Who Reviews Target Zone: The Day of the Daleks by DJ Forrest

Written by Terrance Dicks

Published 1974

In the 22^nd Century the world has fallen into chaos. The Earth has been reduced to rubble after nuclear war, and the Daleks have breezed in to take over the planet for its valuable minerals, to create their time travelling machinery to time jump through every century so that Daleks rule supreme. With lumbering Ogrons to carry out their orders, there seems little hope for the human race…except for a small outcrop of rebels, living in the basement of random buildings desperate to undo the present state of affairs by eliminating the one man that put them there in the first place. A small faction of humans prepares to time jump to the 20^th century and Austerly House and assassinate a high-ranking diplomat – except they haven’t factored in the Doctor, waiting for them!

It’s interesting these days how much of the state of the world plays like a Doctor Who novel. I’m sure you’ve all experienced that as you turn the pages of any of the many stories out there and this is no different. In fact, Day of the Daleks reads pretty much how any world news story plays out on the television screen.

The Daleks are always cast as the enemy and let’s face it, you can’t parlay with a mind that is hell bent on destruction for its own reasons. There’s no bargaining with a Dalek. They may let you think that they’re in agreement with a plan. They may go along with it for a while, but as soon as you lower your defences, it’s extermination time, just as soon as the Dalek has what it needs.

Terrance Dicks’ novel keeps the pace throughout and it was edge of the seat stuff when poor Jo Grant was sent back in time to the 20^th Century currently overrun by Daleks and Ogrons.

The story has a wonderful twist at the end and it’s played well. This is one story I want to see on the television, because as much as I recall seeing some of the Pertwee era Who, I can’t place this one in my mind. You’ll like the sneaky twist, that ahhh moment, and cool, and how can they stop history repeating itself?

A great story without giving a child the nightmares we so often face when reading some scary ass story from the Classic era – although Weeping Angels still freak me out from the New era.

On a nostalgic note, wouldn’t it be nice if you could still buy Target novels for 25p each???