Dalek Survival Guide (novel)
- You may be looking for the feature from the 2021 Annual.
The Dalek Survival Guide was a 2002 novel published by BBC Books which detailed the threat of the Daleks and some of their history. Taking the form of an in-universe publication of the same name, this Dalek Survival Guide was compiled from a variety of sources, including those from the future, thanks in large part to the delivery of a battered Gladstone bag which contained more papers and documents than could have possibly fitted inside.
Publisher's summary
Essential for anyone aware of the looming menace that poses a terrible threat to us all. The Daleks being both highly dangerous and deeply malevolent, preparing oneself against the day of attack is of utmost importance, and the more information one has at one's fingertips, on Dalek behaviour, history, and psychology, as well as their military tactics and known weak points, the better.
This handy, pocket-sized volume is stuffed with survival tips and features sections on: — Anti-Dalek Weaponry — The Dalek Defence Drill (Handy Tips for Survival under Attack) — The Anatomy of a Dalek (Daleks in Cross-Section) — The Dalek War-Machines — The Evolution of the Planet Skaro (history of the Dalek home-planet) — The Dalekreed (guide to the Daleks' belief system) — Dalek Dictionary — Know Your Enemy (Dalek recognition test)
Stories of previous encounters are also included, as examples of how Daleks have been dealt with in the past, illustrating appropriate behaviour and defence strategies. Self-check tests are included following these case studies, ensuring that the reader has absorbed all the relevant tips.
Summary
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Worldbuilding
- Edward Waterfield stated in the 1866 monograph On Daleks that Dalek machines are powered by static electricity and operated by the Dalek inside by psychokinesis.
- The "most detailed, informative and in many ways insidious" information about the Doctor is provided by the BBC's series of dramatised biographies transmitted as family entertainment between 1963 and 1996.
- Francine Mole recorded in her pamphlet Sleeping with Daleks and Waking Refreshed that she travelled for thirteen days and nights on the back of a Dalek along an underground mine shaft on Kemble.
- The Doctor is "possibly" a Time Lord.
- At least one Dalek was present for the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Story notes
- The guidebook has no writers' credits, supposedly to protect the authors from the Daleks' wrath.
- Illustrations within book are by Alan Burton. The cover illustration is by Emma Judd.
- The book is covered in a textured black cover with an embossed Dalek on the front.
- Amazon.co.uk description:
Being aware that the Daleks are highly dangerous, preparing oneself against the day of attack is of the utmost importance. This pocket-sized survival guide is stuffed with tips and information on Dalek bahaviour, history, and psychology as well as their military tactics and known weak points.
- The book erroneously describes the grey Dalek drones, sported grey shoulder slats and black sense globes, from Day of the Daleks as being entirely black. Incidentally, a Black Dalek does appear as the Gold Dalek's subordinate in the novelisation, such a Dalek would appear as the casing of Dalek Sec, and black drones would appear in the form of the Defence Drones.
- The book erroneously identifies the Dalek Supreme Type 4's insulator discs as blue rather than black.
- The book claims that what it identifies as black-domed section leaders, as seen in The Evil of the Daleks, also had black shoulder slats; the Black Dalek Leaders' slats were in fact silver like the silver Dalek drones.
- The book erroneously identifies the Type 1 and Type 2 Imperial Daleks' insulator discs as blue rather than white and gold respectively.
- The book makes reference to Dalek death squads, which would be established in the television story Revolution of the Daleks as the enforcers of Dalek purity, tasked with exterminating Dalek splinter groups.
Continuity
- Terry Nation was responsible for discovering and translating the Dalek Chronicles. (PROSE: The Daleks, The Dalek Chronicles Found!)
- The Type 1 Emperor was reportedly sighted in the vicinity of Sol 3 in 1963. Rumours suggest this casing contained the remnants of the Daleks' originator, Davros. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)
- The Type 2 Emperor was sighted during the 1960s Annual Reports. (COMIC: Invasion of the Daleks et al.)
- The Type 3 Emperor was sighted during investigations into the Dalek Factor on Skaro. (TV: The Evil of the Daleks)
- The Type 1 Supreme was sighted in the 2150s Dalek invasion of Earth in version of history "A". (TV: The Dalek Invasion of Earth)
- The Type 2 Supreme was sighted through the Space-Time Visualiser (TV: The Chase) and in the Dalek Masterplan incident. (TV: Mission to the Unknown/The Daleks' Master Plan)
- The Type 3 Supreme was sighted in the invasion of Earth in version of history "C". (TV: Day of the Daleks)
- The Type 4 Supreme was sighted on Spiridon. (TV: Planet of the Daleks)
- The Type 5 Supreme was sighted on Earth in 1963. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)
- Type 1 Drones were sighted in the Dalek Masterplan incident, (TV: Mission to the Unknown/The Daleks' Master Plan) the Vulcan colony incursion, (TV: The Power of the Daleks) as well as reports from England in 1866, (TV: The Evil of the Daleks) and the planets Aridius and Mechanus among others. (TV: The Chase)
- Type 2 Drones were sighted in early Dalek creation myths, (TV: Genesis of the Daleks) the Spiridon incursion, (TV: Planet of the Daleks) the war with the Movellans, (TV: Destiny of the Daleks) the liberation of Davros, (TV: Revelation of the Daleks) the occupation of Necros, (TV: Revelation of the Daleks) and as the 1963 Skaro faction Dalek force. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)
- Type 3 Drones were identified in a report concerning the planet Exxilon. (TV: Death to the Daleks)
- Type 1 Imperial Daleks were sighted on Necros. (TV: Revelation of the Daleks)
- Type 2 Imperial Daleks were sighted on Earth in 1963. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)
- The Dalek City was once destroyed by the Monstrons. (COMIC: The Menace of the Monstrons)
- Linus Leofrix experimented on Ogrons. (COMIC: Warlord of the Ogrons)
- Lone Daleks have been sighted in Roman Britain (AUDIO: Seasons of Fear) and during the London Blitz. (AUDIO: The Time of the Daleks)
- A new breed of Roboman has been identified in the Vega system. (AUDIO: Invasion of the Daleks, The Human Factor, Project Infinity)
- Supreme Controller Daleks are coloured Red. (AUDIO: "Death to the Daleks!")
- The Daleks have an interest in Shakespeare. (COMIC: City of the Daleks, AUDIO: The Time of the Daleks)
