Doctor Who: Autonomy

Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #35

by Daniel Blythe

The Doctor battles the Autons, in the latest novel in the bestselling Doctor Who range

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Time Travel, Audiobook, Adventure

243 pages, Hardcover

First published September 3, 2009

About the author

Daniel Blythe was born in Maidstone and educated at Maidstone Grammar School and St John’s College, Oxford. He is the author of three Doctor Who novels including Autonomy, as well as the novels The Cut, Losing Faith and This Is The Day. He has also written the non-fiction books The Encyclopaedia Of Classic 80s Pop, I Hate Christmas: A Manifesto for the Modern-Day Scrooge, Dadlands: The Alternative Handbook For New Fathers, the irreverent politics primer X Marks The Box and the collectors' guide Collecting Gadgets and Games from the 1950s-90s. In 2012, Chicken House published his book for younger readers, Shadow Runners. His Emerald Greene books for younger readers are also out now. Daniel now lives in Yorkshire, on the edge of the Peak District, with his wife and two children.

Reviews

[Jim C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating is 3.5 stars.

This is a book based on the television series and features David Tennant's version of the Doctor. The Doctor is solo in this book as he has no companion. In this one, there is a huge entertainment complex that has been infiltrated by the Autons and mayhem ensues. The Doctor is on the case.

I enjoyed this offering from this universe and I could imagine this as an episode for the television series. I loved the setting for this book. We have seen these huge complexes popping up and this book shows how we rely on technology more and more. I didn't care for the Autons in the very first episode of the new revival but here the author portrays them as a menace and I enjoyed it. The only problem I had with this book was the portrayal of the Doctor. Nothing really stood out that it was David Tennant as the Doctor. If one did not look at the cover of the book, the reader could have inserted different Doctors into the story.

When reading a book of this nature I want to be entertained and have a good time. This book accomplishes that as I experienced a new adventure with a version of this Doctor that has since moved on.

[Nemo ☠️ (pagesandprozac) · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book is notable as being the only doctor who book, audioplay, etc that i have rated 1 star so far (and i have read/listened to over 60, including the notorious Big Finish audio Minuet In Hell.).

that is some sort of an achievement, i suppose.

plot was extremely bland and predictable; all of the nu who books follow a sort of template, but most of them still have a captivating plot. this does not. it's autons, it's plastic, whoop-de-doo.

there were also some really weird misogynistic overtones that i am not used to from who (DW ain't perfect, but generally treats female characters very well, even in the days of yore). in the first 40 pages or so i noticed every woman was described as "elegant," "curvaecous," with a "striking figure," except of course for the one woman who happened to be a mother who was "rotund," had a "none-too-pert bottom" and tried on clothes that were described as being not at all to her ancient age of in her forties (i assume, having young teenage kids). put the leopard print miniskirt down and get into your burlap sack, you hag.

the female secondary character who acts as a companion (this is set in the "specials" tenth doctor years when he went solo) accuses the Doctor of having a problem with competent women, which is fully insane. i can only imagine this was the author's attempt at Making A Point, except - what the actual fuck? have you - have you seen any doctor who episode? any of them? at all? even the ones from the 1960s? the doctor has no time for anyone who is incompetent, female or otherwise.

i don't - god, it was just a mess. i hate to say i'm used to the odd vaguely misogynistic/insensitive comment here and there and i tend to just let them go because basically everyone is prone to it at some point (thanks, internalised misogyny), but this was a whole other level. yikes on motherfucking TRIKES. (not bikes. we've gone beyond bikes.)

the TV debut of the autons, in which someone literally gets eaten by a plastic chair to the dulcet tones of cheesy sci-fi "sinister" synthesizers, is far better than this. that's pretty much all i have to say on the matter. (although i admit i do actually like terror of the autons a lot; it's outrageously naff but at least it knows it is, and its the first ever appearance of the Master, so...)

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun adventure set during ‘The Specials’ year, this time The Tenth Doctor faced the Autons.

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was one that basically made you keep guessing with what was going on. There were a lot of surprising moments like with Paul Kendrick being an Auton. I really didn't see that coming and it was a bit shock. It was good that the Doctor's past with the Autons came up throughout the story and brought history into it. Especially with the episodes from the 60s and his time with the Auton's in Rose. Took me a little while to figure out the title of the story, it wasn't a good moment to me but I do like how autonomy was brought into this story. I do like that Daniel Blythe was able to take Tennant's Doctor and put him into the book. I could see a lot of what the Doctor did in what Tennant did and how he made him into the Doctor. That's probably what made the book so interesting for me is that it WAS Ten and did the usual rambling, the wear tweeks, his phrases and giddy actions.

[Emilija · Rating 1 out of 5]

I left this book til last of the 10th Doctor NSAs because I'd heard such bad things about it, and as much as they made me want to skip it, I'm on a mission to finish all of the NSAs.

Alas, they were right, and I should have skipped this one. It's so bad. The Doctor is far out of character, with him cracking jokes about a massive mass murder, especially in the specials era where the Doctor was much more depressed in the show than when he started.

Then you had descriptions of every woman based purely on their physical appearance, like wonderful, because Doctor Who really needs books that objectify women. Has the author actually watched this show at all in the last 60+ years?

And if you can get past those two major problems, it's a book about the Autons, so you can guess what the plot will be by the cover, and you would be correct.

However, the audiobook is narrated by Georgia Moffett / Tennant, and she is pretty decent at this.

[~Geektastic~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autonomy was a superior Who story, with many strengths and a few minor weaknesses. I know my opinion doesn't gel with a lot of reviews for Nu-Who novels, but I have not read one yet that I haven't enjoyed. This is, in part, a result of my almost exclusive focus on 10th Doctor adventures with no companions. Tennant, thanks to his highly idiosyncratic turn as the 10th Doctor, makes the character an easy one to translate to print and retain his recognizable qualities. The real strength of this particular adventure was the setting; Hyperville was extensive and had so many separate worlds contained within it that the possibilities were nearly endless, and the alien menace was perfectly suited to the almost infinite variety of Hyperville. The Autons/Nestene Consciousness have been underwhelming on television, thanks to limited effects budgets, but in this case they were granted the adaptability that a plastic construct should have. A particular standout for the creep-factor was Beta 4 (I'm not sure if that is spelled correctly, I listened to this as an audio book and I'm compensating for the accent), a shiny little plastic child-dummy with a big smile and a taste for murder.

The Doctor was on form as usual, and his temporary companion Kate was above average (I have been unimpressed by the temp. companions lately). She was clever, calm and helpful and was not easily impressed by the Doctor's propensity for showing off, but she was also not an obnoxious know-it-all. The two teenagers were not so great, especially the whiny Rhys, but this was probably exacerbated by the intonation given to them by the narrator.

I've noticed that the alien invasions tend to be a little more straight-forward than those plots in which humans are the actual threat, but the plotting was still well done with good, solid build-up and inventiveness. I particularly liked the White Queen from Narnia making her appearance in the form of an Auton in the Winter World, and the attendant references to lampposts.

Overall: 5-star Doctor Who
good setting with many possibilities
above-average temporary companion
excellent use of the medium to transcend effects budgets
strong plotting
Doctor well characterized
minor note: audiobook sound quality a little muffled and uneven
only real weakness: straight-forward threat, with predictable solution (if you've seen the Autons on the show)

[Abi Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was possibly my least favourite doctor who book ever. The story was pretty dry and Kate and The Doctor were the only enjoyable characters. The Doctor was written well but nothing much happened throughout the book, leaving me bored and having to take long breaks. The last 2 chapters were good and action packed: I wish the rest of the book had been like that. Also, no way was that 2013! That felt like it should have been set at least 2030s maybe more futuristic. Georgia Moffat was a great narrator of course!

[Samuel Capper]

27/08/25 - 31/08/25

2

Easily the weakest Nestene/ Autonomy media I've seen. Bounces around between far too many side characters, many of whom are just nothing. I think it doesn't quite do the 'mega shop' concept justice, is far too predictable in its story and the idea of Auton autonomy just comes in far too little too late.

"After today, no more bloody shop-window dummies. I'm never having them in any shop, ever again"

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure that I gave this book a completely fair hearing. It kept me occupied while running a number of tedious or stressful errands, which was great, but probably meant that I didn't give it my full attention. This might account for the slightly mixed feelings I had about it.

On a scene-by-scene level, this is one of the most joyously fun 10th Doctor novels I've come across in a while. Blythe really captures the 10th Doctor at his most oddball and manic. There's wit, there's humour, and there's just plain silliness. (A particular favorite: The Doctor shouting, "Whatever you do, don't eat the Turkish delight!" as he and another character are being chased by an Auton in the shape of the White Witch from Narnia.) There are also a number of in-jokey references to past stories that will please diehard fans without causing a problem for anybody else. (I laughed out loud when the Doctor remarked to Kate that every plucky young journalist should have an aunt with connections. Am I an nerdy fangirl? Why, yes, I am a nerdy fangirl.)

There's also a particularly good cast of secondary characters. I actually found myself regretting it when Kate, who most closely takes on the role of surrogate companion for this story, didn't end up going along in the TARDIS at the end.

However, despite the many delights of this book, I did find myself getting impatient with the overall plot. Here's the thing: the Doctor turns up in a giant shopping-mall/entertainment complex that's full of plastic animatronic people and shop window dummies and dolls. Even if you didn't look at the cover, or catch on the implications of the title, it rapidly becomes obvious that this is an Auton story. Which means that all the plastic people are at some point going to come to life and start killing the humans. And at some point, the Doctor is going to come up with some clever way to defeat them. Despite this book doing all kinds of clever things with Autons that mostly haven't been done before, I found myself repeatedly getting impatient for it to just get on with the inevitable. As I said, I was a bit distracted while listening to much of this, so maybe I'd feel better if I had a second listen under more relaxed circumstances.

Impatience with the plot aside, I found this very enjoyable, and would definitely recommend it if you're in the mood for something fun.

[Tracy St Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

This audio was just offensive. And bad.

You can tell by the cover that this title involves the autons, who can convert humans to plastic model figures, with no going back. Killing the humans, essentially, trapping them in that prison.

This happens in this book, to thousands of people at the location. But The Doctor cracks jokes throughout the book, like a huge mass murder had not just occurred. The other characters too — one girl is told “I am sorry for your loss” about the death of her dad, maybe stepdad — and she cuts back with the wisecrack “It’s OK. I didn’t really like him.”

And the writing is bad, too. Two instances of “orientated.” I have read and heard many interpretations of “careened” in books, by-far-mostly by youngish writers. The usual wrong one is “careered”, but this book has the refreshingly wrong “cannoned.”

Although the speech mannerisms for the 10th doctor were spot-on, the insensitivity was not. This mass murder chucklefest should be skipped.

[Aurata · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the rougher Doctor Who novels I've read. A somewhat dry setting (a big mall! in far-flung, futuristic 2013!) and flat secondary characters might be forgiven, but the Doctor's voice doesn't ring true. Dodgy chemistry was like a needle right in my science (self... replicating... wha...). But the excessive adjectiviousness was what really got to me. I didn't feel, at any point, like I needed to know what colour anyone's shirt was, but I usually did.

At the end, the plot picks up and comes to a pretty swift and exciting conclusion, but there were some glaring holes in the logic and thin motives. For completists only. Of which I am one, apparently.

[Thomas Sherlock · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this a difficult one to get through. The premise is too simple (Autons in a giant shopping centre) so the author has to elongate it to make a full novel.

So we got some appearances of rogue Autons based on copyright free characters and some supporting characters with skin-thin characterisation. I know the target audience for these books was kids, but that’s not a reason to give teenage characters no personality beyond chips on their shoulder. The Doctor is also in one of his more annoying phases here; with the more childish sides of his character turned up to eleven. There is also a pseudo-companion, but she’s not developed much.

So all in all, not much to write home about.

[Rebekka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the best Doctor Who book as some of the typical Doctor-stuff is missing and the story isn't as fast as it should be. But it is entertaining, the Doctor is brilliant once again and the story is - as always - a new and fascinating one.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Something wasn't quite working for me with this. I never really felt like the Doctor's personality as ten was captured. Most of the time he felt a bit more generic - a bit more nine, a bit of ten. A few things seem to come right from tv episodes. Good premise, but didn't come together for me.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid modern adventure/thriller, if a bit unremarkable. Very enjoyable, though not as ambitious as Daniel Blythe's New Adventure novels for the 7th Doctor. I'd probably push it to 3.5 stars if I could, if only for the characterization of the 10th Doctor, which is the best thing about this novel.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

That darn Nestene Consciousness... always makin' trouble :)

Decent story. I mean, who doesn't like a tale about The Doctor taking down some murderous mannequins (homicidal homunculi)?

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's probably been 9 years since I last read this book. It's great to read a Doctor Who book where the character of the Doctor is clearly defined.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of your seat reading!

[Darnoc Leadburger · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is nothing quite like going to a library sale and finding the withdrawn library copy of a book that you read several times as a kid. That's my story with Autonomy: I read it and enjoyed it as a kid and stumbled across the same copy years later. According to Goodreads, I've read 34 Doctor Who books and have probably listened to about 60 Big Finish audios. I like to tell myself that I know what I'm talking about, so... was this book good?

It was. It felt like a fun Doctor Who near-future thriller, and I'm here for it. The story takes place in a giant futuristic Mall of America with experimental plastic compounds and surveillance droids and a couple shifty members of management. The main characters are the Doctor, an investigative reporter who grew up as the entertainment complex who is now masquerading as a business trainee, and a couple of kids on vacation with their mom and her boyfriend. That's not to mention the pop star and her soccer/football player husband. There are lots of other characters, too, and this book does a good enough job making the cast feel relatable without doing things like, you know, hardcore character development... I liked the ones I was supposed to like and disliked the ones I was supposed to dislike.

God, when I write it like that it sounds like a re-education camp.

The Autons made their return in this book - no surprise there - and I thought they were handled well. They're a seminal Doctor Who enemy and while I didn't particularly like one of the wrinkles added to their character here ( the taking over existing human beings ), Blythe used it well and expanded their plastic capabilities in clever ways. Their goals are conceptually a bit corny but fit just fine in a Tenth Doctor adventure.

What else is there to say about this book? I know I had some little qualms about it that took it down to a 7.5/10, part of the upper echelon of three-star books... it was brief. Bylthe packs a helluva lot into 225 pages, but I would've liked it if he added just a bit more to the characters and developed a more thoughtful ending. Don't get me wrong, I like action Doctor Who as much as the next guy, I just think the whole thing could've been meatier. Autonomy won't rattle around in your brain for weeks... after all, my issues with it have already slipped away! Still, if you like the Tenth Doctor or the Autons or just want to give the New Series Adventures novels a go, you could do worse than this. It inspired me to go back to Big Finish. Don't know the next time I'll read a Doctor Who book, but if it was as good as this, I certainly wouldn't mind it.

[Itami · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy... this one was... nothing. The story was paperthin (we have a giant disneyland-ish mall, it is full of shop dummies aka Autons who suddenly turn against the humans, the Doctor and his companion-of-the day destroy the Autons, end) and it felt like it was just made of the same old ideas we've seen a thousand times before: A clever woman infiltrates some suspicious corporation, a greedy human becomes the henchman for an alien, useless teenagers are useless, consumerism is evil, one of the characters is not human, lots of glowing red eyes, a time paradox, the Doctor met his companion as a child, do I have to continue?
I think what annoyed me the most (apart from nothing happening) is that the huge mall didn't feel real. All those different areas just didn't add up. You've got the shopping area, the haunted mansion, the clubs and bars, the casino, the hotel, the forest, the northpole, the wild west, and a huge area for a popstar (what was this supposed to even look like?). The characters run through all of those places while cackling baby dolls hunt them (yes, that's in the book, I'm not making this up) but to me this never felt like a real place because it was all so random – and way too big. I mean this place is HUGE, it gets evacuated, and then the only 5 people who stay behind easily run into each other and are found by the Doctor.
Actually, wanna know what really annoyed me the most? The solution was to attack the autons with nail polish. Meh.

Maybe the big problem for the author was that an alien which can make any plastic object come to life seemed terrifying back in the 70's but today it's just very, very boring. Yet when he was asked to write an auton story he desparately tried to make it work in 2009 and relied on stereotypes like glowing red eyes and creepy dolls...

I... am just glad it's over. Now only one more DW novel to go!
Wish me luck for that one!

[Stephanie A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's not a lot here that stands out as a character showcase for the Doctor -- although I must say, I liked Kate and her dynamic with him more than any of the 1-off companions from the actual 2009 specials -- but the PLOT? Plot is rarely the strong suit of these tie-in novels, but this just might be my favorite one yet.

First of all, setting it entirely within a state-of-the-art, sprawling mega-mall? Listen, as much as I cringe at the idea of that much development at once, I'm already on board. I love malls. "Shop, dream, relax," sounds like a motto to me, so I was happy just soaking up the descriptions of the Hyperville atmosphere. The idea of the theme-park-esque "zones" that realistically mimic the outdoors, albeit not as good as simply having a real outdoor sections, sounded particularly interesting. And yes, of course I want to visit the Doomcastle, do you even have to ask.

And then you add in both shop dummies and super-advanced animatronics going murderously rogue? DUDE. This sci-fi story has a not-insignificant percentage of horror novel in its DNA, and I am always here for that. (Though as far as the sci-fi goes: goodness, the descriptions of Plasticine 2 and the various ways the Autons are infiltrating this time were deliciously terrifying.)

I listened to this on audio, because Miss Georgia Moffett!, but I also read it in print to fully appreciate the story.

[Dale Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year - 2013. The place - Earth. The megaplex of Hyperville is the be all and end all of the shopping experience. If you can't find it in Hyperville it doesn't exist. Add to that the addition of completely immersive zones where customers can lose themselves in such places as the Old West...or maybe a visit with a snow queen in a mythical land behind the doors of an armoire...shoppers have no reason to ever want to leave. Even the sweetest fairy tale may have a dark side, though, and Hyperville's is perhaps the darkest of all as an ancient enemy returns to a world rich in their life blood. But, the universe has a perverse sense of humor and as the threat reaches its crescendo it delivers the one person who can put paid to the big bad, just as he always does.

Another adventure of the 10th Doctor as portrayed by David Tennant from the mind and pen of Daniel Blythe a familiar voice in the Doctor Who Universe. This story sees the Doctor traveling alone as he tries to find some peace. Blythe nails quite a few of the typical Tennant mannerisms and beats while delivering an written adventure that, by necessity, requires more insight into the Doctor himself as well as the characters that orbit around him.

Another fun adventure and one that would have been great presented on the TV screen.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin

ドナとも別れ1人で旅を続けている頃のドクターのお話。
2013年、イギリスの郊外にハイパービルという24時間営業の巨大娯楽複合施設が人気を博していた。ショッピングにアトラクション、ここに来れば家族で心ゆくまで楽しめる。
しかし、ハイパービルの地下には数年前に地球に不時着したネスティーンが巣食っていて密かな侵略計画を始動していた。人間の皮膚から入り込み細胞からオートンに変えてしまう。

異変に気がついたドクターはハイパービルに潜入する。同じくハイパービルの秘密を暴こうと幹部候補生として潜入したジャーナリスト候補ケイト、ハイパービルで偶然しりあったシャンテルとリース姉弟と助け合いながら、ネスティーンの侵略を阻止すべく戦う。

スーパーアイドルのシャニークの運命が悲しすぎた。婚約者が実はオートンだったという悲劇のみならず、自分も婚約者と同じくオートンだったという。どこからどこまでが自分の本当の記憶かもわからない。ケイトと人類を助けるため自ら犠牲になる。覚醒しなければ自分がオートンと気づきもせず生きていけた。ドクターも彼女が覚醒してしまう前にネスティーンをどうにかしてしまいたかったんだろうけど、まにあわず。

ケイトとはとても相性が良く、旅に誘いたい気持ちもだいぶ強かったにもかかわらず、1人旅を続けることを選ぶドクター。人一倍寂しがり屋のくせに、意地っ張り。

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun story, and the characterization of Ten was pretty spot on. I especially enjoyed Georgia Moffet's narration. She, not surprisingly, gets David's voice pretty flawlessly, and her other characters were distinct and well done. Overall a fun listen. I'd previously read it in print, but I think I liked the audio even more.

[Finlay O'Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might be the best use of Autons to ever come from the Whoniverse. Facsimiles, creepy child mannequins, pseudo-humans - All very good. I think it helps that Blythe wasn't afraid to write some dark moments despite this ultimately being a read targeted at a younger audience. Really quite a bone-chilling use of the Autons with a perfectly-paced plot and suitable page count.

[Samuel Vaughn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was moderately funny. In the book, the Doctor goes to Hyperville in the year 2013, only to find that the plastic mannequins are coming to life. It was lacking qualities such as an interesting plot.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a single Doctor Who adventure. It was fun, but the mystery behind the strange occurrences was obvious and the ending predictable. The characters are as fun as ever, but half of the Doctor Who formula is a clever mysteries--so big points off for that this time.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hard part about reading some of these DW books is I can visualize them so clearly in my head and they would make a great episode. Hideously expensive, but awesome. Makes me wish they would do feature films 1-2x a year.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a mess plot and character-wise (too many peripheral characters running around, none of whom were developed well), but I found the story in general pretty interesting, so three stars.