The Way Back | Space Fall

by Paul Cornell, Terry Nation (Original Scriptwriter)

Genres: Science Fiction

124 pages, Hardcover

Published March 27, 2023

About the author

Paul Cornell is a British writer of science fiction and fantasy prose, comics and television. He's been Hugo Award-nominated for all three media, and has won the BSFA Award for his short fiction, and the Eagle Award for his comics. He's the writer of Saucer Country for Vertigo, Demon Knights for DC, and has written for the Doctor Who TV series. His new urban fantasy novel is London Falling, out from Tor on December 6th.

via Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Cor...

Reviews

[Alex Sarll]

Big Finish's box set of novelisations for the first series of Blake's 7 was a self-evidently ludicrous purchase, but this opening instalment was a big part of why I ordered it anyway: those first two episodes, the incredibly bleak and tense ones before the silliness and runarounds started creeping in, adapted by Paul Cornell, one of the best of the Who veterans assembled for the project. He does a great job of filling out Blake's story while always colouring within the lines, also showing us more of the lives of the supporting cast - many of whom, given the nature of the show in general and these episodes in particular, aren't going to make it any further. From everyday life in the Federation to the mechanics of space travel, new depth is established without deviating from what we saw on screen. This clearly can't always have been a comfortable task, what with the plot entailing the hero of the series being framed as a nonce in the opening episode, something which was always bold but reads even more outrageously now (if anything, Blake is just too honourable). But for the most part the contemporary resonances work in Cornell's favour, and he does an excellent job of bringing home the notion that if you think your society is sliding into fascism, it's likely already further down the spiral than you realised. And on an internal level, hindsight offers scope for tying the show's arc together a little more neatly: "The violence you inspire in others will gun you down. In the end."

[Jon Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book of the Blake’s 7: Origins box set from Big Finish, adapting the famed anti-authoritarian sci-fi. Like the best novelizations this adds world-building and characterization to the screen story. It’s been fun to read along as I watch. I find enjoying a story in different formats really helps reinforce the story in my head. As a writer it’s a delight seeing how other writers interpret performances and scenes. This builds up Blake’s current (prescribed) life a bit more than the TV show had time for. Cornell takes the opportunity to connect some dots or explain some things that were quickly moved on from on screen like “how did Blake not have people constantly telling him who he really was?” The decision to refer to Vila as Restal makes good sense for consistency (using everyone’s last names) but took some adjusting. It was great getting viewpoint chapters from different characters. Getting into Jenna’s head more was interesting. Excited for the rest!

[Jon Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the history of Blake’s 7 literature is patchy, this is a promising start to Big Finish’s novelisation range. Cornell applies the lessons of Terrance Dicks, retaining the essence of what’s on screen but buffing it up, smoothing over points which TV can rush past but a novel can’t, and adding the sense of a coherent, fleshed out world that perhaps isn’t there in the TV version. It’s also pleasing that in what’s an overwhelmingly masculine world, he makes Jenna a viewpoint character. Inadvertently it’s also a reminder of how far the show moved from the grimness of the first episodes: this is nihilism without the tinfoil.

[Adam Sharples · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just brilliant. Based on the original scripts for episode 1 and 2 of the 1978 BBC TV series, this book introduces us to Blake and the evil Federation and ends when the Liberator is found.

I've been a fan of the series since I first watched it in the 70's and have re watched each episode on my Dvd collection over and over again. So I'm pretty sure I know each episode off by heart.

This adaptation is great. Cornell has taken the source material and added stuff from the script which would have never been able to be broadcast.

Characters now have a living presence and their actions make way more sense now. And the once "Wobbly" sets now feel solid. The whole premise of the Federation just feels better than how they were portrayed on the screen.

This is part of a set of books released as part of Big Finish's Origins boxset which essentially covers season 1. I'm looking forward to reading the others .

Awesome work. If you are a fan of the series then you should look at getting your hands on this set.

[Reuben Herfindahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

So imagine the best first episode of any TV show ever made was adapted into book form by one of the best TV writers around today.

Okay that is the case here.

Brilliant! You can tell Paul is a fan and captures all that is great about the first two episodes, as well as slightly hints at the dark undertones he is so good at.

Not the first Blake's 7 novelization, but so much better than the 80's output.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

A few bits that felt slightly awkward and clunky or rushed, but this is a strong start to the novelisation series on the whole - I especially appreciated the fleshing out of a few doomed characters, like Blake's lawyer and Nova, not least because I also think it fills in some of the background detail on the Federation.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely fleshes out the two episodes we see on screen. My only criticisms are some slightly odd turns of phrase in places, tonal weirdness, and no explicit mention of when the first story ends and the second begins. Otherwise pretty great.

[Constant_reader_UK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great sci-fi book. Never watched the series but the book was brilliant