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Blake's 7 - Books and Ebooks #8
Mediasphere
BRAND NEW STORIES OF THE CLASSIC TV SERIES!
“Look over there. Do you see Dayna in the shadows, instinctively pressed to the wall? Zoom in, study her: the hint of sweat, the tautness of her face, the tightness of her breath. That last moment when she can let the tension show, before she steps out and strikes. She thinks no one can see her yet.
It doesn’t really register until she stops singing, until she stops moving, until the audience erupts into noise. More people are going to see that than were living on the whole planet she grew up on.
And that’s when her knees try to buckle.”
Dayna is in the spotlight as the Liberator crew infiltrate the Mediasphere, a space station which produces the Federation’s propaganda and popular entertainment. But who is really controlling the Mediasphere – and scripting a series of deadly encounters for our heroes?
Jonathan Blum and Kate Orman are best known for their co-written Doctor Who novels, including Fallen Gods, which won the 2003 Aurealis Award for best Australian science fiction novel. They live in Sydney.
Mediasphere is set between the TV episodes Powerplay and Volcano.
“Look over there. Do you see Dayna in the shadows, instinctively pressed to the wall? Zoom in, study her: the hint of sweat, the tautness of her face, the tightness of her breath. That last moment when she can let the tension show, before she steps out and strikes. She thinks no one can see her yet.
It doesn’t really register until she stops singing, until she stops moving, until the audience erupts into noise. More people are going to see that than were living on the whole planet she grew up on.
And that’s when her knees try to buckle.”
Dayna is in the spotlight as the Liberator crew infiltrate the Mediasphere, a space station which produces the Federation’s propaganda and popular entertainment. But who is really controlling the Mediasphere – and scripting a series of deadly encounters for our heroes?
Jonathan Blum and Kate Orman are best known for their co-written Doctor Who novels, including Fallen Gods, which won the 2003 Aurealis Award for best Australian science fiction novel. They live in Sydney.
Mediasphere is set between the TV episodes Powerplay and Volcano.
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2015
5 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Blum
31 books24 followersJonathan Blum is the author of several Doctor Who novels and Big Finish audios. He currently lives in Australia with his wife Kate Orman.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 17, 2015
Definitely one of the best Blake's 7 novels, in my opinion. A lot of it focuses on Dayna, who has only just joined the Liberator crew at the start of this novel, while Cally - who I felt was often under-used in the TV series- emerges as a much stronger character than usual in this book. Also, the plot - involving an attempt to infiltrate a massive Federation media complex - gives plenty of opportunity for satire, and for some (highly relevant) observations on the way the media shapes people's perceptions, and even their lives. An excellent read.
March 16, 2023
The range finds a way to move beyond attempting to recreate a series very peculiar to its time (or turn Avon into the Terminator) and instead uses it to a more relevant, modern story and engage playfully with metafiction. Starts with a near absurd premise and works it into some very B7, very cynical ideas. The authorial approach means it won’t be for everyone - certainly not those looking for simple recreations of the late 70s/early 80s - but it’s easily the most successful literary endeavour of B7 to date.
January 8, 2017
An exceptionally turgid read that isn't anywhere near as funny or satirical as the authors seem to think it is. A presenter called Big Ant and a feeble 20 year late Spice Girls parody are just the start of 250 dire pages of tedium.
Whilst Dayna infiltrates the Spice Girls, Vila ends up as a writer on Liberation! a comedy based on the Liberator crew.
Yes, really - that's the level of "satire" on show here.
AVOID unless you are a completest.
Whilst Dayna infiltrates the Spice Girls, Vila ends up as a writer on Liberation! a comedy based on the Liberator crew.
Yes, really - that's the level of "satire" on show here.
AVOID unless you are a completest.
January 7, 2020
Another great book from Blum and Orman. Manages to have a central idea that is both Blake's-7-y (echoes of "Shadow") yet also modern. Lovely characterisation, particularly for Vila and Dayna. Best Blake's 7 novel I've read.
January 4, 2023
Interesting aspect to B7 universe.
February 22, 2025
As far as the other Blake's 7 books this for me was a poor effort
I love Blake's 7 and I still had to read this book but only worth one read
I love Blake's 7 and I still had to read this book but only worth one read
January 7, 2016
I was very happy to find a new book by Kate Orman and Jonathan Blum, since they haven't been writing Doctor Who books anymore.
It was a good story, I did like some of the more second person bits that explored some feelings and motivations that couldn't work as well on screen.
That said, it's good, but it's no Left-Handed Hummingbird. So, not one that I'm going to read over and over.
It was a good story, I did like some of the more second person bits that explored some feelings and motivations that couldn't work as well on screen.
That said, it's good, but it's no Left-Handed Hummingbird. So, not one that I'm going to read over and over.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews