Marking the fiftieth anniversary of its original release, Big Finish Books have published a brand-new special edition hardback of the children’s novel, Rebecca’s World, by Terry Nation, illustrated by Christopher Naylor.
Writer Terry Nation is best known for his many contributions to Doctor Who, for which he created the Daleks and Davros, as well as his TV series Survivors and Blake’s 7.
But his imagination wasn’t confined to TV screens. In September 1975, his children’s novel Rebecca’s World – Journey to the Forbidden Planet was first published by G Whizzard Publications Ltd., illustrated by Larry Learmonth, some of the original art sold at auction just last year for a paltry £100 – less than the price of some secondhand editions of the book itself.
Larry Learmonth was famous for many commercial artworks such as the P&O ‘Flying Flag’, Zebra for Shell and more. He’s also the designer of a in-of-a-kind ergonomic easel with over nine individual adjustments, including pedal levers to adjust the height and angle.
Rebecca’s World is a fantastic adventure, fondly remembered by many readers, described in a review for the Haunted Generation website as a Spike Milligan-esque reworking of The Wizard of Oz, originally written for Terry’s daughter Rebecca. It follows a young girl who finds herself on an unusual alien planet and encounters a variety of bizarre characters.
To mark the fiftieth anniversary of publication, Big Finish Books has released a brand-new special edition hardback of Rebecca’s World, a title not only reprinted a number of times in English, in Britain and the United States, but translated into different languages, too.
It was the eleventh day of the school holidays and Rebecca was bored.
Bored. Bored. Bored.
But events take a dramatic turn for the better (or worse) when she finds herself transported to a distant planet, whose people are terrorised by jelly-like monsters called GHOSTS.
Rebecca resolves to sort out their problems. With the help of Grisby – a sore-footed misery-boots, Kovak – an out-of-work spy, and Captain K – a rather puny superhero, she sets out for the Forbidden Lands in search of a solution…
The new special edition, exclusive to Big Finish, comes complete with lavish new illustrations by actor and artist Christopher Naylor, who plays companion Harry Sullivan in various Big Finish productions.
“I am so excited that Big Finish are publishing the fiftieth anniversary edition of Rebecca’s World,” says Big Finish chairman Jason Haigh-Ellery, “as it’s a book that means a lot to me and many others who grew up with Terry Nation’s writing.
“The fact that this book is based on stories that Terry told to his young daughter, the eponymous Rebecca, at bedtime, and that she is working with us on this edition just makes it all the better. I look forward to a whole new generation of Terry’s fans discovering this wondrous book.”
“Republishing Rebecca’s World on its fiftieth anniversary is a tribute to my dad and his extraordinary imagination, added Terry Nation’s daughter, Rebecca Nation. “As you can imagine, it’s quite emotional for me and I miss him every single day. This book was his gift to me.
“What began as a bedtime story has become a timeless and much-loved adventure that I hope will inspire others as much as it inspired and delighted me. It is my way of keeping our father-daughter bond alive and inviting readers to step into the world we created together.
“At its heart, the story is about caring for a fragile world – something extremely important to myself and my dad. Today, that message feels more urgent than ever, and I’m proud to honour his legacy by sharing it with a new generation of readers.”
• Rebecca’s World: 50th Anniversary Special Edition is now available to purchase for just £17.99 here, exclusively from Big Finish. The hardback book is strictly limited to 500 copies and will not be re-printed.
£1 from each sale will be donated to Tree of Hope, a charity based in Kent which supports children with complex healthcare needs.
Readers will also be able to purchase the book at Chicago TARDIS, a Doctor Who convention taking place from 28th to 30th November 2025, with 500 copies of a limited edition exclusive to the event available at a price of $30.
• Big Finish have previously published an audiobook version of Rebecca’s World – Journey to the Forbidden Planet, adapted by Sally Humphreys, read by Paul Darrow, which is still available as a digital download to own for £5.99
All the above prices (including pre-order and multibuy bundle discounts) are fixed for a limited time only and guaranteed no later than 30th November 2025
Head downthetubes for…
• Haunted Generation: Musty Books: “Rebecca’s World” by Terry Nation (1975) – review by Bob Fischer
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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