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Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #75
Doctor Who: Meglos
Zastor, Leader of the planet Tigella, rules a divided people. Savants and Deons are irrevocably opposed on one crucial issue - the Dodecahedron, mysterious source of all their power.
To the Savants the Dodecahedron is a miracle of science to be studied, observed and used to benefit Tigellan civilisation. To the Deons it is a god and not to be tampered with.
When the power supply begins to fluctuate wildly the whole planet is threatened, but the Tigellans cannot agree how they should deal with the problem.
Zastor welcomes the arrival of the Doctor and invites him to arbitrate, but the Deons are suspicious of the Time Lord - and perhaps rightly so...
To the Savants the Dodecahedron is a miracle of science to be studied, observed and used to benefit Tigellan civilisation. To the Deons it is a god and not to be tampered with.
When the power supply begins to fluctuate wildly the whole planet is threatened, but the Tigellans cannot agree how they should deal with the problem.
Zastor welcomes the arrival of the Doctor and invites him to arbitrate, but the Deons are suspicious of the Time Lord - and perhaps rightly so...
126 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
3 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
About the author
Terrance Dicks
326 books219 followersTerrance 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 12, 2022
Meglos was the second serial in the eighteenth season of Doctor Who and was broadcast in September and October of 1980. John Flanagan and Andrew McCulloch collaborated on the original script, and this adaptation was written by the show's former script editor Terrance Dicks, who wrote more of the Target novelizations than anyone else. The story starred the fourth incarnation of The Doctor, along with the second version of his Time Lady companion Romanadvoratrelundar and their robotic dog, K9. In the story, the TARDIS crew are caught in a time loop, but escape in time to stop the evil cactus creature Meglos (who's been impersonating The Doctor) and his band of space pirates in their attempt to steal the power source of the planet Tigella. (The role of the religious leader of the Tigellans was played by Jacqueline Hill, who had previously played Susan Wright, one of the original companions of the first Doctor... but that doesn't have anything to do with this book...) There are some amusing bits of byplay between The Doctor and Romana, but it's a somewhat contrived and confused story altogether. Dicks' adaptation is accurate, concise, and fast-paced, one of the stories that can probably be easily read in a single sitting. The confusion caused by Meglos and The Doctor impersonating each other is well-done, much better than when the similar situation between Salamander and the second Doctor occurred in Enemy of the World. It's a fun story, but not an especially memorable one.
August 2, 2012
The people of Tigella are worried: the mysterious Dodecahedron that powers their entire civilization is having power fluctuations. They call upon the Doctor for help. Unbenknownst to them, the Dodecahedron many of them worship as a god was actually created by the plant people of Zolfa-Thuron. The Zolfa-Thurons destroyed themselves in civil war over the Dodecahedron, and only one survived: the malevolent Meglos! He traps the Doctor, Romana, and K-9 in a temporal loop, then shapeshifts to look like the Doctor and descends upon Tigella as their awaited savior.
The story is nothing special, but I always love the Doctor's interactions with Romana. It's interesting that this is yet another story featuring alien humanoids who rely upon technology they don't understand.
The story is nothing special, but I always love the Doctor's interactions with Romana. It's interesting that this is yet another story featuring alien humanoids who rely upon technology they don't understand.
May 16, 2017
A great story. The Doctor's doppelganger causing grief.
March 17, 2019
I try to avoid one star ratings, because it does take a lot to write a story. In this case, the rating is not reflective of Terrance Dicks writing style, but the plot. I think the televised story fared better.
The plot will explain all. An alien, who is the last of its race, a sentient cactus has mercenaries kidnap a human. This is so the cactus could take over the human's body. Why? So the cactus could then change its appearance to look like the Doctor to steal a power source. Why? To use the power source to power the giant laser on its planet to take over the universe.
The Doctor does save the day, only after escaping from a time loop created by the cactus. At the halfway mark, when the Doctor escapes the Time Loop, some identity confusion goes until the final show down, which is rather dull. This sounds even more silly as I write it.
I will give some points to Terrance Dicks, as he does give a bit of a background to the human, which is something to expand the story. Otherwise, just not worth it. Visually this plot might have worked on TV, though all I can remember is the 4th Doctor looking like a cactus. This is only for fans of Doctor Who who want to read the novelization and that is a stretch.
One thing to note, this was the last 4th Doctor story released by Target based on the televised stories. It was also the last Target book I bought to complete my Target collection of Doctor Who books.
The plot will explain all. An alien, who is the last of its race, a sentient cactus has mercenaries kidnap a human. This is so the cactus could take over the human's body. Why? So the cactus could then change its appearance to look like the Doctor to steal a power source. Why? To use the power source to power the giant laser on its planet to take over the universe.
The Doctor does save the day, only after escaping from a time loop created by the cactus. At the halfway mark, when the Doctor escapes the Time Loop, some identity confusion goes until the final show down, which is rather dull. This sounds even more silly as I write it.
I will give some points to Terrance Dicks, as he does give a bit of a background to the human, which is something to expand the story. Otherwise, just not worth it. Visually this plot might have worked on TV, though all I can remember is the 4th Doctor looking like a cactus. This is only for fans of Doctor Who who want to read the novelization and that is a stretch.
One thing to note, this was the last 4th Doctor story released by Target based on the televised stories. It was also the last Target book I bought to complete my Target collection of Doctor Who books.
April 6, 2022
The two Gaztak leaders, General Grugger and Brotadec, work well in print. Brotadec in particular, how he covets the Doctor's coat, and how at points, he marvels at the charisma of Meglos, is amusing. Terrance Dicks' setup in the the book is quite different than the TV version, as we get some of Bank Manager George Morris' backstory of how he was abducted. I haven't watched Meglos in a number of years, but I seem to remember on television, Morris was already in the custody of the Gaztaks. I don't think there's ever been any prequel in print or audio of the Doctor's first visit to Tigella (?) The book does give more context to the fall of Zolfa-Thura and how Meglos wound up the last xerophyte, and where the Dodecahedron came from. The Tigella society is quite interesting, with the fundamentalist and secular divide. I think it works overall as a parable. The Tigellans have a big cultural divide, but they need to be able to find common ground and work together, while the greed / treachery of the Gaztaks leads them nowhere but trouble. Though, I do find the conclusion a bit macabre where the fate of the Gaztaks and Meglos is concerned.
August 23, 2023
Doctor Who : Meglos (1983) by Terrance Dicks is the novelisation of the second serial of season eighteen of Doctor Who.
The Doctor, Romana and K9 travel to Tigella, a world where the inhabitants live in caves underground. Their society is powered by the Dodecahedron. The society of Tigella has divided itself into the Deons and the Savants. The Deons are highly religious and worship the Dodecahedron while the Savants are scientific. Meanwhile, a sentient plant called Meglos has possessed a human brought to him by a band of space scavengers. He plots as to how he can get to the Dodecahedron which he wants for his own purposes.
The serial is probably best known for the image shown on the cover, that of Meglos impersonating the Doctor but with spines coming out.
It’s amusing enough. Not a bad story to preceed the E-space trilogy.
The Doctor, Romana and K9 travel to Tigella, a world where the inhabitants live in caves underground. Their society is powered by the Dodecahedron. The society of Tigella has divided itself into the Deons and the Savants. The Deons are highly religious and worship the Dodecahedron while the Savants are scientific. Meanwhile, a sentient plant called Meglos has possessed a human brought to him by a band of space scavengers. He plots as to how he can get to the Dodecahedron which he wants for his own purposes.
The serial is probably best known for the image shown on the cover, that of Meglos impersonating the Doctor but with spines coming out.
It’s amusing enough. Not a bad story to preceed the E-space trilogy.
May 18, 2021
Not a bad story, but doesn't really grab me either, feels somewhat middle of the road.
The idea of Meglos is an interesting one, and leads to some interesting scenes, plus the Doctor and Romana get quite a few interesting scenes of their own, though it felt like K9 didn't get as many moments to shine really.
However, outside of these 3, the other characters weren't that interesting, many quite one dimensional, and the ones that weren't tending to be narrow minded and / or indecisive, leading to an overall plot that seemed somewhat generic / echoes of what has happened in other stories more so than normal.
So overall, a reasonable read, but certainly far from the list of top ones for me.
The idea of Meglos is an interesting one, and leads to some interesting scenes, plus the Doctor and Romana get quite a few interesting scenes of their own, though it felt like K9 didn't get as many moments to shine really.
However, outside of these 3, the other characters weren't that interesting, many quite one dimensional, and the ones that weren't tending to be narrow minded and / or indecisive, leading to an overall plot that seemed somewhat generic / echoes of what has happened in other stories more so than normal.
So overall, a reasonable read, but certainly far from the list of top ones for me.
August 14, 2024
The audiobook novelization of this story is better than the TV version, but it's still one of the weaker Season 18 serials. Meglos impersonating the Doctor remains quite fun, however, the time loop with the Fourth Doctor and Romana goes on for too long, meaning that it takes a while for them to enter the story.
Terrance Dick does add more colour to it with his excellent prose though, and Jon Culshaw does a fantastic job at reading. His Fourth Doctor impression is spot-on as usual, and it's lovely to also hear more of John Leeson as K9.
Terrance Dick does add more colour to it with his excellent prose though, and Jon Culshaw does a fantastic job at reading. His Fourth Doctor impression is spot-on as usual, and it's lovely to also hear more of John Leeson as K9.
February 8, 2025
Starts terrifically, with loads of atmosphere and tension then devolves about two-thirds of the way through into a caper resolved only by a foreshadowed piece of business with coats, although how Meglos can take a coat off when it’s part of him is beyond me.
February 28, 2021
Not my favourite
March 14, 2021
The Doctor against an intelligent body snatcher cactus and some lame space pirates? The whole idea is so bonkers that you either love it or hate it. I myself belong to the first group.
November 24, 2021
Read many times, this was just the most recent :)
August 15, 2023
Goodness me this was dire, dont remember the episode and after reading this im glad i dont, shambling mess of a novelisation
March 20, 2022
pdf; 84 pages 'First published 1983; copyright 1987... ')
Uninspired novelisation of an uninspired and slightly bonkers script - Doctor and team are summoned but delayed and by the time they arrive it's almost all over...
Uninspired novelisation of an uninspired and slightly bonkers script - Doctor and team are summoned but delayed and by the time they arrive it's almost all over...
September 28, 2021
"Meglos" features one of the shortest run times in all of classic Doctor Who. If you remove recaps and the credits, the entire run of this one barely runs just a shade over eighty minutes -- well short of the standard run time for a four-part serial. And while many will agree with this is the weakest entry for season eighteen, I choose not to see that as a blight on the story, but rather a compliment to just how good season eighteen really is.
And if we're being honest, I'd rather watch "Meglos" than "The Horns of Nimon" any day of the week.
So, the sheer fact that Terrance Dicks is able to get the novel up to its usual page count and to actually enhance the story a bit is a testament to just how good Dicks can be. Oh sure, he can't really explain away a sentient, talking cactus as the main villain, but he can at least give us a bit of backstory and a name for the kidnapped human who serves as a host for the titular "Meglos."
Dicks also fills in a few gaps in the history of both worlds and the conflict between them, adding a bit of depth to the story. And yes, this is a story of doppelgangers and huge coincidences, but I honestly didn't mind them as much on listening to the audiobook of this one. This isn't a classic serial, but if taken in the right way, it's a good one. The commentary on the conflict between science and religion on the planet Tigella seems like it could or should be more interesting or substantial than it turns out to be.
The audiobook of this one is another solid entry in the line. John Culshaw has become one of the strongest readers as the range starts to wind down -- and not just because he imitates Tom Baker spot-on. Of course, having John Leeson on hand to read K-9's lines is an added bonus.
Look, this isn't a great story but it's a damn fun one --and the audiobook reflects that. I don't regret a moment I spent with this one.
And if we're being honest, I'd rather watch "Meglos" than "The Horns of Nimon" any day of the week.
So, the sheer fact that Terrance Dicks is able to get the novel up to its usual page count and to actually enhance the story a bit is a testament to just how good Dicks can be. Oh sure, he can't really explain away a sentient, talking cactus as the main villain, but he can at least give us a bit of backstory and a name for the kidnapped human who serves as a host for the titular "Meglos."
Dicks also fills in a few gaps in the history of both worlds and the conflict between them, adding a bit of depth to the story. And yes, this is a story of doppelgangers and huge coincidences, but I honestly didn't mind them as much on listening to the audiobook of this one. This isn't a classic serial, but if taken in the right way, it's a good one. The commentary on the conflict between science and religion on the planet Tigella seems like it could or should be more interesting or substantial than it turns out to be.
The audiobook of this one is another solid entry in the line. John Culshaw has become one of the strongest readers as the range starts to wind down -- and not just because he imitates Tom Baker spot-on. Of course, having John Leeson on hand to read K-9's lines is an added bonus.
Look, this isn't a great story but it's a damn fun one --and the audiobook reflects that. I don't regret a moment I spent with this one.
October 29, 2011
Meglos is a Doctor Who novelisation from the era when Tom Baker was playing the character (Baker was always my favourite Doctor, and remains so even now that the show has been revived for a 21st century audience). Terrance Dicks does a serviceable but unremarkable job with this adaptation. It's quick and easy and entertaining to read, but a few days after you've finished the book you'll probably forget it.
The Doctor is requested to visit a planet called Tigella which is split between two opposing factions. The Deons worship the Dodecahedron - a strange object that appeared mysteriously on their planet many centuries earlier. The Savants are more scientifically-minded and believe the Dodecahedron is a scientific object that could be used for their ultimate benefit. The Dodecahedron is rapidly losing power and it is hoped the Doctor will be able to figure out why. But a strange shape-shifting being named Meglos disguises himself as the Doctor in order to steal the Dodecahedron for his own evil ends, and a race against time ensues before he can create galaxy-wide chaos.
Fast-moving, evocative prose is Dicks' strong suit. Characterisation and back story are not. The book is short and simple - perfectly entertaining without particularly stirring the brain or the imagination.
The Doctor is requested to visit a planet called Tigella which is split between two opposing factions. The Deons worship the Dodecahedron - a strange object that appeared mysteriously on their planet many centuries earlier. The Savants are more scientifically-minded and believe the Dodecahedron is a scientific object that could be used for their ultimate benefit. The Dodecahedron is rapidly losing power and it is hoped the Doctor will be able to figure out why. But a strange shape-shifting being named Meglos disguises himself as the Doctor in order to steal the Dodecahedron for his own evil ends, and a race against time ensues before he can create galaxy-wide chaos.
Fast-moving, evocative prose is Dicks' strong suit. Characterisation and back story are not. The book is short and simple - perfectly entertaining without particularly stirring the brain or the imagination.
April 15, 2018
After a period when Terrance Dicks was delivering short & simple transcripts month after month, he starts stretching himself with "Meglos". It's the shaggy-dog story of 4th Doctor Tom Baker's final year, but not only does Mr. Dicks tighten up the story and the action in prose, he also adds some lovely background -- and a name -- to the innocent Earthling who gets caught up in the crazy machinations of the most villainous cactus in the galaxy. A novelization that is much more than the sum of its parts.
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April 8, 2009http://nhw.livejournal.com/1051656.html#cutid7[return][return]For once, Dicks has filled out a lot of background to what was otherwise a somewhat rootless story. The Earthling whose body Meglos borrows gets a name; we get the history of Zolfa-Thura in terms which very nearly make sense, and the whole thing is a definite improvement - though, alas, from a poor starting base.
May 14, 2008
Sometimes, when the Doctor Who TV episode is weak, the book will do a better job of telling the story.
This isn't one of those books.
An okay TV story that had to coast quite a bit on the Doctor/Rommana chemistry and that doesn't come across quite as well in the book.
You'd think that any story where the villain is an evil cactus couldn't possibly be boring, but Meglos proved me wrong.
This isn't one of those books.
An okay TV story that had to coast quite a bit on the Doctor/Rommana chemistry and that doesn't come across quite as well in the book.
You'd think that any story where the villain is an evil cactus couldn't possibly be boring, but Meglos proved me wrong.
May 25, 2016
Not one of the more distinguished episodes, in fact, it's up there with my least favorites of the Baker episodes. But, as usual, Terrance Dick's writing elevates it from the mundane to, okay admittedly just less than mundane. Or maybe I don't like Cacti.
January 28, 2008
Enjoyed, nice plot, etc - very simply written - these should be re-published for kids today - the DW books now are too adult/teen for kids 7-10ish.
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August 23, 2008isbn,original
May 5, 2016
read some time in 1993
July 10, 2022
An okay book not to taxing or exciting to be fair quick and easy to read.
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October 9, 2009Doctor Who: Meglos by Terrance Dicks (1983)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews