Doctor Who and the Invasion from Space: First Doctor Story

Adventures of the First Doctor #87

by BBC

Peter Purves reads two vintage stories, first published in the 1960s, featuring the First Doctor.

"Purves does a great job not just creating this off-kilter version of Hartnell’s Doctor but also those around him in this story." scifibulletin.com

First published as an illustrated book in the 1960s and now a collector’s item, Doctor Who and the Invasion from Space sees the Doctor land in the futuristic world of The One. Along with the Mortimer family, whom he rescued from the Great Fire of London, he finds himself recruited to lead a galactic invasion from Andromeda — with the TARDIS instrumental in the plan!

In Ten Fathom Pirates, a story from The Doctor Who Annual 1967, the Doctor encounters underwater raiders on a distant planet. Forced to accompany them on a mission to find parts for the TARDIS, he must use all his wits and ingenuity if he is ever to escape their company.

Peter Purves, who played the First Doctor’s companion Steven Taylor in the BBC TV series, reads two stories brimming with the charm and naivety of a bygone age.

World Distributors' Doctor Who Annuals were originally published from 1965 to 1986, a highlight of the year for fans of the programme, featuring text stories and comic strips based on the TV series.

Stories taken from Doctor Who and the Invasion from Space and The Doctor Who Annual 1967, first published in 1966 by World Distributors Ltd. Text BBC 1966

Readings produced by Neil Gardner
Sound design by David Darlington
TARDIS sound effect composed by Brian Hodgson
Executive Michael Stevens

Text BBC 1966
Cover images BBC Studios 2018

Cover design by Minty Design

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff. Its main responsibility is to provide impartial public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
The BBC have also published many books based on their programs or other films and shows.

Reviews

[Zack Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rather odd book, as it is one of the earliest written fiction works about the Doctor and is notable for being the first original novel based on the series (something that would not happen again until the show went off the air over 20 years later). Most of the problems that the book suffers are not the fault of the book itself, but rather the design of Doctor Who in 1966. While some of the problems are humorous, such as the Doctor being referred to as Dr. Who and the Tardis being referred to as Tardis (as if that was the ship's name), but others are much more confusing, such as the Doctor's inability to believe that machine's could be sentient. The Doctor's disdain for his companions (in this case, peasants from midieval Europe) is also rather disconcerting. These two flaws, along with the averageness of the stories themselves are the primary reason that I only give this release three of five stars. The villains of the first story are rather nice, and are very similar to the Daleks and Cybermen in that they evoke ideas of human superiority to machines through emotions and irrationability.
The second story contained in this audiobook is "Ten Fathom Pirates," in which the Doctor (traveling alone this time (one of the only times we ever see the first Doctor alone)) comes across a group of underwater pirates and finds himself roped into their pillaging. It's a fun simple story, reminiscient somewhat of Big Finish's Short Trips range (though this came much earlier).
Overall, though these stories are among the least interesting Doctor Who stories I've read, the chance they present us to see how the Doctor was portrayed in early expanded media is invaluable and makes the listen well worth it.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting piece of obscure Doctor Who media, this novella being the only original single narrative book to feature The Doctor until the Virgin New Adventures.
Instead of featuring a TARDIS team of the time it instead has The Doctor accidentally picking up a family during the Great Fire of London (although they seem to be very naïve for 17th Century Londoners) and land in the Andromeda Galaxy, where an intelligence wishes to take over The Milky Way.
The story is, unfortunately, not overly impressive, more feeling like an expanded version of the short pieces in the annuals of the time. Inoffensive and enjoyable way to pass half an hour.

[Billy Martel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than I was expecting

[Michael Botterill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully retro