May 23rd, 2023
43 comments
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Doctor Who The Evil of the Daleks Hardback
Available to order from www.amazon.co.uk
An inventive new retelling of one of Doctor Who’s all-time classic adventures, The Evil of the Daleks, will be published as a novel on 26th October.
BBC Books is delighted to be publishing an inventive new retelling of one of Doctor Who’s all-time classic adventures, The Evil of the Daleks, which was first released in 1967. Publishing on 26thOctober, this will be the first novel from beloved Doctor Who actor, Frazer Hines, who played one of the show’s longest running companions, Jamie McCrimmon.
After defending a space station from a Cyberman incursion, the Doctor and Jamie learn that young astrophysicist Zoe wishes to join them on their travels. To give her fair warning of the dangers she may face, the Doctor places the TARDIS outside time and space and uses a mind projector to share one of their most harrowing adventures… And so, Jamie is forced to relive his encounter with the Daleks at their most evil and calculating.
In a complex plot that dragged him from modern-day London to Victorian times and finally to the Dalek world of Skaro, he endured ordeals that tested his courage, strength – and his friendship with the Doctor – to the limit. He presents his own version of some of those events to Zoe; events that still anger him.And while fact and fiction blur inside the TARDIS, a malevolent force watches from outside. Soon, Jamie finds himself lured from the safety of the ship into dangers that could end Zoe’s travels before they begin – and all their lives, as well.
Categorised under: Books, Story books
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Bookcollector
October 28th, 2023 - 2:03pmI’m nearly finished this book now and it’s a good adaptation of evil but… where is the new subplot? There is nothing about a deadly force outside the tardis at all. I’m presuming that storyline was dropped in favour of a straight forward adaptation with small bits in the tardis with zoe the doctor and Jamie reacting to the events the doctor is showing zoe. I’m enjoying the book but the original blurb is definitely not correct!
Here’s what it said
“After defending a space station from a Cyberman incursion, the Doctor and Jamie learn that young astrophysicist Zoe wishes to join them on their travels. To give her fair warning of the dangers she may face, the Doctor places the TARDIS outside time and space and uses a mind projector to share one of their most harrowing adventures… And so, Jamie is forced to relive his encounter with the Daleks at their most evil and calculating. In a complex plot that dragged him from modern-day London to Victorian times and finally to the Dalek world of Skaro, he endured ordeals that tested his courage, strength – and his friendship with the Doctor – to the limit. He presents his own version of some of those events to Zoe; events that still anger him.And while fact and fiction blur inside the TARDIS, a malevolent force watches from outside. Soon, Jamie finds himself lured from the safety of the ship into dangers that could end Zoe’s travels before they begin – and all their lives, as well.”
And the blurb from the published book is…
“Young astrophysicist Zoe wishes to join Jamie and the Doctor on their travels. To give her fair warning of the dangers she may face, the Doctor uses a mind projector to share one of their most harrowing adventures…
And so, Jamie is forced to relive his struggle against the evil Daleks at their most powerful and calculating. In a complex plot that drags him from modern-day London to Victorian times and finally to the Dalek world of Skaro, he endures ordeals that test his courage, strength – and his friendship with the Doctor – to the limit…”
Still it is a good adaptation of evil and I suspect a new target book for next year.
Bookcollector
October 29th, 2023 - 5:24pmFinished this last night. Really good adaptation of the story. As I say above the planned subplot is gone but honestly it doesn’t matter. The adaptation is really good. I can definitely see this being a target paperback next year
The Fishmonger
September 3rd, 2023 - 9:46amAnyone who ordered a signed copy from Frazer’s website…it will be a signed bookplate rather than signed direct to the page. Doesn’t make any difference to me, its a quicker and easier way for the publisher to get it out there.
The Fishmonger
October 28th, 2023 - 10:48pmArrived today and its actually really good. Looks lovely. The bookplate is a great design. And so far the story is compelling (I’m only about 40 pages in, BookCollector has a very comprehensive review)
ABBA Are The Best
May 28th, 2023 - 12:35pmThis release could be down to “The Evil of The Daleks” by John Peel was released by Virgin Books and may have copyright issues
Anon
May 30th, 2023 - 7:29pmAs far as I know the BBC holds ultimate copyright of all target/virgin books as they were released under licence from the BBC. Peel’s power novel has recently been released as an audio so I think this is just a sixtieth anniversary special
Anonymous
May 24th, 2023 - 4:55pmThis seems really interesting. A retelling of a classic story, from Jamie’s point of view. Kinda like what Star Wars is doing, with their point of view series. I would like to see for the 60th Anniversary, a reprint of An Unearthly Child. Along with other classic stories.
Drwhofan12
May 24th, 2023 - 9:08amI might get this
AxC
May 24th, 2023 - 8:06amGiven he couldn’t even write his own memoir, who do we suppose actually wrote this? James Goss maybe? Who did Aldred’s one for her?
Anomie
May 24th, 2023 - 9:52amWell James Goss did Tom’s as well if that’s your attitude. What an unpleasant little comment
AxC
May 24th, 2023 - 5:04pmWell he didn’t write his own memoir. Three people pitched spec chapters and he chose one. So to have his name plastered over the front of this is pretty insidious from BBC Books when he probably only knocked up a foreword.
But if it makes money….
Anomie
May 24th, 2023 - 7:14pmNo it’s standard practice in the world even for novels. Katie price famously said she was looking forward to finding out what one of her novels was about! Besides which how do you know Frazer hasn’t written this? Do you have inside knowledge? Or are you just being unpleasant?
Anomie
May 24th, 2023 - 7:16pmSorry that should be book world
anon
May 24th, 2023 - 10:38pmTAO
Matthew Hopkins
May 25th, 2023 - 6:11amIt’s standard practice, which makes it OK.
Anonymous
May 23rd, 2023 - 11:09pmFrom the looks of it, this will be a first person re-telling of “Evil of the Daleks”, similar to the way David Whitaker retold the first Dalek story. Though it would appear that there may be a lot more to it than just that alone. Perhaps it will cover the whole Jamie/Victoria dynamic as well, told from his perspective. If that’s the case, we may possibly even get, Yeti, Ice Warriors, the Weed creature and Cybermen. Definitely Cybermen. Defininitely, “Wheel in Space” is instrumental to the plot. The brief description also promises a completely new element, which may make this unexpected delight worthy of the long wait.
Ian Cotterill
May 23rd, 2023 - 7:28pmSince we’ve already got a novelisation of ‘Evil of the Daleks’ by John Peel, I don’t quite see the point of doing a completely new one. However, I do like that this version will tie in with the final scene of ‘Wheel in Space’.
Anon
May 23rd, 2023 - 7:35pmI don’t think this is a full novelisation of evil. Even if it is, there is more to it than just a novelisation with the extra storyline being included. So this isn’t a replacement for the John peel novel but the version that is between wheel and dominators
Glenn Wakeling
May 23rd, 2023 - 6:56pmThis sounds great, I like many had the honour of meeting Frazer at a Bafta Dr Who Convention when the show was only 35 years old. Frazer was and still is a Top Man. Will add the book to my Wishlist.
TimelordTim
May 23rd, 2023 - 6:05pmThis looks great! I’ve enjoyed it when Tom Baker, Alex Kingston and Sophie Aldred wrote books and I’m sure Frazer will have done a great job with this interesting premise. I’ll certainly be looking for this one later this year.
Rory
May 23rd, 2023 - 5:30pmI’ll buy the one signed by Hines himself. He has confirmed that those will be coming on his page, so I’ll wait.
TimelordTim
May 23rd, 2023 - 6:03pmIt’s on his page now, in the ‘other signed items’ category.
anon
May 24th, 2023 - 6:15amShould I buy the Signed version? It’s £30 & cover’s postage & Frazer’s autograph – I’m in two minds about this?
Alex Oswin
May 23rd, 2023 - 4:25pmI’m not really interested in the 2nd Doctor era (personal preferences) but this sounds like such an interesting premise for a novelisation I might just have to get it.
Tardis mechanic
May 23rd, 2023 - 3:59pmCould not think of anyone better to write this. Just hope I can get this in USA.
Anonymous
May 23rd, 2023 - 3:35pmEvil of the Daleks,
2.0
Bicky
May 23rd, 2023 - 3:20pmThis looks great- I wonder if there will be more like this.
booboo
May 23rd, 2023 - 3:26pm2 other books are listed on Amazon no idea what they are
Illustrated DW: R Hardcover
DW October 2023 Hardcover
Bookcollector
May 23rd, 2023 - 3:50pmThe illustrated one looks likely to be another target book being done like last years dr who and the daleks book. It’s the same price of £30 so I guess that’s what that is. The other book may be a factual one as it’s listed as £35. I doubt it’s another novel or story collection at that price. I’ve ordered the evil book but I’m not to bothered about the illustrated book or the factual one (money dictates over wanting everything even books these days) hopefully those other two will be books others want. In terms of the illustrated book I was interested in last years but then felt I couldn’t justify the money for a book I own as a target book already. That applies to any future books in that style. Evil is different, it’s a separate story by the sound of it, taking evil as basic basis but with a plot around it. Oh, and I can’t resist that cover or a book by Jamie himself!
Rory
May 23rd, 2023 - 5:34pmPlease let the R Hardcover be about Romana II written by Lalla Ward.
Or about Rory. (I got reasons.)
Anon
May 23rd, 2023 - 7:04pmPrices mean these won’t be new novels. The illustrated daleks book was 30 quid so I think bookcollector is right this will be another target book in the same style. The r may not mean anything but it could refer to the rescue, the Romans, robot etc. I think it’s more likely to be either the web planet or the crusade really.
Anonymous
May 23rd, 2023 - 7:53pmR = Robot?
Bookcollector
May 23rd, 2023 - 8:01pmThe r could refer to anything, this book evil, was listed as dw – d. Shouldn’t be too long before they are announced properly
Anonymous
August 6th, 2023 - 6:46amLooks like the R book is an illustrated novelization of Rose. That’s what the Amazon page says. I had hoped it was a story from the classic series. Oh well.
David Minter
May 23rd, 2023 - 3:08pmI would be interested in getting this if it were released as a book on CD. Good luck with that, though. 🙂
booboo
May 23rd, 2023 - 3:11pmCD is listed not yet live
bryan
May 23rd, 2023 - 2:41pmWow!
Well that was unexpected. Fabulous news and very intriguing.
This is a birthday Treat to look forward to. And a lovely cover
Bookcollector
May 23rd, 2023 - 2:20pmHave to say the books are so far the best anniversary merchandise for me. This looks very interesting. Ordered instantly!
Bookcollector
May 23rd, 2023 - 2:26pmOh, and a shout out to that cover too
AT
May 23rd, 2023 - 2:15pmFinally some merchandise in the anniversary year to get excited about!
Bill Silver
May 23rd, 2023 - 2:05pmThis looks fascinating. I can’t NOT buy this. And the cover is just amazing.
The Quark
May 23rd, 2023 - 2:01pmSmashing cover !
Sons of Skaro
May 23rd, 2023 - 1:42pmOoooooh! Interesting!