The Mysterious Planet (novelisation)

The TARDIS has been taken out of time and the Doctor has been brought before a court of his fellow Time Lords. There the sinister Valeyard accuses the Doctor of breaking Gallifrey's most important law and interfering in the affairs of other planets.

If the Valeyard can prove him guilty, the Doctor must sacrifice his remaining regenerations. To prove his case the Valeyard focuses on an adventure set in the Doctor's past.

It is an adventure set on the planet Ravolox, a seemingly primitive world but one which the Doctor and Peri find strangely familiar...

Chapter titles

The Trial Begins
Underground
Barbarian Queen
The Stoning
The Reprieve
Meeting the Immortal
Escape
Captives of Queen Katryca
The Attack of the Robot
Hunt for the Doctor
Secrets
Tradesman's Entrance
The Big Bang
End and Beginning

Deviations from televised story

Valeyard, like Inquisitor, seems to be a Time Lord title, a Special Prosecutor assigned by the High Council in serious, often political, cases.
The Doctor informs Peri they are currently two million years or more after her time period, while in the televised version it is not explicitly clear whether the Doctor said "two million" or "two billion."

Writing and publishing notes

to be added

Additional cover images

to be added

British publication history

Hardback (November 1987)

W.H.Allen & Co. Ltd. UK ISBN:0491030967, copies priced £7.95 (UK))

Paperback (April 1988)

Target / W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. One single paperback edition, estimated print run: 22,500, priced £1.99 (UK).

Audiobook

This Target Book was released complete and unabridged by BBC Audio and read by Lynda Bellingham.

The audio set of three CDs was released in September 2013 as part of The Trial of a Time Lord Vol. 1

The cover blurb and thumbnail illustrations were retained in the accompanying booklet with sleevenotes by David J. Howe. Music and sound effects by Simon Power.

Audiobook cover

External links

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