Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet

"We were exactly like you once. Then our cybernetic scientists realised that our race was weakening. Our scientists and doctors invented spare parts for our bodies until we could be almost completely replaced."

Author: Gerry Davis
Format: Novel
First Released: 19th February 1976
Series: Target #64

Featuring: First Doctor, Polly, Ben

Synopsis

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and his friends to a space tracking base in the Antarctic - and straight into trouble. A space mission is going badly wrong, and a new planet has appeared in the sky.

Mondas, ancient fabled twin planet of Earth, has returned. Soon its inhabitants arrive. But while they used to be just like the humans of Earth, now they are very different. Devoid of emotions, their bodies replaced with plastic and steel, the Cybermen are here.

Humanity needs all the help it can get, but the one man who seems to know what's going on is terminally ill. As the Cybermen take over, the Doctor is dying...

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet was my first ever Doctor Who book (despite the publication date) and I was highly impressed. I hardly could've picked a better one to start with though could I? I mean, a novel based on The Tenth Planet Television story is bound to be a success and boy wasn't this just! The birth of the Cyberman, new planets in the sky and the very first regeneration. This book really did have it all! The plot is pretty much the same as in the TV story but is depicted wonderfully in words on paper. The description of the first design Cybermen is brilliant and I adored the design on TV and was not disappointed by the betrayal in the novel. The plot is fantastic, full of excellent twists and danger never seems to be absent. Ben and Polly are always great, although Polly is always the better of the two in my eyes. And of course we have the First Doctor bidding his farewell. As the final part of The Tenth Planet is currently missing, and I'm yet to see the animation, I really enjoyed the closing segments of this novel and the climax was sensational. With the Doctor getting the better of the Cybermen and Mondas, pretty much by simply waiting, he was clearly drained and headed to the TARDIS. The description of the very first regeneration is marvellous and the brief appearance of the Second Doctor is superb. I really cannot wait to watch The Tenth Planet along with Power of the Daleks that follows it! But this book in its own right was astounding.

Rating: 10/10