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The Turing Test
An adventure taken from Blake's 7 - The Liberator Chronicles #1 as part of the 2014 12 Days of Big Finish-Mas:
The Turing Test by Simon Guerrier
Starring Paul Darrow as Avon and Michael Keating as Vila
Avon and Vila go undercover at a top secret research establishment.
The Turing Test by Simon Guerrier
Starring Paul Darrow as Avon and Michael Keating as Vila
Avon and Vila go undercover at a top secret research establishment.
- GenresScience Fiction
MP3 CD
First published December 23, 2011
4 people want to read
About the author
Simon Guerrier
168 books61 followersSimon Guerrier is a British science fiction author and dramatist, closely associated with the fictional universe of Doctor Who and its spinoffs. Although he has written three Doctor Who novels, for the BBC Books range, his work has mostly been for Big Finish Productions' audio drama and book ranges.
Guerrier's earliest published fiction appeared in Zodiac, the first of Big Finish's Short Trips range of Doctor Who short story anthologies. To date, his work has appeared in the majority of the Short Trips collections. He has also edited three volumes in the series, The History of Christmas, Time Signature and How The Doctor Changed My Life. The second of these takes as its starting-point Guerrier's short story An Overture Too Early in The Muses. The third anthology featured stories entirely by previously unpublished writers.
After contributing two stories to the anthology Life During Wartime in Big Finish's Bernice Summerfield range of books and audio dramas, Guerrier was invited to edit the subsequent year's short story collection, A Life Worth Living, and the novella collection Parallel Lives. After contributing two audio dramas to the series, Guerrier became the producer of the Bernice Summerfield range of plays and books, a post he held between January 2006 and June 2007.
His other Doctor Who work includes the audio dramas, The Settling and The Judgement of Isskar, in Big Finish's Doctor Who audio range, three Companion Chronicles and a contribution to the UNIT spinoff series. He has also written a play in Big Finish's Sapphire and Steel range.
Guerrier's work is characterised by character-driven humour and by an interest in unifying the continuity of the various Big Finish ranges through multiple references and reappearances of characters. As editor he has been a strong promoter of the work of various script writers from the Seventh Doctor era of the Doctor Who television series
Guerrier's earliest published fiction appeared in Zodiac, the first of Big Finish's Short Trips range of Doctor Who short story anthologies. To date, his work has appeared in the majority of the Short Trips collections. He has also edited three volumes in the series, The History of Christmas, Time Signature and How The Doctor Changed My Life. The second of these takes as its starting-point Guerrier's short story An Overture Too Early in The Muses. The third anthology featured stories entirely by previously unpublished writers.
After contributing two stories to the anthology Life During Wartime in Big Finish's Bernice Summerfield range of books and audio dramas, Guerrier was invited to edit the subsequent year's short story collection, A Life Worth Living, and the novella collection Parallel Lives. After contributing two audio dramas to the series, Guerrier became the producer of the Bernice Summerfield range of plays and books, a post he held between January 2006 and June 2007.
His other Doctor Who work includes the audio dramas, The Settling and The Judgement of Isskar, in Big Finish's Doctor Who audio range, three Companion Chronicles and a contribution to the UNIT spinoff series. He has also written a play in Big Finish's Sapphire and Steel range.
Guerrier's work is characterised by character-driven humour and by an interest in unifying the continuity of the various Big Finish ranges through multiple references and reappearances of characters. As editor he has been a strong promoter of the work of various script writers from the Seventh Doctor era of the Doctor Who television series
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 16, 2019
In Blake's 7 Avon is referred to as a machine and prizes logic very highly indeed. This Story runs with that idea mixing in the Turing Test which asks whether a robot could fool someone into thinking it's a woman.
So Avon poses as an android and Vila his creator in order to infiltrate a bunch of scientists who are working on creating (basically Cylons) for the Federation. Here Avon encounters 14, a female android almost as human as he is machine, and he is moved to rescue her only the scientists have built in a fail safe that means she'll die if she leaves the complex.
Avon fans are not going to want to miss this one. Paul Darrow has a voice I could listen to forever and he is on top form as the main narrator here - Michael Keating is also great as Vila - although his role isn't as integral, this story really is all about Avon. Like 'Rumours of Death' this one is beautifully tragic and really deepens Avon's character.
Excellent story, superb narration, I really can't fault this one.
So Avon poses as an android and Vila his creator in order to infiltrate a bunch of scientists who are working on creating (basically Cylons) for the Federation. Here Avon encounters 14, a female android almost as human as he is machine, and he is moved to rescue her only the scientists have built in a fail safe that means she'll die if she leaves the complex.
Avon fans are not going to want to miss this one. Paul Darrow has a voice I could listen to forever and he is on top form as the main narrator here - Michael Keating is also great as Vila - although his role isn't as integral, this story really is all about Avon. Like 'Rumours of Death' this one is beautifully tragic and really deepens Avon's character.
Excellent story, superb narration, I really can't fault this one.
January 24, 2026
A Clever Concept That Doesn’t Fully Ignite
Rating: ★★★½☆ (3.5/5)
This audio drama plays with identity, logic, and trust in a way that feels perfectly suited to Blake’s 7. Simon Guerrier leans into the psychological tension rather than the spectacle, and the result is intimate, thoughtful, and occasionally unsettling.
The performances are strong, and the premise is genuinely intriguing, but the story sometimes feels like it’s circling itself rather than pushing forward. Still, for fans of the series — or anyone who enjoys a good “who can you trust?” puzzle — it’s a rewarding listen. Not essential, but definitely worthwhile.
Rating: ★★★½☆ (3.5/5)
This audio drama plays with identity, logic, and trust in a way that feels perfectly suited to Blake’s 7. Simon Guerrier leans into the psychological tension rather than the spectacle, and the result is intimate, thoughtful, and occasionally unsettling.
The performances are strong, and the premise is genuinely intriguing, but the story sometimes feels like it’s circling itself rather than pushing forward. Still, for fans of the series — or anyone who enjoys a good “who can you trust?” puzzle — it’s a rewarding listen. Not essential, but definitely worthwhile.
January 19, 2021
This is my first encounter with Blake's 7. Being a huge Doctor Who fan I've heard plenty about it, but as far as I know there are no region 1 DVDs of this series.
That being said, I really enjoyed this first tale of the Liberator Chronicles.
That being said, I really enjoyed this first tale of the Liberator Chronicles.
August 23, 2020
I liked this one. A good Blake's seven story.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews