November 12th, 2019
27 comments
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BBC Books to launch The World Cup of Terrance Dicks
BBC Books to launch The World Cup of Terrance Dicks social media tournament on Monday 18 November 2019
BBC Books is to publish a hardback collection of Target novelisations by the late Terrance Dicks next year – and they want Doctor Who fans to help with the selection.
BBC Books is excited to announce plans to publish a commemorative single-volume Collected Works of the late Terrance Dicks in 2020. The lavish hardback will include some of the Doctor Who legend’s most popular titles from the Target range, a list to which he contributed over 60 books. How do you choose the best, though? How does The Abominable Snowmen rate against Genesis of the Daleks? Do you leave out The Planet of the Spiders to make room for The Auton Invasion? What about The Three Doctors? With so many to choose from, we need some expert advice. We need the fans!
On Monday 18 November BBC Books will be offering Doctor Who fans the chance to vote on social media for their favourite works by Terrance Dicks, to be included in the collection. The World Cup of Terrance Dicks will take place over five days on the Doctor Who BBC Books Twitter account (@DWBBCBooks), where 64 of Terrance’s Doctor Who novelisations will be sorted into 16 groups of4, and each day fan votes will get us closer to a final winner. The book will then be based around the 10 novels that make to the top of the tournament. Fans can keep track of the tournament through the hashtag #TerranceDicksWorldCup
Terrance Dicks became Script Editor of Doctor Who in 1968, co-writing Patrick Troughton’s classic final serial, The War Games, and editing the show throughout the entire Jon Pertwee era to 1974. He wrote many iconic episodes and serials for the show after, including Tom Baker’s first episode as the Fourth Doctor, Robot; Horror at Fang Rock in 1977; State of Decay in 1980; and the 20th anniversary special, The Five Doctors in 1983. Terrance novelised over sixty of the original Doctor Who stories for Target books, including classics like Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen and Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion, inspiring a generation of children to become readers and writers. He died in August 2019, only weeks before the publication of his final Doctor Who short story, ‘Save Yourself’, in The Target Storybook.
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Jasper Teoh
August 30th, 2020 - 7:39pmAny ideas as to when the anthology will publish in light of COVID 19? Hopefully around November this year.
Jasper Teoh
November 26th, 2019 - 7:12pmThe results are:
– The Five Doctors
– The Auton Invasion
– The Genesis of the Daleks
– The Abominable Snowmen
– The Wheel in Space
– Dalek Invasion of Earth
– The Pyramids of Mars
– The Horror of Fang Rock
-The Talons of Weng-Chiang
– The Day of the Daleks
I’m slightly disappointing that The Trial of a Time Lord: The Mysterious Planet (1987),Inferno (1984) & The Claws of Axos (1977) didn’t make it.
The Flying Shark
November 26th, 2019 - 9:43pmI would have loved Mysterious Planet too, but it was grouped with Wheel in Space so it had no chance really. I have to say, it’s a shame really nostalgia for TV stories has obviously triumphed over the novelisation. Horror of Fang Rock, for example, is a fine novelisation but doesn’t compare to some of his other work.
Anonymous
November 27th, 2019 - 8:40pmMy question is why did people vote in 4 reprinted books? Still I’ll certainly buy this for the other novels. And simply because I love Terrance’s writing
The Flying Shark
November 28th, 2019 - 7:47amIt was always going to be that way sadly, with some fans letting nostalgia take their vote. Still, I’m not upset, they’re great books and even the reprints are coming up to a decade old now, remember. I would have preferred some underappreciated novels like Warriors of the Deep or Image of the Fendahl (especially as it was apparently one of Terrance’s favourites) in, but the likes of Auton Invasion, Day of the Daleks, are still very welcome here.
Anonymous
November 28th, 2019 - 10:26pmI’ve just read image again and I have to say it was great fun. It’s all the subtle little additions that just help bolster the stories that make his books so much fun to read. Pyramids is another one, genuinely great stuff. Mind I’ll be keeping my individual target books as well as this collection.
Pete X
November 14th, 2019 - 6:16pmHaving seen this on several Who news websites, they all say that the resultant book will be “based around” the top 10 novels. Given that 10 average sized Target novelisations, the same page size as originally published, would be about 1300 pages, I don’t think we will get 10 whole books, but 10 chapters or extracts plus new illustrations (were applicable) in a book the size of the recent Target Story Book.
Anonymous
November 14th, 2019 - 7:24pmDepends on the print size used. An average target book could easily reduce down to 90-100 pages if a standard hardback book size is combined with smaller print. I agree it seems unlikely they can fit 10 full books in but we’ll have to wait and see. To be honest if they are edited down versions I won’t buy it as I have the original books buy if full I’ll definitely buy it
Anonymous
November 13th, 2019 - 9:13pmJust read pyramids of Mars this evening (started at 7pm finished at 9pm) and I have to say it’s a little gem. You forget what a great job Terrance did with it. I’d be very happy for it to be included in an omnibus.
The Flying Shark
November 13th, 2019 - 1:50pmI’m going to vote for-
A-An Unearthly Child
B-Planet of Giants
C-Death to the Daleks
D-The Mind of Evil
E-The Time Monster
F-Four to Doomsday
G-The Smugglers
H-The Sun Makers
I-The Faceless Ones
J-Kinda
K-The Wheel in Space
L-Caves of Androzani
M-Invasion of Time
N-Web of Fear
O-Warriors of the Deep
P-Inferno
The Flying Shark
November 13th, 2019 - 7:47amPlease, whatever you do vote The Wheel in Space. It may not be the best story, or the best novelisation, but an existing copy is practically impossible to get hold of, and it would give myself and other younger fans the chance to plug one of the few gaps left in our collections. Please get a reprint done!
Anonymous
November 13th, 2019 - 12:23pmI bought wheel when it was released in paperback but even then the quality was dubious. I would love a reprint and if this omnibus edition is the opportunity to get it then brilliant.
SamWho
November 12th, 2019 - 9:31pmI love this idea a wonderful way to commemorate a brilliant man I don’t have many of the books so it will be lovely to finally get to read them
Anonymous
November 12th, 2019 - 9:51pmI’ve got all of the books and frankly I’ll be happy with any book reprinted. I’d prefer ones that haven’t had a BBC target release but I’ll take whatever they do
Anonymous
November 12th, 2019 - 9:17pm1 pyramid of mars
2 seed of death
3 monster of peladon
4 wheel in space
5 plant of giants
6 planet of evil
7 planet of the daleks
8 horns of nimon
9 the krotons
10 hands of fear
Jasper Teoh
November 12th, 2019 - 7:29pmBased on the list on the website, my ten novels would be [IN NO PARTICULAR ODER]
1) The Wheel in Space (1988)
2) Inferno (1984)
3) Arc of Infinity (1983)
4) The Trial of a Time Lord: The Mysterious Planet (1987)
5) The Brain of Morbius (1977)
6) Terror of the Autons (1975)
7) The Horror of Fang Rock (1978)
8) The Giant Robot (1975)
9) The Carnival of Monsters (1977)
10) The Claws of Axos (1977)
Also, will there retaining the original artwork and will another edition if it’s popular and could the BBC published other works by Terrence beyond Target? (Like the PDA, EDA, VMA & VNA)
Anonymous
November 12th, 2019 - 7:41pm1, smugglers
2, wheel in space
3, seeds of death
4, inferno
5, claws of axos
6, robots of death
7, horror of fang rock
8, five doctors
9, caves of androzani
10, mysterious planet
I think we’ll probably end up with a couple of the recent reprints though. Hopefully not too many if enough people vote sensibly. Unfortunately I’m not on Twitter!
SamWho
November 12th, 2019 - 9:34pmI think they will probably do a new cover similar to the resent targets maybe with Terrance in the middle surrounded by his doctors would be lovely
Anonymous
November 12th, 2019 - 9:49pmI like that idea, uncle Terrance on the cover
Pete X
November 13th, 2019 - 10:13amAvoiding those already reprinted (though they are some of Terrance Dick’s best) and in broadcast order, I would go for;
An Unearthly Child
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
The Faceless Ones
The Krotons
Inferno
The Claws of Axos
The Pyramids of Mars
The Horror of Fang Rock
The Caves of Androzani
The Mysterious Planet
I note that 3 were script edited by Terrance and 5 were scripted or script edited by Robert Holmes.
Terrance should be on the cover, beams coming out of his outstretched hands into the heads of Doctors 1-6 underneath. Like the cover of the Three Doctors.
Anonymous
November 12th, 2019 - 6:07pmWe need to steer clear of books that have been reprinted recently. Perfect opportunity to get wheel in space and other long gone books. We need to vote tactically as well as with our hearts. I for one love this idea. If I’m reading it right it will feature 10 books, so be prepared for an expensive time! So pleased…
Anonymous
November 12th, 2019 - 6:01pmGreat idea! I’m currently reading his works again and frankly would welcome any reprints!
the 14th doctor
November 12th, 2019 - 5:33pmwhat a lovely thing to do and a great way to remember this fantastic writer by.
Anonymous
November 12th, 2019 - 6:01pmI can see the idea but at the same time, its gonna be another money maker for the beeb. I know that sounds cynical but bbc is basically using his death to make a new book and earn more money. Personally, I’m skipping this. If it is your thing, enjoy. RIP terrance.
Anonymous
November 12th, 2019 - 6:04pmMy God how miserable are you!
Bobby Davros
November 15th, 2019 - 2:55pmSo Anonymous #1 would deny his family some royalties from this. How mean-spirited.
Anonymous
November 15th, 2019 - 3:20pmThe other side of it is, yes the BBC are going to make money, that’s the job of BBC books! But more importantly fans get to have some out of print books back and the most important thing is Terrance’s books are back on the shelves where they belong