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Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #23
Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon
TV tie-in paperback
143 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
5 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Malcolm Hulke
44 books23 followersMalcolm Hulke was a British science fiction writer best known for his tenure as a writer on the popular series Doctor Who. He is credited with writing eight stories for Doctor Who, mostly featuring the Third Doctor as played by Jon Pertwee. With Terrance Dicks, he wrote the final serial of Patrick Troughton's run as the Doctor, the epic ten-part story "The War Games." Hulke may be best known for writing "The Silurians," the story that created the titular race that is still featured in Doctor Who. Hulke's stories were well-known for writing characters that were not black and white in terms of morality: there was never a clear good guy vs. bad guy bent to his story.
Hulke joined the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1945 and worked briefly as a typist in the party's headquarters. He left the party in 1951, objecting to the Soviet Union's hostility to Yugoslavia and its line on the Korean War, but soon rejoined, and appears to have remained a member of the party, on until the early 1960s. His politics remained firmly on the left, and this was reflected in his writings, which often explored anti-authoritarian, environmental, and humanist themes.
In addition to his television writing, Hulke wrote the novelizations of seven television Doctor Who stories, each of which had written for the screen. He died at the age of fifty-four, shortly before his novelization of "The War Games" would be published.
Hulke joined the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1945 and worked briefly as a typist in the party's headquarters. He left the party in 1951, objecting to the Soviet Union's hostility to Yugoslavia and its line on the Korean War, but soon rejoined, and appears to have remained a member of the party, on until the early 1960s. His politics remained firmly on the left, and this was reflected in his writings, which often explored anti-authoritarian, environmental, and humanist themes.
In addition to his television writing, Hulke wrote the novelizations of seven television Doctor Who stories, each of which had written for the screen. He died at the age of fifty-four, shortly before his novelization of "The War Games" would be published.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
June 17, 2019
Hulke always adds something new and different to he’s novels, most noticeably a new introduction to companion Jo Grant in this Six part series from 1971.
As this was the first story from that year to be novelised it makes sense for her to be introduced this way, mainly because this was The Third Doctor’s first trip to an alien world.
With this incarnation being exiled to Earth the opening chapter with an elderly Time Lord explaining to his assistant the Doctor-Master rivalry it’s a great way to inform those who’d not seen any episodes from that season all the backstory needed.
An enjoyable serial even though the message of a despicable mining company is a little on the nose at times.
Once the ‘Adjudicator’ arrives the story gets even better, the scenes involving The Doctor and The Master sparkle into life.
As this was the first story from that year to be novelised it makes sense for her to be introduced this way, mainly because this was The Third Doctor’s first trip to an alien world.
With this incarnation being exiled to Earth the opening chapter with an elderly Time Lord explaining to his assistant the Doctor-Master rivalry it’s a great way to inform those who’d not seen any episodes from that season all the backstory needed.
An enjoyable serial even though the message of a despicable mining company is a little on the nose at times.
Once the ‘Adjudicator’ arrives the story gets even better, the scenes involving The Doctor and The Master sparkle into life.
October 17, 2021
This is an adaptation of the fourth serial of the eighth season of Doctor Who, which was broadcast in April and May of 1971 and starred the third version of the title character. The title used on the televised version was Colony in Space, and Malcolm Hulke adapted his own teleplay for this book. It was one of the longer adventures, stretching over six episodes rather than the familiar four, and the book is a bit longer as a result. Hulke made several changes in this prose version, such as introducing companion Jo Grant as if she were meeting The Doctor for the first time, and adding some Time Lord and Master discussion and back story. He isn't conceerned with context/continuity. The Time Lords send The Doctor and Jo to Uxarieus in the year 2472 where colonist miners are under attack by reptilian monsters. The Master is attempting to get control of an ancient doomsday weapon in order to further his nefarious evil plans, and at one point tries to tempt The Doctor by offering to share ruling the universe with him. This is the second novel in the Pinnacle series that introduced the character to the United States, which was known prior to it in a very limited way. Harlan Ellison wrote a good introduction which was used in all ten of the titles, though it wasn't clear that there was a different Doctor from time to time...so to speak...
July 3, 2019
If you're an American fan of a certain age, you may recall the reprinted Target novels released under the Pinnacle banner and masthead. New covers with an odd logo that never once featured on-screen and an introduction by Harlan Ellison, listing the merits of Doctor Who over every other sci-fi series small or large screen at the time.
As a new Who fan in the early 80's, I checked each one out of my local library, excited to find out more about my new obsession.
The biggest drawback of the Pinnacle books was that they had introductions for the Doctor and his companions that made it seem as if all ten selections were from the fourth Doctor's tenure. This worked for seven of the ten, but not the three from the Jon Pertwee era. So, it was kind of a shock when I finally got my hands on the Programme Guide and found that three stories I'd envisioned Tom Baker starring in instead featured the guy before him.
One of those was Malcolm Hulke's "The Doomsday Weapon." (Thank heavens the Programme Guide included the title of the novel under the summary for each story or I'd have still be confused).
"The Doomsday Weapon" is one of those Pertwee era stories that works better on the printed page than it does on screen. Hulke's adaptation gives us an introduction to Jo Grant, even though this isn't her first televised story. It sets up the colony's situation better and makes the giant reptiles that are attacking everything seem far more lurid and believable than what we got on-screen. It was one of those cases where my imagination filled in the details so well that no matter what we got on-screen was going to pale by comparison.
Hulke gives us solid characters, a good reworking of his original material, and some not so subtle political commentary along the way. In short, it may be one of the best novels from the Doctor Who range, whether you read it under the Target or Pinnacle banner.
It's easy to see why this was chosen to be one of the first novels for the audio range. And why you'd have Geoffrey Beavers perform it. As I've said before, I'd listen to Beavers read the phone book. He's really that good and his work here is among his best. Great reader, great material, great novel.
I'll give this one a 4.5 out of 5.
As a new Who fan in the early 80's, I checked each one out of my local library, excited to find out more about my new obsession.
The biggest drawback of the Pinnacle books was that they had introductions for the Doctor and his companions that made it seem as if all ten selections were from the fourth Doctor's tenure. This worked for seven of the ten, but not the three from the Jon Pertwee era. So, it was kind of a shock when I finally got my hands on the Programme Guide and found that three stories I'd envisioned Tom Baker starring in instead featured the guy before him.
One of those was Malcolm Hulke's "The Doomsday Weapon." (Thank heavens the Programme Guide included the title of the novel under the summary for each story or I'd have still be confused).
"The Doomsday Weapon" is one of those Pertwee era stories that works better on the printed page than it does on screen. Hulke's adaptation gives us an introduction to Jo Grant, even though this isn't her first televised story. It sets up the colony's situation better and makes the giant reptiles that are attacking everything seem far more lurid and believable than what we got on-screen. It was one of those cases where my imagination filled in the details so well that no matter what we got on-screen was going to pale by comparison.
Hulke gives us solid characters, a good reworking of his original material, and some not so subtle political commentary along the way. In short, it may be one of the best novels from the Doctor Who range, whether you read it under the Target or Pinnacle banner.
It's easy to see why this was chosen to be one of the first novels for the audio range. And why you'd have Geoffrey Beavers perform it. As I've said before, I'd listen to Beavers read the phone book. He's really that good and his work here is among his best. Great reader, great material, great novel.
I'll give this one a 4.5 out of 5.
August 10, 2023
Screenwriter Malcolm Hulke adapts his own screenplay, from the Jon Pertwee Doctor Who adventure Colony in Space, into this gritty novel that is an improvement on the TV version.
There's plenty to like about this 1974 story & many of Hulke's opinions about corporation greed still hold true today. Many moments, including a surprisingly poignient scene where the Doctor arranges a funeral on an alien planet, lift this story above being just a novelisation for children.
There's plenty to like about this 1974 story & many of Hulke's opinions about corporation greed still hold true today. Many moments, including a surprisingly poignient scene where the Doctor arranges a funeral on an alien planet, lift this story above being just a novelisation for children.
April 2, 2009
Takes a fairly forgettable and padded Pertwee six-parter and turns it into something special. Malcolm Hulke embellishes some things, fudges some continuity and delivers a story that works better as a novelization than it does on-screen.
January 30, 2011
I praised Malcom Hulke's "The Cave Monsters" as perhaps the best Doctor Who novelization of all...unless you count THIS magnificent effort by the same author. IT may actually have a claim to be the most extraordinary Target novelization of all, for a number of reasons: (1) some of the most amazingly well-developed characters in any Doctor Who story, complete with inner monologues and thoughts of surprising power, ambition, and sadness; (2) an icon-cementing outing for Jon Pertwee's 3rd Doctor -- he's never been more heroic or powerful; (3) a ridiculous amount of series backstory, inserted by Hulke as pure colour; and finally (4) taking Hulke's dullest & preachiest TV story and turning it into an action-packed epic...so much so that watching the story on TV AFTER reading this novelization will make your head thob with the ache of disappointment.
July 26, 2022
In many ways this is a superb adaptation of a fairly dull and over-long TV serial. Hulke's writing is excellent and his embellishments to the story are what makes it worth reading - particularly loved Jo arriving at UNIT HQ in a white mini. Thankfully a lot of the padding from the show has been omitted, but all the additions do mean that it's a bit rushed towards the end ( episode 1 alone is over 50 pages). Oh, and I must mention the fantastic illustrations by Chris Achilleos - pity only the early releases have them. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable read ( with the added bonus of not having to watch Helen Worth trying to act).
November 16, 2008
A so-so Third Doctor story is saved by the return of the Master, and the introduction of Jo Grant. All her reactions to what's going on around her always felt very real and she and the third Doctor had a really nice relationship.
People talk about how great Rose was, and she was, but they forget that she wasn't the first Who girl to be written that way or even the best. She was just the latest in a long line.
There were some good ideas here, but it was a pretty generic sci-fi story.
People talk about how great Rose was, and she was, but they forget that she wasn't the first Who girl to be written that way or even the best. She was just the latest in a long line.
There were some good ideas here, but it was a pretty generic sci-fi story.
March 25, 2021
There's this great used bookstore in Seattle (Ophelia's), and that's where I learned that this series existed. It's fun! I couldn't read more than a couple of chapters at a time, but it was an enjoyable story, that same kind of "taking the ridiculous seriously" that you see in the show. I'd read more of these.
April 20, 2025
Target novels are sometimes hard to quantify if you haven't seen the episodes in question. Certainly in my case I've read many more target novels than seen classic Who episodes. That said the left wing thematic undertones I was promised here are again present in this novelization, if only we had a writer like Hulke on today's show! to push the envelope just a little farther. All told this was another great chance to engage with the Third Doctor and Jo, who to this point I've spent little time with altogether.
October 26, 2025
Surprisingly serious for a doctor who story, lots of violence too, I like the change of tone in comparison to the episodes. More the doctor and the master fooling around together >>>
March 27, 2018
I'll be reviewing this in full elsewhere, I'll post a link when it's done.
February 22, 2015
In my high school and college days I read many of the Doctor Who novelizations. Few of them stuck in my memory as well as this one. I read it before seeing the tv episode (Colony in Space) and was glad I did. The visuals created from the written page were a bit better than the TV version (though that is good also).
The Doctor and Master do battle on a wasted planet to seek out a mysterious ancient weapon. They are also mingled in a battle between human colonists and the Interplanetary Mining Corporation which has come to drive them off and steal the planet's mineral wealth. As the plot unfolds we learn the terrible tragedy of a race that reached the pinnacle of its development and created "the Doomsday Weapon."
The Doctor and Master do battle on a wasted planet to seek out a mysterious ancient weapon. They are also mingled in a battle between human colonists and the Interplanetary Mining Corporation which has come to drive them off and steal the planet's mineral wealth. As the plot unfolds we learn the terrible tragedy of a race that reached the pinnacle of its development and created "the Doomsday Weapon."
December 10, 2010
Anything with the Master in it gets full score from me...
January 15, 2025
I found this one at the thrift store I frequent (there’s only two in my area) and decided why not – I have three other Doctor Who books published by Target Books I bought when I was teenager from a thrift store in Berdoo that is long gone at this point. I was pleasantly surprised, and not just because it was an easy read either.
As Dent sat there, touching the controls of the IMC spaceship, he felt happy and secure in the fact that he was an IMC man, with an IMC wife, IMC children, with a four-room IMC home. His present and his future were as secure as IMC, and IMC would go on forever. [pg.51]
It has an anti-corporate anti-imperialist theme established around page 50, and not subtly, that runs through to the end. The story concerns a paranoid bunch of interplanetary settlers fleeing the overcrowded fully corporate-ruled future Earth for the planet the Doctor and Jo find themselves stranded on. A ship full of mining corporation types is initially hiding in the background trying to scare the colonists away then outrightly try to take the barren planet, so that they can completely strip it bare, by force. There is also a race of apparently harmless “primitives” who have somehow “regressed” from a high-tech society leaving behind some ruins. Eventually, The Master becomes involved as an arbiter between the corporate ship captain Dent and the colonists because he wants the ultimate weapon built by the primitives which was ultimately the cause of why they devolved. Pretty typical Dr. Who.
If there was one thing Dent hated it was people who could think and reason. [pg.55]
There is some building of the anti-corporate theme by having the corporates having absolute hatred for those who can think and reason, those who didn’t/couldn’t/wouldn’t “fit in”, and for aliens. Feels somewhat timely to me. I was disappointed that there were no “real” monsters in this one, as corporate greed and unchecked power are the monsters featured here.
“Earth’s needs,” mused the Doctor, “or your corporation’s profits?”
“What’s good for IMC is good for Earth,” said Dent rather smugly, realizing that he was now blustering against the Doctor’s calm. “There are over a hundred thousand million people back on Earth, and they need all the minerals we can find!”
“What those people need,” said the Doctor, “are new worlds to live on, like this one. Worlds where they can live like human beings again, instead of like battery hens.”
“That’s not my concern,” said Dent. “Minerals are needed. It’s my job to get them.” [56]
The main theme is supported by several instances where the corporatists are fully anti-individualist and where they prefer order and profit over anything else. All their actions are in pursuit of these two goals sometimes even over each other though that avenue is never fully explored by the author just sort of mentioned here and there.
[…] Dent liked Morgan. Morgan was ambitious and totally unscrupulous. Dent felt you could always trust people like that. [pg.57]
The addition of the bible on page 117 however, raised my hackles a bit not just because I’m an atheist either. It served as a last-minute foreshadowing of another quickly added theme of self-sacrifice. It foreshadows the self-sacrifice of the Guardian to destroy the weapon after The Master proved it was a bad idea to let him have it and the leader of the colonists (John Ashe) who sacrifices himself by piloting the colonists’ ship which explodes to distract Captain Dent and his men. At its first appearance, it did springboard off the anti-corporate theme by having Dent read it unable to understand the sacrifice presented in it. However, it happens near the end just to service the plot. It was jarring and telegraphed the ending.
The three IMC security guards found the rocky slope hard going. They weren’t used to this kind of physical activity, and their uniforms restricted them. But they pressed on as best they could because they all had IMC living units back on Earth that they didn’t want to lose, and IMC wives, and their children were in IMC schools that were very exclusive, and if they got the durilinium from this planet they would all get good IMC bonuses. Above all, they hated all colonists because they were eccentric and didn’t conform to the society on Earth, and sometimes they smelt of sweat. [pg.80]
Overall, if you’re familiar with Doctor Who then I would recommend this one. It’s a quick read and has some interesting and relevant themes, it is also not subtle at all while establishing its main theme. If you’re not familiar with the Doctor, then it is easy enough to get through that I might recommend it, but as sci-fi goes, this is pulpy, adventure type science fiction.
“You’re nothing more than criminals,” Jo shouted.
“We obey our orders.” Said Allen. “There can’t be anything wrong in obeying orders.” [pg.75]
September 7, 2025
Colony in space in my opinion has always been one of the weakest stories and one of the weakest pertwee stories. While the book is largely the same story I feel its overall better. On TV we didnt really get answers, clarity or depth, just 6 eps of "this is my planet" colony vs the company. Oh and there's some primitives running around. But here we get all that depth and answers. It just feels more enjoyable which surprising because its one of the longer target books. You can understand the world its set in more. In terms of expansion of books, this is possibly one of the best.
It's only really let down by the story being a little bland. I really enjoyed it but its main focus is the Evil company vs the colony people. But here it's at least enjoyable as we learn more about each background. So here's some of the backgrounds that this story really shinned at with its expansion and exploring.
First is the life on earth that caused the colony people to leave. In the tv story its hinted at but that's it but here we learn about how very crowded earth is. There is no green places left its almost all buildings now and very tall buildings too. To most people on earth they live there life indoors and travel underground. It's a luxury to go to the surface and see the world you live in and its expensive. If your married you get better living places and privileges. I loved hearing this world building and I really wish got to see more of it as it was really interesting and made me want this group of colony people to get their wish on this new planet.
Next we have the main villians of the story the evil IMC Company that dominats the earth planet. If you work there your given a really privileged life. Dent gets a house, wife and children with a private education. I loved this added detail to the company to really help understand just how people have been corrupted into a better life. For most people it's turned them into Evil people. Like Dent who's perfectly fine with making fake robot monsters to kill a few colony people off so that it scares the rest of them off the planet. But we also get some good people in the company too, who just wanted a better life. This was excellent stuff and I loved the parallels too the primitives when they got power too. Very political but apparently drwhos never been that before 2018.
Finally the primitives history. There's no denying that on TV they look cheap and slightly ridiculous, especially the little doll puppet which here has been completely changed. In book there are much more interesting even if we don't get to see them much. We learn originally that when they started to create there colony on this planet, the primitives were all equal, well clothed etc, they began to advance and started to create great things, first the wheel, then planes and then more ground breaking scientific stuff. Eventually they created the Doomsday weapon that could destroy all life created, or dominate it, which makes sense why the master is after it. This weapon was causing the planet to suffer, no crops growing and I believe the start of the devolving of the primitives. We then know they created the creatures called priests. Which caused them to create a religion which would then make them start believing that they must sacrifice people (mainly the small doll child like creatures) to a great fire. This creature in the fire is able to be its own life form that can communicate and believes in logic. The weapon gives it its power of radiation to survive. Which in turn is slowly killing the planet and devolving the primitives. Some of this stuff is 100% clear on when each part came first etc so I imagine around all the scientific stuff and creatures they created started to go wrong and the planet started dying and the started devolving them all because of the doomsday weapon. In the end the doll/child creature in the fire gives up its life to save the planet and so destroying the weapon and its city. It isn't actually explained if all the primitives died with it. I feel we kinda needed some sort of conclusion to them, as we saw they was willing to help the other humans on the colony.
There's also lots of other really good scenes i Iiked too, one of my favourites was when the two colony people was killed by IMC's robot and the doctor helps Ashe bury them, its surprisingly moving.
My only main problem with the book was the bad protral of Jo. For some reason the book starts with her really rude and arrogant like but then she's completely missing for most of it and then happy again at the end. So overall the book is a massive improvement on the tv story and I would recommend it, if like me, you wasn't a fan of the original story.
It's only really let down by the story being a little bland. I really enjoyed it but its main focus is the Evil company vs the colony people. But here it's at least enjoyable as we learn more about each background. So here's some of the backgrounds that this story really shinned at with its expansion and exploring.
First is the life on earth that caused the colony people to leave. In the tv story its hinted at but that's it but here we learn about how very crowded earth is. There is no green places left its almost all buildings now and very tall buildings too. To most people on earth they live there life indoors and travel underground. It's a luxury to go to the surface and see the world you live in and its expensive. If your married you get better living places and privileges. I loved hearing this world building and I really wish got to see more of it as it was really interesting and made me want this group of colony people to get their wish on this new planet.
Next we have the main villians of the story the evil IMC Company that dominats the earth planet. If you work there your given a really privileged life. Dent gets a house, wife and children with a private education. I loved this added detail to the company to really help understand just how people have been corrupted into a better life. For most people it's turned them into Evil people. Like Dent who's perfectly fine with making fake robot monsters to kill a few colony people off so that it scares the rest of them off the planet. But we also get some good people in the company too, who just wanted a better life. This was excellent stuff and I loved the parallels too the primitives when they got power too. Very political but apparently drwhos never been that before 2018.
Finally the primitives history. There's no denying that on TV they look cheap and slightly ridiculous, especially the little doll puppet which here has been completely changed. In book there are much more interesting even if we don't get to see them much. We learn originally that when they started to create there colony on this planet, the primitives were all equal, well clothed etc, they began to advance and started to create great things, first the wheel, then planes and then more ground breaking scientific stuff. Eventually they created the Doomsday weapon that could destroy all life created, or dominate it, which makes sense why the master is after it. This weapon was causing the planet to suffer, no crops growing and I believe the start of the devolving of the primitives. We then know they created the creatures called priests. Which caused them to create a religion which would then make them start believing that they must sacrifice people (mainly the small doll child like creatures) to a great fire. This creature in the fire is able to be its own life form that can communicate and believes in logic. The weapon gives it its power of radiation to survive. Which in turn is slowly killing the planet and devolving the primitives. Some of this stuff is 100% clear on when each part came first etc so I imagine around all the scientific stuff and creatures they created started to go wrong and the planet started dying and the started devolving them all because of the doomsday weapon. In the end the doll/child creature in the fire gives up its life to save the planet and so destroying the weapon and its city. It isn't actually explained if all the primitives died with it. I feel we kinda needed some sort of conclusion to them, as we saw they was willing to help the other humans on the colony.
There's also lots of other really good scenes i Iiked too, one of my favourites was when the two colony people was killed by IMC's robot and the doctor helps Ashe bury them, its surprisingly moving.
My only main problem with the book was the bad protral of Jo. For some reason the book starts with her really rude and arrogant like but then she's completely missing for most of it and then happy again at the end. So overall the book is a massive improvement on the tv story and I would recommend it, if like me, you wasn't a fan of the original story.
November 23, 2022
This one is an interesting adaptation to look at. Since it is only the 6th novel to be published, and only the 3rd formally commissioned by Target Books, it serves as an anomaly. There were no plans to ever novelize every Doctor Who serial, only the first four of Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion, Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters, Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon, and Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks were considered for publication. Because of this in adapting Colony in Space into Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon, Malcolm Hulke was tasked with introducing the companion of Jo Grant to an audience that may not have ever seen Terror of the Autons, would potentially never see it due to a lack of rebroadcasts, and there was no guarantee it would ever be novelized. This introduction is one that I actually find a bit more interesting than what was presented on television, certainly it gives Jo Grant a bit more agency in wanting to work for UNIT. There is something romantic about Jo convincing her uncle to allow her to become a spy, being annoyed with how boring the job is, and then begging him a second time to get her hired at UNIT. This surprisingly goes a long way to compensate that this book is being written from a perspective that Terror of the Autons, The Mind of Evil, and The Claws of Axos would never have happened. This also allows Jo to really serve as an audience surrogate as this is her first adventure, while Colony in Space has already begun to develop her further while still putting her as a damsel in distress at multiple points in the serial.
Hulke’s prose is also magnificent. Okay, it’s simple and written for children, but there is this magical wonder about the TARDIS taking off and landing on a mysterious planet for the first time in a very long time for the Doctor. The television serial’s exterior scenes were in a quarry that honestly was a detriment, but here the rocky and near desolate planet of Uxareius feels genuinely threatening making the colony’s plight all the more harrowing. There’s also somehow more emphasis placed on the capitalist system that allowed IMC to thrive in this environment, describing the control corporations have over their employees. Those under IMC control are given benefits and luxury, including their own selected wives and better housing, as long as they are willing to go out and rob other planets of their precious minerals and resources. It makes Dent’s already ruthless character somehow the more ruthless as there are pieces from his perspective. Caldwell is also more explicitly an innocent duped by the system, perhaps not the best message for advocating against capitalism, but certainly an intriguing one. Parallel this to the Master “impersonating” the Adjudicator Martin Jurgens, you have a recipe to bring out a lot more of the social commentary that Hulke excels at. Hulke also just makes several of the lengthier sequences go by much quicker to allow for more worldbuilding with the inhabitants, the Primitives, who are much more alien and allowed to speak telepathically more often here. There are these sequences made more explicit meaning that Hulke’s themes are brought to the forefront which is perfect.
Overall, Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon is certainly a more interesting and in depth way to experience the plot and themes of Colony in Space. Malcolm Hulke’s second novelization continues to explore generally anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian themes through the lens of the 1970s, commenting quite a bit on the oppression most obvious to him. By no means is that oppression explored completely or even expanding out of small glimpses, it’s still makes this book just work on a deeper level than others. 9/10.
Hulke’s prose is also magnificent. Okay, it’s simple and written for children, but there is this magical wonder about the TARDIS taking off and landing on a mysterious planet for the first time in a very long time for the Doctor. The television serial’s exterior scenes were in a quarry that honestly was a detriment, but here the rocky and near desolate planet of Uxareius feels genuinely threatening making the colony’s plight all the more harrowing. There’s also somehow more emphasis placed on the capitalist system that allowed IMC to thrive in this environment, describing the control corporations have over their employees. Those under IMC control are given benefits and luxury, including their own selected wives and better housing, as long as they are willing to go out and rob other planets of their precious minerals and resources. It makes Dent’s already ruthless character somehow the more ruthless as there are pieces from his perspective. Caldwell is also more explicitly an innocent duped by the system, perhaps not the best message for advocating against capitalism, but certainly an intriguing one. Parallel this to the Master “impersonating” the Adjudicator Martin Jurgens, you have a recipe to bring out a lot more of the social commentary that Hulke excels at. Hulke also just makes several of the lengthier sequences go by much quicker to allow for more worldbuilding with the inhabitants, the Primitives, who are much more alien and allowed to speak telepathically more often here. There are these sequences made more explicit meaning that Hulke’s themes are brought to the forefront which is perfect.
Overall, Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon is certainly a more interesting and in depth way to experience the plot and themes of Colony in Space. Malcolm Hulke’s second novelization continues to explore generally anti-capitalist and anti-authoritarian themes through the lens of the 1970s, commenting quite a bit on the oppression most obvious to him. By no means is that oppression explored completely or even expanding out of small glimpses, it’s still makes this book just work on a deeper level than others. 9/10.
March 11, 2025
Based on his on script this in number 23 in the Target catalogue and number 2 in the short lived US Pinnacle edition. The first cover is by Chris Achilleos (as is the internal art), the second by Jeff Cummins, and the Pinnacle by David Mann. I love all the Pinnacle covers they are so different from the Target covers. I even the Doctor Who title font on them. I also love Jeff Cummins portrait of the Master. It really captures the sinisterness of his character.
This is a great novelisation. It’s almost like a new story. All the key plot elements are the same as the broadcast version but there are dozens of tweaks. For example there’s a whole conversation between the Doctor and the Master about identity papers. In the TV version the Master has a full set of ID all faked, as the Doctor remarks. But in the book he has no ID papers and doges the issue when Dent asks for them. It makes no overall difference to the plot, but is one of the tiny variations from the broadcast version.
Most of these small changes don’t matter, but there is one that becomes an inconsistency in the novel version. On page 116 the Doctor is telling Jo he’s going to buy her back as that’s what Ashe had to do earlier. This is what’s in the TV version and the book concurs, but the earlier scene has been re-worked and Ashe never tells the Doctor that they had to buy back other colonists. The ones that went to the ruins were never seen again. And the trading with the primitives was with food, not machine parts. Again it makes no real difference to the plot, but it is a slight inconstancy in the novelisation.
One of the great additions to the book which isn’t in the broadcast is all the snippets of backstory for the different characters, both the colonists and the IMC people. Although the IMC marital system is a bit on the creepy side, but appropriate to the society being portrayed (Page 60).
This is a great novelisation. It’s almost like a new story. All the key plot elements are the same as the broadcast version but there are dozens of tweaks. For example there’s a whole conversation between the Doctor and the Master about identity papers. In the TV version the Master has a full set of ID all faked, as the Doctor remarks. But in the book he has no ID papers and doges the issue when Dent asks for them. It makes no overall difference to the plot, but is one of the tiny variations from the broadcast version.
Most of these small changes don’t matter, but there is one that becomes an inconsistency in the novel version. On page 116 the Doctor is telling Jo he’s going to buy her back as that’s what Ashe had to do earlier. This is what’s in the TV version and the book concurs, but the earlier scene has been re-worked and Ashe never tells the Doctor that they had to buy back other colonists. The ones that went to the ruins were never seen again. And the trading with the primitives was with food, not machine parts. Again it makes no real difference to the plot, but it is a slight inconstancy in the novelisation.
One of the great additions to the book which isn’t in the broadcast is all the snippets of backstory for the different characters, both the colonists and the IMC people. Although the IMC marital system is a bit on the creepy side, but appropriate to the society being portrayed (Page 60).
March 14, 2021
A much better story here from Malcolm Hulke for me, compared to his previous offerings. Is a bit confusing in reintroducing Jo after reading her proper introduction, but similar to the Daleks is due to uncertainties in which books would be novelised, so is understandable.
It provides a lot of background information for the one off characters, but unlike previous books where this felt more like filler, here it helps elaborate on what the current state is like for this future galaxy, with conditions on Earth, colonies and interactions between them and the mining companies nicely laid out.
Between the Doctor, the Master, the colonists, the miners and the primitives we have quite a mixture of people and aims, with differing dynamics allowing for a mixture of scenes, even if at times it seemed a little repetitive between two of them in particular.
The Doctor in good form as normal, Jo a little different due to having to be reintroduced. I did find it a shame after a number in a row to not have UNIT featured in the story, but is a sign of things to come, so will appreciate the UNIT stories while I can :)
It provides a lot of background information for the one off characters, but unlike previous books where this felt more like filler, here it helps elaborate on what the current state is like for this future galaxy, with conditions on Earth, colonies and interactions between them and the mining companies nicely laid out.
Between the Doctor, the Master, the colonists, the miners and the primitives we have quite a mixture of people and aims, with differing dynamics allowing for a mixture of scenes, even if at times it seemed a little repetitive between two of them in particular.
The Doctor in good form as normal, Jo a little different due to having to be reintroduced. I did find it a shame after a number in a row to not have UNIT featured in the story, but is a sign of things to come, so will appreciate the UNIT stories while I can :)
June 17, 2025
When a Doctor Who adaptation is penned by Malcolm Hulke, you can expect a lot of changes, especially if it's one of his own scripts. And I like that. I often blame the lame title for my localised amnesia about "Colony in Space", so changing it to Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon was probably a wise choice. In prose, we also don't have to contend with the restrictive sets and terrible-looking aliens. But Hulke does a lot more than that. He makes the action more exciting and gives us so much backstory on the guest characters and the dystopian Earth they left behind as to make everything more interesting. The opener with the Time Lords is dissimilar to the onscreen version, and the ending is better, too, as is the final punchline. The one change that will give the reader whiplash is that it introduces Jo as if it were her first adventure with the Doctor (shades of Doctor Who and the Daleks), a quirk of the books' release schedule, but I don't mind it too much, especially since it gives us the secret origin of Jo Grant in the process. As an early Target, it has some illustrations, but sadly, they're not very good.
September 2, 2019
Doctor Who And The Doomsday Weapon is an odd beast of a Target novelization. Based on what fan wisdom perceives to be a lesser Pertwee six-parter, its adaptation by Malcolm Hulke is a fun read, crackling along at a solid pace. And yet it also lacks the trademarks that made Hulke's other novelizations standouts: the richer characterizations and the organic expansions of the worlds the TV stories were set in (which, instead, get dropped in clunkily and clumsily). There's also the odd sense, in the first two chapters especially, of Hulke almost talking down to his audience as well as introducing an entirely new backstory for Third Doctor companion Jo Grant. Perhaps that's just in retrospect but, whatever the case might be, it leaves Doomsday Weapon feeling like a lesser Hulke work rather than a highlight of the Target range of Doctor Who books.
February 4, 2025
Book 317 - Malcolm Hulke - Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon
I have so many of these novels based on the brilliant TV series to get through and I love these early ones as the original writer of the story has adapted the tale for a slightly different audience. Hulke has written a more mature story…brutal and vicious but still very much Doctor Who.
If you throw in the Master…an alternative introduction to Jo Grant and a visit off world when the Third Doctor was still in the midst of his exile and you have a real urban thriller.
More violent than on TV but so so exciting as the Master seeks the aforementioned Doomsday Weapon to the backdrop of a large interplanetary conglomerate that is wanting to chase the new terraformers off the planet.
Niche and nerdy… outstanding.
I have so many of these novels based on the brilliant TV series to get through and I love these early ones as the original writer of the story has adapted the tale for a slightly different audience. Hulke has written a more mature story…brutal and vicious but still very much Doctor Who.
If you throw in the Master…an alternative introduction to Jo Grant and a visit off world when the Third Doctor was still in the midst of his exile and you have a real urban thriller.
More violent than on TV but so so exciting as the Master seeks the aforementioned Doomsday Weapon to the backdrop of a large interplanetary conglomerate that is wanting to chase the new terraformers off the planet.
Niche and nerdy… outstanding.
July 29, 2020
pdf; 184 pages
A rather fine version of a somewhat long-winded (6 part) televised story. The added background material adds to the retelling. One or two minor continuity glitches (Jo, who is here introduced as being new to UNIT, seems to know the Master when he eventually appears) and errors (the gas when Jo triggers the boobytrap in the Master's TARDIS is described as 'poisonous' and later 'nerve gas' but both she and Doctor survive the 'sleeping gas') escape real notice. The priest caste and Guardian benefit from not being 'on screen'. There is some underlying comment on corporate rapacity affecting both the 'Primitives' and the colonists but not in an overtly preachy manner.
A rather fine version of a somewhat long-winded (6 part) televised story. The added background material adds to the retelling. One or two minor continuity glitches (Jo, who is here introduced as being new to UNIT, seems to know the Master when he eventually appears) and errors (the gas when Jo triggers the boobytrap in the Master's TARDIS is described as 'poisonous' and later 'nerve gas' but both she and Doctor survive the 'sleeping gas') escape real notice. The priest caste and Guardian benefit from not being 'on screen'. There is some underlying comment on corporate rapacity affecting both the 'Primitives' and the colonists but not in an overtly preachy manner.
August 1, 2024
Though broadcast in 1971 and published in ‘74, reading this fun romp 50 years later really holds up for Doctor Who fans. A new planet in the year 2471, settlers/failed farmers, immoral miners, Primitives, otter-faced priests, a baby-doll-like Guardian, “the future” (which always feels a bit like the present), a secret underground city, and more. And golly, he’s been chasing the Master a long, long time… 😉 So, which Doctor do you picture in your minds’ eye when reading? (It was Ten/Matt Smith for me.)
Features a fun intro by Harlan Ellison debating the SciFi series greats, which he doesn’t find much debate in.
Features a fun intro by Harlan Ellison debating the SciFi series greats, which he doesn’t find much debate in.
May 4, 2023
Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon (1974) by Malcolm Hulke is the novelisation of the series ‘Colony in Space’. The Doctor and Jo are transported to the planet Uxarieus in 2472 by the Time Lords. The Time Lords have discovered records of a super weapon there were stolen from their archives.
On Uxarieus there are people trying to farm the planet escaping from an over crowded earth. A mysterious death occurs and a mining company also appears. The Master also puts in a show.
The good bit of the serial is the Master trying to do deals with the Doctor. The rest of the plot is a bit trite.
On Uxarieus there are people trying to farm the planet escaping from an over crowded earth. A mysterious death occurs and a mining company also appears. The Master also puts in a show.
The good bit of the serial is the Master trying to do deals with the Doctor. The rest of the plot is a bit trite.
July 11, 2020
Brings a satisfying level of justice to the story that the television story could not achieve. Hulke eloquently captures the spirit of the third Doctor’s era and characters in this fast moving story. The only downside is the part of the Master, which is removed for the best part of the tale and is inserted in convenient fashion. Nevertheless, the reslut is classic Who we have come to admire and love!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2022
I’m probably super immature, but when listening to Geoffrey Beevers do an excellent reading of this book, I laughed almost every single time he said “IMC Men” (“I am c men”), and he said it many many times.
Mac Hulke adds some nice background details to the characters and cuts away some of the padding but even so, the story is a bit threadbare and the prose feels it was written quick. Cave Monsters is a go-to Target favorite for me, but this one falls a little further down on the scale.
Mac Hulke adds some nice background details to the characters and cuts away some of the padding but even so, the story is a bit threadbare and the prose feels it was written quick. Cave Monsters is a go-to Target favorite for me, but this one falls a little further down on the scale.
October 23, 2018
A cringeworthy and tedious allegory on-screen becomes something special on the page. This book is populated by believable characters; the Doctor and Jo don’t drive the events for a change. They don’t need to!
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December 23, 2023I reviewed this book with a very jolly and talented bunch on the brilliant A Hamster With A Blunt Penknife podcast: listen at https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...
April 10, 2024
A mining company acts like it is above the law and displaces an ancient culture in pursuit of profits. Mr Hulke keeps it simple and packs quite a lot of emotional punches in what is a story that could have been ripped from today’s headlines.
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