The Forgotten

Blake's 7 - Books and Ebooks #1

by Cavan Scott, Mark Wright

At the very edge of the Federation lies an area of space that doesn't appear on any star chart. No one has ventured there for decades. No one knows it even exists. The Forgotten are waiting. Under attack from a fleet of Federation ships commanded by Space Commander Travis, Roj Blake and his band of freedom fighters pilot the Liberator into a strange, nebulous cloud. Immediately, their systems become erratic, super computer Zen goes offline and life-support begins to shut down. They are adrift, lost in space. Their only hope is a seemingly abandoned space station at the heart of the cloud. But what secrets await them? The Forgotten will be remembered. This book is published by Big Finish Productions, Ltd. and distributed by Untreed Reads Publishing.

Genres: Science Fiction

167 pages, ebook

First published April 29, 2012

About the author

is a freelance comic writer and author. He is best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from both Doctor Who and Star Wars, as well as comics and novels for Vikings, Pacific Rim, Sherlock Holmes, and Penguins of Madagascar.

Cavan Scott, along with Justina Ireland, Claudia Gray, Daniel Jose Older, and Charles Soule are crafting a new era in the Star Wars publishing world called Star Wars: The High Republic. Cavan's contribution to the era is a comic book series released through Marvel Comics titled Star Wars: The High Republic.

Reviews

[David Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this one more in hope than expectation, but was rather pleasantly surprised with the quality of the writing.
Okay, it’s not Jeff Noon, but it’s a good, solid Blake’s 7 story, so it does what it says on the tin. I was in the mood for this, and I got what I came for.
I particularly appreciated the way this story over-shadows the execution of Blake in the last episode (S04 E13 “Blake”) by examining the demise of a half-forgotten enemy of the Terran Federation and the presence of an antique revolver in that scene.

This is what I’m talking about: (edited to hide spoilers)

‘Hold still,’ Avon snapped [taking over the highly technical task]. ‘I’m impressed you got this far.’
‘It’s a knack,’ shrugged Vila.
Avon.... ‘It wasn’t a compliment.’

[Leila Anani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of 8 Blake's 7 spin-off novels published by Big Finish to accompany their stunning audio range - The Liberator Chronicles.

And what a way to kick off - So this one's set in the show's first season set between the episodes Mission to Destiny and Duel - Gan's still alive and Blake's in command of the Liberator. Our rebels head into a mysteriously restricted area of space trying to elude Space Commander Travis and his fleet of pursuit ships. They discover an abandoned research station where 20 years ago, the scientists had been creating the null wave - (basically a souped up EMP pulse where the effects last for years) - The base was attacked by another rebel group - the device went off, trapping everyone on the station as nothing electrical will run. Since Blake shares the same ideals as rebel leader Farrow Lant surely this should be an alliance made in heaven... but when Lant tries to take over the ship all hell breaks loose.

This evoke's the spirit of Blake's 7 so well it feels just like an episode. It's really easy to imagine you are watching this unfold. All characters are true to cannon - Vila, Avon and Blake (and Travis and Servalan) are all excellent. This isn't the best vehicle for Cally, Jenna and Gan however. Jenna is particularly superfluous and I wish she'd got to do more ass kicking or even had a side adventure. However other than saying no to Lant and then patching up Cally she really has nothing to do.

This isn't the best for character exploration - other than the given Avon & Blake - whose actions sort of deepen your understanding of them. There's no real back story or anything new this novel brings to the B7 mythos other than being a bloody good story - still if you love the show then this is just like another episode - it's fast paced and reasonably well written - the authors clearly know their characters and universe and there are very few editing mistakes like you so often find in published spin off fiction.

Cracking start, lets hope the others live up to this standard.

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched Blake's 7 as a child, but can barely remember the era when Blake was in charge of the ship. As such I approached this book with some trepidation. Would I remember enough to follow it? Would I enjoy it? I'm not a huge fan of space set sci fi, so that last point was uncertain. But I needn't have worried. It captures the essence of the TV series well, and is particularly strong on its characterisation of the crew. As I read it I remembered more and more from over 30 years ago, and grew to care for this crew, and the dangers they faced. Best of all it made me want to rewatch the original series, which I haven't seen since it first aired. And I can't give much higher praise than that. Thoroughly recommended, to both old fans and new ones who haven't seen the series before. This is an excellently crafted piece of sci fi.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly good book that captures the characters of the old show while updating the style enough to entertain the (kind of) adult this viewer has now become.

[Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid, well written novel that does a good job getting the characters' voices right and capturing the TV show's unique blend of daring heroics and crushing nihilism.

[Ian Banks · Rating 3 out of 5]

The authors have done a marvellous job of recreating the feel of Series A with a great grasp of characters and settings however there are a lot of scenes that feel like moments cribbed from the series and adapted for this story. Gan is unconscious for a big chunk of the story and, when not, is there solely to provide muscle when needed; Cally uses her telepathy but in a very sparing manner designed to remind us that she’s an alien; Zen disappears for a big chunk of the story because the Liberator has ventured into a dangerous patch of space; Blake gets beaten up; Avon is snarky and morally dubious before being revealed to have been right all along; Jenna pilots the ship and looks gorgeous; Vila is a coward who opens doors and looks for an opportunity to stay safe. And that’s just the characters. The plot goes further into fan service territory.

I did enjoy this, though, because it did feel like a B7 story. It also explained more behind why Blake continued to let Travis live, and had some really interesting guest characters, several of whom could have stepped right off the set. Derivative, but a lot of fun.

[Michael Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book could have made a good TV episode. Pulling a good coupe against The Federation, Liberator's crew are hotly pursued and outnumbered by Federation ships, forcing them to take the choice and enter Null Space.
The nebula is an area where electrics do not work properly, if at all, including Zen, so the automatics on their ship often do not work. They capture Travis (Federation head bad guy) find a colony of terrorists, lead by Farrow Lant who hates the Federation, and tortures Blake and beats up Avon, thinking they are spies for them.
Lant and his followers take over The Liberator with plans to use a Null bomb to disable Federation headquarters, and unfortunately innocents on nearby planets who will practically be thrown back to the Stone Age. Cally gets a bullet in the stomach to make the others comply and there is a running battle to try an take the ship back as it heads into space, with people dying. Whose side is Avon and Vila on?

[Andrew Beet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book it really felt like an episode that would have been perfect for the tv series.
The authors got the characters spot on especially Avon and Vila. You can tell the authors are fans of the series and it does show in the writing of the book. Very enjoyable and I will definitely read this again

[Mark waite · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting adventure from the crew of the Liberator

[Steven Kellett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book
Blake's 7 was my favourite program when I was a kid
Love every book they have brought out recently
Very nostalgic

[Jon Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little generic, in line with something like Mission to Destiny or Time Squad, but very good on capturing the essence of the regulars.

[Stephen Henning · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Forgotten is a very enjoyable book which, as other reviewers may have commented on, reads like the novelization of a televised Blake's 7 story.

It is similar (probably deliberately) in style to Target's range of Doctor Who books in the 1970s and 1980s. For any Blake's 7 fan, how can you not be excited by that?

I love Blake's 7 and I so desperately wanted a novel that would do justice to its legacy and make me feel as though I was reading a missing adventure.

The Forgotten starts off really well. A typical early series 1 opener, with the Liberator crew making a raid on a Federation outpost. The dialogue between the characters is very in-keeping with the series. I could truly visualise every scene and almost convince myself I'd seen the story on TV.

In some respects it feels like a mash up of several B7 episodes (Duel, The Web, Breakdown and Bounty leap to mind), but it has the right vibe and it drew me in. The plot is good and there is plenty of action. In short, it's a page turner.

But the book isn't perfect. About a third of the way in, and (in my opinion) the tone starts to feel wrong. There was no swearing in the TV series, and for me, the bad language in this book is unnecessary and jarring. Also, the casual violence, while not being gory or excessive, just didn't feel very Blake's 7.

The quality of the writing suffers the longer the book goes on. Part of the problem is that the writers try and cover the point of view of pretty much every character in the novel. That stretches the story too thinly, and the result is that some of the character motivations are over-egged in order to make up for the lack of room to do justice to everybody.

A lot of characters snarl and spit their dialogue, when perhaps a simple 'he said' would suffice, if there was more depth to each scene.

I would have preferred to see a story that explored the differences between Blake's revolutionary ideals and that of his counterpart, Lant, in a more subtle and satisfying way. The idea of these two character going head to head is a really good one and it never really got explored on screen. The writers could have made more of it.

It's not an easy thing to do of course, and I can see why the writers went for a broader approach in terms of style and scope. And it was good fun. But if you're pitching a book at the price range that it is in (my copy cost me £7.49), then you need to deliver quality, and that includes a more thorough grammar and typo check.

I'll definitely be buying the next one in the series, which (I think) is written by Paul Darrow! Can't wait.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear ole B7, they've threatened to resurrect it for decades now and all they ever managed were some audio plays in the 90's with the original cast and some ghastly novellas written by Tony Attwood (whoever he is).

Since then we've had an all noo dog audio plays with new actors (which I've not heard) and..........these. Dr Who moved well into the printed word and it would appear so have B7.

This book could easily (as already noted by some readers)have been a missing episode, such is the accurate characterisations by this writer. If the guy isn't a B7 fan, then he's certainly done his homework.

Even sticking Gan away in the sick bay for virtually the entire story was a staple of the over manned first/second series, until they bumped him off all together. Poor old Gan always got shit lines in the TV series and doesn't disappoint here.

Ah yes you can almost see Blake in his poofty Robin Hood outfit and Avon in his levvers. Vila dressed as a scab and the ladies wearing something floaty knows what. Shame ORAC doesn't feature in this story (it was too early) but Zen puts in an appearance.

All in all, hugely enjoyable for the fan, mainly, following canon very closely. The only crab I have is that it's bloody expensive to buy. This kindle version cost over 7 quid and boy it was far too short. But at least it's brevity kept out the tedious moral dilemas Blake used to suffer from in the old series.

Worth getting the others ? Yeah, course.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have not seen an episode of Blake's 7 in at least twenty years. I remmebr it as being a slightly higher budgeted and more adult version of Doctor Who (and a quick search of IMDB shows they shared a lot of writers and directors.)

This book synches well with my memories of the show with the characters rtanging from the cynical Avon to the cowardly Vila well characterised. The authors clearly had a major issue trying to work out what to do with all of the regulars from the television show so one spends 60% of the book unconscious and others spend the mid-section of the book on a spaceship away from the main action. This is indicative of clumsy polotting and a certain laziness on the part of the authors who should have rethought their plot.

Sadly, it is that plot that brings the novel down. It is wafer thin and could be summarised in a few sentenances (spoilers avoided at this stage)and takes place in two or three limited settings. In fac tthis novel could have been filmed for Blake's 7 in the 1970s without any need for an increased budget or elaborate sets and special effects. The lack of ambition is almost deliberately stifling.

The prose is very flat as well with little dynamism or flair. This seems like a failed opportunity and it could so easily have been much better.

[William Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first of a series of NEW Blakes Seven adventures. All original tales set during the
TV Series years (will anybody tackle Post Series? - I somehow doubt it. but anyway).

As the first novel goes, this one is damned good actually. The writers know the shown and write the characters like they were, from Avon's coldness to Villas skittishness, etc. Tone for tone on target. This story takes place during the first season, so the entire crew is there (and to be fair GAN and JENNA don't get a whole hell of allot to do) and theres still some tension amongst the rebels, but they are learning to work with and trust each other.

Getting caught in a trap set by Space Commander Travis, the damaged Liberator ducks into a section of space marked as Do Not Enter by The Federation, and things go from there.

All in all it was a good read, well worth the 8 bucks I spent on KOBO for the E-Book version. If your a fan of the TV series (and the Hoyle novelizations, and the Atwood books, or even the Paul Darrow book about Avon (Avon: That Terrible Aspect)) I think you'll enjoy it.

Hopefully future books will take place during the final season, I'd love to see more
back-story for Tarrent, Soolin and Dayna. And since Avon is my favorite character seeing him in the lead would be cool.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so my Goodreads friends are raving about "All the light we cannot see" and I just read a Blake's Seven book. What can I tell you!

A light read and a nostalgic one, it was written as an indulgence for (and to make some money from) the childhood fans of the 78-81 BBC TV series. It is probably lucky to be a 3 star book standalone (a number of clanging clichés), but for me it gets 4 stars as it captures pleasingly well the feel of the early episodes of the series (it seems to have been set somewhere in the second half of the first series). I also liked the way some of my favorite characters (Avon, Cally, Servalan, Vila) are dealt with and the way the authors adds the scent of tension between Avon and Blake - a key emerging theme of the series. Nice job!

Vale Gareth Thomas who played the title role, Roj Blake, and who passed away on April 16th 2016.

[D.J. Kettlety · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me the sign of a good TV tie-in starts with the voices of the main characters. If I can hear the original performer’s voices in my head as I read then the book goes a long way to achieving the intention of expanding that world. If they sound right and behave correctly then you can escape into the adventure. Not only could I hear the original cast as I read the dialogue in ‘The Forgotten’ the characters were as I remembered them , to the extent that even the prose, when presenting a character’s point of view , was performed in the voice of the original actor as well. The adventure captured me and would not have been out of place in the first series of the TV adventures. A great first book to this series.

[Barry Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the first book in the new Big Finish series of Blake's 7 original novels this wasn't a bad start. The story was fast paced and all the characters (except may be Jenna) were used to their full potential. A few discrepancies with lore but I'm not going to complain when it's just good to see B7 back in print!!

[Craig Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant Blake's 7 book. It felt like a two parter from the original show. No written effect or description was out of place. The only thing that didn't feel quite right was the visible description of bullet wounds as the show would have looked away but this is necessary in prose. Can't wait for the next one (but I'll have to, it's not out till November)...

[Robert H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book really took me back to the first season of Blakes 7 - something I haven't watched in many years. All of the original crew were present, and were still working out their relationships with each other, but that also made for an enjoyable story.

The pacing was faster in some parts than in others, but overall this could easily have made an episode for the show.

[Caseyazalea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really does feel like a first series episode, only with better scenes for Vila, which makes me love it more than I might have otherwise. The doomsday-weapon plot device seems a bit improbable, and Travis' role in the plot seemed rather un-Travis-like, but the dialogue and the idealogical questions raised are pure Blake's 7.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Another one that I could visualize quite well as an episode. I did like the little bits of how Gan and Travis were affected by the nebula. It's too bad Travis' mutoids didn't make it into the nebula, it would have been interesting to see how they would have fared.

[Dave Lefevre · Rating 4 out of 5]

As long as you judge this book for what it is, a TV show tie-in that's the story of an untelevised story, it's pretty good. It's for Blakes 7 fans that would like another story.

[Duffy Laudick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it, but may not have been as good as this 1st one I read.

[Bob Furnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was an very good B7 story and a great story to start the line of novels. Maybe not the best story in the world, but not the worst either.