a novelisation of this serial, written by malcolm hulke, was published by target books in april 1974 as "doctor who and the doomsday weapon". this was the first serial of the 1971 series to be so adapted; as a result, hulke breaks continuity by having jo grant introduced to the doctor for the first time, even though on television her introduction was in "terror of the autons" (and this would be reflected in the later novelisation of that serial).