Doctor Who: Scratchman by Tom Baker

A Doctor Who book, written by my favourite Doctor, Tom Baker. Seriously, what could possibly go wrong? The answer? Not a lot, really. 

When the Doctor, shrewd Sarah Jane Smith and abbable but daft Harry Sullivan show up on a remote island somewhere off the coast of Great Britain (it’s never quite clear where), they think it’s for a well-earned vacation. However, when their picnic is spoiled by a local farmer, the trio go to investigate. It turns out the farmer is trying to scare them away, as the locals are steadily falling foul of an infestation of scarecrows. Rather than turning tail and leaving, the Doctor and Co decide to investigate further. Naturally.

Worldbuilding

The book is set in two parts. The first is mostly on the island, and doesn’t deviate too much from, well, any British island. The alternate universe is more interesting, a blasted landscape full of all manner of creepy crawlies and a floating castle. Like the entire book, the worldbuilding very much reflects the set of a 1970s Doctor Who (as it should), and this, more than anything else, is the most unique factor in this world. Interestingly, the whole book is told from the Doctor’s perspective as he explains his actions to the other Timelords, who have had enough of his nonsense, and want to execute him. In addition, there are some fun factoids about DW baddies over the years that the average fan may not have been aware of.

Score – 3/5

Characters 

If you haven’t watched Tom Baker and crew in action, this may be a wasted effort on your behalf. For those who have, I don’t believe anyone could have evoked the character of the fourth Doctor better than the man himself. His glib humour, the moments of insanity amongst his unparalleled genius, and his constant putdowns of the people he risks all to save – they’re all there. Sarah Jane is on hand to keep the Doctor on his toes, as is Harry, whose unflagging good nature keeps the others moving forward. The other characters wear there stereotypes well, while the Scratchman himself is quite a treat, but I won’t say too much about him. Then there’s the Timelord Council, whom this book is really about, and one could imagine them sitting in the House of Lords, the US Senate or any other government institution. Let’s not forget the TARDIS, always a personality in itself and just as mercurial as its TV version.

Score – 5/5

Plot

Ah, the plot. It starts off simply enough, with the Doctor trying to solve this plague of animated scarecrows, but when was a Doctor Who plot ever simple? If this was a show, it would be a multi-episode run, and if you miss one, you’d be lost. Instead,we get whisked from the island to Gallifrey and on to a parallel universe, while chucking in a traditional DW villain for good measure. 

Score – 4/5

Writing

Tom Baker may be better known for his role as Doctor Who and various voice acting gigs, but he definitely has a knack for this writing lark. The gentle humour, the descriptions of people and things that could only come out of Number Four, and the various personalities on display are a treat, and one could easily imagine they’re watching the show on TV as opposed to reading them in a book. Great stuff.. 

Score – 5/5

Personal Enjoyment

I’ve always loved Doctor Who, and my first experience of the show on paper was most enjoyable.

Score – 4.5/5

Verdict

Fun for Who fans, and a decent starter for those who are interested in checking out the older editions.

Total Score – 21.5/25