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279393,891 (3.38)6
Zienia Merton reads this captivating novelisation of an epic 'lost' historical TV adventure featuring the First Doctor. "Merton brings a lightness of touch to her reading that's quite delightful...It's a rewarding listen, and a fine tribute to its narrator." Doctor Who MagazineThe young Venetian, Marco Polo, is on his way to the Emperor's court in Peking when he meets four intrepid time travellers: the elderly Doctor, his granddaughter Susan, and their companions Ian and Barbara. The TARDIS has broken down whilst on Earth, in the year 1289. Marco Polo recognises in it a means of winning favour with the Emperor, and he insists that the travellers accompany his caravan to Cathay. The journey is fraught with sandstorms, drought, bandits, would-be assassins and many other hidden dangers. Even if they do arrive safely at the court of Kublai Khan, the Doctor and his friends have no guarantee of ever seeing the inside of the TARDIS again...Zienia Merton, who played Ping-Cho in the original BBC serial, reads John Lucarotti's own novelisation of his 1964 TV adventure.Duration: 4 hours approx.Dedicated to the memory of Zienia Merton? & (c) 2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd t/as BBC StudiosText (c) John Lucarotti 1984Cover illustration by David McAllisterReading produced by John AinsworthRecorded at Ashwood MusicPost-production by Ladbroke StudiosSound design by Simon Power for Meon Productions - www.meonsound.comTARDIS sound effect composed by Brian HodgsonExecutive producer: Michael Stevens… (more)
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This is a novelization of one of the First Doctor’s entirely missing serials (at least at the time of this review). It’s one of the “historical” stories, with the Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara. The crew are stranded on the roof of the world when Marco Polo comes upon them and rescues them—but for a price: he wants to give the TARDIS to Kublai Khan as a gift because a “flying caravan” will make him the most powerful ruler in the world. Naturally the Doctor and crew don’t want that. And meanwhile, the war lord Tegana is also interested in keeping the TARDIS for himself. From what I’ve read online, the novelization differs in some ways from the original story, most notably in the ending, but I liked the book ending better. Overall this is a good retelling. ( )
  rabbitprincess | Mar 14, 2023 |
27DHVCVN
  Mustygusher | Dec 19, 2022 |
http://nhw.livejournal.com/1015730.html?#cutid1

Doctor Who - Marco Polo is certainly the best of John Lucarotti's three Who books (the other two being Doctor Who - The Aztecs and Doctor Who - The Massacre). Possibly the need to be fairly concise - cutting down from a seven episode story, rather than writing up from four - made a difference. It's a cracking good story anyway, and the fact that we have only sound rather than video records of it makes Lucarotti's presentation all the more valuable. He has a rather peculiar fascination with detailing the various different Chinese prawn dishes that the Tardis crew consume en route, but this of course just adds to the depth of the setting. Really rather a good one. ( )
  nwhyte | Mar 20, 2008 |
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'It's freezing cold outside/ Susan said, looking at the external temperature thermometer in the TARDIS, 'minus twenty.'
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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Zienia Merton reads this captivating novelisation of an epic 'lost' historical TV adventure featuring the First Doctor. "Merton brings a lightness of touch to her reading that's quite delightful...It's a rewarding listen, and a fine tribute to its narrator." Doctor Who MagazineThe young Venetian, Marco Polo, is on his way to the Emperor's court in Peking when he meets four intrepid time travellers: the elderly Doctor, his granddaughter Susan, and their companions Ian and Barbara. The TARDIS has broken down whilst on Earth, in the year 1289. Marco Polo recognises in it a means of winning favour with the Emperor, and he insists that the travellers accompany his caravan to Cathay. The journey is fraught with sandstorms, drought, bandits, would-be assassins and many other hidden dangers. Even if they do arrive safely at the court of Kublai Khan, the Doctor and his friends have no guarantee of ever seeing the inside of the TARDIS again...Zienia Merton, who played Ping-Cho in the original BBC serial, reads John Lucarotti's own novelisation of his 1964 TV adventure.Duration: 4 hours approx.Dedicated to the memory of Zienia Merton? & (c) 2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd t/as BBC StudiosText (c) John Lucarotti 1984Cover illustration by David McAllisterReading produced by John AinsworthRecorded at Ashwood MusicPost-production by Ladbroke StudiosSound design by Simon Power for Meon Productions - www.meonsound.comTARDIS sound effect composed by Brian HodgsonExecutive producer: Michael Stevens

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The young Venetian Marco Polo is on his way to the Emperor's court in Peking when he meets the intrepid time-travellers, for the TRADIS has landed on Earth in the year 1289. Marco Polo recognises in the TRADIS a means of winning favour with the Emperor. But in the end the Doctor has one one but himself to blame for the loss of his wonderous travelling machine – which he gambles away to Kublai Khan...
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