Four to Doomsday was a novelisation based on the 1982 television serial Four to Doomsday.
Publisher's summary
1983 Target Books edition
When the TARDIS happens to materialise on an alien space craft, the commander of the ship, the reptilian Monarch, invites the Doctor and his companions to continue their journey to Earth in his company.
Monarch's hospitality even extends to a generous offer to liberate the time-travellers from the shortcomings of their bodies and replicate them as androids-so much more practical.
Although Adric finds this proposal extremely attractive, the Doctor has good reason to be suspicious of Monarch's motives...
1991 Target Books edition
'HEAVEN. HE SAYS WE'RE ALL GOING TO HEAVEN.'
On its way to Earth the TARDIS unexpectedly materializes on an alien spaceship, The occupants invite the Doctor and his companions to accompany them to Earth; but their hospitality is not all it seems...
On board are people from all eras of Earth's history and the aim of the Urbankans and their reptile leader, Monarch, is to colonize Earth. Three billion minds are aboard the ship, three billion memories awaiting new, android bodies that will enable them to escape their own dead planet and live forever...
Doctor Who - Four to Doomsday, featuring Peter Davison as the Doctor, was written by Terence Dudley; this adaptation is by Terrance Dicks, who for five years was script editor of the series and who has written more than sixty novelizations of Doctor Who television stories.
Chapter titles
- Ship of Mystery
- A Meeting with Monarch
- The Transformation
- The Invaders
- The Explorers
- The Android
- The Convert
- Tegan's Gamble
- Death Warrant
- Reprieved
- Riot!
- Spacewalk
Deviations from televised story
- Monarch is killed by Adric rather than the Doctor at the story's conclusion.
- The assiter that Nyssa investigates simply stops and looks at her rather than pushing her away.
- As in the early scripts, the assiters are described as wearing bands rather than having discs on their hands.
- Bigon's face plate remains removed for slightly longer than on screen, with his explanatory dialogue delivered while faceless.
- Bigon explains that Monarch has claimed he will let some of Earth's population survive for him and the others to rule but does not believe him.
- The Doctor attempts to convince Monarch to spare him by saying only he can control the TARDIS only for Tegan to promptly dematerialise it.
- It is explained that the TARDIS only travelled a short distance because Tegan failed to use the power booster.
- The joke about the Doctor claiming to bowl a good Chinaman is changed to a good googly.
- The cliffhanger ending is omitted, with the novel ending on the Doctor promising they are on the way to Heathrow and Tegan noting she's heard that before.
Writing and publishing notes
- to be added
Additional cover images
1991 edition.
Cover by Alister Pearson
British publication history
First publication:
- Hardback
- W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. UK
- Paperback
- Target
Audiobook
This Target Book was released as an audiobook on 2 March 2017 complete and unabridged by BBC Audio and read by Matthew Waterhouse.
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
