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Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #31
Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon
In the great maze of the Powe Complex dwells the dreaded Nimon, a fearsome monster with immense scientific powers.
The Nimon has promised to restore the Skonnan Empire to its former glory. But first it demands sacrifice - youths and maidens from the peaceful planet Aneth.
The TARDIS collides with the spaceship delivering the victims, and the captured Romana is condemned to be sacrificed to the Nimon. Aided by the faithful K-9, the Doctor goes to the rescue. In the heart of the maze he confronts the Nimon and uncovers a terrifying plot to enslave the galaxy.
The Nimon has promised to restore the Skonnan Empire to its former glory. But first it demands sacrifice - youths and maidens from the peaceful planet Aneth.
The TARDIS collides with the spaceship delivering the victims, and the captured Romana is condemned to be sacrificed to the Nimon. Aided by the faithful K-9, the Doctor goes to the rescue. In the heart of the maze he confronts the Nimon and uncovers a terrifying plot to enslave the galaxy.
144 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1980
5 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
About the author
Terrance Dicks
328 books220 followersTerrance Dicks was an English author, screenwriter, script editor, and producer best known for his extensive contributions to Doctor Who. Serving as the show's script editor from 1968 to 1974, he helped shape many core elements of the series, including the concept of regeneration, the development of the Time Lords, and the naming of the Doctor’s home planet, Gallifrey. His tenure coincided with major thematic expansions, and he worked closely with producer Barry Letts to bring a socially aware tone to the show. Dicks later wrote several Doctor Who serials, including Robot, Horror of Fang Rock, and The Five Doctors, the 20th-anniversary special.
In parallel with his television work, Dicks became one of the most prolific writers of Doctor Who novelisations for Target Books, authoring over 60 titles and serving as the de facto editor of the range. These adaptations introduced a generation of young readers to the franchise. Beyond Doctor Who, he also wrote original novels, including children’s horror and adventure series such as The Baker Street Irregulars, Star Quest, and The Adventures of Goliath.
Dicks also worked on other television programmes including The Avengers, Moonbase 3, and various BBC literary adaptations. His later work included audio dramas and novels tied to Doctor Who. Widely respected for his clarity, imagination, and dedication to storytelling, he remained a central figure in Doctor Who fandom until his death in 2019, leaving behind a vast legacy in television and children's literature.
In parallel with his television work, Dicks became one of the most prolific writers of Doctor Who novelisations for Target Books, authoring over 60 titles and serving as the de facto editor of the range. These adaptations introduced a generation of young readers to the franchise. Beyond Doctor Who, he also wrote original novels, including children’s horror and adventure series such as The Baker Street Irregulars, Star Quest, and The Adventures of Goliath.
Dicks also worked on other television programmes including The Avengers, Moonbase 3, and various BBC literary adaptations. His later work included audio dramas and novels tied to Doctor Who. Widely respected for his clarity, imagination, and dedication to storytelling, he remained a central figure in Doctor Who fandom until his death in 2019, leaving behind a vast legacy in television and children's literature.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 23, 2021
This is a novelization of the fifth, final adventure of the seventeenth season of Doctor Who, which was broadcast in December of 1979 and January of 1980. The fourth iteration of The Doctor stars, along with the second version of Time Lady Romana. And their loyal, robotic canine K9, of course. Terrance Dicks adapted the teleplay that was written by Anthony Read for this book version, adding a bit of useful background information which made it clearer to understand. It's a story very heavily founded on Greek mythology, most particularly Theseus and the Minotaur. There's a clever bit at the end in which The Doctor implies he was around at the original conflict as well, and "...caused a terrible hoohah!" "Other places, other times...eh, K9?" It's not one of the most highly-regarded adventures, but as a fan of myth I quite liked it.
November 16, 2025
In the age of home video and streaming, the Target novelizations that were a staple of early Doctor Who merchandise and fandom can seem like quaint artifacts of another time. Why, after all, would you really want to spend the time reading something you can watch? Especially given how many of them that Terrance Dicks wrote at such speed that they can sometimes come across as transcripts of serials with a minimum of description. Or in regards to lesser regarded serials? Because every so often you come across something like Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon and rethink what you know about a particular story.
Though, in all fairness to those reading this review, it’s worth mentioning that this reviewer has had a mixed relationship with the TV version of The Horns of Nimon. It was a story I came to comparatively early in my time as a Doctor Who fan, purchased at the tail end of 2007 as part of the mammoth End of the Universe VHS collection and watched within a few weeks of its arrival. It was the first time I encountered what Stacey Smith? of the Doctor Who Ratings Guide has called “the Tom Baker comedy half-hour.” It was a diverting way to spend ninety minutes or so, but watching Lalla Ward as Romana acting her socks off to sell the part two cliffhanger only to have Baker come in and depth charge her efforts the next episode and Graham Crowden’s performance as Soldeed left me unimpressed. Viewing the VHS again a couple of times did nothing to change that and I skipped out on the DVD release. It wasn’t until I was gifted the Season 17 Blu-Ray for Christmas many years later that I gave it another serious look and found more to enjoy, especially from Ward’s performance and the odd moment here in there, but it was still a less than stellar example of Classic Who in the Tom Baker era. Something that left me with less than high hopes when I gave the novelization a try.
Something that I’m glad I did.
In looking at novelizations such as Frontier in Space (sorry, The Space War) and The Power of Kroll over the past few years, a trend has emerged among a number of the Target books. Cases where original writers in some case but adapters such as Dicks in others were able to go back to what was intended rather than what was produced on-screen. This is something that fans tend to associate when the McCoy era novelizations such as Remembrance of the Daleks (which improved upon an already strong TV serial) or stories such as Ghost Light or The Curse of Fenric (where material cut from broadcast could be reinstated). These “writer’s cuts,” can make one look at a serial in a new light. Dicks’ novelization of The Horns of Nimon is just a case.
Speaking to Doctor Who Magazine in 1999, Dicks noted that the Nimon script had been “a problematic one” and a case where “had to try and make sense of [it]!” That attention to detail and trying to resolve plot holes is clear throughout the novelization from its opening page. Dicks launched this prose re-telling with a prologue, a seemingly favorite device of his, to tell the history of both the Skonnan Empire with its collapse ala Rome but also the arrival of the Nimon wand how Soldeed ended up in the improbably position of power he occupied in the TV serial. All of which adds some valuable context to what was broadcast across the 1979-80 holiday season. If it had been just for that, Dicks work would have gone a way toward offering a better version of the same story.
Dicks however, as that 1999 Doctor Who Magazine quote alluded, continued to work his magic. There’s expanded characterizations throughout of the Skonnan’s such as Soldeed who is an out of his depth laboratory technician elevated to a level of power by encountering the Nimon, forcing him to bluff about how much he knows to maintain his position. Sorak, captain of the Skonnan military, we learn is not only skeptical of the Nimon as he was on TV but warily tolerating Soldeed until he can overthrow him. Or, in the first half, there’s the Co-Pilot who was a comedy character on-screen that scriptwriter Anthony Read had intended to be much younger but still hotheaded longing nostalgically for the days of imperial glory, something which Dicks preserves alongside actually giving the character the name of Sardor. Coming to these characterizations in 2025, there’s something that feels oddly timely about the vision that Dicks (and Read as the original scriptwriter) offer of a cast of characters ranging from out of their depth to simply over ambitious and under-talented trying to turn nostalgia into reality. Beyond that, the rushed ending gets expanded upon, explaining the aftermath between the final confrontation in the Power Complex and that final TARDIS scene that goes a long way to clear up some messy leftover plot points that the TV version passed over. Even in the Nimon themselves come across quite differently with a physical description that makes them feel like intelligent but primal beasts rather than the bulky and cumbersome costumes that were on-screen. The sum of these parts is a different vision of what The Horns of Nimon could have been.
Not that Dicks can or does change everything. A number of those “Tom Baker comedy half-hour” moments remain, especially in the TARDIS scenes across early chapters. That depth charging of tension at a cliffhanger still happens with Dicks recreating the on-screen effect on the page by putting it at a chapter break. The intentional comedy remains but some of the more infamous moments, such as the death of Sardor or Romana forcing Soldeed’s admission that the Nimon have deceived him, are played as Read originally intended. Yet the moments that remain still hamper the narrative in moments, something which remains apparent on the page.
Is The Horns of Nimon a case where the production team bungled a good script? There’s an argument to be made that was the case, given how much material Dicks restored. There’s also no doubt that Dicks went a long way to filling in some of the gaps that Read, script editor Douglas Adams, and the cast performances left behind. Imperfect though it remains, Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon offers a vision of what the TV serial might have been in a different season. Something which means that, like me, you’ll likely not look at the TV story the same way again after reading this.
Though, in all fairness to those reading this review, it’s worth mentioning that this reviewer has had a mixed relationship with the TV version of The Horns of Nimon. It was a story I came to comparatively early in my time as a Doctor Who fan, purchased at the tail end of 2007 as part of the mammoth End of the Universe VHS collection and watched within a few weeks of its arrival. It was the first time I encountered what Stacey Smith? of the Doctor Who Ratings Guide has called “the Tom Baker comedy half-hour.” It was a diverting way to spend ninety minutes or so, but watching Lalla Ward as Romana acting her socks off to sell the part two cliffhanger only to have Baker come in and depth charge her efforts the next episode and Graham Crowden’s performance as Soldeed left me unimpressed. Viewing the VHS again a couple of times did nothing to change that and I skipped out on the DVD release. It wasn’t until I was gifted the Season 17 Blu-Ray for Christmas many years later that I gave it another serious look and found more to enjoy, especially from Ward’s performance and the odd moment here in there, but it was still a less than stellar example of Classic Who in the Tom Baker era. Something that left me with less than high hopes when I gave the novelization a try.
Something that I’m glad I did.
In looking at novelizations such as Frontier in Space (sorry, The Space War) and The Power of Kroll over the past few years, a trend has emerged among a number of the Target books. Cases where original writers in some case but adapters such as Dicks in others were able to go back to what was intended rather than what was produced on-screen. This is something that fans tend to associate when the McCoy era novelizations such as Remembrance of the Daleks (which improved upon an already strong TV serial) or stories such as Ghost Light or The Curse of Fenric (where material cut from broadcast could be reinstated). These “writer’s cuts,” can make one look at a serial in a new light. Dicks’ novelization of The Horns of Nimon is just a case.
Speaking to Doctor Who Magazine in 1999, Dicks noted that the Nimon script had been “a problematic one” and a case where “had to try and make sense of [it]!” That attention to detail and trying to resolve plot holes is clear throughout the novelization from its opening page. Dicks launched this prose re-telling with a prologue, a seemingly favorite device of his, to tell the history of both the Skonnan Empire with its collapse ala Rome but also the arrival of the Nimon wand how Soldeed ended up in the improbably position of power he occupied in the TV serial. All of which adds some valuable context to what was broadcast across the 1979-80 holiday season. If it had been just for that, Dicks work would have gone a way toward offering a better version of the same story.
Dicks however, as that 1999 Doctor Who Magazine quote alluded, continued to work his magic. There’s expanded characterizations throughout of the Skonnan’s such as Soldeed who is an out of his depth laboratory technician elevated to a level of power by encountering the Nimon, forcing him to bluff about how much he knows to maintain his position. Sorak, captain of the Skonnan military, we learn is not only skeptical of the Nimon as he was on TV but warily tolerating Soldeed until he can overthrow him. Or, in the first half, there’s the Co-Pilot who was a comedy character on-screen that scriptwriter Anthony Read had intended to be much younger but still hotheaded longing nostalgically for the days of imperial glory, something which Dicks preserves alongside actually giving the character the name of Sardor. Coming to these characterizations in 2025, there’s something that feels oddly timely about the vision that Dicks (and Read as the original scriptwriter) offer of a cast of characters ranging from out of their depth to simply over ambitious and under-talented trying to turn nostalgia into reality. Beyond that, the rushed ending gets expanded upon, explaining the aftermath between the final confrontation in the Power Complex and that final TARDIS scene that goes a long way to clear up some messy leftover plot points that the TV version passed over. Even in the Nimon themselves come across quite differently with a physical description that makes them feel like intelligent but primal beasts rather than the bulky and cumbersome costumes that were on-screen. The sum of these parts is a different vision of what The Horns of Nimon could have been.
Not that Dicks can or does change everything. A number of those “Tom Baker comedy half-hour” moments remain, especially in the TARDIS scenes across early chapters. That depth charging of tension at a cliffhanger still happens with Dicks recreating the on-screen effect on the page by putting it at a chapter break. The intentional comedy remains but some of the more infamous moments, such as the death of Sardor or Romana forcing Soldeed’s admission that the Nimon have deceived him, are played as Read originally intended. Yet the moments that remain still hamper the narrative in moments, something which remains apparent on the page.
Is The Horns of Nimon a case where the production team bungled a good script? There’s an argument to be made that was the case, given how much material Dicks restored. There’s also no doubt that Dicks went a long way to filling in some of the gaps that Read, script editor Douglas Adams, and the cast performances left behind. Imperfect though it remains, Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon offers a vision of what the TV serial might have been in a different season. Something which means that, like me, you’ll likely not look at the TV story the same way again after reading this.
August 29, 2023
Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon, by Terrance Dicks. Target, 1980. Number 31 in the Doctor Who Library. 111 pages, paperback. Original script by Anthony Read. BBC, 1979.
This adventure features the 4th Doctor, Romana II, and K9.
One minute the Doctor is overhauling part of the TARDIS control console, the TARDIS is being pulled rapidly on a collision course toward a spaceship. The crash merely results in the TARDIS being stuck on the exterior of the ship. The Doctor and Romana explore the ship to discover a cargo of highly radioactive Hymetusite and several young people, all of which are tributes and sacrifices to the mighty Nimon on Skonnos, the planet from which the ship was heading when its computer malfunctioned. The Doctor decides to try to repair the ship, which is falling into a manufactured black hole. Leaving a part from the TARDIS with Romana on the ship, he goes back to the TARDIS. The ship’s captain betrays the Doctor and flees to Skonnos, taking Romana with him.
The Doctor follows the ship to Skonnos, where he meets Soldeed, the only person allowed to see the Nimon. The Doctor soon finds himself in an ever-changing maze where all paths lead to the Nimon. He meets up with Romana and the young people from the ship and they encounter the Nimon, a great bull-like creature with tremendous strength and power. The Doctor, Romana, Seth, and Teka run away to find themselves in a control room of sorts where the Doctor realizes that this from where the black hole is being used as a transport tube. A capsule appears on the pad and two more Nimon emerge! The Doctor is curious to know more but accidentally sends Romana to the other end of the line.
Can the Doctor get Romana back? What’s at the other end of the line? How many Nimon are there and what are their intentions on Skonnos? Can the Doctor save Skonnos before it’s too late?
The blessing of the novelization is that the reader doesn’t get the full force of Tom Baker (the Doctor) and Graham Crowden (Soldeed) trying to over-act each other. It’s much calmer on the page. Terrance Dicks writes a straight-forward adaptation of Anthony Read’s script with little embellishment. Horns of Nimon is a good story, even if the Minotaur myth is easy to spot, with the dry, sardonic humor associated with this era of Doctor Who. Can easily recommend.
This adventure features the 4th Doctor, Romana II, and K9.
One minute the Doctor is overhauling part of the TARDIS control console, the TARDIS is being pulled rapidly on a collision course toward a spaceship. The crash merely results in the TARDIS being stuck on the exterior of the ship. The Doctor and Romana explore the ship to discover a cargo of highly radioactive Hymetusite and several young people, all of which are tributes and sacrifices to the mighty Nimon on Skonnos, the planet from which the ship was heading when its computer malfunctioned. The Doctor decides to try to repair the ship, which is falling into a manufactured black hole. Leaving a part from the TARDIS with Romana on the ship, he goes back to the TARDIS. The ship’s captain betrays the Doctor and flees to Skonnos, taking Romana with him.
The Doctor follows the ship to Skonnos, where he meets Soldeed, the only person allowed to see the Nimon. The Doctor soon finds himself in an ever-changing maze where all paths lead to the Nimon. He meets up with Romana and the young people from the ship and they encounter the Nimon, a great bull-like creature with tremendous strength and power. The Doctor, Romana, Seth, and Teka run away to find themselves in a control room of sorts where the Doctor realizes that this from where the black hole is being used as a transport tube. A capsule appears on the pad and two more Nimon emerge! The Doctor is curious to know more but accidentally sends Romana to the other end of the line.
Can the Doctor get Romana back? What’s at the other end of the line? How many Nimon are there and what are their intentions on Skonnos? Can the Doctor save Skonnos before it’s too late?
The blessing of the novelization is that the reader doesn’t get the full force of Tom Baker (the Doctor) and Graham Crowden (Soldeed) trying to over-act each other. It’s much calmer on the page. Terrance Dicks writes a straight-forward adaptation of Anthony Read’s script with little embellishment. Horns of Nimon is a good story, even if the Minotaur myth is easy to spot, with the dry, sardonic humor associated with this era of Doctor Who. Can easily recommend.
October 4, 2018
Probably a low three stars, nearly a two as opposed to the nearly four I've rated some as previously, an enjoyable (and short) adaptation of one of the most critically maligned Dr Who stories ever, but one I happen to quite enjoy.
Dicks adds a few little touches to the story as broadcast on TV, a quick prologue detailing the Nimon's arrival on the planet Skonnos, suggesting some political machinations between Sardor, the head of the guards, and Soldeed, the scientist/head priest of Skonnos. The most interesting of these additions is the subtle implication that Soldeed, far from being the expert head scientist he presents himself as, was in fact a lowly assistant with little scientific knowledge before the Nimon arrived, and he was chosen as their priest/oracle purely by virtue of being the first person they saw, rather than chosen because of any leadership qualities. This adds a new dimension to Soldeed's over-the-top, rage-filled behaviour throughout the story; he knows he's a fraud and is overcompensating. Lovely.
This is all to skirt around the fact that this isn't an outstanding story, the plot is rather thin and the villains are incredibly one-dimensional. The fact that The Doctor takes something of a back seat allowing Romana to slip into the Doctor role in the story is fun, but there's not much else going on, really. A fun diversion with a few nice touches added by Dicks, but nothing more.
Dicks adds a few little touches to the story as broadcast on TV, a quick prologue detailing the Nimon's arrival on the planet Skonnos, suggesting some political machinations between Sardor, the head of the guards, and Soldeed, the scientist/head priest of Skonnos. The most interesting of these additions is the subtle implication that Soldeed, far from being the expert head scientist he presents himself as, was in fact a lowly assistant with little scientific knowledge before the Nimon arrived, and he was chosen as their priest/oracle purely by virtue of being the first person they saw, rather than chosen because of any leadership qualities. This adds a new dimension to Soldeed's over-the-top, rage-filled behaviour throughout the story; he knows he's a fraud and is overcompensating. Lovely.
This is all to skirt around the fact that this isn't an outstanding story, the plot is rather thin and the villains are incredibly one-dimensional. The fact that The Doctor takes something of a back seat allowing Romana to slip into the Doctor role in the story is fun, but there's not much else going on, really. A fun diversion with a few nice touches added by Dicks, but nothing more.
February 17, 2026
I’m not sure why, but I’m very fond of this story. It could be because my star sign is Taurus. It could be the tie-back to classic history. It could be the maze/circuity and wandering around inside the giant machine. These are al things which have appeared in other Classic Who stories, but the just all come together in this one.
The book is a bit on the short side for me, but that’s only because I want it to enjoy it longer when reading. Terrance has done a brilliant job of novelising the story. I find his interpretation of the 2 major Skonnon characters interesting. Sorak is portrayed as conniving to eliminate Soldeed. He doesn’t come across like that in TV episode, he seems genuine compatriot of Soldeed. And Soldeed doesn’t come across as suffering imposter syndrome in the TV version either. He comes across as the genuine legitimate leader of Skonnos.
I loved the prologue Terrance added, giving a potted history of the Skonnon empire and the arrival of the first Nimon. It’s only just over 2 pages, but adds so much more context to the story.
The book is a bit on the short side for me, but that’s only because I want it to enjoy it longer when reading. Terrance has done a brilliant job of novelising the story. I find his interpretation of the 2 major Skonnon characters interesting. Sorak is portrayed as conniving to eliminate Soldeed. He doesn’t come across like that in TV episode, he seems genuine compatriot of Soldeed. And Soldeed doesn’t come across as suffering imposter syndrome in the TV version either. He comes across as the genuine legitimate leader of Skonnos.
I loved the prologue Terrance added, giving a potted history of the Skonnon empire and the arrival of the first Nimon. It’s only just over 2 pages, but adds so much more context to the story.
August 23, 2023
Terrance Dicks is my favorite author of Doctor Who novelizations, and The Horns of Nimon is a good sample of why. I have yet to read a Doctor Who novel that could be called "hard science fiction," but herein is a wormhole long before Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Stargate, or The Expanse made the idea more popular with contemporary audiences/readers. Dicks does a good job of translating concepts that were campy or laughable because of the BBC's budgetary constraints. He also does a good job of giving insight into characters' thoughts through his exposition. Finally, there is a line towards the end of the paperback about the Nimon trying to "make Skonnos great again" by promising military power to its sad, aggressive male population that seemed to echo from more recent headlines about a certain pumpkin-colored douchebag in American headlines. Still, good, quick read and nice escapism.
May 16, 2021
Somewhere between a 3 and a 4 - not necessarily the greatest story plot wise, but I do find this a fun read, good mixture of humour, suspense and surprise twists to keep the reader engaged.
While the plot is weak at times, the idea is an interesting one, with what the Nimon are up to, and how they are going about it, albeit the resolution is a little handwavy / easy really against the build up.
The Doctor, Romana, K9 and the one off characters all get quite a few interesting scenes in here, and bounce off each other quite well I feel, and quite a few tie backs to some Earth myths, similar to Underworld.
All round though, quite a fun read :)
While the plot is weak at times, the idea is an interesting one, with what the Nimon are up to, and how they are going about it, albeit the resolution is a little handwavy / easy really against the build up.
The Doctor, Romana, K9 and the one off characters all get quite a few interesting scenes in here, and bounce off each other quite well I feel, and quite a few tie backs to some Earth myths, similar to Underworld.
All round though, quite a fun read :)
November 17, 2021
The horns of Nimon is famously one of the most disasterous productions of Tom Bakers beloved run. Badly filmed, nonsensical character actions and so much scenery chewing you could almost see the teeth marks on the wobbly sets.
Thankfully this is one of the best examples of why picking up the books can often be a better choice. This book cleans up a lot of the mess, gives the campy villains some real backstory and motivation, and thankfully cuts the bad character actions so easily you have to wonder how the show got it so wrong.
Deffinatly one of the highlights of the target books. Well worth a quick sit-down and read.
Thankfully this is one of the best examples of why picking up the books can often be a better choice. This book cleans up a lot of the mess, gives the campy villains some real backstory and motivation, and thankfully cuts the bad character actions so easily you have to wonder how the show got it so wrong.
Deffinatly one of the highlights of the target books. Well worth a quick sit-down and read.
July 15, 2024
I've never seen a minute of the Dr. Who show; my wife found this book in an old storage building and suggested I read it since she loved the program. She and her mother watched it a lot and knew the characters well.
This Who is only 111 pages and a quick read. I enjoyed it as a total change of what I normally read. Dr. Who was a fun person who, in the face of danger, still had an optimistic outlook, an apparent constant in the television show.
The story moved fast and was resolved quickly. There were a few of those Deus ex machina devices that, in many cases, seem so out of place and lazy, but in this case it just added to the weird, quirkiness of the show.
This Who is only 111 pages and a quick read. I enjoyed it as a total change of what I normally read. Dr. Who was a fun person who, in the face of danger, still had an optimistic outlook, an apparent constant in the television show.
The story moved fast and was resolved quickly. There were a few of those Deus ex machina devices that, in many cases, seem so out of place and lazy, but in this case it just added to the weird, quirkiness of the show.
August 20, 2023
Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon (1980) by Terrance Dicks is the novelisation of the fifth serial of season seventeen of Doctor Who. It was the last serial to be screened in the nineteen seventies and the first of the nineteen eighties.
The Doctor, Romana and K9 materialise and attach to a spaceship which is bringing power and sacrifices to Skonnos. There a minotaur like creature, the Nimon, demands these as tribute. The Nimon claims it will help the Skonnons revive their empire. The story echoes the Greek myth of the minotaur.
It’s not a very strong adventure.
The Doctor, Romana and K9 materialise and attach to a spaceship which is bringing power and sacrifices to Skonnos. There a minotaur like creature, the Nimon, demands these as tribute. The Nimon claims it will help the Skonnons revive their empire. The story echoes the Greek myth of the minotaur.
It’s not a very strong adventure.
April 25, 2022
Quick, entertaining read.
It didn't take me very long to whip through this one. The story is simple and straightforward. It is a little bit of a play on the minotaur legend, which is stated in the last page or two.
The idea of a highly advanced technological and muscle bulking "parasite" is interesting. The false techno priest in over his head character is a good troupe here.
I think I enjoyed the settings more than the simple story but still enjoyable.
It didn't take me very long to whip through this one. The story is simple and straightforward. It is a little bit of a play on the minotaur legend, which is stated in the last page or two.
The idea of a highly advanced technological and muscle bulking "parasite" is interesting. The false techno priest in over his head character is a good troupe here.
I think I enjoyed the settings more than the simple story but still enjoyable.
April 9, 2024
Another straight adaptation by Dicks - at least this time he managed to add a prologue to it, which was nice. The Nimon could have been so more menacing on the page than they are on tv, but it doesn't happen. Cover-wise, this is the 2nd book in a row with a rather strange picture of Tom Baker.
January 25, 2025
A bit of a dog’s breakfast, with quite a lot of very rapid and fast scenes in the first half that make the story feel very disjointed. Fortunately, it smooths out for the climax. Not one of Terrance’s better efforts, alas.
May 14, 2017
Great book, great story
March 17, 2018
Two and a half stars not two. Even in a rather cursory Doctor Who novelisation of a rather cursory Doctor Who story, there is much to admire.
July 10, 2023
Quick read of the novelization of the Classic Who story. It’s light, funny, and mostly a romp.
July 23, 2023
A novelization of a Tom Baker episode wit noh a space creature that looks a bison wearing platform shoes. Just mindless fun
August 27, 2023
pdf: 100 pages
One of the better basic novelisations - some extra stuff about the (First) Skonnon Empire and blurring the more comedic elements somewhat. I gather the scriptwriter wrote a novelisation more recently but sadly that seems to have been lost in the take-over of AudioGo...
One of the better basic novelisations - some extra stuff about the (First) Skonnon Empire and blurring the more comedic elements somewhat. I gather the scriptwriter wrote a novelisation more recently but sadly that seems to have been lost in the take-over of AudioGo...
April 23, 2024
Fan opinion on "The Horns of Nimon" is fairly divided -- there are those who adore it and then there are those who consider it the low point of its era.
It's been a hot minute since I rewatched the story and it's not a Target adaptation that I have strong memories of either way. With the story coming out as an audiobook, it feels like this is the publisher trying to finish out the range with a novelization that isn't regarded as one of Terrance Dicks' more stellar efforts.
And yet, listening to this audiobook, I was immensely entertained and felt like I was hearing the story again for the first time. Now, this doesn't mean this story has jumped into my top ten stories of all time, but listening to it and experiencing it for the first time in a decade or more, I found myself more than entertained by it. Dicks starts the story off with a prologue that establishes the rise and fall of the empire and the Nimon's arrival with promises of glories to come if only the Sconons will follow the Nimon's instructions.
If the entire novel had shown as much care as this early chapter did, this one might be remembered as one of the better entries by Dicks. Instead, from that creative high, we get a fairly straightforward adaptation of what we got on-screen (at least as far as I can recall). Your mileage will vary on which camp you fall into for this one -- though I will admit that removed from some of the acting choices made by certain thespians in this story, the overall story and threat work a bit better (at least for this fan).
The audiobook is an interesting experience. Performed by Geoffrey Beavers (who is (apparently) the go-to reader these days if Jon Culshaw isn't available), he makes some different choices than the actors who memorably brought this to life on screen. I will admit that not having Soldeed as over the top helps make him a more sympathetic figure (when you realize the Nimon is using him) and a bigger potential threat. Again, I could listen to Beavers read the take-out menu and he'd do a solid job on it, so I shouldn't be too surprised that his work here is, once again, exemplary.
Listening to this, I find myself curious to revisit revisit "Nimon". I'm working on a pilgrimage through classic Who and I'm a good chunk away from getting this one. But I will admit, part of me is really looking forward to it....
It's been a hot minute since I rewatched the story and it's not a Target adaptation that I have strong memories of either way. With the story coming out as an audiobook, it feels like this is the publisher trying to finish out the range with a novelization that isn't regarded as one of Terrance Dicks' more stellar efforts.
And yet, listening to this audiobook, I was immensely entertained and felt like I was hearing the story again for the first time. Now, this doesn't mean this story has jumped into my top ten stories of all time, but listening to it and experiencing it for the first time in a decade or more, I found myself more than entertained by it. Dicks starts the story off with a prologue that establishes the rise and fall of the empire and the Nimon's arrival with promises of glories to come if only the Sconons will follow the Nimon's instructions.
If the entire novel had shown as much care as this early chapter did, this one might be remembered as one of the better entries by Dicks. Instead, from that creative high, we get a fairly straightforward adaptation of what we got on-screen (at least as far as I can recall). Your mileage will vary on which camp you fall into for this one -- though I will admit that removed from some of the acting choices made by certain thespians in this story, the overall story and threat work a bit better (at least for this fan).
The audiobook is an interesting experience. Performed by Geoffrey Beavers (who is (apparently) the go-to reader these days if Jon Culshaw isn't available), he makes some different choices than the actors who memorably brought this to life on screen. I will admit that not having Soldeed as over the top helps make him a more sympathetic figure (when you realize the Nimon is using him) and a bigger potential threat. Again, I could listen to Beavers read the take-out menu and he'd do a solid job on it, so I shouldn't be too surprised that his work here is, once again, exemplary.
Listening to this, I find myself curious to revisit revisit "Nimon". I'm working on a pilgrimage through classic Who and I'm a good chunk away from getting this one. But I will admit, part of me is really looking forward to it....
June 22, 2020
Poorly written, with the writer switching narrative style at key points in the book - sometimes he knows a character's thoughts, other times not. It is a writer describing the TV show to the reader, with little detail added. When detail is added, it is defensive and jumbled, like the writer didn't know how to fill in the gaps between tv and print. Such as characters (other than the Doctor) pulling random things out of their pockets which so happen to be exactly the item they need....even when it's a "chunk of mineral" that somehow makes a weapon they're holding more powerful. A lot of problems solved by characters "flipping a switch" or "turning controls" - making their problems go away, even on equipment they are unfamiliar with.
All this and yet fun and campy to read for me as I grew up on the show- as I wrote, it is a writer just describing the TV show featuring Tom Baker, it is not a true novelization. Fun to read as it takes me back to these books when I was a child.
All this and yet fun and campy to read for me as I grew up on the show- as I wrote, it is a writer just describing the TV show featuring Tom Baker, it is not a true novelization. Fun to read as it takes me back to these books when I was a child.
June 28, 2011
A goofy, but entertaining TV episode is turned into a more serious and still entertaining novel.
The Doctor and company land on a planet where events are unfolding that seem very familiar to the Doctor.
We then find out that not all of the Greek Myths are as 'mythy' as we thought.
Fun story and I like the Nimons. Too bad this is their only appearance.
The Doctor and company land on a planet where events are unfolding that seem very familiar to the Doctor.
We then find out that not all of the Greek Myths are as 'mythy' as we thought.
Fun story and I like the Nimons. Too bad this is their only appearance.
January 21, 2011
As wonderful and ridiculous as the televised version, 'The Horns of Nimon' is classic and brilliant to the very end. Soldeed is mad and hilarious, and the Doctor is at the top of his game in both insanity and exceptional wit with Romana at his heels the entire way. One of my favourite books and Doctor Who episodes, this book is a classic to be treasured.
Read
April 8, 2009http://nhw.livejournal.com/1051656.html#cutid5[return][return]This was a fairly blah story on screen, and Dicks has not managed to make it any more interesting on the printed page.
January 22, 2011
Another novelization from the late 70s era of Uncle Terry transcripts, without much in the way of fleshing out. That said, Mr. Dicks still manages (beyond all reason) to eleveate this preposterous nonsense to a more solid level of enjoyability.
April 16, 2022
One of my earliest Dr Who memories was catching this on TV when I was 5, scared me silly.
Now I can see it for what it is one of the poorer books but still a low 3.
Couldn't help but hear Soldeeds voice in my head.
Now I can see it for what it is one of the poorer books but still a low 3.
Couldn't help but hear Soldeeds voice in my head.
April 12, 2008
Doctor Who retelling of the myth of Theseus and the Minatour, but with um, aliens. More than ten years after reading this book, I still remember my annoyance at the cowardly Athenans.
Read
August 23, 2008isbn,original
March 1, 2015
Quick read if you have nothing else to do and you are a Dr. Who fan, but I wouldn't pick it up unless you really are a fan. Watch the episode instead.
April 2, 2016
Never one of my favorites, that's probably why I dragged my feet reading it. it's Theseus vs the Minotaur in outer space.
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