Tome Time - Dr Who and the Daleks by David Whittaker

Started August 15th, finished August 19th.
This is a read-along with Paul's Target blogging.  It is also the first of the re-released Target novels.  It's teh only one I've bought so far but I'll probably pick more up in time.  Paul gives a good overview of the new editions here.
I remember the weird feeling I had when I first saw the Dr Who story The Daleks.  A strange sense of deja vu.  It took my weak brain a while to figure out why this was.  then it dawned on me.  My childhood viewings of the Cushing films.  I hadn't realised they were lifted from original, unseen by me, scripts.  
I was wary of what I would make of the book from the dual viewing of one story already.  I am a fan of teh second Cushing film but not so much the first.  Even the foreword by Neil Gaiman couldn't ready me for what I found between the pages.  I found the rewriting of the opening scenes off-putting enough.  The real killer for me though was the new Ian Chesterton.  I love Ian Chesterton I don't want him changed by an annoying Roy Castle or a writer who's fiddling.  The revamped Ian and especially his 'will they, won't they?' with a temperamental Barbara was very distracting throughout the tale.  It did neither character any favours if you ask me.  I couldn't understand why the Doctor was sidelined for Ian.  It was a bit like a prior Rose Tyler Show.
The Daleks story is quite long and drawn out.  The 'journey' parts do quite well here, better than the tv or film, at making it seem like a journey.  I just couldn't get into the story though.  The narrative from Ian put me off as well.  I can't understand the Thals reasoning for not taking a stand.  I'm surprised they've evolved at all if that's their viewpoint.  This book is not a highpoint in the Target universe for me.
As for this edition.  It does add something to the books when you get to read about famous DW fans for the Target novels.  I am immensely fond of them and I like to see them praised.  Although Gaiman's intro was hardly going to win over new readers on its own.  I couldn't think what was missing from my copy.  Until I read Paul's blog, it was the Target logo.  I imagine no-one wants to put a defunct and not their own logo on a book.  It would have been nice to see it though :-(  The explanation of the story at the end was useful.  How it put into perspective the aired version vs the novel.  Unfortunately it was a bit of a grind finishing the story so I was weary by the time I got to that.  
All in all, I'm glad teh books have been reprinted.  I won't be reading this one again any time soon though.  I wonder what they've done with Doctor Who and the Cybermen.......
2.5 pawprints out of 5
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