Doctor Who: The Mutation of Time

Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #142

by John Peel

The Daleks’ Masterplan is well under way. With the Time Destroyer, the most deadly machine ever devised, they will conquer the Universe. Only one person stands in their way - the First Doctor. For he has stolen the precious Taranium core which is vital to activate the machine.

Travelling through Time and Space, the Doctor and his companions are forever on the move in case the Daleks track them down.

But after several months, to their horror, the TARDIS indicates that they are being followed…

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

157 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 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]

Continuing the epic battle against The Daleks, this second volume is both amusing and harrowing in equal measures.

The story picks up a couple of months after the previous book, this allow scope for more stories to feature Sara Kingdom in the TARDIS.
It’s really clever idea by Peel, with Big Finish eventually taking up the idea.
I’d contemplated listing to them, as I’m trying to read every story in chronological order (including the Missing and Past Doctor adventures that I’ve yet to read/review) but I decided that it was a rabbit hole that I didn’t need to get lost in.

There’s a real slapstick element to the early chapters as these episodes aired on Christmas and New Year’s Day.
I love the scene of the TARDIS materialising at the Oval and disturbing the test match between England and Australia.
I wished that episode existed!

Just like the previous Dalek story The Chase, the adventure has a real runaround feel - though this time with a much darker tone.
A returning character in Egypt is a great addition, whilst the conclusion at Kembel is a fitting but tragic end to this ambitious tale.

[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.

On a side note, I have to say that the covers for these books were among my favorites of the range, especially the one for
the second novel "The Mutation of Time."

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

John "not that one" Peel does it again in this masterful adaptation of the original television adventure from the late 60s. Peter Purves and Jean Marsh narrate their respective chapters excellently, bringing the scenes to life with skill. That Jean Marsh regales the listener with the horrific circumstance of the demise of the character she portrayed on the small screen all those decades ago adds a poignancy to an already very moving part of the story and the fact that Purves then resumes story telling duties for the following chapters underlines her loss cleverly.

Cannot fault this in any way.

[Warren Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a continuation of my review of John Peel's novelization of the epic Doctor Who space opera, "The Daleks' Masterplan," as well as another installment in my series of reviews of the "lost episode" novels.

"The Mutation of Time" is actually the sequel to the book "Mission to the Unknown," and is a rather faithful retelling of the plot of episodes 7 through 12 of the television serial "The Daleks' Masterplan," which first aired in Season 3 of classic Who. Most of the episodes of this serial have been wiped and thus are considered "lost," but they still can be enjoyed thanks to various reconstructions and John Peel's writing.

Seasons 3 and 4 are some of the ballsiest and experimental seasons of Doctor Who, and some would argue of television programming in general. They contain some of the darker and more controversial stories of the black-and-white era, one of the longest story arcs in Doctor Who history, and introduced some of the most memorable villains in the show, including the Cybermen and a prototype Master, the "Meddling Monk," who incidentally also makes an appearance in "The Masterplan" and hence this book. The era also has protagonists getting killed off in ways unheard of for a children's program, including the Doctor himself, but the show continues using an ingenious twist that allows the character to be believably played by another actor, a process now known by fans as "regeneration." This was a risky time for Doctor Who, but history has proven these seasons cemented the longevity of the show. Sadly, many of the episodes from this period are no longer in the BBC archive.

Therefore, don't miss your chance to experience the greatness of this Season 3 epic through John Peel's novels. "The Mutation of Time" completes the "Masterplan" saga and takes off directly where "Mission to the Unknown" left off, so it is not recommended reading if you are unfamiliar with the story and haven't read Part One.

But what an opening this book has! The first chapter is expanded dialogue between the Doctor and Sara Kingdom that did not appear in the original broadcast. It is a touching but heartbreaking moment that really sheds some light into Sara's inner pain hidden beneath her stony exterior, and also even sheds some light on the Doctor's philosophies that keep him mentally sane despite all he has seen and experienced. "There are no happy endings, because nothing ever lasts forever after," he says, followed by his lamenting the loss of his granddaughter and long observations of the transient nature of time, the inevitability of change, and how all things come to some sort of end. It sends chills up your spine as this touches on the very essence of the show itself, the aforementioned "regeneration" that keeps the show fresh as subsequent cast, crew, and generations of viewers come and go. Also, the essential nature of change to the show is here and almost everywhere in Classic Who done with much more class and grace than seen in more recent ham-fisted attempts to quickly bash the concept into the audience. Long-time fans of Doctor Who may even shed a tear at this scene as they are reminded of the recent series with its Cybermen ridiculously clad in Timelord robes. Indeed, nothing has a happy end...

Readers unfamiliar with the story might get a bit bored by the first three chapters which have little to nothing to do with Daleks or the Masterplan. These chapters cover the comic relief elements of the first Doctor Who "Christmas Special" known as "The Feast of Steven," which was originally meant to be a crossover with another popular British program called "Z-Cars" and which also contained a tribute/satire of 1920s Hollywood complete with title cards and piano music as though the episode were made in the silent film era. This unique and unusual episode is thought permanently lost, but is preserved in this book largely extant with some minor artisitc liberties. For example, the Doctor is credited with inventing the first-ever filmed "pie fight" gag, as he instigates a giant food fight on the stage of a comedy film by shoving a custard cream into his companion Steven's face. These kinds of slapstick antics seem out of place for the serious tone of the rest of the story and make for a rather childish few opening chapters. But since the book is not really meant to be a stand-alone entry, the comedy does provide a bit of a welcome break before "The Nightmare Continues." It also is meant to show that Sara Kingdom spent some considerable time with the Doctor and Steven on several travels after their initial escape from the Daleks in Part One, making her a real part of the Tardis family and her arc in the latter half of the story all the more poignant.

So despite the silliness in the story, this is where I believe Doctor Who as a form of entertainment grew up. It ceased to be just for kids, and truly earned an appeal for audiences of all ages. The rest of the book is relentless in its action and pacing until its brutal end. John Peel is in fine form as a writer here, perhaps better than in Part One. Reading both parts back-to-back can be quite a rewarding experience, one that I recommend to Doctor Who fans and anyone who enjoys epic space operas or scifi adventures.

For further enjoyment, listen to this book on Audible. It is read by Jean Marsh (Sara Kingdom) and Peter Purvis (Steven) who both put on brilliant performances complete with background sound effects and authentic Dalek voices compliments of Nicholas Briggs.

[Jacob Licklider · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Peel excels when he is adapting the work of Terry Nation, especially when it is a dramatic script from nation as is evident from The Daleks’ Master Plan Part I: Mission to the Unknown, but there is a great danger in shifting to the second half of the story as Dennis Spooner becomes responsible for writing duties of the episodes, though working from Terry Nation’s original outline. Spooner’s style of storytelling varies greatly from Nation’s, generally skewing towards comedy, though The Daleks’ Master Plan generally stays serious with a great helping of wit to get it through to a very dark ending. When it comes to getting to that very dark ending, Peel is great. The Daleks’ Master Plan Part II: The Mutation of Time takes its title from one of Nation’s working titles for the serial and Peel really makes the shifting time aspect of the serial brought out to the forefront. While the televised episodes would keep Mavic Chen and the Dalek alliance throughout the serial, this back half cuts back to them and their developments far more than the televised story ever did. This is perhaps because they provide the dramatic weight of the serial as the episodes immediately penned by Spooner on television go to the comedic side. The Meddling Monk is brought in as a tertiary antagonist and in The Daleks’ Master Plan Part II: The Mutation of Time the comedy of Peter Butterworth’s performance is greatly muted.

Muting the comedy is something Peel seems keen to do, except that makes the book become quite uneven for the first two-thirds of the events. “The Feast of Steven” is perhaps the reason for this, as there wasn’t much Peel could actually do to mute the comedy in the Christmas episode, outside of cutting out the Doctor’s request to the viewer at the very end. It takes up two chapters and is played mainly for comedy, while also having some of the largest cuts of the adaptation. The comedy is preserved from Nation’s original script, the only episode he penned included in this half of the novelization, but the scenes are shortened without Peel attempting to bring it in line with the way he adapts Spooner’s later scripts. It sets the reader up for a more tonally accurate recreation of the scripts, but as soon as the Daleks are back in the narrative the jokes are gone and the fear is back. This is especially apparent when the TARDIS materializes on a cricket pitch without the signature humor of Dennis Spooner, just this sense of stiff upper lipped Britishness before quickly moving on. The sequence in Ancient Egypt with the Monk is especially less comedic, the potential of the TARDIS being sealed in the pyramid is played as the most dangerous thing that could happen, while the action is heightened with danger. Dalek hierarchy is explored as an additive, but removing the comedy means that the chasing sequences of the story feel more like a slog.

Peel does do admirably in opening the novelization with an original scene, a character moment for Sara Kingdom exploring what life has been like now that her world has been turned upside down. Narratively it assists in bringing the reader back into the story and providing any necessary catchup on the off chance somebody picked up the second half of the story without first having the first half. In terms of character, it allows the Doctor a book original moment which is incredibly sweet, reflecting on the deaths that have already occurred at the hands of the Daleks and allowing Sara some closure and guilt around the death of her brother. This comes full circle in the end, while she is dying she is guided into death by the image of Bret which feels slightly out of place, but I can see what Peel was going for in this sequence.

Overall, The Daleks’ Master Plan Part II: The Mutation of Time is actually a step down mainly due to the weakness of the author and his general reverence for Terry Nation meaning he underestimates what made the Dennis Spooner penned scripts interesting and kept the story going. When it’s great, it’s utterly brilliant, in parts even better than the first half, but in between those moments the pace slows down and the comedy is transformed into completely straight prose which holds the book back. 8/10.

[James Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I watched The Daleks' Masterplan for the first time last year. It's a mostly missing story, with only episodes 2, 5 and 10 being available to watch from the 12-episode serial. I think Masterplan is a tremendous story; it currently sits at my 13th favourite story across all of Doctor Who (TV Shows, books, audios, etc). At Christmas last year, I received the novelisation for the same story, which is split across 2 novels. I read part 1 in January, and since then, I have listened to and read every story with Sara Kingdom as they are set between episodes 6 and 7 of Masterplan. Part 6, Coronas of the Sun, is where the first novelisation ended, with the second novelisation picking up with part 7, The Feast of Steven.

It was great re-experiencing The Daleks' Masterplan through these 2 novels. Even though the serial couldn't be viewed whilst this novelisation was being written, I felt it was extremely close to the original. That being said, it did lead to it having the same issue as the TV serial does. I think the first 6 parts of Masterplan are tremendous. Whilst watching them, I had never been so transfixed by 6 parts of Doctor Who before (6-part stories tend to lose me a little as they try and fill time, and there's a lot of going back and forth) and reading the first half of the novelsiation made me feel the same as it moves by on such a great pace, constantly pushing the story onwards in new locations with new characters when needed as the tension ramps up thanks to the terrific presence of the Daleks.

Then the story sort of takes a break from it all to celebrate Christmas (part 7 of Masterplan aired on Christmas Day, so there was a sort of bizarre "Christmas Special" slap bang in the middle of this space-faring epic). I don't mind this, and it's quite fun, but it certainly marks a shift in tone which carries on to the next few parts. In the novelisation, though, we begin with this Christmas special and the tone shift that carries on for the majority of the book. What this makes for is a rather slow and repetitive two-thirds to read. It's enjoyable, and the reintroduction of the Meddling Monk is wonderful—he makes what could be a boring repeat of The Chase (a previous Doctor Who story where the Daleks chase The Doctor and Co. through time and space) into more of a farce between two timelords in Ancient Egypt trying to trick the Daleks.

Thankfully, though, the novel really does pick back up in that final third (just like the TV serial does), and it's a climactic conclusion. Watching the telesnap reconstruction of the Time Destructor wreaking havoc on the planet Kembel, ageing every aspect of the planet in mere seconds as if lifetimes had passed, was horrifying, but reading it added a whole other layer to its reign of destruction. I still think the death of Sara Kingdom is one of the most terrifying deaths I've stood to witness. Seeing yourself age so rapidly that energy is sapped out of you as your hands turn to bone and hair becomes grey is really quite something. I've grown to really like Jean Marsh's portrayal of Sara Kingdom over these 12 months. Sadly, she passed away this year, and whilst she is most known for her hand in the creation of the BBC Drama Upstairs, Downstairs, it is her role in Doctor Who as Space Security Service Agent Sara Kingdom that I think she will be remembered forever for.

[Hidekisohma · Rating 4 out of 5]

So i got in the second part of the two part series, and i have to say, i actually enjoyed this just as much as the first half. It was short, concise, and to the point. And after reading the schlog that was "Sorcerer's Apprentice" it was nice to read a who novel that focused the majority of the writing on the actual doctor with very little meandering.

There's a part towards the beginning where the Doc, Steven, and Sara run through a hollywood studio and get into a pie fight and it's really quite hilarious and i'm sure looked even funnier in the actual show (curse you BBC and copying over your earlier stuff!)

I appreciate how John Peel specifically says that there's a few months in between part 1 and 2, so that if someone would like to write a novel with Sara and Steven they can. That's really cool of him.

Since it was only 150 pages, it never overstayed its welcome and told the story it needed to tell. It continued to cut out all unnecessary filler that would have been in the episodes and only kept the good stuff.

Overall, it was as fun read and a good brain cleanser after the nonsense that was the previous who book i read. 4.5 out of 5 rounded down to a 4.

[Jason Bleckly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts really badly. Not because there is anything wrong with the writing, or the adaptation of the broadcast version, but the first 3 chapters are a the part of the broadcast version which should have ended up on the cutting room floor. It has nothing to do with the main plot and is just thrown in to try and get some cheap laughs. I'm talking about the Keystone Kops and the food fight. It's crap.

Once you get past that bit, the rest of the story is good. The Daleks are still chasing the Doctor for the Taranium core. The Monk turns up again seeking revenge for the Doctor stranding him in medieval England. There's shenanigans in ancient Egypt at the finishing of Khufu's pyramid.

It's a series of mini-adventure in different times and places to make up the main story. In many ways it's very similar to The Chase, but bigger with the mini-adventures taking longer.

As there is very little of the story existing in video format (there's a telesnap reconstruction using the audio) this is really the best way to enjoy this particular story.

[Michel Siskoid Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part 2 of The Daleks' Masterplan--pardon me, The Mutation of Time (still can't get over Target Books' title change) shares Part 1's problems - it's based on one of Terry Nation's picaresques, and therefore a thing of parts. For example, I quite enjoy the (in the book, more overt) Z-Cars Christmas crossover (sadly, the book doesn't have the balls to wish the reader a Happy Christmas), but John Peel's inclusion of a pie fight in the Hollywood farce does nothing for me. The segment in Ancient Egypt should have been a stand-alone Monk story, but suffers from brevity. At least Peel connects the dots a little better than the serial did in terms of the finale, Sara Kingdom's motivation, and Earth finding out about Mavic Chen's treachery thanks to the tape made all the way back in Mission to the Unknown (essentially episode 0 of this story). Mutation isn't bad by any means, but the lack of focus means it's a bit long, and you're not quite sure why you have to slum it in some of those chapters.

[Taliesin Lyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

No idea if it's just the free online version that has typos, or if it's a side effect of Target's low budget. Regardless, this is a great read, this book almost fully lives up to the mythology built up by the missing episode it's adapting. While I don't appreciate John Peel inserting a bunch of internal pining for Steven over Sara, he does a great job of conveying the menace of the Daleks (the detail of their victim's bodies smoking after the blast is brilliant), the sheer, dimension shredding power of the time destructor, and the insanity of Mavic Chen. I'll be honest, I went into this thinking that Chen was going to be a mastermind, the kind that always allies themselves with The Doctor's enemies, but to see him portrayed as consistently deluded about his own brilliance and power, and not even being that bright, was hilarious, and a great spin on the typical human villain archetype.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doctor Who : The Mutation of Time (1989) by John Peel is the novelisation of the second half or so of the serial of The Dalek’s Master Plan which was the fourth serial of the third season of Doctor Who. Steven and Katarina were the companions.

The Doctor has stolen the power generator for the Daleks’ super weapon and the Daleks pursue the Doctor through time and space. They bump into the Time Meddler on the way. Katarina becomes the first companion to die.

The book isn’t bad. The original serial ran for twelve episodes, making it one of the longest serials. The book covering only some of the episodes makes it memorable. It’s darker than many of the other Doctor Who serials.

The Mutation of Time is definitely worth a read for Doctor Who fans.

[Michael T Bradley · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Peel's writing continues to read like a slightly punched-up version of the screenplay, which is both good (it feels about as close to watching this lost story as you can get) and bad (because it's bad). I really wonder what the climax to this story must have seemed like when it was originally screened. This is Who in new and insane territory. In this sprawling story, we have TWO companions die (! - Adric's "shocking" death over a decade later seems yawn-worthy in comparison). The show really used to be willing to take risks in a way that the new series will never "get," I don't think.

This whole story was a slog, but I'm glad I finally made it through it.

[Gareth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not quite as strong as the first volume, but still very good. Starts off quite light, with the Feast of Steven, and the return of another antagonist also allows for a bit more humour at times in this volume compared to the last, before it builds to the climax where it gets very dark once again.
I think it would have been better if it maintained it's darkness more strongly throughout, but can understand that when running for 12 weeks on TV, including over Christmas, maintaining that would likely have been a hard sell for the audience.
But a very good if somewhat bleak ending to the overall story, and again get to see a lot more of the characters and their growth throughout the story.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not as fabulous as the first volume...but only in so far as John Peel is working with lesser material in the back 6 episodes of a 12-part epic. The second half aspires to the bonkers nature of the previous season's "The Chase", and it doesn't do it this saga any favours. But this adaptation manages to dig deep for the gold, and add some interesting continuity additions...particularly in setting up a much longer stay on the TARDIS for Sara Kingdom.

[John Parungao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part two of one of the most epic Doctor Who stories ever! It's interesting to see the differences between this book and the original episodes. It's also nice to see John Peel add things to the existing story and tie up some loose ends that were never resolved because of the differences between Terry Nation's and Dennis Spooner's eventual storylines.
This is an enjoyable adaptation and was my first experience with this particular storyline.

[Ian Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this is clearly a continuation of the same story, the pace flags quite significantly in this book. The opening third is very obviously a set of filler episodes with a lot of running around - not quite down corridors - with no real end or purpose save to fill up time. But once the story kicks back in it is back to business as usual and Mr Peel does not disappoint.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

60th anniversary read through. A long story over 2 books. This second installment was like The Chase part 2 + The Time Meddler part 2. It was fun to see these two threads get pulled together. But a little darker with it featuring the first two companions to get killed. It was enjoyable with a Christmas episode in the middle. Kind of a mess, but an important story for Doctor Who.

[Brian Moreau · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much!!!!

This review is for both volumes 1 & 2 of the audio of the novelization of “The Dalek Masterplan”.

There’s just too much repetition and too much thrown at the wall in this story for it to be enjoyable. Maybe to have actually watched this story in action might have been somewhat fun but in book form it just drags.

[Kevin Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little sloppier than part one, but some of that is the source material. One of the most memorable endings in doctor who history caps off what, until then, is mostly a bit of a silly romp in part two.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
Enjoyed this more than part one, although I think it might expand a bit less on the plot? One thing I do really like here is the way it keeps Sara's guilt over Bret in focus for a lot of it, which is something that could've gotten lost with all the action happening.

[Gary Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll be pleased to know that time does indeed mutate in this - not a spoiler!

I could go and on about 'The Dalek Masterplan' but there's no need. It's fantastic and I just wish I was able to actually see it all with my actual eyes but hey ho.

[Ivana Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant adaptation.

[Phil Butcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second part of the 1965/66 Dr Who story "Dalek Masterplan" - most of which is lost from the archives. Great to be able to read this missing story.

[Steve Matthewman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read.

[Cameron Turnbull · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Part 2 to a book what is debatably one of the best Target adaptations of Doctor Who. This doesn’t disappoint. Everything that was great about the first book was perfected in its sequel (or continuation since they follow the same TV serial).

Something I did not mention previously was that the characters all felt like themselves. John Peel knew he was writing for the First Doctor and included his mannerisms and everything that makes him unique. Given this is an adaptation it doesn’t seem that hard to accomplish but some books would surprise you.

The same compliments go for the other main characters of Steven Taylor and Sara Kingdom. Both are written excellently and Peel fleshes out their backstories. How life was like for Sara in the 41st century, what Steven’s moral values are, etc…

The story is superb as well. I was as hooked as the first part, from start to finish. It made for an excellent audiobook listen

[Nicholas Whyte]

http://nhw.livejournal.com/1026018.html?#cutid3[return][return]The Daleks' Master Plan is simply too long to constrain inside a single pair of covers (at least at Target length), so Peel wrote it up as two separate novels, though you would be well advised to read Doctor Who - Mission to the Unknown first. Here again we have a grand panorama of Stuff Going On: the Doctor's compatriot, the Meddling Monk, reappears; Mavic Chen passes from hubris to nemesis; the Doctor must accept another death among his closest circle. Peel's treatment of the second half of the story takes slightly more liberties with the version as broadcast, mostly for good reason: the breach of the Fourth Wall at the end of episode 7 is removed, we get a bit more information as to what happens to everyone else after the Doctor leaves, and we get a Steven/Sara spark that will gladden the hearts of Hartnell-era shippers (including the assertion that they spent months together in the Tardis). He does the complex narrative more than justice.

[Rich Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second part of the adaptation of the longest Doctor Who serial ever broadcast is even better than the first! Besides being very well-written, the story takes the First Doctor and his two companions all over the place: Earth in the 1960's, the Dalek planet of Kembei, a nearly-uninhabitable volcano planet, and the time of the Pharaohs. There's even a Christmas interlude mixed into the tale.

One thing I have to say about this storyline (considering both books, since I've never seen it) is that the First Doctor's adventures can be far more action-packed than a lot of folks would believe, considering the few, more popular ones (An Unearthly Child and the first Dalek serial) that most people have seen. William Hartnell's Doctor had some get-up-and-go when he needed it.

This one should be required reading for the Doctor Who fan, and the two parts would make a good read for ANY sci-fi fan.

[Min · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a delightful Part I, Part II leads into a landing in 60s England for a Christmas special, than a trip to Hollywood. That is a 90 minute interlude that throws off the trail of the story that left on such a wonderful cliffhanger, with the Daleks in pursuit of their lost weapon, now in the hands of the Doctor.

Once they resume the story line, they time hop to ancient Egypt and the Pyramids of Cheops. They encounter the Meddling Monk, and after a fracas, truly enter the story with the Daleks, the Time Destructor, and the planet Kembel, where the whole adventure began.

Ignoring the early digression, the plot reaches a crescendo of suspense and a bit more intrigue as the allies of the Daleks, work to assist them in their invasion.
More losses for the Doctor, and he returns to traveling the Universe in, inevitable, victory.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't familiar with the first part of the story, but that didn't seem to be much of a problem. I am never very keen on first Doctor stories... he's so grumpy ("endearingly grumpy" says my fellow listener), however this one wasn't bad. He has companions with gumption - a special agent from the future and an astronaut, and the plot cracks along at a good pace, helped by alternating narration by Jean Marsh and Peter Purves. Lots of changes of scenery and time too, although some of that (eg gatecrashing the film set) seemed a little too trivial.

I was impressed that it isn't a cosy ending, and that time travelling monk was quite a rascal.

[Arrun · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second part of the novelisation to the Daleks Master Plan, and I really thought it was a good conclusion. Still written (like the first book) very faithfully to the script of the original serial. It adds to the enjoyment of the read if you happen to have listened to the original soundtrack or watched the reconstruction, but even so its a great and interesting story, which ill probably read again at some point. Its one of the next best things to actually seeing the lost episodes. Hopefully they'll re-release both books to allow many more people to enjoy them.