Target BBC audiobooks continue...

[Pip Madeley]

with...

Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters

and...

Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon

... scheduled for September 2007. Pertwee fans rejoice!

[Captain Tancredi]

For eighteen quid I'd expect Nicholas Courtney to come round in person to read it to me and make the cocoa to boot!

[Wayne]

I can think of much better things to spend 18 on!

[Andrew Curnow]

How bizarre! Other than for nostalgia value, I'm amazed there's a market for these. And considering you could pick up the book version for a fraction of that price and read it yourself... Odd.

Odd, but at the same time, it does make me smile. And, to be fair, those are both very good novelisations of their stories, especially "The Doomsday Weapon" (even though it confused me for years with its aggressive Jo introduction) which has some excellent diversions into the grim dystopic world that the Earth has become.

Worth picking up when they get remaindered to 2.99 in 12 months time!

[Perry Vale]

Would readings of 'The Giant Robot' or 'The Dinosaur Invasion' in November tempt anyone?

[SiHart]

They just might tempt someone this Christmas... I hope they get Tom to read one, I'd love that!

Si xx

[Jonno]

I'm sure they might tempt Ralph...

[Phillip Culley]

They just might tempt someone this Christmas... I hope they get Tom to read one, I'd love that!

Si xx

And according to OG, he is reading The Giant Robot. Martin Jarvis is doing 'The Dinosaur Invasion', complete with KKLAK! cover

[SiHart]

Oooh! I think they might just be essential purchases then!

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

Si Hart speaks the truth!





I like the fact they've stayed faithful to the Target covers.

[Jim]

How many times are we expected to endure Robot! Why is it 4hrs in duration? Are there some interesting Dicks scripted sex scenes in it or something?

[Jonno]

Reason for the length is that it's Tom narrating the novelisation - which obviously takes longer than watching it! I trust that Ralph will be buying this!

[Si Hunt]

4 HOURS OF ROBOT!

I just don't know what to say!

Si.

[Jonno]

"I'm sorry I left the show now, and forced four hours of Wobot on you!"

[Andrew Curnow]

Although I won't be rushing to buy them, part of me is very pleased that there's enough interest in narrations of the old Target novels to justify them bringing more out. Hopefully they might spread their wings a bit, and do some of the later stories, at least the well-written ones - Curse of Fenric, for example (read by Nicholas Parsons, perhaps) or Battlefield read by Nicholas Courtney, would be excellent.

[Simon R]

"The Nightmare Fair", "Magnus Magnusson" and "Waly K Daly" read by Colin Baker.

... or adapted by Big Finish.

I want them.

[Lord President]

"The Nightmare Fair", "Magnus Magnusson" and "Waly K Daly" read by Colin Baker.

... or adapted by Big Finish.

I want them.

'Waly K Daly' The Novel? Now that would be novel!

[Rob McCow]

It's all going to be worth it to hear Tom saying "The Robot began to grow... and grow... swelling to the size of a GIANT!"

[Pip Madeley]

Let's hope he doesn't do it in his Little Britain persona...

[Rob McCow]

Let's hope not, eh?

[SiHart]

I know these sets are not to everyone's tastes, but they are beautifully packaged. We've had the extra big library editions in at owrk and they look gorgeous, with the original book covers blown up nice and large.

I haven't actually listened to them yet, aside from the start of The Cave Monsters which began with a surprising little announcement that made me smile with nostalgia.

I'm looking forward to the next two. I'll pop them on my Christmas list- they'll be good to listen to on the plane to NZ in Feb!

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

I got through the whole of Cave Monsters on my travels to Reading & back last month, and really enjoyed it, though I noticed changes made from the TV version, with a whole new Silurian prologue, Baker's name change to Barker, the reworking of Masters' demise and the absence of the Brig & Doctor's final journey into the caves. Enjoyable stuff, despite Caroline John's Brigadier impression making Courtney sound like he was 80.

[Andrew Curnow]

though I noticed changes made from the TV version

Haven't you ever read the book, Pip?!

[Pip Madeley]

Nope! I'm a novice when it comes to Target novels, I always had the classic series on UKGold/videos when I was first getting into Who, so they've never been an essential purchase for me. I enjoy listening to these narrated versions though, I'll get hold of The Giant Robot sometime.

[Andrew Curnow]

Oh I see! Well in that case you're in for a treat, especially with the earlier ones. As well as The Cave-Monsters, the adaptations of Dinosaur Invasion and, especially, The Doomsday Weapon are different in various ways to the original TV shows. I hope they do Day of the Daleks at some point, too, as that is a far superior book to the TV version; ditto The Auton Invasion.

Sigh, I'm getting all nostalgic now...