Really sad to hear of the passing of Doctor Who writer and script editor Terrance Dicks. A man who, to me, was as quintessential to the fabric and heart of the Time Lord saga as anyone. It was also this man, Terrance Dicks, who gave me the passion to read. Especially grateful to him as I’ve always struggled with dyslexia, reading as a pre-teen was difficult. Luckily Tom Baker stomping around with his big scarf and jelly babies fighting all manner of monsters through time and space, at home, or even far off in an unknown galaxy had caught this young Mikey’s attention. I wanted more!
So every weekend in the early 80s I’d set off to the Poole Arndale Shopping Center with my pocket money. Head straight up the escalator to the second floor of Tesco’s. Find the book section and start pulling out all the Dr Who novels. The decision was always extremely difficult at first. All the covers were amazing. It wasn’t long before I realised that the Terrance Dicks stories were the ones I’d always pick.
Don’t get me wrong, off course I loved all the other writers. I still have 60 plus Doctor Who books in the cupboard featuring all the other great writers but it was always the Terrance Dicks one’s that became my big favourites. Like The Three Doctors and later The Five Doctors. The Day Of The Daleks and the classic Dalek Invasion Of Earth. I adored them all. I’m still not the greatest reader today but in those early pre-teen years of my life I would work my way through all those exciting Time Lord stories and loved every single second of excitement. And for that I have nothing but thanks and admiration for Terrance Dicks.
Here’s a few from my Terrance collection.
The Five Doctors & The Three Doctors
Warriors Of The Deep, The Giant Robot and The Underworld
The Auton Invasion, The Power Of Kroll and The Invisible Enemy
The Armageddon Factor, The Monster Of Peladon and The Stone Of Blood
The Dalek Invasion Of Earth, The Planet Of The Daleks and The Day Of The Daleks
There’s a few more I can’t find just now like The Loch Ness Monster and the very first debut episode book adaptation An Unearthly Child. Plus one set in an old lighthouse called The Horror Of Fang Rock which scared the bejesus out me.. So many fond memories. Rest in peace Terrance Dicks.
Guardian Terrance Dicks obituary
Do you have a favorite memory of an author you loved in your youth? If you wish, let me know. Thanks for reading. All the best.
Mikey
Wolfmans Cult Film 
Nice tribute, Mikey! I know absolutely zero about Doctor Who, but I think it’s so cool that the author had such a positive influence on your life. When I was in elementary school, I couldn’t get enough of the baseball books written by Matt Christopher…Catcher with a Glass Arm, Shortstop from Tokyo, The Kid Who Only Hit Homers. I’d say those, the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries, and children’s novels by Beverly Cleary got me interested in reading, and have kept me reading ever since.
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Thanks Todd.
Love all those title names from those Matt Christopher books. Don’t believe they crossed over here but it’s amazing to see the early signs of your beloved baseball was being embedded at an early age.
“The Kid Who Only Hit Homers” Was that about Bart constantly punching his dad?
Wow Beverly Cleary having a good innings, 103! and still going!
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Sorry, I think ‘The Kid Who Only Hit Homers’ has something to do with the Illiad…
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Oh my bad! That’s the one with some kind of long journey I seem to remember. Big book. Long read.
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Very nice tribute, nice collection! I have similar memories of heading off to the library and coming back with five or six books and feeling like I had a bag full of candy. So great that Mr. Dicks aided with your passion to read and you were able to battle dyslexia that way. RIP.
I recently wrote a blog about Ray Bradbury as one of my favorite authors. Amazing guy.
BTW: what do you think of the female Dr. Who they threw out there into TV land recently? My husband and I just looked at each other like, “Say what now?” I haven’t seen any of them. Maybe they’re good. Not being sexist AT ALL. It’s just a matter of some things can’t be turned on their head, can they? Just because it’s the age of girls and women not being *equal* with men (which is what they want) but actually acting like men–and usually without prior knowledge or training, just somehow doing it–doesn’t mean it should be done, right? Can’t some things just remain in their classic form, I wonder? Like I thought the remake of Ghostbusters was TERRIBLE. And it’s like…why? Is it really necessary? Are they gonna remake The Dirty Dozen now with all women? I heard Ocean’s 8 didn’t do that well. I mean…I don’t know.
So I repeat: Did you see/like the female Dr. Who? lol
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Thank you so much for the the super duper comment. I like that “like having a bag of candy”. It certainly was. I read two of the books over the last two days. Great to be able to race through a story in a day rather than it taking be months to read. Brought back lots of great memories.
I will go find your article on Ray Bradbury as I love his film adaptions but shamefully haven’t read any. (Off out tonight but will do so over the weekend and am looking forward to it.)
Ooooooo what a question to ask! Goodness! Haha! I agree with all you say. I was pretty shocked when they announced it even though it had been hinted at. I’m pretty nonjudgmental (most of the time) so yes I may of frowned but thought I’m happy to give it a go. I like Jodie Whitaker and I’m sure she is completely capable of filling those doctor boots BUT, and a big but, they really need the stories to be stronger. I watched the first 3 episodes and she was great but the stories were so very weak. TBF the last two doctors haven’t been that much cop either. They both had superb opening episodes and then just fell flat. David Tennant had by far the best stories, character arc and side kicks (from the new vamped up series) imho.
I couldn’t bring myself to watch the new Ghostbusters! They try too hard to be PC. Having female characters doesn’t mean we have to have rubbish, weakly written, unfunny films/TV shows. To me it must feel more patronizing to woman that “producers” feel they have to put female characters into classic original male role films and make them worse! Hey! why not make them better? I don’t believe one has worked so far, which is very troubling. What we all wish for, so very much, and all so badly need is new strong female led films. We need more Ripleys, Sarah Connors, Leia’s etc. So few,just a handful of iconic characters, we NEED more. (Disney ironical has done reasonably well in that field, Mulan, Nani from Lilo & Stitch etc)
Rumors now that James Bond might become “Jane Bond”! I wish Hollywood would wake up. Feminist should be kicking down doors. She doesn’t need to be 007 she can be a new character like 008 or something and be more kick ass and brilliant in a true strong female way!
Hehe sorry for long reply. It’s difficult to answer that question. That’s the kinda of conversation needed over a few pints 🙂
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I know, we could probably talk for hours about this! *Feminists* definitely do need to be kicking down doors, but evidently they’re only doing it in the movies now, and without any muscle tone in their legs whatsoever, lol !!
It was nice of you to give the new Dr. Who a try. We stopped watching way before her due to just what you were saying about weak stories. Yawn! Come on, guys!
And when it comes to re-imaging franchises like Ghostbusters and now–gag–Jane Bond like you just mentioned, my husband said almost word for word what you just said above because we’d heard Idris Alba was being looked into as Bond at one point, right? Now, I love Idris and felt offended when one of the ladies from Absolutely Fabulous (who was a Bond girl decades ago) said that was a ridiculous idea. But then my husband argued that he really wouldn’t make a good *traditional* Bond, traipsing all over Europe, because, like, how could you be a spy in Russia? He’d stand out a little bit, right? Then he was like, let him become 008, a new character, one that works in The Bahamas, South Africa, America especially.
We were just re-watching an older movie called The Descent that came out before all the *woke* movies started up. Apart from a million cheap shock scares, it was a nice horror/thriller with BELIEVABLE female characters who go spelunking into an uncharted cave. The art of believability vs. today’s absurd and ridiculous Mary Sues….. ah, well. I guess this too shall pass?! Haha. Thanks for your response!
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I always thought Colin Salmon would of made a good Bond. He could of slipped into the role very well, especially as he was the deputy chief of MI6 in 3 of the movies.
Haha yes his covert operations in eastern Europe might become a problem! He’ll have to borrow one of Ethan Hunt’s rubber masks.
Oh yes The Descent. Yeah she was one tough cookie in that. That very end did really upset me. Whaaaaaaat no wayyyy! You gotta be joking. After all that!
ps I had to look up wtf “spelunking” was hehe. Never have I heard that before. It’s one thing you won’t ever find me doing, known as “potholing” over here. And it gives me the shivers!
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I had to look up Colin Salmon. Omg, yes! 6’4″ and all. Of course! The masks! That would work perfectly in Russia or, like, Poland, lol !! He WOULD be perfect.
My spouse was upset about that woman in the end too and it soured him on the movie. But it had some really good moments. I’m exactly the same–spelunking, potholing–Not. In. A. Million. Years. I have absolutely no fear of heights. But completely claustrophobic.
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Yeh good ole Colin Salmon would of been brill…… I hated Skyfall with a passion and couldn’t bring myself to watch the last one. I personally haven’t been a fan of Daniel Craig’s Bond though Casino Royale was excellent.
For a big scary wolf I’m big and bad enough to admit I’d definitely loose my shit down some claustrophobic hole! So yep I’m keeping away from caves and the like.
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[…] I was obsessed with Doctor Who. Bought 50 plus books with my pocket money. I did a tribute to Terrence Dicks here. Still, today, after all these years, the theme tune sounds insane. It’s perfect in every […]
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