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Many legends surround the aftermath of the collapse of The Federation, including the fate of Kerr Avon...
What happened to Avon after the death of Blake and the crew of the Scorpio? Paul Darrow's vivid re-imagining picks up Avon’s story at the final moments of the final episode of Blake's 7 and follows him on his fight for survival, this time with no crew and no ship to help him.
The adventure continues years later as Avon, now an old man, finds himself a key player in the game of power politics being played out on a grand scale by The Quartet - four ruthless leaders in an uneasy alliance, who govern the world in place of the Federation. Old enemies resurface and dangerous new ones appear as the time comes for old scores to finally be settled...
What happened to Avon after the death of Blake and the crew of the Scorpio? Paul Darrow's vivid re-imagining picks up Avon’s story at the final moments of the final episode of Blake's 7 and follows him on his fight for survival, this time with no crew and no ship to help him.
The adventure continues years later as Avon, now an old man, finds himself a key player in the game of power politics being played out on a grand scale by The Quartet - four ruthless leaders in an uneasy alliance, who govern the world in place of the Federation. Old enemies resurface and dangerous new ones appear as the time comes for old scores to finally be settled...
- GenresScience Fiction
224 pages, ebook
First published May 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 16, 2013
A Grand Read.
As I launched into this book, I was immediately struck by the grandiosity of the writing. It begins with an index of "Dramatis Personae" - an unusual thing to have in a novel - but a clear indication of the author's top priority - the characters in this drama. And drama indeed it is. The long, complicated list of characters is clearly laid out in a structured hierarchy, noting their relationships to each other. (And I found myself bookmarking this Dramatis Personae and returning to it, again and again, while reading the book, to remind myself who was who!)
Even before we get to the Prologue, on one of those blank pages leading up to the beginning of the novel, we are given a quote by Shakespeare: "Let us to't pell-mell, If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell!" A fitting quote to preface a Shakespearean-esque drama with themes of back-stabbing, tyranny and ambition.
The Prologue reads almost biblically, or like the opening of an ancient Greek legend, with language that is hyperbolic, old fashioned and dramatic. What follows is a drama in three parts (or "acts") with sparkling dialogue, and vivid, film-like descriptions. It's easy to imagine this being adapted for stage or screen.
Written by actor, Paul Darrow, we can easily imagine him speaking aloud (and enjoying) the narrative, with his deep, Shakespearean, RADA-trained voice. I was gripped by the final sentence of the Prologue - "Thus it was, as it has always been, that the apathy of the many suckled the tyranny of the few." An insightful statement that could be used as a quote for future novels!
The first chapter opens by zeroing in on one of the most important characters - Gabriella (and, with a satisfying sense of balance, the last chapter ends with her as well, if you don't count the epilogue). An angelic name, and indeed an angelic appearance (according the author's descriptions) - beauty, charm, youth, femininity and delicacy. The perfect exterior for arguably the most evil of all the characters - Is she the "Lucifer" (the proverbial "Fallen Angel") of the book's title? Or is it Avon? Or Servalan? I remember one of my recent conversations with Paul Darrow, in which he revealed that this is the main reason for the title: - He wants his readers to ask themselves: Who is the true Lucifer?
And, as you read further into the book, you being to wonder: - who is really the supreme power here? Who is most in control? And who is the most evil? For there are many contenders... Servalan of course - (Blakes 7 fans will be waiting with anticipation to see her appear on the scene, which she does with no less glamour and flourish than we might expect). Then there's what appears to be the new "Servalan" of the new generation: - Gabriella. (My money's on her). But then there's also Doctor Pandora Ess and March Dreyfus, two more supremely powerful, ambitious, cold-hearted, calculating women (notice a trend here?)...
Men competing for the title are: Avon, of course. You want to find him lovable and redeemable, but you suspect that he is just as evil, power-hungry and unfeeling as Servalan; perhaps more so. Then there is General Steiner, Major Cannon, Furneax, Li Lim, Li Kang, Fu Ti... And then, towards the end - we discover another woman leader who appears to be even more powerful and in control than all the others: - Commander Kwai... It's like discovering a nest of Russian dolls - in reverse - there is always one more layer above - one bigger doll, swallowing all the others...
An interesting character is Magda - Avon's "lover": - a woman warrior of skill, stealth and power too - but in a different way to the women in the government arenas - she is an Amazonian warrior - on the ground and in the woods. She ultimately ends up playing a pivotal role in the drama, in one of the book's final twists.
One slight niggle I had with the language, (as a literature scholar), is the frequent use and repetition of cliché phrases, such as "discretion is the better part of valour". But, knowing and respecting the author, as I do, these things are easily forgiven.
What connected me most to the book was the insight into the character of Avon that Darrow brings. Having played Avon for all those years on set of Blakes 7 and having written about the life-changing experience of it in his memoir "You're him aren't you?", it is fascinating to see how Paul Darrow envisages Avon now, imagining him 30 years on, having narrowly escaped death and survived - not entirely alone - on a tiny planet in the middle of nowhere.
Avon appears as always slick, cool, clever, cunning, amazingly athletic for his age, and of course, unswervingly ruthless, but always with that boyish charm that we Blakes 7 fans loved so much: - He has practically become a super-hero (or anti-hero?). But, I found myself asking, is Avon human? Does he love Magda? There are moments of tenderness and compassion between her and Avon that tease us. Does he even care for her, or anyone? Does he actually have a fondness for Servalan? Or does he ultimately love only himself, his computer Orac, and his power? Does that really matter?
But - is Avon infallible? He certainly has escaped death more often than most super-heroes. As an aging actor and author, Paul Darrow must find this persona a satisfying one to create and emulate. All Avon really needs now is the elixir of eternal life and he's unstoppable. But would he want to live forever? I suspect he'd end up getting bored. Above all, (not unlike the author of this book), Avon always seeks a challenge, a battle, a drama... And I like to think, underneath his cool exterior, he does have a heart... Maybe one that was broken and perhaps buried a long time ago, but nevertheless, one that sends us tiny glimpses now and then.... Above all - the show must go on - the drama must continue... And since this is apparently the first of a trilogy, I look forward to the subsequent books in this saga...
As I launched into this book, I was immediately struck by the grandiosity of the writing. It begins with an index of "Dramatis Personae" - an unusual thing to have in a novel - but a clear indication of the author's top priority - the characters in this drama. And drama indeed it is. The long, complicated list of characters is clearly laid out in a structured hierarchy, noting their relationships to each other. (And I found myself bookmarking this Dramatis Personae and returning to it, again and again, while reading the book, to remind myself who was who!)
Even before we get to the Prologue, on one of those blank pages leading up to the beginning of the novel, we are given a quote by Shakespeare: "Let us to't pell-mell, If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell!" A fitting quote to preface a Shakespearean-esque drama with themes of back-stabbing, tyranny and ambition.
The Prologue reads almost biblically, or like the opening of an ancient Greek legend, with language that is hyperbolic, old fashioned and dramatic. What follows is a drama in three parts (or "acts") with sparkling dialogue, and vivid, film-like descriptions. It's easy to imagine this being adapted for stage or screen.
Written by actor, Paul Darrow, we can easily imagine him speaking aloud (and enjoying) the narrative, with his deep, Shakespearean, RADA-trained voice. I was gripped by the final sentence of the Prologue - "Thus it was, as it has always been, that the apathy of the many suckled the tyranny of the few." An insightful statement that could be used as a quote for future novels!
The first chapter opens by zeroing in on one of the most important characters - Gabriella (and, with a satisfying sense of balance, the last chapter ends with her as well, if you don't count the epilogue). An angelic name, and indeed an angelic appearance (according the author's descriptions) - beauty, charm, youth, femininity and delicacy. The perfect exterior for arguably the most evil of all the characters - Is she the "Lucifer" (the proverbial "Fallen Angel") of the book's title? Or is it Avon? Or Servalan? I remember one of my recent conversations with Paul Darrow, in which he revealed that this is the main reason for the title: - He wants his readers to ask themselves: Who is the true Lucifer?
And, as you read further into the book, you being to wonder: - who is really the supreme power here? Who is most in control? And who is the most evil? For there are many contenders... Servalan of course - (Blakes 7 fans will be waiting with anticipation to see her appear on the scene, which she does with no less glamour and flourish than we might expect). Then there's what appears to be the new "Servalan" of the new generation: - Gabriella. (My money's on her). But then there's also Doctor Pandora Ess and March Dreyfus, two more supremely powerful, ambitious, cold-hearted, calculating women (notice a trend here?)...
Men competing for the title are: Avon, of course. You want to find him lovable and redeemable, but you suspect that he is just as evil, power-hungry and unfeeling as Servalan; perhaps more so. Then there is General Steiner, Major Cannon, Furneax, Li Lim, Li Kang, Fu Ti... And then, towards the end - we discover another woman leader who appears to be even more powerful and in control than all the others: - Commander Kwai... It's like discovering a nest of Russian dolls - in reverse - there is always one more layer above - one bigger doll, swallowing all the others...
An interesting character is Magda - Avon's "lover": - a woman warrior of skill, stealth and power too - but in a different way to the women in the government arenas - she is an Amazonian warrior - on the ground and in the woods. She ultimately ends up playing a pivotal role in the drama, in one of the book's final twists.
One slight niggle I had with the language, (as a literature scholar), is the frequent use and repetition of cliché phrases, such as "discretion is the better part of valour". But, knowing and respecting the author, as I do, these things are easily forgiven.
What connected me most to the book was the insight into the character of Avon that Darrow brings. Having played Avon for all those years on set of Blakes 7 and having written about the life-changing experience of it in his memoir "You're him aren't you?", it is fascinating to see how Paul Darrow envisages Avon now, imagining him 30 years on, having narrowly escaped death and survived - not entirely alone - on a tiny planet in the middle of nowhere.
Avon appears as always slick, cool, clever, cunning, amazingly athletic for his age, and of course, unswervingly ruthless, but always with that boyish charm that we Blakes 7 fans loved so much: - He has practically become a super-hero (or anti-hero?). But, I found myself asking, is Avon human? Does he love Magda? There are moments of tenderness and compassion between her and Avon that tease us. Does he even care for her, or anyone? Does he actually have a fondness for Servalan? Or does he ultimately love only himself, his computer Orac, and his power? Does that really matter?
But - is Avon infallible? He certainly has escaped death more often than most super-heroes. As an aging actor and author, Paul Darrow must find this persona a satisfying one to create and emulate. All Avon really needs now is the elixir of eternal life and he's unstoppable. But would he want to live forever? I suspect he'd end up getting bored. Above all, (not unlike the author of this book), Avon always seeks a challenge, a battle, a drama... And I like to think, underneath his cool exterior, he does have a heart... Maybe one that was broken and perhaps buried a long time ago, but nevertheless, one that sends us tiny glimpses now and then.... Above all - the show must go on - the drama must continue... And since this is apparently the first of a trilogy, I look forward to the subsequent books in this saga...
January 20, 2015
Well now, it's always interesting reading a book written by someone you know. But when that book is essentially Avon getting to write his own fan fiction Blakes 7 continuation, with characters based on other people you know, the result is delightful. Even if some bloke called Ray Dawn seems to have scribbled all over my copy.
Paul's novel (the first in a planned loose trilogy) is set twenty years after the events of Blake (the final episode of Blakes 7), but it also picks up the immediate aftermath of the events on Gauda Prime in order to explain Avon's escape from that iconic series ending. The story deals with Avon's quest to be reunited with the one true love of his life - the super-computer ORAC - in a post-Federation world of backstabbing politics and a casual disregard for the lives of both footsoldiers and rivals.
The novel's charm lies in its interesting insights into how Paul sees a character he helped to create half his life ago. There are clear intimations of mortality throughout (not surprising given the dedication to Paul's late wife) and the post Gauda Prime sections reflect the extreme stress Paul has always said he tried to convey in his series D performance. So although Avon always prevails, this is no Mary Sue portrayal.
Most of all, the book is written with an actor's eye. So the dialogue sparkles in places, there are some fabulous entrances and I'm sure Paul had his narration of the audiobook version in mind when he was writing it.
But I'm not sure I'll be able to forgive him for that ending.
Paul's novel (the first in a planned loose trilogy) is set twenty years after the events of Blake (the final episode of Blakes 7), but it also picks up the immediate aftermath of the events on Gauda Prime in order to explain Avon's escape from that iconic series ending. The story deals with Avon's quest to be reunited with the one true love of his life - the super-computer ORAC - in a post-Federation world of backstabbing politics and a casual disregard for the lives of both footsoldiers and rivals.
The novel's charm lies in its interesting insights into how Paul sees a character he helped to create half his life ago. There are clear intimations of mortality throughout (not surprising given the dedication to Paul's late wife) and the post Gauda Prime sections reflect the extreme stress Paul has always said he tried to convey in his series D performance. So although Avon always prevails, this is no Mary Sue portrayal.
Most of all, the book is written with an actor's eye. So the dialogue sparkles in places, there are some fabulous entrances and I'm sure Paul had his narration of the audiobook version in mind when he was writing it.
But I'm not sure I'll be able to forgive him for that ending.
April 1, 2019
First, this book is based on the BBC TV show Blake's 7. Anyone who isn't a devoted Blake's 7 fan will have no interest in it.
Second, the author is an actor by trade, not a writer, and it shows. This book is loaded with passages that will make any reader want to jam a fork into his eyes. To be fair, Blake's 7 was also loaded with cringe-worthy moments. In that light, this book is a worthy sequel.
Keep your expectations low.
Second, the author is an actor by trade, not a writer, and it shows. This book is loaded with passages that will make any reader want to jam a fork into his eyes. To be fair, Blake's 7 was also loaded with cringe-worthy moments. In that light, this book is a worthy sequel.
Keep your expectations low.
December 19, 2013
Amazing! Paul Darrow writes about what happened to Avon immediately after the final scene of the last episode. Loved it. It read just like a classic episode.
June 8, 2014
This book is a horrible waste of time for any Blake's 7 fan. The entire book is written in a universe foreign to the television series, Blake's 7. If you want trite, over-used lines like "Well, now", lines that the author used a dozen times in a couple hundred pages, then by all means, go ahead and read it.
The science is horrible and laughable at times with the 'winds' of space guiding his craft into and out of planet ambits. The writing is poor and there seems to be no emotion or color to the novel. I often had to read a sentence twice before I could figure out who was speaking, a mark of bad writing. I only wish it could have been better, and perhaps it could have if the author would have watched the entire series first to get a handle on the Federated universe. But no- that obviously didn't happen. A good editor would have benefited the book, too.
There seems to be no similarity to the novel and the original series at all. A whole different universe and not one familiar to any fan of Blake's 7 at all.
I only wish this was something on the lines of what Terry Nation and Chris Boucher, creator and head writer had in mind for Blake's 7 and the character of Avon.
No more, please.
The science is horrible and laughable at times with the 'winds' of space guiding his craft into and out of planet ambits. The writing is poor and there seems to be no emotion or color to the novel. I often had to read a sentence twice before I could figure out who was speaking, a mark of bad writing. I only wish it could have been better, and perhaps it could have if the author would have watched the entire series first to get a handle on the Federated universe. But no- that obviously didn't happen. A good editor would have benefited the book, too.
There seems to be no similarity to the novel and the original series at all. A whole different universe and not one familiar to any fan of Blake's 7 at all.
I only wish this was something on the lines of what Terry Nation and Chris Boucher, creator and head writer had in mind for Blake's 7 and the character of Avon.
No more, please.
February 14, 2023
Paul Darrow’s arch, stylised performance as Avon remains one of the gems of British television: amid the BBC’s usual valiant attempts to stage SF spectacle beyond their means it anchored the show. Unfortunately he was really no great writer: I wondered if the memories of Avon: A Terrible Aspect were unkind having only read it pleasantly hungover one Sunday morning decades ago but if anything they were too kind. The dialogue is largely leaden and functional (take a drink every time some says ‘well,now!’ and your liver will give out a quarter of the way through), often feeling out of character, and the story essentially rebuilds Avon into an amoral Superman, master of computers, spaceships, escape routes and all weapons. Oh, and for good means his former colleagues, Blake aside, don’t even merit a namecheck. It all means there’s little drama, and it merely pays homage to the shape of Blake’s 7 stories before the brutal ending which is likely to be displeasing to the book’s audience. But it does effectively and brutally wrench the ongoing narrative Blake’s 7 into Darrow’s design.
July 31, 2019
( Format : Audiobook )
"The spider will be waiting."
A revisiting of the wonderfully nostalgic days of Terry Nation's S.F. series, Blakes's 7, following the tribulations of Blake, an idealistic reformer, and his crew of escaped convicts as they confronted the Federation, and the stunningly charismatic leader, Servalan and her evil henchmen. The series ended with the shocking and totally unexpected ambush and deaths of all of Blake's 7 - with just the possible exception of Avon, the wily and very devious computer expert. This book continues the story from some two decades after the Blake's 7 slaughter, with a new power struggle for control of what had been the Federation, and Avon stranded on a less than technical small planet just hiding his time to escape and recover ORAC.
Written by Paul Darrow who was Avon in the T.V. series, in the full grandiose and, even then, rather archaic speech of the original, the book captures the spirit of Blake's 7 perfectly. There is action, plotting, backstabbing - and, of course, the glorious Servalan, no longer President but no less feared and dangerous. For a one time Blake's 7 fan, this is pure nostalgic pleasure. Who cares if it doesn't quite make sense? Neither did the original. And Darrow's distinctive voice, warm but devious, in all of it's Avon glory, puts a final finish to this excellent audio.
Please note, this review is totally subjective. The original series was iconic over forty years ago and still remembered with great affection by this reader; and favourite of the characters were Servalan and Avon, both untrustworthy schemers who only had one side - their own. How good it is to meet them both again in a story written and narrated by the voice of Avon, the late Paul Darrow.
"The spider will be waiting."
A revisiting of the wonderfully nostalgic days of Terry Nation's S.F. series, Blakes's 7, following the tribulations of Blake, an idealistic reformer, and his crew of escaped convicts as they confronted the Federation, and the stunningly charismatic leader, Servalan and her evil henchmen. The series ended with the shocking and totally unexpected ambush and deaths of all of Blake's 7 - with just the possible exception of Avon, the wily and very devious computer expert. This book continues the story from some two decades after the Blake's 7 slaughter, with a new power struggle for control of what had been the Federation, and Avon stranded on a less than technical small planet just hiding his time to escape and recover ORAC.
Written by Paul Darrow who was Avon in the T.V. series, in the full grandiose and, even then, rather archaic speech of the original, the book captures the spirit of Blake's 7 perfectly. There is action, plotting, backstabbing - and, of course, the glorious Servalan, no longer President but no less feared and dangerous. For a one time Blake's 7 fan, this is pure nostalgic pleasure. Who cares if it doesn't quite make sense? Neither did the original. And Darrow's distinctive voice, warm but devious, in all of it's Avon glory, puts a final finish to this excellent audio.
Please note, this review is totally subjective. The original series was iconic over forty years ago and still remembered with great affection by this reader; and favourite of the characters were Servalan and Avon, both untrustworthy schemers who only had one side - their own. How good it is to meet them both again in a story written and narrated by the voice of Avon, the late Paul Darrow.
December 27, 2022
(I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author)
As a kid, I discovered Blake's 7 because of an article in Starlog Magazine. Found it on PBS and loved the show. The effects were pretty rough and some of the stories were corny, but the strength of the show was its characters. And no character left an impact on me more than Kerr Avon, the anti-hero who wound up being the main star halfway through the show's run.
It was wonderful listening to Paul Darrow, who played Avon, narrate his novel. The book can be considered a sequel to the series, as it covers what happens in the aftermath of the show's bleak finale. It felt like reconnecting with an old friend. The book has a lot of the grimness of the series, including endless machinations and backstabbing by the Federation and those who came after.
And of course Avon is still the cool, cunning customer he always was. In the hands of the man who superbly played him on Blake's 7, it all felt right and satisfying. I'll avoid spoilers, but will just say that the story is engaging and held my interest the whole time. The new characters introduced by and large are interesting, as is a familiar foe from the original show.
If you loved Blake's 7 and in particular Kerr Avon, this is a sure-fire read you won't be disappointed in.
As a kid, I discovered Blake's 7 because of an article in Starlog Magazine. Found it on PBS and loved the show. The effects were pretty rough and some of the stories were corny, but the strength of the show was its characters. And no character left an impact on me more than Kerr Avon, the anti-hero who wound up being the main star halfway through the show's run.
It was wonderful listening to Paul Darrow, who played Avon, narrate his novel. The book can be considered a sequel to the series, as it covers what happens in the aftermath of the show's bleak finale. It felt like reconnecting with an old friend. The book has a lot of the grimness of the series, including endless machinations and backstabbing by the Federation and those who came after.
And of course Avon is still the cool, cunning customer he always was. In the hands of the man who superbly played him on Blake's 7, it all felt right and satisfying. I'll avoid spoilers, but will just say that the story is engaging and held my interest the whole time. The new characters introduced by and large are interesting, as is a familiar foe from the original show.
If you loved Blake's 7 and in particular Kerr Avon, this is a sure-fire read you won't be disappointed in.
June 13, 2019
Well written. RIP Paul!
June 14, 2019
Great read
Darrow opens up another great chapter to the original story. As someone who played the part of Avon in the original series, he captures the character brilliantly
Darrow opens up another great chapter to the original story. As someone who played the part of Avon in the original series, he captures the character brilliantly
January 23, 2021
Avon aurvived the killing of his friends and the federation. Now he has to deal with the quartet. All after orak still and one is somebody he knows.
January 4, 2023
More double edged serrated blade knives from the author 'Avon a Terrible Aspect'. Luckily his interpretation on screen was 100% better! I love him so much.
February 22, 2025
Did Avon get away from the final episode of Blake's 7 ??? Find out
January 30, 2022
The ending of the TV series stands as one of the greatest cliffhangers of all time and it's nice to see that there has been a semi-official resolution of it.
Darrow clearly knew the character well and his distinct voice resonates throughout the book. The setting is intriguing and the action generally very good, although I am less than entirely convinced with the Earth-based politics. The resolution to the "Blake" cliffhanger just about makes sense - you do have to reconcile it with what is depicted on screen.
In any event, worth checking out - Big Finish rarely if ever muck up and they haven't here.
Darrow clearly knew the character well and his distinct voice resonates throughout the book. The setting is intriguing and the action generally very good, although I am less than entirely convinced with the Earth-based politics. The resolution to the "Blake" cliffhanger just about makes sense - you do have to reconcile it with what is depicted on screen.
In any event, worth checking out - Big Finish rarely if ever muck up and they haven't here.
July 16, 2024
With "Lucifer" we seem to be ignoring the original official follow-up novel to Blake's 7, "Aftermath" by Tony Attwood. And that's probably for the best, to be frank. Afterlife was a bit of a damp squib, even if it did feature Vila (whose character was actually very well presented by Mr. Attwood).
In that novel, Servalan came to a rather ignominious end, so I was pleased to find her in this novel alive and well, 20 years later.
The science in "Lucifer" is pretty spurious, but if you can ignore that, there's a lot to enjoy here. Political plotting and counterplotting, Servalan being Servalan, and Avon being Avon.
... I do miss Vila though.
In that novel, Servalan came to a rather ignominious end, so I was pleased to find her in this novel alive and well, 20 years later.
The science in "Lucifer" is pretty spurious, but if you can ignore that, there's a lot to enjoy here. Political plotting and counterplotting, Servalan being Servalan, and Avon being Avon.
... I do miss Vila though.
November 5, 2016
Parts of this book are great fun. However, it is best to completely suspend your knowledge of science as this could be very distracting from Paul's story.
AS far as the original series is concerned, knowing the names of the characters and their relationship to each other - ie Avon v Servalan, but the rest of the characters are not included except for a brief acknowledgement in the beginning.
The book could really have benefited from a good editor - some phrases are a bit over used.
But i really enjoyed it on the whole - both reading the print book and listening to the audiobook, as well as having it on my tablet.
Listening to Paul read this does really enhance the experience - as he adds a bit of life to the characters as they speak.
The paper book allows going back to interesting parts that you may want to reread at times.
AS far as the original series is concerned, knowing the names of the characters and their relationship to each other - ie Avon v Servalan, but the rest of the characters are not included except for a brief acknowledgement in the beginning.
The book could really have benefited from a good editor - some phrases are a bit over used.
But i really enjoyed it on the whole - both reading the print book and listening to the audiobook, as well as having it on my tablet.
Listening to Paul read this does really enhance the experience - as he adds a bit of life to the characters as they speak.
The paper book allows going back to interesting parts that you may want to reread at times.
June 20, 2015
Thank God for Big Finish! They continuously breathe new life into franchises long thought dead and abandoned. In this case the classic 1970's science fiction serial Blakes 7. A lot of fans were left hanging after the shock ending of the show which had Blake and the majority of the cast being killed. Avon's fate though was left ambiguous, and this novel written by Avon actor Paul Darrow finally tells us what happened next. The author gives us a dramatis personae at the beginning, which comes in handy for keeping track of who's who as you go along. The only thing to be mindful of while reading is some of the scientific inaccuracies (island planet anyone) but this is a minor quibble. I've heard this is the start of a trilogy so I look forward to future installments.
February 7, 2017
Avon was my favorite character in the television series. ( Yes, I realize that is disturbing.) This novel is set some years after the end of the series. Avon has collected a touch of conscience, interestingly enough. I find that I really miss Vila. Like the series, there are numerous plots, counterplots, and betrayals.
February 9, 2014
I was bought this as a present by a friend who also got me hooked on the Blake's 7 TV show. He got me a signed copy! Who better, living, to continue the story than Paul Darrow?
Avon wasn't my favourite character in the series but I have to admit he was the most intriguing. That final scene immortalised him in sc-fi folklore. It was so badass to go out that way! I always fancied that he'd managed to fire his way out of there somehow...but Darrow's take on it is somewhat different. He makes us wait until the second third of the story to even find out!
I'm not really sure how canonical this can be considered to be but I loved it.
Bring on the sequel.
Avon wasn't my favourite character in the series but I have to admit he was the most intriguing. That final scene immortalised him in sc-fi folklore. It was so badass to go out that way! I always fancied that he'd managed to fire his way out of there somehow...but Darrow's take on it is somewhat different. He makes us wait until the second third of the story to even find out!
I'm not really sure how canonical this can be considered to be but I loved it.
Bring on the sequel.
August 16, 2015
This is really mostly for us ageing Blake's 7 fans. The book starts with the story of Avon and his current location. Throughout the novel (which is about the right length and easy to read) the story explains a little about the Quartet which rules after the fall of Servelan and the federation. We find out how Avon escaped death (I've waited 30 years to know how this happened!) and what he is up to now. The character of Kerr Avon is in keeping with the tv series and the writing (which is surprisingly good for Paul Darrow) is also in keeping with the series.
Perhaps only for hardcore fans of the TV series but a good complement for my growing collection of audioplays etc from Big Finish.
Perhaps only for hardcore fans of the TV series but a good complement for my growing collection of audioplays etc from Big Finish.
October 12, 2013
I don't mean to be harsh but it was all a bit messy. Either things happen too fast or get strung out. It is a quick read since most of the text tended towards dialogue. Darrow loves this character though and because of it he does turn him into something of a superhero. Not the best Blake's 7 book out there but still one of a few! BBB7
April 20, 2014
Post-Gauda Prime Avon solo story. It's okay once you get past the massive ten page infodump at the beginning (none of which you need to know anyway), but is is written in the 1970s style of fiction writing so if you're more used to modern conventions it'll be a bit jarring. It also contradicts the events in the other official post-GP book Afterlife.
December 20, 2014
No one knows Avon better than Paul, and I enjoyed the more complex character he created here on the printed page. I could hear his sardonic voice in the dialog. Some bits didn't work too well, the aircraft and sniping shotguns didn't sit well in the B7 universe I grew up with, but these are small gripes. Overall, a nice romp with one of the best characters from 70s sic fi.
June 14, 2013
Avon starts a new set of adventures...
This novel is a lot more polished and than his first Avon novel, "A Terrible Aspect" of so many years ago. I am looking forward to more Avon adventures. He does seem to have a love and an understanding of his old character.
This novel is a lot more polished and than his first Avon novel, "A Terrible Aspect" of so many years ago. I am looking forward to more Avon adventures. He does seem to have a love and an understanding of his old character.
January 8, 2014
Excellent. Captures the soul of Avon perfectly and ties up loose ends from Blake's 7.
February 8, 2016
The story is interesting, don't get me wrong. The issue is, I think Paul Darrow could really have used a better editor, especially in the first 2/3rds of the book.
July 9, 2018
Reading this was like watching the old series. There was plots, double crosses, beautiful evil women, fire fights, space ships and through it all, Avon being a cold, hard bastard. I really liked the book and now want to watch the series again.
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