The Fantasy Review‘s review of Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks by Terrance Dicks, the Target novelisation of The Genesis of the Daleks serial from 1975.
When I want to chill and enjoy some Doctor Who, but also keep far from a screen, I pick up an old Target novelisation of the classic episodes. One of the most prolific writers of these books was Terrance Dicks, and he doesn’t disappoint here.
These early years on Skaro fascinate me, so I love any story featuring the Kaleds and the Thals. The Fourth Doctor has been sent back to this specific time, however, by the Time Lords, so that he might destroy the Daleks before their genesis.
As you can imagine, this leads to some interesting questions about morality. Sarah Jane Smith seems to agree with the Time Lords, that the Daleks should be destroyed, but the Doctor finds he is hesitant. He argues that from their evil comes good elsewhere in the universe – should that be destroyed too?
And what of murder? The Doctor says:
“If I wipe out a whole intelligent life-form, I’ll be no better than the Daleks myself.”
He is released from this awful decision by the plot, which he is glad about, but I’d be interested to see what he would have decided to do.
The writing style of any of these Doctor Who target novelisations can be difficult to get into for those not used to them, however once you sink your teeth in, you are transported right into the adventures alongside the Doctor and his companions.
I think the novelisation of Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks could have done with some more internal monologue. The narrator seems to be omnipresent, so I see no reason why they couldn’t give us some more insights into the feelings and thoughts of the characters.
Later books, like The Evil of the Daleks by Frazer Hines sneak in one or two passages of thought which really add to the book. To adapt the story from the screen into a novel, some more of these insights would give us a little something extra.
Overall, however, reading Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks felt like the ultimate comfort reading experience. I could just relax and let the story wash over me. I knew the characters, I knew the plot too, so it was like rewatching the episode but by reading the book I felt more like I was a part of the story and not just a watcher from afar.
