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Past Doctor Adventures #7
Doctor Who: The Face of the Enemy
The Doctor and Jo have gone off in the TARDIS, leaving the Brigadier and UNIT facing a deadly mystery - and a moral dilemma...
Robbery and murder are on the increase in Britain as disputes between underworld gangs escalate into open warfare on the streets. The Master seems inextricably linked to the chaos - despite the fact he is safely under lock and key.
Meanwhile UNIT is called in when a plane missing in strange circumstances is rediscovered - contaminated with radiation and particle damage that cannot possibly have occurred on Earth.
As the mystery deepens, what little light they can shed on the matter leads the Brigadier to believe that with the Doctor away, Earth's only hope may lie with its greatest enemy...
Robbery and murder are on the increase in Britain as disputes between underworld gangs escalate into open warfare on the streets. The Master seems inextricably linked to the chaos - despite the fact he is safely under lock and key.
Meanwhile UNIT is called in when a plane missing in strange circumstances is rediscovered - contaminated with radiation and particle damage that cannot possibly have occurred on Earth.
As the mystery deepens, what little light they can shed on the matter leads the Brigadier to believe that with the Doctor away, Earth's only hope may lie with its greatest enemy...
281 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
7 people are currently reading
344 people want to read
About the author
David A. McIntee
77 books30 followersDavid A. McIntee was a British author who specialised in writing spin-offs and nonfiction commentaries for Doctor Who and other British and American science-fiction franchises.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 16, 2008
Finally somebody gets around to showing us how UNIT deals with threats when the Doctor is out and about in time and space.
Would have liked a story with a more traditional monster, but there was some nice use of Doctor Who history and some great characterzation.
Didn't think we needed to include Barbara and Ian, but they were well written. The Master was really well written here. Be interesting to see him get a solo novel of his own. Have to be the original version as every version after was a bit too meglo manic-ish to work.
Be nice if they did more of these, as I always thought UNIT deserved it's own book series. Nice to see them portrayed as effective and competent. Most Doctor Who episodes they came across as about as useful as the army in a Godzilla movie.
But, I doubt we'll see any more this books, as everything is Torchwood these days.
Would have liked a story with a more traditional monster, but there was some nice use of Doctor Who history and some great characterzation.
Didn't think we needed to include Barbara and Ian, but they were well written. The Master was really well written here. Be interesting to see him get a solo novel of his own. Have to be the original version as every version after was a bit too meglo manic-ish to work.
Be nice if they did more of these, as I always thought UNIT deserved it's own book series. Nice to see them portrayed as effective and competent. Most Doctor Who episodes they came across as about as useful as the army in a Godzilla movie.
But, I doubt we'll see any more this books, as everything is Torchwood these days.
September 25, 2011
The Face Of The Enemy is what, in the terms of the New Series, would be called Doctor-lite. The third Doctor and Jo show up in the novel's prologue and its epilogue, a matter of about five pages out of 281. The novel therefore focuses on two other major aspects of that Doctor's era: UNIT and the Roger Delgado Master. Throw former first Doctor companions Ian and Barbara as well as quite a few bits of continuity into the mix and the result an intriguing take on the Doctor Who universe.
In his previous novel The Dark Path for the Virgin Missing Adventures, David A. McIntee showed his incredible characterization of Roger Delago's Master. In this novel, McIntee takes the Delgado Master even further as he makes him into the most unlikely thing expected: UNIT's temporary scientific adviser. But just because The Master is working with the “good guys” doesn't mean he isn't the same old Master. The novel also gives the Master to play a London gangster as well during it's first half which is a role that perhaps isn't quite as convincing at first but one that, as the novel progresses, actually serves the Delgado Master well thanks to McIntee's characterization. The novel also gives McIntee the chance to tie back into The Dark Path as well in a rather unexpected way. The result is that this remains of the Master's strongest stories in any medium.
This strong characterization extends to other familiar character's from the TV series. McIntee perfectly captures the UNIT family from the Brigadier to Captain Yates and Sergeant Benton, bringing them to life with the same skill he brought to the Delgado Master. The Brigadier in particular comes across well, tying into elements from previous Who novels. The novel also reintroduces sometime UNIT Corporal Bell and shows us the first time a young naval lieutenant named Harry Sullivan came into contact with UNIT, with McIntee bringing them both to life splendidly.
Perhaps the shining stars of the novel, besides the Master of course, are Ian and Barbara. McIntee perfectly captures the two character's as believable extensions of the character's we saw on TV. McIntee in fact takes their character's even further, especially Ian in Chapter 13 onwards when the character is pushed to the edge but a seemingly tragic event. The result is a novel full of strong character's all around.
That extends to the cast of new character's as well. They range from DI George Boucher, who finds himself tied into the novel's events through a seemingly unconnected bank robbery, to the novel's set of character's who are not what they seem. High up on that latter list is Marianne Kyle who spends the novel as something of an enigma as she constantly swaps sides and allegiances until the truth about her is revealed. These new character's come across strong as well and each add something to the novel as a whole.
The plot of the novel is a curious one. It does what Doctor Who does best: combine different genres into something that is undeniably Doctor Who. The novel starts off as a cross between Quatermass, a gangster movie and a spy thriller. The mix is an at times uneasy one, especially in the earliest parts of the novel, but the farther along it gets the better it becomes. It all works because McIntee inserts Who elements into it, bringing it all together into a complete whole as the novel races along to its climax. It also helps that McIntee keeps it moving at quite a pace, turning this into what may could easily be called the Doctor Who equivalent of a techno-thriller.
The Face Of The Enemy is an intriguing Doctor Who novel. It's a Doctor-lite tale that focuses on many of the supporting character's of the third Doctor's era as well as two previous companions and illuminates them. It does so while putting them all into a thriller plot that mixes genres to create a story that is undeniably Doctor Who. It's an intriguing take on the series and a strong novel to say the least.
In his previous novel The Dark Path for the Virgin Missing Adventures, David A. McIntee showed his incredible characterization of Roger Delago's Master. In this novel, McIntee takes the Delgado Master even further as he makes him into the most unlikely thing expected: UNIT's temporary scientific adviser. But just because The Master is working with the “good guys” doesn't mean he isn't the same old Master. The novel also gives the Master to play a London gangster as well during it's first half which is a role that perhaps isn't quite as convincing at first but one that, as the novel progresses, actually serves the Delgado Master well thanks to McIntee's characterization. The novel also gives McIntee the chance to tie back into The Dark Path as well in a rather unexpected way. The result is that this remains of the Master's strongest stories in any medium.
This strong characterization extends to other familiar character's from the TV series. McIntee perfectly captures the UNIT family from the Brigadier to Captain Yates and Sergeant Benton, bringing them to life with the same skill he brought to the Delgado Master. The Brigadier in particular comes across well, tying into elements from previous Who novels. The novel also reintroduces sometime UNIT Corporal Bell and shows us the first time a young naval lieutenant named Harry Sullivan came into contact with UNIT, with McIntee bringing them both to life splendidly.
Perhaps the shining stars of the novel, besides the Master of course, are Ian and Barbara. McIntee perfectly captures the two character's as believable extensions of the character's we saw on TV. McIntee in fact takes their character's even further, especially Ian in Chapter 13 onwards when the character is pushed to the edge but a seemingly tragic event. The result is a novel full of strong character's all around.
That extends to the cast of new character's as well. They range from DI George Boucher, who finds himself tied into the novel's events through a seemingly unconnected bank robbery, to the novel's set of character's who are not what they seem. High up on that latter list is Marianne Kyle who spends the novel as something of an enigma as she constantly swaps sides and allegiances until the truth about her is revealed. These new character's come across strong as well and each add something to the novel as a whole.
The plot of the novel is a curious one. It does what Doctor Who does best: combine different genres into something that is undeniably Doctor Who. The novel starts off as a cross between Quatermass, a gangster movie and a spy thriller. The mix is an at times uneasy one, especially in the earliest parts of the novel, but the farther along it gets the better it becomes. It all works because McIntee inserts Who elements into it, bringing it all together into a complete whole as the novel races along to its climax. It also helps that McIntee keeps it moving at quite a pace, turning this into what may could easily be called the Doctor Who equivalent of a techno-thriller.
The Face Of The Enemy is an intriguing Doctor Who novel. It's a Doctor-lite tale that focuses on many of the supporting character's of the third Doctor's era as well as two previous companions and illuminates them. It does so while putting them all into a thriller plot that mixes genres to create a story that is undeniably Doctor Who. It's an intriguing take on the series and a strong novel to say the least.
January 16, 2018
Whilst The Third Doctor and Jo are having an adventure in Peladon, this book serves as what would be known as a Doctor-lite story.
The main focus being The Master, it's and interesting idea and on the whole works really well.
The main focus being The Master, it's and interesting idea and on the whole works really well.
October 13, 2016
It seems like nearly every Doctor Who book is frustrating in some way. This makes sense, considering the conditions they were created under - licensed books that were sold on the strength of the brand rather than the strength of the authors involved. They often involved writers new to the craft of novels; writers who were valued for productivity over quality; and writers who had been involved with the property for years - in a different medium. And this turned out many books that were frustrating in fascinating and valuable ways, books that transcended the problems of the format to create something interesting and fun that could only have been created in this time and place.
Not this book, though.
I mean, the concept is something that could only be created in a context like this - to save the Earth without the Doctor, the supporting characters of different Doctor Who eras have to team up with Earth's worst enemy! But what should be a fun adventure with a bunch of interesting character moments turns into a slog.
The problem here is that this is a book with many deep and complex characters in it that it stubbornly refuses to treat as deep or complex - no, even worse; that it builds an interiority for based on shallow cliches and basic tropes, and then confidently proceeds forward as if this were all the complexity there was in a human soul. The pre-existing Doctor Who characters become broad sketches of themselves, the stock character archetypes that you'd assume if you had no familiarity with the series and someone described them to you in broad detail. (Barbara takes the worst of this; the woman with the hubris to try to overthrow an entire civilization for the greater good, and the wit, spirit and determination to almost pull it off, is attenuated into a plucky, didactic, worrisome schoolteacher.) The new characters are those stock archetypes, thinking loudly about their one-note motivations; they're based firmly in perspectives on the world that are supposed to feel "gritty" and "real", but feel more like the perspective of someone drained of empathy and vitality by the pre-Thatcher era, watching the news and trying to come up with a theory as to why cops, criminals and terrorists acted the way they did. Both groups get the occasional good moment - the primary antagonist, in particular, has a sympathetic moment near the end which almost fleshes her out into a full two dimensions - but moments are all there is.
The one exception to this is the Master, who's allowed to be his gleeful, chaotic, indulgent self; who values drama and style almost as much as taking over the world; who understands people deeply but can't bring himself to truly believe that understanding, because it would mean they aren't sheep, aren't a resource to be exploited, and that he is and always has been the worst thing possible - wrong. He feels, if not three-dimensional, an interesting two-dimensional slice of a three-dimensional character. (He's clearly David A. McIntee's favorite character here - this book heavily references the book he wrote about the Master's backstory, The Dark Path, and also throws in refs to another book of his with the Master as the antagonist, Final Frontier.)
The Master pulls my rating up to two stars, but no higher; he can't save this from being a boring book, one that thinks it's far more exciting and complex than it actually is. Not recommended.
Not this book, though.
I mean, the concept is something that could only be created in a context like this - to save the Earth without the Doctor, the supporting characters of different Doctor Who eras have to team up with Earth's worst enemy! But what should be a fun adventure with a bunch of interesting character moments turns into a slog.
The problem here is that this is a book with many deep and complex characters in it that it stubbornly refuses to treat as deep or complex - no, even worse; that it builds an interiority for based on shallow cliches and basic tropes, and then confidently proceeds forward as if this were all the complexity there was in a human soul. The pre-existing Doctor Who characters become broad sketches of themselves, the stock character archetypes that you'd assume if you had no familiarity with the series and someone described them to you in broad detail. (Barbara takes the worst of this; the woman with the hubris to try to overthrow an entire civilization for the greater good, and the wit, spirit and determination to almost pull it off, is attenuated into a plucky, didactic, worrisome schoolteacher.) The new characters are those stock archetypes, thinking loudly about their one-note motivations; they're based firmly in perspectives on the world that are supposed to feel "gritty" and "real", but feel more like the perspective of someone drained of empathy and vitality by the pre-Thatcher era, watching the news and trying to come up with a theory as to why cops, criminals and terrorists acted the way they did. Both groups get the occasional good moment - the primary antagonist, in particular, has a sympathetic moment near the end which almost fleshes her out into a full two dimensions - but moments are all there is.
The one exception to this is the Master, who's allowed to be his gleeful, chaotic, indulgent self; who values drama and style almost as much as taking over the world; who understands people deeply but can't bring himself to truly believe that understanding, because it would mean they aren't sheep, aren't a resource to be exploited, and that he is and always has been the worst thing possible - wrong. He feels, if not three-dimensional, an interesting two-dimensional slice of a three-dimensional character. (He's clearly David A. McIntee's favorite character here - this book heavily references the book he wrote about the Master's backstory, The Dark Path, and also throws in refs to another book of his with the Master as the antagonist, Final Frontier.)
The Master pulls my rating up to two stars, but no higher; he can't save this from being a boring book, one that thinks it's far more exciting and complex than it actually is. Not recommended.
June 13, 2014
Again we encounter a Past Doctor story that fits perfectly with what I would like see. Depending on your view you might not agree with me. Which is fine, but why is this a perfect fit?
To begin it creates a great what if on something that has been tossed around, what happens to Earth while the Doctor is away? Here we have a mystery about a downed plane occur. With the Doctor away UNIT has to investigate which leads them to teaming up with the Master. Very interesting concept.
By using that idea as a starting off point, it leads into tiding up something from an earlier story. Won't say which one, since that would ruin the surprise, but it was well done. The other part is it brings back Ian and Barbara for us to get up to speed with them.
The last part is it fits in between Doctor Who stories as to not create a discontinuity with them. By combining these with a well written story, it is a great book.
I'm willing to give this 5 starts, but in reality it is 4 1/2 stars. The last few chapters feel more rushed then the earlier part of the story. It feels as if David McIntee skipped some dialog and scenes to wrap things up. At the end the story just ends with a quick epilogue. I was hoping for a few more pages dealing with the Master, Ian, & Barbara. Still even with that the story is good.
To begin it creates a great what if on something that has been tossed around, what happens to Earth while the Doctor is away? Here we have a mystery about a downed plane occur. With the Doctor away UNIT has to investigate which leads them to teaming up with the Master. Very interesting concept.
By using that idea as a starting off point, it leads into tiding up something from an earlier story. Won't say which one, since that would ruin the surprise, but it was well done. The other part is it brings back Ian and Barbara for us to get up to speed with them.
The last part is it fits in between Doctor Who stories as to not create a discontinuity with them. By combining these with a well written story, it is a great book.
I'm willing to give this 5 starts, but in reality it is 4 1/2 stars. The last few chapters feel more rushed then the earlier part of the story. It feels as if David McIntee skipped some dialog and scenes to wrap things up. At the end the story just ends with a quick epilogue. I was hoping for a few more pages dealing with the Master, Ian, & Barbara. Still even with that the story is good.
October 9, 2017
It's a very satisfying UNIT-without-the-Doctor novel, with special guest stars Ian & Barbara Chesterton taking the place of the off-to-Peladon 3rd Doctor & Jo Grant. It's exciting, and surprisingly intense, but it does have two problems that keep it from a five star rating. The first is a supporting cast that is rather large, but not as well developed (or as interesting) as our familiar heroes...and familiar villains. The other problem is an ending that seems very sudden, and doesn't offer a satisfactory goodbye/thank you to Ian & Barbara.
April 30, 2024
A Doctor-lite story featuring the Master, as well as ex-companions Ian and Barbara, The Face Of The Enemy earns plenty of fan points. It often uses continuity in interesting ways, such as the nature of the villains who are linked to an earlier TV story. The novelty of a villain working with the regular (and ex) cast to solve of a problem is quite strong, but it could have made for a stronger book if it had come earlier in the story, and the same might apply to the true nature of the villains, which could then have explored more. The author’s usual quick-cutting style is not to my taste, but there are enough striking moments for it to be worth a read for fans.
November 27, 2018
On the surface David A. McIntee's novel is a curious contribution to the "Past Doctor Adventures" series, given that it's a Doctor Who novel without the title character. Yet McIntee pulls it off superbly by drawing upon the rich collection of supporting characters that have been introduced over the years. Setting it during one of the Third Doctor's unwilling excursions on behalf of the Time Lords, it's premised around two seemingly unrelated events: a violent bank robbery and the crash of a jet containing the body of a junior governmental minister — one who is still very much alive in London. Called in to investigate the latter mystery, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart finds a substitute for the absent Doctor in the form of a husband-and-wife team with familiarity with the unusual: Ian and Barbara Chesterton, two of the Doctor's original companions.
Over the course of the book McIntee has to mix both the show's well-defined characters with his own original creations in a context that is unusual for a Doctor Who story. This is a challenge that he pulls off with considerable success, devising a novel that manages the difficult feat of offering an original mix of story elements that still demonstrates considerable fealty to his source material. And as successful as he is in depicting the portrayals of the Brigadier, Ian, Barbara, and the Doctor's other friends in the show, his greatest success is in capturing the Master in all of his Third Doctor glory. Though the character of the Master has been a longtime foe of the Doctor's he was never better than in Roger Delgado's original portrayal of him as the suave sadist. McIntee depicts him with his full arrogance and deviousness, making for a very different sort of dynamic than is possible with any of the Doctor-UNIT combinations. It all makes for an adventure that demonstrates the rich storytelling possibilities that exist in the Doctor Who universe, even with its eponymous character is absent.
Over the course of the book McIntee has to mix both the show's well-defined characters with his own original creations in a context that is unusual for a Doctor Who story. This is a challenge that he pulls off with considerable success, devising a novel that manages the difficult feat of offering an original mix of story elements that still demonstrates considerable fealty to his source material. And as successful as he is in depicting the portrayals of the Brigadier, Ian, Barbara, and the Doctor's other friends in the show, his greatest success is in capturing the Master in all of his Third Doctor glory. Though the character of the Master has been a longtime foe of the Doctor's he was never better than in Roger Delgado's original portrayal of him as the suave sadist. McIntee depicts him with his full arrogance and deviousness, making for a very different sort of dynamic than is possible with any of the Doctor-UNIT combinations. It all makes for an adventure that demonstrates the rich storytelling possibilities that exist in the Doctor Who universe, even with its eponymous character is absent.
August 3, 2022
"The Face of the Enemy" is fairly typical McIntee, high on action, low on probability. Alright, this novel is a deliberate fan wank, designed as such, and so pulls off that questionable job admirably enough. The Doctor and Jo are gone, and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart is left to deal with an alien menace on his own, except that it is not really alien and he doesn't go it alone. Instead, he finds himself recruiting help from Ian and Barbara and the Master. The story itself mixes equal parts of the Sweeney, James Bond, and UFO. I found the inclusion of Ian and Barbara unhelpful, and the story could have proceeded just as well without them. About halfway through, the story shifts focus so that the Master becomes pretty much the protagonist. McIntee writes the Master well enough, getting the Delgado style just right. The plot ticks along nicely, as long as one does not pay too much attention to it, much like its stylistic sources. In general, it is an enjoyable read, if not very deep.
November 8, 2018
McIntee's novel, set between Day of the Daleks and The Sea Devils, is the rare Doctor Who novel that features not the Doctor but instead his nemesis The Master. In our hero's absence, the Master teams up, albeit very reluctantly, with those stalwart men of UNIT, Sergeant Benton, Captain Yates, and the Brigadier, against a common and deadly foe, a mysterious group known as the Conclave. UNIT also calls in a favor from the now-married former companions of the First Doctor, Ian and Barbara Chesterton. McIntee shows a real affinity for these characters, as one of the best aspects of the book is how authentic all of the show regulars "sound" in the reader's head, most notably Pertwee's Doctor and Delgado's Master. There are a variety of callbacks to earlier serials and call-forwards (?) to future stories in the book, which makes the novel all the more enjoyable.
April 19, 2020
I have to say I disagree with fan consensus on this novel, which seems to see it as one of the best all time stories.
This is definitely McIntee on the upswing, much better than his first three Doctor Who novels. And it is also quite exciting as it comes together at the end and The Master and Brigadier make a good pairing to play against each other.
The disappointment is that there is still so much fanwank in this it overwhelms everything else. And whilst it becomes good at some points there are large sections of exposition and boring gun battles where I struggled to keep my attention.
Finally, it continues the problem of Doctor Who book range that Barbara is treated appallingly, a real shame.
But there is still some enjoyment to be had with this interesting outing.
This is definitely McIntee on the upswing, much better than his first three Doctor Who novels. And it is also quite exciting as it comes together at the end and The Master and Brigadier make a good pairing to play against each other.
The disappointment is that there is still so much fanwank in this it overwhelms everything else. And whilst it becomes good at some points there are large sections of exposition and boring gun battles where I struggled to keep my attention.
Finally, it continues the problem of Doctor Who book range that Barbara is treated appallingly, a real shame.
But there is still some enjoyment to be had with this interesting outing.
September 15, 2009
The Master, UNIT, Ian & Barbara. Concurrent with The Curse of Peladon.
Despite the Doctor being almost completely absent from this book it turned out to be the best so far in the BBC range. Wanting a scientific opinion on a downed aircraft, missing for a week before its crash, the Brigadier calls on the services of Ian Chesterton accompanied by his wife Barbara. UNIT are about as faithful to the series as it's possible to be, as are all the rest of the cast. It' unlikely that I'll ever reread any of the books from either the Virgin or the BBC range but if I had to pick one it just might be The Face of the Enemy.
Despite the Doctor being almost completely absent from this book it turned out to be the best so far in the BBC range. Wanting a scientific opinion on a downed aircraft, missing for a week before its crash, the Brigadier calls on the services of Ian Chesterton accompanied by his wife Barbara. UNIT are about as faithful to the series as it's possible to be, as are all the rest of the cast. It' unlikely that I'll ever reread any of the books from either the Virgin or the BBC range but if I had to pick one it just might be The Face of the Enemy.
March 13, 2008
This is a good read I would recommend this to anybody that enjoys reading about the Master in Dr Who. Roger Delgado is one of my favourite actors and this book certainly captures the way he portrayed the Master. Very different from the usual Who books as the Doctor doesn't make an appearance until the last page. UNIT are in top form as usual though. And it's very interesting to see the Master temporarily working for them and forging a very uneasy alliance with the Brig and co
February 13, 2016
Suspicious activities abound as shady forces work to take over the Earth. With the Doctor away, UNIT must turn to his former companions Ian & Barbara, and as things grow ever more dire.....even the Master!
Great story that keeps you guessing, with everybody getting a piece of the action, the Master in particular has some fun action scenes and thoughtful moments. Seeing old companions return is always a joy, and McIntee crafts an interesting follow up to a classic story that I didn't expect.
Great story that keeps you guessing, with everybody getting a piece of the action, the Master in particular has some fun action scenes and thoughtful moments. Seeing old companions return is always a joy, and McIntee crafts an interesting follow up to a classic story that I didn't expect.
March 8, 2010
A fabulous book, placing The Master at centre.
May 16, 2012
For once, the supporting characters get a chance to do something w/o the doctor's help. It was good to see Ian and Barbara alongside the brig and unit.
August 11, 2018
Love all these books that feature the Master!
February 24, 2024
This book was amazing! The Third Doctor era is my favorite of Classic Doctor Who, mostly because of the UNIT family. I was very happy to see that Mike Yates and John Benton had good roles/POVs in the story when sharing with the likes of the Brigadier, the Master, Ian & Barbara, and the newcomers. Speaking of Ian and Barbara, I was thrilled to "see" them again, learn what they were up to, and loved that they were called in to help UNIT in the Doctor's absence. I always love it when companions get to meet each other, especially when they get along and show how capable they are when not accompanied by the Doctor. It was heartbreaking when Ian thought he had lost Barbara, but I was surprised and disappointed that he didn't even think of their son John when contemplating suicide. I was pleasantly surprised to see Harry Sullivan show up in this story. I love that it explains how he became UNIT's medical officer by the time of "Planet of the Spiders" and "Robot". And I love that Harry gets a chance to shine, unlike in most of the few serials he appears in. I liked that Corporal Carol Bell had a substantial role as the mole. I absolutely loved the Master in this. He is so completely the Time Lord villain that we know: steps ahead of everyone yet still can be surprised, dangerous and unrepentant, willing to use and help his enemies if it serves his interest, and funny. Marianne Kyle was a great villain and I hope to read more about her. I felt for Koschei and understood him begging his parallel self to kill him. I was sad that DI Boucher died, even if he was able to pass along the message. I also feel for his unseen sister who lost both a son and a brother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2025
-Intriguing plot with an interesting twist tying it to a classic story that I did not see coming at all. Maybe if I'd watched the story more recently I would've made the connection sooner.
-That said, I think the level of technological development the villains have stretches believability compared to their capabilities in that story.
-It was nice to see Ian and Barbara again, but I don't feel they were characterised especially accurately.
-It was an interesting attempt at a backstory for a TV character, but I don't think this introduction jives well with his portrayal in the show.
-It was pretty cool to get some insight into and development for the Master.
-The final sequence of the story is very tense, exciting and emotional.
-This book is kinda misogynistic. It attempts to do some girlboss feminism but it comes across as hollow. Barbara initially has to contend with the male characters' chauvinism (which is inaccurate to their TV portrayals) and after that is pretty badly sidelined. Meanwhile the main antagonist is supposed to be this strong, powerful, independent woman, but her main weapon is seduction, and one of her primary motivations is proving her father and husband wrong.
-That said, I think the level of technological development the villains have stretches believability compared to their capabilities in that story.
-It was nice to see Ian and Barbara again, but I don't feel they were characterised especially accurately.
-It was an interesting attempt at a backstory for a TV character, but I don't think this introduction jives well with his portrayal in the show.
-It was pretty cool to get some insight into and development for the Master.
-The final sequence of the story is very tense, exciting and emotional.
-This book is kinda misogynistic. It attempts to do some girlboss feminism but it comes across as hollow. Barbara initially has to contend with the male characters' chauvinism (which is inaccurate to their TV portrayals) and after that is pretty badly sidelined. Meanwhile the main antagonist is supposed to be this strong, powerful, independent woman, but her main weapon is seduction, and one of her primary motivations is proving her father and husband wrong.
August 13, 2025
Taking place while the Doctor and Jo are on Peladon, David McIntee's The Face of the Enemy is a pretty fun UNIT story in which the Brig has to call in past and future companions - and the Master (this acts as the third in the writer's Master trilogy) - to stop a secret invasion by one of the Doctor's old foes I really wasn't expecting. One of McIntee's strengths was genre emulation, and in this case, he serves up an action police thriller, which taps into his OTHER strength, which is clear and exciting action sequences. There's a lot of mayhem, a police detective we can care about, and an intriguing mystery. But overall, the book shines thanks to its on-point characterization of the UNIT crew (McIntee tries to use or at least reference all the named characters of the past 2½ seasons) and whatever other Doctor Who stars he manages to bring in (withheld to keep the surprises alive). I didn't miss the Doctor at all!
February 10, 2026
One of the poorest of the series so far.
As a Doctor Who PDA, The Face of the Enemy was a letdown for me—mostly because the Doctor barely feels present in his own book.
The story moves at a very slow pace, but without the tension or depth to justify it. Large sections feel padded, and when things finally do happen, they’re surprisingly lightweight. The plot never really digs into its ideas, and what should feel threatening or morally complex ends up feeling oddly inconsequential.
My biggest disappointment was the lack of the Doctor himself. He’s there, technically, but sidelined to the point where the novel often feels like it’s more interested in its setting than its central character. Without that spark of wit, authority, or emotional pull, the story struggles to stay engaging.
It’s not badly written, just thin—too slow for how little it ultimately delivers. Two stars for a competent but forgettable entry that doesn’t make the most of its premise or its Doctor.
As a Doctor Who PDA, The Face of the Enemy was a letdown for me—mostly because the Doctor barely feels present in his own book.
The story moves at a very slow pace, but without the tension or depth to justify it. Large sections feel padded, and when things finally do happen, they’re surprisingly lightweight. The plot never really digs into its ideas, and what should feel threatening or morally complex ends up feeling oddly inconsequential.
My biggest disappointment was the lack of the Doctor himself. He’s there, technically, but sidelined to the point where the novel often feels like it’s more interested in its setting than its central character. Without that spark of wit, authority, or emotional pull, the story struggles to stay engaging.
It’s not badly written, just thin—too slow for how little it ultimately delivers. Two stars for a competent but forgettable entry that doesn’t make the most of its premise or its Doctor.
February 5, 2022
The Face of the Enemy is a novelty that Who fans didn't know they wanted. McIntee does a fantastic job of capturing the expected cast of characters plus a couple you didn't expect. The Master is especially a treat. The story is nostalgic, yet it feels modern. Anyone who loves the 3rd Doctor's era will love this book. Despite there being little of the 3rd Doctor in the story. Enjoy!
November 8, 2023
Giving beloved childhood characters like Ian Chesterton and the Brigadier complex inner lives and backstories will never sit 100 percent right with me but this was about as good as this sort of thing gets, absolutely capturing the characters and feel of Pertwee era Who. Delgado's Master is endlessly entertaining.
February 14, 2025
Honestly, this book is just fine. Really weak first half, followed by a really strong second half, at the end of the day, makes a very middling book. Needs a bit of streamlining. I loved what it did with Ian and Barbara, though. Their relationship is so wholesome, and seeing Ian in utter agony over losing her is fucking heartwrenching.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2019
Didn’t really enjoy this book.
September 4, 2020
The second half was so much netter than the first!
August 10, 2023
A slog. Not even the fantastic Ian and Barbara Chesterton (!) can really save this from being a book about other people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2024
A sequel to one of the best Doctor Who novels and one of the best Doctor Who episodes!
Great development for all characters involved.
Great development for all characters involved.
August 31, 2024
Another terrific 'missing' Classic Doctor Who tale of The Master, this time involving the Third Doctor during his exile to Earth. A fun and engaging read for fans of the show, or of the featured characters specifically.
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