Star Quest: Spacejack

Star Quest #1

by Terrance Dicks

Genres: Science Fiction

112 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1979

About the author

Terrance Dicks was an English author, screenwriter, script editor, and producer best known for his extensive contributions to Doctor Who. Serving as the show's script editor from 1968 to 1974, he helped shape many core elements of the series, including the concept of regeneration, the development of the Time Lords, and the naming of the Doctor’s home planet, Gallifrey. His tenure coincided with major thematic expansions, and he worked closely with producer Barry Letts to bring a socially aware tone to the show. Dicks later wrote several Doctor Who serials, including Robot, Horror of Fang Rock, and The Five Doctors, the 20th-anniversary special.
In parallel with his television work, Dicks became one of the most prolific writers of Doctor Who novelisations for Target Books, authoring over 60 titles and serving as the de facto editor of the range. These adaptations introduced a generation of young readers to the franchise. Beyond Doctor Who, he also wrote original novels, including children’s horror and adventure series such as The Baker Street Irregulars, Star Quest, and The Adventures of Goliath.
Dicks also worked on other television programmes including The Avengers, Moonbase 3, and various BBC literary adaptations. His later work included audio dramas and novels tied to Doctor Who. Widely respected for his clarity, imagination, and dedication to storytelling, he remained a central figure in Doctor Who fandom until his death in 2019, leaving behind a vast legacy in television and children's literature.

Reviews

[Andrew Lawston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrance Dicks is best known for writing dozens of novelisations of Doctor Who stories, generally at around 128 pages and full of lurid chapter titles like "Escape to Danger". But he also wrote a huge number of original books for children and younger readers - these also tended to weigh in at around 128 pages. He got a whole generation of kids reading. And all in addition to an extensive career in television writing and script-editing. The man was a legend.

His Star Quest trilogy is pretty obscure these days, and clearly an attempt at a bit of a Star Wars cash-in, using many tropes familiar from the author's Doctor Who work. Starjack is a quest story that sees teenage cousins Kevin and Jan abducted from 20th century Stonehenge by space baddies (the Kaldor), while a third cousin Anna pursues them across the galaxy with a giant (Garm), dwarf (Tell), and octopus (Osar). Kevin is British, Jan is American, and Anna is Swedish, but after giving their surprisingly lengthy family backstory, these details are quietly forgotten after the opening chapter.

Alien cities, deadly monsters, clone armies, ancient civilisations, and officious robots are soon encountered. Often quite briefly.

Clearly, the book is flimsy nonsense. But it's written with total conviction, a simple story, told well, by an absolute master. Amid the Star Wars knockoffery, it even kind of predicts Ewoks, which is possibly a dubious honour, but there we go. Breathless pulp adventure that doesn't let up until the final page.

[Derelict Space Sheep · Rating 3 out of 5]

42 WORD REVIEW:

Drawing on the SF zeitgeist of the late 1970s, Dicks managed to channel Doctor Who, Star Wars, and even Planet of the Apes in this slim Middle Grade adventure. An easy, fast-paced read with decent characterisation and several positive (if overt) morals.

[Nev Fountain · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's nothing that transports me to my childhood like Terrance Dicks, and there's nothing more Terrance Dicks than this obscure Star Wars cash-in, which is replete with Dicksian description on every line.

[Ninja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple fun adventure, I still prefer the second book, but that's always going to happen when you read and reread one as a kid, and the other as an adult.

[Egghead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aliens at Stonehenge
Teens abducted- adventure!
Dicks keeps it moving

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

For children, Nazi's in space etc.