Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet

Rating:
Summary: End of the first Doctor and introduction of Cybermen
Review: 'The Tenth Planet' is one of the most important Doctor Who stories. Not only does it introduce one of the Doctor's most popular foes, the Cybermen, but it also introduces the concept of regeneration, and important factor in the series longevity. It is adapted by one of the co-authors of the original script, Gerry Davis.

The TARDIS arrives on Earth in the year 2000 (a departure from the original script, where it was set in 1986!) at the Antarctic. They are captured by troops from the nearby space base, Snowcap, where a space flight which is being monitored is off course for no apparent reason. And then the reason is sighted: a new planet, a duplicate of Earth, is seen in space...

Mondas is inhabited by the Cybermen, once human who have replaced their limbs by plastic and steel, and their brains by computers. (A handy guide to the creation of the Cybermen appears before the story starts.) They are seeking to invade Earth for reasons that become plain towards the end of the book.

The book isn't bad. It is archetypal B-grade science fiction, much like many of the stories in the second Doctor's era, but as long as you aren't expecting highly original science fiction you'll be fine.

Rating:
Summary: annoying
Review: The first appearance of the Cybermen. The last Hartnell story. The last Ben and Polly before the arrival of Jamie. The introduction of Troughton. The first regeneration story. The holy grail of the destroyed episodes. This should have been--NO--it had to be a much better book than this but it isn't. A thoroughly pedestrian and lackluster affair. In fact, I'm still not even sure of some of the basic plotpoints. The first chapter of John Peel's POWER OF THE DALEKS which acts as a recap and epilogue to this story is more effective and better written than the novel The Tenth Planet itself. One of the most important DOCTOR WHO stories ever and we get this. Arrgh! There was so much potential here. Davis could have added so much back story on earth history, could have added real sadness to Hartnell's farewell, told us so much about the Doctor's great adversaries The Cybermen(one of this reviewers favorite series monsters). Instead we get connect the dots writing. Still, it is a book all Who fans must have. Sigh.