Doctor Who and the Sontaran Experiment (novelisation)

Doctor Who and the Sontaran Experiment
Based on:	The Sontaran Experiment
Doctor:	Fourth Doctor
Companion(s):	Sarah, Harry
Main enemy:	Styre
Main setting:	Earth, the far future
Key crew
Publisher:	Target Books, W.H. Allen
Writer:	Ian Marter
Cover by:	Roy Knipe
Release details
Release number:	56 (given to later editions)
Release date:	7 December 1978
Format:	Hardcover and paperback editions, 96 Pages
ISBN:	ISBN 0-426-20049-7
Target novelisations
← Previous	Doctor Who and the Ark in Space
Next →	Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks

Doctor Who and the Sontaran Experiment was a novelisation based on the 1975 television serial The Sontaran Experiment.

Publisher's summary

Landing on Earth, now a barren, desolate planet, Sarah, Harry and the Fourth Doctor are unaware of the large, watching robot. The robot is the work of Styre, a Sontaran warrior, who uses all humans landing here for his experimental programmes.

What has happened to the other space explorers who have come here? Why is the Sontaran scout so interested in Earth and is brutally torturing humans, including Sarah Jane? Will the Doctor, be able to prevent an invasion and certain disaster, and save both Earth and his companions?

Deviations from televised story

• Unlike the televised story, in which the Doctor, Sarah, and Harry use Space Station Nerva's transmat to come down to Earth, they come down in the TARDIS, which is then accidentally returned to Nerva by the transmat.
• Nerva is consistently referred to by the Doctor and other characters as "Terra Nova".
• Despite being called Styre on the back cover, within the text the Sontaran refers to himself as Sontaran Military Assessor Styr.
• After falling down a hole, the Doctor has a dream about rats chewing their way into the TARDIS.
• Harry initially believes the Sontaran to be a Golem.
• The Sontaran robot is called a Scavenger and is described as hovering and octopus-like. It is much more sophisticated than the version seen in the televised story (probably owing to the limitations of a television budget).
• Styr's energy weapon is built into his armour, and described as "concealed" by the armour.
• The Sontaran ship is much larger than the ones seen in the televised version, and a description of its interior as multi-chambered is given. It is also apparently patrolled by smaller versions of the Scavenger.
• Inside the Sontaran ship, Harry discovers two more Sontarans, apparently hibernating.
• Sarah destroys one of the patrol robots with the the Doctor's sonic screwdriver.

Writing and publishing notes

• Ian Marter suggested novelising this two-parter which no-one else was interested in doing.
• Marter also portrayed the character of Harry Sullivan in the story. He had previously adapted The Ark in Space, in which he had also appeared. These two books are unique as being, to date, the only examples of a Doctor Who actor adapting his own TV stories. Marter would go on to write numerous other novelisations for Doctor Who before his death in 1986 (with posthumous publications continuing for more than a year thereafter).
• This was the first time a two-episode story was adapted for a novel. It established it was possible to expand the somewhat scant material of a two-parter into a full-length novel, opening the door for later adaptations of the other two-parters in the series. (Tying between Doctor Who and the Ark in Space)

Additional cover images

To be added

British publication history

First Publication:

• Hardback

W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. UK

• Paperback

Target

External links

• On Target a comprehensive guide to the Target novelisations by Tim Neal