The War Machines was a novelisation based on the 1966 television serial The War Machines.
Publisher's summary
1989 edition
London, 1966 — when the TARDIS materialises outside the Post Office Tower The Doctor becomes aware of a powerful and evil force nearby, so he and the ever-curious Dodo set off to investigate.
Inside the tower they track down the source of power to Professor Brett and WOTAN, his revolutionary new computer.
Designed as a universal problem solver, WOTAN has suddenly begun to think for itself and has formulated a deadly plan. Using its phenomenal power it will programme humans to build mobile fighting computers, and with these indestructible war machines WOTAN will take over the world...
Chapter titles
- The Home-Coming
- The Super-Computer
- A Night Out
- Servant turned Master
- Putting the Team Together
- Working for the Cause
- A Demonstration of Power
- The One Who Got Away
- Attack and Defence
- Taking to the Streets
- Setting the Trap
- The Showdown
- We Can't Stay Long
Deviations from televised story
- The Doctor gains access to the Post Office Tower with forged credentials and the fact that he and Brett have a mutual acquaintance in Ian Chesterton.
- The Doctor defeats the first War Machine by burning out its circuit with a radiowave, rather than it simply stopping.
- The second War Machine is named as Valk. It is not armed prior to going rogue, meaning the Doctor has to fit it with an automatic rifle after reprogramming it.
- The Doctor enters the tower on realising humans are in danger from Valk's attack.
- The battle between WOTAN and Valk is more involved, with the computer trying to defend itself with electrical charges.
Writing and publishing notes
- The original Target edition featured the artwork of Alister Pearson with circles by Graeme Way.
Additional cover images
to be added
British publication history
First publication: Paperback (February 1989)
- Target / W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. One single paperback edition, estimated print run: 21,000, priced £1.99 (UK).
Re-issues: (November 1992)
- Target / Virgin Publishing, priced £2.99 (UK).
External links
to be added