Doctor Who: Earthshock (Target Doctor Who Library) [Paperback]

Ian Marter (Author)

Book Description

Series: Target Doctor Who Library | Publication Date: June 1992

Peter Davison reads this exciting novelisation of a classic Doctor Who adventure in which the Fifth Doctor encounters the Cybermen. A group of palaeontologists have been savagely attacked while carrying out a study of fossilised dinosaur remains in an underground cave system on twenty-fifth century Earth. A party of troopers and Professor Kyle, the only survivor of the attack, are investigating the deaths of her colleagues when they discover the Doctor and his companions at the site of the massacre. The time-travellers are immediately suspected. In trying to establish their innocence and find out who - or what - was responsible for the killings, the Doctor is confronted by an old enemy...The Fifth Doctor himself, Peter Davison, reads Ian Marter's complete and unabridged novelisation, first published by Target Books in 1983, whilst Nicholas Briggs provides the authentic voice of the Cybermen.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Carol Pub Group (June 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0426193776
• ISBN-13: 978-0426193777
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,892,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An old enemy and other surprises, December 30, 2000

By 

"grrreg" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctor Who: Earthshock (Target Doctor Who Library) (Paperback)

Oh dear, what do you say about this book and keep to the "no spoilers" rules that surround writing reviews for Amazon?

'Earthshock' sees the return of an old foe and a traumatic experience for the TARDIS crew (the details of both, I'm sure, the vast majority of readers will already know). Looking at the cover and reading the blurb on my copy offers no clues to either, and this story really emerges like a shark from the deeps, especially when compared to that which proceeded it ('Black Orchid").

It is adapted by Ian Marter, who played companion Harry Sullivan some seven years before the broadcast of this story, and, as I have previously commented, his writing style is rather not the straightforward adaptation that most Doctor Who novelisations enjoy and/or suffer (depending on your view and the novelisation).

One substantial complaint (with the original story, and hence also featured in this adaptation): Eric Saward, who began as script editor for this season as well as writing the story in the first place, obviously wasn't happy with the concept of the Doctor not using weapons and solving things by thinking them out. On the cover of my copy is a photo of the Doctor with a gun, straight from the serial. A very bad move, Mr. Saward. This increased violence continued while Mr. Saward was script editor.

4.0 out of 5 stars Return of the Cybermen, June 3, 2005

By 

Bill Huebsch (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Doctor Who: Earthshock (Target Doctor Who Library) (Paperback)

The Doctor faces off against the cybermen again in this novelization. At his side are Adric, Nyssa and Tegan as well as some random troops from Earth, circa 2526 AD.

The Doctor and company return to Earth and land in the middle of a dinosaur dig gone bad. Seems the palaeontologists have been mysteriously attacked and nearly wiped out. The Doctor finds himself accused of the deed although the true perpetrators show up shortly and the Doctors aids in their defeat. The Doctor then takes the fight to the leaders of those perpetrators and in so doing discovers the reason for the dinosaurs extinction (among other things).

Once again the Doctor saves the world (or the universe) from an evil plot! A quick, fun read.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good bye, spoiled brat, September 3, 2005

By 

Joe Tackett "tackettbass" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Doctor Who: Earthshock (Target Doctor Who Library) (Paperback)

This is one of the better Target novels and a fast paced read. Mr. Marter does something that few other Target authors do: he creates minor charecters that you can care about. Also, the ending always makes me cry with joy. Companions are an important part of Doctor Who, and it's always pleasent to see bad ones go.