Welcome to the UK Sci-Fi TV Book Guide.
The object of the site is to provide a complete guide to all the various spin-off novels and script books that have been produced in the last fifty-odd years based on UK science fiction, fantasy and horror television programmes.
As well as featuring entries for well-remembered series such as The Avengers, Blake's 7, Doctor Who and Quatermass there is also a wealth of information on books based on more obscure programmes such as Codename Icarus, The Moon Stallion and T-Bag.
Wherever possible the entries for the books give publication details, reproductions of the covers, details of the episodes upon which they are based (assuming they are not wholly original works) and the original back cover blurb. Many pages also include details of editions published outside the UK. As many people are also interested in obtaining copies of the programmes concerned, each page also gives an indication of any relevant DVD releases.
It should also be noted that since its inception in 2001, the site has also seen several new sections added which detail books based on science fiction radio dramas and also TV tie-in books, i.e. pre-existing books re-released with photographic covers designed to appeal specifically to viewers of television adaptations.
And as if all that isn't enough, since 2003 the site has also been home to a listing of books based on television programmes from the United States. This section is rather more basic than that for UK series, but still includes publication details and cover images where available. It also includes books for a number of series which are extremely borderline, but which could reasonably be said to have a large cult following such as 24, MacGyver and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.
Obviously, with a site like this there will be mistakes and omissions. If you find anything, or can provide scans of front and back covers for books that have no information, then please contact me via the email address at the top of the page — all help is gratefully received and will be properly acknowledged on the site.
If you have problems viewing this site you may need to enable stylesheets in your browser options or upgrade your browser to a more recent version. Anyone thinking "my computer's too old to use a new browser" would be well advised to check out the superb FireFox browser from Mozilla. And that goes for anyone with a new PC as well :-)
Well, I've rambled long enough — explore the site and if you manage to track down any of the books, have fun reading them!
Building a site like this isn't possible without a great deal of luck and an equal amount of help. The majority of the information on this site comes from booksellers, library catalogues, magazine articles and my own collection.
One useful reference I have found is Time Screen. Issue 4 in particular enabled me to check the details of several books (Stranger from Space / Moon Stallion) where information couldn't be found elsewhere. Many of the issues are now available to read online at The Mausoleum Club — see the Links page for further details.
To check the broadcast dates and writer credits of older series I've used the 2000 edition of The Encyclopedia of TV Science Fiction from Boxtree Ltd. Details of more recent series are based on my own notes, so all blame for errors should be sent in this direction!
Among the individuals who have provided me with information and/or cover scans are:
Stephen Barker
who's pointed out a huge number of errors and omissions as well as supplying a number of highly elusive cover scans. More recently he's started supplying back cover blurbs on an industrial scale!
Anthony Forth
who's been called upon to check various versions of the site for mistakes, and who also provided the first decent-quality Dutch Doctor Who cover scans to appear online. More recently he's contributed the covers to the Czech Red Dwarf novels, and covers and blurbs for various Doctor Who and Sarah Jane Adventures books.
Alan Hayes
who's provided me with a cover scan of the highly elusive Ensign Books edition of The Andromeda Breakthrough and also details and cover scans for the Shadows anthology. Not to mention cover image and details of the Mystery and Imagination tie-in. Check out his website on the South-African Avengers radio series — Links.
Ian Duerden
who's provided a decent quality cover scan of The Nightmare Man.
Sally Inglis
who's provided an extremely useful selection of back cover blurbs for the Dark Shadows page.
James McFetridge
who's provided the inner cover blurb and cover for the Severn House edition of Earthsearch as well as details and cover of the 2005 re-release of Progetto Quatermass from Italy.
Bill Thinnes
who's provided the final cover scans for Avengers novels from both Germany and Chile, as well as providing details of a previously undocumented German omnibus from the 1960s.
Ian Covell
whose knowledge of pseudonyms and publishing details is alarmingly comprehensive thanks to his work on the UK Books Received column for Locus.
Franz Neulinger
who was able to provide details about the German publisher of the omnibus that included Mutant 59: The Plastic Eater.
Kim Stevens
who's seemingly on a mission to acquire scans of only the very rarest tie-ins, namely ManDog and Earthsearch: Mindwarp.
Shaqui Le Vesconte
who's provided covers for books based on various Gerry Anderson series, particularly the Italian Space: 1999 novels, details of the elusive DWB issue 101, and who also runs a fantastic website devoted to Space Patrol. Full details can be found in the Links section.
Anthony McKay
the former editor of Time Screen, who's sent a number of cover scans all the way from New Zealand. Issues of Time Screen can now be found online at The Mausoleum Club — check the Links page for details.
David Brunt
who's provided episode details for Worzel Gummidge Down Under and untangled the mysteries of the US Man from U.N.C.L.E. releases.
Marijan Jozic
who's provided details and cover scan for the Yugoslavian edition of the Journey into Space novelisation The World in Peril, as well as an incredibly useful translation of the copyright page!
Cristoforo Calabrese
for supplying details of the Italian television production of A for Andromeda.
Alistair McGown
who's clarified a few matters about Moondial. Check out his excellent Star Maidens site — Links. He's also the co-author of The Hill and Beyond, a guide to children's television drama in the UK.
Gerard Nijssen
who's provided a scan of the very first Journey Into Space novelisation from Holland.
Julian Knott
who's provided details and cover scans for the various Children of the Stones releases.
Mike Noon
who put me in contact with Ian Beazley and supplied cover scans for several of the foreign Avengers novels. Details of his Avengers sites can be found in the Links section.
Lee Filipek
who provided me with a cover scan to the 1990 hardback.
Tyrone C
who provided me with a cover scan and back cover blurb for The Gemini Factor. Check out his Gemini Factor page for further details on this 1980s series.
Tim Coward
who allowed me to use his information on which Rentaghost episodes were novelised in which novel. The details of his Rentaghost site can be found in the Links section.
Ian Beazley
who has provided me with more Avengers and New Avengers covers than I could possibly have hoped for. His website, The Collector, contains information on his extensive Avengers collection and is well worth checking out.
Tim Neal, Saul Hazan, Uwe Wegner, Kate Dunn and Perry Armstrong who have all provided cover scans.