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“The Clockwise Man: A Clunky Start for the New Adventures Era”

Justin Richards' debut New Series Adventure kicks off with potential but ticks a little too predictably.

The first New Series Adventures novel, The Clockwise Man, begins with promise, blending intrigue and character drama, but it quickly becomes bogged down by an overabundance of underdeveloped figures and a slow pace. Justin Richards crafts the narrative like a whodunit, introducing several characters in rapid succession, though none stand out enough to make a memorable impression in the early chapters.

The story is surprisingly methodical, taking its time to cultivate tension. While action scenes are peppered throughout and feel somewhat true to the revival era, the overall tone of the book feels more akin to Classic Who—unsurprising, given it was written before the new series aired. Unfortunately, the ultimate villain reveal lands with a dull thud, arriving after one too many red herrings and failing to surprise readers who’ve been paying attention. The grand scheme itself, while ambitious, leans heavily into James Bond-like theatrics, which might not be to everyone’s taste.

When it comes to characterisation, the Doctor and Rose don’t fully match their on-screen counterparts. The Ninth Doctor, in particular, feels generic and lacks the distinct edge of Christopher Eccleston's portrayal—likely due to Richards not having seen the series at the time of writing. Rose fares slightly better, with glimpses of her TV personality shining through. Their camaraderie, at least, retains a hint of authenticity, especially in their banter.

The villains—clockwork droids—evoke some familiarity with mechanical threats from both Classic and New Who (The Android Invasion and The Girl in the Fireplace, respectively), but they fail to leave a significant impression. Melissa Heart is an intriguing figure with her versatile masks, yet her potential is largely underexplored.

The 1920s London setting, while atmospheric, feels oddly restricted, offering little to truly immerse readers in the era. Similarly, the secondary characters struggle to leave a mark, often blending into the background.

📝Verdict: 4/10

The Clockwise Man shows flashes of potential, especially for fans nostalgic for Classic Who-style storytelling, but it stumbles in pacing and character depth. As the first entry in the New Series Adventures, it ticks along steadily but doesn’t quite strike the right chord.

3/5

Interesting set-up with historical characters and an alien/tech-based mystery, but just ends up a quite average adventure, solid, but nothing that stands out really. Maybe a few out of character moments later on, but not egregious/continuous.

There is more interesting books in the series, but its perfectly readable still.

Recommended Prerequisites

TV: Rose

AUDIO: The Queen of Clocks

TV: Deep Breath

The Clockwise Man

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would going in, especially in some of the ways the Doctor was written about.

I like, get, the parallel they were doing with Russia and Katuria, what with the theme of reclaiming / returning, but it more or less fizzled into nothing pretty quick. There was even a relatively large group of characters introduced at the start of the book that I felt would be important that just kind of disappeared for most the book.

But for everything else in the book, it was pretty solid. The story was fun, I enjoyed the twists although some were not too surprising. Even the characters started to grow on me by the end.

This may be a hot take but I really wish Freddie tackled Vassily off of the clock tower at the end. I thought they were really going to lean into it, with the idea of Freddy repeatedly wanting to feel like a "hero". I think it would have worked SO much better for the Freddie-Vassily parallel if they fell to their deaths together, plus it could help give the Ninth Doctor more opportunity to develop in later stories with another death being his fault. Another person sacrificing themselves for his cause.

Quote

"Anyone looking up from the street below would see the Doctor's head and shoulders emerging from his window. His chin was resting in his hands, elbows on the wide sill. The eyes were ever alert, flicking to and fro, taking in every last detail. One might imagine, looking up and discovering him there, that the Doctor had been like this all night. Frozen like an icicle, staring out and thinking. And perhaps he had."

It’s starts quite intriguingly, with moody descriptions of a 1920s London and several mysterious threads. As sometimes happens with Doctor Who though, it devolves into a breathless runaround which goes on and on.

In its fairness it’s aimed at a younger audience which may have impacted my patience, but I enjoyed reading descriptions of clockwork aliens which pre-date The Girl in the Fireplace by a year.