War of the Daleks (novel)

War of the Daleks
Doctor:	[[doctor::Eighth Doctor]]
Companion(s):	Sam Jones
Main enemy:	The Daleks Davros
Main setting:	Border of Thal and Dalek Space Skaro Antalin (interlude) Hesperus (interlude)
Key crew
Publisher:	[[publisher::BBC Books]]
Writer:	John Peel
Release details
Release number:	5
Release date:	October 1997
Format:	Paperback Book, 277 Pages
ISBN:	ISBN 0-563-40573-2

Publisher's Summary

The Doctor is repairing the TARDIS systems once again when it is swept up by a garbage ship roving through space, the Quetzel.

When another ship approaches and takes the Quetzel by force, the Doctor discovers that he and Sam are not the only unwitting travellers on board - there is a strangely familiar survival pod in the hold. Delani, the captain of the second ship, orders the pod to be opened. The Doctor is powerless to intervene as Davros is awakened once again.

But this is no out-and-out rescue of Davros. Delani and his crew are Thals, the sworn enemies of the Daleks. They intend to use Davros as a means to wipe out the Daleks, finally ridding the universe of the most aggressive, deadly race ever to exist. But the Doctor is still worried. For there is a signal beacon inside the pod, and even now a Dalek ship is closing in...

Characters

The Doctor

Sam Jones

• Is vegetarian.
• Sam cries out "I'm too young to die!" before breaking into hysterical giggles that turn into odd laughter.
• Sam has been in the TARDIS for around 6 months (page 98).

Davros

Dalek Prime

• Is one of the original Daleks.
• Is leader of all the Daleks.

Ayaka

Chayn

References

• The Doctor removes the TARDIS lock to discover how the Master got through the lock in San Francisco.
• The Doctor, Sam, the Thals and the crew of the Quetzel are taken by the Daleks to Skaro.
• Skaro means 'home' in the original Kaled language.
• It is suggested that the (Seventh) Doctor destroyed a planet called Antalin rather than Skaro.
• Davros still has Dalek supporters on Skaro.
• Davros used Hand of Omega which destroyed what he thought of as Skaro.
• Various types of Daleks appear: Dalek Striders, Spider Dakeks, Marine Dalek.
• Movellans are suggested to be of Dalek manufacture.
• The Quetzel has a Bussard Ram Jet which Sam learnt from reading Jane's Space Ships.
• Mechanoids have fought the Daleks on more than one occasion.
• The Doctor has another sonic screwdriver which he uses to kill the Daleks with high frequency shock waves.
• The Doctor says the Daleks "have no interest in anything but conquest and war. Art, decoration, poetry, music - it's all irrelevant to them." (page 170), he's forgetting "The Lament of the Non-operational".
• A Slyther makes a brief appearance (during an interlude).
• Some Draconians make an appearance (also during an interlude), they die.
• Varga plants are mentioned briefly as the crew of the Quetzel consider what could be within the pod.
• At Davros's (or the Dalek Race's trial, depending on how you see it) the Daleks play a recording of Professor Rachel Jensen concerning Coal Hill School and the the battle that took place there.

Story Notes

• The meaning of Dalek colours is revealed in this novel: Grey Daleks are the foot soldiers with limited intelligence, next are the Blue Daleks which serve as corporals and sergeants. The Red Daleks have some intelligence and autonomy from the Dalek command structure. Black Daleks are smarter still, the Gold Daleks are the elite at the top is the Dalek Prime.
• This story was the first to feature a Dalek inside the TARDIS until The Parting of the Ways.
• Counting the Interludes every single Dalek story is referenced in some way (except [[Death to the Daleks).
• The Dalek Prime looks like the Dalek Emperor from The Dalek Chronicles.

Discontinuity and Errors

• War of the Daleks is considered by many to be non-canonical, or at least on the outskirts of established canon as it makes numerous revisions to 'established' Dalek history.

• In short every TV story from Destiny of the Daleks to Remembrance of the Daleks is revised to fit War of the Daleks' plot.
• The only 'question' this book seems to answer is where the Dalek Factory Ship seen in The Power of the Daleks came from.
• However throughout the various discussions the events of Resurrection of the Daleks don't appear to gel with the story given to the Doctor by the Dalek Prime (its motivations do not make sense given what is said in this novel with regard to that story).

• If the Movellans were created by the Daleks then who were the humanoid robots causing the Daleks grief in MA: A Device of Death.
• Additionally if the Movellans were a ruse to trick Davros, why was there a Movellan virus created, why was it on Earth and why have all the Dalek shock troops (all from DW: Resurrection of the Daleks)
• In one of the Interludes in the book (page 81 - Interlude Human Space), it's set on a planet covered entirly by water, called Antalin. (This planet has the same name as the planet which was made to look like Skaro).

Continuity

• The Doctor basically retells the events of: DW: The Daleks, Genesis of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks to Sam, Chayn and the others.
• In conversation with the Dalek Prime the events of; (in addition to the above stories) DW: The Dalek Invasion of Earth, Day of the Daleks, Destiny of the Daleks, Revelation of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks are discussed in varying details.
• However as mentioned in Notes everything from Destiny of the Daleks is retconned in some way.
• This is set after DW: Planet of the Daleks.
• The Dalek factory ship is suggested to be the factory ship in DW: The Power of the Daleks.
• In PDA: Salvation it's established that the Mechanoids were sent out in early stages of space exploration...so how do they recognise the Movellans (who were from a much later period).
• In NA: GodEngine it is shown that the Daleks were hollowing out Earth's core to make an Osiran device work, here it's so they can pilot planets.
• Sam complains about the lack of a kitchen in the TARDIS, there is one in NA: The Room With No Doors, EDA: Autumn Mist and Escape Velocity.
• The Doctor says the Daleks "have no interest in anything but conquest and war. Art, decoration, poetry, music - it's all irrelevant to them." (page 170), he's forgetting "The Lament of the Non-operational", mentioned in NA: The Also People.
• In the 'Human Space' Interlude DW: The Daleks' Master Plan is briefly visited upon.
• In the 'Draconian Space' Interlude, well, Draconians first appeared in DW: Frontier in Space.
• In the 'Hesperus' Interlude Mechanoids appear, they first appeared in DW: The Chase.
• The Doctor says he took a trip to Skaro for the Master's trial. (DW: Doctor Who: The TV Movie)
• On page 187 the Doctor comments "I was starting to get worried that you'd discovered religion.", which happens in DW: The Parting of the Ways.

External Links

• The Doctor Who Reference Guide detailed synopsis of War of the Daleks
• Whoniverse Discontinuity Guide entry for War of the Daleks
• The Cloister Library - War of the Daleks