The Celestial Toymaker (novelisation)
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Novelisation
- This novelisation is based on the original television serial generally referred to as DW: The Celestial Toymaker which included individual episode titles, was written by Brian Hayles and shown from 2nd April 1966.
- The cover and information shown on the right is for the original Target novel and features the artwork of Graham Potts. (See below for information on other UK and international editions which published with a different cover).
Publisher's summary
1986 edition
Somewhere outside space and time there waits the Celestial Toymaker, an enigmatic being who ensnares unwary travellers into his domain to play out his dark and deadly games.
Separated from the security of the TARDIS, the First Doctor is forced to play the complex trilogic game with the evil magician. Meanwhile, Dodo and Steven must enter into a series of tests with, among others, the schoolboy Cyril and the King and Queen of Hearts.
If they lose, they are condemned to become the Toymaker’s playthings for all eternity. For in the malevolent wonderland that is the Celestial Toyroom, nothing is just for fun…
Illustrations
None
Deviations from televised story
To be added
Writing and publishing notes
- A foreword by Gerry Davis (Los Angeles, 1985) explains that “for this book version we were able to resurrect some extra material which had to be cut from the TV serial” which he also explains was written hurriedly in an emergency.
- Writer Gerry Davis was very keen to get the commission for this, eagerly awaited novelisation, which he then gave to Alison Bingeman, his protégé at the time, to write. Fan response to the finished novel was generally dissappointment. Alison Bingeman later went on, under various names (including Alison Beynan and Alison Lea Bingeman) to write some highly respected episodes for USA television dramas including Relic Hunter, CSI:Miami and Whistler.
- Bingeman's credit makes this the first novel in the history of the Target Books series to be written (or, in this case, co-written) by someone who had not either written scripts for Doctor Who or had been part of its production team. In the next few years several other novels by such "third parties" would be published by Nigel Robinson and John Peel.
- The back cover includes colour details of Fantastic Doctor Who Poster Offers!
Additional cover images
- 2CelestialToymaker.jpg
1992 edition; Cover by Alister Pearson
British publication history
To be added
First Publication:
- Hardback
- W.H.Allen & Co. Ltd. UK
- Paperback
- Target
Re-issues:
- Paperback: Target / Virgin Publishing Ltd. UK December 1992 Cover by Alistair Pearson (£2.50 UK)
Editions published outside Britain
To be added
See also
- The Target Book by David J Howe (Telos Publishing 2007)
