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Doctor Who Target Books (Numerical Order) #48
Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders
“It's happening, Brigadier! It's happening!,â Sarah cried out. The Brigadier watched, fascinated, as the lifeless body of his old friend and companion, Doctor Who, suddenly began to glow with an eerie golden light. The features were blurring, changing...â Well, bless my soul,â said the Brigadier. “Who will be next?â
128 pages, Paperback
First published October 16, 1975
About the author
Terrance Dicks
344 books225 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 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 4, 2021
Firstly it's was an absolute joy to hear Lis Sladen's narration on this release, it's such a same that it was the only one in the range she'd recorded.
I think this was a rare instance where I'd heard the audiobook prior to seeing the TV episodes, as the DVD was released 2 years later.
Whilst Pertwee's final outing as The Doctor doesn't quite have the same type of jeopardy that future regeneration stories will have, the best aspect of this serial is the conclusion of the blue crystal from Metebelis Three arc that had been running through the second half of the Third Doctor era.
Like many of the six part serials during Pertwee's time as the Doctor, the novelisation slightly improves the story with an adequately trimmed to the traditional condensed 120 pages for the Target range.
One nice welcomed addition is the books prologue that features former companion Jo sending the crystal back to UNIT HQ.
As a final story for a memorable Doctor, it's hard not to feel a little underwhelmed.
I think this was a rare instance where I'd heard the audiobook prior to seeing the TV episodes, as the DVD was released 2 years later.
Whilst Pertwee's final outing as The Doctor doesn't quite have the same type of jeopardy that future regeneration stories will have, the best aspect of this serial is the conclusion of the blue crystal from Metebelis Three arc that had been running through the second half of the Third Doctor era.
Like many of the six part serials during Pertwee's time as the Doctor, the novelisation slightly improves the story with an adequately trimmed to the traditional condensed 120 pages for the Target range.
One nice welcomed addition is the books prologue that features former companion Jo sending the crystal back to UNIT HQ.
As a final story for a memorable Doctor, it's hard not to feel a little underwhelmed.
November 26, 2021
This is a novelization of the fifth adventure from the eleventh season of Doctor Who, which was broadcast in six segments in May and June of 1974. The adaptation by Terrance Dicks is based on the original teleplay by Robert Sloman, which was reportedly heavily re-written by producer/director Barry Letts before it was filmed. It is the last adventure as the lead for the third version of The Doctor, who is accompanied by intrepid journalist Sarah Jane Smith. UNIT stalwarts Sgt. Benton, Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart, and Mike Yates (in an important and final role) are also on hand, and the story begins with a nice cameo of Jo Grant (now Jones), triggering the action while she's exploring the Amazon with her new husband. The story itself is interesting but not notably special or apocalyptic as were many of the subsequent regeneration episodes. It involves a race of intelligent spiders with psychic powers on the planet Metebelis Three, and involves much more mental-power speculation than the traditional high-tech hardware stories; much of it is set at a Tibetan monastery, where Sarah has gone to visit Yates. Dicks descriptions of the spiders and their home is quite evocative, and he does a good job of condensing the action to the Target format while not leaving any questions unanswered. (Spoiler!) The regeneration scene isn't violent or disturbing, and the book ends with Lethbridge-Stewart getting the last line for once: "Well bless my soul," said the Brigadier. "Here we go again!"
August 18, 2014
The Doctor Who re-reading experience. Comments on the books and the TV serial it covers, and my recollections of the story
So, I pick a book at random from the hundreds I have on the shelves to begin my re-read, and this is what I pick up. I definitely remember seeing this story when it first came out (I was 11 at the time), and to be honest I don't really remember much about it except for one thing. There were GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS in it, even though they weren't very good models of GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS, they were still GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS (I think you can guess how I feel about spiders, let alone GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS).
From what I can gather about this serial, opinions were divided about it. Many felt it was overlong, hugely padded and often badly acted (so, typical Doctor Who from this era then). On the other hand, this was Pertwee's last outing as the Doctor, and featured the first Regeneration that was actually described as such. Add to that we had another Time Lord living on Earth (who also Regenerates), a wild multi-vehicle car chase, our first hint that the Tardis is actually alive, an armed revolt with lots of death on the planet Metebilis 3, shenanigans in a Buddhist monastery in the heart of the British countryside, a psychic that dies a rather gruesome death, a bit of Venusian karate from the Doctor, a rather sympathetic depiction of someone with learning difficulties, a cameo appearance by former companion Jo Grant, and a final hurrah for the disgraced Captain Yates. And don't forget the GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS
On to the book then. Well, at only 120 pages you are hardly going to get a huge amount of characterisation. It's more of question of "this is what happened, then this happened, and finally this happened", though what characterisation we did get felt true to life. Being plot driven is hardly a bad thing, but the book makes this story feel a lot more exciting than the actual serial - with 6 episodes to narrate, that left just 20 pages per episode. The car chase alone took up 1 episode, for example. We get to know just enough about the human enslaved by the spiders on Metebilis 3 to feel for them when they finally revolt, inspired by the Doctor of course. The final confrontation between the Doctor and the Great One in the deadly radioactive crystal cave is suspensefully written. Sarah Jane acquits herself well here, proving why she is regarded as one of the best companions for the Doctor. The Brigadier and UNIT provides the comic relief. There is an interesting amount of Buddhism is this story, prompted by the Producers interest in the subject, which is generally well handled (even though in the serial the two Tibetan monks were played by white actors, and the attitude shown by Jo Grant to her Indian porters in the Amazon felt like it belonged to a much earlier era - this was still the 1970s, after all, and blatant racism was pretty much the norm).
At the heart of this story is the idea that the Doctor needs to hold himself to a higher standard than ordinary people, one that has been much more clearly explored in New Who. By stealing the blue crystal in the first place (in an earlier episode that was alluded to in this book but not elaborated on), the Doctor sets himself up for his own fall. In the end, the only way to make amends is to sacrifice his own life for the greater good. At least he succeeds in freeing the human slaves from the GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS but the cost there is also high, with widespread bloodshed as the slaves turn against the human collaborators.
There's not really much else to say about this book, except that Terrance Dicks was the author of a huge number of Doctor Who books, and as he was the script editor at the time this serial came out, he probably had a better handle on who the Doctor was than anyone else had at the time.
So, for one last time GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS!. What more could you want in a book?
So, I pick a book at random from the hundreds I have on the shelves to begin my re-read, and this is what I pick up. I definitely remember seeing this story when it first came out (I was 11 at the time), and to be honest I don't really remember much about it except for one thing. There were GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS in it, even though they weren't very good models of GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS, they were still GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS (I think you can guess how I feel about spiders, let alone GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS).
From what I can gather about this serial, opinions were divided about it. Many felt it was overlong, hugely padded and often badly acted (so, typical Doctor Who from this era then). On the other hand, this was Pertwee's last outing as the Doctor, and featured the first Regeneration that was actually described as such. Add to that we had another Time Lord living on Earth (who also Regenerates), a wild multi-vehicle car chase, our first hint that the Tardis is actually alive, an armed revolt with lots of death on the planet Metebilis 3, shenanigans in a Buddhist monastery in the heart of the British countryside, a psychic that dies a rather gruesome death, a bit of Venusian karate from the Doctor, a rather sympathetic depiction of someone with learning difficulties, a cameo appearance by former companion Jo Grant, and a final hurrah for the disgraced Captain Yates. And don't forget the GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS
On to the book then. Well, at only 120 pages you are hardly going to get a huge amount of characterisation. It's more of question of "this is what happened, then this happened, and finally this happened", though what characterisation we did get felt true to life. Being plot driven is hardly a bad thing, but the book makes this story feel a lot more exciting than the actual serial - with 6 episodes to narrate, that left just 20 pages per episode. The car chase alone took up 1 episode, for example. We get to know just enough about the human enslaved by the spiders on Metebilis 3 to feel for them when they finally revolt, inspired by the Doctor of course. The final confrontation between the Doctor and the Great One in the deadly radioactive crystal cave is suspensefully written. Sarah Jane acquits herself well here, proving why she is regarded as one of the best companions for the Doctor. The Brigadier and UNIT provides the comic relief. There is an interesting amount of Buddhism is this story, prompted by the Producers interest in the subject, which is generally well handled (even though in the serial the two Tibetan monks were played by white actors, and the attitude shown by Jo Grant to her Indian porters in the Amazon felt like it belonged to a much earlier era - this was still the 1970s, after all, and blatant racism was pretty much the norm).
At the heart of this story is the idea that the Doctor needs to hold himself to a higher standard than ordinary people, one that has been much more clearly explored in New Who. By stealing the blue crystal in the first place (in an earlier episode that was alluded to in this book but not elaborated on), the Doctor sets himself up for his own fall. In the end, the only way to make amends is to sacrifice his own life for the greater good. At least he succeeds in freeing the human slaves from the GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS but the cost there is also high, with widespread bloodshed as the slaves turn against the human collaborators.
There's not really much else to say about this book, except that Terrance Dicks was the author of a huge number of Doctor Who books, and as he was the script editor at the time this serial came out, he probably had a better handle on who the Doctor was than anyone else had at the time.
So, for one last time GIANT FRICKING SPIDERS!. What more could you want in a book?
August 31, 2021
Publishing the adaptation of the Third Doctor’s final story is interesting as it happened after Doctor Who and the Giant Robot which was published only a few months after the Fourth Doctor made his debut. This meant that Terrance Dicks, who adapted both stories, knew exactly where he was going when adapting Planet of the Spiders which is of course the six episode finale for the Jon Pertwee era. The adaptation does an excellent job of compressing the long story down into a smaller page count. It helps that Part Two was an extended chase sequence which is easily cut down into a high tense chapter, a chase which is great on television, and in prose form Dicks adapts it incredibly well. Tightly paced is essentially how Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders ends up coming out, but Dicks also knows when to add things, like a different fate for the human villain, Lupton, who on television just kind of disappears while here his flesh is eaten by the spiders. The Great One is also given a lot more depth here, with some cameos earlier on and a real presence before things can actually be met. It makes the Doctor’s fate and slow death become one which Dicks actually adds some of the ideas of the Doctor really suffering from radiation in the TARDIS. There is the weight of Sarah Jane and the Brigadier waiting for the Doctor to arrive and he doesn’t come for a while, something only really implied on television. Sarah Jane is actually also characterized really well with the idea that she is emotionally attached and has a wider breadth of emotions throughout the book, while on television there isn’t as much of an explanation as to what’s going on with her. There’s also a weird deviation where Harry Sullivan is renamed Sweetman (though he doesn’t appear) but that was already rectified in Doctor Who and the Giant Robot.
Overall, Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders is an adaptation that actually tightens things up, though doesn’t quite work in changing some of the rather problematic elements of the television stories. Another shoutout to the audiobook where Elisabeth Sladen really brings the prose to life in an emotional performance. 9/10.
Overall, Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders is an adaptation that actually tightens things up, though doesn’t quite work in changing some of the rather problematic elements of the television stories. Another shoutout to the audiobook where Elisabeth Sladen really brings the prose to life in an emotional performance. 9/10.
September 26, 2023
Round down to 3.5. I feel like I knew it was the Third Doctors regeneration story and it was a fun one at that. Just not the best (though anything with the Brigadier involved at all is indicative of it being a good outing of the Doctor)
January 14, 2014
2016 - Still fun, still much like watching the old TV versions - short scenes, etc. Still 3 stars
2014 - Elisabeth Sladen did a decent job with the narration. I especially liked the high, squeaky-but-so-evil voice she used for the Spider characters. The plot and pacing clearly reflected the 20+ minute segments of the old, original Doctor Who shows, with lots of scene changes. I could almost see the old yellow flivver named Bessie that Jon Pertwee drove, as well as the Brigadier and the Sergeant from UNIT. Fun, likeable, not great.
2014 - Elisabeth Sladen did a decent job with the narration. I especially liked the high, squeaky-but-so-evil voice she used for the Spider characters. The plot and pacing clearly reflected the 20+ minute segments of the old, original Doctor Who shows, with lots of scene changes. I could almost see the old yellow flivver named Bessie that Jon Pertwee drove, as well as the Brigadier and the Sergeant from UNIT. Fun, likeable, not great.
January 15, 2018
The Third Doctor's swansong was a fitting end to a great Doctor. I only wish the novelization had included the full scene between the Doctor and Sarah Jane just before the regeneration.
July 11, 2021
Target Doctor Who books are always a treat, and my childhood was defined by them. I do like to revisit them every now and again. And, shock horror, every so often I read one that I have never read before.
This is certainly the case with 'The Planet of the Spiders'. In my teens, once I started to be able to afford the VHS tapes, many of the Target novelisations became redundant. 'Planet of the Spiders' was one of those serials that I got to on VHS before the book, and so it has been criminally neglected until now.
With Uncle Terrance at the helm, you know you are in for a fun time. 'Planet of the Spiders' works well as a book. I love the original serial, although I can clearly see its faults - namely in terms of the poor set design on Metebelis 3, and some clumsy direction by Barry Letts.
Dicks's novelisation features a lovely prologue of Jo Grant (sorry, Jones), and Clifford Jones having trouble with the natives up the Amazon, before becoming a generally straightforward re-telling of the story as televised. Both Sarah and the Doctor are well characterised, and the Brigadier is not displayed as quite the buffoon he appears in the serial. Another highlight is Dicks's portrayal of Lupton - the description of the villain's 'haggard and bitter face' is one of those light touch Dicks descriptions that conveys so much, and brilliantly captures John Dearth's performance from the televised story.
Other characters come across less well. Mike Yates's motivations are not expanded upon, nor much exploration given to his dismissal from UNIT. Another fudge by Uncle Terrance is the characterisation of Tommy. Dicks simply does not handle the character very well at all, and all of the subtlety of John Kane's marvellous portrayal is completely lost in the book.
In fact, the last few chapters, featuring the significant meeting between the Doctor and his old mentor, and what should be the dramatic face off between the Doctor and The Great One, are dashed off in such a way as to make me wonder whether Terrance was rushing to meet the deadline.
One more disappointment - Dicks was often very good at correcting plot elements that he clearly thought were illogical in many of his novelisations - and yet the pointless vehicle chase that takes up most of Episode 2 of the television version is told line for line with no attempt to explain why the chase was necessary at all.
However, I am delighted that Dicks sorts out the very anti-climactic resolution to Lupton's story from the TV version. The novelised ending is far grislier, and if you haven't read this version, I will leave that surprise for you to discover afresh as I did!
All in all, a mixed bag of a Target, but with much to enjoy overall!
This is certainly the case with 'The Planet of the Spiders'. In my teens, once I started to be able to afford the VHS tapes, many of the Target novelisations became redundant. 'Planet of the Spiders' was one of those serials that I got to on VHS before the book, and so it has been criminally neglected until now.
With Uncle Terrance at the helm, you know you are in for a fun time. 'Planet of the Spiders' works well as a book. I love the original serial, although I can clearly see its faults - namely in terms of the poor set design on Metebelis 3, and some clumsy direction by Barry Letts.
Dicks's novelisation features a lovely prologue of Jo Grant (sorry, Jones), and Clifford Jones having trouble with the natives up the Amazon, before becoming a generally straightforward re-telling of the story as televised. Both Sarah and the Doctor are well characterised, and the Brigadier is not displayed as quite the buffoon he appears in the serial. Another highlight is Dicks's portrayal of Lupton - the description of the villain's 'haggard and bitter face' is one of those light touch Dicks descriptions that conveys so much, and brilliantly captures John Dearth's performance from the televised story.
Other characters come across less well. Mike Yates's motivations are not expanded upon, nor much exploration given to his dismissal from UNIT. Another fudge by Uncle Terrance is the characterisation of Tommy. Dicks simply does not handle the character very well at all, and all of the subtlety of John Kane's marvellous portrayal is completely lost in the book.
In fact, the last few chapters, featuring the significant meeting between the Doctor and his old mentor, and what should be the dramatic face off between the Doctor and The Great One, are dashed off in such a way as to make me wonder whether Terrance was rushing to meet the deadline.
One more disappointment - Dicks was often very good at correcting plot elements that he clearly thought were illogical in many of his novelisations - and yet the pointless vehicle chase that takes up most of Episode 2 of the television version is told line for line with no attempt to explain why the chase was necessary at all.
However, I am delighted that Dicks sorts out the very anti-climactic resolution to Lupton's story from the TV version. The novelised ending is far grislier, and if you haven't read this version, I will leave that surprise for you to discover afresh as I did!
All in all, a mixed bag of a Target, but with much to enjoy overall!
October 11, 2025
I mean, with Target books you kind of know what you're going to get. They aren't clever, they aren't going to give you marvellous new insights into the characters or make the plot bigger than it actually is. They are mostly just lovely little transcripts of the episodes, with a little extra fluff thrown in for good measure. These little books absolutely shone back in the olden times before Dr Who was available on VHS, so for the fans these were lifelines to episodes they probably caught on TV and had not seen since.
Dr Who and the Planet of the Spiders, or wonderfully as abbreviated in the margin D.W.A.T.P.O.T.S, is the last of Jon Pertwee's run as the Doctor, featuring Sarah Jane Smith, The Brigadier, Benton and even Mike Yates, who was disgraced following the events of the Invasion of the Dinosaurs. Basically, giant spiders from the planet Metabilius Three are planning on taking over the world and need the focusing energy of a mysterious blue crystal... a crystal that the Doctor took from Metabilius Three many episodes a go (and in a different time) and eventually gave to Jo Grant when she got married.
I think Planet of the Spiders might have been one of the last episodes i ever saw, actually. The VHS was always a bit of a collectors edition and was a double pack - and i certainly never owned it on DVD. (yet). What i do remember is that there is a whole episode in which the Doctor chases the bad guy in various cars / helicopters / hovercrafts, simply because Jon Pertwee wanted it. And obviously with a slight twinge of Arachnophobia about my person, I'm not exactly going to rewatch a program in which giant spiders actually jump on your back and control your mind. I should add i have no problems with the mind control thing, just the fact I'd have to have a spider on my back.
Its most famous of course, for being Jon's last - and the book isn't even afraid to use this as the blurb on the back of the book. (even though its worded differently that in the book itself) and the drawing on the cover even depicts the regeneration - which doesn't till the last line / final three seconds of the story.
The prose is quick and unassuming and you will snap through it if not in one night then two or three. You can hear Jon and Elizabeth say all the lines - because you've probably actually heard them - but my favourite thing about the book is that it doesn't change anything. When i read the target novel of Frontios you became keenly aware of the limitations of the TV show's budget. But in this? Nah. Even the psychic blasts read as fake. And i love that.
Never going to win any Hugo awards for science fiction, but for fans of classic Dr Who, an excellent little palette cleanser between bigger and bolder books.
Dr Who and the Planet of the Spiders, or wonderfully as abbreviated in the margin D.W.A.T.P.O.T.S, is the last of Jon Pertwee's run as the Doctor, featuring Sarah Jane Smith, The Brigadier, Benton and even Mike Yates, who was disgraced following the events of the Invasion of the Dinosaurs. Basically, giant spiders from the planet Metabilius Three are planning on taking over the world and need the focusing energy of a mysterious blue crystal... a crystal that the Doctor took from Metabilius Three many episodes a go (and in a different time) and eventually gave to Jo Grant when she got married.
I think Planet of the Spiders might have been one of the last episodes i ever saw, actually. The VHS was always a bit of a collectors edition and was a double pack - and i certainly never owned it on DVD. (yet). What i do remember is that there is a whole episode in which the Doctor chases the bad guy in various cars / helicopters / hovercrafts, simply because Jon Pertwee wanted it. And obviously with a slight twinge of Arachnophobia about my person, I'm not exactly going to rewatch a program in which giant spiders actually jump on your back and control your mind. I should add i have no problems with the mind control thing, just the fact I'd have to have a spider on my back.
Its most famous of course, for being Jon's last - and the book isn't even afraid to use this as the blurb on the back of the book. (even though its worded differently that in the book itself) and the drawing on the cover even depicts the regeneration - which doesn't till the last line / final three seconds of the story.
The prose is quick and unassuming and you will snap through it if not in one night then two or three. You can hear Jon and Elizabeth say all the lines - because you've probably actually heard them - but my favourite thing about the book is that it doesn't change anything. When i read the target novel of Frontios you became keenly aware of the limitations of the TV show's budget. But in this? Nah. Even the psychic blasts read as fake. And i love that.
Never going to win any Hugo awards for science fiction, but for fans of classic Dr Who, an excellent little palette cleanser between bigger and bolder books.
July 2, 2025
I’m in two minds about this novelisation. It’s good in that it captures the essence of the story. The prose is up to Terrance’s usual high standard. The characterisation matches the broadcast version.
But it’s a little too condensed. There are parts missing. Not critical plot points, but little bits which contextualise what’s going on. For instance, Sarah’s justification of writing an article she can sell as her reason for being at the monastery. It’s mentioned she’s a freelance journalist on her way to see Mike, but then all the bit’s in the monastery where she’s taking notes and asking questions for her article are omitted. Then there’s the scene where the Doctor first meets the Great One, it’s missing the bit where the she comments on the Doctor feeling fear. And this bit is important as it ties in to the latter scene where the Doctor and K’anpo are discussing the crystal.
There’s also some clunky prose when trying to identify which spider is speaking. At one point it has, the spider on Lupton’s back said… The Queen and the Great One are easily identified, but I think it would have read better if some of the other spiders had been given names, particularly the one riding Lupton.
That said, I loved that Neska’s monologue to Arak was omitted. I still shudder every time I see that scene. The acting is dreadful.
Terrance’s novelisation is a good read, but I’d love to see this story redone in an expanded version. There is enough plot to sustain a longer version and it could fix all the niggling issues I have with this version.
But it’s a little too condensed. There are parts missing. Not critical plot points, but little bits which contextualise what’s going on. For instance, Sarah’s justification of writing an article she can sell as her reason for being at the monastery. It’s mentioned she’s a freelance journalist on her way to see Mike, but then all the bit’s in the monastery where she’s taking notes and asking questions for her article are omitted. Then there’s the scene where the Doctor first meets the Great One, it’s missing the bit where the she comments on the Doctor feeling fear. And this bit is important as it ties in to the latter scene where the Doctor and K’anpo are discussing the crystal.
There’s also some clunky prose when trying to identify which spider is speaking. At one point it has, the spider on Lupton’s back said… The Queen and the Great One are easily identified, but I think it would have read better if some of the other spiders had been given names, particularly the one riding Lupton.
That said, I loved that Neska’s monologue to Arak was omitted. I still shudder every time I see that scene. The acting is dreadful.
Terrance’s novelisation is a good read, but I’d love to see this story redone in an expanded version. There is enough plot to sustain a longer version and it could fix all the niggling issues I have with this version.
July 19, 2020
Often, the main difference between the televised version of a story and the novelisation is the special effects, the reader's mind having so much better resources. With this story, though the effects weren't always great, they weren't as embarrassing as those in, say, "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" and, for me, didn't spoil my viewing.
What did jar was some of the worst acting I've seen in Doctor Who. One of the denizens of Metebelis III in particular sounded as if she'd been dragged in from the street to read lines she'd never seen before from a cue card. In a second language. Thankfully, in the book we're spared that, and Metebelis III is much more convincing in prose.
Back on Earth, on television, we were treated to some of the best acting I've seen in Doctor Who, and it's a shame to lose John Kane's sensitive performance. Fortunately it was so strong, I envision Tommy, and "hear" his voice when reading. I'll be interested to hear what someone who hasn't seen the story on TV makes of this character, as it could easily have been patronising, especially in those long ago, politically incorrect days.
What did jar was some of the worst acting I've seen in Doctor Who. One of the denizens of Metebelis III in particular sounded as if she'd been dragged in from the street to read lines she'd never seen before from a cue card. In a second language. Thankfully, in the book we're spared that, and Metebelis III is much more convincing in prose.
Back on Earth, on television, we were treated to some of the best acting I've seen in Doctor Who, and it's a shame to lose John Kane's sensitive performance. Fortunately it was so strong, I envision Tommy, and "hear" his voice when reading. I'll be interested to hear what someone who hasn't seen the story on TV makes of this character, as it could easily have been patronising, especially in those long ago, politically incorrect days.
April 4, 2021
I found this a strong finale for the Third Doctor's run.
We get to have UNIT back together here, including Yates, who is in a good position to redeem himself from his actions in prior stories, and two or three seemingly quite different plots are interweaved nicely together here.
We get to return to Metebilis 3, a planet often mentioned throughout the Third Doctor's run, as well as getting to actually meet the hermit that taught the Doctor, also frequently mentioned. Jo gets a nice cameo in the book, though only mentioned in the TV Story, and we get a good cast of one off characters here, with the antagonists being nicely varied as well, with conflicting goals coming into play.
The Doctor gets a nice chase sequence, and this is the first time we see a regeneration forced on the Doctor by violence, rather than simple old age for the First, and the Time Lords enforcing it for the Second.
Sarah is in good form in this story as well, right from the beginning, being with Yates and separate from the Doctor, to getting herself into and out of trouble later.
All round feels like a really strong send off for the Third Doctor, highlighting a lot of the hallmarks from his run.
We get to have UNIT back together here, including Yates, who is in a good position to redeem himself from his actions in prior stories, and two or three seemingly quite different plots are interweaved nicely together here.
We get to return to Metebilis 3, a planet often mentioned throughout the Third Doctor's run, as well as getting to actually meet the hermit that taught the Doctor, also frequently mentioned. Jo gets a nice cameo in the book, though only mentioned in the TV Story, and we get a good cast of one off characters here, with the antagonists being nicely varied as well, with conflicting goals coming into play.
The Doctor gets a nice chase sequence, and this is the first time we see a regeneration forced on the Doctor by violence, rather than simple old age for the First, and the Time Lords enforcing it for the Second.
Sarah is in good form in this story as well, right from the beginning, being with Yates and separate from the Doctor, to getting herself into and out of trouble later.
All round feels like a really strong send off for the Third Doctor, highlighting a lot of the hallmarks from his run.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2021
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was overall a really good ending to the Third Doctor's era and included many aspects that made it feel like the culmination of the era. First, the reappearance of characters such as Mike Yates and Jo Grant made it seem like the story was tying up all the loose ends of the previous 5 seasons and giving us one last glimpse at the characters we've been following for so long. In addition, this story (like most other 3rd Doctor stories) featured UNIT and chase scenes.
Perhaps my greatest grievance from a literary point of view is that the perspective would randomly shift for a few paragraphs without a section break dividing the different perspectives, which made it difficult to follow at times. My other (more important) grievance was that there were one or two scenes with some racist elements and one character is portrayed in a way that may be found to be offensive.
Outside of these two elements, I found this to be well-paced and a good final chapter for the Third Doctor!
Perhaps my greatest grievance from a literary point of view is that the perspective would randomly shift for a few paragraphs without a section break dividing the different perspectives, which made it difficult to follow at times. My other (more important) grievance was that there were one or two scenes with some racist elements and one character is portrayed in a way that may be found to be offensive.
Outside of these two elements, I found this to be well-paced and a good final chapter for the Third Doctor!
August 26, 2025
Though perhaps weird and wild, especially in the middle part, Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders is a very special story indeed. A redemption arc for Mike Yates. Sarah Jane Smith as the intrepid journalist. An appearance by the Doctor's already-mentioned hermit-teacher. A metaphorical link between Buddhist philosophy and regeneration. the Whomobile flies. Metebelis III. And of course, it's the Third Doctor's last story before he turns into Tom Baker (something for which my kid sister never forgave him). Terrance Dicks makes it even more special by writing a prologue starring Jo Grant and her new husband, out in the Amazon, and really, the only thing missing at that point to really give the UNIT era a send-off is the Master. Any changes are mostly cosmetic or restore brief moments that were cut from the episode. We don't have to listen to the Spiders' screechy voices and the chase scene doesn't feel too long on the page, but the trade-off is losing the emotional performances, in particular Lis Sladen's in that famous final scene. I mean, the cover spoils the regeneration...
June 18, 2023
Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders (1975) by Terrance Dicks is the novelisation of the fifth serial of the eleventh season of Doctor Who and the seventy fourth serial overall.
Mike Yates, after being discharged from UNIT becomes involved with a group of Buddhist monks and suspects that something mysterious is going on. Meanwhile the Doctor goes to see a magician who he has worked out has some actual powers. The Doctor’s blue crystal from Metebelus Three is also attracting attention. From there, things get even stranger. There are giant spiders and more in this serial and anyone who say it at a young age will remember the creepy bits.
It’s also known as a regeneration episode so it stands out more than many Doctor Who episodes.
It’s amusing for anyone into Doctor Who and it is notable. It’s not a bad read.
Mike Yates, after being discharged from UNIT becomes involved with a group of Buddhist monks and suspects that something mysterious is going on. Meanwhile the Doctor goes to see a magician who he has worked out has some actual powers. The Doctor’s blue crystal from Metebelus Three is also attracting attention. From there, things get even stranger. There are giant spiders and more in this serial and anyone who say it at a young age will remember the creepy bits.
It’s also known as a regeneration episode so it stands out more than many Doctor Who episodes.
It’s amusing for anyone into Doctor Who and it is notable. It’s not a bad read.
May 14, 2018
I have previously found the televised story tedious (it's the old six-parter problem which has at least one episode where very little happens) and I wasn't looking forward to rereading the novelisation... However there were a number of positive points - the addition of a prologue with Jo in the Amazon actually sending the jewel back to the Doctor, not really adding much except in a 'feel-good' sort of way; the chase sequence seems to go much faster than onscreen... I confess that I didn't recall much of the detail (had to look at the first episode to check one or two details) but this version seemed to have had some effort made to produce a decent retelling. (So much so that I read it in almost one sitting.)
September 13, 2025
While I mostly like this one, I do think that a few of the cuts Dicks makes actively detract from its theming: Mike's sacrifice to save the disabled Tommy, as a rebuttal to both his alliance with eugenicists in Invasion of the Dinosaurs and his earlier dismissal of the man (I understand wanting to make it more standalone as a book but this novelisation directly references Invasion of the Dinosaurs earlier!), and the line of Cho-Je's that frames the story's understanding of regeneration through its understanding of meditation - "The old man must die and the new man will discover to his inexpressible joy that he has never existed." But I guess we keep the entire obnoxiously long chase scene?
November 30, 2025
This is the novelization of the last adventure of the Third Doctor. It involves a crystal from another planet that mutates spiders into large intelligent creatures with telepathic powers and a desire to conquer worlds. The Doctor and Sarah zip back and forth between Earth and another planet as they figure out what's going on and how to stop the Spiders.
It's a fun story and one of a number of the Target novelizations that improve on some aspects of the TV episode. On the TV episode, there's nearly an entire episode taken up by a chase scene that simply gets tiresome. Here, Terrance Dicks makes that chase scene more compact and exciting.
It's a fun story and one of a number of the Target novelizations that improve on some aspects of the TV episode. On the TV episode, there's nearly an entire episode taken up by a chase scene that simply gets tiresome. Here, Terrance Dicks makes that chase scene more compact and exciting.
September 16, 2019
Planet of the Spiders was the last adventure for the Third Doctor and one of my favorites. After recently watching the television serial on Classic Doctor Who I discovered the audiobook novel by Terrence Dicks. Elisabeth Sladen narrates the story and portrayed the Sarah Jane Smith character in the 70's episodes. All which makes it even more memorable. Sound effects included and the reading are done very well. If you are a fan of Doctor Who I believe you would enjoy.
July 9, 2024
I can’t be trusted to be objective about this book because I’ve loved it since I was a child. It’s just Who perfection, from the moody and atmospheric prologue right through to the epilogue it recaptures the feeling of watching the show brilliantly, even the ridiculous extended chase sequence. A total comfort read.
July 16, 2019
This and other Terrance Dicks books reviewed here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.com...
August 28, 2019
Concentrate. Concentrate! 😀
January 3, 2026
While some parts of the story didn’t age very well, they’re all part of the original tv show too. The writing itself feels surprisingly modern. Great romp.
June 12, 2026
I enjoyed this book. I think I vaguely remember the episode. I love that Yates returned and he called Sarah Jane so they could investigate a suspicious monastery.
November 10, 2009
Novelizations of classic "Doctor Who" episodes are a bit of a tricky thing. Their relative merits often hinge on your feelings about the particular television adventure on which they're based and there's rarely much an author can do to improve the story much. You can get a few points for added character depth and, of course, the imagination's ability to render scenes and special effects is vastly superior to most on-screen effects, but more often than not it comes down to the basic plot itself.
That's the case with "Planet of the Spiders." It's a six-part story to end the Jon Pertwee era as the Doctor that suffers from more padding than an overstuffed couch. There's a lot of chase scenes, endless scenery chewing and a lot of moments that could easily be cut and make this story a four-part one. With the novel, Terrance Dicks is able to compress a lot of this and push some things together so the story doesn't feel like it's lagging quite as much as it does on screen. Dicks adds a prologue that sees Jo Grant sending the famous blue crystal back to the Doctor that works fairly well and is one of those additions you wish could have been in the televised program. Unfortunately, Dicks also leaves out a scene late in the story where the Great One battles the Doctor, taking over his body and forcing him to spin in a circle while he unsuccessfully tries to defy her wishes. It's a great scene and maybe Dicks felt like Pertwee did it so well on-screen that putting it on the printed page might not do it justice. But it becomes necessary in the late stages of the story to understand the Doctor's decision in the final moments and his having to face his fears.
One dilemma that comes with reviewing an audio book is separated the reading from the source material. Elizabeth Sladen's reading of "Spiders" is well done and she does the best she can with the source material. The production itself is superb, but it's the source material that fails here, not Sladen herself. Here's hoping she'll get a stronger story for her next reading.
That's the case with "Planet of the Spiders." It's a six-part story to end the Jon Pertwee era as the Doctor that suffers from more padding than an overstuffed couch. There's a lot of chase scenes, endless scenery chewing and a lot of moments that could easily be cut and make this story a four-part one. With the novel, Terrance Dicks is able to compress a lot of this and push some things together so the story doesn't feel like it's lagging quite as much as it does on screen. Dicks adds a prologue that sees Jo Grant sending the famous blue crystal back to the Doctor that works fairly well and is one of those additions you wish could have been in the televised program. Unfortunately, Dicks also leaves out a scene late in the story where the Great One battles the Doctor, taking over his body and forcing him to spin in a circle while he unsuccessfully tries to defy her wishes. It's a great scene and maybe Dicks felt like Pertwee did it so well on-screen that putting it on the printed page might not do it justice. But it becomes necessary in the late stages of the story to understand the Doctor's decision in the final moments and his having to face his fears.
One dilemma that comes with reviewing an audio book is separated the reading from the source material. Elizabeth Sladen's reading of "Spiders" is well done and she does the best she can with the source material. The production itself is superb, but it's the source material that fails here, not Sladen herself. Here's hoping she'll get a stronger story for her next reading.
January 15, 2012
Giant, intelligent spiders from the planet Metebelis 3 have been constructing a device which will expand their already formidable mental powers throughout the universe. The device is an intricate latticework made of very special blue crystals, and only one more crystal is needed to complete it. It just so happens that that final crystal is in the possession of Doctor Who on Earth. By projecting their mental powers, the spiders are able to take control of a few humans on Earth, and use them to steal the crystal and transport it to Metebelis 3. But these eight-legged fiends have seriously underestimated Doctor Who.
I’ve listened to a couple of these Doctor Who adventures now, and I have to say they’re a lot of fun. There’s always plenty of action and thrills, and also a fair amount of that dry British humour. If you’re looking for something deep and meaningful, this isn’t for you. If you just want to be entertained for a few hours, you should definitely check out Doctor Who.
The Planet of the Spiders is based on actual episodes of the BBC television series. The six-part storyline originally aired on television in May and June of 1974. This audio production was written by Terrance Dicks in 2009 and is available from AudioGo, formerly known as BBC Audiobooks America. The audiobook is narrated by Elisabeth Sladen, who starred as the Doctor’s companion Sarah Jane Smith in the original airing.
Steven Brandt @ Audiobook-Heaven
I’ve listened to a couple of these Doctor Who adventures now, and I have to say they’re a lot of fun. There’s always plenty of action and thrills, and also a fair amount of that dry British humour. If you’re looking for something deep and meaningful, this isn’t for you. If you just want to be entertained for a few hours, you should definitely check out Doctor Who.
The Planet of the Spiders is based on actual episodes of the BBC television series. The six-part storyline originally aired on television in May and June of 1974. This audio production was written by Terrance Dicks in 2009 and is available from AudioGo, formerly known as BBC Audiobooks America. The audiobook is narrated by Elisabeth Sladen, who starred as the Doctor’s companion Sarah Jane Smith in the original airing.
Steven Brandt @ Audiobook-Heaven
July 25, 2011
The third Doctor's last hurrah receives the Target treatment from the TV's story script editor Terrance Dicks. Dicks adds some nice new elements to the novelization such as a brand new prologue scene featuring former third Doctor companion Jo somewhere in the Amazon rain forest sending the blue crystal back to the Doctor and adds a new, horrific element to the death of the character of Lupton. Dicks also makes some changes that don't quite sit well such as cramming all of the Earth sections of the story from episodes four and five into a single chapter which throws the story out of whack a bit. The greatest sin is that Letts puts a lot less emphasis on the Buddhist elements of the story, even going so far as to cut whole section of the discussion between the Doctor and K'anpo out. The copy and paste nature of Dicks novelizations is apparent in places, none more so then the big chase sequence that was such a highlight of the TV story. The result is a pretty standard Doctor Who Target novelization.
Of note is the audio book version of the novelization, which I listened to. It's read by none other then the late Elisabeth Sladen (aka Sarah Jane Smith). The audiobook is fantastically done from Sladen's excellent reading to the excellent recreation of the voices of the spider's themselves. Also the music and sound effects creates a brilliant sound-scape throughout the entire reading. The result is a fine audiobook of a pretty standard Doctor Who Target novelization.
Of note is the audio book version of the novelization, which I listened to. It's read by none other then the late Elisabeth Sladen (aka Sarah Jane Smith). The audiobook is fantastically done from Sladen's excellent reading to the excellent recreation of the voices of the spider's themselves. Also the music and sound effects creates a brilliant sound-scape throughout the entire reading. The result is a fine audiobook of a pretty standard Doctor Who Target novelization.
March 30, 2015
This it, the last 3rd Doctor adventure. The plot involves spiders on Met 3 wanting to get the crystal the Doctor took back in The Green Death. The story on screen felt it could have been told in a shorter format. This book is a good format for it. At the same time Terrance Dicks adds some extra items to enhance the story.
The one positive is that the long overdrawn chase in Episode 2 goes by quicker here, though it still has the major plot hole of why did the spider with Lupton make him transport a lot sooner. We have an extra chapter at the beginning showing what happens with Jo to cause her to send the crystal back to the Doctor.
There are other little sentences here and there that help tie things together back to The Green Death and the actions of the individuals of the story. They help enhance, but the plot is still an odd one.
The writing is just above average for the Target books. In the last chapters it does a good job of bringing the realization that the 3rd Doctor knows his end is coming. When it does come to the regeneration it does mention a gold color coming over the Doctor. Interesting to see it predated the regenerations of the new series.
A quick read for any Doctor Who fan. An end to the 3rd Doctor and on wards to the beginning of familiar territory, the 4th Doctor.
The one positive is that the long overdrawn chase in Episode 2 goes by quicker here, though it still has the major plot hole of why did the spider with Lupton make him transport a lot sooner. We have an extra chapter at the beginning showing what happens with Jo to cause her to send the crystal back to the Doctor.
There are other little sentences here and there that help tie things together back to The Green Death and the actions of the individuals of the story. They help enhance, but the plot is still an odd one.
The writing is just above average for the Target books. In the last chapters it does a good job of bringing the realization that the 3rd Doctor knows his end is coming. When it does come to the regeneration it does mention a gold color coming over the Doctor. Interesting to see it predated the regenerations of the new series.
A quick read for any Doctor Who fan. An end to the 3rd Doctor and on wards to the beginning of familiar territory, the 4th Doctor.
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October 21, 2007http://nhw.livejournal.com/896496.html[return][return]Dicks has taken a Third Doctor TV story which by all accounts (I haven t seen it) was decidedly average and turned it into a cracking good read. It was one of the first of his many many Doctor Who books (and he s still at it), and for those of us (like me) who occasionally mock the by-the-numbers approach of his later efforts, it s very much worth re-reading the earlier ones to remind ourselves of how good he was at turning dodgy special effects and occasionally wooden acting into a novel that caught the spirit of what he, as script editor, had no doubt hoped and intended the original TV version to be.
September 21, 2016
Terrance Dicks puts a slightly different spin on a few of the events in this story, as compared to its television counter-part. But the alterations are subtle, and in no way diminish the adventure. On the contrary, Mr. Dicks' concise prose and condensed narrative remove the filler & fat...not to mention the TV version's less-than-successful realization of the human colony of Metebelis III. Another first rate "Doctor Who" novelization from the golden age.
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