THE DOCTOR WHO RATINGS GUIDE: BY FANS, FOR FANS

The Dalek Invasion of Earth
Dr. Who: Daleks Invasion Earth 2150 AD 		Target novelisation
Doctor Who and the Dalek Invasion of Earth

Author Terrance Dicks Cover image
Published 1977
ISBN 0 426 11244 X
First Edition Cover Chris Achilleos

Back cover blurb: The TARDIS lands in a London of future times - a city of fear, devastation and holocaust... a city now ruled by DALEKS. The Doctor and his companions meet a team of underground resistance workers, among the few survivors, but after an unsuccessful attack on the Dalek spaceship, they are all forced to flee the capital. A perilous journey through England finally brings them to the secret centre of Dalek operations... and the mysterious reason for the Dalek invasion of Earth!

Reviews

One of the best by Tim Roll-Pickering 4/2/04

Terrance Dicks often cites this as one of his favourite novelisations of all time and reading it it is not hard to see why. Whereas many of his contemporary novelisations of Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker stories are straightforward translations of the camera scripts into a quick novelisation, this book feels like a lot more work was put into it, with many additions and enhancements to it. Although the original cover features images taken from the movie Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 AD, this is clearly an adaptation of the television story, but not as straightforward as many. Often scenes have been relocated, such as the bomb intended to destroy part of London is now located in the tunnels by the resistance group's headquarters, whilst at other times the order of sequences changes so that the Dalek saucer now sets off on a specific mission to intercept Barbara and Jenny en route after landing in Bedfordshire rather than deviating from its course on its journey there. Often the dialogue feels subtly different from the televised version, such as the Doctor's departing words to Susan, whilst other details change so that Barbara and Jenny now travel in a dustcart not a milk float. Moments that make little sense on television are also improved, most noticeably the shaft which is now described as something more akin to that seen in the film version and so Ian's survival and interception of the bomb come across as far more believable. The dramatic moment where Larry confronts his robotised brother is also altered, so that Larry now kills Phil in an isolated tunnel before being shot dead by another Roboman, leaving Ian alone and in danger.

The book also feels a lot grimmer than many. The opening line is well known:

Through the ruin of a city stalked the ruin of a man.
It is one of the best openings in the Target series and sets the trend. This is a book set in a world where humanity has been bombarded by meteorites, subject to plague, invaded, bombed, attacked and enslaved and is living in fear amidst the remains of a once great civilisation. It is not a joyous place but one where brother is literally turned against brother, as shown in with Larry and Phil, and few punches are spared. The dehumanisation of those who haven't been robotised, most obviously Jenny, is all too clear and the reader is left looking for hope. Fortunately this comes in the form of Susan's growing relationship with David, which is carefully built up to seem natural and with the full approval of the Doctor. Wisely in a book of only 144 pages no time is wasted with long speculation about whether Susan is human or not, something which was never answered on television or even suggested back in 1964, and instead we see a young couple slowly coming together throughout the adventure and its aftermath before Susan faces the agonising choice between choosing between her grandfather and David. Surprisingly Susan uses "the Doctor" several times instead of "Grandfather", a sign of how they are starting to drift apart.

The television story is very familiar, especially with its release on DVD this year, but reading the book one gets the impression that Terrance Dicks was not very familiar with it, possibly because back in 1977 the junkings were still going on and a copy may not have been available to him. The 1990 reprint shares its cover with that year's VHS release of the story and so it is harder than usual to read the book without thinking of the televised story and the conclusion reached is that the book was written purely from the scripts, taking the opportunity to tidy things up. As a result this is a novelisation that feels like more than just a text video of the story and instead comes across as a valid alternative interpretation of the story. This is easily one of the best novelisations in the series and is highly recommended. 10/10

But I really wish an English edition had been released with the cover used for the German release as Kampf um die Erde. That is truly one of the best covers used on any novelisation. For those who have yet to see it, take a look at the scan on the On Target website.