Target Books

Target Books published numerous Doctor Who novelisations in paperback (and, later, hardcover) as well as few related nonfiction works and two original novels from the 1970s through to the early 1990s. Though Target did publish other books, many older fans associate Target closely with their Doctor Who output.

History

Overview

Target Books was a publishing imprint set up in 1972 to a range of paperback fiction for readers of approximately 14 years of age. It was for its long lived and highly successful range of Doctor Who novelisation with which it became best known. Though most widely known as paperbacks, the novelisations saw first printings in hardback by sister publishers Allan Wingate (and later by W. H. Allen).

The Target imprint changed hands many times over its history but up until the end, when it adopted a more modern monochrome version, retained its distinctive brightly-coloured logo.

The 1970s

In 1973, Target reprinted Doctor Who titles, Doctor Who and the Daleks and Doctor Who and the Crusaders, adapted by David Whitaker and Doctor Who and the Zarbi, adapted by Bill Strutton, had previously seen publication as hardbacks by Frederick Muller. All had colourful and striking covers by Chris Archilleos, who would illustrate the first wave of Target Doctor Who books.

An original publication, Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion by Terrance Dicks would follow in 1974. Over the years, "Uncle Terry", as fans would nickname him, would write more Target Books and have a closer association with them in the minds of fans, than any other writer. He would also write a short series of simplified Junior Doctor Who novelisations for younger readers.

The 1980s

During the 1980's, experimentally, they published two original novels featuring further adventures of the Doctor's companions, Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma by Tony Attwood and Harry Sullivan's War by Ian Marter, who had played Harry Sullivan on television. Target also took up three scripts from the "lost" version of Season 22, which, due to the delay and re-thinking of Season 22 by the then-current production team of Doctor Who, never made their way onto screen.

The Virgin years

During the 1990's with the company having been acquired by Virgin Publishing , the only titles still held by Target were the Doctor Who stories. Many of the titles were reissued with new covers, but to many readers they were still affectionately regarded as Target Books. Indeed Virgin itself referred to the later titles as part of "the Target Library"!

The "lost" novelisations

Because Douglas Adams found Target Books' pay too paltry, he decided against novelising his original scripts, The Pirate Planet, City of Death and Shada. (Adams would later re-use elements from the last two scripts in his own original novels.) Eric Saward, the scriptwriter for Resurrection of the Daleks and Revelation of the Daleks decided, that since Terry Nation's estate (which owned the rights to the Daleks) would leave relatively little money left over for him, that he would rather let the scripts stay un-adapted.

The end of Target Books

Target eventually outlasted the original run of Doctor Who itself, with ended with Season 26. By the time it had ended, almost every Doctor Who story ever aired on television had appeared under the Target imprint.

Audiobook adaptations

In 2007 BBC Audio began a series of complete and unabridged releases of the Target novelisations giving new life to these old favourites. (see Target Books (BBC Audio releases)).

Doctor Who-Related Target Titles

Doctor Who Television Novelizations

See separate article.

Radio Broadcast Adaptations

• Doctor Who - The Pescatons
• Doctor Who - Slipback
• The Paradise of Death

Missing Episodes

A series of proposed scripts cancelled in the wake of the 1985 hiatus of Doctor Who.

• Doctor Who - The Nightmare Fair
• Doctor Who - Mission to Magnus
• Doctor Who - The Ultimate Evil

The Companions of Doctor Who Series

• K-9 and Company (novelisation)
• Turlough and the Earthlink Dilemma (original novel)
• Harry Sullivan's War (original novel)

Non-fiction

General reference

• The Making of Doctor Who (two editions)
• The Doctor Who Monster Book
• The Second Doctor Who Monster Book
• The Doctor Who Programme Guide Volume 1
• The Doctor Who Programme Guide Volume 2
• Doctor Who: The Universal Databank
• Doctor Who: The Terrestial Index
• The Doctor Who Programme Guide (combining the two earlier volumes)
• Travels Without the TARDIS

Doctor Who Discovery Series

A non-fiction series of illustrated educational books narrated by the Fourth Doctor.

• The Doctor Who Dinosaur Book
• Doctor Who Discovers: Early Man
• Doctor Who Discovers: Prehistoric Animals
• Doctor Who Discovers: Space Travel
• Doctor Who Discovers: The Conquerors
• Doctor Who Discovers: Strange and Mysterious Creatures

Activity / Puzzle Books

• Doctor Who: Build the TARDIS
• Doctor Who Quiz Books (quiz books featuring triva from the series)
• Second Doctor Who Quiz Book
• Third Doctor Who Quiz Book
• Doctor Who Crossword Book
• Doctor Who Puzzles and Brain Benders

Miscellaneous

• Terry Nation's Dalek Special
• The Adventures of K-9 and Other Mechanical Creatures Special

Related entries

• Target Novelisations
• Target Novelisation Covers
• Target Doctor Who books publishing history
• Target Books Doctor Who Gift Sets
• The Target Book

=External Links

• On Target A comprehensive guide to the Target novelisations. Site created and maintained by Tim Neal.
• Dr Who Gallery This gallery only site shows all TV novelisations (Armada, Dragon, Target, Virgin and BBC) in order of publication date.

Print

Articles

• Doctor Who Magazine, including a series of in depth articles by David Howe (see Issue 291, Issue 293, Issue 295, Issue 297, Issue 299 and Issue 301).

Books

• Howe's Transcendental Toybox by David Howe
• The Target Book by David Howe