Doctor Who and the Zarbi was the second Doctor Who novelisation ever published. It was based on the 1965 television serial The Web Planet. This was the first Doctor Who novelisation to be written by the original teleplay writer. It became an on-and-off practice for the original writer to be commissioned to write the novelisation when possible (though during the Target Books era other authors such as Terrance Dicks would often be brought in to do so when this wasn't possible).
As the second Doctor Who novelisation, this book established the title format Doctor Who and the ... which would be followed by the Target Books novelisations into the early 1980s.
Publisher's summary
Target Books 1973 edition
DOCTOR WHO lands his space-time machine Tardis on the cold, craggy planet of Vortis. The Doctor and his companions, Ian and Vicki, are soon captured by the ZARBI, huge ant-like creatures with metallic bodies and pincer claws; meanwhile Barbara falls into the hands of the friendly MENOPTERA who have come to rid Vortis of the malevolent power of the ZARBI...
'They're well-written books-adventure stories, of course, but with some thought…the creation of the character of the Doctor had a touch of genius about it.' Westminster Press
Chapter titles
- The Web Planet
- The Zarbi
- Escape to Danger
- The Crater of Needles
- Invasion
- Centre of Terror
Deviations from televised story
- The First Doctor is mostly referred to as "Doctor Who" throughout the book, one of the few occasions where the standard naming protocol is broken.
- The Menoptera Vrestin is male. The character was female in the televised story.
- There is a reference made to the events of TV: The Dalek Invasion of Earth, concerning the Doctor and Ian's imprisonment on the Dalek saucer.
- The Animus plans "to pluck from the earth its myriad techniques... in its hundredth Christian millennium... !", possibly indicating the time this story takes place.
Writing and publishing notes
- The book was originally published by Frederick Muller in September 1965.
- One of three titles bought by Target from Frederick Muller that were used to launch the series of Doctor Who novelisations.
- The hardback edition illustrations were retained.
- Quickly sold out of the first 20,000 copies and reprinted.
- Chris Archileos was excited by the idea of drawing giant ants but was told they had to look like those in the series.
- The Target edition title page information includes: "THE CHANGING FACE OF DOCTOR WHO The cover illustration and others contained within this book portray the first DOCTOR WHO whose physical appearance was later transformed when he discarded his worn-out body in favour of a new one."
- This title was renamed Doctor Who - The Web Planet in its later reprint.
Audio release
This story was released in a five-CD format. It was read by William Russell (Ian). It was later released in the limited edition in Travels in Time and Space alongside the audio releases of Doctor Who and the Crusaders and Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks.
Additional cover images
British publication history
First publication:
- Hardback
- W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. UK
- Paperback
- Target
Re-issues:
- Target / Virgin Publishing Ltd. UK January 1991 Cover by Alistair Pearson (£2.50 UK)
Editions published outside Britain
To be added
