Who Reviews Target Zone The Claws of Axos by "Green Tentacles of Death"

ISBN 0 426 11703 4

‘Axos calling Earth, Axos calling Earth...’

The creatures stood before them, beautiful golden humanoids, offering friendship and their priceless Axonite, in return for - what?

Only Doctor Who remains suspicious.  What is the real reason for the Axons’ sudden arrival on Earth?  And why is the evil master a passenger on their spaceship?  He very soon finds out...

Welcome to Target Zone this month, currently writing this in between times at dimensions.  So who is for another lesson from the minds of Dicks and Letts, originally written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin, a team that wrote a lot of good stories but were never fully thanked.  The Target book is put into novel form by Terrance Dicks who was the script editor at the time of the original show, and as usual he seamlessly combines the air of the original script with a few tweaks to bump it along for the reader.

Now how many of you would accept a gift from somebody you don’t know, who says that it is free and has no strings?  Well this story takes up this idea and expands it to government and international level.  If an alien race came to earth saying free energy to all and please share, wouldn’t you be suspicious, you would wouldn’t you.  As normal the governments involved all seem to run to par, yes please thank you and how much can I charge the others for it.  Baker and Martin seem to have observed various governmental organisations and have written a lesson to us all.  Greed is bad; sharing can also be bad if given items by a golden smiling humanoid.

Okay I hear you say, they might be good, well there is an old saying never judge a book by its cover, and this story seems to give valid reasons why not.  As normal the Doctor smells a trap, though has a little quake in his goodness this story.  The Master is evil as ever, and damn smooth and charming (people wonder why I love this character, this story is one of the reasons why), Jo is ever resourceful in her own way and acts as a sort of conciseness for the story.  The Brigadier is his normal lovable self, with the ever loyal and hard working Sargent Benton, as well a raft of totally believable government figures.

So I suggest to one and all buy this book, as if you get it free the Axons will get you.

Now special mention, for this story goes to the ever great and modesty Bernard Holley, who I had the good fortune to meet at one of the Dimensions.  He takes a monster character and transforms him/it into a creature that will stick into your memory for ever.  Also a lovely appearance by Tim Piggot-Smith and Donald Hewlett, two great actors and one of the reasons why this story works.  An extra special mention has to go to Richard Franklin, for playing Yates so well and a certain Derek Ware for the amazing performance as the tramp.

So read the book and then watch the story.