Doctor Who and the Keys of Marinus

1st Doctor Novelisation

By: Philip Hinchcliffe

Narrated by: Jamie Glover

Jamie Glover reads this gripping novelisation of a classic TV adventure for the First Doctor.

The TARDIS materialises on a remote island, set in a sea of acid, on the planet Marinus. The Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara meet Arbitan, keeper of a vast computer which rules and balances the gentle life of Marinus. Yet peace on the planet is threatened by the sub-human Voord, who wish to take control of the Conscience.

Arbitan enlists the travellers to find the five crucial Keys of Marinus in various locations across the planet. Thus begins a series of terrifying adventures for the Doctor and his friends, who must find the Keys if they wish to ever to see the TARDIS again.

Jamie Glover, who played William Russell in the BBC TV drama An Adventure in Space and Time, reads Philip Hinchcliffe's novelisation of Terry Nation's 1964 TV serial.

Reading produced by Neil Gardner at Ladbroke Audio

Sound design by Simon Power

Executive producer: Michael Stevens

©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Critic reviews

"Slick and polished...immersive productions of much-loved novelisations...long may we enjoy them." (Doctor Who Magazine)

A epic Quest

A interesting adventure. The Doctor and companions go on a quest around a alien world to collect keys for a fantastic machine. They encounter brains in jars that mind control people. Plants that kill people. A mad hermit and ice soldiers. Get involved in a Perry Mason type murder trial and locked room mystery. The novelization of the audiobook was written by former Doctor Who producer Phillip Hinchcliffe and the serial the novelization was based on was written by Terry Nation, who also created the Daleks. The quest was good for most part. Could of done without the whodunnit in chapters nine through eleven, it was boring and doesn’t fit a quest very well. Also the Doctor vanishes half way through the quest, the Doctor Who actor William Hartnel took a vacation during the filming of the serial. So the companions had to face most of the dangers on their own.