From TARDIS Index File, the free Doctor Who reference.

Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion
Series:	Doctor Who- Target Novelisation
Release Number:	22 (given to later editions) (Target) 3 (Pinnacle)
Doctor:	Third Doctor
Companions:	Sarah Jane Smith, the Brigadier, Sergeant Benton, Captain Mike Yates, UNIT
Enemy:	Dinosaurs
Setting:	Earth, circa 1970s
Author:	Malcolm Hulke
Publisher:	Target Books, W.H. Allen & Co (UK edition) Pinnacle Books (US edition)
Publication:	February 1976
Format:	Hardcover and paperback editions, --- Pages (Target), 142 pages (Pinnacle)
ISBN:	ISBN 0-426-10874-4 (Target) ISBN 0-523-41613-X (Pinnacle)
Previous Story:	Doctor Who and the Time Warrior
Following Story:	Doctor Who - Death to the Daleks

Novelisation

• This novelisation is based on the original television serial DW: Invasion of the Dinosaurs which was shown from 12th January 1974 and written by Malcolm Hulke
• The cover and information shown on the right is for the original Target novel and featured the artwork of Chris Achilleos. (See below for information on other UK and international editions which published with a different cover). The first-edition cover is unusual for incorporating a comic book-style sound effect in the artwork.

Publisher's Cover Blurb

1976 Target edition

The Doctor walked slowly forward into the cul-de-sac. The giant dinosaur turned its head to focus on the midget now approaching … the Doctor aimed his gun to fire … suddenly from behind came a great roar of anger. He spun round – blocking the exit from the narrow street towered a Tyrannosaurus rex, its savage jaws dripping with blood ...
The Doctor and Sarah arrive back in the TARDIS to find London completely deserted – except for the dinosaurs. Has the return of these prehistoric creatures been deliberately planned and, if so, who can be behind it all?

1979 Pinnacle Books edition

RETURN OF THE PREHISTORIC CREATURES

Three hundred and fifty million years ago, dinosaurs crawled the Earth, devouring everything in sight. But then they disappeared. Certainly, no one ever expected them to return ...

When Doctor Who lands in London and finds the entire city deserted - except for dinosaurs - he figures something really weird is going on. It is. A clever group of misguided idealists is at the center of a bizarre plot to reverse Time to a golden era - an era before technology, before pollution, before the hydrogen bomb. The group is going to give the human race a second chance.

But, to implement Operation Golden Age, the past must be eliminated. The present will not exist - and only the chosen will survive.

Doctor Who must turn the clock forward to stop Operation Golden Age, but will he be able to do it before Earth's Time runs out?

Illustrations

• None

Deviations from the Televised Story

To be added

Author, Writing and Publishing Notes

To be added

Associated Images

1978 edition; Cover by Jeff Cummins

1979 US Pinnacle Books edition

1993 edition; Cover by Alister Pearson

Publishing History (UK)

To be added

First Publication:

• Hardback

W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd. UK

• Paperback

Target

Re-issues:

60p (UK)

1993 Target Books with a new cover by Alister Pearson priced £3.50 (UK)

International Editions

• Pinnacle Books, United States, 1983 (includes essay "Introducing Doctor Who" by Harlan Ellison)

Audio Release

This Target Book was released complete and unabridged by BBC Audio Books and read by Martin Jarvis who played Butler.
The audio set of 4 CD's with an ISBN 1-405-XX was released in November 2007 priced £17.99 (UK)
The cover blurb was retained in the accompanying booklet with sleevenotes by David J. Howe. Music and sound effects by Simon Power

External Sources

• The Target Book by David J Howe (Telos Publishing 2007)
• On Target a comprehensive guide to the Target novelisations by Tim Neal