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Book Details

Doctor Who - Arc of Infinity

78.6% complete
Copyright © Terrance Dicks 1983
1983
Novelization; Science Fiction; Television Tie-In
Unknown
Never (or unknown...)
See 12
1 - Deadly Meeting
2 - Horror in the Crypt
3 - Recall
4 - Death Sentence
5 - The Prisoner
6 - Termination
7 - The Matrix
8 - The Traitor
9 - Unmasked
10 - Hunt for Omega
11 - Transference
12 - Omega's Freedom
Book Cover
Has a genre Has an extract Has a year read In my library In a series 
1128
 Doctor Who - Novelizations (UK)*
#80 of 157
Doctor Who - Novelizations (UK)*     See series as if on a bookshelf
The original Target novelizations for the television show Doctor Who.

1) Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen
2) Doctor Who and the Android Invasion
3) Doctor Who and the Androids of Tara
4) Doctor Who and the Ark in Space
5) Doctor Who and the Armageddon Factor
6) Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion
7) Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius
8) Doctor Who and the Carnival of Monsters
9) Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters
10) Doctor Who and the Claws of Axos
11) Doctor Who and the Creature from the Pit
12) Doctor Who and the Crusaders
13) Doctor Who and the Curse of Peladon
14) Doctor Who and the Cybermen
15) Doctor Who and the Daemons
16) Doctor Who and the Daleks
17) Doctor Who and the Dalek Invasion of Earth
18) Doctor Who and the Day of the Daleks
19) Doctor Who and the Deadly Assassin
20) Doctor Who - Death to the Daleks
21) Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks
22) Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion
23) Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon
24) Doctor Who and the Enemy of the World
25) Doctor Who and the Face of Evil
26) Doctor Who - Full Circle
27) Doctor Who and the Genesis of the Daleks
28) Doctor Who and the Giant Robot
29) Doctor Who and the Green Death
30) Doctor Who and the Hand of Fear
31) Doctor Who and the Horns of Nimon
32) Doctor Who and the Horror of Fang Rock
33) Doctor Who and the Ice Warriors
34) Doctor Who and the Image of the Fendahl
35) Doctor Who and the Invasion of Time
36) Doctor Who and the Invisible Enemy
37) Doctor Who and the Keeper of Traken
38) Doctor Who and the Keys of Marinus
39) Doctor Who and the Leisure Hive
40) Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster
41) Doctor Who - Logopolis
42) Doctor Who and the Masque of Mandragora
43) Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon
44) Doctor Who and the Mutants
45) Doctor Who and the Nightmare of Eden
46) Doctor Who and the Planet of the Daleks
47) Doctor Who and the Planet of Evil
48) Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders
49) Doctor Who and the Power of Kroll
50) Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars
51) Doctor Who and the Revenge of the Cybermen
52) Doctor Who and the Ribos Operation
53) Doctor Who and the Robots of Death
54) Doctor Who and the Sea-Devils
55) Doctor Who and the Seeds of Doom
56) Doctor Who and the Sontaran Experiment
57) Doctor Who and the Space War
58) Doctor Who and the State of Decay
59) Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood
60) Doctor Who and the Sunmakers
61) Doctor Who and the Talons of Weng-Chiang
62) Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet
63) Doctor Who and the Terror of the Autons
64) Doctor Who - The Three Doctors
65) Doctor Who and the Time Warrior
66) Doctor Who and the Tomb of the Cybermen
67) Doctor Who and the Underworld
68) Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child
69) Doctor Who and the Visitation
70) Doctor Who and the War Games
71) Doctor Who and Warriors' Gate
72) Doctor Who and the Web of Fear
73) Doctor Who and the Zarbi
74) Doctor Who - Time-Flight
75) Doctor Who - Meglos
76) Doctor Who - Castrovalva
77) Doctor Who - Four to Doomsday
78) Doctor Who - Earthshock
79) Doctor Who - Terminus
80) Doctor Who - Arc of Infinity
81) Doctor Who - The Five Doctors
82) Doctor Who - Mawdryn Undead
83) Doctor Who - Snakedance
84) Doctor Who - Kinda
85) Doctor Who - Enlightenment
86) Doctor Who - The Dominators
87) Doctor Who - Warriors of the Deep
88) Doctor Who - The Aztecs
89) Doctor Who - Inferno
90) Doctor Who - The Highlanders
91) Doctor Who - Frontios
92) Doctor Who - The Caves of Androzani
93) Doctor Who - Planet of Fire
94) Doctor Who - Marco Polo
95) Doctor Who - The Awakening
96) Doctor Who - The Mind of Evil
97) Doctor Who - The Myth Makers
98) Doctor Who - The Invasion
99) Doctor Who - The Krotons
100) Doctor Who - The Two Doctors
101) Doctor Who - The Gunfighters
102) Doctor Who - The Time Monster
103) Doctor Who - The Twin Dilemma
104) Doctor Who - Galaxy Four
105) Doctor Who - Timelash
106) Doctor Who - Vengeance on Varos
107) Doctor Who - The Mark of the Rani
108) Doctor Who - The King's Demons
109) Doctor Who - The Savages
110) Doctor Who - Fury from the Deep
111) Doctor Who - The Celestial Toymaker
112) Doctor Who - The Seeds of Death
113) Doctor Who - Black Orchid
114) Doctor Who - The Ark
115) Doctor Who - The Mind Robber
116) Doctor Who - The Faceless Ones
117) Doctor Who - The Space Museum
118) Doctor Who - The Sensorites
119) Doctor Who - The Reign of Terror
120) Doctor Who - The Romans
121) Doctor Who - The Ambassadors of Death
122) Doctor Who - The Massacre
123) Doctor Who - The Macra Terror
124) Doctor Who - The Rescue
125) Doctor Who - Terror of the Vervoids
126) Doctor Who - The Time Meddler
127) Doctor Who - The Mysterious Planet
128) Doctor Who - Time and the Rani
129) Doctor Who - The Underwater Menace
130) Doctor Who - The Wheel in Space
131) Doctor Who - The Ultimate Foe
132) Doctor Who - The Edge of Destruction
133) Doctor Who - The Smugglers
134) Doctor Who - Paradise Towers
135) Doctor Who - Delta and the Bannermen
136) Doctor Who - The War Machines
137) Doctor Who - Dragonfire
138) Doctor Who - Attack of the Cybermen
139) Doctor Who - Mindwarp
140) Doctor Who - The Chase
141) Doctor Who - Mission to the Unknown
142) Doctor Who - The Mutation of Time
143) Doctor Who - Silver Nemesis
144) Doctor Who - The Greatest Show in the Galaxy
145) Doctor Who - Planet of Giants
146) Doctor Who - The Happiness Patrol
147) Doctor Who - The Space Pirates
148) Doctor Who - Remembrance of the Daleks
149) Doctor Who - Ghost Light
150) Doctor Who - Survival
151) Doctor Who - The Curse of Fenric
152) Doctor Who - Battlefield
153) Doctor Who - The Pescatons
154) Doctor Who - The Power of the Daleks
155) Doctor Who - The Evil of the Daleks
156) Doctor Who - The Paradise of Death
157) Doctor Who
No dedication.
They met in a hidden chamber deep beneath the Capitol: the being from another dimension, and the Time Lord who was betraying not only his people but his Universe.
May contain spoilers
Curiously enough, he found he didn't mind at all.
No comments on file
Extract (may contain spoilers)
'No!' shouted Nyssa, but it was already too late.

'Take them away, ordered Maxil coldly.

Two guards grabbed the wildly struggling Nyssa and hauled her off.  Two more lifted the Doctor's body and carried it away.


In the council chamber, Zorac received a report of the incident on his wrist-communicator.  'Every time the Doctor returns to Gallifrey there is violence!'

'Perhaps it is we who should modify our approach,' suggested Hedin drily.

'The Doctor chose to resist the Capitol Guard.'

'Inevitably!  We send armed guards when a friendly face and a welcoming hand would have sufficed.  Is it any surprise that he resisted?'


The Doctor's body was carried into the TARDIS, and Nyssa was herded after him.  'He's hurt,' she protested.  'He needs proper medical attention.'

'He's stunned,' said Maxil callously.  'He'll recover.'

The unconscious Doctor was carried through the inner door.  Maxil knelt and reached under the console, lifted an access hatch and removed a small but complex piece of circuitry.  Immediately the ever-present low hum of the TARDIS's power systems cut out.  Only the lighting circuits remained in operation.  Maxil turn Nyssa.  'The compound will be guarded at all times.  If Doctor tries to leave again, my men will shoot to kill.  See that the Doctor knows this.'

The guards returned through the inner door, and left the TARDIS.

With a last hard stare at Nyssa, Maxil followed them.

Nyssa turned and ran to find the Doctor.


The Castellan strode grim-faced into the council chamber.  Immediately, an anxious group of Councillors gathered round him.

'Well?' demanded Thalia.  'Where is he?'

'The Doctor tried to evade security.  Some force had to be used.  He will be brought before you as soon as he is recovered.'

'The situation is critical, Castellan.'

'Of that, Lady Thalia, I am more than aware.  If I may pass?  I must give my report to the Lord President.'  Brushing past Zorac, who was in his way, the Castellan made for the door that led to the presidential suite.


Nyssa's room in the TARDIS was small and simply furnished - a bed, a table and chair, a rack of clothes, a scattering of personal possessions.  The Doctor was sitting on the bed, sipping a restorative cordial, while Nyssa looked on anxiously.

'How do you feel, Doctor?'

'Better thank you.'  The Doctor rubbed his head.  'Not the most friendly of welcomes, though.'

'They've taken the main space/time element from the time-rotor.'

 

Added: 01-Jan-2001
Last Updated: 03-Feb-2025

Publications

 20-Oct-1983
Target
Mass Market Paperback
Has a cover imageBook Edition Cover
Date Issued:
20-Oct-1983
Format:
Mass Market Paperback
Internal ID:
1150
Publisher:
ISBN:
0-426-19342-3
ISBN-13:
978-0-426-19342-5
Country:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Credits:
Photograph  - Cover Artist
When the Doctor returns to Gallifrey, he learns that his bio data extract has been stolen from the Time Lords' master computer known as the Matrix. The bio data extract is a detailed description of the Doctor's molecular structure - and this information, in the wrong hands, could be exploited with disastrous effect. The Gallifreyan High Council believe that anti-matter will be infiltrated into the universe as a result of the theft. In order to render the information useless, they decide the Doctor must die...
Cover:
Book Cover
Notes and Comments:
 19-Mar-1992
Target
Mass Market Paperback
In my libraryOrder from amazon.comHas a cover imageBook Edition Cover
Date Issued:
19-Mar-1992
Format:
Mass Market Paperback
Cover Price:
£2.99
Pages*:
117
Internal ID:
1151
Publisher:
ISBN:
0-426-19342-3
ISBN-13:
978-0-426-19342-5
Country:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Credits:
Alister Pearson  - Cover Artist
'HELLO,' SAID THE DOCTOR CHEERFULLY.  'I'M THE DOCTOR.'  MAXIL RAISED HIS STASAR PISTOL AND SHOT HIM DOWN.

On his return to Gallifrey, the Doctor learns that his bio data extract has been stolen from the Time Lords' master computer, the Matrix.  The Gallifreyan High Council believes that anti-matter will be infiltrated into the universe as a result of the theft.  The information must be rendered useless - the Doctor must die.

First broadcast in 1983, this is the first story since The Three Doctors to feature Omega, a bitter Gallifreyan exiled forever from this Universe.  This novelization by Terrance Dicks was adapted from the original script by Johnny Byrne.
Cover:
Book CoverBook Back CoverBook Spine
Notes and Comments:
No printing listed
This is not a first printing - unkown
United States: $4.95
Australia: $6.95

Novelisation copyright © Terrance Dicks 1983
Original script copyright © Johnny Byrne 1982
'Doctor Who' series copyright © British Broadcasting Corporation 1982, 1983

The BBC producer of Arc of Infinity was John Nathan-Turner, the director was Ron Jones.
The role of the Doctor was portrayed by Peter Davison.

"NO. 80" on the spine
Image File
20-Oct-1983
Target
Mass Market Paperback

Image File
19-Mar-1992
Target
Mass Market Paperback

On Target

Publication Information
Author: Terrance Dicks
Cover artist: photographic / Alister Pearson (1992)
Publishing date: 20th October 1983
Episode Information
TV serial: Arc of Infinity
Writer: Johnny Byrne
Transmission Dates: 3rd - 12th January 1983 (4 episodes)
Fact and Findings
Number 80 in the Doctor Who library - missing from the spine of the first edition.

First edition cover price - £1.35

Classic chapter title: The Horror in the Crypt

The first Target edition was published by W. H. Allen (ISBN 0 426 19342 3). Despite the claim inside the cover, it was reprinted and rejacketed by Virgin Publishing Ltd in March 1992. The ISBN was maintained.

Christine Donougher was Target editor for this release and Dicks' manuscript was proofread by Martin Noble on the 23rd of March 1983. (Noble was an author in his own right who would later do some non-Who novelisations for Target and Star, including one based on the Glen A. Larson TV series Automan).

The hardback had been released in July 1983.

Was also released as part of The Fifth Doctor Who Gift Set, in 1984. The full set was made up of Kinda, Snakedance, Arc of Infinity and Warriors of the Deep.
Cover Data
The original, photographic, cover shows Peter Davison as the fifth Doctor being threatened by Michael Gough as Hedin.

Alister Pearson's cover artwork for the March 1992 reprint was released as a postcard, free with 'Doctor Who Magazine' (number 203), September 1993. It was also used on the back cover of the 1992 Silva Screen CD release 'Doctor Who - Earthshock - Classic Music from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop'. A larger version of the artwork can be found on page 85 of David J. Howe's book Timeframe (Virgin Publishing, 1993).
Reviews
"Each criticism that has ever been levelled at Mr Dicks could be levelled again at this book, and be just as valid as it ever was."
- Steve Mercer & Steven Redford, 'Shada' (number 16), August 1983

"The back (cover blurb) is fairly well-written for a change... No such luck with the main text however."
- Robert Hill, 'Demnos' (number 2), 1984
UK Editions
198320th OctoberW. H. Allenphotored neonorange-colour0 426 19342 3£1.35first edition, number missing from spineY
1984-W. H. Allenphotored neonorange80colour0 426 19342 3£1.35-Y
199219th MarchVirginPearsonMcCoy bannerdark blue80outline0 426 19342 3£2.99-Y
Miscellaneous
Author


Terrance Dicks

Gift Set


Formed part of The Fifth Doctor Who Gift Set released in 1984. These sets comprised four recently released (or re-released) novelisations in a cardboard slip case. The four books that made up this boxed set were Kinda, Arc of Infinity, Snakedance and Warriors of the Deep. The box cover utilised a publicity photo of Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor (somewhat ironically given the contents). The gift set had ISBN 0 426 19596 5 and it cost £6.50. In all there were nine gift sets released in the 1980s.
  • On Target was a website dedicated to the Target Novelizations of Doctor Who and had a lot of information on each book.
  • I cannot find it anywhere on the web now so I have used the Wayback Machine to get information for these books.
  • I originally had permission to use covers from On Target, for books that I do not own, on this site.
  • Anything that idicates that a book is owned within the "On Target" section is referring to the owner of that site and not to my library.
  • This is currently unfinished, but a work in progress...

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*
  • I try to maintain page numbers for audiobooks even though obviously there aren't any. I do this to keep track of pages read and I try to use the Kindle version page numbers for this.
  • Synopses marked with an asterisk (*) were generated by an AI. There aren't a lot since this is an iffy way to do it - AI seems to make stuff up.
  • When specific publication dates are unknown (ie prefixed with a "Cir"), I try to get the publication date that is closest to the specific printing that I can.
  • When listing chapters, I only list chapters relevant to the story. I will usually leave off Author Notes, Indices, Acknowledgements, etc unless they are relevant to the story or the book is non-fiction.
  • Page numbers on this site are for the end of the main story. I normally do not include appendices, extra material, and other miscellaneous stuff at the end of the book in the page count.






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