The Reign of Terror (novelisation)

Soon the TARDIS crew find themselves caught up in the tangled web of historical events. Imprisoned in a dank dungeon, Ian is entrusted with delivering a message to master-spy James Stirling.

Who is James Stirling? What world-shattering events are being discussed in a deserted inn off the Calais road?

And can the Doctor and his friends escape a violent and bloody death at the dreaded guillotine?

Chapter titles

So Near And So Far
Under Siege
Prisoners of the People
The Diggers
Liberty
Sanctuary
The Tyrant Of France
Betrayal Everywhere
Illusions Shattered
A Hard Bargain
A Glimpse Of Things To Come
Escaping From History

Deviations from televised story

Barbara's rebuke of the gaoler's advances leaves a livid gash in his cheek from where her ring caught the skin.
Instead of wishing the unconscious foreman pleasant dreams, the Doctor jokes to him, as he places the coin on his eye, that the traveller was right. The foreman had indeed witnessed a "total eclipse".
Louis XVI is mentioned.
Leon loses his composure towards the end of Ian's torture as his men grow more restless and violent. Before Jules emerges into the crypt, he is pleading with Ian for the schoolteacher's life in exchange for information on his conspirators.
Robespierre's maiming is depicted with "blood, teeth and fragments of jawbone [spurting] out between his clawing fingers." His pistol is flung from his hands into the ceiling where it discharges, creating a downpour of glass fragments from the chandelier to the delight of the jeering mob.
Jules and Barbara's discussion of who will succeed Robespierre mentions Barras, Fouche, Tallion and Freron as potential successors to the government. It's her, rather than Ian, who tells Jules to remember the name Napoleon Bonaparte. Sterling overhears the conversation with marked interest, though he hasn't the opportunity to ask the travellers where they really come from.
Ian and Barbara are more despondent about their inability to change the course of history than on television. The latter questions whether they learnt anything at all, which Susan refutes by pointing out they aren't the same people who came aboard in Totter's Lane.

Story notes

The cover and information on the right are for the original Target edition. It featured the artwork of Tony Masero. (See below for information on editions with different covers).

Writing and publishing notes

The novel was one of several completed by Ian Marter shortly before his death in October 1986. It was published posthumously.

Additional cover images

1987 Hardback edition

British publication history

Hardback (March 1987)

W.H.Allen & Co. Ltd. UK ISBN:0491037023, copies priced £7.50 (UK))

Paperback (August 1987)

Target / W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. Single paperback edition, estimated print run: 32,500, priced £1.95 (UK).

External links

to be added