Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters

"The Earth belongs to Mankind!"

Writer: Malcolm Hulke

Format: Novel

Released: January 1974

Series: Target 09

Featuring: Third Doctor, Liz

Synopsis

"Okdel looked across the valley to see the tip of the sun as it sank below the horizon. It was the last time he was to see the sun for a hundred million years."

UNIT is called in to investigate security at a secret research centre buried under Wenley Moor. Unknown to the Doctor and his colleagues, the work at the centre has woken a group of Silurians – intelligent reptiles that used to be the dominant life form on Earth in prehistoric times.

Now they have woken, the Silurians are appalled to find 'their' planet populated by upstart apes. The Doctor hopes to negotiate a peace deal, but there are those on both sides who cannot bear the thought of humans and Silurians living together. As UNIT soldiers enter the cave systems, and the Silurians unleash a deadly plague that could wipe out the human race, the battle for planet Earth begins.

Verdict

Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters was an outstanding novelisation of Doctor Who and the SIlurians! I find it a little weird that the only televised story to go with the 'Doctor Who and the...' title gets a different name for its novelisation, but hey ho that's just the quirks of early novelisations. And what a book this was! I absolutely loved this from start to finish. The premise of the story itself is very solid and I am very much a fan of the televised version, one I am yet to blog, but I think it works even better in prose! The pace was perfect from the off and seven parts was all fitted in brilliantly. I thought the Doctor was terrific in this one and even though it was really early days for the third incarnation, Jon Pertwee's likeness was fantastically captured in his characterisation. Liz made for a great companion too and I'm always glad when I can cover anything where she is the companion as in my opinion she was just magnificent and sadly not around for enough stories. The relationship between the Doctor and the Brigadier was also presented very well and I liked how often the Brig wanted to overrule his scientific advisor because of militant issues. Surely, even at this early stage in knowing him, after all he'd been through with the Doctor the Brigadier would trust his judgement? It made for some good militant stubbornness though which is always fun during the Third Doctor era. I thought the prologue to open the book as the first chapter was marvellous and its simplicity was all that you needed. Okdel and K'to made excellent Silurian characters and it was intriguing to read of the moment where they had to decide to go into hibernation after the fears for the planet with the coming of the Moon into orbit. The Doctor's interaction with the Silurians throughout the book was very good and the moment he revealed to Okdel that there was no trace of the Silurian civilisation above the surface was so powerful. The predicament the Silurians were in was really a sympathetic one and the analogy used by the Doctor with regards to a house and mice and rats overrunning it was very good. I loved the characters of Quin and Dawson and exploring their relationship was very good. It was nice to get additional character development for both of them individually and how they'd come to enjoy a relationship. Quin's desire to became famous based on the Silurian discovery was a very good element of the book and it was good to read just how much he wanted that. He was in the shadows of both his father and now Dr Lawrence, but he wanted the limelight for himself. Another brilliant character was Major Barker. He was just brilliant in that typical militant and patriotic role and when he was locked up by the Silurians, his reaction to the Doctor attempting to do deals with the Silurians was just wonderful. He was going to arrest him as a traitor under the Official Secrets Act! Great stuff. Morka as the evil Silurian who only wanted his species on the planet that he felt was rightfully theirs worked well and I liked how he attempted to wipe out humanity with a deadly disease. I liked that it was something he'd used on the apes of his own time. Of course, Mankind now was a bit more advanced but the damage was soon done quickly. Seeing the beginnings of the spread was really interesting to unfold given the current social climate with all that has gone on with Covid-19. Those elements really were quite fascinating and interesting to see unfold. The Silurians killing Okdel was not too surprising and a common theme throughout the novel was the suddenness in which the deaths occurred. There was no remorse or time for mourning there! That made for an impactful moment which was very good indeed. The Silurians attempting to destroy the Earth's natural layer of protection in the atmosphere from the rays of the Sun was fantastic stuff and I also liked the real nature with which the Doctor was attempting to set off a nuclear reaction which meant the Silurians had to go back into hibernation. The Brigadier thinking it was all a trick when it wasn't was a really fun moment. It was all just the flick of a switch for the failsafe to kick in though which was also good. The final chapter with the famed scene where the Brigadier blows up the caves anyway and seals the Silurians in hibernation for good was written very well and it's still such a shocking and powerful moment. It's fair to say the Doctor is disgusted with the Brigadier! I'd also just like to mention how great the little illustrations are dotted throughout the novel and they make for some very good visuals of the events that are unfolding. I also really liked the map of Wenley Moor at the start and it sent me back to my days of GCSE Geography! Overall though, a sublime novelisation.

Rating: 10/10