as an audiobook on 5 January 2023 complete and unabridged by BBC Audio and read by Tim Treloar, Jamie Glover, Dan Starkey, Clare Corbett, Jon Culshaw, Maureen O'Brien and Louise Jameson.
This audiobook was the first release to use the stacked version of the 2022 logo.
Audiobook cover
British publication history[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Hardback (April 1987)
- W.H.Allen & Co. Ltd. UK ISBN:049103833X, copies priced £7.50 (UK)
- Paperback (September 1987)
- Target / W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. Single paperback edition, estimated print run: 30,000, priced £1.95 (UK).
External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
to be added
