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The War Master #10
The War Master: Rogue Encounters
Throughout his many lives, the Master has visited myriad places and planets. Some he has spared, others he has destroyed… but all have felt his presence, however fleeting. In the Time War, he helps a soldier save their world from Dalek assault. On Earth, he helps a young woman discover the truth about her boyfriend’s abduction. At the Sublime Porte, he helps himself to a source of incredible power. And as the universe itself comes to an end, a lonely old man tries to help any way he can. But the Master is always waiting.
10.1 Runtime by Tim Foley - When the Daleks threaten to alter the course of history, the Master has no choice but to save a world – and he only has an hour to do it.
10.2 Manhunt by Rochana Patel - After her boyfriend disappears on an American road trip, Alison Walker instantly becomes the prime suspect. But are the abductors from further afield than Earth?
10.3 The Sublime Porte by James Goss - Hijacking an archaeological dig, the Master excavates the mythical Sublime Porte. But he also unleashes a far more ancient force with it — and its name is Bilis Manger.
10.4 Alone by Scott Handcock - As the human race dwindles against the encroaching night, one man strives to find a solution to their plight. But can Professor Yana save the future when a dark past threatens his present?
10.1 Runtime by Tim Foley - When the Daleks threaten to alter the course of history, the Master has no choice but to save a world – and he only has an hour to do it.
10.2 Manhunt by Rochana Patel - After her boyfriend disappears on an American road trip, Alison Walker instantly becomes the prime suspect. But are the abductors from further afield than Earth?
10.3 The Sublime Porte by James Goss - Hijacking an archaeological dig, the Master excavates the mythical Sublime Porte. But he also unleashes a far more ancient force with it — and its name is Bilis Manger.
10.4 Alone by Scott Handcock - As the human race dwindles against the encroaching night, one man strives to find a solution to their plight. But can Professor Yana save the future when a dark past threatens his present?
Audio CD
First published December 1, 2023
23 people want to read
About the author
Tim Foley
177 books17 followersTim Foley is an artist and illustrator born in Flint, Michigan, in 1962. Over the past quarter century, his clients have included national and international magazines, book publishers, and advertising agencies such as the Wall Street Journal, Cricket Magazine, New York Newsday, LA Weekly, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. He currently lives and works in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 10, 2023
Runtime by Tim Foley.
When listening to the first story in this set, I was worried it was going to be cliche. But, as usual, it turns out that Tim Foley, being the great writer that he is, found a way to get me engaged in the story, even with its cliche plot. Which he also managed to make interesting. He wrote an excellent script, that has lots of emotion, evil schemes, and of course, Dalek-hopping. Though hardly the mostly dastardly scheme of the box set, The Master turns out to still be pretty evil at the end. The plot centers around Slug, a character on a planet that is being invaded by Daleks. But then the Master falls out of the sky, and claims he wants to help save the planet. And from there things get interesting. It’s also a nice and fast-paced adventure, with the characters running around ending up in one potentially life-ending situation after the other. Favorite lines: “Do I still have the same face? Good, I survived then .” “If there’s anything evil should be afraid of, it’s me.”
Manhunt by Rochana Patel.
This story starts with a couple on a road trip. The main persons husband is kidnapped by aliens, and his body is later discovered by the police. The police think that she did it, according to some evidence they have. The Master enters the story when he poses as a “paranormal investigator” who who helps her to find out what happened to her husband. From there, things get REALLY dark, and crazy, and the Master is being especially evil in this one. I really enjoyed this story.
The Sublime Porte by James Goss.
This story was not bad. I suppose I was expecting just a little bit more from a story that features Bilis Manger and The War Master in the same story, and written by James Goss. It consists mostly of Bilis chasing the Master through the streets. Though there are some interesting revelations with the Sublime Porte, and it has a very interesting ending. It’s pretty good.
Alone by Scott Handcock.
This was by far the best story in the box set, though it’s difficult to get into without spoiling anything. The plot is basically Professor Yana telling his story. In his story, he made friends with someone, and everything is going great. But Professor Yana is an old man, and he is becoming forgetful and he is scared to think about the day when he won’t be there for his friend anymore, and yet he also thinks he is too old to be taking care of people. But as he is becoming old, he needs company, and he turns to his friend for that. One day his friend gets almost beaten to death, and he goes into the hospital to talk to him, and the ensuing conversations made me burst into tears. All the while the Master is trying to break free through the watch, and he gives his friend the watch as a thing to remember him by. But The Master makes his friend turn against Professor Yana, and eventually his friend leaves to go on another ship, leaving Professor Yana alone again. He thinks he is destined to be alone, but deep down he still wants to have a friend. This story is very depressing, has deep emotional themes, and took a very emotional toll on me. I was crying quite a lot at the end. It makes it even more sad when you think about what happens in the rest of Professor Yana’s story. This was by far the best story in the box set, and possibly my favorite War Master story in general.
When listening to the first story in this set, I was worried it was going to be cliche. But, as usual, it turns out that Tim Foley, being the great writer that he is, found a way to get me engaged in the story, even with its cliche plot. Which he also managed to make interesting. He wrote an excellent script, that has lots of emotion, evil schemes, and of course, Dalek-hopping. Though hardly the mostly dastardly scheme of the box set, The Master turns out to still be pretty evil at the end. The plot centers around Slug, a character on a planet that is being invaded by Daleks. But then the Master falls out of the sky, and claims he wants to help save the planet. And from there things get interesting. It’s also a nice and fast-paced adventure, with the characters running around ending up in one potentially life-ending situation after the other. Favorite lines: “Do I still have the same face? Good, I survived then .” “If there’s anything evil should be afraid of, it’s me.”
Manhunt by Rochana Patel.
This story starts with a couple on a road trip. The main persons husband is kidnapped by aliens, and his body is later discovered by the police. The police think that she did it, according to some evidence they have. The Master enters the story when he poses as a “paranormal investigator” who who helps her to find out what happened to her husband. From there, things get REALLY dark, and crazy, and the Master is being especially evil in this one. I really enjoyed this story.
The Sublime Porte by James Goss.
This story was not bad. I suppose I was expecting just a little bit more from a story that features Bilis Manger and The War Master in the same story, and written by James Goss. It consists mostly of Bilis chasing the Master through the streets. Though there are some interesting revelations with the Sublime Porte, and it has a very interesting ending. It’s pretty good.
Alone by Scott Handcock.
This was by far the best story in the box set, though it’s difficult to get into without spoiling anything. The plot is basically Professor Yana telling his story. In his story, he made friends with someone, and everything is going great. But Professor Yana is an old man, and he is becoming forgetful and he is scared to think about the day when he won’t be there for his friend anymore, and yet he also thinks he is too old to be taking care of people. But as he is becoming old, he needs company, and he turns to his friend for that. One day his friend gets almost beaten to death, and he goes into the hospital to talk to him, and the ensuing conversations made me burst into tears. All the while the Master is trying to break free through the watch, and he gives his friend the watch as a thing to remember him by. But The Master makes his friend turn against Professor Yana, and eventually his friend leaves to go on another ship, leaving Professor Yana alone again. He thinks he is destined to be alone, but deep down he still wants to have a friend. This story is very depressing, has deep emotional themes, and took a very emotional toll on me. I was crying quite a lot at the end. It makes it even more sad when you think about what happens in the rest of Professor Yana’s story. This was by far the best story in the box set, and possibly my favorite War Master story in general.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2023
The War Master range has been a favorite of mine for a while and every time a new boxset comes out I always make sure to immediately pick it up and listen to it straight away. But this time we've got a really special surprise as we not only have the return of Yana in this set but Bilis Manger from Torchwood is here too. I'm beyond excited to get into this one!
Runtime:
The War Master has to save a planet to prevent history being changed, but what does he gain from this and how come he hasn't yet killed his new friend Slug? Something odd is going on but they only have 60 minutes to defeat the Daleks before the planet ceases to exist.
Tim Foley has written a really intense and action-packed script with some really unsettling scenes and lovely nice character moments. The twist at the end of this story took me by surprise and honestly, it's chilling to think about. 9/10
Manhunt:
After her boyfriend disappears in a supposed abduction, Alison Walker is the prime suspect in a murder case. It seems only The Master can help prove her innocence, but what does he get out of it, and what's really going on?
Rochana Patel has written a really engaging one-hour adventure dealing with alien abductions in Nevada, hypnotism, and an interesting theory as to why we've been seeing UFOs and little grey men for years. This was a really strange direction for The War Master range to go in, but honestly, it really works considering who its central character is. 8/10
The Sublime Porte:
The Master has hijacked an archeological dig in the hopes of finding a weapon, but instead, he unleashes a powerful enemy. Bilis Manger has arrived and for once the renegade Timelord is terrified.
James Goss has written an incredible script that's eerie and affects The Master in an almost psychological sense which for this range is unique. Murray Melvin and Derek Jacobi were both amazing in this and to see The War Master for once terrified of an enemy far more powerful and dangerous than he is absolutely fascinating. 10/10
Alone:
Professor Yana has always wanted to help people and possibly delay the end of the universe when he becomes friends with a man who saved his life. But Rafe is becoming ill over time and it might have something to do with Yana's past, one that he cannot remember.
Scott Handcock has written a beautifully sad and tragic story between Professor Yana and Rafe as their bond collapses and his friend grows ill and intense in his behavior. This story really highlights just how evil and abominable The War Master is. Make sure to get the tissues for this one, it's a tear-jerker. 10/10
Overall: 37/40
Runtime:
The War Master has to save a planet to prevent history being changed, but what does he gain from this and how come he hasn't yet killed his new friend Slug? Something odd is going on but they only have 60 minutes to defeat the Daleks before the planet ceases to exist.
Tim Foley has written a really intense and action-packed script with some really unsettling scenes and lovely nice character moments. The twist at the end of this story took me by surprise and honestly, it's chilling to think about. 9/10
Manhunt:
After her boyfriend disappears in a supposed abduction, Alison Walker is the prime suspect in a murder case. It seems only The Master can help prove her innocence, but what does he get out of it, and what's really going on?
Rochana Patel has written a really engaging one-hour adventure dealing with alien abductions in Nevada, hypnotism, and an interesting theory as to why we've been seeing UFOs and little grey men for years. This was a really strange direction for The War Master range to go in, but honestly, it really works considering who its central character is. 8/10
The Sublime Porte:
The Master has hijacked an archeological dig in the hopes of finding a weapon, but instead, he unleashes a powerful enemy. Bilis Manger has arrived and for once the renegade Timelord is terrified.
James Goss has written an incredible script that's eerie and affects The Master in an almost psychological sense which for this range is unique. Murray Melvin and Derek Jacobi were both amazing in this and to see The War Master for once terrified of an enemy far more powerful and dangerous than he is absolutely fascinating. 10/10
Alone:
Professor Yana has always wanted to help people and possibly delay the end of the universe when he becomes friends with a man who saved his life. But Rafe is becoming ill over time and it might have something to do with Yana's past, one that he cannot remember.
Scott Handcock has written a beautifully sad and tragic story between Professor Yana and Rafe as their bond collapses and his friend grows ill and intense in his behavior. This story really highlights just how evil and abominable The War Master is. Make sure to get the tissues for this one, it's a tear-jerker. 10/10
Overall: 37/40
November 11, 2023
The Professor Yana story was definitely the main standout. We’re so used to the War Master at this point but forget Yana is whom we saw more of on TV and it was great having him back for a bit.
November 13, 2025
Four standalone stories, each featuring the Master.
Runtime – The first story is set in the Time War, on a planet fighting back against the Daleks without any idea that the invasion is part of a larger conflict. Our main viewpoint character is a soldier standing sentry when the Master appears and tells her that only he can save her planet. While there’s obviously a difference in personality, much of what follows could be a regular Doctor Who story as the duo team up to cross the deadly landscape to the Master’s objective. There are Daleks, of course, but also other threats, some geographical, others related to the Time War more broadly. It's a good adventure team-up story, although it does start to get a little confused once the characters reach the Dalek base.
The difference between this and a regular story, however, is in the mystery of what the Master is up to. Is he really trying to save the planet, and what would he have to gain if he isn’t? This element, while a puzzle from the beginning, becomes thrown into focus more towards the end. True, the story is arguably more about the adventure than it is about the reveal, but the latter does work really well, and the two elements complement each other, making for another good story in this dark-themed series. 4 stars.
Manhunt – A British tourist is abducted by aliens while travelling through backwoods America. What follows is a pastiche of such abduction stories, with missing time, sinister greys, alien implants, and so on. The twist, of course, is the presence of the Master, here posing as a UFO investigator. It’s this, of course, that makes the story sinister, when it would have been as easy to use the premise for humour, given that many of the basic tropes have seeped so far into our culture as to become a parody of themselves. But there’s none of that here, with the real questions being how this makes sense in the context of the Doctor Who universe (rather than The X-Files) and what the Master’s real objectives are.
The story is structured so as to keep things tense, with pursuit scenes and sudden deaths. What has happened is revealed piecemeal, with the Master’s hypnotic powers digging into the victim’s hidden memories as the story progresses. (This, too, is a trope of alien abduction claims, although the real-world sort are as likely to accidentally implant false memories as to uncover real ones… not a problem when you’re the Master). You know that it’s not going to end well, but it’s a good ride along the way, an interesting twist on a well-trodden path, enhanced by the acting from the two leads. 5 stars.
The Sublime Porte – This feels like it should have been a good one, featuring as it does the confrontation promised on the cover between the Master and Bilis Manger. But, for me at least, it didn’t quite work. That’s largely because neither character truly feels like themselves. Indeed, one might argue whether this really is Manger, rather than some other entity taking his form and identity – certainly, he seems less human than he normally does. Similarly, divorcing him from our world and transplanting the character to an alien planet with advanced robotics and so on, takes away from some of his usual aura.
Then there’s the Master, acting very much out of character, at least for this incarnation. True, we’re given a reason for that, and it’s meant to signify the level of danger he’s in, but you’re losing the appeal of the character along the way. On the plus side, this does vary the stories a bit, and there are some clever ideas and a nice supporting character in the robot policeman. But the twist ending is obvious a way in advance and the emotional impact of it is blunted by us simply being told that a key element is significant without ever being shown why it should be. I can see what Goss was aiming for with this, but, for me at least, it misses the mark. 3 stars.
Alone – The final story features, not the Master, but Professor Yana. It’s a prequel to Utopia, set shortly before Yana discovers the eponymous world and chronicling some of his journey to reach Malcassairo. This, of course, gives a very different feel to the usual stories in this series, with Jacobi playing a lead character who really is the good man that the War Master often pretends to be in the others. Except, of course, that it’s also full of foreshadowing for what we all know is coming down the road.
But, while it’s interesting as a companion piece to Utopia, there is little more to it than that. The story concerns Yana finding a friend and protector who later suffers from a mysterious medical condition that could end his life. It’s obvious what’s going on from fairly early in the story, with the rest having a sense of dark inevitability as we head towards the outcome we know is coming. Along the way, there is another good performance from Jacobi, here afraid for the well-being of someone else and for the possibility of his own future being lonely and isolated. But, alongside other stories in this series, it feels a little bland and predictable. 3 stars.
Runtime – The first story is set in the Time War, on a planet fighting back against the Daleks without any idea that the invasion is part of a larger conflict. Our main viewpoint character is a soldier standing sentry when the Master appears and tells her that only he can save her planet. While there’s obviously a difference in personality, much of what follows could be a regular Doctor Who story as the duo team up to cross the deadly landscape to the Master’s objective. There are Daleks, of course, but also other threats, some geographical, others related to the Time War more broadly. It's a good adventure team-up story, although it does start to get a little confused once the characters reach the Dalek base.
The difference between this and a regular story, however, is in the mystery of what the Master is up to. Is he really trying to save the planet, and what would he have to gain if he isn’t? This element, while a puzzle from the beginning, becomes thrown into focus more towards the end. True, the story is arguably more about the adventure than it is about the reveal, but the latter does work really well, and the two elements complement each other, making for another good story in this dark-themed series. 4 stars.
Manhunt – A British tourist is abducted by aliens while travelling through backwoods America. What follows is a pastiche of such abduction stories, with missing time, sinister greys, alien implants, and so on. The twist, of course, is the presence of the Master, here posing as a UFO investigator. It’s this, of course, that makes the story sinister, when it would have been as easy to use the premise for humour, given that many of the basic tropes have seeped so far into our culture as to become a parody of themselves. But there’s none of that here, with the real questions being how this makes sense in the context of the Doctor Who universe (rather than The X-Files) and what the Master’s real objectives are.
The story is structured so as to keep things tense, with pursuit scenes and sudden deaths. What has happened is revealed piecemeal, with the Master’s hypnotic powers digging into the victim’s hidden memories as the story progresses. (This, too, is a trope of alien abduction claims, although the real-world sort are as likely to accidentally implant false memories as to uncover real ones… not a problem when you’re the Master). You know that it’s not going to end well, but it’s a good ride along the way, an interesting twist on a well-trodden path, enhanced by the acting from the two leads. 5 stars.
The Sublime Porte – This feels like it should have been a good one, featuring as it does the confrontation promised on the cover between the Master and Bilis Manger. But, for me at least, it didn’t quite work. That’s largely because neither character truly feels like themselves. Indeed, one might argue whether this really is Manger, rather than some other entity taking his form and identity – certainly, he seems less human than he normally does. Similarly, divorcing him from our world and transplanting the character to an alien planet with advanced robotics and so on, takes away from some of his usual aura.
Then there’s the Master, acting very much out of character, at least for this incarnation. True, we’re given a reason for that, and it’s meant to signify the level of danger he’s in, but you’re losing the appeal of the character along the way. On the plus side, this does vary the stories a bit, and there are some clever ideas and a nice supporting character in the robot policeman. But the twist ending is obvious a way in advance and the emotional impact of it is blunted by us simply being told that a key element is significant without ever being shown why it should be. I can see what Goss was aiming for with this, but, for me at least, it misses the mark. 3 stars.
Alone – The final story features, not the Master, but Professor Yana. It’s a prequel to Utopia, set shortly before Yana discovers the eponymous world and chronicling some of his journey to reach Malcassairo. This, of course, gives a very different feel to the usual stories in this series, with Jacobi playing a lead character who really is the good man that the War Master often pretends to be in the others. Except, of course, that it’s also full of foreshadowing for what we all know is coming down the road.
But, while it’s interesting as a companion piece to Utopia, there is little more to it than that. The story concerns Yana finding a friend and protector who later suffers from a mysterious medical condition that could end his life. It’s obvious what’s going on from fairly early in the story, with the rest having a sense of dark inevitability as we head towards the outcome we know is coming. Along the way, there is another good performance from Jacobi, here afraid for the well-being of someone else and for the possibility of his own future being lonely and isolated. But, alongside other stories in this series, it feels a little bland and predictable. 3 stars.
December 20, 2024
Runtime: 3.5/5
When the Daleks threaten to alter the course of history, the Master has no choice but to save a world – and he only has an hour to do it.
Review: A fine story elevated by well-acted side characters, even though I did sort of forget about it.
Manhunt: 4.5/5
After her boyfriend disappears on an American road trip, Alison Walker instantly becomes the prime suspect. But are the abductors from further afield than Earth?
Review: I really liked this one actually. Loved the Master getting to act like Men in Black agent that flips, and Alison was an interesting character as she struggled with being toyed with.
The Sublime Porte: 4.5/5
Hijacking an archaeological dig, the Master excavates the mythical Sublime Porte. But he also unleashes a far more ancient force with it — and its name is Bilis Manger.
Review: It kind of built to nowhere but I really did like the Master's interaction with such a strange character. Makes me want to go watch episodes Bilis was actually in.
Alone by Scott Handcock: 4.5/5
As the human race dwindles against the encroaching night, one man strives to find a solution to their plight. But can Professor Yana save the future when a dark past threatens his present?
Review: Very fun to see Yana again, and I liked how they managed to make a story out of this without the Master really appearing, because of course he couldn't. Rafe was an interesting side character, and there was an ending scene that paralleled to the TV episode where Yana is revealed. Very fun.
Overall: 4.5/5 rounded down to 4
This is one of the best War Master collections, I think. Quite a lot of fun in disparate stories!
When the Daleks threaten to alter the course of history, the Master has no choice but to save a world – and he only has an hour to do it.
Review: A fine story elevated by well-acted side characters, even though I did sort of forget about it.
Manhunt: 4.5/5
After her boyfriend disappears on an American road trip, Alison Walker instantly becomes the prime suspect. But are the abductors from further afield than Earth?
Review: I really liked this one actually. Loved the Master getting to act like Men in Black agent that flips, and Alison was an interesting character as she struggled with being toyed with.
The Sublime Porte: 4.5/5
Hijacking an archaeological dig, the Master excavates the mythical Sublime Porte. But he also unleashes a far more ancient force with it — and its name is Bilis Manger.
Review: It kind of built to nowhere but I really did like the Master's interaction with such a strange character. Makes me want to go watch episodes Bilis was actually in.
Alone by Scott Handcock: 4.5/5
As the human race dwindles against the encroaching night, one man strives to find a solution to their plight. But can Professor Yana save the future when a dark past threatens his present?
Review: Very fun to see Yana again, and I liked how they managed to make a story out of this without the Master really appearing, because of course he couldn't. Rafe was an interesting side character, and there was an ending scene that paralleled to the TV episode where Yana is revealed. Very fun.
Overall: 4.5/5 rounded down to 4
This is one of the best War Master collections, I think. Quite a lot of fun in disparate stories!
December 10, 2023
A set of 4 stand-alone stories telling us about the exploits of the War Master.
All of these of course performed wonderfully.
Runtime- we had similar stories before. The Master is making quite an effort to save a world (and one of the few survivors), but of course he has his own nefarious agenda. No surprises there.
Manhunt- X-files style alien abduction story, complete with little grey men and mysterious Men in Black (or is it the FBI, after all?). All this with an added Master-twist. I thought this was quite original, even of the ending is the usual tragic evil abuse the Master always pulls. It is his typical modus operanti after all.
The Sublime Porte-
The Master has found his "Master"- in the shape of Billis Manger.
Here we have the Master utterly terrified and on the wrong foot.
Billis Manger plays with him like a cat would play with a mouse.
We are never left in any doubt who was the more powerful villain here... and the Master only lives because Billis found him mildly interesting and amusing.
The performances are impeccable
Alone-
well, this deserves all the praise it gets!
What a tragic little story built around Professor Yana.
The the performance is stunning.
Derek Jacobi switches effortless between nice Yana and the deranged and evil Master.
All in all, a wonderful set of stories for the Master.
Totally worth it.
All of these of course performed wonderfully.
Runtime- we had similar stories before. The Master is making quite an effort to save a world (and one of the few survivors), but of course he has his own nefarious agenda. No surprises there.
Manhunt- X-files style alien abduction story, complete with little grey men and mysterious Men in Black (or is it the FBI, after all?). All this with an added Master-twist. I thought this was quite original, even of the ending is the usual tragic evil abuse the Master always pulls. It is his typical modus operanti after all.
The Sublime Porte-
The Master has found his "Master"- in the shape of Billis Manger.
Here we have the Master utterly terrified and on the wrong foot.
Billis Manger plays with him like a cat would play with a mouse.
We are never left in any doubt who was the more powerful villain here... and the Master only lives because Billis found him mildly interesting and amusing.
The performances are impeccable
Alone-
well, this deserves all the praise it gets!
What a tragic little story built around Professor Yana.
The the performance is stunning.
Derek Jacobi switches effortless between nice Yana and the deranged and evil Master.
All in all, a wonderful set of stories for the Master.
Totally worth it.
November 8, 2025
Finally got through all of the stories as i had only dipped into two of them and of course i dipped into the two (IMO) weakest stories Surpisingly ,Runtime by Tim Foley was for me the weakest of the set.
Manhunt and Alone come off as the strongest and definitely in terms of actor performance in Manhunt ,Loreece Harrison gives a fantastic performance as potential alien Abductee and up against Derek Jacobi more than holds her own in the acting stakes (and i do not believe there are aliens out there either,despite being a great sci fi/who fan )
Alone- again elevated by James G Nunns portrayal of Rafe ,stand out performance again.
So two stories where the actors really chewed into their roles to make their inclusion memorable.
And as for Murray Melvin(RIP).He would have made a superb Master(pity he had his origin in a spin off 😂)
Manhunt and Alone come off as the strongest and definitely in terms of actor performance in Manhunt ,Loreece Harrison gives a fantastic performance as potential alien Abductee and up against Derek Jacobi more than holds her own in the acting stakes (and i do not believe there are aliens out there either,despite being a great sci fi/who fan )
Alone- again elevated by James G Nunns portrayal of Rafe ,stand out performance again.
So two stories where the actors really chewed into their roles to make their inclusion memorable.
And as for Murray Melvin(RIP).He would have made a superb Master(pity he had his origin in a spin off 😂)
November 23, 2023
The final episode 'Alone' is close to perfect. A stunning meditation on the character of Professor Yana, which once again features Jacobi pulling off an awesome duel roll of the kindly professor and the pure evil spirit of the War Master who is pulling the strings and trying to escape his confinement in the fob watch.
Unfortunately the main selling point of this set - Bilis Manger from Torchwood meeting the Master, was to me slightly underwhelming. It might have been better to spread this story across the whole set, as the first two stories were nothing particularly special.
On average, 3 stars.
Unfortunately the main selling point of this set - Bilis Manger from Torchwood meeting the Master, was to me slightly underwhelming. It might have been better to spread this story across the whole set, as the first two stories were nothing particularly special.
On average, 3 stars.
July 3, 2025
Some solid performances and stories here. If it were just the YANA story it would easily be a 5. Would love to listen to a box set of just that! The rest of the stories, whilst good, just didn’t quite live up to that one.
December 2, 2023
Lovely stuff. All hail the FOUR STORY boxset. Death to that three story box sets.
December 5, 2023
Another solid War Master set!
December 26, 2024
10.1 Runtime - A fast-paced run to save a planet. The attempt here is to do an adventure in “real time.” Some of it works. Some of it doesn’t quite manage to evoke the same sense as a film made in a single shot. (3/5)
10.2 Manhunt - Alien abduction. I didn’t have much hope for this one when it started. But the twists along the way made it a lot more interesting than the cliched premise implied. (4/5)
10.3 The Sublime Porte - The Master is terrified! What could possibly scare The Master so much? Bilis Manger. And if that’s not enough, The Master gets what he wants dangled just within his reach: the ability to control the universe. Terrifying indeed. (4/5)
10.4 Alone - This one goes back to this incarnation of The Master’s first appearance, when he had used the device which makes him human and hides his Gallifrean memories inside a pocket watch. This was the “good” version of The Master. This tale is sad, even more so than I would have expected. (4/5)
10.2 Manhunt - Alien abduction. I didn’t have much hope for this one when it started. But the twists along the way made it a lot more interesting than the cliched premise implied. (4/5)
10.3 The Sublime Porte - The Master is terrified! What could possibly scare The Master so much? Bilis Manger. And if that’s not enough, The Master gets what he wants dangled just within his reach: the ability to control the universe. Terrifying indeed. (4/5)
10.4 Alone - This one goes back to this incarnation of The Master’s first appearance, when he had used the device which makes him human and hides his Gallifrean memories inside a pocket watch. This was the “good” version of The Master. This tale is sad, even more so than I would have expected. (4/5)
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