Remembrance of the Daleks (novelisation)

Shoreditch, London, 1963. Two teachers follow an unnervingly knowledgeable schoolgirl to her home - a blue police telephone box in the middle of a 76 Totter's Lane. The old man whom the girl calls 'grandfather' is annoyed at the intrusion: there is something he has to do, and he has a premonition that he will be delayed for some time...

Six regenerations later the Doctor returns; and Ace, his travelling companion, sees London as it was before the Sixties started swinging - and long before she was born.

But a Grey Dalek is lurking in Foreman's Yard; Imperial Daleks are appearing in the basement of Coal Hill School; and both factions want the Hand of Omega, the remote stellar manipulator that the Doctor has left behind. Has the Doctor arrived in time to deprive the Daleks of the secret of time travel?

2013 BBC Books edition

With unfinished business to attend to, the Seventh Doctor returns to where it all began: Coal Hill School in London in 1963. Last time he was here, the Doctor left something behind – a powerful Time Lord artefact that could unlock the secrets of time travel. Can the Doctor retrieve it before two rival factions of Daleks track it down? And even if he can, how will the Doctor prevent the whole of London becoming a war zone as the Daleks meet in explosive confrontation?

Deviations from televised story

The book contains far more detail on the Special Weapons Dalek, also known (in the novelisation) as "the Abomination". In the book, its motives are explored in detail, from its inception and creation as the ultimate weapon, to the surprising fact that the firing of the weapon caused it to mutate, and become self-aware. As a result, it is closely monitored and even 'feared' by other Daleks.
The Imperial Daleks use "scout Daleks" not seen (so far) on television or in other media.
Remembrance of the Daleks is considered to be a significant novelisation by many fans, and the precursor to the Virgin New Adventures. It introduced a character called Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart, an ancestor of the character who later appears in the Virgin novels. It also includes flashbacks to ancient Gallifrey which introduce "the other", the mysterious third member of the Triumvirate with Rassilon and Omega. The Virgin novels would later change "the other" into "the Other" and hint at his connection to the Doctor.
the Renegade Dalek faction made use of ECM (Electronic Counter-Measure) pods in their defensive positions. These devices locked onto the casings of any Imperial Daleks who came into range and infiltrated their systems, sabotaging the life-support software so the Kaled mutant within drowned in its own nutrient fluid.

Writing and publishing notes

There are no individually titled chapters for this book. It is simply broken up into twenty-three chapters, each numbered sequentially.
Like The Curse of Fenric novelisation, this commission was given an unlimited wordcount, and in the light of the forthcoming range of New Adventures and new editor Peter Darvill-Evans, the writers were encouraged to take a more "grown up" approach to the story, and in particular its underlying theme of racism.
Dedication: "To Andrew who opened the door, and Anna who pushed me through it". (Andrew presumably refers to Doctor Who Script Editor Andrew Cartmel.)

Additional cover images

The 2013 cover, made for the 50th Anniversary

British publication history

First paperback edition, priced £2.50 (UK), estimated print run: 25,000 copies.

External links

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