Doctor Who: The Self-Made Man

Doctor Who: The Decades Collection #3

by Mark Griffiths

1984.

Midnight, South London. A man finds himself pursued by a strange, hooded figure.

And when the Doctor and Romana arrive in the TARDIS the next day, they find a crime scene.

Thankfully, child genius and inventor Matthew Pickles is on hand to help.

But it's soon clear someone has been playing with something they shouldn't. Blurring the lines between human...and technology.

Genres: Doctor Who, Fiction, Science Fiction, Audiobook

150 pages, Hardcover

First published October 26, 2023

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

London in 1984 is the setting for this adventure featuring the Fourth Doctor & the Second Romana.
The opening chapters are nicely atmospheric as a mysterious hooded figure stalks the streets, but the rest of the story is pretty routine. This the third book in the Doctor Who Decades Collection & it turned out to be the weakest one so far. However, there are some good things to enjoy here & I especially liked the Doctor's appetite for jellied eels.

[hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

i haven’t read a book in a day in forever so it was nice. this definitely fuelled my fourmana heart towards the end so teeheeeheheheheh

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tech wizard on a London Council estate spells trouble for the Fourth Doctor when he discovers the boy is in possession of technology recovered by the boy's father from the sewers in 1968.

Griffiths has captured the humorous sensibilities of the Fourth Doctor with Romana very well, making this feel like (ironically) a very seventies story, but he has also captured the spirit of change from the eighties very well. A good whimsical adventure to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of 'Doctor Who'.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm afraid that, after two magnificent entries in this anniversary series, this third book is a disappointment. It tries much too hard to be a 1980s-set novel (there are times when it feels like the author is holding up a neon sign blinking "this is 1984"), and it tries and fails to be a book set during Tom Baker's final season as the 4th Doctor. There are handwaves to his moodiness and his new outfit, but this story and his characterization are pure 1978/79...not the darker melancholy of 1980/81. I'm beginning to think no one will ever be able to write a proper season 18 story, apart from Christopher H. Bidmead himself.

[Luke Nyul · Rating 4 out of 5]

But of a slow start but really got going! The characterisation of Romana was spot on but found a few moments where I struggled to picture Tom Bakers Doctor. Despite that, a good read!

[S.E. Martens · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's nice to see the Fourth Doctor and Romana in a new adventure. I do enjoy this Doctor and companion team. Unfortunately, the author chose to have K9 out of commission for the duration of the adventure. This would take place between Seasons 17 and 18, as it ends briefly hinting at the opening of Season 18's The Leisure Hive.

The Doctor and Romana arrive in 1980s London and get roped into helping a lone police officer with an investigation into three murders that have occurred on the Kavanagh Housing Estate. One thing the Time Lords notice is that some of the technology around appears to be too advanced for the time period.

80s fashions are brought up, and there's a scene where Romana goes to a club, but overall this feels like a story that could be slotted into any era. Which is a tad disappointing, given the premise (as I understand it) of this novella series. The Self-Made Man is not a bad little adventure, but nor is it likely to prove super memorable.

[Nicholas Whyte · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/the-self-made-man-a-1980s-story-by-mark-griffiths/

The Doctor and Romana, taking a break between seasons 17 and 18, arrive in a London council estate in 1984 where a local lad is achieving great things with technology. But where is he getting the technology from, and what price are he and his neighbours paying? And can police officer Hazel Harper put a stop to it?

About halfway through, it becomes fairly obvious which classic monsters have turned up and from then on the story runs on fairly predictable if entertaining lines. But I did like the way that the bad guy’s downfall has been triggered by Thatcherite economics, tying the merciless and logical free market to the merciless logic of the SPOILERS. I see a number of other reviewers who didn’t get this; perhaps you had to be there.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m currently in Pertwee era so I’m slowly catching up with the classics - I’ve yet to dive into Tom Baker but we all know he’s a great doctor and I can’t wait to get to know his doctor more. From this one, it caught his playful and energetic nature perfectly and I suddenly have a hankering for jelly babies…

Technology years ahead of its time, confusing murders that are proving challenging for the police - the 4th doctor and Romana put themselves on the case.

Jacob Dudman did a fab job of narrating, and close your eyes, you really could imagine it was Tom Baker himself. He did the most amazing impressions and is the most naturally gifted narrator. It made the book even more enjoyable.

I’ve really enjoyed reading the decades collection so far and I’m quite sad I only have two left!

[Jason Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

There isn't much that needs to be said here - this is a Doctor Who story, set in 1980, with the Doctor and co solving a series of murders on a council estate. Pretty standard affair.

Griffiths writes the short story of the Doctor and Romana very well, with touching comedic wit between the two and others. It even had nice, little mentions to other characters such as K9.

The whole story is wrapped up in just under 150 pages which makes for a lovely, short read. I even managed to finish this book in one day! This didn't need to be longer and perfectly scratched that Doctor Who 'itch'.

[Zachary · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Decades Collection is six novellas each set in a decade of Doctor Who's run.

The Doctor and Romana find themselves caught up in a series of unexplained murders in South London, 1984. The case is complicated by robot birds, mind-controlled dogs, and alien tech. You know, Doctor Who stuff. One knock on this one is the story could have been set in 2024 and nothing would really need to be changed. Beyond that, it's a deeply average Doctor Who story. But, its well-told and enjoyable. There's a character named Tigerlily Pickles in it.

[DayDreamer8912 · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are case of murder occurring and Doctor and Romana is set to investigate what is happening around. Together they find for clues from the people around the place. Little did they know the culprit is actually very nearby and also with it's sinister mind as if that culprit is possessed and also had been collecting gismos and gadgets for free and try to build something that is out of this world and comes with a masterplan too. Can't spoil much you will have to read to find out.

[Ryan Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5

A fun 4th Doctor and Romana 2 story, very reminiscent of that era.
A technological genius discovered remnants of cyber technology and naturally goes the way any Doctor Who story goes... badly.

The writing was very true of the older more grumpy end of life 4th Doctor, each line he spoke on the page I could hear Tom Bakers wonderful voice in my head saying them aloud.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

ロマーナⅡと4でS18直前にあたる話。
不気味な殺人事件と低所得者層の子供たちのためにいい施設を運営していた天才青年マシュー。

サイバーマンにいつの間にやら侵食されてしまって絶対的権力者になることが目的となってしまっていたのがなんか哀しかった。
サイバーマンに取り憑かれてしまっていたマシューはもうとっくに死んでしまっていたのかなと解釈すべきなんだろうけれどもなんか救いがあったらよかったのになぁと。

“Nothing stays still for a second, does it?”

“Why be a lonely god when you can be a mortal with friends?”

[Jon Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

A straightforward Who story doing clever things under its surface: thoroughly engaged with the issues of the decade it’s set in without resorting to stereotypes. Also manages the difficult feat of capturing a Doctor and companion whose strengths were largely in the performance.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very 1980s tale with unexpected consequences from a Doctor Who story of the period. It also focuses on the rise of technology in everyday life and the pros and cons of that. The villain feels as much a victim as the people they killed or controlled. There should have been another way...

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook of this novel and Dudman did a great reading but the book itself was not as impressive as the first two in the Decades series. It wasn’t as inventive however it was a good 4th & Romana adventure with the right level of 4th Doctor whimsy.

[Lyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is one of the best doctor who noels i have read so far. the plot was engaging and the diologe was funny i would highly recomend.

[Gabor Hernadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fourth Doctor and Romana II facing a teenager wanting world domination using found cyberman technology. A bit generic but entertaining story.

[Jennifer Baratta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you authors and Narrators for these phenomenal stories. fellow whovians enjoy.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a good little novella capturing the Fourth Doctor and Romana well. I find this actually recreates the era better than some of the Virgin/BBC novels.

[Fern S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some good elements in there but towards the end I was finishing the story for the sake of finishing it, not because I really wanted to listen / know the ending.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5.

Nice little story with the Fourth Doctor and Romana that captures the voice of Tom Bakers doctor quite well.

Could be read in a day.

[Ari Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t all for Fourmana first but now I am! This was just the sweetest, clever little story, I wish it was longer. I will read more doctor who books now, this filled my heart with joy.

[DrAshleyWho · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know Mark Griffiths from his Cutaway Comics Omega series so this was bound to be one I’d be excited for. And much like Omega, where he remixed the backstory of Underworld into a genuine epic, here he does a unique and interesting take on the Cybermen via their technology, reminiscent of Chris Chibnall’s Resolution.