Doctor Who: Snakedance

Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #83

by Terrance Dicks

The TARDIS arrives on the planet Manussa — much to the Doctor's surprise, because Tegan has mysteriously set the co-ordinates.

But Tegan, once again a member of the TARDIS crew, is not her own boss. An unsuspecting medium for the sinister Mara, she enables the evil exile to return to his home planet.

On Manussa the ten-yearly celebration of the Mara's banishment is about to take place. Only the Doctor realises that this could in fact mark the spectacular revival of a reign of terror — but no one will heed his warning.

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

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

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novelization of the second adventure from Doctor Who's twentieth season, which was originally broadcast in January of 1983. Christopher Bailey wrote the teleplay that Terrance Dicks adapted for this book. The story stars the fifth regeneration of The Doctor (you know, Tristan Farnon) and his companions Nyssa and Tegan. The story is a sequel to an episode from the previous year, Kinda, though it's set five-hundred years later. Dicks could have done a better job of summarizing the situation; as it is, I think reading the other one first is necessary. Tegan is once again taken over by the evil Mara, and The Doctor and Nyssa have to save her as well as the Manussans. Snakes and religion and philosophy are involved, though the story doesn't delve too deeply. Not a bad story, but it feels rushed and could have been much better.

[Polly Batchelor · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Dreams are important...never underestimate them."

'Snakedance' is a sequel to 'Kinda'. Tegan is having nightmares, which previously caused by the Mara and have decided to resurface. In order to get some help, The Doctor along with Nyssa end up going to Manussa. Which was where the Mara was once before, which was exactly was what the Mara wanted to use Tegan once more in order to take over Manussa once again.

I enjoyed Terrance's novel a lot more than I did with 'Kinda'. Again it wasn't expanded on a lot, but I enjoyed the description of the Mara and of Manussa. I also liked the added info of the Doctor translating 'Sumaran Empire' to 'Empire of the Mara.'

"Fear is the only poison."

"Dream, what dream?"

[Ivana Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quite good adaptation, given the usual limited page count. I don't understand why Dicks chose to miss out the final line of episode 3 - yes, it was ad-libbed by Davison , but it was very fun and summed up what most of the viewing audience was thinking at the time. The front cover picture of the statuette Lon has in ep 1 is very nice, but rather meaningless unless you already know the story, and does nothing to hint at the plot. Makes a change from photos of Peter Davison though.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first watched "Kinda," I came away with the feeling that the Target adaptation would surely delve a bit more into the deeper psychology of the Mara and its manipulation of Tegan. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with Terrance Dicks' adaptation. Instead, "Kinda" translated what we saw on screen with little embellishment from Dicks.

This may be why I never sought out Dicks' adaptation of the sequel, "Snakedance." Forty years later, as I finally get to the novel via the Target audio range (sadly in its last few installments), that feeling is underscored. Don't get me wrong -- Dicks is doing his best for the range, offering up a well-told adaptation of everything we see on screen. But this one feels like a missed opportunity. Again, I find myself yearning for the early or later day entries from Dicks, when he had time to breathe and allow for some greater character development and world building than just what we see on screen. I couldn't help but wonder how the Dicks who wrote "Auton Invasion" would have handled the characterisation on Lon, the bored young ruler who falls under the Mara's sway. Or perhaps a chapter focusing on Dojen's history and what led him into exile.

Instead, this is a middle-of-the-road adaptation of one of its era's stronger stories. It's not necessarily terrible, but it's not necessarily awesome either.

The audio version is still enjoyable enough, if only because it's the range's go-to reader in Geoffrey Beavers. The soundscape is well done, and the creation of a sinister voice for those possessed by the Mara is unnerving enough. Again, Beavers can read a take-out menu, and I'd listen to it simply because he brings his best performance to the material every time. If this is to the be the final time we have Beavers perform a Target book, it's not the worst material. But it's not the best either.

[Christopher Kidder-mostrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started a bit rough, but grew on me quote a lot.

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tricky story to dive into given it relies a lot on familiarity with the serial Kinda, where the Mara was first introduced. It still stands on its own, but it would certainly help to know more about Tegan's first struggle with this psychic entity.

Now we have Tegan being overwhelmed by the Mara once more as it tries to execute a plan to reconstitute itself. Thus we get to travel to the homeworld where the Mara was spawned, but it may also be where it may come back into being. And the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan are swept away by this complex plot and the machinations of the Mara.

We get bogged down a lot with the locals, so to speak, and it's not necessarily all that exciting. The Mara's plan is extremely subtle and relies on knowledge of the truth of the race - truth lost to rituals, traditions, and natural erosion of memory time. It's not exactly the most exciting adventure, but the ending is very Doctor Who in tone and structure and it makes sense enough.

[Gareth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting follow up to Kinda, and I like the concept of the Mara, though I think some of what occurs in this story, with more background to the Mara, takes away a bit from them, they seemed somewhat eternal in Kinda, and more eerie, whereas in Snakedance they are made more recent and a bit more one dimensional.
There is fun stuff in here though, with Tegan still affected by the Mara, leading to very non-companion like scenes for her.
However, outside of that, the story seems to rely on some of the one off characters being idiots basically, and the Doctor and Nyssa being somewhat ineffectual, for the plot to be able to carry though to it's end.
So the Doctor and Nyssa, while get some interesting scenes, are also somewhat weaker in this story than normal for me, getting into trouble but relying on others to get them out of it, rather than getting themselves out like would normally be the case.
So a bit of a mixed bag, but still an entertaining read.

[Mikes Dw Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've always rather enjoyed the tv story of "Snakedance" and I think alot of its contents of how the people grew up to create shows and rituals based on the defeat of the Marais ptetty interesting. Which In turn shows us how the people have created the Mara from within themselves. However this book doesn't explore this in more detail or let us get into the heads of these characters. Which is a shame as that's the more interesting part. Instead the story quickly goes from a to b. The problem is that most of this story is focused on the build up to the maras return. which eventually happens in the final chapter. So sadly the books feels a little boring as nothing much happens. But the cover is absolutely beautiful.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure I have ever seen the Snakedance episodes. If I have they didn't stick with me. The story is an interesting one with the events of Kinda coming back to haunt Tegan. Turns out she is still possessed by the Mara who has been biding his time until he can get the Tardis to take him back home. Once home the Mara via Tegan quickly begins to possess others to do his will and help him to become corporeal again. The story was kind of interesting but not very engaging. Thankfully it is one of the shorter Doctor Who stories. I am glad I read as I am not sure I will ever be able to catch it on television.

[David Layton · Rating 3 out of 5]

It really is too bad that Christopher Bailey did not novelize the episodes he wrote. It would have been fascinating to get further exploration of the concepts and traditions that are so much of what makes his two Doctor Who episodes so appealing. Here, Terrance Dicks, who, one suspects, has little sympathy for the Buddhist and multicultural perspective that form the thematic structure of the story, has done his normal serviceable, but largely forgettable writing of the Target novelizations. At least he does not tinker much with the script, so one can recreate the episode while reading.

[▫️Ron S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that Snakedance continues a previous companion-centric possession story, giving Tegan her most impacting performance of her time with the Doctor. The slight Buddhist flavor of the villain, the resolution involving mindful finding of a calm still place within, the cultural phenomenon of the celebration… good stuff, and more enthralling than many other stories of the era.
Perhaps best read, as the limits of the staged crowds and middling effects aren’t handicaps. It’s also fun to have the Doctor stuck on a jail cell w/o his sonicscrewdriver to provide a simple solution.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doctor Who : Snakedance (1984) by Terrance Dicks is the novelisation of the second serial of the twentieth season of Doctor Who.

The TARDIS travels to the planet Manusa due to Tegan having entered in coordinates into the system. Tegan is having nightmares related to the Mara again. The Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa explore the planet and learn that the planet has been the centre of two empires, but was also the home of the Mara. There are also snake dancers who have developed a mental technique that can stand up to the Mara.

Snakedance is an OK serial. It’s more one for completionists though.

[Ian Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more accessible than Kinda (to which it is a sequel) which is possibly why it is a slightly better-written book. The Mara are a more conventional villain this time around but the setting is just as exotic and the characters equally well-drawn.

[Paul Charles Radio Show · Rating 3 out of 5]

5/10

[Steve Matthewman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read, nothing of any great depth to the adaptation of the TV story.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tegan once again gets the Doctor into trouble--this time by getting possessed by the malevolent Mara. The Mara is the manifestation of all the evil and darkness in the minds of a formerly technologically advanced Empire. Confrontations with princes! The Doctor is thought to be a madman! Tegan is useless! Evil physically manifests itself! All the usual tropes, told in Dicks's usual servicable style.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those stories that just didn't translate all that well from a screenplay to a novelization, and I think it's because it wasn't one of the better Doctor Who stories to begin with. The "villain" had powers that varied with the needs of the individual scene, and weaknesses that worked by writer fiat. Even Terrance Dicks couldn't entirely save this one.
On the other hand, there were some good bits of dialogue, and it was a quick adventure romp.

[Travis · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the 'Mara' stories are considered classic fifth Doctor stories, I never really got into them. Some interesting ideas and nice chance for Tegan to be in the spotlight, but the 'Mara' was such a vaguely defined monster that it never seemed to have power of the other classic Who monsters and got bogged down in philosophy.

Nice character bits, but not a great story.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 2 out of 5]

For every moment of Terrance Dicks genius, comes a moment of disillusionment. As with its predecessor, "Kinda", Mr. Dicks is unable or unwilling to translate this gorgeous script into a novelization worthy of its TV production. Instead, it's another functional translation...when what was needed was something truly epic. Very disappointing.

[Nicholas Whyte]

http://nhw.livejournal.com/1060883.html#cutid3[return][return]Another rather run-of-the-mill Dicks effort, which is a shame as the TV version was one of my favourite Davison stories.

[bluetyson]

isbn,original

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly workmanlike Dicks adaptation of a great TV serial that sadly loses a lot of the atmosphere, though Geoffrey Beevers does a great job of the audio narration.