Doctor Who and the Sontaran Experiment (novelisation): Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Story SMW

|image = Sontaran Experiment novel.jpg

|number = 56 (given to later editions)  

|doctor = Fourth Doctor  

|companions=[[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]], [[Harry Sullivan|Harry]]

|enemy = [[Styre]]  

|setting = [[Earth]], the far future

|writer = Ian Marter

|read by = [[Jon Culshaw]]

|publisher = Target Books

|publisher2 = W.H. Allen

|novelisation of = The Sontaran Experiment (TV story)

|cover = [[Roy Knipe]]

|release date= 7 December 1978

|format = Hardcover and paperback editions; 96 pages

|isbn = ISBN 0-426-20049-7

|next = Doctor Who and the Hand of Fear (novelisation)

|series2 = [[Target novelisation]] numbering

|next2 = Doctor Who and the Space War (novelisation)

|series3 = [[List of Doctor Who television stories|TV series order]]

|prev3 = Doctor Who and the Ark in Space (novelisation)

|next3 = Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks (novelisation)

'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was a novelisation based on the 1975 television serial ''[[The Sontaran Experiment (TV story)|The Sontaran Experiment]]''.

== Publisher's summary ==

Landing on [[Earth]], now a barren, desolate planet, [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah]], [[Harry Sullivan|Harry]] and the [[Fourth Doctor|Doctor]] are unaware of the large, watching [[Styre's robot|robot]]. The robot is the work of [[Styre]], a [[Sontaran]] warrior, who uses all humans landing here for his experimental programmes.

What has happened to the other space explorers who have come here? Why is the Sontaran scout so interested in Earth and is brutally torturing humans, including Sarah Jane? Will the Doctor be able to prevent an invasion and certain disaster, and save both Earth and his companions?

== Chapter titles ==

== Deviations from televised story ==

* Unlike the televised story, in which the Doctor, Sarah, and Harry use [[Space Station Nerva]]'s [[transmat]] to come down to Earth, they arrive in the TARDIS, which is then accidentally returned to Nerva by the transmat.

* Nerva is consistently referred to by the Doctor and other characters as "Terra Nova".

* Despite being called Styre on the back cover, within the text the Sontaran refers to himself as Sontaran Military Assessor Styr.

* After falling down a hole, the Doctor has a dream about rats chewing their way into the TARDIS.

* Harry initially believes the Sontaran to be a Golem.

* The Sontarans are described as cyborgs with reptilian skin and talon-like claws.

* The Sontaran robot is called a [[Scavenger (The Sontaran Experiment)|Scavenger]] and is described as hovering and octopus-like. It is much more sophisticated than the version seen in the televised story.

* Styr's energy weapon is built into his armour, and described as "concealed" by the armour.

* The Sontaran ship is much larger than the ones seen in the televised version, and a description of its interior as multi-chambered is given. It is also apparently patrolled by smaller versions of the Scavenger.

* Inside the Sontaran ship, Harry discovers two more Sontarans, apparently hibernating.

* Sarah destroys one of the patrol robots with [[the Doctor's sonic screwdriver]].

* Much of [[Erak]] and [[Krans]]'s parts are exchanged, making Krans the more aggressive character. (He is described as big and burly, whereas on-screen he is below average height.)

* The Doctor falls down the crevice when the Scavenger lassos Sarah and [[Roth]] while they are lowering him with his scarf.

* Styr's experiment on Sarah is more elaborate within the budget-free constraints of the novelisation, with her hallucinating drowning, being burned alive in a desert and attacked by a horde of ants. She is imprisoned in a cave rather than tied to a rock, and when Harry enters the cave he is affected too, imagining himself being attacked by a demonic Sarah. The experiment has already begun when Harry first finds her.

* The Doctor speculates that the Sontarans are trying to occupy Earth for its [[terullian]] deposits formed by the solar flares and later discovers it is part of an alliance with another cloned race, the [[Hyperioi]]. There is no mention of the war with the [[Rutan]] as on-screen.

== Writing and publishing notes ==

* [[Ian Marter]] suggested novelising this two-parter which no-one else was interested in doing.

* Marter also portrayed the character of [[Harry Sullivan]] in the story. He had previously adapted ''[[The Ark in Space (TV story)|The Ark in Space]]'', in which he had also appeared. These two books are unique as being, to date, the only examples of a ''Doctor Who'' actor adapting his own TV stories. Marter would go on to write numerous other novelisations for Doctor Who before his death in 1986 (with posthumous publications continuing for more than a year thereafter).

* This was the first time a two-episode story was adapted for a novel. It established it was possible to expand the somewhat scant material of a two-parter into a full-length novel, opening the door for later adaptations of the other two-parters in the series.

== Additional cover images ==

== British publication history ==

This Target Book was released as an audiobook on [[7 July (releases)|7 July]] [[2016 (releases)|2016]] complete and unabridged by [[BBC Physical Audio]] and read by [[Jon Culshaw]].

The audiobook version was reissued as part of ''[[The Second Monsters Collection]]'' on [[28 January (releases)|28 January]] [[2021 (releases)|2021]].

[[Category:Target novelisations]]