Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion @ The TARDIS Library (Doctor Who books, DVDs, videos & audios)


Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion
 

No. 6 of 156 in the Target novelisations series
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By:Terrance Dicks
Rating:   8.6  (51 votes)  Vote here
Review:  Dr Who grows up  Read more (1 in total)
Editions:  UK (1st paperback) | UK (1st hardback) | Netherlands (paperback) | Turkey (paperback) | Finland (hardback) | UK (2nd paperback) | Japan (paperback) | UK (2nd hardback) | UK (3rd paperback) | Portugal (paperback) | UK (4th paperback) | UK (5th paperback)
Description:  Novelisation of the 1970 Doctor Who TV story Spearhead from Space, which of course was Jon Pertwee’s debut as the Third Doctor. Also available as an audio reading.

Cover image for Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion
Edition: UK (1st paperback)
Released:  January 1974
Publisher:  Target
ISBN:0-426-10313-0
Format: paperback
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Cover blurb:
In this, the first adventure of his third ‘incarnation’, DOCTOR WHO, Liz Shaw and the Brigadier grapple with the nightmarish invasion of the AUTONS — living, giant-sized, plastic-modelled ‘humans’ with no hair and sightless eyes; waxwork replicas and tailors’ dummies whose murderous behaviour is directed by the NESTENE CONSCIOUSNESS — a malignant, squid-like monster of cosmic proportions and indescribably hideous appearance.

‘This DOCTOR WHO adventure (televised as Spearhead from Space) wins my vote as the best in the lifetime of the series so far.’

- Matthew Coady, The Daily Mirror

‘DOCTOR WHO, the children’s own programme which adults adore...’

- Gerard Garrett, The Daily Sketch

Cover image for Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion
Edition: UK (1st hardback)
Released:  January 1974
Publisher:  Allan Wingate
ISBN:0-85523-035-5
Format: hardback
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Cover blurb:
Same blurb as the original paperback edition, with the following author blurb inside the rear dust flap:

Terrance Dicks was born in 1935 and educated at East Ham Grammar School and Downing College, Cambridge.

After a spell in advertising the author became a full-time scriptwriter, first for radio, then television in which medium he has, for the last five years, been Script Editor of the ‘Doctor Who’ series. He is co-author of a book called The Making of Doctor Who which tells the behind-the-scenes story of the programme.

Terrance Dicks lives in Hampstead, London, is married and has two children both keen and critical viewers of ‘Doctor Who’. He is an obsessive reader, likes ‘messing about in boats’ and is cultivating an interest in mysticism and meditation.

Cover image for Doctor Who en de Invasie van de Autonen
Edition: Netherlands (paperback)
Title:  Doctor Who en de Invasie van de Autonen
Released:  December 1974
Publisher:  Unieboek B.V. Bussum
ISBN:90-269-8105-8
Format: paperback
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Note:  One of 8 Dutch paperback novelisations, all published in 1974 — the others were: The Cave-Monsters, The Crusaders, The Daemons, The Daleks, The Day of the Daleks, The Doomsday Weapon and The Zarbi. (The only other Dutch novelisation ever published was a hardcover version of The Daleks in 1966.)

Cover blurb:
In het eerste avontuur van zijn derde ‘incarnatie’ bindt DOCTOR WHO samen met Liz Shaw en de brigade-general de strijd aan met de AUTONEN — levende, reusachtige, van plastic gemaakte ‘mensen’ zonder haar en met nietsziende ogen; kopieën van mensen in een wassenbeeldenmuseum en etalagepoppen waarven het moorddadige optreden wordt bestuurd door het NESTEENSE BREIN — een kwaadaardig inktvisachtig monster van kolossale afmetingen.

Cover image for Doktor Kim Ve Otonlar
Edition: Turkey (paperback)
Title:  Doktor Kim Ve Otonlar
Released:  June 1975
Publisher:  Remzi Kitabevi
ISBN:None
Format: paperback
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Note:  The Turkish title simply translates as “Doctor Who and the Autons”. One of 6 Turkish novelisations, all published in 1975 — the others were: The Daleks, The Abominable Snowmen, The Cybermen, The Doomsday Weapon and The Day of the Daleks.

Cover blurb:
Zaman Lordlari tarafindan dünyaya sürgün edilen DOKTOR KİM, Birlesmis Milletler Haberalma Örgütü UNIT’e yardimci olmaya çalisir.

Dünya’yi ele geçirmek isteyen OTON’lar durdurulabilecek midir?

Ingiltere’nin BBC televizyonunda yayimlanan Doktor Kim bilim-kurgu dizisi, çocuklarin ve gençlerin hatta daha çok büyüklerin ilgisini çekmistir.

Cover image for Tohtori Kuka Ja Autonien Hyökkäys
Edition: Finland (hardback)
Title:  Tohtori Kuka Ja Autonien Hyökkäys
Released:  January 1976
Publisher:  Weilin & Göös
ISBN:951-35-1313-0
Format: hardback
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Note:  Only one other Finnish novelisation was ever published: The Cave-Monsters.

Cover blurb:
Tohtori KUKA on päähenkilönä uudessa nuorten tieteisjännärisarjassa, joka perustuu BBC:n suosittuun televisiosarjaan.

Maahan karkotettu tohtori KUKA on yksi avaruuden ‘aikavaltiaista’, joka pystyy vaivatta liikkumaan aikakaudesta toiseen ja jonka erikoiskykyjen avulla ihmiset selviytyvät maata ja ihmiskuntaa uhkaavista vaaroista.

“Tohtori KUKA, nuorten oma ohjelma, jota aikuiset rakastavat."
Gerard Garrett

Sarjassa ilmestyvät ensimmäisinä:
Terrance Dicks: Tohtori KUKA ja autonien hyökkäys
Malcolm Hulke: Tohtori KUKA ja luolahirviöt

Edellinen kertoo maahan asettuneen kosmisen aivokeskuksen hallitsemista muoviroboteista, jotka aikovat vallata maan, jälkimmäinen esihistoriallisista, tuhatvuotisesta syväjäähdytystilasta heräävistä ‘liskoihmisistä’, jotka palaavat vaatimaan muinaisia oikeuksiaan.

English translation:

Doctor WHO stars in a new science fiction thriller for young readers based on the popular BBC television series.

Doctor WHO is a ‘timelord’ from space, capable of travelling between different time periods, helping Earth and humanity to survive by using his special abilities.

“Doctor WHO, a TV show for the young, but loved by adults."
Gerard Garrett

First published in the series:
Terrance Dicks: Doctor WHO and the Auton Invasion
Malcolm Hulke: Doctor WHO and the Cave Monsters

The first book tells a tale of plastic robots settled on Earth, controlled by a central brain, planning to take over the world, the second one of pre-historic ‘lizard people’ waking from a deep-frozen state and claiming their ancient rights.

Cover image for Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion
Edition: UK (2nd paperback)
Released:  August 1978
Publisher:  Target
ISBN:0-426-11295-4
Format: paperback
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Cover blurb:
In this, the first adventure of his third ‘incarnation’, DOCTOR WHO, Liz Shaw and the Brigadier grapple with the nightmarish invasion of the AUTONS — living, giant-sized, plastic-modelled ‘humans’ with no hair and sightless eyes; waxwork replicas and tailors’ dummies whose murderous behaviour is directed by the NESTENE CONSCIOUSNESS — a malignant, squid-like monster of cosmic proportions and indescribably hideous appearance.

Cover image for Oh-ton gundan no shuurai!
Edition: Japan (paperback)
Title:  Oh-ton gundan no shuurai!
Released:  April 1980
Publisher:  Hayakawa Bunko
ISBN:Unknown
Format: paperback
Owned:

Note:  The Japanese title translates as “The Auton Army Invasion!". One of 5 Japanese novelisations, all published in 1980 — the others were: The Daleks, The Cave-Monsters, The Doomsday Weapon and The Day of the Daleks.

Cover blurb:
None.

Cover image for Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion
Edition: UK (2nd hardback)
Released:  November 1981
Publisher:  WH Allen
ISBN:0-491-02895-4
Format: hardback
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Cover blurb:
A mysterious shower of meteorites lands in Essex, and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart of UNIT has reason to believe that they have been deliberately aimed at the Earth’s surface.

The Doctor joins forces with the Brigadier and Liz Shaw in a desperate bid to prevent the nightmarish invasion of the sinister Autons. Living models of human beings — like waxwork dummies — their murderous behaviour is controlled and directed by the Nestene Consciousness, a malignant, squid-like monster of cosmic proportions and indescribably hideous appearance.

Cover image for Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion
Edition: UK (3rd paperback)
Released:  January 1982
Publisher:  Target
ISBN:0-426-11295-4
Format: paperback
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Note:  Same ISBN as 2nd UK paperback edition.

Cover blurb:
Same as 2nd UK hardback edition.

Cover image for Doutor Who e a Invãsao dos Autones
Edition: Portugal (paperback)
Title:  Doutor Who e a Invãsao dos Autones
Released:  January 1983
Publisher:  Editorial Presença
ISBN:None
Format: paperback
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Note:  One of 10 Portuguese novelisations, all published in 1983 — the others were: The Cave-Monsters, The Daemons, The Doomsday Weapon, The Sea-Devils, The Day of the Daleks, The Daleks, The Crusaders, The Abominable Snowmen and The Zarbi.

Cover blurb:
As extraordinárias aventuras de Doutor Who, Senhor do Tempo, viajando no seu veículo espácio-temporal, o TARDIS, através de toda a galáxia, da imensa variedade dos seus mundos. Histórias plenas de imaginação, suspense e acção. Um grande êxito mundial.

Neste volume, Doutor Who combate os AUTONES — automatos, assassinos, réplicas em plástico de seres humanos — que, commandacios pela MENTE NESTENE, imagino monstro vindo das profundezas do Cosmos, pretendere conquístar a Terra.

Cover image for The Auton Invasion
Edition: UK (4th paperback)
Title:  The Auton Invasion
Released:  March 1991
Publisher:  Target
ISBN:0-426-11295-4
Format: paperback
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Note:  Same ISBN as 2nd UK paperback edition.

Cover blurb:
‘You will be exiled to Earth in the Twentieth Century Time Zone. You will remain there for as long as we think proper. And for that time the secret of the TARDIS will be taken from you.’

Found guilty by his fellow Time Lords of interference in the affairs of other planets, the Doctor is forced to undergo his second regeneration and is exiled to Earth.

But strange meteorites are landing in Essex and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart of UNIT has reason to believe that they were deliberately aimed at the Earth’s surface. In order to avert a possible catastrophe the Doctor joins forces with UNIT and battles with the sinister Autons — creatures whose murderous behaviour is directed by the Nestene Consciousness, a hideous entity of cosmic proportions.

This story was written by Robert Holmes and broadcast under the title The Spearhead from Space. It was the first programme to feature Jon Pertwee in the role of the Doctor and marks the beginning of his Earth-bound adventures.

Doctor Who — The Spearhead from Space has recently been broadcast on BSB television.

Cover image for Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion
Edition: UK (5th paperback)
Released:  July 2011
Publisher:  BBC Books
ISBN:978-1-84990-193-2
Format: paperback
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Note:  One of a batch of six reprints by Random House/BBC Books as part of a new “Doctor Who Classics” range, released in both paperback and e-book form. The other reprints in this batch were: The Abominable Snowmen, The Cave-Monsters, The Crusaders, The Cybermen and The Daleks.

Cover blurb:
‘Here at UNIT we deal with the odd — the unexplained. We’re prepared to tackle anything on Earth. Or even from beyond the Earth, if necessary.’

Put on trial by the Time Lords, and found guilty of interfering in the affairs of other worlds, the Doctor is exiled to Earth in the 20th century, his appearance once again changed. His arrival coincides with a meteorite shower. But these are no ordinary meteorites.

The Nestene Consciousness has begun its first attempt to invade Earth using killer Autons and deadly shop window dummies. Only the Doctor and UNIT can stop the attack. But the Doctor is recovering in hospital, and his old friend the Brigadier doesn’t even recognise him. Can the Doctor recover and win UNIT’s trust before the invasion begins?

THIS NOVEL IS BASED ON ‘SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE’, A DOCTOR WHO STORY WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY BROADCAST FROM 3 JANUARY — 24 JANUARY 1970.

Featuring the Third Doctor as played by Jon Pertwee, his companion Liz Shaw and the UNIT organisation commanded by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart


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