Okay, for those of you who don’t already know, Miwk is a new genre publisher that has published two books, with quite a few more on the way. First up is the beautifully irreverant yet affectionate Maximum Power! - poking fun at a series we all love: Blake’s 7.
The first thing you notice about this book is the attention to detail. Unlike certain other small publishers out there, the paper quality is good, the design is excellent and you get the distinct impression that real care has been taken over the end product. The cover is a lovely homage to the early Blake’s 7 novels, and the faux-battered look is the finishing touch. Add to this the wonderful extras you get with it and you definitely ‘feel the love’… (the ‘Sorry We Missed You’ card is a particular delight)
So, having marvelled at the attention to outward detail, we start having a read. The complete and unauthorised guide to all 64 episodes? Hang on, weren’t there only 52? And I bet you’ve never heard of the two film treatments that didn’t quite get made, the Japanese remake or the short-lived spin off series; Space Commander Travis. I’d love to say the research into this book has been phenomenal however I’m pretty sure some of the information here is fairly spurious are blatant fibs!
The episode guide itself is hilarious – best read I would say as a ‘DVD commentary’ to each story but with plenty there for the casual reader. Categories include Opening and Closing Shots, Random Insult, Delightful Dialogue, Amateur Hour and Terrynation Street. One of my favourite guest cast lists (The Web) manages to include the official actors alongside Janine Wood (Claire), Joan Sanderson (Eleanor) and Jonathan Newth (Russell) who, for anyone who doesn’t know, are members of the cast of ITV and Radio 4 sitcom, After Henry! It’s important that you read everything on each page, as the authors have sneaked gags in everywhere.
If you’re a Doctor Who fan as well which, let’s face it, you probably are if you’re into Blake’s 7, then there are plenty of references in here for you too. The ludicrous A-Z at the back holds a particular favourite:
Kerril: Female mercenary. Distraught by her break-up with Vila Restal, she underwent gender reassignment surgery and joined the crew of Storm Mine 4 with tragic consequences.
I won’t say anymore about the content other than I’ve laughed a lot reading this book and can highly recommend it to anyone with a warped sense of humour, who thinks niche books full of obscure references poking fun at thirty-four year old cult TV shows are funny. And all the authors proceeds are going to charity – so buy it now!