Auteur: The Final Word Review
- Ivy Hanover
- Jun 21
- 9 min read
Publishers summary:
“Auteur is a visionary, a genius, a god. The Author of All Creation. So he has claimed for centuries, and many believe him — who else could rewrite reality with one flick of a quill?
But the Cosmos has changed since he's been away, and it keeps on changing. Old rules are broken, and new powers rise. What wonders and horrors might Auteur create, in his quixotic quest to get the final word? And what will he destroy?”
Over a dozen incredible writers and artists have come together to bring us Auteur: the Final Word, a new anthology from Arcbeatle Press which follows the titular bastard skeleton alien as he causes chaos through time, space, and the thin walls of the reality he believes to be his personal play-mat. While Auteur is featured elsewhere in the worlds of Doctor Who, this anthology can serve as a standalone read for those open to embracing so many strange and complex tales with little prior knowledge. Auteur is a wonderfully tasty character whose powers to shape reality are misused to suit his personal agenda. He wreaks havoc on the poor protagonists of each story, all of whom will capture your heart and mind and hold you close as you witness their journeys and attempts to outwit Auteur. This is Auteur’s story, and everyone else is just living in it. At the very least , it’s our role to witness it.
“What game shall we play? Who shall I be today?” He mused to himself, already forgetting the guest he had just fed to the swarming flock of temporal calamity outside. “Whose memories will be mine?” - House of Auteur, Auteur
Lore and Reading Level
For this anthology, I have continued my (hopefully charming and somewhat useful) approach of not having read any previous works with, or related to, Auteur’s character or this anthology. So what’s up with this dude, anyway? Auteur is an ancient alien as well as a lord of time (note: skeleton shaped- what an aesthetic) who has the ability to alter reality to be more suitable and interesting to him. And boy, does he. Auteur alters his own past, even, multiple times and loves to toy with the stories (aka lives) of others to suit his agenda. Do you need to know more than that? Not before reading, if you don’t want to, but it wouldn’t hurt to go in with some knowledge.
Similarly to other Arcbeatle works, such as Lungbarrow by Loomlight, this anthology utilizes a unique vocabulary for certain characters, places and concepts which is not always easily identifiable. The race of (now long-gone) aliens who have declared lordship over time are referred to as “the Archons” here, their home planet The Morning Star. Other licensed characters and concepts elsewhere in the worlds of Doctor Who also appear, such as Marnal, the Master’s father from the Gallifrey Chronicles.
Along with a different vocabulary, the anthology has a sprawling world of complex concepts such as the Labyrinth (a sort of unreality between or underneath the regular one) to digest. A key component to the anthology is its metafiction, the 4th wall just another tool Auteur can use and play with while he rewrites reality. This is used in very clever ways throughout the anthology, but may be a bit to process at the same time that you’re reading so many different complex stories with such heavy concepts.
Two novella-length stories cap the beginning and end of the anthology and 10 or so shorter stories lie between. The stories are episodic and linear in reading order, though things naturally get rather timey-wimey. The final story, for example, jumps back and forth between multiple “book” excerpts as they’re discovered in the context of the central story.
Ultimately, this book is not a ‘binge read’. It’s one that is best taken in slowly. There is more than enough substance to each story to give you lots to chew on while you wait to tackle the next. Besides- you’ll likely want time to look at the fan-made independent TARDIS wiki for consultation. The first story, Marginaila, does present itself as a rather large hurdle with its density and length. It ties somehwat closely into outside lore (such as the aforementioned Marnal), throwing you into the deep end of Auteur’s chaos and lore with a new pair of concrete boots. But it’s still meant to be friendly for new comers, and it's that hurdle and momentum which will fortify you for the other incredible stories ahead.
Having prior knowledge of Auteur and Faction Paradox will certainly enhance the reading experience and likely make it easier. But it’s not a necessity, as long as you don’t mind being a little lost. Any confusion I felt typically supported the magic and fun as I pieced more of this new world together with each story; whatever confusion remains lies more in the realm of intrigue rather than frustration.
Plot/Review
Auteur very quickly became a new favorite character for me (but please, for the love of god, don’t let him know that). There’s a lot to love and a lot to love to hate about him. He carries a level of whimsy so potent and that even the most horrible and/or irritating acts will have you shrugging and going “oh, Auteur!”. He views everyone but himself as fictional and treats them with as little humanity as you’d expect. Ultimately, he has very little care for anyone but himself outside of how he’d like to shape them as devices in his story. And his story has to be at its best and most interesting, whatever that means for Auteur at the time. He alters reality as such, often losing more of himself in the process. Beyond the chaos and (occasionally) carefully-crafted personas lies a very sad, lonely, and at times pathetic individual lashing out in response to a painful past with the universe as collateral damage. He is so Much, in every way, in the best way, even when he’s not the focus of many of the stories.
Although Auteur is the titular character, he primarily serves as an antagonist to the extensive cast of incredible characters throughout the anthology. Each of these unique characters must try to find clever ways to outwit or withstand Auteur’s interference with their realities and personhood with varying levels of success. I originally intended to list stand-out protagonists, before I realized I had already listed half of them and had no intention of stopping. Do I tell you about the queer disabled lesbian headlining the best parts of a hero's journey in the first novella? The alien princess fighting a destiny that should’ve never been hers? What about the underdog wannabe actor booking the worst job in the world? Or can I tell you about the sapphic time traveler shifting through fictional identities in a story also featuring her partner/companion? (side note: this anthology surprised me with the sheer amount of sapphics in it. Happy pride month to me!)
All of the authors do a great job of fleshing out each story’s protagonist and their supporting cast, as well providing a great variety of characters and worlds featured in their stories. Each story truly is immense beyond its word count. I’ll remind you of my recommendation to read slowly so that you have the time to savor the weight and detail of each tale.
Auteur does not shy away from stretching the limits of “meta fiction”. At any given time the 4th wall is either quite thin or nonexistent, but the anthology somehow manages to avoid being too heavy handed or, god forbid, grating as many attempts at ‘meta’ can be. The Final Word will make you feel like a bystander, victim, and accomplice all in one. When it’s not awe-inspiring it’s playful… Right before you’re forced to contend with the horrible reality of Auteur’s actions. Meta is one of the anthologies strongest tools and is occasionally our strongest connection to Auteur as a character.
A brief overview of each story:
Avant-Propos by Aristide Twain opens the anthology and tells the in-universe tale of Aristide meeting Auteur in a daydream restaurant to take hold of writer and audience alike, insisting for his story to be told and understood.
Marginalia by Aristide Twain is a sprawling epic opening the anthology in which we meet Stephie, a young queer disabled woman who has always felt out of place, save for the world found in her favorite fictional tales. Stephie finds herself lost in a Labyrinth of space-time, a sort of Backroom to reality. At the end of this journey lies the discovery of her true self and power. But what’s in it for Auteur?
Long Live the Author by L. Alves brings Auteur face to face with his greatest foe: himself. Multiple Auteurs from different ‘drafts’ and mediums fight to be the true Auteur in a plot concocted by the Spire, Auteur’s sentient homebase.
The Patchwork Princess by Galadriel Coffeen gives the audience a horrifyingly intimate perspective on Auteur’s powers as he attempts to turn a bright destiny into a tragedy better suiting his personal agenda.
The Root of All Evil by Nate Bumber tells the tale of a magician summoning an otherworldly force. His ritual brings forth the great Auteur, who has dastardly plans for who he’d like the magician to be…
The Face with a Thousand Heroes by Erika De Atayde: Caught in between Auteur and a scheming magician and relentlessly pursued by her strange and haunted past, Hex Kotlee must use her ability to become any fictional entity to save herself, her lover, and a powerful goddess from those who would imprison them forever*
A Place Like Home by Thomas Keyton takes on a quest with a space-time traveling team as they try to save a world from being conquered. It features interludes from reviewers discussing their story- one which the author, Auteur, tries to keep to take control of. But our heroes aren’t going to give up so easily…
Off the Grid by Jamie H. Cowan is a story wrapped in a crossword puzzle. Truth be told, I was not able to solve it, though I appreciate the way Cowan takes advantage of the meta-framework Auteur stories has to offer.
A Play for the End of the World by James Timothy Mulholland features Neville, a wannabe actor scouted for a dream role by an otherworldly director. His fate lies on the stage which doubles as a mystical battleground for multiple ancient legends.
Penny Primrose and the Grand Ball of Fairy-Town by Molly Warton provides a great juxtaposition between its fairytale structure/home and Auteur's darkness and destruction. The main character, a fairy, strikes a deal with Auteur that carries consequences for both parties.
When You’re Good to Mama by Plum Pudding* A disparate man falls through a crack in the world and ends up in a stark roadside inn full of supernatural malice that Auteur is trying to wrangle into fitting his agenda; but there are darker powers than Auteur at work in this place, and they will not let go with ease…
The Collector by Louis Peacock and Newton Locheye reunites Auteur with an old friend, the time traveler Arvorax. Auteur uses his abilities to turn Arvorax’s faithful companion, Mike, into his plaything. This is only part of the drama, which escalates when Arvorax and Auteur begin a dangerous chase through the former's space-time machine. Auteur's isolation from the things and people that matter most to him (outside of himself, of course) and his resulting desperation is laid bare.
House of Auteur by Artiside Twain (ft. Jayce Black, Louis Peacock & James Wylder) an imposter seeks to find the lost stories of a famous author in a house occupied by a little girl, a wooden servant, and a skeleton... Flipping back and forth in between past, present, and different fictions, we learn more about Auteur than ever before.
I mentioned each story is immense. Truly, it’s difficult to summarize each one. But most importantly, while making the attempt, I felt quite emotional flipping back through each story as I remembered how it felt to read each one for the first time. Getting to know the characters, the sense of being thrown into their adventures with just as much awe and confusion and fear as them. It’s all rather wonderful.
Illustrations are provided for each story featuring work by Ari Bach, Galadriel Coffeen, Dylan Livingston, Dante Vernor Katz, Holly Lucero, Plum Pudding, Raymond Inkwell, Blair Shedd, Robert Shepherd, Tabitha Marsh, Ophelien Twain, and Molly Warton. Arcbeatle has a great history for including a wide variety of artists, as well as writers, to create their stories which is well appreciated.
In the End...
If you enjoy pushing the limits of time, space, and reality or otherwise the more science fantasy and high sci-fi aspects of the worlds of Doctor Who, this anthology is certainly for you. Given the recent news regarding the status of Doctor Who, stories found in The Final Word are a much needed reminder of how vivid and strange the Whoniverse can be. It certainly appears to be one of the first notable steps into this uncertain future- how I suppose other fans must have felt when first experiencing the highlights of the “Wilderness Years" so long ago.
Somewhere, Auteur is grinning, given that this anthology was meant to be released just a day after Doctor Who announced its hiatus. Truth be told, I’m half certain he’s pulling those strings. And he may or may not have given me mold, too… but that’s a story for another day.
Auteur: the Final Word is now available for digital and physical purchase (UK) (US) from Arcbeatle Press
*Summary written by Louis Peacock
Disclaimer: The Arcbeatle team were gracious in providing me with an early reading copy for review. However, all thoughts included in this review are still completely my own.
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