Doctor Who: Mission to the Unknown

Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #141

by John Peel

Stranded in the jungles of Kembel, the most hostile planet in the Galaxy, Space Security agent Marc Cory has stumbled across the most deadly plot ever hatched-the Daleks are about to invade and destroy the Universe. Cory has to get a warning back to Earth before it’s too late-but the Daleks find him first.

Months later the First Doctor and his companions arrive on Kembel and find Cory’s message. But it may already be too late for Earth-the Daleks’ Masterplan has already begun…

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Time Travel, Ebooks, Media Tie In

141 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 1989

About the author

John Peel is the author of Doctor Who books and comic strips. Notably, he wrote the first original Doctor Who novel, Timewyrm: Genesys, to launch the Virgin New Adventures line. In the early 1990s he was commissioned by Target Books to write novelisations of several key Terry Nation Dalek stories of the 1960s after the rights were finally worked out. He later wrote several more original Daleks novels.

He has the distinction of being one of only three authors credited on a Target novelisation who had not either written a story for the TV series or been a part of the production team (the others were Nigel Robinson and Alison Bingeman).

Outside of Doctor Who, Peel has also written novels for the Star Trek franchise. Under the pseudonym "John Vincent", he wrote novelisations based upon episodes of the 1990s TV series James Bond Jr..

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dalek’s Master Plan is one of the most ambitious iconic stories in the whole Doctor Who’s history.
During the Dalekmania craze of the 1960’s, this epic tale spanned over 3 months and 12 episodes was always going to have to be told in a bumper length two volumes to do the story justice.

That’s not including the single cutaway episode ‘Mission to the Unknown’ which this volume takes its name from.
Shown prior to The Myth Makers, its the only episode not to feature The Doctor!

The first couple of chapters cover the events of that story whilst also including a recap of The Doctor’s time in ancient Troy, it feels as if both stories are happening concurrently and is a really effective way to introduce the reader to the events that are about to unfold.
It’s also nice to spend time getting to know Katarina.

The story moves along briskly. We also meet Sara Kingdom, a space security agent that teams up with the TARDIS crew.
The story is perfectly poised for the second (and my favourite) part of the adventure.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clocking it at 13 episodes, "The Dalek Masterplan" is one of the longest stories from the classic series and one that, for a long time, I had next to no exposure to. I'd read the synopsis of it in my well-worn and much-loved copy of The Doctor Who Program Guide but beyond that I had little or no awareness of how the story unfolded episode to episode until the early 90's when Target finally worked out a contract with Terry Nation to adapt several of the Dalek stories from the 60's.

And given the long running time for the story, Target wisely decided to split the story into two halves, thus insuring that the story was done justice and that fans could purchase two books instead of one to complete their collection. The author chosen for this undertaking with John Peel, who had earlier had success adapting "The Chase" for the printed page. At the time, I recall thinking Peel was an ideal choice for the role and eagerly reading both installments.

Now close to twenty years later, I have visited Peel's two part adaptation of the saga again and found that it doesn't quite stand up to the test of time or my memory. Part of this could be that the BBC released narrated soundtracks of the episodes years ago, thus allowing me to get as close as possible to experiencing the lost story as we're ever likely to get (assuming they don't turn up tomorrow and I have to buy the story on DVD). There is also the DVD release of the three orphaned episodes from this story that exist in the archives which serve only to whet the appetite for more (it's probably for the best that the seventh installment which serves as the series first Christmas special isn't one of them. I think the three episodes we have do a nice job of giving us a taste without necessarily overstaying their welcome).

All that is to say that listening to the audio reading of the two books that make up the Target adaptation of "The Dalek Masterplan" wasn't nearly as entertaining or exciting this time around. And a lot of that I have to put firmly at the feet of John Peel. It's not that he does a terrible job adapting the stories -- he gives a fine effort. It's just that his stories lack any shadings or dramatic tension. The big moments in the story don't seem any more big than any other moments or carry any type of emotional weight for the characters. For example, it feels like the death of a companion (even one as short-lived as Katarina) should carry more weight to it than Peel gives it here. (This is my biggest criticism of his two Troughton Dalek adaptions as well -- he doesn't give certain events that should be pivotal any more weight than others). I also feel like the return of the Meddling Monk should be given more weight than it does here, if only because this is only the second foe the Doctor has ever faced to return at this point in the series.

Instead of what should be a celebration of everything that is good and bad about 60's Doctor Who in one, extra-long story, we get an adaptation that is more workman-like than anything else. Looking back over Peel's offerings to classic Who Target novels, I can't help but think he really peaked with "The Chase" simply because that story was a bit more fun and less loaded with emotional moments than other stories (well, beyond Ian and Barbara leaving, but he manages to get that right (for the most part)).

Even his adapting of the seventh episode that is a Christmas special and relatively Dalek-free isn't nearly as much fun or a romp as it should be.

I will, however, give Peel some credit for making the story seem a bit more epic than it is and introducing some room to insert lost stories in the middle. There's a gap between books one and two where the Doctor, Stephen and Sara Kingdom could have had other adventures before turning their attention back to the matter at hand of defeating the Daleks and avoiding giving them the core of the Time Destructor. It also allows for a bit of breathing room and bringing readers back up to speed in case it had been a while since you read part one or you hadn't pick up part one at all.

The audio performances by Jean Marsh and Peter Purvis work well, re-affirming my belief that some of the best Target audio adaptations have come from the first Doctor era. Of course, part of that is you could have William Russell read the call sheets from that era and he'd manage to make it sound dignified and fun. I argue also that this was an era when writers were allowed to add a bit more a flourish to the Target novels. Instead of slavishly adapting the scripts, the writers were allowed to expand the stories and worlds a bit and the novels benefited greatly from it.

Alas, this isn't one of what I'd call the better examples of that freedom. It's good and I can certainly recall being glad to see it on my shelf all those years ago. But listening again, I can't help but feel that this story could and should have deserved better. And still wondering if someday, hopefully we might all be watching it again on DVD.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can blow very hot-and-cold on John Peel's writing, but this is by far his best work. This adaptation of the first half of the longest story in "Doctor Who" history maintains the intensity of the TV episodes, while not being afraid to spice up the storytelling using material from earlier drafts and some artistic license in extending & enhancing scenes & set pieces. This easily qualifies as an archetypal Target novelization.

[Arda Alkkåskøgen · Rating 5 out of 5]

All hail the Dalek Master John Peel! Of course I'm not accusing him of being a Dalek, but I still feel like we don't fully appreciate his expertise on the Daleks.

As far as I remember, The Dalek Masterplan was around 10-12 episodes long, which is almost half a season. Novelising a series of this length is a test that only masters like John Peel could achieve (we should also praise this gentleman for his contributions to Star Trek novelisations).

I can't wait to read the second book.

[Warren Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a continuation of my reviews on the classic Doctor Who "lost episode" series of novels. New and old Who fans can discover a great deal of joy by revisiting the classic episodes, especially in the wake of 2020's Season 12 canon revision, which effectively rocked the always turbulent boat of Who fandom so as to capsize support in a way not seen since Colin Baker's Doctor strangled Perri. The "lost" stories of the first 5 seasons of classic Who are in many ways superior to the current experiment, despite the fact that one has to experience them piecemeal through recreations and various audio and literary media. The First Doctor adventure, "The Dalek's Masterplan," is a good example. And yes, I am referring to William Hartnell as the First Doctor.

Written by horror author John Peel, who earned the bulk of his living through novelizations of multiple episodes from various television properties, Part One of the book-version of "The Daleks' Masterplan" is called "Mission to the Unknown." It consists of a mostly faithful retelling of the self-titled episode "Mission to the Unknown" as well as episodes 1 through 6 of "The Masterplan." The conclusion of the saga is found in the sequel book "The Mutation of Time," also by Peel, but the first book can be read as a stand-alone since Peel does an ingenious job of wrapping up an otherwise half-finished story into a satisfying conclusion. Though all but three of the 13 episodes covered in the two Peel novelizations are still not viewable in their intact original broadcast forms, the books do a fantastic job capturing the intent and feel of the visual production.

Rarely before (or since) has Doctor Who felt more epic. Here, the space opera roots of the program truly shine. Loaded with numerous characters from all parts of the universe and taking place on many alien planets as well as on Earth's past, present, and future, this behemoth of a story is both unique for the show and also most representative. This is the kind of direction I expected newer episodes to take rather than continually treading familiar Sheffield streets.

"Mission to the Unknown" itself is non-stop entertaining action and solid pacing, and the reader is left exhausted by the end. There are so many awesome science fiction elements to this story, reminding modern viewers what a truly great scifi romp this show has been since its early days. One of my favorite parts involves the body horror of the terrible Vargas, which are Dalek-bred plants with thorns that can transform a human slowly into another Varga with one prick.

The novel also captures some truly groundbreaking character moments for which the show has since become famous. Peel does a great job handling the fate of the Trojan servant Katarina, for example. Her innocence and complete bewilderment of being whisked out of her time into an intergalactic conflict is captured far better than on the original broadcasts. Here her story makes more sense as well, as the reader is now privy to her innermost thoughts about her predicament and we understand her final fate from her point of view, making it much more emotionally impactful. Her arc also raises the stakes for the other main characters. Unlike in the last few seasons of the program, you never once are confident in the safety of any of the protagonists, and cannot fully trust that selfishness, megalomania, and violence will not ultimately prevail. Another of the Doctor's allies in this story, the stone-cold warrior-class security chief Sara Kingdom, adds an extra element of danger, because you know that nothing will get in the way of her mission, not even the Doctor. The reader knows that she is capable of ruthlessly killing the "goodies" as much as the "baddies." This is truly a dark fantasy.

Between the characters Katarina and Sara Kingdom, we have the ancestors of popular Who favorites like Leela, Romana, and Ace. Doctor Who has always been about strong and courageous women who are perfectly capable of kicking serious Dalek balls themselves, thank you, and fans did not need the Chibnall-era of the show to correct the record.

The ever-popular Daleks themselves have never been more menacing, and this is the first time fans really feel the impact of their numbers on the entire security of the universe. The Doctor is also in fine form as a crotchety and emotionally unpredictable genius who somehow, despite his apparent hypercritical nature and aloofness, you know you can trust to always try to do the right thing, even if his actions don't always lead to the best results. The Doctor feels very real and traveling with him seems like a genuinely dangerous and traumatic experience, as well as a thrilling one.

Despite the outrageous fantasy in which the story is based, there are some elements that do take the reader out of the general suspension of disbelief, as some plot lines are a little too convenient or cartoonish even for space opera. It gets a bit repetitive in spots, as the Doctor and companions go through several cycles of stealing spaceships, running from pursuing Daleks, and then trying to bargain for their escape. This is by no means a perfect story.

I also think that the novelization could have benefited from a little more exposition of the back stories or inner psychic worlds of some characters, especially of the main villain Mavic Chen, who comes across as a purely wooden bad guy with inexplicably ridiculous delusions of grandeur. This expanded depth could have really elevated the book above the television serial, but it likely was not done as the story would have been way longer than it already was and may have led to an intimidating tome on bookshelves.

And speaking of things being too long, this review needs to come to an end, as there is still "The Mutation of Time" to review. So in conclusion, I highly recommend this book if you are at all interested in Doctor Who or enjoy epic space adventures. To enhance the reader's experience, I also recommend checking out the Audible narration complete with genuine Dalek voices compliments of Nicholas Briggs, and watching the Loose Cannon reconstructions of the lost recordings online along with the three surviving episodes on the "Lost in Time" DVD boxset.

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big space opera of a story when the First Doctor and company land on a planet over run by the Daleks.
Like most big Doctor stories there's a lot of running around, but in this one it involves running from planet to planet. There's lots of exotic planets, funky alien and interesting new companions.
In most of these books there's about a half dozen Daleks. In this one it really feels like there's an army of them.

Plus, there are two death scenes that really bring home that what the Doctor does isn't all fun and games. One really unexpected death was particularly effective.

Only gripe is I can't find a copy of book two to find out how it all ends!

[Jacob Licklider · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was always going to be a difficult story for anyone to novelize. The Daleks’ Master Plan is twelve episodes long, plus a single episode prologue in Mission to the Unknown, and only two of those episodes existed in the BBC archives when Target books published their two part novelization. The second episode, “Day of Armageddon”, would only be discovered in 2004, a decade after the novelization was published. There is the added snag that the rights to Terry Nation’s Dalek stories were in limbo for novelization purposes, only cleared up when John Peel befriended Nation and secured the rights to adapt the three remaining Nation penned Dalek stories (though Eric Saward’s 1980s Dalek stories would take much longer to be novelized, long after the Target books line ended). Peel was given 180 pages for each part of the novelization, choosing to adapt Mission to the Unknown along with the first six episodes of The Daleks’ Master Plan under the title The Daleks’ Master Plan Part I: Mission to the Unknown.

Peel’s writing style here is fascinating as of the several original Doctor Who novels he has written, this adaptation has his best prose. The novel is incredibly evocative at creating the sense of danger from the first page, choosing to adapt the closing moments of The Myth Makers to put the Doctor and Steven in danger with new companion Katarina. There is then a two chapter diversion to adapt Mission to the Unknown so the reader can truly understand the dangers of the Daleks, playing up the body horror of the Varga plants and moving right into the story itself. The characterization of the Doctor also feels far more active in the novelization, though the actions are not necessarily different from on television. Peel clearly had access to the original camera scripts (and perhaps some of Nation’s original scripts before being edited by Donald Tosh), and has attempted to capture Douglas Camfield’s action oriented directorial style. Katarina also is given some sequences from her perspective which allows more characterization than perhaps the scripts, especially since Peel wouldn’t have seen the currently only existing episode to feature the character. Her death at the two-thirds mark of the novel feels far more dangerous and real, though this is perhaps because Peel is heightening the violence in his usual way which is a double-edged sword. It works here, and Peel makes it explicit that Katarina’s death was a noble sacrifice and not someone from the past misunderstanding how a spaceship would work.

The Doctor and Steven’s reaction to Katarina’s sacrifice make the back third of the novel feel like they are both in fugue states, only shocked out of it when they are betrayed and Sara Kingdom is brought into the story. The death of Brett Vyon perhaps stays too close to the way it appeared on television. This is probably due to the fact that “Counter Plot” was one of the two episodes available in the archive that Peel could have drawn from. Brett has his own characterization deepened while Sara Kingdom is sadly given a small journey to trust the Doctor, though she only appears in this back third of the novel. Mavic Chen is also simplified as a villain in places along with the rest of the delegates as the Daleks are given the lion’s share of the villainy, Peel excelling at writing them.

Overall, The Daleks’ Master Plan Part I: Mission to the Unknown is all setup, but it is incredibly well done setup for a Doctor Who story that was far too massive to be compromised into a single novel. Peel’s style really works when it comes to adapting the work of someone else as he is less likely to fall into his own issues, even when having a young female character to characterize as he pleases. 9/10.

[Hidekisohma · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, i'm going to start by saying this book was kind of annoying to get ahold of. Not only is the book OOP, but the episodes its based on are lost to time, so overall, it's not an easy story to find to enjoy.

Though, having found a copy of this book, I have to say that i enjoyed the story. I knew it was a big part of Hartnell's run and being a Hartnell fan, i knew it was a story of his i had to experience. (i found a copy of the 2nd part and am currently waiting on it to be delivered)

The doctor is once again fighting against the daleks and has to stop them from taking over the universe. as per usual.

This book had several things going for it. It was very short (only 174 pages) and i read it in about 3 days of only reading 10-15 pages at a time. Because of that, they had to get the story going and couldn't spend dozens of pages doing description and side stories. there were SOME side stories, but they wrapped them up very quickly.

While it didn't have Ian or Barbara, Steven is an all right companion and he and the doctor have a nice team going on. He is useful but also acts human and actually has a personality that isn't incredibly annoying.

Since it's based off an arc of the show, Hartnell acts very spot on and it really does feel like the show.

I'm enjoying the story for what it is and am looking forward to the second half and the conclusion.

4 out of 5

[Michel Siskoid Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with The Chase, John Peel went to Terry Nation's original scripts for his adaptation of The Daleks' Masterplan, and there are perhaps darker moments here than on the show (with so many episodes lost, it can be hard to tell) - shades of Nation's later Blake's 7 - but it also makes Sara Kingdom much wetter. The serial is so long, Target Books split it into two. Interestingly, the first book is called Mission to the Unknown (title of the Doctorless episode that prologued the story and included more naturally in the novel), but didn't call the second part "The Daleks' Masterplan", which is just odd. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The serial is Nation's best "picaresque" story (the bar is NOT high) and holds together well in novel form. Up until the last third, anyway, after which there's way too much back and forth, a lot of pointless action, and absolutely ludicrous "science". Events are strung together much more solidly in previous acts, and Peel makes the deaths of characters older fans KNOW are doomed still resonate (beyond being shocking to readers who don't know where this is headed). Mavic Chen will always been cool - he's so catty to the Daleks - and we get to know a but more about the invisible Visians, but, y'know, Terry Nation padding incoming.

[Andrew Foxley · Rating 2 out of 5]

'Mission to the Unknown' adapts the first half or so of the epic 1965-66 TV serial 'The Daleks' Master Plan', and the TV episode sharing this volume's title which served as a prelude to it. The story,

Although most of the episodes no longer exist except in audio form, a lot of fans are very fond of ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan’. Honestly though, it doesn’t feel like Terry Nation’s best work - for all its epic scope by Doctor Who's usual standards, it's a bit of a runaround, with some fairly bland characters and a main plot that feels fairly thin away from the various diversions along the way, as the Doctor and friends travel around the galaxy by various means. I wasn't a great fan of John Peel's prose either - he's not the strongest writer the Target range has seen, and he seemed to get a bit bogged down in a recurring theme of describing the female characters largely in relation to their looks and how attractive they are. It hasn't aged terribly well, to be honest.

Ultimately, this definitely isn't one of the highlights of the Target range - so-so material given adapted in fairly standard fashion. I think I'll need a break before continuing with the second part.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Peel (not that one) excellently expands the original TV scripts into a genuinely exciting adventure. He makes the characters more human (alien?) than the television version ever could do and by doing so makes it possible for the reader to become far more invested in their motivations, fears and hopes.

This audio version is very good. Peter "Stephen" Purves brings his first-hand knowledge of William Hartnell's gruff, short-tempered First Doctor to his reading; all Hartnell's characteristic vocal tics are there. I was, at first, not so taken with Jean Marsh's chapters and found some of her characterisations a little clumsy, however this got better and better and I rate her performance as an equal to Purves' own.

And of course Nick Brigg's Daleks never disappoint. Peel gives the Black Dalek its own internal monologue from time to time and his interpretation of them makes them as evil and ruthless as they should be.

A great story, well-read.

[Jason Bleckly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first half of the 13 episode epic that started with the 1 episode teaser Mission to the Unknown. This book isn't just the 1 epsiode Mission to the Unknown. It would be much thinner if that was the case. It covers all of Mission to the Unknown and the first 6 episodes of The Daleks' Master Plan.

As this is one of the mainly missing story (only 3 episodes exist in video form) this book, and the second book, are really the best way to appreaciate this story. The full audio and atelesnap reconstruction exist, but the book outshines them. John Peel has done an excellent job of capturing the story. As with the original it's very episodic. Several mini adventures linked by an overall story arc. The best compariso would be to The Chase, but here the mini adventures have more depth and are better linked to the overall story arc.

This is a highly recommended read as the broadcast version is sadly lost.

[Gareth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Daleks' Master Plan is probably the one missing story I want restored the most, and these books have probably helped with this.
It just seems such a sweeping story, with the Daleks at their best, being evil, manipulative and cunning, but joined by a wide cast of protagonists and antagonists that have the time to be able to be fleshed out, and allow for many fascinating scenes, such as Bret Vyon, Sara Kingdom, Mavic Chen, Trantis and the other outer galaxy representatives.
It is also a darker / grimmer tale than most Doctor Who stories, with this first volume featuring the first companion death, which is quite a powerful scene.
Lots of tension throughout, with a number of interesting twists and turns, and this first volume ends at a natural break point as well.
All round a great read for me :)

[Michael T Bradley · Rating 2 out of 5]

While on one hand, it's great to have what appears to be a line-by-line re-creation of a missing story, it is frustrating that Peel handles this as such: take script (which we know thanks to audio recording), add in a line here and there, call it good. Perhaps because the story's so massive it's difficult to do anything besides that, but it still plays off as very bogged down in capturing the script EXACTLY AS SPOKEN, NO MATTER WHAT. It does not feel like a novel, but rather a script.

There are a few minor flourishes here & there that I enjoyed - I'll try to remember to add those highlights once I've got it nearby - but overall I really wonder if it might not've been better to just listen to the audio.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doctor Who : Mission to the Unknown (1989) by John Peel is the novelisation of the second serial of Doctor Who and starts the novelisation of the serial of the Daleks Master Plan.

The book has lots of chases and flights from one planet to another as well as plants that take people over and lots of double crossing. It’s pretty good fun. It also features the first death of a companion.

Doctor Who : Mission to the Unknown is required reading to read The Daleks Master Plan so it’s worth a read for Doctor Who fans.

[David Sutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandwitched between "Galaxy 4" and "The Myth Makers" this one off standalone teaser episode forshadowing "The Daleks' Master Plan" has been lost to time. I experienced this missing episode from the BBC Audio archive as part of the BBC Radio Collection of Doctor Who: The Daleks' Master Plan. I enjoyed imagining the settings and think the story would be interesting as a visual presentation to show the jungle setting with hasty repairs in contrast to the Dalek city with diplomatic meetings of Dalek emmissaries surrounded by colorful flags.

[Ivana Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading the Target novelisations in order, and this is definitely one of the best so far. Peel's Dalek stories were always good, from what I remember from reading Power and Evil years ago. Presumably, he's embellished the script somewhat, as the book makes reference to the Movellan Wars and the Draconian Empire. I'd recommend this book to any Dr Who fan who hasn't read it, or seen much of the Classic series.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

60th Anniversary read through. A bit darker with the first death of a Doctor Who companion, Katarina, Sarah Kingdom killing her brother, and several others dying around the Doctor and Steven. They get a new companion by the end of the book,Sarah Kingdom…yes I know her future. An interesting story setting up the next book, the Mutation of Time (The Dalek Masterplan part Ii… or in story-type terms, The Chase part II).

[Mole Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ultimate Dalek story. Before reading this, I had not watched Master Plan. I probably never will because episodes of the serial are missing. This is (arguably) the first space opera that Doctor Who had done. Peel's prose style makes this an extremely enjoyable read. Sadly, I don't have a copy of the second part on hand.

[Ian Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lot of fun: I’m not the biggest fan of the Hartnell era of the show but this is a fabulous retelling of the first half of one of the most ambitious stories ever put to air. And Peel makes a pretty good job of turning what was two scriptwriters trying to one-up each other with cliffhangers into a fairly seamless narrative.

[Timothy Keable · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable adaptation of something I saw when I was four years old.
Grand space opera in the Star Wars tradition but on a smaller scale due to budgetary restrictions. Considering this was a family show there is a surprising amount of death and darkness.

[Pandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haha - I read it.
It is exactly what you expect from a Dr Who book (from the 'classic' Who era).
As a kid I'd have a buzz of excitement getting a new Dr Who book from the local library. You never knew what you were going to get! Except for adventure and monsters, for a teenage boy.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like The Daleks' Master Plan and I'd've liked to give this a higher rating because for the most part it's a solid novelisation, but there were just a few too many comments about the female characters that I found weird and uncomfortable, and they kept impinging on my enjoyment.

[Gary Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another sad loss from the TV archives that we can at least revisit in soundtrack form and in print. John Peel does a cracking job at bringing it back to life and for me this was quite a page-turner. Highly recommended if you can get it for a good price!

[Noel Thingvall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suffers from Nation's typical loopy, distracted plotting, and you could have easily wrapped up the story in just this half, but Peel's adaptation is snappy and exciting, and the string of brief companions adds to the high stakes of the fine setup.

[C.A. A. Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating is for Doctor Who fans as this story is for such devotees. Very enjoyable and good fun from classic Doctor Who of the William Hartnell era.

We start off with The Mission to the Unknown single episode story. Then we move onto the splendid Dalek story. I vaguely remember this as a kid. Especially the ending which I will not mention any further. 😀👍

[Phil Butcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story lost from the BBC archives brought wonderfuly to life in this novel.

[Kevin Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really sharp first half of an adaptation of Daleks' Master Plan. Good sci-fi thriller with some horror elements. A great introduction to the Target range.

[Steve Matthewman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book, made me smile whilst reading it .

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story! And this is only Part One. The Daleks have a plan, and the Doctor stumbles into it, then struggles his way to victory. A much more satisfying structure that lets the reader know, plans don't always work as you hoped, and the enemy may win the moment by luck, or by design.

The tale begins with a brief mention of the Doctor gathering his companions from the Battle of Troy, then proceeds for several chapters onto a dangerous jungle planet being studied by humans, to lay the ground work for this extremely long, 12-episode serial, that plays out over several months. That is enough time to build intrigue, character depth, and plot complexity. There is no rush in this story line to even mention the Daleks, they arrive later. Those very elements I feel are starkly missing from the present run of the television programme. I keep my Doctor Who interests to the books, and audio plays.

A Dalek adventure like none I'd experienced before. A book permits the reader to take a peek into the mind's thoughts that enable us to learn more about the reasons for their actions. This device was used several times to great affect. Two moments stand out to me; the Daleks' pondering motives, and the companion's contemplation before a self-less act of bravery to save the Doctor, and others.

Wrestling the Daleks' Master Plan into a novelization required skill. The readers for this edition swapped chapters. That offered a change in perception, and tone that kept a lively pace. The bonus is two of the actors in that episode are the narrators: Jean Marsh, and Peter Purves, companions of the Doctor.

Now on to Part Two!