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{{Infobox | {{title dab away}} | ||
{{real world}} | |||
image= | {{Infobox Story SMW | ||
series= | |image= Frontios novel.jpg | ||
number= 91 | | |series = [[Target novelisation]]s | ||
doctor= | |number= 91 | ||
companions= | |doctor = Fifth Doctor | ||
enemy= [[Tractator]]s, [[Gravis]] | | |companions= [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]], [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]] | ||
|enemy= [[Tractator]]s, The [[Gravis]] | |||
writer= [[Christopher H. Bidmead ]]| | |setting= [[Frontios]], [[10000000|10,000,000 AD]] | ||
publisher= | |writer= Christopher H. Bidmead | ||
|read by = [[Christopher H. Bidmead]], [[Beth Chalmers]] | |||
format= Hardcover and paperback editions, 143 Pages| | |publisher= Target Books | ||
isbn= ISBN 0-426-19780-1| | |publisher2= W.H. Allen | ||
|novelisation of= Frontios (TV story) | |||
next | |cover= [[Andrew Skilleter]] | ||
|release date= 10 December 1984 | |||
|format= Hardcover and paperback editions; 12 Chapters, 143 Pages | |||
|isbn= ISBN 0-426-19780-1 | |||
|prev= The Highlanders (novelisation) | |||
|next= Planet of Fire (novelisation) | |||
|series2 = [[List of Doctor Who television stories|TV series order]] | |||
|prev2 = The Awakening (novelisation) | |||
|next2=Resurrection of the Daleks (novelisation) | |||
}} | |||
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was a novelisation based on the 1984 television serial ''[[Frontios (TV story)|Frontios]]''. | |||
== Publisher's summary == | |||
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] has drifted far into the future and comes to rest hovering over [[Frontios]], refuge of one group of survivors from [[Earth]] who have escaped the disintegration of their home planet. | |||
[[Fifth Doctor|The Doctor]] is reluctant to land on Frontios, as he does not wish to intervene in a moment of historical crisis – the colonists are still struggling to establish themselves and their continued existence hangs in the balance. | |||
[[Fifth Doctor|The Doctor]] is reluctant to land on Frontios, as he does not wish to intervene in a moment of historical crisis – the colonists are still struggling to establish themselves and their continued existence hangs in the balance. | |||
But the TARDIS is forced down by what appears to be a meteorite storm, and crash-lands, leaving the Doctor and his companions marooned on the hope-forsaken planet... | |||
== Book | == Book chapters == | ||
# Refugees of Mankind | |||
# The Unknown Invaders | |||
# The Deadly Hail | |||
# The Power of the Hat-Stand | |||
# Downwardness | |||
# Beneath the Rocks | |||
# The Force Takes Hold | |||
# Eaten by the Earth | |||
# The Excavating Machine | |||
# Prisoners of the Gravis | |||
# The Price of Rescue | |||
# Greed sets the Trap | |||
== Deviations from televised story == | == Deviations from televised story == | ||
* Rather than having the excavating machine | * Rather than having the excavating machine made of metal as in the televised version, with an enslaved human pilot, the machine is a nightmarish vision composed of corpses of the colonists the [[Tractator]]s had pulled down to their domain: | ||
::"It was a repellent sight - a huge and hideous assembly of parts of human bodies, shaped something in the form of a giant Tractator. White bones tipped with metal cutters scraped against the rock, while rotting hands polished the surface smooth. | ::"It was a repellent sight - a huge and hideous assembly of parts of human bodies, shaped something in the form of a giant Tractator. White bones tipped with metal cutters scraped against the rock, while rotting hands polished the surface smooth. Through illuminated windows in the body Tegan glimpsed more mechanically gesticulating human arms and legs in an advanced state of decay. It was a machine built from the dead." | ||
::: -- <small>''Frontios'' p107</small> | ::: -- <small>''Frontios'' p107</small> | ||
A human pilot is still required to drive the machine. | A human pilot is still required to drive the machine. This scenario does lend a little more credence as to why Turlough had envisioned the Tractators as "Evil" | ||
* [[Gravis]] is incapable of speaking directly, and instead utilises "A tall narrow trolley" on which is mounted "The head and one arm of a dead Colonist, connected by improvised metalwork to a swinging pendulum". This machine is used to translate his thoughts. | * [[Gravis]] is incapable of speaking directly, and instead utilises "A tall narrow trolley" on which is mounted "The head and one arm of a dead Colonist, connected by improvised metalwork to a swinging pendulum". This machine is used to translate his thoughts. | ||
* Two of the colonists are called Kernighan and Ritchie. | * Two of the colonists are called Kernighan and Ritchie. They are named for Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie, well known in the computer world for writing the definitive guide to the C programming language. | ||
* Turlough is tying knots in the Doctor's scarf at the beginning. | |||
* [[Plantagenet]] is described as having white hair, rather than being dark haired as on screen. | |||
* [[Cockerill]] is eating his lunch secretly in the state room and allows Tegan, Turlough and [[Norna]] to pass through unmolested. | |||
* It is the Doctor who distracts the Tractators attacking Norna, rather than being captured himself and needing Tegan to rescue him. | |||
* The [[Deputy (Frontios)|Deputy]] is introduced earlier, accompanying [[Brazen]] on an early tour of the colony. | |||
* The [[Retrograde (Frontios)|Retrogrades]] are portrayed as more of a chorus rather than all the dialogue being given to [[Retrograde|one individual]]. | |||
* The Gravis assumes the Doctor was sent by the [[Time Lord]]s. | |||
* There is an extra sequence of the Doctor pretending to need his spectacles in order to slip away and explain his plan to Tegan. | |||
* [[Range]]'s brief encounter with a Tractator is omitted. | |||
* Rather than disappearing from the narrative, Cockerill helps keep the colonists calm during the Gravis' defeat and is shown helping Plantagenet get things organised again at the climax, with Retrogrades re-integrated back into the colony, being added to the group farewelling the Doctor. | |||
* The cliffhanger ending is omitted, with the novelisation ending on the final Frontios scene. | |||
==Writing and publishing notes== | == Writing and publishing notes == | ||
* Dedication: “To Alan and Marcus and the machine that made this possible. | * Dedication: “To Alan and Marcus and the machine that made this possible. I'll miss their company” | ||
== | == Additional cover images == | ||
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true"> | |||
File:HardbackFrontios.jpg|1984 Hardback edition | |||
</gallery> | |||
== | == Audiobook == | ||
There were two audiobooks of this story produced: whilst [[Beth Chalmers]] did a reading for the RNIB in [[March (releases)|March]] [[2010 (releases)|2010]] this release is only available to the registered blind. The story was released again on [[16 April (releases)|16 April]] [[2015 (releases)|2015]] complete and unabridged by [[BBC Audio]] and read by the author [[Christopher H. Bidmead]]. | |||
The cover blurb and thumbnail illustrations were retained in the accompanying booklet with sleevenotes by [[David J. Howe]]. Music and sound effects by [[Simon Power]]. | |||
The 2015 audiobook version was reissued as part of ''[[The Second Monsters Collection]]'' on [[28 January (releases)|28 January]] [[2021 (releases)|2021]]. | |||
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true" widths="150"> | |||
Frontios-cd.jpg|Audiobook cover | |||
The Second Monsters Collection.jpg|''The Second Monsters Collection'' | |||
</gallery> | |||
== British publication history == | |||
First publication: | |||
* Hardback | |||
: W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. UK | |||
* Paperback | |||
: Target | |||
== External links == | |||
* [http://www.personal.leeds.ac.uk/~ecl6nb/OnTarget/general/main.htm ''On Target'' a comprehensive guide to the Target novelisations by Tim Neal] | |||
{{DWN}} | |||
{{TitleSort}} | |||
[[Category:Target | [[Category:Fifth Doctor novelisations]] | ||
[[Category:Target novelisations]] | |||
[[Category:1984 novels]] | [[Category:1984 novels]] | ||
[[Category:Tractator sources]] | |||
[[Category:Stories set in 10000000]] | |||
[[Category:Novels set in Mutter's Spiral]] | |||
[[Category:Target novelisations with audiobook readings]] | |||
Latest revision as of 20:17, 3 November 2024
Frontios was a novelisation based on the 1984 television serial Frontios.
Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
The TARDIS has drifted far into the future and comes to rest hovering over Frontios, refuge of one group of survivors from Earth who have escaped the disintegration of their home planet.
The Doctor is reluctant to land on Frontios, as he does not wish to intervene in a moment of historical crisis – the colonists are still struggling to establish themselves and their continued existence hangs in the balance.
But the TARDIS is forced down by what appears to be a meteorite storm, and crash-lands, leaving the Doctor and his companions marooned on the hope-forsaken planet...
Book chapters[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Refugees of Mankind
- The Unknown Invaders
- The Deadly Hail
- The Power of the Hat-Stand
- Downwardness
- Beneath the Rocks
- The Force Takes Hold
- Eaten by the Earth
- The Excavating Machine
- Prisoners of the Gravis
- The Price of Rescue
- Greed sets the Trap
Deviations from televised story[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Rather than having the excavating machine made of metal as in the televised version, with an enslaved human pilot, the machine is a nightmarish vision composed of corpses of the colonists the Tractators had pulled down to their domain:
- "It was a repellent sight - a huge and hideous assembly of parts of human bodies, shaped something in the form of a giant Tractator. White bones tipped with metal cutters scraped against the rock, while rotting hands polished the surface smooth. Through illuminated windows in the body Tegan glimpsed more mechanically gesticulating human arms and legs in an advanced state of decay. It was a machine built from the dead."
- -- Frontios p107
- "It was a repellent sight - a huge and hideous assembly of parts of human bodies, shaped something in the form of a giant Tractator. White bones tipped with metal cutters scraped against the rock, while rotting hands polished the surface smooth. Through illuminated windows in the body Tegan glimpsed more mechanically gesticulating human arms and legs in an advanced state of decay. It was a machine built from the dead."
A human pilot is still required to drive the machine. This scenario does lend a little more credence as to why Turlough had envisioned the Tractators as "Evil"
- Gravis is incapable of speaking directly, and instead utilises "A tall narrow trolley" on which is mounted "The head and one arm of a dead Colonist, connected by improvised metalwork to a swinging pendulum". This machine is used to translate his thoughts.
- Two of the colonists are called Kernighan and Ritchie. They are named for Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie, well known in the computer world for writing the definitive guide to the C programming language.
- Turlough is tying knots in the Doctor's scarf at the beginning.
- Plantagenet is described as having white hair, rather than being dark haired as on screen.
- Cockerill is eating his lunch secretly in the state room and allows Tegan, Turlough and Norna to pass through unmolested.
- It is the Doctor who distracts the Tractators attacking Norna, rather than being captured himself and needing Tegan to rescue him.
- The Deputy is introduced earlier, accompanying Brazen on an early tour of the colony.
- The Retrogrades are portrayed as more of a chorus rather than all the dialogue being given to one individual.
- The Gravis assumes the Doctor was sent by the Time Lords.
- There is an extra sequence of the Doctor pretending to need his spectacles in order to slip away and explain his plan to Tegan.
- Range's brief encounter with a Tractator is omitted.
- Rather than disappearing from the narrative, Cockerill helps keep the colonists calm during the Gravis' defeat and is shown helping Plantagenet get things organised again at the climax, with Retrogrades re-integrated back into the colony, being added to the group farewelling the Doctor.
- The cliffhanger ending is omitted, with the novelisation ending on the final Frontios scene.
Writing and publishing notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Dedication: “To Alan and Marcus and the machine that made this possible. I'll miss their company”
Additional cover images[[edit] | [edit source]]
1984 Hardback edition
Audiobook[[edit] | [edit source]]
There were two audiobooks of this story produced: whilst Beth Chalmers did a reading for the RNIB in March 2010 this release is only available to the registered blind. The story was released again on 16 April 2015 complete and unabridged by BBC Audio and read by the author Christopher H. Bidmead.
The cover blurb and thumbnail illustrations were retained in the accompanying booklet with sleevenotes by David J. Howe. Music and sound effects by Simon Power.
The 2015 audiobook version was reissued as part of The Second Monsters Collection on 28 January 2021.
Audiobook cover
The Second Monsters Collection
British publication history[[edit] | [edit source]]
First publication:
- Hardback
- W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. UK
- Paperback
- Target
