Chosen by November 2011 Guest Editor Steve Cole: "My childhood was crammed with Doctor Who books – growing up in the three-channel days before home videos, the only way you could relive the Time Lord’s adventures was through these lively adaptations. The best ones expanded both vocabulary and imagination, mingling hectic sci-fi adventure with a real sense of fun. It’s a formula I shall always love, and I hope that’s reflected in my own books. Nowadays the shelves are swamped with modern Who books – some of which I’ve written myself as ‘Stephen Cole’! – but I’m glad the originals have been re-released in special editions."
The mysterious Doctor and his granddaughter Susan are joined by unwilling adventurers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright in an epic struggle for survival on an alien planet. In a vast metal city they discover the survivors of a terrible nuclear war - the Daleks. Held captive in the deepest levels of the city, can the Doctor and his new companions stop the Daleks' plan to totally exterminate their mortal enemies, the peace-loving Thals? More importantly, even if they can escape from the Daleks, will Ian and Barbara ever see their home planet Earth again? This novel is based on the second Doctor Who story which was originally broadcast from 21 December 1963-1 February 1964, featuring the First Doctor as played by William Hartnell, and his companions Susan, Ian and Barbara.
David Whitaker was the first Story Editor for Doctor Who, and was responsible for finding and commissioning writers, and it was Whitaker as much as anyone who defined the narrative shape of Doctor Who. He wrote for the Doctor Who annuals, novelised the first Dalek story and worked with Terry Nation on various Dalek-related material including the hugely successful comic strip The Daleks. David Whitaker died in 1980. Terry Nation started as a comedy writer and performer, and was approached with an offer to work on Doctor Who, providing the seven episodes of the first ever Dalek story. After inventing the Daleks, Nation moved on to work on The Saint, The Champions and The Avengers. In the 1970s he scripted four more Dalek series - including Genesis of the Daleks which has been voted the best ever story in the series. Nation later devised the hugely popular BBC science fiction series Blake's 7. Terry Nation died in Los Angeles in 1996.
